Three Capitals on the Danube: 3/3 Budapest

The grand finale of our week: Budapest... a long-awaited return, after a full 17 years! Of course I can't remember much, in fact almost nothing... but after four days spent here, I have to admit it's one of the most beautiful cities in Europe... I definitely won't wait another 17 years to come back! We arrived by train from Bratislava (15€), a 3-hour journey that flies by through the Slovak and Hungarian countryside, landing in the eastern part of Pest, Keleti station; we change money on the spot (1€ = about 265 forints) and head into the centre on foot (we really don't like public transport, heh... otherwise, for anyone who doesn't fancy the walk, there's the metro stop, which is cheap and the second oldest in the world!) to settle into our apartment right opposite the Hungarian National Museum... what a view! 11/03/10 I wake up to snow...

it was forecast and we were expecting it, but it's always a pleasure to see it, especially if you're used to never seeing it! Our tour starts at the nearby covered market, the most famous in Budapest, very large and full of stalls selling just about anything at rock-bottom prices... a great way to do your shopping and enjoy Hungarian dishes. Given the heavy snowfall, we decide to do the most characteristic thing possible... that is, go to the thermal baths to warm up in the pools....

outdoors! We head towards Heroes' Square, in the opposite part of Pest, and after a good walk here we are at our destination; the square is truly beautiful, made even more so by the snow and the few people around; we enter the park behind it (Varosliget park) and reach the Szechenyi thermal baths (entry 3100 forints/about 12€), probably the most famous in the capital, with lots of indoor pools and 3 gigantic outdoor ones, where you can swim or relax at a temperature of 36-38 degrees while outside it's snowing and -5 degrees...

spectacular! After three cosy, restful hours we head out and make for Vajdahunyad Castle next to the baths to take some photos, then return to the apartment, not before having seen the Great Synagogue, the second largest in the world no less! A stroll and dinner on Vaci Utca, the most famous pedestrian street in Budapest, crammed with shops, restaurants, cafés, bars.... and people trying every trick to lure you into their clubs! The evening spent at Morrison's club, a disco full of young people with rock-bottom entry and drink prices, and it's very easy to make friends.... 12/03/10 A visit to Buda Hill, the western part of the city... after crossing the famous Chain Bridge and the immense Danube, we take the funicular (this time we don't fancy climbing on foot!) and begin with a visit to the castle and the Royal Palace...

it won't snow, but it's freezing cold, you can feel the altitude, there's an icy wind! Then we head (obviously, I'd say) to the Fishermen's Bastion and Matthias Church, both beautiful, a shame only about the works at the church, which make the view a little less exceptional than usual.. but the view from the Fishermen's Bastion is spectacular, you can see the whole city and above all the Parliament, in my opinion an architectural masterpiece, very similar to the one in London. The descent from the hill shows us the extreme calm among the streets and houses of Buda, another city compared to the more chaotic Pest, and the great view of the Parliament that you can see from Batthyany Square (the metro stop of the same name), perfect for taking photos with the Parliament in view.

Having crossed Margaret Bridge, where you can see and step down onto the island of the same name, we head towards St. Stephen's Basilica, a fantastic church right in the heart of Pest, not far from the Chain Bridge and the nearby Opera House, another fine building to see; here going to the theatre is very much in fashion... it's easy to spot them everywhere, with big audiences at society events. Dinner and the usual stroll along Vaci Utca (at a very good Italian restaurant, La Cucina) before heading back to Morrison's for the evening, given the success of the night before. 13/03/10 Last full day of sightseeing... after a good sleep I head off to see the Citadella, reachable by crossing Liberty Bridge, the southernmost of the 4 central bridges (Margaret, Chain Bridge, Elisabeth, Liberty Bridge... from north to south)...

here the climb seems to never end, and a fine drizzle certainly doesn't help the endeavour, heh! But it pays off well.. being the southernmost point of the centre, you get a full view of both Buda and Pest and the chance to see what remains of the citadel, and the Liberty Monument that rises right in front of it. I spend the afternoon wandering the city streets... buying a few souvenirs and strolling through the Jewish quarter, and with a slight fever I spend the evening at home. 14/03/10 We've reached the grand finale... but with the morning free I decide to make a quick trip to see the World War II memorial (by the river, a little before the Parliament) and to visit the House of Terror (entry 1800 forints = about 7€, Vorosmarty Utca metro stop), a museum about the victims of war....

unfortunately there isn't much to say other than to visit it and learn a bit more about the events that happened some sixty years ago....

We both liked Budapest very much... certainly a city with lots to see that deserves at least 3 days to visit all its attractions, definitely cheaper than many other European capitals, safe (despite the presence of many vagrants and homeless people, especially at the metro stops), with plenty of Italian restaurants for anyone missing home, and well connected by metro, bus and the frequent trains that take you wherever you want.... go there!!