Budapest, Queen of the Danube

LOG BOOK: 02-01 Malpensa - Budapest (Alitalia) 08-01 Budapest - Malpensa (Alitalia)

TRANSPORT: A flight of about an hour. Transfer from the airport to the hotel by taxi: a little over half an hour (cost around 5,000 F). In the city use the tram, it's magnificent, scenic (lines 18/19/41/2 run along the Danube) and very cheap. If you really want to use taxis, agree the fare first (never more than 1500 F for urban trips). The risk of being ripped off is very high.

ACCOMMODATION: Hotel Gellert: a legend. In your bathrobe straight to the thermal baths. A unique atmosphere, always poised between the majestic and the decadent. Watch out for the lady of the spa lift — she's a hoot, but if you don't take her fancy you'll have to walk a few floors.

MISCELLANEOUS: For a pleasant evening among trendy bars and little restaurants, the right streets are: fastray (near the Liszt music academy) for the many pubs, and Raday (near the covered market) for the restaurants. Right in front of the covered market, “Pub on Sale”, a venue with live music that's really worth visiting to listen to good music, drink a good beer and feast on spagnolette. For a livelier night, don't miss the Old Man.

CLIMATE: Cold but never below zero

5 THINGS TO SEE: 1. The Royal Palace in the evening (and the view over the Danube and the magnificent Bridges) 2. The Parliament 3. Castle Hill (Fishermen's Bastion and Matthias Church) 4. St. Stephen's Basilica 5. The Great Covered Market

5 THINGS TO DO 1. The long Danube at night on the rattling, deserted trams 2. The Gellert baths 3. A night at the Old Man 4. The last ride of the Royal Palace funicular in the evening 5. Breakfast in the classic atmosphere of the Gerbaud patisserie (the most renowned in Budapest)

WHY GO - For its nightlife, for its magnificent palaces, for the incomparable view from the Royal Palace, for the Gellert baths, for the goulash soup.