Buda castle – Castle district

The Buda castle district with its narrow streets, old houses, gas lamps and marvelous monuments is the most romantic pedestrian district of Budapest and it definitely deserves first spot on the list of thing to see in Budapest. In the district, which is between the Dísz square and the Matthias church, travelers can see buildings from the middle ages.

The castle district is also rich in exhibitions, the Museum of Military History, Golden Eagle Pharmacy Museum, Museum of Hungarian Commerce and Catering and the Telephone Museum are all found here.

Travelers can find one of the most beautiful Hilton Hotels, the Budapest Hilton, in this district. Into its walls the remains of a medieval monastery was incorporated.

The Ruszwurm Confectionery was founded in the 19th century and it operates with the original furniture and offers the famous cakes according to the old receipts.

Buda Castle – Royal Palace

The Royal Palace is situated at the southern part of the castle. The palace was originally built in the middle Ages, but was completely destroyed during the Turkish occupation. The baroque palace that you can see today was constructed during the 17th and 18th centuries.
Nowadays the building houses cultural institutes and museums: Széchenyi Library, Hungarian National Gallery, Museum of Contemporary Arts – Ludwig Museum, Museum of Budapest History.

Buda Castle – Holy Trinity Square

On the square located in the centre of the castle district, travelers can find the Statue of the Holy Trinity, the old Buda town hall, the Matthias Church and the House of Hungarian Wines.

Buda Castle – Fishermen’s Bastion

The bastion was built in 1905 next to the Matthias Church and it got its name from the fisherman’s guild who’s job it was to defend that stretch of the castle wall. The aim of the bastion was to decorate the panorama from the pest side. This city view was elected to the list of World Heritage as well.

Buda Castle – Matthias Church

The church is the same age as the Royal Palace. The church was originally constructed in the 13th century, and reconstructed several times during the following centuries. The Turkish occupied Buda in 1541 and turned the Matthias church into a mosque. The today’s form of the church was made in the 19th century, when it was rebuilt in neo-gothic style.
Frescoes of Bible scenes and the main events of Hungarian history decorate the walls of the church. Many concerts are held in the church due to its excellent acoustics.

Buda castle – Cave system

There is a corridor system that stretches under the Buda Castle. The historically atmospheric Buda Castle Labyrinth is the only part of the cave system that can be visited.

The Houses of Parliament

On the bank of the Danube stands one of the world’s most beautiful parliament buildings, an imposing sight and a prominent feature of the city’s panorama. With its red dome, white stone lace ornamentation and spires, it is the city’s most decorative structure. Stone lions flank the entrance guarding a rich interior of marble and gold, statues and columns, and magnificent artifacts, including the 1,010-year-old crown of the first Hungarian King, all of which can be viewed on a guided tour. The grand edifice, stretching for 250m along the embankment, is one of the biggest national assembly’s in the world.

Heroes’ Square

Hősök tere (meaning “Heroes’ Square” in Hungarian) is one of the major squares of Budapest, Hungary, rich with historic and political connotations.
It lies at the end of Andrássy Avenue next to City Park. It is the part of the world heritage with the Andrássy Avenue in front of it. Hősök tere is surrounded by two important buildings, Museum of Fine Arts on the left and Halls of Art on the right.

City Park

The City Park (or in Hungarian, Városliget) is a public park located close to the city’s center. It’s main entrance is at the already mentioned Heroes’ Square. Vajdahunyad Castle is found in the Park as well as the Budapest’s Zoo and Amusment Park. Originally the Vajdahunyad Castle was originally made from cardboard and wood for the millennial exhibition in 1896 but it became so popular that it was rebuilt from stone and brick.

