The Budapest Experience To experience a holiday in Budapest is to revel in one of the world's most beautiful cities, which not only offers breathtaking classical architecture but also stunning vistas across the wide, romantic Danube River. Another reason to travel to Budapest is for the city's renowned operatic and music events and to relax and rejuvenate in its famed spa baths. - Cityscape
- Landscape
- Take Home
- Eat & Drink
- New Perspective
Budapest Cityscape
After lapping up a mix of modernity and Habsburg extravagance in Budapest, binge on baroque in Eger. If Veszprém, with its Castle Hill, is Buda in miniature, then southern Szeged is a pocket-sized Pest. Medieval Sopron clings to its Magyar roots, while Pécs, with its converted mosque, oozes Turkish influence and a Mediterranean feel. UNESCO World Heritage village Hollókő is a time capsule of centuries-old atmosphere and truly worth the visit.
Hungarian Landscape
Glide up the broad Duna river between the steep slopes of the Danube Bend and keep up with the in-crowd sailing on the large expanse of Lake Balaton. On its northern shores at Badacsony, cellar-hop under the black basalt hill and taste its volcanic influence in the expressive whites. There are over 20 wine regions dotted around the Hungarian countryside. Gallop on horseback like a Huszár across the Great Plain, take in the fine air of the Mátra mountains and discover some of Hungary's wildlife.
What to take home from Budapest
Pick up salami from Szeged's Pick, or Herz in Budapest. For porcelain stop off at Herend or Zsolnay. Pálinka is Hungary's EU-protected name for its fruit brandies, providing they are distilled from 100% fruit. They can be sampled on site at Agárdi distillery at Lake Velence or at the Zwack distillery in Budapest. At the latter, try to crack the secret formula behind Unicum, the omnipresent bitter liqueur. Worst comes to worst the airport typically has a wide array of foodstuffs and drinks to take home. I recommend the gummy bears myself!
Eat & Drinking in Budapest
Ignore the calories and enjoy the paprika-infused meaty Magyar mix.Ask anyone what their favourist dish is in Hungary and invariably "Goulast" will get mentioned. Commonly referred to as a stew, it is in fact a soup and Budapest is home to the many stylish eateries that offer more than just Goulash, you can also try no-nonsense homemade food in the provinces too, especially fish soup made from carp, and tender pikeperch. Hungarian wines were once legendary, especially the sweet Tokaji Aszú once called by King Louise the "King of wines", and may well be again one day soon, now that winemakers are free of the obligation to meet communist quotas and can be creative once more.
The best Hungarian beers are Kobanyai and Dreher, but you will also find an abundance of familiar brands. Traditional Hungarian spirits are brandies called palinka and avoid the stuff as I nearly went blind after drinking copious amounts of the stuff. It is quiet delicious however and you get a wide number of varieties with plum, cherry and alternative fruit flavoured ones. Thanking most of the good restaurants have also opened up to serving cocktails and the Mojito is popular. (Thanks be to god) New Perspective Budapest
With skilled dentists and doctors in abundance and their services very reasonably priced, dental and health tourism, including plastic surgery, are thriving. Budapest has become a major venue for (mainly British) stags and hens to run free, while shrewd property investors led by the Irish snapping up apartments, sometimes before they are even built. The tide is turning however and a few Irish investors having been stung by poor rental yields. Alas I am trying my hand at the short term rental game and hope you find www.budarentals.com of some use for your in finding suitable Budapest Apartments to stay in.
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