Overview
** BUDAPEST , HUNGARY TOURS **
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Who’s up for a trip to Europe? Maybe you’re thinking about Paris, London, Madrid, and Venice for your magical European moment, but have you considered going farther east? Budapest offers a magical European experience nestled upon the curves of the Danube River. Imagine sitting on a night cruise sipping unlimited prosecco while passing by the stunning parliament building illuminating the night and almost magical castles sitting on the hills. If you can appreciate the fresh mountains, statue-filled roads, neo-gothic architecture, flavorful cuisines, a history-rich gem, and a symphony of lights filling up your travel destination, szia soon!
Budapest was the first stop on a girls trip earlier this year and I am so glad that we ended up starting in this city. I must admit, it is QUITE chilly in January, and but this city was still quite enjoyable. Overall, Hungary is one of the cheaper countries in Europe and therefore it’s a great spot for students and backpackers. As a European city alot of it is best seen by walking through the city and taking advantage of its affordable and extensive public transport options. Overall, as a POC travelling on an African passport I didn’t have any issues in Hungary. The custom officials at the airport were kind and no one treated me any differently.
*Things to Do*
– Széchenyi Chain Bridge
– Fishermans Bastion : Best views of the Hungarian parliament
– The hungarian House of Parliament (from both sides of the river)
– Shoes on the Danube ( A Jewish Memorial)
– Buda Castle
-Matthias Church
– Roman baths (There are several baths across the city. Be sure to check their opening times as most will close for lunch and there will be long queues when you return.)
– Ruin Bar
– Funicular to Buda Castle/Castle District
We also managed to visit the Museum of Light and Art in Budapest. This may have been a temporary installation but I would highly recommend it if the installation is still available.
Food inn Budapest is quite affordable. I would recommend trying local cuisine .
The nightlife is amazing and the Ruin Bars in Buda are definitely worth visiting. The vibe is just different from anywhere else and drinks are quite cheap.
My best friend and I visited Budapest in March 2019. We were there for 2 days coming from Prague via train. I highly recommend taking the overnight train if you are able, it’s an unforgettable experience. We booked through gorealeurope.com. We stayed at the Prestige Hotel Budapest, near the rail lines. We toured heroes square, Budapest Zoo, Bath Houses, St Stephen’s Basilica and the Chain Bridge. We rode on the oldest subway in Europe, ate authentic Strudel (yum!) and got to spend time on the Buda and Pest sides. Our guide was wonderful and made recommendations on what to do and where to go. At night we found local eateries and had goulash-it’s a MUST! We wished we’d stayed longer. The people are great and it’s easy to navigate the public transport. We also visited the bath house on the Pest side and got massages, which I highly recommend. The history of WWII and the Russian occupation is something we are not taught in the states, it’ll break your heart, but it’s important. Go visit! We want to go back.
Budapest is a really cool city, one of my favorite in fact !
I really liked the atmosphere there, I spent my NYE 2019 in Budapest and it was really nice !
Things to do : thermal stations (Széchenyi,Gellert,Szent Lukács..), ruins bars (Szimpla Kert..)
Things to see : chains bridge, liberty Bridge, liberty Statue, st Etienne Basilique,
We stayed at Atlantic Hotel Budapest (https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Hotel_Review-g274887-d606487-Reviews-Atlantic_Hotel-Budapest_Central_Hungary.html) , it was really good and the breakfast sucked, but it was the most afordable for a NYE time there.
I got there from Paris, around 2 h of flight, from Charles de Gaulle airport.
I definitely recommend Budapest for nightlife, history, relaxation and nice things to see !
I went in February on a trip with my grandmother as she wanted to celebrate her friends birthday. We stayed in the Hilton in the Buda side and attended concerts at the Matthias church. We were able to take a city tour on a small bus and learn a lot about the history of the city, it’s separate sides and it’s people.
I did not go for nightlife or romance so I do not have anything to say in that regards, but they do have a number of malls and the one that we went to had a bargain side and a regular side and it was honestly really cool.
