48 Hours in Budapest
- Lucy and the lens
- Sep 23, 2018
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 3, 2018
Budapest is the Buda-best!
We loved our two days in Budapest: despite some wacky weather, we saw so many beautiful things, ate some wonderful food, and even bathed in a tub full of beer! Here's how we spent our 48 hours in Budapest!
Fisherman's Bastion
This viewing terrace built in the late 1800s looks like it's been transplanted out of a fairytale. Its seven white towers look out from Castle Hill in Buda over the Danube towards Pest and the Hungarian Parliament building. It's a magical view in a magical place. If I could revisit Budapest, I'd visit early in the morning to experience the atmosphere of the Bastion without battling the crowds.
Visiting Fisherman's Bastion at night is also a must, for the iconic view of Parliament lit up, reflected in the Danube.
Alabardos Restaurant
While we were up near the Bastion, we booked in for a tasting menu at one of the best-located restaurants in Budapest: Alabardos. This is a blowout meal, but a beautiful and delicious one where you really do feel like royalty. I've written a whole post about our experience at Alabardos here.
Gingerbread-hunting
We got caught in a storm one day, and ducked into a pub for a drink to wait out the rain. Inside, we discovered beautiful, hand-decorated gingerbreads. Icing is piped onto the biscuit in intricate floral or lace patterns. They're absolutely stunning, but the more intricate they are, the more expensive. We couldn't afford the ones on sale here, but I found a cheaper version elsewhere and couldn't resist, although this one was nowhere near as intricate as some we saw!
Views of Parliament
There are pretty much 360 degrees of incredible views of Hungarian Parliament. It doesn't have a bad angle, honestly. Daytime, night-time, it just kills it. One of my favourite, surprise views was from the bridge we crossed while trying to avoid the storm of the year...just look at these storm clouds looming over Parliament!
Shoes on the Danube
on a more sombre note, the Shoes on the Danube is a poignant tribute to the thousands of people, including Jews, killed by Budapest's Arrow Cross militia during WW2. They were ordered to stand on the banks of the Danube and takes their shoes off, at which point they were executed. Sixty pairs of shoes made of iron lie abandoned by the side of the river.
Szechenyi Baths
These famous baths are a huge tourist draw...luckily, there are 15 separate indoor baths and 3 large outdoor ones! Even if you don't pay to enter the baths, the historic roof of the entrance hall is worth a look!
We decided to do something a little different, though, and booked the Beer Spa experience! This involves sitting in a wooden barrel full of a warm mixture of hops, malt and yeast amongst other ingredients! Next to your barrel there is a tap dispensing beer on demand, and a friendly spa attendant brings you nibbles every now and again to soak up the beer! You can either book a barrel for yourself, or share one (this option is obviously cheaper, but definitely more snug!)
Vajdahunyad Castle
This complex of beautiful historic buildings clustered around a castle is just a short walk down the road from the Szechenyi Baths. We actually discovered it by accident while heading for dinner, but I'm very glad we did! It was designed as a fantasy pastiche of different romantic styles from medieval times to the 18th century, and looks as wacky in real life as that sounds on paper!
Langos
A traditional Hungarian snack, langos is a round, fried dough base with a choice of different toppings. The traditional toppings are sour cream and shredded cheese, but we like to add a bit of meat to this - bacon bits or sliced sausage. It's a taste of crispy, creamy, cheesy heaven! You can find langos stalls and cafes all over the place in Budapest.
Street Art
We came across a lot of quality street art in Budapest, most painted for the 'Colourful City Festival' in 2016. My favourite was this bird mural...
St Stephens Basilica
An obvious one, maybe, but this deserves its high tourist status. This cathedral is just a jaw-droppingly impressive building from any angle!
Bonus 48 Hours: Overnight in Eger
Just a couple of hours on the train from Budapest, Eger is a fortified town with a wine valley and some of the best food we've ever had while travelling. Read more about it here (wine) or here (food)! We're desperate to go back!
Comments