Budapest

Budapest is an amazing cityQ.

How big is Budapest? The capital and largest city in Hungary, Budapest, covers an area of 525 square kilometres (202.7 sq miles). Q. How many people inhabit it? The approximate population of Budapest is 1,721,556. Q. What are the language and the currency? They speak Hungarian in Budapest as well as some English and German, and they spend the Hungarian Forint (HUF).
Things to See in Budapest Check out one of the cities bathsQ. What is Budapest's number one attraction? The city is divided into two parts - Buda on the west bank and Pest on the east bank. Most of Budapest's famous sights are concentrated on Castle Hill on the Buda side including one of the cities top attractions, The Royal Palace. Q. What makes it so special? The Royal Palace is a popular attraction in Budapest as it is home to the National Gallery, The Fisherman's Bastion and lookout terrace which offers great views across the Danube to Pest, and Matthias Church. Q. Anything else which shouldn't be missed in Budapest? The Danube Bridges, particularly the Chain Bridge are well worth a look and you can see them as you walk along the river bank. Downtown you will find the Parliament Buildings and the beautiful St. Stephen's Basilica. One of the great things about Budapest is that you will find many natural or manmade springs beneath the city which had resulted in heated baths and pools dotted around the city. The Gellert Baths and the Szechenyi Baths are two of the best known in the city. Q. What about art and culture? It is well represented in Budapest with museums all over the city. There is the Historical Museum of Budapest, The Military Museum, The Jewish Museum, Ludwig Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Applied Art to name but a few. Going Out in Budapest Budapest has a great nightlifeQ. Is it expensive to go out in Budapest? No, most of Budapest's nightlife activities are relatively cheap. Q. What can I expect from Budapest's nightlife? Everything and anything! The nightlife in Budapest ranges from high end to hip places to down-market establishments. If you want to experience something very Hungarian then pay a visit to a boroz (wine pub). If you find one of these that is not a tourist trap then you will be rewarded with wine on tap at very low prices. If beer is your thing then check out a traditional sorozo. Downtown Budapest is where you will find most of the

nightlife but it also spreads out to the suburbs. Be careful of the many tourist traps that you will find in any city. Q. Is there anything to do that doesn't include alcohol? Yep. Budapest is the centre of Hungary's theatre scene and there are many drama's, operas and performances throughout the year. You will also find cinemas and some great art houses where you can also enjoy accompanying cafes and restaurants. Eating Out in Budapest Budapest offers some great local cuisineQ. Is it expensive to eat out in Budapest? Depends where you eat, but if you avoid the tourist traps you will get good value money and food. Q. Where is the best selection of restaurants in the city? You will find great restaurants all over the city, but if you fancy something a bit different on your visit then check out the many ship restaurants along the Danube. These offer great views with local and international cuisine well represented. Check out the many coffee houses if you are just after a coffee and a pastry in a nice setting. Q. Are international cuisines well represented? You will find a lot of local cuisine represented in restaurants throughout Budapest. There are many chain restaurants also where you will find a lot of international cuisine such as Japanese, Korean, Italian and more. Q. Anything else I need to know? Avoid restaurants in touristy areas like Vci utca and ask at your hotel for tips on where to eat, not on the streets. Transport in Budapest It's easy to navigate the local transportQ. How many different modes of public transport are there in Budapest? It's pretty easy to get around Budapest, particularly on foot. But if you need to get a bit further out then there are a few different options for public transport. Public transportation in Budapest is run by Budapest Transport Limited Company and runs a metro, bus and tram system. There's also a trolley service and suburban rail system. Q. How do I pay for public transport in Budapest? If you plan on using the public transport a lot then make sure you buy a transport card as it will be cheaper than single tickets. A single ticket is valid for one journey only with only a transfer between the metro. This will cost between 320 - 400 HUF and can be purchased from a driver. You can also buy a ticket book for around 2800 HUF and various travel cards covering one day to a monthly pass. Make sure you always have a ticket when using public transport in Budapest as ticket officers will check and can sometimes single out tourists and hit them with hefty fines.

