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BudapestHelp Wikitravel grow by contributing to an article.
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The Hungarian national parliament
Europe : Central Europe : Hungary : Central Hungary :
Budapest
Budapest is a huge city with several district articles
containing sightseeing, restaurant, nightlife andaccommodation
listings consider printing them all.
Budapest [1] [2] is the capitalcity of Hungary. With green
filledparks full of charming pleasures,museums that will inspire,
and apulsating nightlife that is on par withits European
counterparts, Budapestis one of Europe's most delightfuland
enjoyable cities. Thanks to theperfect location,
inhabitants'hospitality and memorablemonuments is it mentioned as
"LittleParis of Central Europe" and "Pearlof Danube".
DistrictsAlthough Budapest isadministratively divided into
23numbered districts which are always
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Budapest's Chain Bridge and Castle Hill
Co nt ent s1 Districts2 Understand
2.1 History2.2 Official Tourism Information2.3 Quality o f
life
3 Get in3.1 By plane
3.1.1 Terminals3.1.2 Connections3.1.3 Airport transfer
3.2 By train3.2.1 Train stations
3.3 By bus3.3.1 Bus stations
3.4 By boat4 Get around
4.1 Orientation4.2 On foot4.3 Public transport
4.3.1 Tickets and passes
Districts of Budapest
written in Roman numerals, it canmost simply be divided into the
twocities of which it is comprised (Budaand Pest) and one historic
district:
Buda - The hilly West side of theDanube (Districts I- III,
XI-XII, XXII).Cast le Hill - District I of Buda,the oldest part of
the citycontaining the eponymous Castleand many of Budapest's
best-known attractions (FishermensBastion, Labyrinth and
MathiasChurch)Pest - The flat East side of theDanube, covering the
moderncommercial core of the
city(Districts IV- IX).
UnderstandTravelers arequickly recognisingthe appeal ofBudapest,
withtourism accountingfor approximately2.7 million visitorsper
year. Consistingof two very differentcities, Buda on theWest bank
of theDanube River andPest on the East bank, Budapest (pronounced
"BOO-dah-pesht")offers travelers Viennese romanticism at an
affordable price.However, Budapest is unique in its own right.
Hungarians are proudof what this ancient capital has to offer and
its contributions to
125 Hotels inBudapestBook your hotel inBudapest online. Findyour
hotel on a citymap!www. booking. com/Hotels-Budapest
Int erCo nt inent alBudapestLuxury hotel just stepsaway from the
ChainBridge & Parliament.www. Inte rCo ntine ntal. co m
Ho t els & Reso rt s atPeruPlan your trip to Peru findall
accommodation righthere.Pe ru.trave l
Cheap Flight s t oGermanyBook Your Ticket OnlineNow! Fly in
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Special pagesPrintable versionPermanent link
related pages
New Year ho lidays inHungary
In o ther languages
ca: Budapestde: Budapesteo: Budapetoes: Budapestfi: Budapestfr:
Budapesthu: Budapestit: Budapestja: nl: Boedapestpl: Budapesztpt:
Budapestero : Budapestaru: sv: Budapest
o ther sites
WikipediaOpen DirectoryWorld66Wikitravel Shared
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4.3.1 Tickets and passes4.3.2 Metro4.3.3 Tram4.3.4 By bus4.3.5
Tro lley-bus4.3.6 Suburban rail4.3.7 Other4.3.8 Night services
4.4 By car4.5 By taxi4.6 By bicycle4.7 By Skateboard
5 See6 Gallery7 Do
7.1 Festivals7.2 Performing arts7.3 Cinema7.4 Baths
7.4.1 Traditional public baths7.4.2 Modern baths7.4.3 Others
7.5 Active Leisure7.6 Caving
8 Learn9 Work10 Buy
10.1 Non-speciality shopping11 Eat
11.1 Coffeehouses11.2 Restaurants11.3 Ship Restaurants
11.3.1 Chains11.4 Vegetarian/Vegan11.5 Grocery Stores11.6
Kosher11.7 Others
European culture, especially in the field of music, a language
onedoesn't need to speak to appreciate.
HistoryBudapest first appeared on the world map when the
Romansfounded the town of Aquincum around 89 AD, in what is
todaybuda. It soon became the capital of the province of
LowerPannonia, and the Romans even founded a proto-Pest known
asCont ra Aquincum on the other side of the river.The Romans were
replaced around 900 by the Magyars, who wenton to found the kingdom
of Hungary (Magyar Kirlysg ). TheMongols dropped in uninvited in
1241, but the Magyars bouncedback and built the Royal Castle, which
still dominates Buda, in 1427.In 1541, Buda and Pest fell to the
Ottomans and stayed in the handsof the Turks until 1686, when the
Austrian Habsburgs conquered thetown. Now at peace, both sides of
the river boomed, and after anabortive Hungarian revolution in
184849, the great Compromise of1867 made Budapest the united
capital of the Hungarian half of theDual Monarchy of
Austria-Hungary.Budapest emerged from World War I battered but now
the capital ofan independent Hungary. Its population reached one
million in 1930.Air raids and a terrible three-month siege towards
the end of WorldWar II resulted in the death over 38,000 civilians,
and up to 40% ofBudapest's Jewish community were murdered during
the Holocaust.A total of 400,000 Jews in the area were murdered by
the Naz is andtheir Nyilas sympathizers. Various people helped
members of thelocal Jewish community including Raoul Wallenberg, a
Swedishhumanitarian sent to Hungary under a diplomatic cover, who
tried tomake a difference by distributing Swedish passports to as
manyJews as possible, and the Italian Giorgio Perlasca, that,
pretendingto be a Spanish diplomat, rescued a good share of
Budapest'sJewish community.After the war, the city recovered and
became a showcase for themore pragmatic policies of Hungary's hard-
line Communistgovernment. It was, however, site of the 1956
Hungarian uprising
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Budapest Airpo rtTransf erFixed prices, Superiorservice. 19/2p,
20/4pPay on arrival!www. b o o kinb ud ap e st. co m/transfe r
Freight liner TrucksTurn MPG Into ROI.Aerodynamic Trucks
withFuel-Saving Technology.www. fre ig htl ine rtrucks. co m
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12 Drink13 Sleep14 Contact
14.1 Phone14.2 Internet
14.2.1 Wi-fi14.3 Wifi Networks
14.3.1 Internet Cafes15 Stay safe
15.1 Crime15.2 By night15.3 Tourist traps15.4 Money15.5
Important phone numbers
16 Stay healthy17 Cope
17.1 Embassies18 Get out
Budapest Opera
against unpopular policies such as collectivisation. The
revolutionagainst communist rule only ended when the Soviets sent
in thetanks as they felt Hungary slipping out of their influence
and control.Today's Budapest is by far the wealthiest and most
cosmopolitancity in Hungary and is increasingly popular with
tourists. In 1987, itwas inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage
List for the culturaland architectural significance of the Banks of
the Danube, the BudaCastle Quarter and Andrssy Avenue.
Official Tourism InformationTourism Of f ice of Budapest [3] ,
1115 Budapest, Bartk Bla t105-113., tel: +36 1 438-8080. You can
get some very good andfree brochures. amongst it: map of Budapest,
a map of hungary withall the youth hostels and prices, a very
complete brochure about thenorthern part of Hungary (available in
many languages).Tourism Info Center 1051 Budapest, St utca 2 (Dek
Ferenctr)
Quality of lifeHomelessness is a big problem in Budapest. People
who are homeless are commonly seen in the innercity metro stations
and sleeping in doorways in both Buda and Pest.
Get inBy planeBudapest Franz Liszt Internat ional Airport (IATA:
BUD)[4] , Budapest Liszt Ferenc Nemzetkzi Repltr(pronounced "list-
ferents"), formerly, and colloquially referredto Ferihegy ; is the
country's largest airport, located about 16km (10 miles) southeast
of the city centre. The airports centraltelephone number for
information is: +36-1 296-9696 or on+36-1 296-7000. Luggage
services can be contacted on +361296-5449 in connection with
flights to and from Terminal 1 and+36-1 296-5965 for Terminal
2.
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The airport has two terminals. It is wise to double-check your
arrival and departure terminal. While Terminal2A is within a short
walking distance from Terminal 2B, the distance between Terminal 1
and 2 is quitesizeable - the trip takes 6-8 minutes by car or 12
minutes by bus.
The small, renovated Terminal 1 (gates 1-10; opened in 1950) is
used by low-cost airlines (such asWizzAir and EasyJet ) both from
Schengen and Non-Schengen destinations.
As of June 1 2012 Terminal 1 is now closed and all flights
depart and arrive from Terminal 2.The more spacious Terminal 2
(opened in 1985) is divided in two: Terminal 2A (gates 20-30)
servesall Schengen Area destinations. Terminal 2B (gates 11-19)
serves all Non-Schengen Area destinations.
Duty free stores are operated by Travel Value [5] . Customs
authorities in German airports may not allowyou to bring duty- free
items purchased at the airport in Budapest through Germany. In
Terminal 2, HugoBoss and Swarowski are the only dedicated brand
shops. The alcohol- tobacco-sweets assortment shophas a decent
choice of local wines, mainly by Gundel. Several cafs are present.
There are Caff Ritazza[6] eateries on Terminal 2A. One is in a
pre-checkin area; another is in the boarding area, after
passportcontrol. Terminal 2B pre-boarding area has half a dozen
cafes. The cafe on the second floor of terminal 1(outside of the
security area) offers computers with internet access.
ConnectionsHungarian discount airline Wizz Air operates flights
between Budapest and 21 European cities. AmericanAirlines operate
direct flights between Budapest and New York City . Many discount
airlines also operateservice to/from Budapest.As of 2012, the
following discount airlines operate to and from Budapest (using
Terminal 1 unless otherwisestated):
Aer Lingus [7] (from Ireland) - Terminal 2B;EasyJet [8] (from
France, Germany, Great Britain and Switzerland);Germanwings [9]
(from Germany);Jet2 [10] (from Great Britain);Norwegian Air Shuttle
[11] (from Denmark, Norway and Sweden);RyanAir [12] (from Belgium,
Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy,
Finland,Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Poland);transavia.com [13]
(from the Netherlands);WizzAir [14] (from Belgium, Bulgaria,
Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy,Netherlands,
Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain and Sweden).
