Budapest is like that: you can’t help but love it. Having been here once, you want to come back again and again. It is contradictory, mysterious, picturesque, different. Buda is hilly, full of parks, cottages, and next to it Pest is flat, brick, bustling… Eight beautiful bridges connect Buda with Pest, the oldest and most beloved by tourists is the Szechenyi Chain Bridge.
Interesting excursions from local residents in Budapest
Maria Zolotareva has been living in Budapest for almost 3 years. Arriving as an exchange student, I fell in love with the city and stayed. Like most Hungarians, he dreams of moving to the Buda Mountains.
Which area to choose for living
It’s better to stay, of course, in the center, then the main attractions will be nearby within walking distance. I recommend looking in the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 13th districts of the city.
Hotels:
hotel 2* Flow Hostel – accommodation from 442 rubles/day;
hotel 3* Hotel Sunshine – accommodation from 2,253 rubles/day;
3* hotel Alfred Panzió – accommodation from 2,488 rubles/day;
4* hotel Avantgarde Apartments – accommodation from 2,027 rubles/day;
4* hotel Vagabond Broadway – accommodation from 2,752 rubles/day;
5* hotel New York Residence – accommodation from 6,811 rubles/day;
5* hotel Iberostar Grand Budapest – accommodation from 8,052 rubles/day;
Where to eat
Photo: @spoti/@ashmersch/Instagram.com
You can’t walk much on an empty stomach, so first you need to eat well. Before ordering the first, second or third, ask the waiter the size of the portion – they are relatively large here. Hungarian cuisine is fatty, spicy, filling and delicious – a real gastronomic pleasure. Be sure to try goulash (gulyás),
pörkölt,
paprikás csirke,
turosh chusa (túrós csusza).
Lunch. Elements Budapest is a new but already established restaurant. The location is ideal – near the parliament. On weekdays they offer a business lunch of two courses and a drink for 5 euros.
Average bill: 10-15 euros.
Rostelyos – restaurant of Hungarian cuisine on Calvin Square.
Average check: 15 -20 euros.
Dinner.Several restaurants serving Hungarian cuisine located in the central areas of the city: Tüköry, Rétesház, Kék rozsa.
For a special, impressive dinner, head to the restaurant on the ship Vén hajó.
Average bill: 30 euros.
At breakfastHungarians prefer scrambled eggs, sausages, a sandwich with cheese, ham, peppers or local pastries. Drinks: cocoa or coffee. Excellent breakfasts are served at Menza and Bubō.
Average check: 5 euros.
Over Hungarian marzipan and a cup of coffee – in the Számos cafe (this is a whole chain of cafes, one of them overlooking the parliament),
for a piece of cake – to a century-old coffee shop with history. Hungarians are a coffee-drinking people, so of course there is a choice of tea, but not so rich.
Average bill: 8 euros.
“The cafe of all cafes” in Budapest – Central Kavehaz – one of the oldest, in the Viennese style. Opened at the end of the 19th century, this place was popular with the local intelligentsia: journalists, writers, musicians and university professors came here to have a drink.
Average bill: 13 euros.
For vegetarians and vegansI recommend the restaurants Napfényes and Vegacity in the fifth district. The trend of proper nutrition is now gaining momentum, so a vegetarian menu can be found in any self-respecting restaurant.
Average bill: 5 euros.
Fast food. From Hungarian fast food, be sure to try lángos – flatbread with garlic sauce, sour cream and cheese, and a sweet bun – aromatic kürtőskalács with cocoa, cinnamon or walnuts .
Where and what to drink
Hungarian wines are beginning to gain popularity, and along with them, wine festivals are appearing and wine galleries are opening. For example, at Cultivini you can taste wines from various wine regions of Hungary at the touch of a button.
St. Andrea Wine & Skybar belongs to the luxury category. A gorgeous panorama overlooking the main attractions of the Hungarian capital, a large assortment of drinks, high prices. Expensive, but tasteful.
What to see
Photo: @gracian_hu/@pochekh/Instagram.com
Jewish QuarterBudapest is a lively area in the city center consisting of narrow streets. The largest synagogue in Europe is located here. House facades and signs on buildings tell about important events and people. Now this quarter is famous for its drinking establishments: in every house there is a pub, or even two.
A Philosophical Garden is laid out on Mount Gellert. The place is very cozy in its own way. A magnificent view opens up next to the figures of great thinkers.
You can’t visit Budapest without visiting the baths – there are dozens of them for every taste and color. Do you want an outdoor pool – Széchenyi, a beautiful view – Rudas, an indoor pool in Turkish style – Kiraly. The cost of a day ticket varies depending on the specific bath and is 12-20 euros.
Old furniture, a bicycle, cut-up cars, a wheelbarrow and a bathroom are elements of the interior of a ruin bar in Budapest. Inexpensive drinks, loud music and an amazing atmosphere. Szimpla Kert is the very first and most famous ruin bar with a lot of tourists, so for those who like quieter places, I would recommend Fogasház.
Photo: @aron_felszeghy/@mywornoutpassport/Instagram.com
If you are suddenly unlucky with the weather, museums will help out. Do you want to get acquainted with the history of the country in pictures? Then you are in Hungarian National Gallery – it is located on several floors of the Royal Palace in the Buda Fortress.
House of Terror. A negative, unpleasant museum, but it helps to look at the history of the 20th century through the eyes of a Hungarian.
Zwack museum is both a production facility and a museum. Zwak Unicum is a famous balm based on 40 medicinal herbs. A magical, mysterious drink helps with colds. A visit to the museum includes a tasting.
Surroundings of Budapest
Photo: Papp Kornél/@szentendreofficial/Instagram.com
Szentendre
Szentendre can easily be called the most visited suburb of Budapest. Thanks to its amazing atmosphere and proximity to the capital, the town has become a real tourist center in Hungary. Walking along the cobbled streets, visiting the marzipan museum, a cozy center and carefreeness are the key features of this little trip.
How to get there: by train from Batthyány tér to the final station.
Ticket price: 1 or 1.10 euros one way (if you have a travel card or Budapest card with or without public transport, respectively).
Esztergom
Just an hour by train and you will find yourself in the “Hungarian Vatican” – the city of Esztergom. The city is located in a picturesque bend of the Danube and borders Slovakia. Here you will see the largest and incredibly beautiful church in the country.
How to get there: by train from the West Station (Nyugati palyaudvar);
Ticket price: 3.5 euros one way.
If you’ve arrived in a new city and are looking for where to stay, we recommend checking out hotels on OneTwoTrip. Here you can easily find the nearest hotels near you and book a room in a few minutes.
