Why Budapest?
I asked my colleagues, many of whom have travelled extensively throughout the world, where the most beautiful place in Europe was. I was surprised that so many of them said Budapest, especially because it wasn't a place I would have thought of. I decided then that we had to go.
Where is it?
In Hungary, which borders Slovakia and Austria among other countries. Not to be confused with Bucharest, which is in nearby Romania.
What currency do they even use?
It's called the Forint, and one dollar is equal to about 225 of them.
Was it as amazing as you hoped?
YES!
There is really something that everyone will love in Budapest.
Let's start with the beautiful architecture:
Fisherman's Bastion
I'd heard it was like a Disney castle, but I was still blown away. And because it's up on a hill, it offers amazing views of the city.
So lovely! It's also right next to Mathias Church, which basically has the best roof I've ever seen.
There's also a great door that's a part of the Fisherman's Bastion nearby.
This place was loaded with charm. Even the stairwell was magical.
And Tom got to catch up with an old friend.
But alas, you can't stay up on Castle Hill forever. We discovered the best way down is the Funicular! It's an old tram that takes you straight down. I loved it so much.
After that fun, it was time for Cave Church. As the name would suggest, it's a church that's in a cave!
I thought it would be really cold in there, but because of the natural hot springs that run through the rocks, it's actually around 70F / 20C year round. Really beautiful and different.
Then we hiked up Gellert Hill to take in even more views.
Fun fact time! Budapest was actually two different cities that are combined: Buda and Pest. If you look in the picture above, you'll see that bridge which connects the two. Buda is the side we're standing on, which has lots of hills. Pest, which you can see in the picture, is completely flat.
Now you can impress your friends with your Eastern European facts!
St Stephen's Basilica
Tom had a seat to take it all in, and this random tourist came and sat right next to him. Keep in mind this place is absolutely massive with so many empty chairs around, and he planted himself right next to him. That's Tom's not impressed face.
We'd had all the awkward human encounters we could handle, and decided to climb up to the top of the dome for some views.
Here's a really pretty staircase.
We loved the pretty view of the city, but eventually you have to come back down.
How handsome! Love my travel buddy.
Next, brace yourself for the amazing gelato. It's called Gellarto Rosa, and as the name would suggest, they sculpt your ice cream like a rose!
They had amazing kinds like strawberry with elderflower and lemon with basil. Because really, why shouldn't gelato be an artform? Amazing.
After that, we went to Vajdahunyad Castle.
Again, very Disney princess-esque. I could just picture myself throwing open the doors and running out on the balcony to see the floating lanterns!
Now let's talk about food. Oh dear, it was so good.
We went to the Central Market, which had delicious-looking food on every corner!
This is where we found Lángos. It's deep fried bread topped with sour cream and cheese. And it's bigger than your face!
Oh so good! Then there were the Hungarian pastries. The one of the left is called túrós rétes, which is flaky strudel with creamy sweet cheese curd. I'm seriously already missing it.
It was then time for a bit of classy milkshakes at the famous New York Cafe.
It's so ornate! Apparently it was the place to see and be seen in the early 1900's, and it was especially popular with writers and artsy types.
After that, it was time to say goodbye to Budapest, but not before we took in the sites when they are the most magical; at night.
Parliament
Buda Castle
Budapest was absolutely stunning. I couldn't believe how resilient the country is, especially after being infiltrated by the Nazis and controlled by communists for so long. The overall vibe you get is that Hungarians haven't forgotten their history, but are very much in a new age. They are proud of their culture and are eager to share it with visitors, especially the delicious gulyás (goulash). It was such a great experience!
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