As I begin each travel post, I go off to write emotional deposits and feelings that the city has left on my behalf; but then the concern for creating benefits for readers is outweighing. So, I think that suggestions and comments as a guide would be more beneficial and change the course of my posts. Maybe it would be wise to transfer my personal comments after the trip to the ASO’s Diary section. I suppose I have to think a bit more about my approach to travel writings and mature my ideas. I just want to share my warm and cozy impressions after our trip to Budapest for now.
Budapest is a city that in peace with its own history. The citizens are proud of their 1000-year-old background and they are doing their jobs with utmost dedication to reflect this. Lighting in the city is very successful. You feel a whole different kind of interaction when you walk around the city at night. For example, if you remember their famous Parliament buildings, we always have its night photos in our memory. I can say that it is really a building that stimulates very different senses from day to night. The first day we spent in the city surprised us since the population density was below what we expected. We, who are accustomed to a metropolitan city complex, were expecting to disappear in the human crowds. On the contrary, there is a sedanter soul in this city that relaxes your soul with a vivid night life, the live music finds your ears everywhere.
When you first enter Budapest, you get the impression that the city is making people’s lives easier, thanks to its wide boulevards and roads, an integrated public transport system that is compatible with young or old scooter users and cycling people. Compared to other European cities, the buildings are a little more neglected here; I think that the country’s overall economic power is effective in this. The city parks, which will allow people to breathe and rest their laurels in the city, are scattered around the city’s major centers. In the Pest region you can take quite romantic photo frames in the City Park (just behind Heros Square), and you can have fun. Margaret Island is another alternative. The island is located in the center of the city, in the middle of the Danube river. The Island; It is a forested area where swimming pools, hotels, concert halls, jogging areas are present. If I say that it is an area that 2 stops away from the parliament, I think it can be revived in the mind that how central it is.
I think a 3 night stay in Budapest would be enough for an efficient city sightseeing tour. Especially, the plane clocks help us to use the time effectively. We have rented an apartment through booking.com. Especially if you have a teenage child, renting houses or apartments is more clever and economical than hotel rooms. The apartment we rented was 300-400 mt away from the Parliament building and very centrally located. It was in a position to allow many people to explore the city without ever using public transport; but we preferred to use the public transport effectively by taking BudapestCard to use both the air temperature and the time effectively. The BudapestCard is available for 24-48-72 hour options at a cost of 29 to 37 € per person. By this card, you can use all means of transportation as well as enter museums and join some cultural activities/fests without paying an extra fee.
Budapest is actually a city where 3 separate cities merged at the end of the 18th century. Buda is the capital of the royal center and the country, a more hilly region of the city. In the Buda region you will find the Royal Palace, the National Gallery, the Fisherman Bastion, the Matthias Church, the Museum of History in Budapest, the Buda Tower, the Citadel of Freedom and some historical baths (Lukacs, Rudos, Gellert). Thermal pools are an important tourist destination in Budapest. If you want to have a leisure break in healthy thermal pools with entertainment, the more touristy and perhaps the biggest thermal recreation pools in the city, besides the alternatives on the Buda side, the Szecheny Thermal Pools in the Pest region are just beyond the Heroes’ Square.
Pest is the other wing of the city. There is settlement in a flat area. The Parliament is in this region. It hosts other important destinations such as St. Stephen Church, Danube Shoes, Jewish Neighborhood, Opera House, Hungarian National Museum, Heroes Square, City Park, Andrassi Boulevard and formerly mentioned Szecheny Pools.
The city is very planned and connected so you can navigate all these points in just two days. I do not want to lengthen the writing by describing these individual points. On the other hand, there will be a few recommendation on city visits;
1) If you are visiting the museum, choose Hungary National Museum in the Pest region. It narrates the Hungarian history with its historical flow from the 9th century to the present day. There is a painting of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent too.
2) Spending half a day for the thermal pools while traveling with children is relaxing. The tradition of thermal baths has a 500-year history in Budapest and they accept that it is brought from the Ottomans.
3) The nights in Budapest are very enjoyable. There are a variety of alternatives to listen to live music. In recent times, old buildings called “ruin bars” are decorated with antique objects and natural materials, and there are bars where house music is heavier. Szimpla Kert in the Jewish neighborhood (Kazinzcy Utca) is a very popular venue. A variety of venues are present for jazz music. For instance, Somebody is one of the Budapest Jazz Clubs. One of the places we enjoyed was RAQPART on the Chain bridge foot. Alongside with a great scenery, pop music, funk, rock and house music are played. Right beside here, the other place hosts live music.
4) The places I can recommend for meals are predominantly in the Parliamentary district and Andrassi Boulevard. My recommendations;
– Bistro Fine, Andrassy Avenue. On Tuesdays there is live jazz music. Service and meals are successful.
– Budapest Bistro, the Parliament is very close (Vecsey Utca3).
– Da Mario, the Parliament is very close (Vecsey Utca3). These two restaurants mingle.
– Liberte Cafe & Bistro, these 3 restaurants in the Parliament are very good. They
are generally recommended to be assessed in the fine-dining category.
I can say that food prices in Budapest are more reasonable when compared to Turkey. Especially alcohol prices are very affordable. So often the price of water can be more than the price of beer. Hungarian cuisine does not appeal to me very much, but there are enough alternatives to eat in town. If you are looking for a Turkish restaurant abroad, you will encounter plenty. The prices are also very cheap. As always, the kebabs are dominant, but I have seen wider alternatives in some Turkish restaurants. You can have a proper meal at a restaurant for a price of € 15 to € 20 (per person), as well as you can fill your stomach for just 3 €, with roll & buttermilk in the city.
We have had the opportunity to visit almost every major and important parts of the city, and to experience this culture and its life. People are generally helpful and interested. Sometimes, when we could not communicate in English, we met with the moments when Turkish language were working more effectively. Our common history is the inheritance of the past and the words shared on the floor were the solutions to your instant problems. Budapest is a funny, economical and delightful point on an alternate autumn travel route.
