Adventure In Budapest

This past winter, I traveled to Budapest. I loved it and I look forward to returning one day. I enjoy traveling to Europe in the winter. The crowds are smaller, and overall, travel is less expensive than the summer months. The weather gets cold off the Danube, so I packed clothes that layer well. I love being there in December as everyone prepares for the holidays, and the Christmas markets are open every night.

I stayed at an Airbnb that was very reasonable. The apartment itself was cool, and the location wasn’t bad, but the street was kind of dark at night I was on a small street between Vaci St and the Danube. Budapest is very walk-able, but the transit system is also easy to use, cheap and very efficient. (European cities continue to impress me compared to the U.S. when it comes to transit). The Palace District is probably the easiest area to stay for walking around. If you like Airbnb’s they offer more value than most European hotels.

I always take a free walking tour wherever I go. It helps me get my bearings. Guides tend to have a bit more passion and work a little harder knowing they rely on your tips. Here is the place I used: http://www.triptobudapest.hu/.

I don’t mind paying for a tour, but I always look at the reviews first! I took a walking food tour I found on Airbnb called Fat Boy Foodies Walk. That was fun too. Airbnb is a good source for tours and activities if you aren’t sure where to look.

There is a lot to see in Budapest. There is a lot of history here, largely due to its location tying together regions of Central Europe and parts of Asia. Statues and Churches are everywhere. The art and food scene are up and coming. Kind of felt like a “poor man’s Paris”. I mean that as a compliment.

The staple sights are St Stevens Basilica, Matthias Church, Parliament, Buda Castle & the Dohany Street Synagogue. You can also admire the panoramic views from Fisherman’s Bastion. There are many historical and memorable sites depending on your interests.

On the social scene, Ruin Bars are popular and fun. The most popular is Szimpla Kert. Ruin Bars are generally old buildings that are converted into bars with minimal upgrades. They add in local art and funky furniture for a cool vibe. Some are “pop up” types. They get crowded at night, so I would recommend going a little earlier before the crowds get there…maybe late afternoon, but certainly worth checking out…

The Christmas markets here are very lively. Like most European cities, the Christmas markets are fun gathering places as the holiday approaches. You can find great street food, so bring your appetite. And go easy on the palinka!

You MUST go to one or two of the Thermal Baths. Szechenyi is probably the most popular, and gets crowded, but I loved it. They have indoor and outdoor baths, and it was fun being out in the cold (see my Instagram Highlights). I also went to the Rudas baths which are really really old. Rudas is a Turkish bath built in 1550. They had saunas and ice baths that were extreme… and offered a fun experience.

The food in Budapest is excellent and inexpensive by American standards. Here are 3 I enjoyed and would go to again:

Zeller Bistro (must try the duck liver pate there…delicious…good wines and my main course was excellent too!)
Retro Langos Bufe small storefront street food…Langos is iconic Hungarian street food and is the equivalent to you or me grabbing a slice of NY pizza…I went back a second time.
Bors GasztroBar has creative soups and sandwiches…casual and small street food type place with a friendly and funny staff that enjoy working there.