Take a Night Cruise (or
dinner cruise) on the Danube! You can book online and Legende is a highly rated company. From all
that I’ve read and heard, this is a must do.
The view of the buildings illuminated are stunning. You can book either a one hour cruise or a 2 ½
hour dinner cruise. Reviews of both
options are good. Budapest might just be one of the most
popular places for night photography. Whether you’re a photographer or not,
Budapest really lights up at night and it’s particularly stunning at the Danube
where you have the best view of the landmarks. You will enjoy beautiful views on both sides
of river with night lights. Sit on top on either side as the boat goes up
and down.... Match the departure time right around sunset.
·
The Baths: Budapest, The City of Baths! Bathing is a major pastime for locals as well as
tourists in Budapest, and there are plenty of baths to choose from. The thermal
water is warm year round; so even a winter visit to Budapest means you can
strip down to your bathing suit.
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| Courtesy of Flickr |
·
Ruin Pubs: one of the most unique
and quirky things to experience in Budapest. A world apart from the magnificent
New York Café or Fisherman’s Bastion, these pubs are deserted old buildings that
have been turned into pubs and bars around the city. The largest concentration
of ruin pubs can be found in the trendy Jewish Quarter, and the most popular of
all is Szimpla Kert, a derelict maze of bizarrely-decorated rooms and outdoor
nooks. These ruin bars are really
abandoned spaces that are turned into shabby chic clubs by locals with lots of
creativity, artistry… and second-hand furniture. You’re guaranteed a night out like no other
when you visit one of the ruin pubs of Budapest. Each pub has its own unique style. This sounds like a fun evening to me!
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| Courtesy of Flickr |
From my research, these
are the top three ruin pubs in Budapest:
Szimpla Kert. There’s a
reason why it’s the most popular ruin bar in Budapest. It just has so much to
see and venues where you can drink. Come early before it gets crowded and enjoy
all the rooms and stuff on the walls, it will bring you back to another time.
Instant. Instant,
with its crazy animal pictures, has a vibe that makes you want to go crazy.
Mazel Tov because of its
stylishness or Ellátó Kert
because of the home brewed beer. Here's a link to an article by CNN on Budapest's ruin bars.
·
Indulge in the food! Budapest is a foodie’s paradise, with
delicious food at reasonable prices! Budapest
is a foodie town and it packs a punch when it comes to International food
(including Greek) and Hungarian food. If you like
paprika, sausage and goulash, you will like the local cuisine. Traditional
Hungarian food is hearty and warm. You
may notice an absence of fruit and veggies on menus around the city, but you
can always order sides if you’re craving a few more vitamins. Goulash is one of
the most popular dishes, and you’ll find it all around Budapest.
Take a Food Tour! This is definitely on my “must do” list. Take a look at Taste Hungary. There are many options from which to
choose. You will have an educational and
sociable time while enjoying Hungarian food and drink, even a wine tasting.! These are mostly walking tours; so wear comfortable
shoes! Budapest Locals is another company that gets great reviews on TripAdvisor... both for food tours and Budapest highlight tours.
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| Courtesy Taste Hungary |
Some recommended
restaurants: A
recommended place to eat traditional goulash is in the Opera Cafe, a
grand building located on Andrassy Utca. This shopping street is lined with old
majestic architecture, and the Opera House Cafe is no exception. The cafe, furnished
with plush red leather chairs and gleaming marble tiles, also serves an
enticing collection of jewel colored cakes.
Another highly rated experience is Eat and Meet . This is an opportunity to try traditional Hungarian cuisine with homey flavors based on family recipes! You will dine in a Hungarian home with a Hungarian family and get a taste of the real local cuisine and culture.