Airport transferPublic t ransport . There is a railway station
called Ferihegy connected to Terminal 1. Passengers from
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Terminal 2A or 2B can also reach it by local bus 200E to the
stop "Ferihegy vastlloms" (8 min). Bustickets are available in
airport terminals for HUF 320 at the newspaper vendors, or HUF 400
if youpurchase from the driver. This bus also continues on until
Kbnya-Kispest where you can transfer toMetro M3 (an additional
ticket is required for the metro for another 320 HUF, though with
this ticket youcan transfer to another metro line once). To
transfer to the Metro wait until the final bus stop; the secondlast
stop is also called Kbnya-Kispest, but the final stop is closer to
the metro station.
Half-hourly suburban trains run westwards to Budapest-Nyugati
plyaudvar via Kbnya-Kispest andeastwards to Monor via Vecss and ll,
though it should be noted that these suburban trains are operatedby
the Hungarian rail operator MV, and by no means included in the HV
network. These suburbant rains are labelled "Szemly" while
long-distance t rains use other labels. Travel time to
Budapest-Nyugati is 23 min. A single ticket costs 365 HUF and can
be bought from the ticket vending machines at thestation, though
local travelcards (which you can buy at the newspaper vendors at
the airport) are also valid[15] . Do not assume that it's always
best to get off at Budapest-Nyugati even for the city centre.
Nyugati islocated in the north central part of the large city
centre and depending on the location of your hotel, it maybe
quicker to get off the suburban train at either Kbnya-Kispest or
Zugl and continue by metro or busfrom there. Be sure to check this
out.
Long-distance trains also operate from the airport to
destinations such as Kecskemt, Szeged,Pspkladny, Debrecen,
Nyregyhza, Miskolc and Zhony at the Ukrainan border. You may
alsoencounter Intercity trains with Budapest-Keleti station as the
destination, BUT UNDER NOCIRCUMSTANCES WHATSOEVER SHALL YOU EVEN
THINK ABOUT TAKING THIS TRAIN IFYOU'RE GOING TO BUDAPEST . It will
take you to Budapest, yes - in 5 h 4 5 min, and at a cost of6660
HUF. (to clarify, this is a ring line which starts at Nyugati and
goes through Ferihegy and easternHungary before terminating at
Keleti, and the other way around). Using long-distance trains to
Nyugati isnot recommended either, as this will require a seat
reservation, and this might be expensive.
Minibus service. If you travel alone, consider the Airport
Minibus service [16] , a shared taxi operationthat collects
passengers going in the same direction and will take you to or from
anywhere in Budapestfor HUF 3.200 per person or HUF 5.500 for a
round trip. Join the queue at the airport and you will be onyour
way in 15 minutes. For the trip back, call the centre at +36-1
296-8555 at least 24 hours beforehandand Airport Minibus will pick
you up.Taxi. Ftaxi [17] is the only contracted taxi operator from
Lisz t Ferenc airport. Depending on yourdestination, a trip to
Budapest costs between HUF 3.900-6.500 (3900 is valid around the
airport,downtown hotels usually HUF 5,800 or 21 and above that).
Queue at the taxi stand to receive a writtenquote for your fare,
then pay it when you arrive at your destination. This system is
designed to eliminateunjustified price hikes. IMPORTANT: unless you
have pre-ordered a taxi from a different company, donot accept
offers from taxi drivers waiting in the terminal or near the
terminal entrances (but when youpre-order you get a better price
than the Fotaxi rates). On your trip into town you might receive
a
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business card from Ftaxi quoting cheaper fares bound to Lisz t
Ferenc airport (i.e. 16 from Pest).Reserve a car by phone and quote
the offer to save some money.
By trainTrains connect Budapest with almost all countries in
central and eastern Europe. All trains arrive at BudapestKeleti
station, unless stated otherwise.
Berlin: 11h, two direct EC trains daily, one connection with
change at Beclav and a night train Metropol .Munich: 7h, four
daytime Railjet trains and one night train Wiener Walzer . These
trains stops inSalzburg and Linz too.
Tickets from Germany are much cheaper if bought online [18] , at
least 3 days in advance.Vienna: 2h, every two hours, departing from
Wien-Meidling station. For tickets from Vienna, as well asfrom
other cities in Austria, note: the earlier you book them, the
cheaper they are. One-way ticket pricefrom Vienna begins at
19.Prague: 7h, three direct EC trains, two with change at Beclav
and night train Metropol . There is a throughsleeper car departing
from Prague one hour before Metropol and later attached to it, so
you have moretime to sleep. Online tickets [19] are much more
cheaper than normal tickets (the price begins at 19),but you should
buy them at least 3 days in advance. If e- tickets are sold out or
you have to buy a ticketimmediately before departure, buy a
(domestic) ticket Prague-Kty Gr. (the CZ/SK border point)
andinternational tickets Kty Gr.-trovo and trovo-Budapest. This
combination costs about 65% of thedirect ticket. For the two
international tickets you can get RailPlus discount and return
ticket discount.Bratislava: 2h, six EC trains a day. Thank to
bilateral agreement between Slovak and HungarianRailways there are
reasonably priced tickets from many important Slovak cities, sold
at station counters.Warsaw: 10, four trains a day, one direct
during night with through seat, couchette and sleeper cars(11h) and
three EC trains through daytime with one transfer in Beclav or
Ostrava Svinov (10-11h).There is a limited amount of SparDay and
SparNight discounted tickets, sold at Polish stations, from 29in
seat car and 39 in a couchette.Bucharest: 16h, two night trains
Dacia and Ister and one daytime connection with change at
Timisoara.For Ister train you can buy a discounted Fortuna ticket
for 29 for seat or 39 for couchette, but youshould do it at least 7
days in advance. It cannot be booked online. Normal ticket cost
about 50 one-way, 77 return (a RailPlus discount is possible) and
couchette reservation fee is 15.Venice: 13h, an night Euronight
train via Slovenia. There is a limited amount of Smart tickets for
29 forseat and 39 for couchette, if bought at least 7 days in
advance. You can buy it online [20] andchange it to real ticket at
station counter in Venice. If the discounted tickets are sold out,
the normal ticketcost 55 for seat and 69 for couchette.Ljubljana:
9h, a daytime IC Citadella, arriving at Dli station. There are
discounted Budapest-Special ticket
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for 29 one-way and 39 return. Apart from this there is a
nightime train from Venice through Croatia, butit isn't much
useful, as it departs from Ljubljana on 2AM and costs two times
more.Zagreb: 6-7h, three daytime trains a day. The train Maestral ,
arriving at 16:45, ends up at Dli station.Return ticket valid 1
month costs about 30 and it's even cheaper than one-way ticket.
There is a seasonal sleeper train from Split, departing every
Wednesday and Saturday from 11 Jun to 27Aug.
Belgrade: 8h, two daytime trains Avala and Ivo Andric and one
night train Beograd. They are oftendelayed. There is a special
offer Budapest Special /Beograd Special , 15 for one-way and 26 for
returnticket. These tickets are sold only at Budapest and Belgrade
stations (you can also buy special tickes inNovi Sad at the same
price). Couchette reservation is 16.40 for 6-berth couchette, but
there arereservation- free seats even on the night train. Notice
that the night train, arrives in Budapest very early at5AM, and
border crossing is around 2AM.
The train Avala has seasonal sleeper cars from Podgorica and
Bar, departing every Monday, Thursdayand Sunday from 19 Jun to 19
Sep.
Sarajevo: 11h, IC Drava over Croatia. One-way ticket costs about
54 and return ticket valid 1 monthcosts only only 2 more.Sofia:
18h, Balkan Express with a through couchette car via Belgrade.
Direct ticket is expensive, thebetter solution is to buy a ticket
Sofia-Belgrade (see Belgrade#By train) and then
Belgrade-Budapestticket at Belgrade station. The through car waits
2.5h in Belgrade and even if Balkan Express is delayed(a quite
common situation), you have a time until the through car is shifted
to the train to Budapest. BalkanExpress leaves Sofia at noon and
arrives to Belgrade at evening, so you can travel to Belgrade in
asitting car, and buy a cheaper couchette reservation only from
Belgrade to Budapest.Kiev and Moscow: 25h/39h, fast train Tisza, a
typical Russian long-distance train going over 2
nights.International ticket is much more expensive than domestic
Russian and especially Ukrainian domesticticket. If you are on a
tight budget, use another train from Kiev (departing on 18:52 or
20:06) to Chop(arriving on 10:04 or 10:52) near UA/HU border. In
Chop buy a ticket to to local train to Zhony (HU) andin Zhony buy a
ticket to IC to Budapest (arriving on 18:37). You have more than 3h
time in Chop and 1hin Zhony to buy your tickets - and there are
later trains from Zhony to Budapest too. The overall trip iseven
shorter that the direct train and you'll pay less than a half of
the official international fare. Bewarethat Ukraine uses Eastern
European Time, which is one hour later after Central European
Time.
Train stationsThe main railway stations (plyaudvar) are Kelet i
plyaudvar (Eastern Railway Station), Dli plyaudvar(Southern Railway
Station) and Nyugat i plyaudvar (Western Railway Station). The
stations are not named
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for their geographic location in the city, nor for the direction
of the destinations served by each.Most of international trains, as
well as domestic trains to Miskolc, Eger, Gyr and Szombathely leave
fromKeleti. Some trains to Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Lake Balaton and south-western regionsof Hungary leave
from Dli. From Nyugati leaves domestic trains to Debrecen,
Nyregyhza and Szeged.The stations are well connected to each other
and to the rest of the city. Keleti and Dli Railway Stations
arelocated on Metro 2, Nyugati Railway Station is on Metro 3. A
transfer should take less than 15 minutes duringpeak hours,
slightly more on weekends and evenings.Depending on where you are
coming from, some outer stations can be useful to you; trains
arriving fromVienna and Lake Balaton or other western locations
stop at Budapest Kelenfld station, which is a goodpublic transport
hub for Southern Buda. Trains arriving from Romania, Ukraine and
Eastern Hungarian citiesregularly stop at Kbnya-Kispest station, a
good place to get to Eastern Budapest or to FerihegyAirport.Train
stations in Budapest are not up to Western quality standards; they
are hard to access for people withdisabilities and their facilities
are very limited. Be prepared for long queues at the ticket office.
English israrely spoken. Do not expect luggage trolleys or clean
toilets. Food or a coffee purchased at the stations isunlikely to
give you a gastronomic buzz ; it is also difficult to find a good
nearby cafe if you didn't researchin advance. Do not accept any
offers from taxi drivers waiting around the station entrance. For
furtherinformation read also Stay safe section.
