If you were to ask my friends what my favorite song is, I'm confident that they could all answer without hesitation - Budapest by George Ezra. While I've been loving and listening to this song for years now (and I lost count of exactly how many times I listened to it on the plane ride over), I promise it was not the only reason I wanted to go to Budapest. The city is full of unique architecture, an incredibly deep and captivating history, relaxing thermal spas, and some of the best lemonade I have had in my entire life. I am grateful to have been able to spend five full days in this city during a study tour with my psychology class. While we had numerous academic visits that you can read about here, we learned just as much exploring the city on our own. Here are my top ten tips for making the most of a trip to Budapest, even if you're not as obsessed with the song as I am... 1. For the best possible view... The city of Budapest is breathtaking, especially the area along the Danube, but for the best possible views you should climb up high. If you're on the Pest side of the river (Budapest was once two separate cities - Buda and Pest!), the best view we found was from the dome of St. Stephens Basilica. It's pretty cheap to go to the top of the dome, where you have a view of the river, Parliament, the Royal Palace, and all of the buildings scattered between them. It's also a spectacular workout if you decide to forgo the elevator... If you cross one of the nine bridges over the Danube to the Buda side of the river, head to the Fisherman's Bastion, which looks like a giant sandcastle and offers an incredible view of the Danube river and all of Pest, with the Parliament building (one of the prettiest I've ever seen) front and center. 2. Explore the streets of Buda. While a good portion of our time was spent in Pest, where our hotel was located, we also got a chance to explore the streets of Buda. Starting with the Fisherman's Bastion, Mathias Church, and the Buda Castle, all of which can be seen from the riverside, we made our way back further into Buda, where we found Dracula's Labyrinths, an adorable, family-run art shop, and the perfect spot to watch the sunset. If you're into spooky things like haunted houses, the Labyrinths might be the perfect location. Deep underground in Buda, these Labyrinths underneath Buda Castle has had many purposes - it functioned as a prison back in the 15th century, with its most famous prisoner being Vlad Tepes, better known as Count Dracula. We did not anticipate the caves to be full of wax figures in masquerade costumes, eerie opera music, and "The Cave of Darkness," which was actually pitch black with a rope attached to the wall offering the only way to get through - we couldn't see a thing. After terrifying ourselves in the Labyrinths (and rescuing a woman who had wandered in alone), we walked down the street to an art studio, which a kind old woman proudly explained was a family business; all of the prints and paintings were done by herself, her husband, children, grandfather, or other family members. I bought a beautiful original painting of the Fisherman's Bastion. We finished the afternoon by watching the sun set behind the Buda hills. 3. Explore the streets of Pest. Located on the opposite side of the Danube from the Castle District of Buda, Pest holds many gems of its own. We spent some time exploring the Jewish Quarter, gazing at the beauty of the Opera house, indulging in rose-shaped cones of gelato, browsing boutiques for artwork and handmade woodwork, and making any excuse to walk along the Danube and pass by the beautiful Parliament building. 4. If you need to relax, hit the baths. One of the highlights of this trip was our trip to the Szechenyi Thermal Baths. This spa holds 18 different pools heated to different temperatures by thermal springs beneath the city park. The building is a bright yellow color that looks beautiful against the blue waters. We spent most of our time outside in the thermal pool - which was 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I discovered after our visit that you're not actually supposed to be in the baths for longer than 20 minutes at a time, which probably would have been best to know beforehand. Oops. Now ya know. We also ventured inside to explore the mineral baths, which were slightly cooler...Szechenyi was a ton of fun to visit, but the waters also have numerous beneficial effects for the body, including relaxation, help with blood circulation, soothing joint pain, and more. So, ya know...#treatyoself. 5. For Dinner, Head to the Danube. Another highlight of the trip was our Dinner Cruise along the Danube - complete with a delicious buffet (my favorite was the Fried sea bass in Chardonnay sauce), live music (a violin playing a Beyonce song?), and breathtaking views of the golden lights of the city (Parliament at night was unreal). We had a lovely time sampling every dessert on display, and I only slipped down the stairs once, so I call that a win. 6. Ride the oldest metro line... If you're tired after a long day and want to avoid walking around the city, Budapest is also home to the oldest metro line in continental Europe (London's line is a few years older). Line 1, also known simply as "the underground," is made up of small yellow trolleys and was built from 1894 to 1896. 7. Follow up with a night out at the Ruin Bars. The Ruin bars in Budapest, built in abandoned buildings that were left to decay after WWII, have been turned into some of the most unique locations for a night out. We visited the oldest ruin bar, Szimpla Kert. It was built in an abandoned factory, and the courtyard and individual rooms each have their own unique design - we're talking old cars, bird cages, disco balls, guitars hanging from the ceiling, and other DIY decorations. As the oldest of its kind, Szimpla Kert is also the best known by visitors to Budapest, so it may not be the best location to meet locals, but it's a ton of fun in a unique atmosphere nonetheless. It is also one of many ruin bars that have emerged since 2001, which provide even more opportunities to explore... 8. Fuel yourself with Chimney Cakes and Lemonade. Chimney cakes are cylinders of dough baked over coals that are sold throughout the streets of Budapest. They come in lots of flavors, are incredibly large and filling, and are covered in sugar that will be stuck to your hands for quite a while. ALSO. Pro tip - you can get them in the shape of a cone and filled with ice cream. Unreal. I know I already mentioned this before, but if you see somewhere with homemade lemonade, do yourself a favor and order a glass. It's super tangy without too much sweetener and has slices of lemons, limes, and oranges with a sprig of mint - so fresh and lovely. I had it every day. No shame. 9. Take time to learn about the history. The House of Terror on Andrassy Avenue is a museum dedicated to the victims of the terror regimes of the 20th century. Located in the actual house that became the headquarters for these regimes, this museum displays many artifacts from this dark era of Hungarian history, and is well worth a visit. Along with this museum, there are some incredibly powerful monuments around the city - such as the Shoes on the Danube memorial dedicated to the Jewish citizens who were shot into the river, and the counter-monument outside the "Memorial to the Victims of the German Invasion." These sites become even more significant upon learning about the controversy surrounding them - many citizens feel that the Hungarian government has failed to address their involvement in these historical events. It's easy to look at memorials like these without really stopping to consider what they represent, and furthermore, what they imply about the nature of each event. I would encourage all visitors to read more about the history and response to each site. 10. End the day with a sunset over the Danube. One of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen was over the Danube River. The sky behind the hills of Buda turns a bright pink/orange color, and the shapes of the buildings slowly turn into silhouettes, surrounded by twinkling lights in the hills that grow brighter and brighter as the sun goes down. Watching from the Pest side of the river gives you the perfect view of the orange skies and purple clouds that showcase the beauty of the city. My time in Budapest was packed with unforgettable experiences, and I would return to this city in a heartbeat. Until then, I'll just have to listen to the song a couple (thousand) more times.
Wishing you all the Buda-best, Lydia
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Hi Everyone!I'm Lydia, a 21 year old college student studying abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark for the spring 2017 semester. I'm excited to spend the next few months adventuring around Europe, and it'll all be documented here! Feel free to look around. Archives
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