I must say, Budapest is such a charming place, I absolutely loved it. The people were so helpful and friendly and the city is beautiful, clean and safe.
I was struck by the differences between Buda and Pest. Buda is the historical side of the river, and is hilly, whereas Pest is flat and the life and soul. Both are fascinating. A lack of skyscrapers was most refreshing.
Our apartment was on the river, so we were completely spoilt view-wise. No snow I’m afraid, and a chilly -5 meant wrapping up!
There is so much to see and do, resulting in us constantly trotting back and forth across the many bridges joining Buda and Pest.
We took a four hour dinner walk across Pest with Taste Hungary, how lovely it was! Thanks to our fantastic guide, Ferenc, we learnt a lot more about the history of Budapest. Surviving the Iron Curtain and thriving…..Go Guys!!!
The Hungarian food, and wines were delicious. A MUST for all foodies out there!
We also enjoyed a marvelous Budapest river cruise down the Danube, oh the sights, and all the while we were serenaded by a marvelous string quartet, playing gypsy music.
We didn’t know where to look first!
Matthias Church and Fishermen’s Bastion.
Parliament building.
We were tipped off to buy a 72 hour travel card while in Budapest. What excellent value! It allows unlimited travel on all public transport, provides free entry to all museums, and, for good measure, throws a shedload of free tours in. You can’t argue with that. We certainly made the most of it.
Christmas markets seemed to be everywhere!
Mulled wine was enjoyed at each one, of course!
The view from the Palace in Buda.
I was fascinated by this sculpture in Buda, I couldn’t find any information regarding it, sadly. It depicts a hunting scene, but the lady on the right seems to be protecting a deer. Most odd, given that all the other characters are hunting.
And finally…..
A girl enjoyed her first archery lesson.
Do’ya see that bull’s eye????
Glad that your time in Budapest was a great hit. Wonderful photos and it sounds as if you got around easily and enjoyed what you did and saw. Looking at your latest blog post you’ve done a good job at clearing the garden and the pond. How sweet to have the robin come indoors and perch on the top of the tree, but poignant too. Take care, Dina. Have a very peaceful week. xx
Thanks Linda, it is easy to get around in Budapest. I am still surprised to think that robin came in and sat on the tree! xxx
what an interesting place to visit and like others above I didn’t know there were two separate areas. Glad you had a great time x
Thanks Annie.xxx
An interesting place. Fantastic images. Buda and Pest? Glad you had a great place.
Thanks Peter.xxx
Looks like you had a wonderful time. I didn’t realise that Budapest was in fact two separate areas – you live and learn! My son was there two summers ago, as part of his inter-railing with friends, and loved it. It all makes me think that I really should renew my passport and get out more! I hope everyone’s behaving themselves now that you know how to shoot a bulls eye!!
Thanks Caro. Oh yes….renew that passport, the world is full of fascinating places, I’m certainly enjoying travelling, it was never really possible before, but now we have a dog sitter we are making the most of it!
Hahaha….yes, everybody certainly needs to behave now!!!xxx
fabulous how you go to all these groovy and exotic places and tell us about them…. I am loving being an armchair traveler and hearing about them!! Lovely pictures and how brilliant about the three day travel ticket deal – must have been so chuffed!!
Your look quite formidable in that coat with the huge lapel and the bulls-eye shot in the background…. could be a still from some atmospheric thriller film!!!
Glad you had a good time…… fascinating!!
Thanks Rosie! Your comment has me laughing, I rather like the idea of looking somewhat formidable! That coat does have a huge lapel, that’s why I bought it!xxx
I’m so, so pleased you had a wonderful trip.
You are not the first to write, “I must say, Budapest is such a charming place, I absolutely loved it. The people were so helpful and friendly and the city is beautiful, clean and safe.”
A friend visited and your words were just so uncannily similar!
Your photo’s are so nice to see, I especially like the evening ones something wonderfully atmospheric and magical.
Hey, well done on the ‘bull’s eye’!!!
Hope the rest of this week goes well for you – sending special thoughts your way.
All the best Jan
Thanks Jan, I’m glad your friend enjoyed Budapest too, it is a fabulous city. It does come to life each evening, so twinkly.
I was rather chuffed to land a bull’s eye!!! I doubt I’ll get another. xxx
I’m glad you had such a great time. Lovely photos – you’ve given me such a good sense of it there. It is fascinating that Buda and Pest are really two different places coming together as one city. I’ve only ever eaten Hungarian food in Germany but I did enjoy it – so it’s encouraging to know that I’d like the food if I ever visited Budapest myself. Well done with the archery – sounds like you have some natural talent there!!
It is interesting seeing the two sides of the city complimenting each other, the history is fascinating, I haven’t eaten much Hungarian food, but the vegan/veggie options are plentiful making it so easy to eat there. I wish I did had a talent for archery, I have a taste for it now and plan on doing a course….it’s so much more fun than I thought it would be. Thanks Wendy.XXX
Splendid! River cruises along the Rhine are magical. You packed a fair bit in to a short stay. Walking tours are usually well worth putting on a visiting agenda. Great stuff, great post very special pictures. Xxx
Thanks Menhir, I was surprised how much we did pack in….and when you figure in, getting lost too, and riding trams up and down a mountain, those travel passes are brilliant!…lol….there is always another story isn’t there? It is a wonderful place.xxx
It’s clear you had a wonderful trip. It’s really true that, on this side of the pond, Paris, London, Rome, — all of the biggies — get the publicity and often are the first thought for a trip. I’m sure I’ll never make Europe again in my lifetime, but if I did, Madrid is on the list, and now Buda-Pest. The architecture is wonderful, and you did such a fine job of presenting it.