Budapest Nightlife

Budapest is known as a city that's equally lively and laidback. Cafs and authentic old restaurants dot the city which is even more attractive at night to mix with heaving bars and nightclubs and create a truly complete nightlife scene. In Budapest its best to hit the town later rather than earlier: clubs dont warm up until midnight and then remain open until sunrise. Although Budapest now welcomes evergreater numbers of travelers, prices are still relatively cheap and a long night out wont break the bank. Budapests famous 7th District is home to a thoroughly bohemian scene that attracts a young and trendy crowd. The formerly abandoned courtyards of Budapest's old Jewish quarter have now been converted into open-air bars and clubs. A cluster of such places can be found in the streets between Dob, Wesselenyi utcas and Kiraly. Few nights out anywhere in the world can match the evocative experience of partying amongst such crumbling grandeur. The banks of the River Danube on the Buda side of the Petofi Bridge find young, lively crowds partying under the stars on converted boat-bars and clubs. Out in the river, Hajogyari Island is home to some of the citys bigger, mainstream clubs. On summer nights, Liszt Ferenc ter (or Franz Liszt Square) heaves with revelers, while the action in Raday utca gets increasingly lively the closer you get to its epicenter, Kalvin ter. For a more authentic Budapest experience, make for one of the citys boroz (winebars). Here, cheap and cheerful wine getting cheaper and more cheerful the further you get from the center is served in vast quantities to thirsty locals. A great sense of optimism has swept through Budapest in recent years. And with this has come a seemingly endless series of opening and closing bars and clubs. While the places may change, one thing stays the same: Budapests hunger for a hard night out... Things to do 1. Take a Bath Budapest has two famous traditional thermal bath houses: Szechenyi Spa and Gellert Spa. After bathing in the warm waters, the massage although quite an experience! rounds off a superbly relaxing package. 2. Buda Castle The funicular railway up to Buda Castle suffered badly during the Second World War. Nowadays, though, it provides a great trip up to the castle with its historical Museum of Budapest, the Hungarian National Museum, and magnificent views of the city. 3. Shop till you Drop Fill your stomach in Budapests famous Market Hall Or fill your suitcase in WestEnd City Centre, one of Europes largest and most impressive malls. 4. Stroll through City Park Join the locals and go row boating in the summer, ice-skating in the winter, or just take a long, leisurely walk. In the middle of the lake, Vajdahunyad Castle contains some of Budapests most beautiful Romanesque relics. 5. Gobble down some Goulash There are hundreds of tiny restaurants and cafs selling this famous Hungarian dish. If youre brave enough, try some Unicum liquor, a local drink similar to Jgermeister. If not, the wine is cheap and very strong. Eating and drinking in Budapest

When it comes to the world's finest cuisines, 'Hungarian' probably doesn't spring to mind quite as readily as French, Italian or Chinese. However, in recent years Budapest has undergone something of a culinary renaissance, with a rash of new restaurants opening. International cuisine has infiltrated Budapest, and hungry travelers are now able to enjoy all manner of exotic foods in the citys many trendy restaurants. Gastronomic progress aside, Budapest's cuisine is, for the most part, still deliciously traditional. Magyar cuisine is generally cheap with a heavy reliance on the Hungarian staples of paprika, sour cream, onions, eggs, butter and wine, not to mention plenty of meat. Its also served in large portions a definite advantage for student travelers and backpackers. Vegetarians may, however, struggle in Budapest, as meat features heavily in almost all savory dishes. The number of vegetarian restaurants is far fewer than in many places, but desperate veggies will find fried mushrooms or Pannonia (a local cheese dish) on most menus. Like Budapests nightlife, the restaurants and cafs cluster around the main square of Liszt Ferenc ter and the streets surrounding Rady utca. Because of the citys attractive prices, many people find themselves eating in rather smarter establishments than elsewhere on their travels. While many of the city's traditional 19th century coffeehouses have closed, Budapest can still boast a highly-developed (and deeply civilized) caf culture. Those that remain - the cukraszda, as theyre known - are the place to get a cake and a steaming cup of coffee. Hungarians are big coffee drinkers and drink strong, black espressos regularly throughout the day (although milky coffee is obviously available on request). Lately, teahouses have grown in popularity, especially amongst the young. Ultimately, eating out in Budapest is a wonderfully informal experience that dovetails neatly with the citys bar and club action. In many parts of the city, restaurant, bar and club are so close to one another that its practically impossible not to get sucked from to the other