A blissful weekend in Budapest

The Pearl of the Danube or the Paris of the East - a blissful weekend in Budapest

Budapest, called the little Paris of Central and Eastern Europe, is considered by many tourists to be one of the most beautiful cities of our continent. Monumental buildings, bridges, hanging on the water like beautiful, modern cobwebs, as well as radiating avenues, perfectly visible from the most representative place of Budapest, Castle Hill - it must be admitted that the city's architecture is thoughtful, majestic and often a real work of art.

Tourist Route

If we only have a weekend to visit Budapest, it must be a very intense weekend. There is so much to see. At the beginning, it is worth noting that most tourist routes in Budapest lead along the Danube - the most beautiful and most important monuments stand on both its banks, and the Buda itself with Pest is connected by seven road bridges. They have been built in various styles, thanks to which they create a wonderful panorama, which is best seen from the Gellert Hill. The first bridge that connected parts of the city was the Chain Bridge, built on the initiative of politician István Széchenyi. Both ends are guarded by beautiful stone lions.

Cultural centers

It is not only the architecture of Budapest that makes it clear that it is an old city with a rich history and culture. There is also an impressive number of museums and galleries waiting for tourists (60). The interior of the Royal Castle was also intended for museum purposes. The largest museums include, among others, the National Museum, the National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum. The exhibitions arranged there, both permanent and occasional, attract culture lovers and ordinary tourists who are delighted with the richness of the exhibits.

St. Stefan

Worth seeing is, above all, the Basilica of St. Stefan (Peszt), where the most important Hungarian relic is located - the mummified hand of the first king of Magyars. It is the largest church in the Hungarian capital (it can accommodate up to 8,500 people). The 96-meter high dome with a mosaic of God the Father and the tympanum with Mary as the patron saint of Hungary are particularly eye-catching. The mezzanine of the dome is accessible to tourists, so take the opportunity to admire the interior of the basilica.

The largest in Europe and the second largest in the world (after New York's Emanu-El), the Great Synagogue, on which the organs were played by such masters as Franz Liszt and Camille Saint-Saëns, cannot be ignored.

Fisherman's Tower

The building of the Fisherman's Bastion with its eye-catching white, openwork buildings also makes a great impression on tourists. It is exceptionally beautiful at night when properly illuminated. In addition, a must-see during a trip to Budapest is visiting the ruins of the former Roman settlement, the city of Aquincum. Today, it houses the Museum of the Roman Fortified Camp, where visitors can see the remains of a military amphitheater and a bathhouse.

Margaret Island

There is no shortage of places to rest and contact with nature in Budapest. Inhabitants mainly rest on Margaret Island on the Danube. It houses a large park with an original, musical fountain (playing Strauss waltzes), swimming pools, running and cycling routes. The second nature enclave of equally impressive size is the City Forest. It is an area with an amusement park, a zoo and a copy of Dracula's castle in a mini version. You can go on a romantic date in Lasek - there is a reservoir on which boats sail.

However, if you want to spend your time more actively, it is best to go to the western part of Budapest. In these areas, you can visit the surrounding caves, go trekking in the hills or take a cable car ride. And for fatigue after such a trip, the bathhouse is great. There are plenty of them in Budapest - after all, the city lies on hot springs. From the Gellert Hill flow water with health properties, helpful, among others, in circulatory problems and respiratory diseases. Tourists are eager to use them - just like the thermal pools of the Gellert Baths swimming pool complex.

Oceanarium-tropicarium

But, apart from the history, churches and ruins of ancient settlements, the Pearl of the Danube has one more tourist attraction. It is the first oceanarium-tropicarium in Central and Eastern Europe, the only facility of its kind, where tourists can learn about the underwater flora and fauna of fresh and saltwater reservoirs or the lush nature of the Amazonian forests. It is worth visiting them during your stay in Buda, because nowhere else in Europe will we see such a large exhibition straight from the jungle.

Costs

The prices of admission to tourist facilities are certainly important information. Coming to Budapest, you have to take into account the costs in the range of 1000-2000 forints. A good solution is to buy a Budapest Card, thanks to which we can visit interesting places cheaper. The card allows not only a discount on admission to cultural events (e.g. concerts) and attractive viewpoints. It's an economical purchase - we also get useful discounts in restaurants and discounts on guide services. And who knows, maybe the next trip to Budapest will be much longer?