I think that’s true on this side of the pond to. Often the biggies are disappointing, in Rome you are herded like cattle attempting to see any major tourist attraction. Budapest just had a lovely vibe going on, it’s hard to describe, just charisma I suppose, as well as being a beautiful city. I haven’t been to Madrid….I have issues with bull fighting. Thanks Linda.xxx
Oh, lovely pictures and descriptions! Nice having you back Dina…
I also love the night scenes!
It seems nothing has changed in the last 20 years… but I guess I should be there to be able to judge properly…
Take care and have a lovely Xmast time with your beloved!
Hugs and kisses :-)c
Thanks Claudine. Hanging around that river at night is great! I get the feeling that little has changed over the last 20 years too, the architecture is old and beautiful, many places are the same, Edinburgh…that is eternal, probably because it was never bombed in the war. Wishing you and your a wonderful Christmas. Hope your mum is doing well. xxxx
Another city I would love to visit. Great pictures!
It’s a great city, so much to see and do. Thanks Jason.xxx
Oh, I want to go! Budapest was already on my short list for travel destinations, but now I’ll add an extra star. It looks like a fabulous trip. I’m so glad you had a good time.
You won’t regret adding that extra star, I’m no fan of cities but just loved the place.It’s a beautiful placeto visit, winter or summer methinks. I would love to see it in the summer.xxx
I never realised that Buda and Pest were two different parts of the city. You have taken some beautiful pictures and the food is very much my type of thing. Did you manage a bullseye?
It’s surprising how different the two halves of the city are, and yet they sit together beautifully and compliment one another. It is a great place for food, especially for me as veggie and vegan is plentiful.
Hell yes! I sure got me a bull’s eye…was swaggering around for ages!xxx
I’m glad you’ve reminded me of how lovely the buildings in Budapest are, we think of the more well known European cities as the ”to do” list. I’m glad the lady statue is protecting the deer, all through history they seem to be the target for all to hunt.
How true Gerrie, we do tend to think of the big guns when it comes to Europe, I’ve been interested in eastern Europe for a while now, I’d love to visit Romania.
Ah, yes, poor deer, and what a meek creature too, such an easy target. xxx
What beatuiful pictures. Thank you for sharing so much about Budapest I have been there. So was very interested into your trip again thanks for sharing Freeasthewind
Thanks Sheryl, lovely to hear from you. Budapest certainly is a place worth re-visiting, glad you got to enjoy it too. Take good care of you and yours and have a lovely Christmas and New Year.xxx
I was in Budapest in 2015 and am dying to go back. It’s one of my favorite cities. Lucky you!
You and me both Casa, it really is a lovely city, I’d like to see it in the summer, walking along the river appeals to me.xxx
GLORIOUS photos, Dina! I especially love the night scenes. What a great tip you received about the travel pass, and that it also worked for museums warms my heart…you did the exact things we’d do: walks, market, river ride, tour. Good for you; so happy you went and had such a grand time, too!
Sounds a perfect break…a bulls-eye, for certain! 🙂 Thank you for the stunning views!
Budapest really is exquisite at night, there is so much to see and do, definitely a place to go back too. It was a lovely break.
Oh….how proud I was of that bull’s eye! I’m quite keen to take an archery course now, it’s such fun! Thanks Kitty.xxx
Had a working weekend in Budapest once! And a trip up the Danube … the architecture is stunning. So glad you’re having a good break. And wow, that bull’s eye! Attagirl.
It’s lovely playing out on that river, yes, it has such wonderful architecture doesn’t it? Such a lovely, relaxing place. It has a great atmosphere. I was SO chuffed with that bull’s eye…positively swaggering I was. Thanks Gill.xxx
A most enjoyable post and lovely pictures. Good to see that you enjoyed yourselves. xx
Thanks Flighty.xxx
What a fantastic trip. It looks beautiful. I have read about the Matthias Fountain. It is famous. It tells the story of the rich and powerful King Matthias who fell in love with a simple peasant girl he met when he was disguised.That is her cowering in the corner with the deer. Seeing him in all his kingly glory, she realised that their love could never be, and died of a broken heart. I would love to see this amazing fountain for myself. I would love to go to Budapest. Thank you for this lovely post Dina, and giving us a taste of this wonderful city.
Oh goodness, to think that fountain is world famous. It was the oddest thing, there was no info about it and nobody was even looking at it but it drew me like a magnet, utterly beautiful. I didn’t realise it was a fountain a it had no water in it, but now you mention it, it should have been obvious! Thanks so much for telling me that amazing story. I’m so glad I saw it and took a million pictures.xxx
It sounds like you’ve had a wonderful time. It’s somewhere I’ve never been but I’ve heard lovely things about it so perhaps I may visit some time in the future.
It’s well worth a visit Jo, such a fascinating city. It’s good to see a city without skyscrapers. xxx
It looks and sounds fabulous. Loving the fur coat – very Zsa Zsa Gabor 🙂
I was a fantastic break….you have me laughing re my coat! If only I had her presence! xxx
Love the night photos especially, super dramatic. Followed by the food, being a foodie.
Peta
Thanks for visiting. It is very dramatic around the river when dark, very atmospheric. A great place for foodies too. xxx
What a fantastic trip; I’m so envious. The architecture looks stunning. One day ………. xx
It’s certainly worth visiting, such a beautiful city. Thanks Veggiemummy.xxx