The city of Budapest in Hungary is situated either side of the River Danube. Until 1873, hilly Buda and relatively flat Pest were actually two completely separate cities bisected by the river, until they were joined by bridges to become one. There are still slight differences visible between the two sides, with Buda definitely being the classier and quieter side, and Pest being the more ‘touristy’ side – but we loved both equally.
David was actually the one that booked this holiday – as a surprise for me for Christmas (he’s too good to me). He chose fantastically, we had been talking about going for a while but Christmastime definitely adds an extra layer of fantasy to the place. Obviously some of the attractions we talk about are there all year round, but do check before you book if there’s something you really want to do.
In this post we talk about what we did in the three days we spent here, and a little bit of info on where we stayed. We hope this give you some inspiration to visit this lovely city once we are allowed out again 🙂
What we did
We decided to split this section into Buda and Pest, so you can see what is close to what.
Buda
Castle Quarter
The Buda Castle complex present today was completed between 1749 and 1769. It is a World Heritage site and is surrounded by the Castke Quarter. This area includes a few attractions such as Matthias Church (see image below) and the Fisherman’s Bastion.
Fisherman’s Bastion was built as a viewing platform in 1905 by Frigyes Schulek, the same architect who built the bulk of Matthias Church. It is free to enter the viewing platform on the lower level, however there is a fee to view from the top towers. There is a cafe inside and also a chapel. The beautiful turrets look like part of a fantasy tower, like the Cinderella Castle in Disney.
Matthias Church is probably one of the most uniquely decorated churches in Europe – with its coloured tile roof and glowing exterior. We unfortunately didn’t get the chance to go inside the church, but we have heard it is just as beautiful inside and out. The church has an interesting history, as it has been the coronation sites for lots of Kings in the past, as well as being a mosque for over 150 years. It is now a Catholic church.
Our afternoon in the Castle Quarter was an interesting one, however we were utterly exhausted by the end of the day due to the climb.
Citadella
Located on the top of Gellért Hill, the UNESCO World Heritage site offers fantastic views of Pest and also parts of Buda that can’t easily be seen from the Pest side (due to its lack of hills). It has a very rich and interesting history which is worth having a look into. There is also a cafe inside the Citadella, as well as a small museum and souvenir shop. The only downside is that it is quite a trek to get up to – sturdy shoes are recommended.
Gellért Hill Cave
Caves are pretty cool in themselves, but a church in a cave is even cooler. And that’s exactly what greeted us at Gellért Hill Cave. Built in the 1920s, it was blocked up with concrete and unused for a period of time before reopening in 2010. There is an audio tour that you can follow but we decided to just have a look around instead. It still functions as a church so sometimes you have to wait to enter – but it is worth it because it is just so unique.
Pest
Vajdahunyad Castle & City Park Ice Rink
Set on the lake in front of the picturesque Vajdahunyad Castle, City Ice Rink provides a unique experience of outdoor ice skating in a magical setting. Enjoyed equally by tourists and locals, City Ice Rink is open for both a morning and evening session – however we would recommend the evening as sunset really adds to the magic of the experience. Boot hire and lockers are available and pricing is reasonable, but something to bear in mind is queues can be long at peak times.
Dohany Street Synagogue
This is the largest synagogue in Europe, and it certainly felt it when we were in there. It was built between 1854 and 1859. The synagogue also houses a Jewish museum, which we found very poignant and eye-opening. I don’t think we quite realised how much the Holocaust affected the country, and it was an informative introduction to the lives of Jews in Hungary over the years.
The outside of the synagogue is impressive enough, with it being a Moorish style in beautiful colours. But it is the inside that blows you away, with its wooden beams and imposing balconies.
