The Pearl Of The Danube
Budapest is a city that has captured the imagination of travelers from around the world for centuries. Strategically located along the Danube River, the city’s landscape is diverse and majestic. Divided into two with Buda on one side of the river and Pest on the other, Budapest was once the capital city of one of the great empires in the world.
Now the capital of Hungary and one of the top ten largest cities in the European Union, Budapest is a vibrant city full of incredible history and culture. These days, it is also a popular weekend excursion for Austrians and other surrounding Europeans who come for the endless sights, the thermal baths, and an enviable dusk till dawn nightlife scene at much more affordable prices than its neighboring cities.
We found Budapest to be a wonderful mix of old-world European charm with a youthful exuberance and optimism that was incredibly appealing. Budapest is not only a beautiful and historic city to explore, but it’s also a whole lot of fun.
Amazing Time In Budapest With Family & Friends
From centuries old bathhouses, to ruin bars, Budapest has so much to see and do, and we did our best to experience it all. We also mixed in a birthday party for Deborah, some World Cup action at a quintessential Irish pub, and a karaoke night at a fantastic venue that spans two dueling bars across a popular alley from each other. We absolutely loved our time in Budapest and can’t wait to go back.
Great Market Hall Budapest
Built in 1897, the Budapest Great Market Hall is a must-see. Whether you’re buying cured meats, an assortment of cheese, olive oil, wine, or just grabbing a freshly squeezed juice as you walk the glorious hall, choices abound as you wander the endless stalls. After you work up an appetite wandering aisle after aisle on the main level, make your way upstairs to eat at one of the many food stalls offering traditional Hungarian dishes.
During our frequent visits to the market, we ate goulash, chicken paprikash, stuffed cabbage, nokedli (spaetzle), and rakott krumpli, which is layered potato casserole, with sausage, onions, egg, and sour cream. We tried to pick a different restaurant during every visit, and two of our favorites were Goulash and Fakanal Etterem.
Let’s Get Spicy
One of the main staples you will see everywhere at the Great Market Hall is paprika, which is considered the national spice of Hungary. Made from dried, deep red paprika pods of various kinds of capsicum annuum peppers, seen in bunches at pretty much every stall in the market. Paprika is an essential component of everyday Hungarian dishes like porkolt (stew), goulash, chicken paprikás, and halászlé (fisherman’s soup).
The three-story market is also great for shopping for gifts and souvenirs. Like most markets throughout the world, there are numerous stalls selling knock-off luggage, shoes, clothing, and every other designer item you can copy. But there are also a lot of handmade jewelry, leather bags, instruments, and dolls, to name a few.
The bottom floor of the market is also worth seeing and just as vast. The daily meat and fish markets are always busy, along with a grocery store and additional stalls similar to the main level throughout.
The building was designed and built by Samu Pecz, a prime example of neo-Gothic architecture. With its grand, expansive interiors, the market hall was originally established to accommodate the bustling trade of local farmers, fishermen, and merchants.
Even today, as it has become a huge tourist attraction, it’s still a hub for locals picking up goods at the market. Great Market Hall is also centrally located, with Fovam Square across the street and the market’s entrance as you exit the Liberty Bridge on the Pest side of the river. Hence, the Great Market Hall is also known to Hungarians as Central Market Hall.
Let’s Get Spicy
One of the main staples you will see everywhere at the Great Market Hall is Paprika, which is considered the national spice of Hungary. Made from dried, deep red paprika pods of various kinds of Capsicum annuum peppers, seen in bunches at pretty much every stall in the market, Paprika is an essential component of everyday Hungarian dishes like Porkolt (stew), Goulash, Chicken Paprikás, and Halászlé (fisherman’s soup).
The three level market is also great for shopping for gifts and other tourist items. Like most markets throughout the world, there are numerous stalls selling knock off luggage, shoes, clothing, and every other designer item you can copy. But there are also a lot of handmade jewelry, leather bags, instruments, and dolls, to name a few.
The bottom floor of the market is also worth seeing, and just as vast. The daily meat and fish markets are always busy, along with a grocery store, and additional stalls similar to the main level throughout.
The building was designed and built by Samu Pecz, and exudes multiple examples of neo-Gothic architecture. With its grand, expansive interiors, the market hall was originally established to accommodate the bustling trade of local farmers, fishermen, and merchants. Even today, as it has become a huge tourist attraction, it’s still a hub for locals picking up goods at the market. Great Market Hall is also centrally located, with Fovam Square across the street, and the markets entrance located right as you exit the Liberty Bridge over the Danube on the Pest side of the river. Hence, the Great Market Hall is also known to Hungarian’s as Central Market Hall.