Famous Baths of Budapest

Water lovers this is the best thing to see in Budapest for you! Budapest is fortunate to have some of the world’s finest Turkish baths that offer a unique – and sometimes hedonistic – bathing experience. The Gellért, Rudas, Széchenyi and Lukács Baths are arguably the best for tourists, but girls stay away from the Király and Rác baths if you don’t want to see something awful…

Andrássy Avenue

Andrássy Avenue (or Andrássy Út in Hungarian) is an iconic boulevard that dates back to 1872. It is one of Budapest’s main shopping streets and you can find the St. Stephen Basilica, the Hungarian State Opera House, the Pest Broadway, fine cafes, restaurants, theatres, nightclubs and luxury boutiques here.

Gellért Hill

One of the authors favorite places to see in Budapest, it offers unrivalled panoramic views of the city, taking in both Buda and Pest and the flowing Danube. The hill was named after a bishop who was asked to convert pagan Hungarians to Christianity but, according to legend, was killed by being rolled off the hillside in a barrel. A statue of the martyred Bishop stands at the base of the hill.
On its summit stands the Szabadság Statue (literally The Statue of Liberty , yes we Hungarians have one too), a female figure holding aloft the palm of victory, dedicated to the memory of Soviet troops who died freeing Hungary in 1945.

Bridges of Budapest

The first bridge to be built in Budapest was the Széchenyi lánchíd (Széchenyi Chain Bridge). It opened in 1849. At the time, its center span of 202 m was one of the largest in the world. The pairs of lions at each of the abutments were added in 1852. It is popular culture in Hungary to point out that the lions in fact have no tongues. Budapest has 6 more bridges that are open to pedestrian or motor traffic. These are the Árpád Bridge, the Margit Bridge, the Erzsébet Bridge,  the Szabadság Bridge, the Petőfi Bridge and the Lágymányosi Bridge. Be sure to see them all.

Váci Street

Váci utca (Váci street) is one of the main pedestrian streets and perhaps the most famous street of central Budapest. It features a large number of restaurants and shops catering primarily to the tourist market. Its tourist central but it’s one of the things to see at least once.
Váci utca is one of the main shopping streets in Budapest. Among the retaliers located here are: Zara, H&M, Mango, ESPRIT, Douglas AG, Swarovski, Hugo Boss, Lacoste, Nike. The street opens to Vorosmarty ter (Vorosmarty Square).

Budapest has a competent public transportation system that is made up over 180 bus, 14 trolley, 29 tram and 3 metro lines. You can get everywhere from anywhere via the public transportation system (BKV), all it does is take time. Daytime lines operate between 4:30 am till 11:00pm, after that there are the nighttime buses.

Metro-lines in Budapest

Budapest has the oldest metro-lines on the continent (the only one older being London’s metro-lines, but that isn’t on the continent).

Budapest has 3 metro-lines (yellow line , red line and blue line) all of them meet at Deák Ferenc square which is the city’s centre. You must validate a ticket before getting on the metro, but it is fairly obvious where you must validate them.

Public Transportation at night

Nighttime buses work between 11:pm till 4:30 am. They run on all the major daytime lines including the metro lines and some of the important tram lines, bus lines too.

Be sure to have a ticket because buying one on the nighttime bus is more costly than buying it during the day from anyplace where you can get them.

Buying tickets for Budapest’s Public Transportation

You have to purchase a ticket in advance either from the terminals, metro stations or newsagent stands. You may also buy them from the ticket machines at bus/tram stops/stations, but they only work with spare change. The drivers do not sell tickets and there are no conductors on the transport lines.

Please remember to validate your tickets on any bus or tram by using the hand or electronic punchers on board.

Taxis

Taxis in Budapest have a yellow licence plate and the taxi sign, any car that doesn’t have them is operating illegally. Larger taxi companies operate on a lower price rate. There are many taxi drivers who work by themselves and charge more than is permitted, if you ever need a taxi for you and your money’s sake please order one by phone.

