Everyone will find something beautiful in Budapest. For some people it’s a city of majestic architecture, for the others it’s the clubbing capital of Europe.
Some 135 years ago there was no city as Budapest, and there were two cities — Buda and Pest, two brothers. Mountainous hills of Buda have long been chosen by Magyar kings and the local aristocracy, while the flat Pest was mostly settled by merchants and craftsmen, and was famous for its noisy fairs. In the late 19th century the first permanent bridge was built between the cities, and Buda and Pest joined. Though the history tried to smooth out the differences between the two “pearls of the Danube,” those have remained to this day. Buda is still considered to be an elite area with magnificent mansions and picturesque chestnut alleys, and Pest maintains the status of the merchants’ area, though most of the tourists truly enjoy the hotels and the accommodations of this part.
Places to visit
The first place where the locals love to take the guests of the city is surely Gellert Hill. The top of the tall mountains is crowned with the Freedom Monument — a huge bronze woman with palm branches in her hands, which is perhaps the only monument in the capital of Hungary that remained in its place since the Soviet Era.
Gellert Hill has a fantastic view of the entire Budapest. If you go there, don’t forget to take some photos. And besides, when looking at the city from above, you can consider the route for future trips. By the way, you can reach the observation deck either by a taxi or by the bus number 27.
On a nearby hill you will see the Royal Palace, or rather its reincarnation. During the war, an elegant building in Baroque style was built by the order of the Austro-Hungarian queen Maria Theresa. It was completely destroyed, but the Hungarians were so proud of the postcard views of their capital that they decided to restore it. You can get to the palace by a cable car.
There are many interesting places on the opposite side of the Danube, too. Just cross the river by one of the nine bridges, and you find yourself in a completely different world — a cultural center. There you will find the Opera House, the Basilica of St. Stephen, and, of course, the most beautiful building in Budapest — the Hungarian Parliament. Rebuilt in the 80s of the 19th century, it cost the treasury an astounding sum for those times. From there you can reach the main shopping street of the city — the famous Vaci.
Its shops and shopping centers are popular with their Europe brand clothes (H&M, Mango, Zara and Benetton), national clothes and even a few second-hand stores. Prices are average, but the choice is certainly not like in London or Paris. Maybe it is for the best: You won’t buy a suitcase of fashion rags, and will save money to buy traditional Hungarian souvenirs such as superb Tokay wines, apricot vodka palinkas, salami and paprika.
Baths and swimming
When you collect a suitcase for your trip to Hungary, don’t forget a bathing suit, even if you’re going to the country of red pepper and Tokay in spring. You’ll find many hot mineral springs (only in the city there are 123 of them) in Hungary.
Budapest has about 47 working baths, designed for every taste. You can find either open or closed ones, and even sports pools, therapeutic mud baths, Jacuzzis, “warm,” “cold” and “Turkish” baths, and swimming pools with artificial waves.
Many swimming pools in Hungary are real architectural treasures. Naprmer and Gellért are the most popular baths of Budapest. They were built in 1918, with the fashionable for that time Art Nouveau style. The bottom of the huge pool is lined with magnificent mosaics, and the banks are decorated with the statues of Cupid and Venus. A little more modest in decor, and less crowded is the Szechenyi bath. If you want to feel like a Turkish pasha, be sure to go to the Royal Baths, one of the oldest baths in the city. They are built in the 16th century, during Ottoman rule. The interior of the baths has remained virtually unchanged since then.
The prices of the baths are quite reasonable: The entrance ticket to the Gellert will cost you 3100 HUF (about $16.5).
Cuisine
The main attraction in Hungary is, of course, the national cuisine. If you have decided to spend a vacation or holiday in Budapest, forget about diets, as you will not be able to resist the temptation of the local cuisine. The most popular dishes are the goulash, paprikash, roast, schnitzel and lecho. Hungarians love to add lots of red pepper to the dishes, so in Hungary you’ll discover the real taste of a really good red pepper.
As for restaurants, they are divided into three categories: ordinary restaurants, home cooking restaurants with a small but thoughtful selection of dishes, and restaurants with varied menus, which often serve the cook’s special meals.
Lunch at not so expensive cafes will cost you around 1000 forints (about $6), so you will be able to save some $35 for wine and dessert dinner in a fancy restaurant. But try to get to the Gundel. This place is considered to be the best in Hungary: amazing food, waiters in evening dresses, tasty dishes, interesting performances, antique interiors decorated with real museum objects… You can also listen to live music performed by the local gypsy orchestras there.
Museums and clubs
Operetta, restaurants and the multiple places of interest attract thoughtful and curious tourists to Budapest. A special attention should be given to the ultramodern Palace of Art, recently rebuilt in Pest. The largest organ in the whole of Central Europe is located there. By the way, its tickets for the concerts, dance performances and classical performers are much cheaper than in the rest of Europe. In the same complex you can find a modern art museum with a really good collection.
Well, for those who cannot sit still and cannot sleep at night, Budapest can offer over a thousand of entertainment options — bars, pubs and clubs. In most pubs the prices are quite democratic. The two most popular spots are Szimpla Kert and Kuplung Klub located close to each other. You can find them easily by asking any local.
Hotels
The ideal hotel service is another feature Budapest is well-known for. So memorable all inclusive holidays are guaranteed in Hungary. Budapest has about 280 hotels, but only some of them are known worldwide.
Corinthia Hotel Budapest
Corinthia Hotel Budapest is one of the 25 best hotels in Europe. According to the Times Budapest, Corinthia Hotel Budapest has a really high level of customer service. Corinthia Hotel Budapest is a member of the newly repositioned upper luxury brand Corinthia Hotels. Its neo-classical facade, decorated with statues, columns and a dome, has been the jewel of the fashionable streets of Budapest, Erzsébet Avenue, for over a century. The hotel is owned by Malta based International Hotel Investments (IHI) and operated by CHI Hotels & Resorts, a joint venture between IHI and the Wyndham Hotel Group. It was opened in 2002, faithfully restored to its former glory of the leading luxury hotels in Budapest, featuring a magnificent hall and the biggest conference hall in the city.
Since it was reopened, Corinthia Hotel Budapest has received numerous awards for its architecture, cuisine and world class service.
Le Meridien Budapest Hotel
The large rooms of Le Meridien Budapest Hotel are amazing, decorated in Art Deco style, with blue and beige tones, turning the rooms into masterpieces. All rooms provide access to high speed Internet, fax and phone, have mini-bars, satellite TV with premium channels, a safe, air conditioning, tea and coffee and a small sofa. The luxurious bathrooms have separate bath and shower.
The spacious restaurant of the hotel serves local and international cuisine. In this restaurant, which has a good reputation in the town, you can taste various sweet local wines. Restaurant “Le Bourbon” and Cafe Atrium located in the charming glassed room with a domed ceiling are exellent for dates. The hotel also has a spa and swimming pool, well-equipped meeting room and bar, where you can always hear sounds of live jazz.
Le Meridien Budapest Hotel has an excellent location and is considered to be one of the best hotels in town.
K K Hotel Opera Budapest
There are not that many attractive things to be mentioned about this hotel, except for the fact that it has a great location. It’s a 4-star hotel that has access to many local attractions, close to downtown. The territory of the hotel is also known as Terezvaros. The shopping area is within a walking distance, thus the shopaholics will be able to visit Vaci. It’s also close to the local attractions such as the Opera House.
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