This time I had the chance to travel with my own guide: Julien who lived in Hungary and knows pretty well the “Must See” in Budapest! We had time to visit the Pest area (a day and a half), enjoy the nightlife in the jewish area and discover Buda (for a half day).
Budapest
Founded in 1873, Budapest is a reunion of Buda, the old capital located on the hilltop, Pest which is the new living center and Óbuda.
We stayed in Király utca, nearby the Opera. From there you have the metro to go to Buda’s hill or Városliget park, and can walk around the rest of the city!
Essential vocabulary: Szía: Hello, Köszönöm: Thanks, Viszlát: Goodbye.
Where to eat and drink:
– Great brunch: The Cirkusz (always a line, but worth it!)
– Green and quiet place to have lunch or dinner: Liszt Ferenc tér
– Nice restaurant in a ruin building: Twenty Six
– To get a drink in a ruin bar: Szimpla Kert (better in the afternoon)
– Rooftop: 360 Bar
– Artisanal street during the day, but also great for nightlife: Gozsdu Passage
– Try also one of the various food courts like Street Food Karavan
– An other restaurants street close to the central market: Ráday Street
– To dance: Aether club or Akvarium club on Deák Ferenc tér (both electronic music) or Stifler Ház or Dobosz club (more commercial and with karaoke)
Transportation:
– Bus from the airport: Line 100E around 6€, reaching Deák Ferenc tér in 30 minutes
– Metro: around 1€. Don’t hesitate to try the line 1, the oldest, built from 1894!
Pest and the East side of the Danube
In one day you can visit:
– Deák Ferenc tér: the central place where you have plenty of bars and the big wheel!
– The Opera opened since 1884: You can visit it with a guide or enjoy one their show!
> 25€ the visit, check the timeline
– St Stephen’s Basilica: named in honour of the first King of Hungary, whose right hand is housed in the reliquary.
=> around 15€ the full visit with access to the rooftop
– The memorial of “The Shoes on the Danube Bank“ by the river between the Basilica and Parliament.
– The Parliament: the visits are only guided, you can find the schedule on their website => around 25€
Perfect spot to enjoy the symmetry of the building: Batthyány tér metro station (even more beautiful at night)
– The biggest synagogue of Europe: Dohány utcai Zsinagóga
=> around 25€, a bit expensive for what’s here to see
– The central Market: Nagy Vásárcsarnok (nice but very touristic)
– The National Museum
=> around 7€
– The “most beautiful bar” but also the most expensive: New York Cafe
=> 9€ a cappuccino!
Shopping streets:
- Váci utca
- Andrássy (more expensive)
Nightlife streets:
- Király utca
- Dob utca
- Wesselényi utca
Városliget park
So many things to see here, you can dedicate a half day there:
- The Hero place (Hősök tere)
- Vajdahunyad Castle (the Museum of Hungarian Agriculture)
- The Széchenyi thermal bath (the biggest of Europe)
- The Budapest Zoo
- The Municipal Circus (opened in 1891)he new House of Music
- The Museum of Ethnography.
To go there: You can either take the metro and stop at Hősök tere (in front of the Hero place) or Széchenyi fürdő in front of the baths.
To eat: the Gundel Restaurant (opened in 1894), the Balloon bar, Nyereg étterem or Robinson étterem
Buda, the hill and quiet part of the city
Starting from the Széll Kálmán tér metro station, you can walk (climbing a little) the Ostrom street and start the visit with the Vienna door (Bécsi kapu). It took a half day to walk around the area, without visiting the insides.
Note: On this side of the river you also can find the Gellért baths, the oldest of the city (Gellért Gyógyfürdő és Uszoda).