Here is a list of taxi companies that are trustworthy:

Főtaxi: 2-222-222
Taxi 2000: 2-000-000
6×6 Taxi: 2-666-666
Buda Taxi: 2-333-333
Budapest Taxi: 4-333-333
City Taxi: 2-111-111
Mobil Taxi: 333-1757
Rádió Taxi: 3-777-777
Taxi4: 4-444-444
Tele5Taxi: 5-555-555
Volán Taxi: 4-33-33-22

Both downtown Budapest and the outskirts have plenty of bars, clubs, dance halls and discos. Many stay open until late at night. Entry fees are usually around 500-2000 Ft, 2-7 €. Alcoholic drinks are relatively cheap, so you can get drunk without going bankrupt.

If you want a true experience of the nightlife in Budapest please note that you should be 18 years old otherwise you will not get served alcohol and what’s even worse you might be denied entry to a few places.

Nightlife in Budapest – Precautions
Before I start on anything I would like to point out that most of Budapest’s restaurants, cafés, clubs and bars offer good value and service. However some of Budapest’s establishments fall short of hospitality and fairness. Of course the responsible ministry knows about these problems and has taken measures.

Nightlife in Budapest – Music and Dance Clubs

If you are not the type who plans out their whole night beforehand then just go to Jókai tér and Liszt Ferenc tér in the VI. District near the Opera House, Ráday utca in IX. District or in the V. District.

These areas are abundant in places of entertainment, from dance clubs and pubs to cozy cafés.

The most expensive but also the best Budapest nightlife experience that you can get is found on the Hajógyári Sziget in the III. District.
It has lots of clubs packed together in one place, so if you ever find yourself wanting more than you can find on the list below then just jump into a cab and ask the driver to take you there.

Below is a list of venues that offer the true Budapest nightlife experience, taxi drivers know where they as do most of the younger Hungarian citizens, if you get lost don’t hesitate to ask for help.
Many of these places offer free entry for girls on occasion, unfortunately I cannot know for sure beforehand.

Alcatraz Club & Restaurant
Address: Nyár utca 1., VII. district from Blaha L. tér towards Astoria the 3rd street on your right
Reservation: (+36 1) 478 6010
Open: Mon-Wed: 16.00-02-00, Thur-Sat: 16.00-04.00, Sun: Closed

Barokko Club & Lounge
Address: Liszt Ferenc tér 5., VI. district, trams 4-6, M1 metro Oktogon station
Tel: (+36 1) 322 0700, (+36) 20 921 0094
Open: Wed-Sat: 12.00-03.00, Sun-Tue: 12.00-02.00

Morrison’s Music Pub Opera
Address: Révay utca 25., VI. district, M1 metro Opera station
Tel: (+36 1) 269 4060, 18.00-04-00, (+36) 70 505 9870
Open: Tue-Sat: 21.00-04.00, admission to the the 2 clubs is free between 17.00-21.00 every day

Morrison’s 2 (former Süss Fel Nap)
Unpretentious, cheerful ambience, cheap drinks make this place very trendy.
Address: corner of Honvéd utca Szt. István körút, V. district, trams 4-6, M3 metro Nyugati tér station
Tel: (+36 1) 374 3329
Open: every day 17.00-until dawn: Disco & karaoke from 17.00, a mug of beer is 200 HUF, a cocktail costs 500 HUF

Rézmál Café
Address: Marczibányi tér 5/a., II.district
Tel: (+36) 20 454 8404
Open: Mon-Sat: 14.00-24.00

Szóda Café & Club
Address: Wesselényi utca 18., near Blaha Lujza tér trams 4, 6, M3 metro
Tel: (+36 1) 461 0007
Open: 9.00-until dawn every day

Livingroom
3 rooms, 3 bars affordable, but high standard new club. Popular meeting place of university students.
Address: Kossuth Lajos utca 17. V.district, M2 metro Astoria, M3 Ferenciek tere station
Tel: (+36) 70 337-3434

Club Seven
Café Cocktail Bar & Music Club Stylish basement club.
Address: Akácfa utca 7., VII. district, near Blaha Lujza tér public transport hub (trams 4,6, M3 metro)
Tel: (+36 1) 478 9030
Open: every day 12.00-05.00
Admission: free for women, 2000 HUF/8 € for men

