The history and the architecture of city is extremely colorful. Wherever you go you can touch the memories of the past centuries.
The Tale of the Huns
Hungarians believe their accessors were nomadic warriors. You probably heard about
Attila the Hun. Some stories say that the Huns and the Hungarians are the same nation,
this is probably why we are called Hungarians in many languages.
According to the legend their ancestors were organized in seven tribes and had its own
leader. they wanted to settle down in a defendable land, so with the of Árpád, the head of
the tribe the Hungarian land taking begun and they came tot he Carpathian basin.
Check out my Travel Guide
I was born and raised in Budapest, so I hope my free Travel Guide will help you discover my city.
Everything in one PDF you need to plan your trip to Budapest: maps, useful tips, best Hungarian dishes and cool things to do while you are in the city.
Buda Castle and the Garden Bazaar
The Buda Castle was the main residence of the Hungarian royals. The Castke and Palace complex lays on the Buda hills overlooking the Danube and called either the Royal Palace or Royal castle. Little remains of this former royal residence, first built the mid-1200s. Today the reconstructed palace functions as a cultural destination: the main building in the castle houses the History Museum, National Gallery and the National Széchényi Library.
The Várkert Bazár (Castle Garden Bazaar) is Budapest’s unique jewelery box. The garden and its Neo-Renaissance buildings were built in the late 19th century, and a perfect place to start exlporing the Buda Castle.
Fishermen’s Bastion
In the middle ages because of the rise of the Ottoman Empire, Ottomans were a threat to Christian Europe. Most of the Hungarian castles including the Buda caste were strengthened and new bastions were added. the Buda side caste wall was protected by the fishermen’s guild, and this is the reason why we call this part the Fishermen’s Bastion.
This building was restored in neo-Gothic and neo-romanesc style and which has sever towers which represent the seven leaders of the Hungarian land taking.
Matthias Church
The church in the heart of the Caste District was used as a coronation church by Hungarian kings for centuries, but also served as a mosque for over 150 years during the Ottoman occupation.
The legend has it that the noon bell ritual commemorates the victory against the Ottomans at the Seige of Belgrade, which was part of Hungary back then. The pope ordered the bells of every European Church to be rung every day at noon as a call for believers to pray for the defenders. The Pope did not withdraw the order and the Catholic Churches still ring the noon bell to this day.
Chain Bridge
It was the first permanent bridge across the Danube, and now symbol of the Budapest skyline. Buda and Pest were two separate cities for centuries. They only merged in 1873.
Parliament
The Parliament Building is built in the Gothic Revival style. and is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary. Our first king’s crown, the Holy Crown of Hungary can be found here, in the central hall.
St. Stephen’s Basilica
St. Stephen’s was the first Hungarian king who became Christian. His right hand is housed in the reliquary. Head to the Panorama Look-out to have a magnificent view over the city!
Dohány Street Synagogue and the Jewish District
The Deak Square and the Erzsébet Square are the centers of the city and nightlife. The close by area was the old Jewish quarter. Its streets now are packed with pubs and restaurants and filled with people day and night.
Dohány Street Synagogue was built before the 1st World War in a Moorish revival style. It is the largest synagogue in Europe and a 2nd largest in the world. The wing of the Hungarian Jewish Museum was attached to the Synagogue later.
Nearly half a million Hungarian Jews were the victims of the Holocaust. Every leaf of the weeping willow in the garden of the Synagogue lists a name of a victim. An other memorial in front of the Parlament Building are the Shoes on the Bank where jews were shot into the river.
Heroes’ Square
The square lies at the end of Andrássy Avenue, which was inspired by the Parisian Champs-Élysées. In the center of the square, you will find the Millennium Memorial, which play tribute to the most important heads of state and the seven chieftains of the Magyar tribes that founded Hungary. In between the statues is a large column crowned by Archangel Gabriel, he holds the copy of the Holy Crown of Saint Stephen.
Vajdahunyad Castle
The Vajdahunyad Castle was designed to feature copies of several landmark buildings from different parts of the Kingdom of Hungary. The building stands on an artificial island and the surrounding lake serves as on open-air ice-skating ring in winter.
What to eat in Hungary?
The best way to explore the country is by tasting the traditional cuisine and drinks. Food defines a culture. It reflects the people, economy, history, climate, even the politics of a place.
GOULASH
Somewhere between a soup and stew Goulash is made with beef (occasionally veal or pork), carrot, potato, spices and the typical
paprika.
FISHERMAN’S SOUP
The soup is prepared from mixed river fish (carp, catfish, perch or pike) and with a great amount of hot paprika,
giving it the characteristic bright red color.
CHICKEN PAPRIKASH
Tender chicken in an unforgettably rich, flavorful and creamy sauce. Of course the most important ingredient in the dish is the paprika.
CHIMNEY CAKE
Also called Kürtös Kalács is prepared by wrapping a long strip dough around a baking spit and then cooking it over charcoal.
SOMLÓI GALUSKA
Amazing dessert made from sponge cake, layered with chocolate cream, walnut kernel, rum and whipped cream on the top.
PÁLINKA
It is a strong shot, traditionally
distilled from different kinds of fruits: plums, pears, peaches, cherries, grapes etc.
Bathhouses and pools
Budapest sits on a patchwork of almost 125 thermal springs and many Turkish bathhouses remained in the capital. You can find several traditional hammams still in use today (like Rudas and Király Bath) or you can jump into one of the outdoor pools in the city if you want to escape from the burning summer sun.
- The Széchenyi Medicinal Bath in Budapest is the largest medicinal bath in Europe. The bath, located in the City Park, near to the Heroes’ Square. It has 15 indoor baths and 3 grand outdoor pools.
- Palatinus Beach The art deco, Bauhaus-influenced beach and spa stands in the middle of the Margaret Island. It has 15 pools and offers a colorful range of spa and wellness treatments.
- Rudas Bath This bath offers everything you need: Ottoman-era steam bath, the swimming pool and wellness center with a roof-top jacuzzi.
- Gellért Bath Gellert Bath sits inside the Art Nouveau Gellert Hotel.
- If you want a unique experience buy a ticket to the SPArty, where the ancient bath culture of Budapest and modern electronic dance music meet.
Other cool things to do or see
- Margaret Island – Watch the Musical Fountain’s hourly music shows and a light show at night. Or visit the Japanese garden which hides in the heart of the island.
- Enjoy the cocktails and the panoramic views from rooftop bars like the High Note Sky Bar or 360 Bar on the Andrássy Street.
- Sziget Festival was named the Best Major European Festival, in 2011 and 2014. In recent years, artists such as David Guetta, Rihanna, Pink played on the island.
- The Citadella is a fortress located on the Gellért Hill, at the highest point of Budapest. The Liberty Statue or Freedom Statue commemorates those who sacrificed their lives for the independence, freedom, and prosperity of Hungary.
- Explore the flavors of Hungary with guided tours with tastings in the Central Market Hall, the largest fresh produce markets in Budapest.
- Learn more about our history and visit the House of Terror. Andrássy út 60. was the headquarter of both the Nazis and a Communist secret police. It contains exhibits related to the fascist and communist regimes in 20th-century Hungary and is also a memorial to the victims of these regimes, including those detained, interrogated, tortured or killed in the building.