The Hungarian Parliament Building
One of the biggest attractions in Budapest is the Hungarian Parliament building. Definitely one of the most photographed buildings in the city, the symmetrical gothic style structure sits majestically overlooking the Danube. It was built with two identical halls on opposing sides, but the Hungarian National Assembly only uses one side, while the other side is used for tours and formal ceremonies.
The building is quite impressive to look at from many angles, and although many people mistakenly believe it has been there for centuries, it was only completed in 1904.
St. Stephen’s Basilica
Named in honor of Stephen, the first King of Hungary, St. Stephen’s Basilica was rebuilt in the neo-classical style and completed in the early 20th century after portions of it collapsed in the late 1850’s. The stunning exterior continues inside as the towering dome is beautiful to stand under and examine the intricate detail. The basilica is also important for holding one of Hungary’s sacred treasures, the mummified Holy Right Hand of St. Stephen.
Along with Hungary’s Parliament, St Stephen’s is one of the highest buildings in Budapest. So, make your way up to the cupola and enjoy the views.
Ruin Bars
If you’ve never heard about ruin bars, they are one of the many unique and unforgettable experiences Budapest has to offer, and one that can’t be missed.
After World War II, Budapest had numerous buildings that were either incredibly dilapidated, or they were abandoned, especially in the old Jewish quarter after over 10,000 Jews were deported. In the early 2000’s, a group of investors decided to do the ultimate hipster move and create a bar in one these abandoned buildings. What turned out as a cool experiment ended up being a city-wide sensation that regularly attracts both tourists and locals. There are now numerous ruin bars in Budapest, but Szimpla Kert was the first, and our favorite.
Liberty Bridge
Located in front of the famed Gellert Hotel and Baths is the Liberty Bridge. Originally called Franz Joseph Bridge, after the Emperor and King at the time, Liberty Bridge connects the southern side of the city center.
It’s a lovely walk across the bridge, which provides beautiful views of the Danube, and sweeping views of both Buda and Pest. On weekends and holidays it’s quite common for people to hang out on the bridge, watching the cruise boats float by underneath them.
Old World Luxury
The Gellert is a gorgeous luxury hotel from the early 20th century located along the banks of the Danube. Named after the first bishop of Hungary, and opening in 1918, the Art Noveau hotel has hosted dignitaries and celebrities for the past hundred years. Seaplanes used to fly guests staying at the hotel, landing on the Danube with the hotel staff waiting on the dock in front. The ultimate opulence on display, for years the Gellert was a place where European Royalty and the world’s elite rubbed elbows over a bath.
The hotel was as famous for it’s thermal baths as the hotel itself, and that is still the case today. The hotel has been closed for the past four years as it’s going through a major renovation, but the baths are still open and we enjoyed them thoroughly.
Danube Cruise – An 80th Birthday Celebration
We recently had the honor and wonderful experience to celebrate our mother’s 80th birthday, joining her on her birthday wish to cruise the Danube. We organized a two week tour which began in Vienna and included a river cruise which took us to 3 different countries with multiple stops along the way. There were 25 of us from different parts of the US and Europe, all gathered together to celebrate an epic adventure touring beautiful villages and historic cities along the storied river.
Sting Puts On A Killer Show In Budapest
When we arrived in Budapest, Deborah and I had no plans to go to an arena concert while we there, especially not on back to back nights. But such was the case when our train pulled in and we were notified by one of our favorite apps, Bands In Town, that the Cure, and Sting would be playing that first week. The Cure show was great, but the following night, Sting absolutely brought the house down. He played a great mix of hits from his solo career and his time with the Police – And I finally heard Roxanne live! We were also treated to a Bob Marley cover, and an appearance by Sting’s son who was the opening act.
Laszlo Papp Budapest Sports Arena
Completed in 2003 and named after a famous Hungarian boxer who won multiple gold medals in the 48′, 52′, and 56′ Olympics, the Laszlo Papp Arena’s capacity is around 12,500. It’s really easy to access from the metro, as you take the M2 line to Örs Vezer Square and get off at Puskás Ferenc Station. Hosting concerts, boxing matches, and ice hockey games, the arena is a great place to see live events. Tip: The street food stalls outside the metro station are excellent, and ended up being our dinner on both nights.
SL's Must See - Budapest
