Budapest – The Ultimate City Break
A city of two halves, Buda and Pest, separated by the Danube. Budapest continues to grow in popularity as a destination attracting a whopping 61 million visitors in 2019 which is a record. Its easy to see why the number has been steadily increasing over the last ten plus years, Budapest has everything you could want from a city break, no matter what you’re there for. In this blog we’ll take you through some of the best places to go to make the most of your time there or hopefully to persuade you why you should make Budapest your next holiday.
History and landmarks
Budapest is abundant in historical places to visit and the city still shows signs of its time under the control of the soviet union as well its role in other historical ages. Probably one of the most clearly visible is Buda Castle. Standing overlooking Buda and across to Pest, this castle is now more of a palace than what many would associate with a castle. Probably more aesthetic and insta worthy than a castle, the baroque style palace that now stands was built between 1749 and 1769 and rebuilt after it was ruined in WWII. It also houses the Hungarian National Gallery. Standing across the river is the probably the most well recognized monument, the Hungarian Parliament Building. A sight to behold inside and out, you have to book tickets to properly view the inside. For the best views and photo spots of the outside we recommend either from Buda or from a river cruise which can take you up and down the Danube and offers great views from a unique viewpoint. As a part of the castle quarter you can also check out the Fisherman’s Bastion, a unique turreted fortress with stunning, panoramic views across to Pest. In the castle quarter there are also a number of churches, museums and other landmarks worth checking out. In Pest you can take in the central market hall, a two floor indoor market which winds around offering everything from groceries to souvenirs and jewelry. Walking up north from there is St Stephen’s Basilica, a Roman Catholic church with a dome and two towers. It’s also the site for one of Budapest’s Christmas Markets which runs from November. In Memento Park near the edge of the city is a reminder of Hungary’s past within the soviet union, then at Heroes Square you can see the statues of the founders of Hungary way back in the 9th century as well as other famous figures from Hungarian history.
Thermal baths
Budapest sits on a fault line which allows the city’s many thermal baths to be fed by over 120 hot springs. A truly unique experience which allows to you relax for as long as you wish in pools of varying sizes and temperatures. Szechenyi Thermal Baths is the largest and most popular of the baths home to 18 pools the largest 3 sit outside in the courtyard of a neo-Baroque palace. Located in the City Park, the baths also have saunas, steam rooms and aqua fitness equipment all of which add to the already impressive atmosphere. This beautiful set of baths are open all year round so you can cool yourself down in summer or warm up in winter. Szechenyi is one of the only baths that is located firmly in Pest with many being by the river or in Buda, one such is Gellert Baths. Set at the base of Gellert Hegy, sit back and relax in the baths many pools surrounded by mosaics and roman-style columns. The pools vary in temperature from 26 C to 40 C and you can also enjoy saunas, massages and smaller thermal baths for hire. The last we will go into detail about here is Rudas Baths. Just up the road from Gellert Baths, this baths is unique for its rooftop bath which overlooks the Danube and across into pest. It is a Turkish style baths which dates back to the 16th century and has a number of baths of varying degrees along with being able to drink healing waters from local springs. A number of good baths are Lukacs Baths, Kiraly Baths, Irgalmasok Veli Bej Bath and Dandar Thermal Baths all of which you could add into your itinerary.
Nightlife
Another of the things Budapest is famed for is its ruin bars. They are truly unique in both look and feel creating a great atmosphere. The most famous of these is Szimpla Kert, set in an old stove factory it is lively whether it be night or day hosting markets in the day and concerts and theatre in the evening as well as functioning as a bar the whole time. If there is one ruin bar you go to, it should be this one. Another great one to check out is Instant-Fogas, one of the largest ruin bars the owners of Instant and Fogas Haz merged the two venues together in 2017 to create a massive venue with a mix of ruin bar and much, much more (not to mention some great scenery. With different parts playing every genre of music under the sun there’s something here for everyone. Finally Doboz (translating to ‘box’) is a ruin bar with a similarly eclectic mix of rooms and genres, the standout is the central outdoor courtyard which highlighted by the a tree with a statue of King Kong hanging from it.
Christmas
Budapest has not one but two Christmas markets, the most well-known of which, Advent Basilica is a unique Christmas Fair. Vorosmarty Square is the older of the two Christmas Markets yet the Basilica has outgrown it in popularity, both are only less than 10 mins walk away from one another. The Basilica open-air festive market is based in the square outside St Stephen’s Basilica and is full to the brim with stalls selling artisan craft products and delicious food. As with the past few years, there are lights and projections onto the Basilica’s entrance which even has an interactive self point where you can create your own background to have your photo against. There is also a free ice rink which circles around a giant Christmas tree, which just adds to the atmosphere making it one of the best in Europe.
You shouldn’t miss this place..
Hard to categorise into any of the above, you should definitely check out Margaret Island. Splitting the Danube in the northern centre of the city, this little island is home to the musical fountain. This fountain distributes its water in time with popular songs to create a visually unique experience. Alongside this, the island is almost entirely park with roads and footpaths around it making it a pleasant spot to sit on the banks of the Danube at a café or for a cycle around for an hour or so. Also on the island are a Japanese garden, the Margaret Island Water Tower a number of sculptures and other gardens.
We hope this has helped you see what a great destination Budapest is and somewhere you put on your list. To find out more about our holiday types or popular destinations, take a look around our website. If you’re looking to book your next holiday or just have a question call 01157843388, email enquiries@ct4ntravel.co.uk or fill in our contact form with what you’re looking for. Don't forget to follow us on social media to find out the next Destination of the Week and for all your holiday needs and inspiration. If you've been to Budapest let us know, where was your favourite place? Best thing you did or did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments or on social media, the links are below.