Budapest, beyond the usual: 10 things to do
Our Balkan adventure started in Budapest, to continue into Bosnia, Serbia and Romania.
Budapest had long been on my list, but for no reason, it always got lost in the plans.
This time, we made it happen. First of all, we secured an apartment on AirBnb with a magnificent view over the Liberty Bridge (link at the bottom); the view is incredible both day and night.
Not only the view, but Central Market is literally on the other side of a small park.
Budapest is an incredible city.
Just looking at its magnificent buildings, it’s easy to guess that it used to be a very opulent city being one of the capitals of the Austro-Hungarian empire.
Budapest is trendy, it’s buzzing, it’s historical, it’s romantic. And it’s touristy. Very.
Under a scorching September heat (which did not last), we started to explore Liberty Bridge which is an impressive piece of engineering. Built between 1894 and 1896, it is actually the shortest bridge in Budapest’s city centre.
A number of trams cross the bridge, which make for stunning pictures, but there are plans to convert it to pedestrian only. So, take those pictures while you still can.
From there, it’s a very short stroll to Central Market (open usually until 5pm, free entrance).
The Great Market Hall, as it is known, is the oldest market in Budapest and the largest and was inaugurated in 1897.
The stalls on the ground floor sell souvenirs (do buy the paprika!), meats including the Hungarian salami, pastries, candies, spices, and spirits.
On the upper floor, there are more souvenirs and a food court specialising in Hungarian traditional dishes.
For vegetarian/vegan: the only thing I found that was remotely veg and no meat, was a Langos, a traditional Hungarian fried dough. Nothing else (and it stinks grossly of meat).
There are cafes, just across the square that have vegan options and Budapest has tons of veg restaurants.
On the basement of the central market, accessible through an escalator, is a large supermarket for all your needs.
Taxis are relatively cheap in Budapest and we used Bolt extensively.
We took one to get us to Mátyás Church and the Bastions.
Mátyás Church is incredibly opulent inside, with golden leaf motifs of a nationalistic stamp that claimed the church back from the Ottoman empire where it had become a mosque.
Behind the church is the neo-Romanesque Fishermen’s Bastion, built in 1902 as defensive fortress and today the best look out point towards the East side and Pest, incorporating the splendid and iconic Parliament building which was our next stop.
We took another Bolt which left us beside the Parliament.
The Parliament building is , without a doubt, Budapest most photographed and well known site.
It houses the Coronation Regalia, including national hero St Stephen’s crown, sceptre and orb, and it features a sweeping staircase. There are daily tours of the building – in English – (10am, noon, 1pm, 2pm & 3pm; 2200Ft for visitors with EU passport, 5400Ft for others). Opening times vary according to seasons but generally it closes at 6pm during the summer months.
Vajdahunyad Castle was, for me, one of the highlights of the city.
The castle is open 10am-5pm and you need an entrance ticket.
It was built in 1896 and it amalgamates different styles from the Middle Ages to the 18th century: Romanesque, Gothic Renaissance, Baroque buildings. The park grounds are famous for containing a bust of Béla Lugosi, a Hungarian-American actor famous for portraying Count Dracula in the original 1931 film.
The Hungarian National Museum is particularly interesting in getting to know better the history of the country, and to admire the stunning Neoclassical architecture. Open from 10am to 6pm, it charges £7.
And for some Kitty fun, there is a Cats Museum, with free entrance, open 1pm to 8pm.
Everything pussycat on display, from paintings with cats, to funny cats posters to the real purry things, it is a miaowtastic experience.
The Travelling Galaxy Interactive Live Exhibition is a Star Wars galore treat!
If you are a Star Wars nerd like us, this “your day will make” in the words of Yoda!
There are all of your favourites (and not) characters and more! Open 10am to 8pm.
Széchenyi Thermal Bath is one of the largest bath complexes of Europe. It comprises of 21 pools, saunas, aquafitness, aerobics, gym and prescription- only pools.
Entry is a bit steep at £35 but they do offer a lot of packages and services; open from 7am to 8pm.
If you want to see a sunset to remember, choose one the many rooftop bars and watch the sun setting with a drink and an unmatched view.
We went to the Intermezzo Rooftop bar, on the top floor of the Hotel President, behind Liberty Park and the Parliament.
The view is stunning and the cocktails are good too.
Food wise, Budapest offers a huge variety of eateries: from Middle East to Indian, Korean, Greek to Italian to traditional Hungarian.
We loved Karavan, a space dedicated to street food stalls with good choices, both traditional and not, good veg option and great prices. The Langos are particularly good!
It is touristic but there were also local people and the vibe was actually really cool. Cash only.
We also liked Made in Hungaria restaurant, on Vaci Ulica, where the vegan mushroom goulash was particularly delicious.
Do a river cruise at sunset or in the evening to marvel at Budapest’s lights at night, bring a sweater, as it is breezy and enjoy.
There are many options and prices available, some even offer dinner on board.
Our Balkan adventure continued to Székesfehérvár, about one hour by very cheap and reliable train, from Budapest.
Come along…
Here is the link for the AirBnb