Here is an excerpt from a Tripadvisor review: "Throughout the evening, Suzie told us stories about Hungarian culture and food, her mother cooked and her father served and poured wine. The first course was a wonderful, creamy soup made from a local root vegetable, fennel and other nice spices. She said that goulash is only eaten 3-4 times a year by people in Hungary. It is a simple comfort food which originated as a peasant soup. She also busted the myth that Hungarian food is heavy. For the second course we enjoyed a delicious meal of roasted duck, thyme seasoned potatoes and a pumpkin citrus side dish. Wine drinkers could enjoy different wines with each course if they wanted. The best part of the evening was the lively conversation with visitors who quickly became new friends. Suzie encouraged us to mix in throughout the table and it was really fun to learn about Hungarian culture through Suzie and other cultures through the other guests. Such a different experience than anything I’ve done before and super fun and great food and wine! Also, my dad doesn’t eat meat and Suzie was able to accommodate him with a wonderful fish option which he said was delicious. Would definitely recommend this to anyone traveling to Budapest!"
Another highly rated experience is Eat and Meet . This is an opportunity to try traditional Hungarian cuisine with homey flavors based on family recipes! You will dine in a Hungarian home with a Hungarian family and get a taste of the real local cuisine and culture.
 |
| Courtesy Eat & Meet |
Here is an excerpt from a Tripadvisor review: "Throughout the evening, Suzie told us stories about Hungarian culture and food, her mother cooked and her father served and poured wine. The first course was a wonderful, creamy soup made from a local root vegetable, fennel and other nice spices. She said that goulash is only eaten 3-4 times a year by people in Hungary. It is a simple comfort food which originated as a peasant soup. She also busted the myth that Hungarian food is heavy. For the second course we enjoyed a delicious meal of roasted duck, thyme seasoned potatoes and a pumpkin citrus side dish. Wine drinkers could enjoy different wines with each course if they wanted. The best part of the evening was the lively conversation with visitors who quickly became new friends. Suzie encouraged us to mix in throughout the table and it was really fun to learn about Hungarian culture through Suzie and other cultures through the other guests. Such a different experience than anything I’ve done before and super fun and great food and wine! Also, my dad doesn’t eat meat and Suzie was able to accommodate him with a wonderful fish option which he said was delicious. Would definitely recommend this to anyone traveling to Budapest!"
Foodies
should head straight to the city’s Jewish quarter and find Gozsdu Udvar (or
Gozsdu Courtyard), "where happy people meet"! Here you’ll find old passageways packed with hipster bars,
restaurants and pubs, each with a menu more mouthwatering than the last. A recommended restaurant is Spilar which is said
to be worth the flight to Budapest alone.
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| Spilar, Courtesy of Flickr |
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| New York Cafe courtesy Flickr |
Hungarikum Bisztro: Beautiful restaurant, located in the city center,
that serves traditional Hungarian cuisine. Reasonable prices and nice portions! Reservations highly recommended as this is a
popular venue.
TheTrófea Grill: All
you can eat and drink! Delicious! The selection of food available was
incredible, even for vegetarians. They
serve a mixture of traditional Hungarian dishes, plus routine things like
vegetables and chips. The red wine they serve is said to be incredible.
Dubarry Restaurant is rated well on TripAdvisor and is located not far from the Intercontinental Hotel Budapest where we will be staying. Reviews are good, the terrace dining area looks great (weather dependent) and the menu looks perfect!
Dubarry Restaurant is rated well on TripAdvisor and is located not far from the Intercontinental Hotel Budapest where we will be staying. Reviews are good, the terrace dining area looks great (weather dependent) and the menu looks perfect!
For
foodies: The top 12 things to taste in Budapest:
1.
Gulyásleves – goulash soup with meat and
vegetables, seasoned with paprika and other spices.
2.
Tokaj – sweet Hungarian white wine.
3.
Dobos torta – sponge cake layered with
chocolate buttercream and topped with caramel.
4.
Gundel palacsinta – pancakes stuffed with a
sweet walnut filling and drizzled with a sweet chocolate rum sauce.
5.
Pörkölt – meat stew in a thick paprika-spiced
sauce.
6.
Halászlé – Fisherman’s Soup, traditional red
fish soup spiced with hot paprika.
7.