By busHungarys national bus network is operated by Voln Associat
ion [21] . If you arrive to Budapest fromanother Hungarian city,
bus is often the best option. For services, discounts, schedules
and on- line bookingpossibilities check
Hungary#Get_around.International bus routes are operated by
Eurolines +36-1 318-2122 [22] . Most connections run two orthree
times a week; connections to/from Austria and Slovakia run daily.
Orangeways [23] 36-30 830-9696, offers cheap tickets to and from
Austria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Germany, Netherlands, Poland
andSlovakia.
Bus stationsBudapests long distance bus stations are located
outside the city centre, but are very well connected to therest of
the city. The main stations are:
Npliget Bus stat ion (Npliget autbuszlloms , metro 3, Npliget
station). Buses from abroad andmost of Western Hungarian
destinations arrive and depart here. It is a fairly modern station
with reliablefacilities. Do not forget to check- in if you travel
abroad.Stadion Bus Stat ion (Stadion autbuszlloms, formerly known
as Npstadion autbuszlloms, metro 2
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The Chain Bridge and aview of Pest
Stadion Bus Stat ion (Stadion autbuszlloms, formerly known as
Npstadion autbuszlloms, metro 2Stadionok station). This is the
biggest hub for Eastern Hungarian destinations, quite modern
butsomewhat dirty station built underground.rpd Bridge Bus Stat ion
(rpd hd autbuszlloms , metro 3 rpd hd station ). This is a
smallerstation for some Northern destinations and suburban traffic;
use it to and from Szentendre, Esz tergom orVisegrd.Etele tr Bus
Stat ion (Etele tri autbuszlloms , bus 7E, 173E). This is a newly
built station next toKelenfld Railway Station, at the future
terminus of metro line 4. Useful for getting to Statue Park andsome
suburban destinations.
By boatMahart , +36-1 484-4000, [24] operates a scheduled
hydrofoil service on the Danube to and from Viennaand Bratislava
between early April and early November.Hungaria Koncert 00361 317
1377 [email protected] [25] operates cruises with lunch or
dinnerdaily at 14:00, 19:00 and 20:00. This service is 90 minutes
with hot buffet lunch or dinner. During the cruise,the Parliament,
Chain Bridge, Royal Castle, Palace of Arts etc. can be seen.
Get aroundOrientationOrientation is not a big problem in
Budapest. The river Danube splits the cityinto two areas: Buda and
Pest. Aside from the very center, the city's structureis quite
logical. Landmarks in Buda as the Royal Castle or Citadella
Castlealso help you to find your way. Besides the Danube itself,
the best referencepoints for orienting yourself are the bridges
crossing the river. From North toSouth, they are:
rpd Bridge (rpd hd ), A modern bridge linking to Northern
MargaretIsland. The longest bridge in Budapest at 973
meters.Margaret Bridge (Margit hd ), Easily identified thanks to
its distinctiveshape: it makes an approximately 35 degree turn half
way across, at thesouthern tip of Margaret Island. Trams 4 and 6
cross the Danube here.Chain Bridge (Szchenyi lnchd ), Completed in
1849, the oldest, arguably most beautiful and certainlythe most
photographed of Budapest's bridges, floodlit at night.Elisabeth
Bridge (Erzsbet hd ), Completed in 1903. Its original chain
structure was destroyed in WorldWar II, and was eventually
substituted by a modern cable bridge opened in 1964.Liberty Bridge
(Szabadsg hd ), Elegant but simple, opened in 1896; it connects the
Gellrt Baths
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(Gellrt frd) in Buda with the Great Market Hall (Nagyvsrcsarnok)
in Pest. Recently renovated.Petf i Bridge (Petfi hd ), For a long
time the southernmost bridge, it links the inner ring road(Nagykrt)
of Pest with Buda.Lgymnyosi Bridge (Lgymnyosi hd ), The newest
bridge in Budapest, with modern architecture anda spectacular
lighting system where mirrors reflect the beam of the upward facing
floodlights. Built verynext to a railway bridge on its southern
side.
On footMany of Budapest's highlights are easy to approach
walking, and in the center you find more pedestrianzones from year
to year. Car drivers tend to respect pedestrians and often give
advantage on a cross-walkeven if there is no traffic light. Due to
the lack of bike lanes, cyclists have to weave around pedestrian
traffic;be prepared. Don't wear high-heeled shoes in the downtown
as there are lots of stone pavements,especially in the Castle
Hill.
Public transport
NOTE: A new bus and tram numbering system has recently been
introduced in Budapest.Various tram and bus lines have now new
numbers and many routes have beenreestablished or modified. Don't
believe your guide book and map edited before
September 2008 or you will inevitably get lost.
NOTE: A number of places (streets, squares, parks) were
redenominated in mid-2011,which resulted in the renaming of a
number of stations and stops. On the schedules youmay find the new
names, if unsure, inquire! Most people are well aware of the
changes and
would be pleased to help you find your direction. Also many
schedules were modified, some busescirculate less frequently, while
other means of transportations may have an their operating
timeextended. Schedules are placarded at every stop unless
vandalised.
You'll find several points of interest within walking distance,
but Budapest is a sizable city, so unless youdrive your own car,
you will inevitably use some form of public transportation. The
good news is that theurban area is well covered by three metro
lines, blue urban buses, yellow trams and red trolley-buses,
and
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Metro 4 Favourite WorstNightmareWhen the government decided in
theearly 70's that a new metro line shouldconnect South Buda with
Central Pestby 1978, no-one thought that it wouldbecome a synonym
for incompetenceand perpetual lack of money. Everythinghad been at
a standstill until 2007, whenworks finally began after
endlesspolitical debates. Is everybody nowhappy? Of course not. The
Metro 4construction is widely criticised for itshigh cost and
supposedly failed andobsolete trace. Officials say it won't
becompleted by the official deadline(2010) (and in February 2012 we
cansay that no, it is nowhere nearcompleted), and construction
keeps thecity paralysed, which is locals' favouriteconversation
theme for now.
Single ticket, valid for one
the whole system is easy to understand. The bad news is that the
schedules are less than reliable, vehiclesare not always clean, and
tickets have become increasingly expensive.Public transportation in
Budapest is run by Budapest Transport Limited Company (BKV) [26] ,
which hassome useful English- language pages on their site
including current schedules and fares. Vehicles run fromaround 5AM
to 11.30PM (or, on Christmas Eve, to 4.00PM). After that an
extensive night bus network isavailable.If you only visit Budapest
for a few days as a tourist, you mayfind the following lines part
icularly useful :
Metro 1, 2, 3 connect the suburbs with the biggesttransport
hubs, numerous touristic highlights and centralhotels.Tram 2 runs
along the river Danube on Pest side.Tram 4 , 6 follow Nagykrt,
Pest's inner ring road.Bus 7, 7E, 173 and 173E connect Keleti
railway stationwith the city center and many points of interest in
Buda andPest.Bus 16, 16A and 116 go to Buda castle.Bus 105 connect
Hsk tere (Hero's Square), goes up anddown Andrssy boulevard to Dek
square/Erzsbet squarebefore it goes across the Chain Bridge to Buda
and passesby Dli plyaudvar (Southern railway station).Bus 200E
serves the airport.
If you stay longer, it's worth to buy a public transportation
mapat any BKV ticket office. You can also find detailed
publictransport maps in some tram stops, especially along the
4-6tram lines.
Tickets and passesIf you intend to travel a lot (and you
probably will), travel cardsare far less expensive than single
tickets. As of 2009 most useful tickets and travel cards for
tourists includethe following:
Single t icket (vonaljegy): Valid for one journey within the
city limits ,transfer not allowed on buses and trams, but one
transfer is allowedbetween metro lines (a new rule introduced in
January 2009). HUF 320.HUF 400 if purchased from the driver
(available on designated lines).
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journeyTransfer t icket (tszlljegy): Valid for one journey
within the city limits ,one transfer allowed. HUF 470.10 single t
icket book: 2800 HUF (April 2010)One-day t ravel card (napijegy):
Valid for 24 hours after purchase (not only on the day of purchase
- anew rule introduced in January 2009). HUF 1550.Three-day t ravel
card (hromnapos turistajegy): Valid for 72 hours after purchase
(not only on the dayof purchase and the two following days - a new
rule introduced in January 2009). HUF 3850.Seven-day t ravel card :
Valid on the day when purchased and on the following six days. HUF
4600.Fourteen-day pass (ktheti Budapest-brlet): Valid for 14
consecutive days with a photo pass (take apassport size photo to
the ticket office). Valid also on MV trains and suburban yellow
Voln buses (anew rule introduced in January 2009). HUF
6200.One-month pass (havi Budapest-brlet): Valid for 30 or 31
consecutive days with a photo pass (take apassport size photo to
the ticket office). Valid also on MV trains and suburban yellow
Voln buses (anew rule introduced in January 2009). HUF 9400.Monthly
pass for students : Valid for 30 consecutive days, with a Hungarian
student ID, HUF 3850.You will be able to buy one without a
Hungarian student ID, but if you are stopped, you will probably
befined, even if you have ISIC, or other student ID.Budapest card
(Budapest krtya) [27] allows you unlimited free travel in the city,
and also gives youdiscounts at museums and restaurants. Two-day
card HUF 6300, three-day card HUF 7500.
Sooner or later, you WILL run into t icket inspectors,
especially on Sunday in trams and buses, and theyare posted daily
at almost every single metro entrance and exit. They have a
notoriously bad reputationwith the locals, often being rude and
curt (when they are not deep in conversation amongst
themselves).They rarely speak English and sometimes pick tourist
out of the pack banking on their lack of knowledge ofthe public
transit system. If you happen to get caught for "blitz ing"
(commuting without paying), you will beasked to pay a fine on the
spot of HUF 6000 but they may threaten you to pay HUF 12,000 by
saying theywill call the police. Don't be af raid as the police
usually never come. They can also try to make youfeel as though
they are doing you a favor by only asking for 6000 if you don't ask
for a receipt. Ticketcontrol inspectors can, but don't actually
have a legal right to, ask for any type of ID (passport, ID
cards,etc.) as they are not considered peace officers under
Hungarian law. Therefore, you are not required (andyou should not)
give them any of your IDs, passports or credit cards as they have
NO RIGHT to ask forthem in the first place. Don't even show them
you have ID on you or they may try to grab these from yourhands.