As black people, be prepared for crazy looks. I didn’t experience anything that made me fearful, but there were LOTS of stares as I’m guessing there aren’t many black folks here. The people I did actually converse with were fine once we started talking. But not everyone knows English so the language barrier PLUS the extra melanin made for an *interesting* experience.
I would definitely recommend going to Budapest at least once, experiencing a tour, and soak up as much of the city as possible.
5 ladies and I arrived for a long weekend in this awesome little city. We stayed at the Hilton budapest (downtown on the buda side). There is also a really nice one in the pest side as well but it is further from the happenings in the city. The hotel was very nice and Mr. Hilton out did himself again. We had champagne and snacks in all three suites. Such a sweet gesture!! #status
We were just in time this evening to change and head out for cocktails and dinner.
The cocktail restaurant of choice was the High Note Bar above the Aria hotel. Lovely cocktails and affordable prices (10usd per drink). We snacked on the charcuterie board and nachos. Surprisingly the nachos were very good. We initially tried to split the bill and met some resistance. After I posted this information to trip advisor the management staff assured me there would be no issues in the future. Be prepared with small bills just in case.
The restaurant of choice was Meatology! The burgers were really good and seasoned well. They have a mix of sweet potato and regular fries that come with the meal. The service was very good as well. I recommend reservations as it’s hard to get in on certain nights. Online booking is easy or via email. Adam was our waiter and he was very personable and helpful with the menu. We indulged in a bit of dessert as well. It was nice. We did experience a slight issue but Adam fixed it immediately and ensured the meal was corrected and we only paid half price for it. The burger meals were under 12 usd FYI. He also offered us a grappa. Very typical and European thing to do and it was strong! Hair on your chest! Hahahah. We loved the visit and would definitely eat here again. Careful of the locations as they can be easily confused. The one we went to was close to the mercure hotel and bigger than the other (or so it appeared from outside). Enjoyable visit here!
Saturday morning we had a nice breakfast at the hotel. A normal buffet with a waffle station and lots of fresh pressed juice. Lovely. We then headed out on a tour of the city.
I was terrified to ride a Segway but once I got used to it, it’s great fun. A wonderful way to see the city and enjoy a guided tour. We were able to cover lots of ground in two hours including photo ops! Be sure to have a backpack or small bag so that it fits inside the Segway carrying area. Also wear gloves and cold weather gear if it’s chilly! Once that wind hits you it cold and you need your hands at all times. Hunor (our guide) was awesome. He has lots of knowledge of the city and all the locations you visit and he’s a pretty good photographer also. He was also very patient with us first timers and allowed us to practice and get comfortable with the equipment. We really enjoyed our tour day with him. I thought for the time spent and guide the cost was more than appropriate. Less than 70 usd. I will riding again in the future. So fun!
We then took the local tram to the central market for lunch!! We had no idea that we were in for such a treat. The central market is cool. Definitely visit here while in Budapest. There are lots of local shopping stalls on one side and food stalls on the other. You have to get your food and then find a standing table to eat. It was tough because we had six people but we made it work. I choose the stuffed chicken with a side of potatoes. Of course the portions are a lot. Other food items we had: sausage (which reminded me of chorizo), potatoes and sausage mixed together, and goulash. All very affordable. We then did a bit of shopping for goodies to bring home.
Afterwards we headed to the hotel to relax and get ready for cocktails and dinner. Tonight we choose Good Spirit and Bestia. Levi was our waiter at Good Spirit and was fantastic. Our bartender was lovely as well (I don’t recall his name but he was handsome with dark hair.) The cocktails were amazing as always. I had two whiskey based drinks one sweet and one savory. And when I say savory I mean it was bacon in a glass! Yessss!! Crazy and fun. You can’t drink multiple but one was fun. We also had some small snacks to hold us over until dinner. Everything was freshly made and worth the price. Think 8-12 usd for a drink. Typical and appropriate for the environment. I love to visit here and it will remain a staple for my trips to Budapest!