Inside
5 clubs at one place
Address: Közraktár utca 9-11., IX. district, next to the Buddha Beach at the Pest side of the Danube near Liberty Bridge
Tel: (+36 1) 210 4872, (+36) 20 361 3445

Zöld Pardon
Cheap beer from plastic cups all kinds of music, concertsm cultural events. 2 dancefloors, 2 DJ-s 2 music styles every night. Entrance fee: 100 HUF/0.4 Euro
Address: Petőfi Bridge Buda end, trams 4-6, Petőfi híd stop
Open: 20th April-September.

Rio Café
Fancy place, lots of latin music, more expensive than Zöld Pardon on the other side of the Petőfi Bridge.
Address: Goldmann György tér IX. district, trams 4-6, Petőfi Bridge Buda end, opposite Zöld Pardon Tel: (+36) 30 297 2158
Open: April-September

Mokka Cukka
great place in natural settings
Address: Hajógyári Sziget in Óbuda, K Bridge (venue of the Sziget Festival), take the suburban railway (HÉV) from Batthyány tér to Szentendre, get off at Filatorigát stop
Tel: (+36 1) 453 2120
Open: Mon-Sun: 12.00-05.00

Rom Kert
Summer beer garden with outdoor restaurant. Combine it with visiting the Rudas Bath next to it. Reserve a table if you want to eat: (+36 1) 344-3155
Address: Döbrentei tér 9., I. district, next to Rudas Baths at the Buda end of Elizabeth Bridge

If you have never tried a Hungarian Goulash soup then you have missed something that is truly unique and you cannot find anything like it in the whole world. Read on and discover what else the Hungarian traditional foods have in store for you.

Hungarians are especially passionate about their soups, desserts, pastries and filled pancakes (palacsinta). Regional variations exist in almost every dish, for example the fisherman’s soup (halászlé) is cooked differently on the banks of the Danube than on the banks of the Tisza (the two largest rivers found in Hungary).

The most famous Hungarian dishes are Csirkepaprikás  (paprika stew, meat simmered in thick creamy paprika gravy) served with nokedli (small dumplings), Goulash, Gundel Palacsinta (pancakes served flambéed in dark chocolate sauce filled with ground walnuts) and Dobos Torta (layered sponge cake, with chocolate butter cream filling and topped with a thin caramel slice).

Hungarians also have a variety of vegetable stews (főzelék) as well as cold vegetable soups such as the cold sour cherry soup (hideg meggyleves). Hungarian cuisine also uses a great variety of cheeses; the most common types are túró (a fresh quark cheese), cream cheeses, Emmentaler, Edam and the Hungarian cheese, Trappista (my personal favorite).

Hungarian Meat Dishes
Like many of its neighbors, Hungary’s dishes have no shortage of meat recipes. Goulash, tokány, and pörkölt all contain meat and a hearty mix of vegetables in stews or sauces. Hungarian cuisine also favours sausages; a variety of pork sausages can be found in Hungary and eaten as a snack or for breakfast.

Vegetables in Hungarian Cuisine
Vegetarians will find themselves going hungry for lack of meatless filling dishes in Hungary. Just like most of Eastern Europe Hungarians aren’t all that big on vegetarian dishes (with the exception of Rántott Sajt, my favorite vegetarian food {cheese rolled in breadcrumbs and deep fried}). Hungarians love stuffing vegetables or roasting potatoes with paprika, but meatless dishes are difficult to find on Hungarian menus.

Desserts in Hungary
Hungarians have taken or inherited dessert recipes from all over Europe. Somloi galuska is a decadent sponge cake containing rum sauce, vanilla cream, and chocolate syrup. Dobos torta is another unbelievably rich sponge cake topped with caramel. Those with sweet tooths will also enjoy doughnuts, strudel, and other sweet pastries and cakes that have become integral to Hungarian dessert cuisine.

