Travel blogger Emma Knock gives a guided tour of Budapest
One of Europe's often forgotten city break destinations, Budapest makes a great option if you're looking for somewhere a little more unique.
With plenty of culture to explore, it's also packed with stunning attractions that make for a memorable getaway. Travel blogger Emma Knock gives her insight into the best places to visit on a weekend break to Budapest.
Often referred to as the ‘Paris of Eastern Europe’, my expectations were set high before my plane had even hit the tarmac at the airport. As it was my first 2013 city break, I was even more excited than usual to getting settled at my hostel, grabbing a map and plotting how I was going to spend the 48 hours to follow!
In Budapest you will find that most significant sights are situated around the Danube, the river that had previously separated Buda and Pest. The two sides of the city are very different – whilst during the day you may find yourself whiling away the hours nosing around the impressive buildings and ruins of historical Buda, at night Pest truly is where it’s at.
After settling on plans to spend the day learning about Budapest’s rich history, we took our first tentative steps over the river from Pest to Buda’s Castle Hill, a UNESCO heritage site. Battling against the wind and snow of early February, Buda began to emerge from the fog as we crossed the vast river, with a stunning sky line of turrets and grand buildings.
The Basilica in Budapest. Image: Emma Knock
The Royal Palace is probably the most popular attraction on the hill, with its wings housing the National Gallery and other museums as well as the National Library. In front of the Matthias Church is the Fisherman’s Bastion, a lookout terrace that hangs over the side of Castle Hill. After clambering back down Castle Hill, we ascended Gellért Hill to visit the Citadel and the Liberty Statue. It was a long walk up, but the view of Budapest was well worth it!
That evening, back on the flat lands of Pest, we went to Liszt Ferenc Square, popular for restaurants and bars. We dined on typical Hungarian cuisine, such as goulash, before making the short walk to Kiraly where there is a great selection of bars. Next we headed to Szimpla Kert on Kazinczy Street (just off Kiraly). It’s a bohemian hot spot with a large heated outdoor area, a projector, shisha pipes and everyday objects being used in unusual ways. The bar is literally a treasure trove of surreal amazement!
The beautiful Synagogue Memorial. Image: Emma Knock
On our second day, we warmed our cockles (and our hangovers) with a trip to the Gellért Spa and Bath. For just over 4,000 HUF, you can relax in one of the thermal baths that earned Budapest the title ‘Spa City’. We were also able to check out the swimming pool, sauna and sensationally hot steam room. After we were well and truly thawed out we headed over Liberty Bridge and back to the Pest side of the river to finally get a glimpse of St Stephen’s Basilica. You can go inside the church for free, albeit not very far, but the woods and the gold-plating make for an impressive sight!
Budapest is certainly not short of stunning views... Image: Emma Knock
They say Andrassy Avenue is the Champs Elysees of Budapest - I’m not sure I’d go that far, but it made for a lovely walk at the end of our weekend and you are well rewarded at the end of the stroll with sights of Heroes' Square, a memorial for the leaders of the seven tribes that founded the country in the 9th Century.
Budapest is a city with its own unique character that is backed up with a rich history and an achingly cool nightlife – on top of that, you’ll find that it’s also one of the cheapest places to visit in Europe! I’m already planning my return trip…
