Hi guys!
I'm Lu Batista. Today I live in São Paulo, but every time I go there I get to know unusual places. I ended up in Budapest at the age of 17, alone, and went to stay no less than a year in the country of the “magyares”. Magyarország (magyar, Hungarian + ország, country) is the Hungarian name for Hungary. Simple, right?
Namely, the first thing that amazes you upon arrival is the language. Trust me, it doesn't look like anything you've ever seen in your life. I got there knowing how to say "hi", to find out that I was actually saying it wrong. Haha! So if you are from that tourist who, like me, loves to learn the basics to better understand, here's a video made by Eszter Gottschall.
Video in English with the main words in Hungarian.
The second, I would say, is the smell of paprika, seasoning obtained from peppers, which is for me the smell of the country. Many people think it is naturally spicy, but it is not. There are sweet versions (you are), the spicy (Eros) and smoked (füstölt). You can find it at the supermarket or at any souvenir shop there. My tip is to take one home 😉
Culture is an attraction in itself - after all, we are in a 9th century city. It was already taken over by the Celtic, Mongolian, Slavic, Ottoman people ... and was co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the First World War. The city is divided by the Danube River and its name actually comes from the junction of Buda, to the west of the river, and Pest, to the east. Nine bridges cross the famous Danube and the most famous of them is the Chain Bridge (Lanchid):
The second, I would say, is the paprika filled, seasoning obtained from peppers, which is for me the smell of the country. Many people think it is naturally spicy, but it is not. There are sweet versions (you are), the spicy (Eros) and smoked (füstölt). You can find it at the supermarket or at any souvenir shop there. My tip is to take one home 😉
Culture is an attraction in itself - after all, we are in a 9th century city. It was already taken over by the Celtic, Mongolian, Slavic, Ottoman people ... and was co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the First World War. The city is divided by the Danube River and its name actually comes from the junction of Buda, to the west of the river, and Pest, to the east. Nine bridges cross the famous Danube and the most famous of them is the Chain Bridge (Lanchid):
Chain Bridge in Budapest -1
Over the years, Budapest has become one of the coolest capitals in Europe and the world has taken a liking to the city, especially for its great value for money.
Putting together all the experiences I've had there, here are my tips on to do in Budapest for 3 days.
What to do in Budapest: #1 Day Tour
City Park + Heroes Square + Andrássy Avenue + House of Terror + Opera + St. Stephen's Basilica - ending at Ponte das Correntes at night
The City Park (Városliget) is great in winter or summer. In winter, there is a huge ice skating rink. It's delicious! The park is just behind the Heroes Square, one of the highlights of the city and a World Heritage Site. It is worth sitting in the café of the Palace of Art and admiring the view and tourists. Looking towards the square, the café will be on your right. On the left is the Museum of Fine Arts. If you're a fan, check in. I've seen Van Gogh and Picasso exhibitions there, as good as in their own museums.
Following on foot is Andrassy Avenue to the Terror Museum, the former headquarters of the fascist building when Hungary was an ally of Germany during World War II. Today it honors and tells the story of people killed by both Fascist and Stalinist regimes.
Got hungry? I indicate the Menza, is very close:
Top tip: Subway 1 passes through Rua Andrassy, in operation since 1896. It is no older than the London Underground. I love riding it. It's small, you can buy the ticket right there.
You can continue and pass by the Opera, towards the Basilica of São Estevão.
Still have pike? Then go to the largest synagogue in Europe, the Great Synagogue in Budapest (Nagy Zsinagoga) and from there, if you are hungry for good food, the tip is close by: restaurant Barack é Szilva.
I’m the enemy of the end (but calm down, if you don’t have more time, relax!), So in this itinerary I always ended up going to the Chain Bridge to see the illuminated Buda Castle, in addition to the very famous Four Seasons hotel, which is right on front of the bridge. You will feel in the Wes Anderson film.
And to close the night of this first day in Budapest, I cannot indicate anything but Szimpla Kért.