(On the other hand how can they tell if you are over 65 AND EU
citizen entitled to free travel withoutchecking your ID?) If you do
pay on the spot, ask for a receipt to prevent them from pocketing
the money.To have a care- free trip throughout Budapest, you should
always have a pass/ticket with you at all times. Ifyou feel
threatened or in trouble, call the police or your Consulate in
Budapest (some locals may also helpyou to get away), but the best
way is to have a Budapest Card, or any unlimited travel pass.
Keeping in
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The rebuilt Sz ll Klmntr(former Mosz kva tr) metro 2station
mind that ticket inspectors are not considered peace officers,
and since they have no legal right of arrest,detention or even of
asking for your ID documents, if you are stopped on a tram for not
having a ticket,once you get off the tram and are standing on the
open street platform, you are free to JUST WALK AWAY!This only
works for trams and buses where you have an escape path (i.e.
outside the encapsulated subwaysystem). Once you disembark
completely from the public transit vehicle, simply keep walking.
Again, itshould be re-emphasized, that if you want a care- free
time in Budapest, just pay the fare or get theday/week/monthly pass
or the Budapest Card and you won't have to worry about validating a
ticket all thetime or the inspectors.Most major subway stations
check your tickets/passes on entrance and exit, especially at major
stations.
MetroBudapest's underground network is an excellent way to get
around, itconnects the suburbs with railway and autobus stations,
several centrallylocated hotels, museums and sights. The system
consists of three lines,crossing at Dek tr station (Dek square, in
Pest center).
Metro 1 (yellow line) connects Mexiki t (Mexiki road, a
transporthub in Central-Northeast Budapest) with Vrsmarty tr
(Vrsmartysquare in Pest's commercial and touristy center), and also
passes theOpera and Hsk tere (Heroes' square). It was built to
commemoratethe 1000th year of Hungarian nationhood in 1896 (thus
often calledMillennium Subway). It was the first underground built
in the ContinentalEurope and second in the world after London.
Although the vehiclesare not original, the beautifully rebuilt,
tile covered stations are agorgeous historical memory of Budapest's
richest period (1880-1910).Metro 2 (red line) connects Dli
plyaudvar (Southern Railway Station, in Central Buda) with rs
vezrtere (rs vezr square, the biggest transport hub of Eastern
Pest), and also takes you to Szll Klmntr (former Moszkva tr, Buda's
biggest transport hub), Kossuth tr (Kossuth square, around
theParliament in Pest center) and Keleti Plyaudvar (Keleti Railway
Station, in Pest). Although theconstruction started in the 50's,
the line was only opened between 1970 and 1972. Having
beencompletely rebuilt since 2004, its stations seem brand new, but
trains are still the old, Soviet- style ones.Metro 3 (blue line)
goes from jpest-Kzpont (residential area in Pest's Northern
suburbs) to Kbnya-Kispest (transport hub in Central-Eastern Pest,
terminus of bus 200 to the airport), passing NyugatiPlyaudvar
(Western Railway Station) and different stations in central Pest.
Opened between 1976 and1990.
All the metro lines are well represented on maps scattered on
platforms.
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In 2006 the world's longesttrams started their service onlines 4
and 6
Blue urban bus in Buda
There is one important fact for Senior Citizens resident in the
EU. For EU Residents, over the age of 65,travel on the Metro, Buses
and Trolley Buses is Free, but an Identity Document must be carried
proving theabove to Inspectors if requested. This also applies to
some train journeys.
TramBudapest's 25 t ram lines are a tourist- friendly way of
getting around.They are slower, but more scenic than the subway and
particularly usefulon the nearly subway- less Buda side of the
river. Be careful about doors,they open on different side of the
tram on different stops.Particularly useful lines for tourists
are:
Tram 4 and 6 both run along Nagykrt, Pest's inner ring
road,providing access to all three metro lines at multiple
stations, andcrossing over to Buda on Margaret Bridge (Margit hd)
anotherbeautiful view. Although technically two lines, 4 and 6 only
diverge fortheir last two stops that the tourist is unlikely to
visit.The two lines running along the Danube river (19 in Buda and
2 inPest) are considered a part of the cityscape. Both offer
beautiful view of the opposite side.
By busBudapest has a dense bus network, which also connects
theagglomeration and suburban zones with several metro and train
stationsand the city center. Numbering system is now easy to
understand.Numbers below 299 indicate regular bus routes. Numbers
with an added'E' (for example 7E or 173E) indicate express services
that don't stop atall stops. Numbers with an added 'A' have shorter
routes than theirregular counterparts (for example bus 30 has a
longer itinerary than30A). Numbers above 900 indicate night
services. (Numbers between800 and 899 are suburban services
provided by Voln company, BKVtickets and most tourist passes are
not valid on them.)Particularly useful lines for tourists
include:
Bus 7, 73, 7E, 173E, all connect Keleti railway station with
Blaha Lujza square (Blaha Lujza tr,junction with tram 4, 6), Pest
city center and many points of interest in Buda.Bus 16/16A/116 go
to Buda Castle from Szll Klmn tr (former Moszkva tr). Bus 16 starts
from DeakFerence Ter, the main metro line hub.Bus 200E runs to
Ferihegy Airport from Kbnya-Kispest Metro 3 station.
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The cogwheel railway atVrosmajor terminus
Be aware that in September 2008 many lines have been provided
with new numbers.
Trolley-busBudapest's 13 trolley-bus lines run in Northeast and
Central Pest. Unless you are a trolley buff, you'reunlikely to use
them frequently. However, some of them pass through the City Park
(Vrosliget) and crossAndrssy avenue (Andrssy t), giving you
beautiful views while using this eco- friendly mode of
transport.Line 70 from Kossuth square (Kossuth tr, next to the
Parliament) to City Park (Vrosliget) also passesthrough the lively
Nagymez utca, Budapest's "Broadway".
Suburban railGreen suburban railway lines (called HV) connect
central Budapest with several suburbs, but most ofthem are of
little use to visitors. Note that your tickets and travel passes
are valid only within the cityboundaries, otherwise you should
purchase a supplementary ticket (kiegsz t jegy) at a ticket
office.
Line Bat thyny trSzentendre goes upriver to the picturesque
village of Szentendre. The same traintakes you to Sz iget Fesz tivl
[28] , Central Europe's biggest summer music festival. It connects
atBatthyny tr with metro 2, at Margit hd (Margaret bridge) with
tram 4/6.Line rs vezr tereGdll takes you to the beautiful royal
castle of Gdll from rs vezr teremetro 2 station.
OtherSome other means of public transport can be useful if you
get tired ofregular buses and trams, or if you want to escape from
the hustle andbustle to the lush green hills surrounding
Budapest.
Cogwheel railway (Fogaskerek vast) is a tram- like railway
runningfrom Vrosmajor terminus (two stops from Szll Klmn tr metro
2station by tram 59 or 61) to Szchenyi hill (Szchenyi hegy),
Buda'spopular picnic, excursion and sledging place. BKV tickets and
passesare valid.Boat . Budapest currently has only one regular boat
service,theoretically running around five times a day from May to
September,from Borros tr (South-Central Pest) to Rmaifrd (Northern
Buda),making 8 intermediate stops. BKV tickets and passes are NOT
valid.Buda Cast le funicular (Budavri sikl). This handsome, short
funicular line takes you from ChainBridge (Lnchd) Buda end to Buda
Castle. Built in 1870, completely destroyed in World War II,
rebuiltonly in 1986. BKV tickets and passes are NOT valid. As one
might expect, it is relatively expensive andtouristy.
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Szchenyi Hill Children's Railways (Szchenyi-hegyi Gyermekvast)
it's a narrow gauge line,operated partly by children. The 11,2km
long line is running on the Buda Hill's, giving a beautiful look
atthe nature around Budapest. You can reach the endstation
"Szchenyi hegy" by the Cogwheel railway orthe other one "Hvsvlgy"
by taking the tram number 61 from "Szll Klmn tr". Before using it,
youshould take a look at it's home page for the timetable at [29] .
BKV tickets and passes are NOT valid.Zugliget Chair- lif t
(Zugligeti libeg) It's a chair lift, taking you from "Zugliget" to
"Jnos hegy". You willhave a nice view while traveling. BKV tickets
and passes are NOT valid. [30]
Night servicesBudapest is covered by 34 night bus lines. Numbers
are triple-digit, starting with '9'. Buses run every 15-60minutes
from around 11PM until 4AM. The main linking points of the night
bus network are Szll Klmnsquare (former Moszkva tr) tr in Buda and
Astoria (junction of Kossuth Lajos utcaKroly krt) in Pest.Daytime
tickets and passes are valid.Most useful night buses are:
923 Running along the Nagykrt, Pest's inner ring road, basically
as tram 4 and 6 do during the day.907 Substitutes daylight bus
7.914 , 950 In the city center substitute metro 3.
On line map and schedule are available on BKV's home page [[31]
.On Friday and Saturday nights ticket inspectors gather around the
stops and don't let you hop on the buswithout a valid ticket or
pass. They also sell tickets for HUF 350.
By carApart from the summer holiday, Budapest has heavy traffic
with long- lasting traffic jams in the morning and inthe afternoon.
If you don't want to spend your visit to Budapest in a traffic jam,
leave your car in the hotel'sgarage, and use the public
transport.If you drive across downtown, plan your journey,
otherwise you can get into tough situations. For exampleyou cannot
turn left in most of the crossings of the inner ring road (Nagykrt)
or on the main avenues likeAndrssy t, Vci t, lli t or Rkcz i t.
By taxiBudapest's taxi drivers are not always prepared for
English speaking clients, but it does not necessarilymean that they
intend to overcharge their foreigner guests use one of the major
taxi companies withEnglish speaking switchboards to avoid problems.
Most companies' websites now have pages in English. Ifyou wish to
call any of the following phone numbers from abroad, use the +36-1
(Hungary-Budapest) codebefore the numbers.
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TaxiCab, www.taxibudapest.eu fixed prices +36/70/645-4444
English language: [32]TaxiCab, www.taxicab.5mp.eu fixed prices
+36/70/594-50-11 English language: [33]Volan Taxi, [34] +36-1
4-3333-22.Budataxi, [35] +36-1 233-3333.City Taxi, [36] +36-1
211-1111.Ftaxi, [37] +36-1 222-2222.Taxi 2000, [38] +36-1
200-0000.Tele 5 Taxi, [39] +36-1 555-5555.Zna Taxi,[40] +36-1
365-5555.6x6 Taxi, [41] +36-1 266-6666.Budapest Taxi, [42] +36-1
433-3333.Mobil Taxi, [43] +36-1 333-1757.Radio Taxi, [44] +36-1
777-7777.Taxi Plus, [45] +36-1 888-8000.
