Budapest
Budapest, the "Paris of the East", dazzles with Parliament on the Danube banks, its thermal baths, ruin bars, and a vibrant nightlife.
Average hotel price
45–180 EUR/ night
Best time to visit
Spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October) for the best weather.
Language
Húngaro
Country
Hungría
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What to see and do
Budapest: Buda and Pest
Budapest is actually two cities unified in 1873: Buda on the right bank, with the castle and hills; Pest on the left, flat and bustling. Parliament is the country's largest building and one of the world's most beautiful. Fisherman's Bastion offers the best views over the Danube and Pest. The thermal baths (Széchenyi, Gellért) are unique in Europe. The Ruin Bars in District VII — bars in ruined buildings of the Jewish ghetto — are an unrepeatable cultural phenomenon.
Where to stay
District V (Belváros) for Pest's historic center. District VII (Erzsébetváros) for Ruin Bars and nightlife. Buda (District I) for quieter historic beauty. District VI (Terézváros) for elegance near the Grand Boulevard (Andrássy).
Getting around
Metro M1 (Europe's second oldest, 1896) and lines M2/M3/M4 cover Pest. Trams run along the Danube. Ferries connect Buda and Pest. Airport: direct 100E bus to center (900 HUF).
Neighborhoods
Travel tips
Thermal baths
Budapest has 118 thermal springs. Széchenyi (outdoor, art nouveau) and Gellért (indoor, spectacular) are the most famous.
Currency
Hungarian forint (HUF). 1€ ≈ 390 HUF. Restaurants and museums are very affordable compared to Western Europe.
Hungarian wines
Tokaj (sweet wine) is world-famous. Also Egri Bikavér (Bull's Blood of Eger). Try them at any wine bar.
Gastronomy
Hungarian Goulash
Beef stew with paprika and vegetables. The national soup-stew that warms Danube winters.
Lángos
Fried bread with sour cream and grated cheese. The most popular Hungarian street food at markets and festivals.
Kürtőskalács
Spiral cake on a stick, caramelized with sugar. Similar to Czech trdelník, equally addictive.