Budapest – Hungarian Gem

Hi! It’s Liz here and it is my first entry! I chose Budapest as my first destination. It was among the biggest surprises of our tour of Europe last year (more on the tour itself later). Even after extensive preparations, reading up on the culture, cuisine and the people, I didn’t know what to expect. Was the city going to be crowded with tourists or dirty, noisy and inhospitable?

Budapest - Sunset over Buda Side

Fortunately, none of it was true. Upon arrival we were pleasantly surprised how charming the city was. With its beautiful buildings, monuments, parks and an unusual urban planning the city of Budapest should be on the list of every European traveler.

Let’s start with a word or two about the history of the city. The first settlement on the territory of Budapest was built by Celts before 1 AD. It was occupied by the Romans in 106 AD who brought paved roads, amphitheaters, baths and houses with heated floors to the area.

Then, it were Hungarians, who  settled in the territory at the end of the 9th century and a century later officially founded the Kingdom of Hungary.  In 1361 Buda became the capital of Hungary.

Turkish Bath in Budapest

After a little over 150 years of relative prosperity, the Ottomans pillaged Buda in 1526, besieged it in 1529, and finally occupied it in 1541. The Turkish occupation lasted for more than 140 years. The Turks constructed some fine bathing facilities here. Some of them still till this day and can be visited during your trip around the city.

The nineteenth century was dominated by the Hungarians’ struggle for independence and modernization. The national insurrection against the Habsburgs began in the Hungarian capital in 1848 and was defeated a little more than a year later.

In 1944, towards the end of World War II, Budapest was partly destroyed by British and American air raids. From 24 December 1944 to 13 February 1945, the city was besieged during the Battle of Budapest. The city suffered major damage caused by the attacking Soviet troops and the defending German and Hungarian troops.

Budapest - Uprising of 1956 Monument

In the last decades of the 20th century the political changes of 1989-90 concealed changes in civil society and along the streets of Budapest. The city was modernized, communist monuments were taken down from public places, into Memento Park, which might be stop worthy for people interested in post-1945 history of the World.

Sightseeing:

View of Danube and Pest side of Budapest

Since we planned only one day for Budapest, we needed a way to grasp the essence of the city, discover its inner beauty and enjoy the views. With all that in mind we decided on taking a guided city tour. 1/2 day trip included: Castle District, Parliament, the Royal Palace, Budapest Great Synagogue – second biggest synagogue in the World,  and many more. Keep your camera handy on the top of Gellert-hill – that is the spot for  breathtaking vistas of both Buda and Pest sides of the city.

Tips:

Most places accept major credit cards, but make sure to ask first, some local restaurants may not. It is a good idea to exchange some money.  Hungary is part of European Union, however, they and not a part of the Euro zone yet.

Inquire with the hotel’s reception staff on the information about the city tours. (If you book the tour with them you get picked up from the hotel).

Ask them also about the money exchange. It might be much more expensive to change money in a more tourist occupied area. Worth noting: you might get worse exchange rate, but watch for “transaction fees” – these can be outrageous.

Our English speaking tour was well worth the money we spend, the guide was very knowledgeable and shared his recommendations on the best local wine, food and customs. Strongly recommended!

Did you know:

Pizza Hut and Subway in Budapest

that Budapest is by far the biggest city in Hungary. It is pronounced “buda-pesht” by locals.

Budapest is actually two cities divided by the river Danube – the Pest side – to the east, flat (Pest like Pancake) and Buda to the west – rather hilly, contrasting with the eastern side.

that Hungarian language sounds like no other language I have heard in my life. Locals say that it is somewhat similar to Finnish (highly doubtful to the untrained ear) and Turkish – which is understandable given the long Ottoman occupation.

I gotta admit, Budapest was one of the most charming and interesting cities I visited. It goes into our notebooks as a place worth seeing again. With moderate prices, friendly people and great food, it should be considered as a great destination, worth spending at least a day, and ideally – a weekend!