It is the tourist spot and I went to Budapest every time.
There's no mistake!
What to do in Budapest: Day #2 itinerary
Daytime Chain Bridge + Buda Castle + São Matias Church + Fisherman's Bastion
Let's start the second day of our tour of Budapest? Do you need a good breakfast to start? Scroll to any Café Frei of the city. Special tip: Dohány Café. It is a smoked espresso. Oh, I miss you.
Or go check out the Stika Café:
Today, walk across the Chain Bridge to Buda. The view is incredible. The park on the direct side is Elisabeth. It is an island and is two bridges from there.
There are several ways to go up to the castle. In front of the chain bridge, already in Buda, there is a funicular (those little trains that go up and down hills). There is usually a queue but it is super fast. I like to walk. In the same place you can take a way up and I swear, it doesn't take 15 minutes. In addition, it is the most beautiful view of the Parliament you will have.
Explore the castle and its surroundings and then go to the Church of São Matias. IN BETWEEN. Worth it. I still remember the colors inside, the differences. It's beautiful. Is different. You don't see around. Take your time because right there you will find the Fisherman's Bastion. It has this name because the security of each wing of the castle was the responsibility of a group of professionals. This is Halaszbastya (name in Hungarian) and is perhaps the most “instagramable” place in Budapest. The ideal is to get there close to the sunset.
2
And to end the day, I indicate:
Vintage Garden, to eat
Instant & Bad Drinks Pubto party
What to do in Budapest: #3 Day Tour
New York Café + Parliament + Shoes on the Danube + Váci Street + Market
Shall we start the day with an inspiring breakfast / brunch? If you are a fan of the beautiful European cafes, don't miss this one: New York Cafe. But do the following: forget the great cost-benefit that I mentioned at the beginning, because it is really worth the experience.
With Metro 2 from Blaha Lujza Tér you can reach Parliament easily (without changing) (Országház). To enter, make an appointment first. The visit is guided.
Nearby, one of today's points: the Shoes on the Danube River, a 2005 monument dedicated to Jews killed by fascists during World War II. They were ordered to remove their shoes and then killed by the river, so that their bodies would fall into the water and be carried away by the current.
From here, take Tram 2 to Váci Utca (from Kossuth Lájos Tér). It passes by the Danube and, in winter, it is lit up. It's very beautiful.
Váci Utca is the most touristic street in Budapest. Time to prepare your pocket for some shopping (and oops, there's a Café Frei here too), ending at the iconic Budapest Market (Nagy Vácsárnok). If you are one of those people who look at different foods, go to the second floor of the market and be delighted.
If you prefer to stay with more well-known dishes, I recommend close by: Bálna Terasz, to continue on Hungarian food or the Dionysos Tavera, the best Greek restaurant in town.
Still have pike? So burn the calories going up to Citadella, in Buda, to watch the sunset. And enjoy!
Lu's Extra Tips:
- Take a bath in one of the Thermal Baths. It has several and for all pockets. Do your research first because you might end up falling into a strange party in one of them!
- Visiting the city of Szentendre, is on the side. It's beautiful and it's a more relaxing day.
- Watch the events at Buda Castle. Twice I went to wine festivals up there in the summer.
- I particularly love District VII, or Erzsébetváros. Get lost in the streets and shops ...
- If you go in December, don't miss the Christmas markets! This one below is the one at Vörösmarty tér (Vörösmarty square):
And most importantly, live the city 😉
Make your script, follow your time.
Your trip, your rules!
AND job szórakozást/ good enjoy!
To the next,
Lu Batista
Photo credits:
All photos are property of the authors of the article and were given to Viajando Fácil. Except:
1. Photo taken from Google, without author determination.
2. Photos taken from Google Maps, authors in order: Bojan S. and Sergey Salim
Photos of restaurants and attractions were taken from the official websites, mentioned in the links next to them.
Congratulations. Very good your article. Happy to see how beautiful it is.
Thank you for sharing so much beauty.