Drinks in Hungary
Hungary has a host of wines to choose from for almost any occasion; from wine that is served with appetizers to wine that compliments desserts. Also, two very potent short drinks are found in Hungary, these being palinka and unicum.

Palinka is an alcoholic drink that is distilled from fruit grown in the orchards situated on the Great Hungarian Plain. It is a spirit native to Hungary and comes in a variety of flavors including apricot (barack) and cherry (cseresznye). However plum (szilva) is considered the best of all.

Unicum is a blend of 40 native Hungarian herbs. This is a bitter liqueur and can be drunk as an apéritif or after a meal, thus helping digestion. The recipe is a secret that the Zwack family has held for over 150 years.

Then comes the first situation when you have to buy or ask something and you find yourself explaining with hands, because he don’t understand you, and neither you can understand what he says. Sounds familiar?

Unfortunately in Hungary the 70% of the population speaks no foreign languages only Hungarian. If we examine it by age groups, we can say that the 50 % of young people speaks at least one foreign language, mostly English or German.

Examining it geografically, you can more likely communicate in foreign language in Budapest and in the cities interested in tourism than countryside. The long and short of it, it can be useful if you could say and understand some Hungarian words and phrases.

But now don’t run to enroll at a Hungarian language course! Believe it, nobody requires tourist coming to Hungary to speak Hungarian, as we know well that learning Hungarian language isn’t easy at all. This is proven also by the fact that Hungarian language is one of the most difficoult languages of the world. So don’t panic, just go on with the preparation.

Anyway, I have collected you some useful Hungarian words and expressions:

Single ticket: is valid for 60 minutes after stamping for one uninterrupted trip on all vehicle of public transportation within the administrative boundaries of Budapest . Using this ticket you can change lines within the metro network . On the night service vehicles (with route numbers 900) it is valid for 90 minutes.  (HUF 320)

Single ticket bought on board (HUF 400)

Discount coupon book (10 pcs) (HUF 2800)

Transfer ticket is valid on all vehicle of public transportation within the administrative boundaries of Budapest, for one trip with the possibility of one change. It has a 90 minutes validation from the first stamping and 60 minutes from the second one.

The ticket has to be validated twice (except within the metro network), first when you board the first vehicle at one end, and the second time when you change, at its other end .  (HUF 490)

Short section metro ticket: is valid on the metrolines up to 3 stops for 30 minutes after stamping. You can change metrolines with this ticket. (HUF 260)

24-hour travel card: is valid for unlimited number of trips on all vehicle of public transportation within the administrative boundaries of Budapest for 24 hours begining from the date and time indicated. (HUF 1550)

72-hour travel card: is valid for unlimited number of trips on all vehicle of public transportation within the administrative boundaries of Budapest for 72 hours begining from the date and time indicated. (HUF 3850)

Seven-day travel card: is valid for unlimited number of trips on all vehicle of public transportation within the administrative boundaries of Budapest for 7 days begining from 00:00 of the date indicated. The owner name has to be written on it. (HUF 4600)

Family ticket: is valid for unlimited number of trips on all vehicle of public transportation within the administrative boundaries of Budapest for 48 hours begining from the date and time indicated. It can be used by 1 or 2 adults travelling together in the same carriage with at least 1 but up to 7 children between the ages of 6 and 14. Children can use it together with a valid student card or a passport. (Children under the age of 6 travel free, but together with an adult.) (HUF 2200)

Budapest Card (for 48 or 72 hours): is valid for unlimited number of trips on all vehicle of public transportation within the administrative boundaries of Budapest for 48 or 72 hours begining from the date and time indicated. It can be used by 1 adult and 1 child under the age of 14 . The owner name has to be written on it. Here you can read more about the Budapest card: www.budapestinfo.hu/en/budapest_card (HUF 6300 or HUF 7500)