Paris of the East

Pest is Buda’s other half, east of the Danube. It couldn’t feel more separate, with 19thcentury boulevards designed for sightseeing strollers. Giant buildings recall the glory days of early 20th-century Vienna – so wander aimlessly past the Opera House, Keleti station, elegant squares (including Liszt Ferenc tér), statues spiked with icicles and towering grand hotels. Try sour-cherry strudel and hot chocolate in the timewarped surrounds of The First Strudel House of Pest (reteshaz.com).