Weekend in Budapest
Not so long ago I ticked off my Budapest packing list, jumped on a plane and flew just over 2 hours from London with my sister to the beautiful city of Budapest, Hungary’s capital. Known as the ‘pearl of the Danube’ this city sits on both sides of the river with two totally different terrains; the flat area of Pest and the hilly Buda with Óbuda and Margaret Island between the two UNESCO protected banks.
With a population of an estimated 1.741 million people, Budapest is the largest city in Eastern Europe, and the 7th largest in the European Union – Hungary having joined the EU in 2004. This City has had a fascinating history having been invaded and ruled by a multitude of different countries and families. It’s easy to organise a trip to Budapest, just check out the Voyage Privé website.
My sister and I spent 4 days in this European Capital, jamming in everything we could in this time to ensure we could say that we really have been there and done that! I want to share with you my top sights and places to visit whilst in Budapest.
Hungarian Parliament – the home of the Hungarian Parliament and a stunning building along the bank of the Danube, best seen from the other side of the river.
Saint Stephen’s Basilica – a breathtaking Catholic basilica named in honour of Stephen, the first King of Hungary (c 975–1038), whose right hand is housed in the reliquary – a bit morbid, but worth a visit for sure. Despite not being religious myself visiting here really was a spiritual experience.
St Margaret’s Island – the best way to describe this Island is a relaxing paradise, one giant park this island offers an escape from the city. I recommend hiring one of the peddle-carts as it is a bit of a walk, but you get to see the amazing Water Tower, Japanese Garden and ruins of a number of buildings – not forgetting the candy floss and Transylvanian ‘horn’ snacks.
Budapest Castle – with a short trip on the funicular you can be walking amongst the historical castle and palace complex of the Hungarian kings in Budapest, and was first completed in 1265. From Castle Hill you get fantastic views across the City not forgetting the many sights on the Hill. Apart from the Castle there is the Matthias Church, the Fisherman’s Bastion, Hungarian National Gallery and numerous statues and amazing architecture.
The Bridges – one of the main features of the City, there are a number of brides connecting the Buda and Pest regions. The most famous being the Chain and Elizabeth bridges, a great photo op here!
Hero’s Square – slightly away from the main City area, Hero’s Square is an iconic statue complex, the Millennium Memorial, and was completed in 1900. The status include a number of important figures from Budapest’s history as well as representations of Labour and Wealth, Knowledge and Glory as well as War and Peace. To either side of Hero’s Square sit two galleries if you feel like swotting up on your Hungarian art, this is the place to be.
Vajdahunyad Castle – this is a castle in the City Park built between 1896 and 1908 as part of the Millennial Exhibition which celebrated the 1000 years of Hungary since the Hungarian Conquest of the Carpathian Basin in 895. The castle was designed by Ignác Alpár to feature versions of several landmark buildings from different parts the Kingdom of Hungary.
Hungarian State Opera House – unfortunately we didn’t have the money or the attire to see a performance here, but we did visit the neo-Renaissance building which is beautifully decorated inside with statues of of two of Hungary’s most prominent composers, Ferenc Erkel and Franz Liszt.
Citadel – on top of Gellert Hill sits a fortress was built in 1851 by Julius Jacob von Haynau, a commander of the Habsburg Monarchy, and designed by Emánuel Zita and Ferenc Kasselik, after the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. On the site now sits the Liberty Status, which commemorates those who sacrificed their lives for the independence, freedom, and prosperity of Hungary. With the best view across Budapest this is a must visit!
Dohány Street Synagogue – although we didn’t explore the Synagogue, only seeing it in passing, this is an incredible beautiful building and if in the area you should take a closer look.
Hungarian National Museum – we spent a whole morning wandering through this museum which details the history of Budapest and Hungary from it’s first inhabitants through to modern times with a large collection of artefacts and information. Really worth a visit if you want to get to know the history of this majestic City.
Market Hall – here is the place to really experience the food of Budapest, in what looks like a large warehouse lives a multitude of stalls selling a large range of edibles from fruit and veg to all sorts of meats and chocolates the Market Hall is a great visit to get fantastic deals on your take home foodie gifts rather than finding yourself paying over the odds in some of the more touristic areas.
New York Café – on our last morning we spent a rather decadent few hours in this stunning Café, The New York Life Insurance Company originally assigned architect Alajos Hauszmann, to plan the company’s hall building in Budapest. Hauszmann, with Flóris Korb and Kálmán Giergl planned a four story eclectic palace, with a café on its ground floor. The building is now home to the Boscolo Budapest Hotel and the Café serves a large range of food, drinks and the most incredible cakes!
Váci utca – if you are a shopper this is the street for you, lined with all sorts of brands this is the where you go to spend you hard earned cash at stores such as Zara, H&M, Mango, ESPRIT, Douglas AG, Swarovski, Hugo Boss, Lacoste and Nike. My sister and I walked the length of this street taking in all the sights and I admit I allowed myself to make one purchase; a lilac lace scarf.
I hope I have given you some inspiration as to where to visit on a trip to this beautiful European City. It is certainly worth a visit and I am so glad I took the opportunity to do so.
