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the sights to see straddling the famous Danube, Budapest is a city of contrasts - the rolling hills and greenery of Buda; and the bustling downtown of Pest. And its historical heritage from an often turbulent past offers lots of sights and reminders to savour. Here we let you in on a few secrets that you might otherwise miss out on... << |
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feel the vibe there's more to any city than picture postcards and lists of past rulers. Often it's the feel and atmosphere of the place that you remember, and Budapest is certainly rich in those respects. With a booming cafe culture, numerous open-air bars, a mediterranean vibe and an arts scene to rival any other city, just sit back, relax and savour << |
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Parliament (Map
D3) visitors from England are forgiven for a severe case of déjá-vu - architect Imre Steindl was a fan of London's Houses of Parliament. Built solely of Hungarian materials by local workers, it is the most expensive building ever built in Hungary (in real terms) and houses the Royal crown and regalia << |
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Castle District (Map
B3-4) walking around the medieval streets of this palatial area majestically overlooking the Danube and downtown, you'll find it hard to believe that it has been smashed up and rebuilt 86 times over the past seven centuries. A gorgeous mix of Gothic and Baroque buildings including the Palace and the Mátyás Church, there is a system of caves underneath which housed the citizens during the battle between the Wehrmacht and the Red Army in 1945 << |
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Fisherman's Bastion (B3) just outside the Castle District, its seven turrets symbolise the seven Magyar tribes who captured the region - but you might be too busy enjoying the view of Pest to notice... >> Gellért Hill (D7) or rise up further south on the Buda side (after a refreshing spa in the Gellért Baths) for another glorious view, and... >> Citadella (D7) the Hapsburg fortress, which the Austrians built when they suppressed the 1848-9 revolution, plus... << >> Cave Chapel (D7) a grotto still serving as a Catholic church for the Pauline order of monks and the site where Cardinal József Mindszenty was arrested in 1947 << |
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City Park (G1) home to the Széchenyi Baths, the Vajdahunyad Castle (left), a lake that doubles as an ice-rink, an amusement park with an ancient rollercoaster, a weekend flea market, three museums and the zoo, this is more than just a park - although there is still plenty of grass to play frisbee on! << |
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Buda Hills just a short trip by bus takes you up to the gorgeous hills overlooking the city. Try out the Children's Railway (run by schoolkids, although they don't actually drive the trains!) then walk along to the chairlift and ride back down in style, barely five metres above the back gardens of the locals << |
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Statue Park fans of old Communist statues will get their money's worth just outside the city, or... << >> Terror Museum (F2) right in the heart of town the former Communist secret police HQ is now a memorial museum for all its victims of terror, plus a few rooms dedicated to those who suffered under Nazism << |
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Heroes' Square (G1) otherwise known as the Millennary Monument (as it was built to celebrate the first 1000 years of Hungary), this square holds statues of the most important kings and governors in the country's history, flanked by two art museums - fine art to the left, modern to the right << |
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Opera House (E3) decorated by hundreds of statues, this is one of Hungary's most important pieces of architecture. Lovingly restored in the 1980's, the resident companies boast a repertoire of almost 90 operas - more than any other in the world << |
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Chain Bridge (C4) the first permanent bridge over the Danube in Budapest, designed by William Clark and built by (the unrelated) fellow Brit Adam Clark with British iron. Check out the lions on either end - can you see their tongues? << |
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St Stephen's Basilica (D4) ever seen a mummified hand? well, now you can - it belonged to St Stephen, Hungary's first king, and is thus the country's holiest relic. Be careful not to slide on the perfectly smooth marble floors as you gaze upwards at the mosaics, then take the lift to the cupola for one of the best views in town. After 20 years the Basilica's renovations are finally complete - judge for yourself whether the 5.6 billion HuF were well-spent << |
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Synagogue (E4) the second biggest in the world with a Byzantine-Moorish design and the graves of 2,281 local Jews who died in the next-door ghetto in the winter of 1944. Visit the Jewish Museum or listen to the frequent classical or Klezmer concerts << |
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Aquincum just outside the town centre you'll find remains of the Roman city... >> Szentendre or go a little bit further to chill out in this perfect postcard town, enjoying lovely mediterranean atmosphere thanks to the Serbian and Greek minorities. The town has been an artists' colony since the last century thus having almost as many galleries as Budapest << |
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Visegrad, Esztergom and the Danube Bend
if you fancy a daytrip, catch a ride up to two of Hungary's former capitals - including the biggest church in the country and a ruined medieval fortress. And don't miss the bob - an all-weather metal slide for the more adventurous among you << |
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