Do not accept of fers f rom taxi drivers wait ing in the airport
terminals or railway stat ions. Useyour common sense, sit only in
taxis logoed by bigger companies. If possible, as stupid as it
maysound, try to pick a taxi with the meter in a place where the
driver can't fiddle with it while driving. While thefare per
kilometer stays the same, apparently it's possible to "bump" the
price by adding extra basic fees.Also note that most taxis parked
in the downtown areas do not belong to radio taxi companies and
chargemuch more than the usual HUF 200+ per km. Ask about their
price in advance or call any of the taxicompanies above.Please note
that any of the above companies will take you for less than the
taxis they book for you inhotels.
By bicycleBudapest may be one of the most exciting places of
Europe, but it's still not a cyclists' paradise. There arebikeways
separated from automobile roads in the downtown, but unfortunately
often used as car-park orpedestrian zones. Generally, the city is
not prepared for cyclists' presence, but the situation is
slowlychanging. Budapest has been home to Europe's biggest cycling
demonstration, Crit ical Mass [46] ,where in 2008 more than 80 000
people participated.If you are ready, renting a bike is not a
problem, but still not cheap. Expect to pay around HUF 2000-3000for
a day.Budapest offers a variety of bike rental companies. Some of
them are:
Budapest Bike, [47] +36-30 944-5533. Rent a bike starting at
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The Danube River and the leafy hills ofBuda
Yellow Zebra Bike, [48] +36-1 266-8777. Rent a bike starting at
1,500 HUF for 1-5 hours.Bikebase, [49] +36-1 269-5983. Bike rentals
available for 2,000 HUF for 24 hours.
Cyclists are not very patient, so be aware while you are
walking, if you hear a shout, be prepared to get outof the way
quickly. This is because a bell is something people haven't really
heard of (both cyclists andpedestrians alike) so using one while
cycling might not result in people moving to the side; they might
noteven react at all! Also, beware of pedestrians wandering onto
marked bicyclepaths.
By SkateboardPest is ideal for skateboarding. Sidewalks are wide
and smooth without too many pedestrians to avoid.Police won't pay
you any attention as long as you are using your skateboard for
transport and not trying todo tricks. Longboards are ideal because
of their stability and bigger wheels.
SeeIndividual listings can be found in Budapest's district
articles
Most of Budapest's famous sights are concentrated on Castle Hill
on the Buda side, in downtown Pest andalong the riverside
walkways.The main sights on Cast le Hill are:
The Royal Palace (Kirlyi palota). The most popularattraction on
the hill. Home to the:Nat ional Gallery (Nemzeti Galria) [50] .
Inside theRoyal Palace wings B, C and D houses an
astoundingcollection of paintings.The Fisherman's Bast ion and
lookout terrace(Halszbstya). For impressive views across the
Danubeto Pest.Mat thias Church (Mtys templom, aka Church of
OurLady). Dominant neogothic church crowning Budapest'scityscape -
nowadays is under reconstruction.
Other museums on the Castle Hill:The Historical Museum of
Budapest [51] . Exhibition of medieval Budapest and history of the
RoyalPalace.The Music Museum. Includes a collection of musical
instruments and the Bartok archive.The Military Museum [52] .
Uniforms, weapons, maps and other Hungary- related military objects
from11th century until nowadays.
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The Parliament Building
Marz ipan Museum.Pharmacy Museum . Collection of pharmaceutical
objects from the Renaissance and Baroque eras.Museum of Medieval
Judaism. Presents the medieval Jewish objects of Buda.
The Danube Bridges (see Orientation above), especially the Chain
Bridge (Szchenyi Lnchd ) are reallyattractive and make it worthy to
promenade along the river bank. Lnchd (pronounced laance heed)means
chain bridge and the suspension structure of the bridge is made of
chains whose links are hugedog-bone shaped metal bars linked by
pins at their ends.You can have a superb glimpse over the bridges
from the Citadella on the top of Buda's Gellert Hill(Gellrthegy
).Riding a boat is ideal as you can enjoy both riverbanks at the
same time. For romantic views of the city, goat night.Margaret
Island (Margitsziget ) and its large parks (see Buda) are a very
pleasant place to relax andwander. Perfect for a sunny
afternoon.Downtown (Belvros) of Pest is the administrative and
business centreof Budapest and the whole of Hungary. The main
sights here are:
The Parliament Building (Orszghz). A neogothic jewel,
beautifullysituated overlooking the Danube. It is very much worth
going inside,but you can only do that during guided tours, which
are FREE forinhabitants of European Union (ignore those trying to
pick you upoutside the Parliament). Tickets for guided tours can be
obtained eachday from 8AM. It is recommended to do it in advance
because thetickets can be sold out quickly in the morning. You will
have to go infront of the Parliament and queue at the ticket line.
Again, ignore those that ask you if you want a guidedtour. Just
pick up your ticket inside and come back at the hour on the ticket.
Guided tours in English areheld each day at 10, 12 and 14.St .
Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvn Bazilika) [53] . The main church of
Budapest is an importantexample of neoclassical architecture,
recently renovated. The mummified right hand of Hungary firstking,
St Stephen is kept in the chapel. The 96 meter high dome can be
seen from anywhere in the cityand inside is decorated with
mosaics.Great Synagogue and the Jewish Museum (Dohny utcai Zsinagga
) [54] The biggest Synagoguein Europe, and the most impressive in
the world. Next to the Synagogue is a small but impressivemuseum.
In the rear of the Synagogue is a memorial for victems of the
Shoah. The synagogue wasrecently restored to its former grandeur. A
block away you'll find a smaller, but nearly identicalsynagogue
built long before the Great Synagogue. The plaque in front explains
that this was used as
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The historical building of the Faculty ofHumanities of Etvs
Lornd University
some sort of assembly grounds for those persecuted during the
Holocaust before they were deported. Ithas not been renovated, and
you can see through the boards on the outside how decrepit it still
is. Achilling sight.Etvs Lornd University (Faculty of Humanit
ies)[55] is on Mzeum krt, opposite Hotel Astoria, andbetween the
National Museum and a modern office block.It was founded in 1635 by
Pter Pzmny, CardinalArchbishop of Esz tergom. The university is one
ofHungary's most widely recognized institutions of highereducation.
The campus of the Faculty of Humanities issituated among historic
walls, and is attended by nearly8,000 students and a vibrant
international studentcommunity from all over the world. The former
library andstudy of Lornd Etvs, the famous Hungarian physicistand
eponymous founder the university, had his library andstudy in
Building "D", but several other hidden treasurescan be found at the
Faculty. It is worth dropping by for a short visit. Visitors can
rest in the lush TrefortGarden or have a refreshment in the popular
Blcssz Terasz , an open-air cultural garden that hasmusical
performances as well as food.
Museums in at the city centre:Museum of Ethnography [56] .Nat
ional Museum [57] .Museum of Applied Arts [58] .Natural History
Museum [59] Mainly minerals at display.Ludwig Museum of Modern Art
[60] .Holocaust Memorial Cent re [61] .Museum of Transport .Jewish
Museum at the main synagogue [62] .Bible Museum.
The Andrssy t boulevard in Pest stretches from Downtown
(Belvros) to the City Park (Vrosliget ). It islisted on UNESCO's
World Heritage List and has some important sights along it,
including:
The State Opera House This is one of the most beautiful opera
houses in the world. The mainstaircase was an important element of
the building in the 19th century for ladies to show off their
newgowns.The House of Terror (Terror Hza ) [63] . Housed in the
secret police headquarters of the communist
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Heroes' Square
era, this museum objectively documents the terror of the Naz i
and Communist eras. Visiting is hard work,but essential for anyone
wishing to understand Hungary's recent past.The Hopp Museum of East
Asian Art [64] . Collection of 20,000 pieces from China, Japan,
India,Nepal, Tibet and Mongolia. Nearby is another similar
collection, namely Gyorgy Museum .Ernst Museum [65] . Contemporary
Hungarian art.The City Park (Vrosliget ) is at the far end is
probably the mostpleasant of Pest's districts and features several
interesting if low-keyattractions which are often overlooked:
Heroes' square (Hsk tere) - with the Millennium Monument.Museum
of Fine Arts (Szpmvszeti Mzeum) [66] has anincredible range of
European artwork from Greek and Roman timesto the present.
Especially valuable is its collection of SpanishBaroque
painting.Zelnik Istvan Southeast Asian Goldmuseum (Aranymzeum)[67]
has the leading collection in Europe of southeast asian
goldartifacts from the 1st millenia BCVajdahunyad Vra is a castle
on a little island on a lake built for the 1898 World Fair. In the
winter,the lake is turned into the city's biggest ice rink.
Nowadays it houses an agricultural museum.
On Buda side there are:Aquincum [68] was a city in the Roman
times, its remains are turned into a great open-air museum.It's
situated in the buda district of northern Buda. There are some
ruins of thermal baths, made bystones and decorated with mosaics
and paintings. Visiting these places was social events for
Romans.Gl Baba Trbje [69] is the shrine where Gl Baba (literally
Rose Father, from whom the Rzsadomb(Rose Hill) was named)
lies.Offers a nice view and the little street which leads down the
hill from therecontains more houses that won the "House of the
Year" award.Kassk Museum at the Zichy Castle shows works of the
modern Hungarian artists as well as modernHungarian art.Kiscelli
Museum [70] - The Budapest Picture Gallery.Statue Park - Rather
than smash the statues of the Communist era, the Hungarians
arranged them witha twist of irony in this park to the south of
Buda.Victor Vasarely Museum shows many works of the famous
Hungarian-born post-modern painterVsrhelyi Gyz (1908-1997).
Music related Museums: Music lovers, beware that all four
museums are closed in August.Kodly Museum .
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Liszt Museum. Home of Ferenc Lisz t, most famous Hungarian
composer. Collection of his personalobjects and instruments can be
visited.Bartk's House.The Music Museum. Includes a collection of
musical instruments and the Bartok archive.
Additional Museums:Fashion Museum.MEO Budapest's art fair.House
of the Future [71] .
There are several travel agencies, tour operators offering city
tours or walking tours, if you don't have muchtime, you can use one
of them and you can visit the main sights within 3 - 4 hours.