Photo taken from here
Erzsébet téri park
We were attracted to this place by the huge wheel that occupied one corner. Although the wheel itself looked a bit expensive for what wasn’t the best view of the city, the park itself was cute nonetheless. We had just got into the city from the airport and hadn’t had anything to eat, so decided to sit down next to the dog agility course with our meal deals and get our bearings. Although not a main attraction by any means, it was a nice quiet area to think and watch the dogs play.
Hungarian Parliament Building
Although we didn’t get to see the inside of this building, the outside is something to be seen up close. This huge building (actually the largest in Hungary) can be seen from pretty much everywhere in Budapest if you’re up high enough, or on a boat up the Danube as it is right on the banks. It is also home to the National Assembly of Hungary (Parliament), so a pretty important place.
St. Stephens Basilica
There are quite a few attractions that the Basilica and it’s immediate surroundings, especially at Christmas time. We found it best to visit the Christmas markets after sundown because the lights twinkle just that much more, and the amazing light show shone into the Basilica can be seen much more clearly.
This Christmas market was the first one we went to in Budapest, so it was definitely the one that we remember the most. It was so magical to walk from log cabin to log cabin, peering in to every one to see what cute Christmas nick nacks they were selling.
There is also a viewing platform on top of the Basilica itself, so we came back and visited this the following day. Built between 1851 and 1905, it is truly a work of art. It’s 300 foot neo-Renaissance dome towers above you even when you get to the viewing platform. It isn’t super expensive to get up there and you get quite a good view from the top, so we’d definitely recommend having a look.
Szabó Ervin Central Library
Not a common tourist attraction, nor an attraction at all – the Szabó Ervin Central Library is an interesting visit should you find yourself nearby. Encompassed by an unassuming and modern exterior, the 19th century aristocratic mansion turned largest library network in Budapest provides rooms of stunning architecture of different periods. Due to the library not being a true attraction entry can be difficult, but will generally be granted alongside a small donation.
Photo taken from here
Városháza Park
Again, not a huge attraction but very Christmassy nevertheless. I mean just look at the photo – those trees strung with lights are just too cute. It is also not too far away from other attractions either, so give this a visit if you’re near.
Vörösmarty Square Christmas Markets
The Christmas Markets in Vörösmarty Square are another example of Budapest at its most picturesque during the Christmas period. Lining the outside of the square are many small market stalls selling a wide range of Christmas gifts, but the centrepiece of Vörösmarty Square during Christmas time is its large central food markets. With lots of options for food, plenty of eating areas and reasonable prices it was our choice for outdoor Christmas market food during our stay – and only a few hundred meters from the banks of the Danube.
Both sides
We just thought we’d put a couple of the cities famous bridges at the end of this post because they are actually very pretty – so here you go!
Liberty Bridge
Széchenyi Chain Bridge
Where we ate
Lánchíd Söröző
With vibrant music and decor, Lánchíd Söröző provided traditional Hungarian cooking at a reasonable price. One of us had chicken paprika and the other beef stew, both accompanied by nokedli – a native Hungarian dumpling served like noodles.
This ticked the box of a traditional Hungarian dining experience, something we try and experience wherever we go.
Where we stayed
Stylish Studio City Center Jewish Quarter
David found this lovely little Airbnb in the Jewish Quarter of the city – a bit away from the main hstle and bustle but it was incredibly easy to get anywhere from the house.
The apartment itself was clean enough and had some good cooking facilities (although there was no saucepan so we had to resort to using a grill pan – it all worked out in the end!) as well as a comfy bed to rest. As you can see from the picture, there are some wooden steps that lead to the bed which was really quaint, however be careful as there is nothing to stop you falling and the floorspace around the bed is very limited.
It was a great base for the few days we were in Budapest, so if you’re looking for somewhere to bed down we’d definitely recommend this place.
Hopefully you’ve found this post insightful and inspirational, let us know what you think!
We hope you’re all well and staying safe in this scary time.
Happy lockdown I guess… well we can’t say happy travelling!
Zoe and David x
Written by the both of us
Not-So-Trendy Travellers 