Paprikás Csirke – creamy chicken paprikash with red
spiced paprika and stewed chicken leg.
8.
Lángos – fried bread dough, often served with
sour cream, garlic and cheese.
9.
Lecsó – mixed vegetable stew, the Hungarian
‘Ratatouille’.
10. Local
beer – Arany Aszok, Soproni, Dreher. Try also dark lagers
11. Kürtőskalács
– a chimney cake made from sweet yeast then spun and wrapped around a truncated
cone–shaped baking spit, and rolled in granulated sugar.
12. Kolbice
– local street food, grilled Kolbász sausages in a cone-shaped bread.
Shopping: Andrássy Avenue is where you can quickly shell out a fortune at stores
like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Rolex. Large commercial chains, like Zara and
H&M, and tourist aimed folklore shops are mostly along the bustling Váci
Street, Budapest’s version of La Rambla. In between, both price-wise and
geographically, is Fashion Street - a short pedestrian row with labels like
Hugo Boss, Lacoste, and Massimo Dutti.
Souvenir
Thoughts:
1.
Hungarian Paprika – dried, packed in bags, pretty little cans,
ceramic jars or in a tube as a paste; it’s an inexpensive and local
souvenir.
2.
Tokaji Wine – with its slender, elegant bottles it’s a
beautiful and delicious gift. Tokaji wine comes in a variety of different
tastes including dry, Szamorodni, Aszu, Maslas, Fordiatas and Eszencia.
3.
Palinka – a traditional fruit brandy made of plums,
apricots, apples, pears or cherries.
4.
Pick Salami – original Hungarian salami sausages that come in
a variety of different types, flavors, and levels of spice. If transported
and kept unopened, it will last a long time.
5.
Handmade Hungarian Lace and Embroidery – for those who like
traditional folk souvenirs.
6.
Unicum – a Hungarian herbal liqueur that is made of a
mixture of over 40 different kinds of medicinal herbs and spices.
7.
Gyulai or Csabai Kolbasz – Hungarian spicy sausages with a
lot of red paprika.
8.
Traditional Hungarian shirts, dolls, tablecloths
9.
Hungarian secret box: At first glance, you may
think these lovely wooden boxes are ordinary jewelry boxes. That is, until you
attempt to open one and discover that the lid does not move upon command. Only
after the shop keeper has shown you how to slide open the secret panels, uncover
the key and the hidden lock, will you have access to the inside of this clever
puzzle box. And, if that’s not enough to satisfy your cravings for secrecy,
there is a hidden compartment inside the box itself, in which you can store
your most treasured possessions. Hand carved out of wood, these boxes make a
wonderful gift for anyone who enjoys puzzles or values their privacy.
There are a number of aesthetic choices to make when purchasing this gift as the boxes come in many different sizes, from tiny ring sized boxes to full sized jewelry boxes. Some are painted and some retain the original look of the wood they are carved from. Many vendors will also offer to engrave a name and date on the box as well- often at no additional cost. The cost of the boxes runs from $10-$20 and they are widely available throughout the city. They are on sale at many of the stands in the Nagy Csarnok (The Great Market Hall)
There are a number of aesthetic choices to make when purchasing this gift as the boxes come in many different sizes, from tiny ring sized boxes to full sized jewelry boxes. Some are painted and some retain the original look of the wood they are carved from. Many vendors will also offer to engrave a name and date on the box as well- often at no additional cost. The cost of the boxes runs from $10-$20 and they are widely available throughout the city. They are on sale at many of the stands in the Nagy Csarnok (The Great Market Hall)
10.
Paintings of the Danube: Walk along the Danube on
a golden Autumn morning, and you’ll be sure to spot Hungarian artists sitting
by the water with their sketchpads and paints by their side. For an image that captures the color, excitement
and energy of the city, try a beautiful water color painting. Or for a taste of
an older, more elegant Budapest, search for a charcoal drawing. Pricing varies
greatly with the scale of the pictures- smaller pictures will be around $10,
while larger images will fall in the $30-$50 price range.
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