Gallery
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DoExperience an opera at Budapest's spectacular State Opera
House or a performance of forklore orclassical music at any of
Budapest's many concert halls.Buda Hill Labyrinth. The Labyrinths
are accessible by two points on the Buda hills. Originally
partswere formed from hot water springs and then during WW2, they
were linked with some of the cellars onthe hill to create an air
raid shelter for up to 10,000 people and a military hospital. The
labyrinth is now apopular tourist attraction. It is a bit cheesy,
but would be good for families travelling with children.
TheLabyrinths has been permanently closed by the Green Militia as
of July, 29, 2011.
Walk around and look at the market stands and the entertainment
on some of the bridges in the evening.And the best of all: get a
map, circle the things you want to see, divide up your time and see
the city byyourself. Locals are always ready to help and they even
tell you what to see and what is better to stayaway from. They even
guide you for a short time to keep up their English by having a
goodconversation. Don't hesitate to ask questions!With your
children go to the City park. Great fun can be made here. Walk
arround the lake and feed theducks. See statue of Anonymus in a
fairytale- like building, the Vajdahunyad Castle. Next to the lake
theSzchenyi Spa is really enjoyable for kids as well, or a
performance with international artists in the GreatCapital Circus
or adventure in the fun Fair. As a finish of the day more than 800
special animals can bevisited in one of the oldest zoos in the
world.Rent a bike and go round the city (~1600 HUF for half a day),
it's lovely! You can easily go outside thecity as well. Szentendre
is a 2hrs ride max from the center and you get to see nice places
like a lakewhen you follow the river.Take a bike tour. A great way
to start your visit. 2 1/2 hours gets you some exercise and
introduces youto the local geography. Staff at Buda Bike
[underground garage at the plaza in front of St. Stephan'sBasilica]
are very friendly. They also rent bikes.
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FestivalsThe Sziget Festival at budai Island (=Sz iget) [72]
attracts rock fans, world music hippies and theusual festival crowd
every year in august. With cheap beer, great acts and a multitude
of cultural, culinaryand musical offers, it's definitely a good
deal. Day tickets cost 45 and festival passes, includingcamping
privileges cost 170 if purchased before April 15th and 200
thereafter. Festival passes withoutcamping privileges cost 30 less.
Sleeping in a tent under the open sky instead of a hotel room
givesthe complete festival feeling. Be careful with your personal
belongings though - you should leave them inthe safe boxes.Spring
Fest ival - around the end of March
Performing artsHungary has a surprisingly rich theater scene
and, not surprisingly, Budapest is the epicenter of it.
Seasonbegins in mid-September and ends in June. Productions range
from classic dramas and traditional operasto post-modern
performances. There is much to discover around Budapest theaters,
even if you don'tspeak Hungarian; the following venues can be
particularly interesting for non-Hungarians. Tickets arebookable
about one month beforehand at Interticket [73] , the Hungarian
theaters' official booking enginefor a small (10% + HUF 50) booking
fee.
Hungarian State Opera House, Magyar llami Operahz [74] , 1061
Andrssy t 22, metro 1 stationOpera, tickets HUF 300-10,900. One of
Europe's architecturally most breathtaking opera house'scompany
performs traditional opera and ballet. The quality of its huge
repertoire is not always up tointernational standards, but if you
don't expect too much, you will spend a decent night here.
Cheapertickets offering reduced visibility are a good deal if you
don't want to pay HUF 2500 for the official guidedtour [75] to the
building. The company also performs at Theat re Thlia, (Thlia Sznhz
1065Nagymez u. 22-24, metro 1, tram 4, tram 6 station/stop Oktogon,
tickets HUF 2900-4900), [76] , whileTheat re Erkel, the Opera's
chamber theater is closed due to reconstruction.Palace of Arts,
Mvszetek Palotja [77] , 1095 Komor Marcell utca 1, tram 2 stop
MillenniumiKulturlis Kzpont, tickets HUF 700-9,800, standing
tickets for students are available for HUF 200 onehour before every
show, (be sure that your student card is valid, otherwise you won't
get in). Thismodern, power plant- looking building hides an
excellent modern art museum, a festival theatre and themarvellous
Bla Bartk Nat ional Concert Hall (Bartk Bla Nemzeti
Hangversenyterem ), which offergreat concerts from classical, jazz
and world music to Hungarian and international pop, special
childrenprogrammes and the best opera performances in Central
Europe. The annual Wagner festival in June isa must. Spectacles are
held all around the year. Book your tickets at the Palace of the
Arts home pagewithout additional booking fee.Theat re Madch, Madch
Sznhz [78] , 1073 Erzsbet krt 29-33, metro 2 station Blaha Lujza
tr,
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tram 4, tram 6 stop Wesselnyi utca, tickets HUF 500-8900. If you
want to see the Hungarian version ofblockbuster musicals like The
Phantom of the Opera or Producers, this is your place. Madch is
widelypopular among musical fans, and some of their recent shows
have been critically acclaimed, so bookwell in advance.Budapest
Operet ta Theat re, Budapesti Operett Sznhz [79] , 1065 Nagymez
utca 19, metro 1,tram 4, tram 6 station/stop Oktogon, tickets HUF
950-15000. Grandmothers' eternal favourite, theOperetta Theatre
performs old- fashioned operettas for the nostalgic hearted and
tries to be Madch'smain rival in musicals.Traf House of
Contemporary Arts , Traf Kortrs Mvszetek Hza [80] , 1094 Liliom
utca 41,metro 3 station Ferenc krt, tram 4, tram 6 stop lli t,
tickets HUF 1000-2500, 25% discount forstudent card holders. In a
renovated transformer building, Budapest's most important
contemporarycultural center presents Hungarian and international
experimental dance, theatre and musicperformances. A disco hall in
the cellar and a lively bar upstairs also serve your
entertainment.Millenris [81] , 1024 Fny utca 20-22, metro 2 station
Szll Klmn tr, tram 4, tram 6 stop Szna tr,tickets HUF 1000-6000.
This huge cultural center has been built around former factory
buildings. Thecomplex includes a park, a small artificial lake,
cafs, an interactive museum called Csodk Palotja(Palace of
Miracles) and a theatre which hosts music, theatre and sometimes
great contemporary operaperformances. You could book your ticket at
their home page, which is available in Hungarian andEnglishMerlin
Internat ional Theat re, Merlin Nemzetkzi Sznhz [82] , 1052 Gerlczy
utca 4, metro 1/2/3station Dek tr, tickets HUF 600-2000. Merlin,
within stone- throwing distance of Vci street, Budapesttouristy and
commercial heart, is a hub for some Hungarian alternative companies
and also forperformances in English.Nat ional Dance Theat re,
Nemzeti Tncsznhz [83] , 1014 Budapest, Sz nhz utca 1-3, bus 10,
bus16, stop Dsz tr, tickets HUF 1100-3500. The main dance theatre
of Hungary hosts a wide range oflocal and international
performances. Although not always revolutionary modern, it's always
worth tocheck the program.Experidance Company [84] . This popular
company performs Hungarian popular dances in modernconception.MU
Theat re, MU Sznhz [85] , 1117 Krsy J. utca 17, tram 4 stop Fehrvri
t, tickets HUF 1500, forstudent card holders HUF 1000. MU, one of
the well- known Budapest dance theatres hostscontemporary dance
performances.Cent ral European Dance Theater, Kzp-Eurpa Tncsznhz
[86] , 1071 Bethlen Gbor tr 3,metro 2 station Keleti Plyaudvar,
tickets HUF 1200, for senior citizen HUF 700, for student card
holdersHUF 800. CEDT's company performs renowned contemporary dance
theatre.
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Theat re Szkn, Szkn Sznhz, 1111 Megyetem rakpart 3., Budapest
University of Technology andEconomics (BME)'s theatre hall, bus 7,
bus 73, stop Szent Gellrt tr during the construction of metro4
station in Szent Gellrt tr use temporary stairs next to the river
for reaching the building, [87] .Szkn hosts, among others, Bla
Pintr and Company [88] (Pintr Bla s Trsulata , tickets HUF1500),
many alternative theater goers' favourite. Their 2006 autumn
premier, Korcsula (Korula thename refers to a Croatian island), a
Central European black commedy, is subtitled in English. Book
yourticket by email.
Danube Palace (Duna Palota), 1051 Zrnyi u. 5 (5 minutes walk
from Dek Ferenc tr ), [89] . Folkloreperfomances every day at
20:00. 3,600-6,400 HUF, discounts available for students . e d
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CinemaBudapests cinema life has developed around malls. Since
the shopping center revolution in the late 90s,more than two thirds
of the citys cinema screens are run by international chains and
franchises. Mainstreamcinemas mainly show subtitled (or not)
Hollywood films and Hungarian romantic movies. For
contemporaryEuropean and Hungarian titles turn to Budapests
excellent art house movie chain, Art mozi [90] , most oftheir
branches are provided with a caf or pub and offer pleasant
atmosphere to spend your evening.
Most centrally located mall cinemas are Palace Westend [91] in
Pest (in Westend City Center, Vci t1-3, metro 3, tram 4, tram 6
station/stop Nyugati plyaudvar) and Palace Mammut [92] in Buda
(inMammut Center, Lvhz utca 2-6, , metro 2 station Szll Klmn tr,
tram 4, tram 6 stop Szna tr);Palace MOM PARK in Buda, which is the
"ORIGINAL LANGUAGE MOVIE" in Budapest, so you canwatch all the
foreign movies here with subtitles too. check Palaces web site [93]
for programme andbooking. Tickets cost HUF 1250, for student card
holders HUF 990, on cheap days HUF 800.Corvin [94] (Corvin kz 1.,
metro 3 station Ferenc krt, tram 4, tram 6 stop lli t). One of
theoldest, although completely modernised cinema in the city-
-gives multiplex feeling for those tired ofmalls. On Corvin's wall
memorial tablets and reliefs are reminescent of the 1956
revolutions heavyfightings around the building; the memorial itself
is worth a visit. Tickets HUF 1150, before 16.00 HUF 950,on
Wednesday HUF 750.Urnia Nat ional Movie Theat re [95] ,(Urnia
Nemzeti Filmsznhz , Rkcz i t 21, metro 2 stationBlaha Lujza tr,
tickets HUF 890-990). Combines mainstream European artistic movies
with newHungarian films, the latter ones sporadically subtitled in
English.Cinema Puskin(Puskin Mozi , Kossuth Lajos utca 18, metro 2
station Astoria, metro 3 station Ferenciektere, tickets HUF
800-1050). Pushkin is the most mainstream among the art house movie
theatres inBudapest, an elegant, decorated multiplex offering
quality, but generally easy- to-watch Hungarian and
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foreign films. Its caf is recommended.Cinema Mvsz (Mvsz Mozi ,
1063 Terz krt 30, metro 1, tram 4, tram 6 station/stop
Oktogon,tickets HUF 920-1050) is probably the most popular Art Moz
i theatre in Budapest. Many Hungarianmovies are on show with
English subtitles; ask for them at the desk.Movie Museum rkmozg
(rkmozg Filmmzeum , 1073 Erzsbet krt. 39, tram 4, tram 6, stopKirly
utca). Perpetual motion (thats what the name means) is your best
choice if youre in mood tosee a movie from the times when Leonardo
DiCaprio was a child. Most of the oldies speak their
originallanguage and are subtitled in Hungarian.
