UNFORGETTABLE LOCATIONS: Budapest
There are so many reasons to visit Budapest, Hungary’s capital city. Set on the River Danube, with breath-taking architecture revealing its rich history and culture, it is often cited as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The capital is also a relaxed, urban destination with an excellent nightlife whether you’re after good food, hip bars and nightclubs – or all of the above!
Originally two cities bisected by the Danube, Buda and Pest were unified in 1873 to become one of the twin capitals of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a major European power from 1867 until 1918. The two areas each have a distinct character; the quieter leafy hills of Buda are where you’ll find the Royal Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home of the Hungarian National Gallery. On the opposite side of the river, Pest is the bustling city centre.
Though spread out, Budapest has a network of pathways and steps making it an amazing city to walk around to take in the sights. Our directors Kristy and Karen have been designing in this wonderful city for many years and fell in love with it immediately…
Stay
Budapest is still considered an affordable destination, and the city’s accommodation offering caters for all budgets, from cool design-led hostels to 5* luxury and everything in between. Our recommendation for a more luxurious stay is the Hilton Hotel Budapest and the Corinthia Hotel Budapest – both of which our directors had a hand in designing (not that we’re biased!).
Eat + drink
The Great Market Hall (Nagycsarnok) is a huge produce market in a majestic building dating from 1897; it’s definitely worth exploring if you’re interested in sourcing traditional Hungarian food. The expansive ground floor is where fresh food and groceries are sold, while the upper floors have souvenir stalls alongside stands and eateries serving local dishes.
For a quick and tasty bite to eat try Street Food Karaván, a vibrant outdoor area populated with kiosks serving Hungarian and global cuisine, popular with tourists and local residents alike. For an evening drink and more, head to the city’s ‘ruin’ pubs – bars and nightclubs in derelict industrial spaces dotted around the Old Jewish Quarter, and a unique feature of Budapest’s nightlife. They are many and varied in style, Szimpla Kert is the best known and started the trend back in 2001.
No guide to Budapest would be complete without mentioning its café culture. An absolute MUST in our opinion is to make time to experience one of the traditional grand cafes; we highly recommend tea and patisseries at the gorgeous Café Gerbeaud.
Do
Home to various cultural institutions, museums and monuments, there are limitless things to see and do in Budapest. A few of our recommendations include: Memento Park for its fascinating Communist icons; take the funicular up the hill to Buda; discover the Art Nouveau, Ottoman and Habsburg architecture; use the UNESCO-listed underground line 1, it has an amazing interior and is Europe’s second oldest underground system after London. sssWhile exploring the sights, see how many metal sculptures you can spot throughout the city; they each have a story with symbolic meaning - don't miss the poignant shoes lined up by the Danube near the houses of parliament. The Chain Bridge connects the two halves of the city, and is a great spot from which to view Budapest at night in all its stunning, shimmering beauty. If shopping for things uniquely Hungarian, we suggest seeking out the city’s antique, vintage, flea markets. For fashion stores showcasing Hungarian designers try Nanushka, The Garden Studio and Berlin.
And finally, for the ultimate relaxation experience after walking and sightseeing, do take a dip in one of the city’s fantastic thermal baths. The Széchenyi bathhouse is the biggest and most popular, however we recommend the Art Nouveau Gellért Baths whose indoor pools are studded with floor-to-ceiling turquoise Zsolnay ceramics – simply gorgeous!
Links
Great Market Hall http://budapestmarkethall.com/great-market-hall-budapest
Karavan https://welovebudapest.com/en/venue/karavan-2/
Gerbeaud http://gerbeaud.hu/
Vasarely https://vasarely.hu/eng
Hungarian National Gallery https://mng.hu/en
House of Terror Museum http://www.terrorhaza.hu/en
Hungarian National Museum https://mnm.hu/en
Museum of Applied Arts http://www.imm.hu/en/
Opera http://www.opera.hu/programme
Shoes on Danube https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoes_on_the_Danube_Bank