Hungary for more of capital
Anita Merritt takes a dip into the hot springs, history and culture of Budapest
Whether you love sampling local food, strolling through unfamiliar streets or hitting the hotspots, a city break is a great way to get back to exploring the world again.
Budapest is one of Europe’s best-loved capitals for its rich history, natural hot spring baths and architectural masterpieces so it’s perfect for anyone craving that cultural hit.
Keen to hit the ground running, I jumped in a taxi at the airport and asked the driver for a quick tour of the main attractions.
As we whizzed through the streets and boulevards I was transfixed as the shape of the city unfolded.
Bisected by the River Danube, Budapest’s famous Chain Bridge is the route between Buda in the west, built on hillsides with sweeping panoramas across the city, and flat Pest in the east. The extremes of the two are strikingly etched in both the look and feel of the contrasting areas.
Pest is lively with imposing architecture, intriguing shops, bars and restaurants, whereas within the terraces of Buda you will find a sedate air of history and a much calmer pace of life. Interestingly, it is Buda that is perceived by the locals I met as being the ‘better side of the river’ to live on, but when it comes to exploring as a tourist, there is no shortage of enriching experiences on both sides.
Pest is where you’ll find some of the finest hotels and my base for the trip was the waterside Budapest Marriott Hotel.
The views of the sparkling Danube practically filled my room, thanks to the floor-toceiling windows. You’ll get the same gorgeous scenery from the hotel’s Liz and Chain Sky Lounge with open-air roof terrace and from the DNB Budapest restaurant, which serves traditional Hungarian food with a modern twist.
The one choice you will find on most menus in
Hungary is goulash, a soup or stew of meat and vegetables flavoured with spices and paprika. In fact, you’ll find paprika added to most dishes here – the country loves it.
Meat is also fundamental to Hungarian food, but you will still find vegetarian options or fish-based dishes such as catfish.
On my travels around the city, the word pálinka soon became part of my vocabulary. The potent liquor is known as Central Europe’s traditional fruit brandy and is the most popular drink in Hungary. When it comes to wine, the country is renowned for special varieties such as Furmint and Juhfark.
What Budapest is perhaps most famous for is its eight iconic bridges,
architecture and thermal waters. It still has authentic medieval Turkish baths in operation, with almost 1,500 hot springs supplying dozens of spas around the country.
Among Budapest’s treasured landmarks are its Parliament Building, the largest synagogue in Europe, and the Hungarian State Opera House.
Its many examples of modern-day architecture include the awardwinning House of Music, its roof has been designed to look like it has trees growing through it.
Pest is known for its nightlife and cheaper drink prices and a crowdpleasing night out can be found at BrewDog at Anker Köz 1-3. Inside
Buda Castle houses an original collection of Houdini artefacts
you’ll find 25 taps of craft beer including local and world beers as well as its own brand.
One for daytime is the New York Café, on Erzsébet krt, one of Budapest’s main boulevards. Dubbed ‘the most beautiful cafe in the world’, it has an opulent interior bathed in gilt and velvet that makes it feel more like a lavish palace.
Food lovers must visit the Great Market Hall, on Vámház krt – the largest and oldest indoor market in the city, and an exciting place to see Hungary’s fabulous food showcased in front of you.
A fun way to view many of the capital’s landmarks is on a sightseeing cruise along the river, with live running commentary providing interesting snippets of history and facts – for example, master escape artist and magician Harry Houdini was born in Budapest.
In Buda, within the walls of the imposing Buda Castle, I came across The House of Houdini. The museum houses the only collection of original Houdini artefacts in Europe. On view are handcuffs the magician escaped from and for a bit of extra fun, live magic shows form part of the small tour.
As captivating and intriguing as Budapest is, the surrounding towns and tourist destinations further afield make it worth transforming a city break into an extended stay in the country. For me, that began with a short drive to Gödöllo, home of the Royal Palace of Gödöllo. Also known as Grassalkovich Castle, it was a coronation gift to revered Habsburg Empress Elisabeth of Bavaria – affectionately known as
Sissi to Hungarians. I found snippets of her tragic life as fascinating as the building itself.
Further away, but simply unmissable, is Lake Balaton which is Central Europe’s largest lake, making it a premier holiday destination. Its shoreline stretches 147 miles and visitors are drawn to its beautiful turquoise waters and the popular destinations dotted alongside it.
To drive there takes just 70 minutes from Budapest. The most famous spa near Lake Balaton is Hévíz, the world’s second-largest thermal lake. Its winter water temperature is 23-25C, rising to 38C in the summer. A tranquil dip and float in its waters is all you need to feel revived and energised.
The ancient city of Pécs in southern Hungary, close to the Croatian border, is three hours by train from Budapest. The Unesco world heritage site is home to the
Zsolnay Cultural Quarter created around the factory where the renowned namesake ceramics were made.
Today it is a museum but it is perhaps best enjoyed in the warmer months when the outdoor ceramics are uncovered.
Pécs is also famous for its cathedral, where every visible inch is adorned with hand-painted decor or craftsmanship.
Also worth a visit is the Mosque of Pasha Qasim which incorporates Christian and Islamic design, represented through combined symbols of the crescent moon and the cross on the top of the dome.
Underground, a visit to its old wine cellars is fascinating. One of the longest networks of cellars in
Hungary is found at Littke Palace where you will be kitted out a hard hat, hi-vis gear and safety glasses. Visitors get to sample its sparkling wine while learning how it is made.
Hungary is quite simply a treasure trove of travel goodies – and one visit will never be enough.
Floating in the thermal lake is all you need to feel energised