Budapest Tourist Guide, a tale of two cities

Budapest is one of my all time favourite cities and one of Europe’s finest capitals.  After our first visit I wrote this Budapest tourist guide to provide some information and assistance for first time visitors. Originally separate cities of Buda and Pest, divided by the river Danube, Budapest is cited as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.  Budapest offers a variety of culture, music, film, theatre, dance, visual art and 223 museums and galleries.  It is also a modern metropolis with the CBD’s Danube Towers and a ritzy fashion district housing major luxury brands sprawling the city’s prestigious shopping malls.

This is a very walkable city with many landmark buildings to see. If you take the subway on Line 1 and you’ll be travelling on the Millennium Underground Railway, the world’s second oldest railway which is now a World Heritage Site.

Hungarian Food

A must try in Hungary is the national dish, Goulash, a delicious cross between a soup and a stew.  Regardless of where you order you’ll receive a steaming bowl of slow cooked beef, carrots and onions with a good kick of the Hungarian trademark, Paprika.  A staple of Hungarian cooking, these sweet red peppers really stand out in another popular dish, Paprika Chicken. The chicken is slow cooked with onions, garlic, tomatoes and loads of powdered paprika, served with a dollop of sour cream and egg dumplings (nokedli).  A popular dessert is Gundel Palacsinta, a crepe filled with rum, raisins, ground walnuts and lemon zest, served with a sauce of dark chocolate and cream.   The region is also famous for its Tokay, referred to as the Wine of Kings or the King of Wines. This is a sweet topaz coloured dessert wine, one I find delicious.

Hungarian Architecture

Probably the most notable building in any Budapest tourist guide is the neo-Gothic Parliament building.  Located on the Pest banks it is best viewed on the Danube River or the Buda banks.  Completed in 1902 this is one of the most beautiful legislatures in the world.  Taking 17 years to build, the design was inspired by UK’s Palace of Westminster and sadly the architect went blind during its construction. This is the third largest parliament building in the world and not only the largest, but also tallest building in Budapest.

The largest church in Budapest is St Stephen’s Basilica, which during its 50 years of construction had a catastrophe when the dome collapsed, killing two of the lead architects.  Legislation forbids anything higher than the parliament building, so the dome is the same height, 96m.  You can pay to climb to the observation deck surrounding the dome for great views.  A unique feature of this building is the mummified hand of founding King Saint Stephen. The door to St Stephen’s, a massive wooden door, is decorated with medallions showing the busts of the twelve apostles. If you think the outside is impressive, just step inside. The soft light falls through the ornate stained glass windows and illuminates the fine gold inlay, exquisitely details reliefs and gracious, mathematically perfect curves. The interior is elaborately decorated in many different types of marble, stucco and gold leaf and houses many sculptures.

The dual monarch of Austria and Hungary, Emperor Franz Joseph added to the building rivalry in Budapest when he approved the construction of the Hungarian State Opera House on the condition it not be constructed larger than that in his birthplace, Vienna.  Located amongst magnificent buildings and high end shops this ornate building may have met the size requirements, but is by far more opulent. This building, on the grand boulevard can be viewed by taking in an opera or ballet performance or by a guided tour.

The bridge of all bridges, the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, was the first permanent span linking Buda and Pest. The original bridge, designed by an English engineer, was destroyed during WWII and replaced in 1947. This grand bridge, most spectacular viewed at night when it is fully illuminated, spans 375 meters and is named after the Hungarian count who commissioned it to be built.

Another building to dominate the Buda skyline that looks magical when illuminated at night is the Royal Palace or Buda Castle.  Located in the Castle District, this magnificent former royal residence to the Hungarian monarchy now houses the History Museum, Széchenyi Library and the National Gallery.  The Royal Palace was home to the monarchs until early in the 20th century and was rebuilt many times during the sieges and wars.

Built in the late 1800s to provide a vantage point to offer protection and replace the former castle wall, is the Fisherman’s Bastion. This glorified wall situated on the Buda bank on Castle hill offers breathtaking views. Designed in neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque style to harmonise with the Matthias Church, you have a panoramic view over both embankments of the beautiful Danube River from the seven turrets. A bronze statue of St Stephen on a horse can be seen between the Bastion and the Matthias Church recognized by its colourful shingles and elegant pinnacles.

Budapest Monuments

City Park is a public park close to the centre of Budapest. Its entrance is at Heroes’ Square, one of the most visited places in Budapest.  Home to an iconic statue complex The Millennium Memorial, The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and The 36m high corinthian Column with a statue of Archangel Gabriel. The Millennium Monument consists of two matched colonnades housing seven statues of great figures in Hungarian history. To the left of the monuments is the Museum of Fine Arts and to the right Kunsthalle building (Palace of Arts). Behind the Millennium Memorial is the end of the tunnel for the underground Metro system and the gothic Vajdahunyad Castle. The lake between the Castle and Monument is City Park Pond, which in winter when frozen over is Europe’s largest outdoor skating rink.  Not far from the Castle and still within City Park is Széchenyi Medicinal Baths and swimming pool. This neo-Baroque styled building’s water is supplied by two thermal springs.

Another prominent feature of Budapest’s cityscape is the monument on Gellért Hill, the Liberty Statue. A 14m tall bronze figure holding a palm leaf is mounted on a 26m pedestal. The commemorative plague reads “To the memory of those all who sacrificed their lives for the independence, freedom and prosperity of Hungary”.

On the Pest side of the Danube Promenade is the most emotional monument of all, The Shoes on the Danube. Here you will see a memorial to honour the Jews who were killed during WWII.  Ordered to take off their shoes, they were shot into the icy waters by the Arrow Cross army at the edge of the Danube, so their bodies were carried away. The 60 pairs of shoes cast from iron represent those left behind on the bank. Such an emotional experience to see, to stop and reflect how lucky we are and embed the hope this never happens again.

When you visit Budapest, which I recommend you do, you will find a city steeped in history, culture and beauty.  So have your camera at the ready and don’t forget this Budapest tourist guide.

Our first visit to Budapest was clearly love at first sight, so we returned last year for New Year’s Eve which confirmed why Budapest will remain one of our all time favourite cities. And if you’re looking for where to stay when you arrive and want to save yourself the confusion and hours of research check out Katie from Wandertooth’s where to stay in Budapest guide where she lists all of Budapest’s best neighbourhoods.

Have you been to Budapest? What were your memorable moments, or which buildings did you find most photo worthy?

What are you waiting for? Share this post or leave a comment below. If you like this post and want to read more like this why not subscribe to our Newsletter? We won’t spam you or share your personal details. If you’re not doing so already, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or click the Mix, Flipboard or other social media buttons below to share this post with others who might enjoy reading it. If you want to come back to this post again, pin the photo below.