Things to do and to see in Budapest, in Hungary
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| Welcome to Budapest! |
Apart from Italy, France and Ireland, it is rare for me to come back in a country that I already visited in the past. In August 1992, I was based in a small Hungarian town, called Mosonmagyaróvár near the Austrian and Slovak border. I remember spending one day in Budapest at that time. 16 years after, I'm returned to Hungary for a weekend away. If you’re planning to go to Budapest, here are some ideas... |
| 1. Go to the thermal baths...After several hours walking the streets of Budapest, there's nothing better than a nice relaxing bath where the water temperature reaches 36/38 °C, followed by a mud treatment and finally a vigorous massage... In fairness, don't miss this opportunity! (On the right-hand side, Gellért Baths) |
| 2. Climb on top of Gellért-hegy... There's 20 minutes walking but the panoramic view of Budapest is definitely worth it. After a tough climb, relax! It’s downhill all the way! |
 Photo 2. View from the top of Gellért-hegy. |
| 3. Attend a private outdoor concert of classical music... Ah well, I'm cheating here... in fact, those three musicians were promoting their talent in front of a TV camera... of course, all the tourists around were delighted (me included)! |
| 4. Have a stroll on Margit Island... Margit Island is located in the middle of the Danube and there you can find a huge park and several sport centres. It's really peaceful, though there are not so many things to do or to see there in the middle of February (a Franciscan church, some ruins, etc.). Go there if you have a bike and lots of free time. |
5. See the Hungarian
Paliament Building...This 19th century building can be seen from the Buda-side and it can only be visited with a guide. Note that there are just a few daily guided tours in French and English. I personally couldn't visit it as my Spanish and Hungarian are far from perfect!  |
| 6. Shop at Moszkvar tér (Moscow Square)... At Moszkvar tér, there are quite a lot of shops and a big shopping centre to keep you busy... however, surprise, surprise, prices are not as low as I expected them to be in Eastern Europe. It's kind of ironical to see French and English brands of supermarket (Match / Tesco) invade the Hungarian market. |
| 7. Have a stroll in the streets of Váreghy...This area is located on top of the Buda Hills and is a shelter to lots of museums, palaces, castles, churches, cobbled roads and colourful houses. It’s great that despite its past, Hungary has managed to well preserve this area. |
| 8. Take photos
in the streets of Váreghy... There are so many coloured streets in this area that you will find it difficult to turn-off your camera. Here, I liked the décor composed of a phone box, the lamp-post, the yellow wall and the pedestrian with his cow-boy hat. |
 Photo 8. In the streets of Váreghy. |
| 9. Take more photos in the streets of Váreghy...Another interesting and colourful street! In the background, you can see the National Archive Building. |
| 10. Visit the Halászbástya (Fishermen's Bastion)... Incredible! It's very nice and it's free. The view on Pest is genuinely fantastic. On the right hand side, you can see the statue of King Stephen, who was the founder of the Hungarian nation and who was canonized in 1038. |
| 11. Enjoy the view from Halászbástya... From Halászbástya, you will be able to take great panoramic photos. In the background, you can recognize the Parliament Building and the Danube. In the foreground, I think it is the roof of a church called szilágyi dezsö. |
| 12. Watch the Buda
Palace statues... With a nice little sunset, it's even nicer... |
 Photo 12. Buda Palace statues. |
| 13. Test the Budapest transport system...Compared to Dublin, Budapest is paradise! Ok, some of their buses are a bit old-fashioned, but overall, the Budapest transport system works well and everything runs on time. I personally chose to buy a 3-day pass (3400HFT = €13.5), and was granted unlimited travels via metro, tram and bus for 3 days. |
| 14. Watch Budapest's statues... There are quite a lot of bronze statues in Budapest. One of them, called "The little princess" sits on a tram railing near the Parliament. A little research on the Internet indicates that the statue was made by Laszlo Marton in 1989. |
| 15. Enjoy Budapest's statues... And here is another great bronze statue! In this one, a young girl plays ball with her dog. |
| 16. Have a break in a Hungarian coffee shop... As we say in France, "after the effort, the comfort!" If you're on a diet, this is too bad! I went to a French-style coffee shop called Gerbeaud Pâtisserie. It's top-notch and it feels like you are being served like a king. Most menus are in Hungarian and English so there is no communication issues whatsoever. However, I have to say that I was not impressed by the Hungarian food. I probably haven't stayed long enough to find out the best areas to eat in. |
| 17. Take photos by night... All the monuments along the Danube are pretty well illuminated at night time. It's a great opportunity to test your camera's performance against the chain bridge "Széchenyi Lánchid". In the background, you can see the Hungarian Academy of Science (Magyar Tudományos Akadémia). |
| 18. Behave like a hero on the square... On the Heroes Square, you can see the military monument. It is a very popular tourist site as you can imagine. |
| 19. Have a stroll around Vajdahunyad Castle... Close to the Heroes Square, you may now feel like being at Eurodisney (I've never been but it feels like it...). Nice spot but of course it is very crowded, even in February. There's even possibility to ice-skate near the Castle. |
 Photo 19. Near Vajdahunyad Castle. |
| 20. Go to the Jewish quarter... On the right-hand side, you can see a synagogue in the heart of Pest. |
| 21. Being photographed
like in 1992... In a few months, I will try to scan a photo of me that was taken in 1992, in the very same spot... I guess, it will be a shock to see myself in 16 years time, less hair and more kilos. |
Budapest in pictures |
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 Photo 3. Violonists in Budapest. |
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 Photo 4. On Margit Island. |
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 Photo 5. Hungarian Parliament. |
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 Photo 6. Moszkvar tér. |
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 Photo 7. In the streets of Váreghy. |
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 Photo 9. In the streets of Váreghy. |
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 Photo 10. Halászbástya. |
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 Photo 11. From Halászbástya. |
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 Photo 13. Tram in Budapest. |
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 Photo 14. The little princess in Budapest. |
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 Photo 15. Statue in Budapest. |
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 Photo 16. Pâtisserie Gerbeaud. |
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 Photo 17. Széchenyi Lánchid. |
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 Photo 18. Heroes Square in Budapest. |
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 Photo 20. Synagogue in Budapest. |
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 Photo 21. In front of the Hungarian Parliament. |
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