Straddling

the giant River Danube, Budapest has long served as Hungary’s cultural and administrative epicentre. Situated at the confluence of the country’s western hills and eastern and southern plains, the city is named after and split into two parts on either side of the river – Buda to the west and Pest to the east.

While Budapest’s roots date back to Roman times, what visitors will see today is largely influenced by the 19th-century Austro-hungarian empire, a period when Hungary was around three times the size it is today, the geopolitical aftermath of the First World War drastically reducing its landmass.

It is home to one in five Hungarians and the centre of transport and industry, with more than half the country’s university students attending institutions here.

Budapest is an architectural marvel with many fascinating buildings offering immense views. The city, including the banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter, and Andrássy Avenue, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.

A vast array of museums, monuments and public baths add into the cultural mix along with an unrivalled nightlife, no better experienced than by a visit to one of the famous ruin bars.