BathsBudapest is a famous spa city, so go "bathing". The baths
are really the last vestige of Turkish culture inBudapest, left
over from their occupation of the city. Budapest does not have a
large Turkish culture theway a city like Berlin or Munich does;
instead the Hungarians have modified and molded this tradition
intosomething of their own.All baths are built around hot springs,
and their central part is one or several thermal pools. They
areusually complemented with several steam baths, saunas, massage
services and other therapies includingdrinking cures. Unlike in
some Scandinavian or German baths, at Budapest baths almost all
places requireyou to wear your bathing suit to the sauna
too!Tourist mix: After locals, Russians seem to be most frequent in
Budapest's baths; Italians and Americanscome next (and for many
Americans, baths are the main reason for visiting Budapest).
Traditional public bathsTraditional public baths (like Gellrt,
Szchenyi) have quite a complicated navigation and Soviet-
timeservice and admission system, but it's worth going through to
experience authentic bathing with localsaround you. At the cash
desk at the entrance, you are expected to select treatments / areas
to access inadvance. Time to spend in baths is not restricted, but
if you're finished earlier, some part of your paymentmay be
returned. The only thing that can't be paid at the entrance is
rental of towels and bathrobe (and/ordeposit for it)- - it should
be paid inside, right where they are given (with the exception of
Gellrt - towels,etc are paid for at the entrance). There are two
types of place to change clothes: a common room withlockers is
cheaper (male/female-separate, of course); cabins can be used by
families and may differ insize (2 or 3 persons). For cabins, you're
handed a token with a number, which is also written on achalkboard
inside as a security code; you need to remember cabin number. To
open your cabin, show yourcabin and a token to attendant, and
s/he'll check it against the number inside. In swimming pools,
swimmingcaps are recommended (and are available for rent), although
this is not always strictly enforced.
Gellrt Baths, Buda, Kelenhegyi utca 4 (Gellrt Hotel at the base
of
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Gellert Bath
Gellrt Hill), (36-1) 466-6166, [96] . 6.00AM-7.00PM
weekdays;6.00AM-5.00PM on Sat and Sun (between Apr 30 and Sept
30)..While the Kiraly baths may be a more authentic Turkish
bathexperience, those at the Gellrt can't be beat for style- -and
they areequally popular among locals and tourists. This is probably
the finestArt Nouveau pool in Europe, and the baths are beautiful
as well asrelaxing. The entrance fees and deposits can be quite
confusing, aswell as where to go and how to get around once you get
in. Ask theinformation desk to clarify if you're not sure about how
to proceed. e d it
Prices: The full entrance price to both the swimming pool and
the man and woman thermal facilities is3500 HUF, which also
includes a cabin rental, where you can change clothes and a towel
(bedsheets style). At weekdays this ticket is 4050 HUF Ticket and
30 minute massage can be reservedin advance.If you rent a towel or
a bathrobe, you are charged a deposit as well as a fee for the
rental. You getthe deposit back at the front desk when you leave,
upon presenting the original receipt ticket youreceived when paying
upon entrance. You'll need to get your receipt ticket back from the
attendantsinside when you return your item, otherwise you forfeit
your deposit. Unfortunately, the managers arequite unforgiving in
this matter and won't believe you if you try to collect your
deposit without youritem or a receipt. Consequently, its
recommended that you bring your own towel or bathrobe, as therental
"towels" are more like bedsheets.The massage therapists mean
business. Prices: from 2500 HUF for Refreshing, 15 min. to 3800
HUFfor Powder, 30 min.
They also offer very good Tai massages. 1h is 11500 HUF and 1.5h
is 15500 HUF (march 2010)Changing: Besides individual lockers and
family cabins, there's some number of single-personchanging rooms
in both men-only and women-only area.Indoors: Common area for men
and women has only a 50m(?) swimming pool and a soaking poolwith
massage bubbles, both with 36..38C water. Using swimming caps in
the swimming pool isprescribed by signs, but not enforced at all.
There are separate Turkish-style thermal baths for menand women,
which encompass several different areas: two soaking pools (one
with 36C, anotherwith 38C), the showers, the dry sauna and Turkish
steam bath, and the cold pool (designed toscare the living
daylights out of one's body after it's been happily lounging in the
warmth).Outdoors: A large open-air complex of pools (open only in
summer time).Special Note: For the separate male/female baths, if
you are uncomfortable sitting in a giant tub ofwater with other
naked people of the same sex, this will not be your scene. You will
notice touristsunfamiliar with this environment are a bit taken
aback when they first encounter this, and either leave
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Inside Sz echenyi bath
immediately or simply adapt to local culture. The men area
requires bathing suites or a little towelthat hide the front part
in the pools, though nudity is still common in the changing
area.
Szchenyi Spa (Szchenyi Frd ), Pest, llatkerti krt. 11 (rightnext
to the Zoo; metro: Szchenyi frd, M1 yellow line), [97] .Indoor part
open daily from 6AM to 7PM; outdoor 6AM-10PM inwinter; summer- time
hours may be different.. Built in 1909 in thepresent-day City Park,
this is the largest spa in Europe, andprobably the nicest one in
Budapest. A vast bath complex amidstbeautiful architecture, it
contains 3 outdoor pools including a largelap pool, at least 3
sauna rooms, and several indoor pools atdifferent temperatures. e d
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Prices: 3,100 HUF entrance fee, includes rental of a
locker(locked by an electronic wristband which also acts as
youradmission ticket) or 3,400 HUF entrance fee, includes rental of
a changing cabin (locked by a key).300 HUF refund for leaving
within 2 hours. It is recommended not to store valuables in these
lockers- - use the safe boxes. Signs warn they are not responsible
for losses except for safe boxes.Safe boxes are available for 500
HUF (well worth the peace of mind). The boxes are approximately5"
high x 12" wide x 18" deep (13cm x 30cm x 46cm). The attendant will
ask you to write a "code"word on a piece of paper; this paper is
placed in the box along with your valuables, and you will begiven a
physical key. When retrieving your items, the attendant will ask
you for the "code" and checkit against the paper in the box. These
safe boxes can be used if the larger locker or changing roomis not
required.Its recommended that you bring your own towel or bathrobe,
as the towels available for rent aremore like bedsheets.Outdoors:
Two hot soaking pools (30 degrees C and 38 degrees C) and one
swimming pool (26-28degrees C) are all open-air (even in winter),
and form the center of the baths. All facilities are sharedby men
and women (except shower and toilets). There's a swimming tube (a
whirling corridor):round- (outdoors) or rectangle-shaped (indoors)
pool with artificial flow, a feature difficult to findelsewhere.
Another specialty is a tradition to play chess while sitting in the
water - even in winter. Oneor two cafes/juice bars are available
directly from the swimming deck, near the cabins, year-
round.Indoors: Several saunas, one steam bath. Cold-water pool, hot
tubs, aqua-gym pool with weights.Northern part of indoors baths is
more modern and clean.
Modern bathsThere are also very modern baths (like Danubius
Grand Thermal Hotel) which are usually called spas,although their
central component are thermal pool and multitude of steam
baths/saunas, which is not always
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typical for spas in the rest of the world.Danubius Grand
Hotel/Thermal Hotel Margitsz iget , (northern end of the Margaret
Island(Margitsziget)), +36(1)889-4700
([email protected] , fax: +36(1)889-4939),[98]
. until 9:30PM. . High- level and modern baths and spa also offers
a great choice of medicaltreatment. Admission fee (5,700 HUF
weekdays, 7,000 HUF weekends) doesn't limit your time inside,and
gives access to all spa facilities including a great gym (remember
to bring your fitness suit).Solarium and medical treatments should
be paid separately, remember before entering the changingrooms
(1,300 HUF for 10 minutes). e d it
What's inside?: Two body- temperature soaking pools and a
cold-water corridor with stones on thefloor; one swimming pool;
separate steam baths; common sauna. There's a drinking fountain
withmineral water extremely rich in minerals- - find on a way from
baths to the gym.Changing: Towels are handed at reception- -without
fee or deposit. Also, there seems to bebathrobes available for
rent- -ask at the reception. For changing clothes, only lockers are
available,without attendant- - you have a key. There's no cabins
(as families typically live in the same hotel).Every shower cabin
have a curtain, and there's some liquid soap available.Visitors
mix: Almost no locals; in New Year season (and 1-9 of May?) about
80% are Russians whoare also residents of the hotel.
Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal Spa, Erzsbet krt 43-49 ,
+36(1)479-4000([email protected] , fax: +36(1)479-4333), [99] .
A symbol of history, culture, architecture and thetradition of
hospitality opens its doors in all its original splendour. The
Royal Spa has been beautifullyrestored to its original splendour
and now offers the latest state-of- the-art spa facilities and
treatments.The Royal Spa is one of the most expensive in Budapest
costing 10,000 HUF for a day pass. It is aspectacle of opulence and
luxury in the amaz ing art deco setting. Included in the price is
bath robe,towels, lockers, hydromassage, fruit juices and water.
Although expensive it is a truly unforgettableexperience . e d
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OthersKirly Baths . Buda, F utca 84 (metro: Batthyny tr). Old,
authentic and pretty small; personnel speaklimited English. The
baths used to alternate between male- and female-only days, but now
every day ismixed for both men and women. Kirly Baths have been
known for some years as a meeting place forgay men. Following an
expose on Hungarian TV, the management introduced a rule that
swimwear hasto be worn in the baths. Some gay activity may be
visible, but you can enjoy this unique place withoutany problem if
you are not gay.The baths have a main pool with adjoining very
small pools, steam room and dry sauna. The emphasisis more on
relaxing and enjoying the waters rather than swimming. It's
possible to get a massage hereas well. Ask the attendants in the
changing room or massage room area.
