Palace perfection

Budapest might not have bejewelled royal palaces in the French or Russian style.

But don’t be deterred – its architecture is awesome. In Buda, there’s the Royal Palace – a castle home to impressive attractions including the Hungarian National Gallery. Want more glamour? Escape a chilly weekend afternoon with afternoon tea at the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace (fourseasons.com), a masterpiece of Art Nouveau beside the Danube, with a lobby of millions of sparkling mosaic tiles. Or indulge in a spa day at the glorious Anantara New York Palace (anantara.com) hotel. The Finnish sauna and heated pool are the perfect pick-me-up in winter Budapest.