THE BEST OF BUDAPEST
This grand dame on the Danube comes into its own in autumn, says Nick Boulos
They say opposites attract, and that is certainly true when it comes to Budapest. Dissected by the mighty Danube, the settlements of Buda (historic and medieval) and Pest (urban and bohemian) existed independently until the mid-19th century.
The completion of the famous Chain Bridge ( modelled on hammersmith Bridge in London) in 1849 linked the two, but the union wasn’t made official until 1873.
Today, the city is buzzing — and not just with tourists. The ‘ Paris of the east’ is how some people see it. But Paris can’t compete with the view from the river at night when both Buda and Pest are lit up spectacularly as if competing for accolades.
COOL CUSTOMER
In APrIL, when cherry blossom trees are in full bloom, the city hosts its annual Spring Festival, a city-wide celebration of music and dance.
Summer tends to be hot and bothered, but by now the heat has tapered off and the crowds have thinned — just a little. winter is a good bet once the river cruise season has ended. And the Christmas Market is always a heart-warmer.
HISTORY LESSON
BUDAPeST’S golden period was from 1867-1914 when the Austro-hungarian empire ruled supreme, erecting ever more magnificent buildings.
grandeur is everywhere — even though hungary supported germany in world war I, with disastrous results, and then sided with hitler in world war II, before being consumed by the Soviet Union. A complicated and unhappy history, in other words.
The 1956 uprising was quashed and it wasn’t until the Iron Curtain fell in 1989 that hungary became an independent country. It joined the eU in 2004, but remains out of the eurozone.
TOP SPOTS
TowerIng high above Buda’s old town is the neo-gothic spire of the Matthias Church, founded in the 13th century by King Bela IV. It has witnessed many dramatic events, including the excommunication of a Pope and the coronation in 1867 of the Austrian emperor Franz Joseph.
next door is the hideous (from the outside) hilton hotel — but you must look in and see the remains of a 17th-century Jesuit monastery. The royal Palace has now been restored and houses two museums, including the hungarian national gallery.
on the Pest side, the parliament building is just as elaborate as our own Palace of westminster, upon which it is modelled. And do not miss an evening cruise on the Danube — try Danube Legend, complete with appropriate music as you glide merrily along.
TUCK IN
hUngArIAn cuisine isn’t just gloopy goulash. Fine dining has come to Budapest. The evolution Menu at onyx ( onyx
restaurant.hu) has earned the restaurant a legion of fans and a Michelin star.
Dine on wild boar stew with pickled paprika and a 21stcentury take on the old favourite Somlo sponge cake. elsewhere, head chef Akos Sarkozi has turned Borkonyha ( borkonyha.
hu) — meaning wine kitchen — into a hot spot.
But if you want something truly traditional then try Muzeum, where you’ll see bullet holes from the 1956 uprising and academics discussing the rise of hungary’s populist parties.
RAISE A GLASS
The city’s hippest drinking den is the high note Sky Bar on the 7th floor of the chic Aria hotel ( ariahotelbudapest.com). The signature cocktails are innovative ( try The one gardener, a blend of pearflavoured hungarian schnapps with Angostura bitters, fresh apples and egg whites) and the views delicious.
STYLISH STAY
BroDy house, a former doctor’s residence from the 1850s, is one of the city’s most stylish addresses. The eight rooms with freestanding baths and antique furniture are arrayed around a quiet courtyard.
GO BELOW
There’S plenty to lure you to hogwarts-esque Castle hill, the walled medieval quarter that was once the seat of the hungarian monarchy. But there are treasures below ground too.
Forming part of a six- mile subterranean network of caves and corridors, the hospital in the rock ( sziklakorhaz.eu) was used during world war II and, later, the Cold war. guided tours of the bunkers depart hourly.
LET IT SINK IN
Known as the City of Spas since the Thirties on account of its revered geothermal waters, Budapest is well placed to deliver rest and relaxation.
At the neo-Baroque Szechenyi ( szechenyibath.com), old men gather for a game of chess and a soothing outdoor soak in the 100f ( 38c) waters. For fewer crowds, try Kiraly ( kiralyfurdo.
hu), which dates back to 1565. For 21st- century pampering, head to the spa at the plush Four Seasons hotel ( four
seasons.com) and try the Crystal Stone massage using yellow jade and healing obsidian crystals.