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The Palat inus Outdoor Baths , on the Margaret Island (Margitsz
iget), have three pools filled withtherapeutic water- -and a total
of 11 pools (totaling 17.5 acres). In front of the baths is a
beautiful rosegarden, and nearby, an open-air stage where opera and
ballet performances are held, plus an open-aircinema used during
the summer.Rudas, in Buda. This is where to go if you are looking
for an authentic Turkish feel with its 16th centurydome encrusted
of colored glass. It is quite popular amongst locals. While it was
a men-only bath, itnow allows access to men and women. It is much
more authentic than Gellert or Szechenyi. Like Kirly,the baths have
a main pool(36C) with adjoining small pools(12C, 28C, 30C, 33C and
42C), steam roomand dry sauna. Rudas has more small pools than
Kirly and seems in better condition (renovated in2007). There are
two parts of the bath - the Turkish relaxation bath and a swimming
hall. Both charge anentrance fee (as of February 2008): 2.200 HUF
for the Turkish bath, 1.500 HUF for the swimming hall.Both can be
booked for 3.300. Bring a towel and your swimwear and you are set
for the swimming hall(but you will look like a tourist in the bath
section with a swimwear - they will provide you with a verysmall
towel). There is also a very nice rest room, where you can chill
outside the water. The staff has gotvery limited English.Massages
are offered as oil or soap&water versions. 15 min. cost 2,500
HUF, 30 min. 3,500. Be awarethat this type of massage has nothing
to do with the relaxing Asian variants. Parts of
Schwarzeneggermovie Red Heat was shot here.
Dagly is a large complex of baths and pools located just north
of rpad Hd Metro station on the Pestside and directly on the
Danube. There is an outdoor 50m lap pool open year round and a
covered- in-winter 25m lap pool. There are 2 large outdoor hot
baths. One heated to 33C and the other to 36C. Insummer, several
huge pools are also available and plenty of open grass and trees
for sunbathing orshade. The architecture is classic modern.
Admission is ~1,300 HUF. One changes clothes in a smallcubicle
before passing through to the large unisex locker room where
attendants lock your clothes in alocker. Tip HUF 100 on your way
out. Be sure to bring some bath sandals to wear to the pool edge.
Thefloors are not always clean. One sees lots of families here,
elderly people and fitness swimmers. Staffdo not speak English, but
is helpful and patient.
Active LeisureIf you live a sporty life you should not have a
break during your holiday. Wide variety of health clubs,yoga &
pilates clubs, riding schools, swimming pools and squash and tennis
courts give sportingopportunity. On Margaret Island you will find
joggers, and swimming opportunity in the Hajs OlympicPool.
Practicing the mentioned sports is cheap in Budapest.
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Note that caving in Budapest ranges from well lit and renovated
Szemlhegyi cave, where you can evengo to parts of the cave in a
wheelchair, to some of the more extreme tours in the Pl-
vlgyiMtys-hegyi cave system, where you have to squeeze through
several meters long passages with no room tospare.Szemlhegyi cave,
1025 Pusz taszeri t 35 (Take the No. 29 bus from Kolosy tr, and get
off at theSzemlhegyi barlang stop.), +36 1 325 6001. Wed-Mon 10:00
AM to 4.00 PM. e d itPl-vlgyiMtys-hegyi cave system, (Take the No.
65 bus from Kolosy square. You have to step offat the fifth bus
stop, named Pl-vlgyi cave.), +36-20-9284969 ([email protected]
), [100] . e d itThere is a joint ticket for the standard tourist
areas of the Pl- vlgyi and the Szemlhegyi caves. Thecaves are
walking distance to each other - ask for a map from either cave
ticket office. These areas areeasily accessible and well- lit
making them better for the slightly claustrophobic among us, though
toenjoy the true beauty of the caves you must go on the longer more
strenuous tours. Due to the times thatthe tours start, you're
better of starting at Szemlhegyi then taking the 15 minute walk to
Pl- vlgyi. Thisway it is possible to not have a very long wait
between your caves, and the outdoor area at Pl- vlgyiis far more
pleasant in nice weather than the Szemlhegyi cave museum.
The Pl- vlgyiMtys-hegyi cave system is recommended for the
adventurous (and non-claustrophobic)who wants a great taste of
"proper caving" instead of the more "tourist friendly"
alternatives. The tours lastsbetween 2.5-3 hours and much of the
time is spent crawling or climbing, so some degree of physical
shapeis needed. The guided tour includes a helmet, headlamp and
overall so bring good shoes! Guides arevery professional. English
guided tours are usually on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays late in
theafternoon, but can be pre-booked by groups at other days as
well. For booking you need to be with atleast 4 people.Please do
not litter, write your name on the cave wall or damage the cave in
any other way! Part of theexperience is the feeling of being in
unspoiled nature.
LearnCent ral European University [101] offers a small
undergraduate business program and an extensivegraduate program in
a wide variety of subjects.Internat ional Business School (Nemzetkz
i z leti Fiskola, IBS-NF) [102] offers numerousundergrad and
postgrad programs, mostly providing Oxford Brookes University and
Hungarian Degreesin English and/or Hungarian languages.Budapest
University of Technology and Economics [103] , B.Sc. and M.Sc.
Offers engineeringcourses available for foreigners in English,
French and German language at the International EducationCenter of
the university.
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Paprika and more, GreatMarket Hall
Etvs Lornd University [104] . The oldest University in Hungary,
B.A, B.Sc., M.A, M.Sc. and Ph.Dlevel programs are available in
English language.Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music [105] . World-
famous music academy in the heart of the city.Debrecen Language
School [106] offers Hungarian language classes year round at all
levels inBudapest, Debrecen and Sopron.Corvinus University of
Budapest [107] also known as Kzgz : Offers Bachelor and
Mastercourses in many languages.
WorkTeaching English is a popular profession for travellers and
people moving to Budapest.
Generally speaking, finding a full- time job is fairly difficult
unless you speak Hungarian. You should also beprepared that Western
standards at job interviews regarding personal life and diversity
issues do notalways apply. Do not be surprised if you are asked
about your smoking habits. Also, companies are notalways prepared
to fully understand and accept people from diverse backgrounds. You
should be preparedthat most places wont hire you until you speak at
least a little Hungarian. Restaurants with a specificcountries
cuisine (such as Italian restaurants and pizzerias) tend to hire
people from that country for makingthe food more authentic.
BuyMost of the visitors from far away end up shopping in Pest in
the middleof the city: Vci utca and nearby. It is historically the
most expensive partof the city. You'll find Hungarian linens and
lace, pottery, and other items,in souvenir shops.You definitely
want to visit the Great Market Hall (Nagy Vsrcsarnok ) atFvm tr the
recently renovated markethall with essential atmosphere(it's at the
south end of Vaci). Prices for the same items vary a lotbetween
sellers and aren't set in stone so be sure to compare
andbargain.
Non-speciality shoppingAlso, chain stores can be found along the
Vci utca (C&A, H&M, Clinique,Estee Lauder, New Yorker,
etc).The "Plazas" are usually good for buying clothes, but prices
may varywildly even in shops next to each other. For electronics,
the cheap
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A Chocolate shop inBudapest
supermarkets like Electro World and Media Markt are good
targets, butthe quality is on par with the prices.Absinthe is
available for purchase at common liquor stores, a must-havepurchase
for the European traveler. Many brands available in the MarketHall
and liquor stores are of poor quality (or not even "real"
Absinthe).
EatIndividual listings can be found in Budapest's district
articles
Local specialties include papriks, gulys, Lake Balaton
pike-perch(fogas), prklt (a goulash- like stew with lots of
onions), halszl (fishermen's soup served differently byregions),
stuffed cabbage, and liberal use of paprika. There is also a great
variety of wonderful pastries,many of which you will recognize if
you are familiar with Viennese pastries. As in other spheres,
theHungarian approach to food combines pride in their own
traditions with a readiness to accept outsideinfluences. The result
is a vibrant restaurant scene where an Asian-Hungarian fusion
restaurant may well beof genuine interest.Remember, though, that
"goulash soup" is indeed a soup, not the "goulash" that visitors
may be familiarwith. To order that, you want "prklt".
CoffeehousesCoffeehouses (kvhz) are a Budapest institution and a
visit to one should be on every traveller's agenda.As the name
implies, these are places for a cup of coffee and a delectable
pastry, not a full meal.The two most well- know, landmark
coffeehouses are
Gerbeaud (Vrsmarty tr 7-9) [108]Mvsz Kvhz (Andrssy t 29)
[109]
RestaurantsBudapest has many great places to eat, but an
unfortunate number of tourist traps as well. Avoidrestaurants in
touristy areas like Vci utca, especially if the customers are all
foreigners, or you'll more likelythan not be served mediocre food
with an exorbitant bill padded with all sorts of bizarre charges.
In otherrestaurants too, note that anything you don't explicitly
ask for, but appears on your table anyway, is likely tobe charged
for. Don't take restaurant tips from anyone on streets, do it at
your hotel.A wide variety of decent food for reasonable prices can
be found at in "Budapests Famous RestaurantStreet", Raday utca,
near Calvin tr.
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Top-notch quality food (1st category restaurants) charge a wide
range of prices (from starters around 1000HUF, main courses around
3,000-10,000 HUF, and menus from 5,000 HUF).
Ship RestaurantsWalking next to the Danube on the Pest side a
lot of excellent standing restaurant and bar ships can befound.
Most of them serve traditional Hungarian and international dishes.
Thanks for the beautiful panoramaof Danube, these restaurants
provide unforgettable dining experience. Between them are some
great placeto drink also.
ChainsOnly cross-district chains are listed here; see district
articles for individual restaurants.
Wasabi [110] . Excellent Japanese and Korean food. Lunch 3790
HUF (11AM-5PM weekdays).Pest . Podmaniczky ut 21 (close to Nyugati
station) 11:30AM-11PM weekdays.Buda. Szpvlgyi ut 15 (train station
Szpvlgyi ut) 11AM-11PM.
Trfea Grill [111] . The best among all- you-can-eat (buffet) and
all the alcohol you can drink. Best tobook a