Budapest now is among the top destinations for city breaks. I hear from more and more tourists that this is the city most first-time travelers to Central-Europe want to see.
However, Budapest and Hungary are still not among the must-do destinations yet. As a post communist country, Hungary needed long time to convince the global tourist market to think about the country as an attracktive destination with quality services. But now we, people from Hungary hope our time has come! This hope is just confirmed by the stronger dollar or euro vs Hungarian Forint. The current exchange rates make your stay in Budapest very-very affordable. According to Forbes' list "Fifteen cheap destinations to see in the recession" Hungary is ranked number one!
Budapest looks its most beautiful at dawn. As the sun slowly rises over the eastern plains, bathing Pest in soft pastel hues, it radiates back from the buildings of Buda as if they were a giant mirror; the windows on Castle Hill positively glisten in golden jubilation.
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| Sunrise |
But Budapest is also spectacularly appealing at night. The Chain Bridge is festooned with white lights, and the main public buildings like the Parliament, the Opera and the Royal Palace, as well as the entire panorama of the Castle District, are imaginatively and sensitively floodlit.
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| The Chain bridge and its lions |
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| Buda castle at night |
There are plenty of other capital cities built on the banks of a river, and in many cases the river runs through the historic centre. But such a wide and majestic river, as is the Danube at Budapest, is more of a rarity. Even more exceptional is the perfect contrast between the right and left banks. Buda is built upon hills, the feet of two of them - Castle Hill and Gellért Hill - almost stand in the water. Facing it is Pest, as flat as a pancake (or, as a Hungarian might say, as flat as a "lángos", a pita-type bread opular for many a century).
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| Budapest panorama: bridges, houses, the river plus Gellért Hill It's no exaggeration to say that Budapest is one of the finest capital cities in Europe, and also one of the best situated. |
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| The Blue Danube... |
Superlatives
Budapest, now home to two million inhabitants, would appear countless times on any list of superlatives. The Continent's first underground railway was built here. From here originated more pioneering Hollywood film makers than from any other European city.
Budapest is built above a labyrinth of caves filled with warm thermal water and many have only partially been explored. You will find in Budapest the biggest active, water-filled underground thermal water cave and hall in the world. There are no other cities of comparable size anywhere where visitors can explore dripstone (stalactite) caves in the middle of the residential districts. (No wonder, that the world's largest thermal lake with a surface area of 4.4 hectares is to be found also in Hungary, Hévíz. The temperature of the lake itself varies between 34 and 36 degrees Centigrade in the summer, but even in winter it does not dip below 26-29 degrees Centigrade. The water is in continual motion and thus the entire volume of the spring-fed lake changes completely in three and a half days.)
Budapest is titled all around the world „The city of Spas”. It is the only capital city in the world where there are more than 118 hot thermal springs. The richness of the city in thermal water is absolutely unrivaled.
Budapest is home of the largest medicinal bath in Europe (Szechenyi) and the third largest Parliament buliding in the world, once the largest in the world.
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| Szechenyi baths |
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| Clouds above the Hungarian Parlament |
It would be difficult to find another city where visitors are faced with such a choice of transport: bus, tram, trolleybus, train, underground railway, cogwheel railway, funicular, forest railway, horse-and-trap, chair-lift, boat, bicycle and on Margaret Island "bringóhintó" family cycle cars - Budapest has them all! Let's choose one, and set off in the World Heritage streets.
Budapest is the home of Europe's largest synagogue. It was finished in 1859, in Neo-Moorish style. The interior space has a flat ceiling and a capacity for nearly three thousand believers: there are 1497 seats for men on the groundfloor, while the two galleries on the upper floor have 1472 seats for women.
The success of modern Budapest was significantly due to the diligence and organizational skills of Jewish industrialists. After 1990, a real Jewish cultural Renaissance began in Budapest. The city has the most populous active Jewish community in Central Europe, who cherish their religious, artistic and historical heritage.
The success of modern Budapest was significantly due to the diligence and organizational skills of Jewish industrialists. After 1990, a real Jewish cultural Renaissance began in Budapest. The city has the most populous active Jewish community in Central Europe, who cherish their religious, artistic and historical heritage.
But don't think that now you know everything about Budapest... For example, do you know where this next picture was taken?
If you think you would love to see hidden places and non-touristy spots, get in touch with us and let us proove you that Budapest has a lot more places and experiences to offer...
"But don't think that now you know everything about Budapest... For example, do you know where this next picture was taken?"
VálaszTörlésA Lotz Kavézóban az Andrassy úton, az Alexandra könyvesház felett!