Bestia is known to be one of the best restaurants for goulash in the city. Tameka had a small bowl and enjoyed it. The portion sizes in this place were crazy. I had a pastrami sandwich as big as my face. The other ladies had chicken wings, salmon, steak and a pork dish that was out of this world. This place is very close to the Aria so if you can get to them in the same night it’s easiest. This was probably our most expensive bill during our whole stay but well worth it. I think we spent 150 bucks for 6 people. Not bad at all.
We also hit a ruin bar this night! We were feeling adventurous. This place was young and trendy for sure, a cool experience. Naturally we are older so we didn’t stay out late but we enjoyed it here. We had a cocktail, danced a bit and lots of good people watching. How do I describe a ruin bar?! Kind of like a big warehouse/cave with various rooms and different music in each room. Make sure to venture around to find the space that fits for you.
Sunday morning we prepared to head back to Germany. We did stop for a lovely brunch at A la Maison. The menu was extensive. Everything from traditional French, British and American breakfast combinations. Also lots of sweet things like French toast, pastries and the like. A very enjoyable visit and costs maybe about 15-20 usd per person. We then headed on to the airport destined for home.
Overall Budapest is a very walkable city and generally safe. So don’t be intimidated to stroll between locations. There is no Uber service in this city so be prepared with small bills to utilize taxis if you need them. They are plentiful
Budapest was a last minute decision and I enjoyed it more than I expected. The highlight of the trip was the Szimpla Kert (ruins bar) located in or near the Jewish Quarter. It is a dilapidated warehouse turned into a plethora of bars which every room being different from the next. Something for everyone! If you hate smoke, there are rooms where folks are smoking like a chimney so avoid those! I found the concept of the warehouse unique and fun and extremely chill. I’d highly recommend it if your looking for something different. Bring cash (just easier transactions). The next activity I would recommend is a visit to Fisherman’s Bastion! Beautiful views and great opportunities to take picturesque photos. Nearby is the Buda Castle. While I did enjoy the castle grounds I had a bad experience with the bathroom attendant. The bathrooms are 1 euro and they expect a solid euro or no entry OR depending what you look like (color) it might be accepted. Last but not least I would recommend a visit to Gellért Spa — to avoid crowds don’t go during the weekend if you can help it. It was a madhouse. Beautifully sculpted building filled with an array of colorful tiles and stones adorning the walls. Worth the visit. Enjoy.
There are lots of things to enjoy in Hungary but the top 3 things that stick out to me the most are , affordable, nightlife and relaxation . The ruin bars are so fun ! It’s like walking into to what looks like an abandoned building only to realize it’s a cover for a secret club . The drinks, accommodations, and spas (Rudas Bath) are affordable. Great to enjoy alone , with friends or bae.
Budapest has been on my bucket list for a long time, so to get to go was a dream! First, go for weekend. My friends were there for a day, and circumstances didn’t allow us to the baths as we wanted to. Third, make sure the area you are in is safe to be in at a certain hour. We were warned, by an American working out our hostel, Wombat, that some of the police are corrupt and will fine foreigners lofty fines for small infractions like littering due to the value of their currency. I would suggest taking a free walking tour. We had one scheduled, but we were too late and missed it. If you plan on tackling the city yourself research via Pinterest, IG geo tags, FB travel groups, etc. I definitely plan on going back for a weekend. Budapest has a great music, art, and culinary scene.
Things to do:
-The House of Parliament (from both sides of the river)
-Shoes on the Danube (Jewish Memorial)
-Great Market Hall (seasonal)
-Fisherman’s Bastion
-Széchenyi Chain Bridge (Walk the bridge- You are not able to climb to the top like Will Smith doing the Shaggy Dance, because it is illegal and dangerous)
-Matthias Church
-Roman baths
-Castle District
Budapest!!! Y’all I am a fan of this Eastern European gem of a city! I never thought I would ever go to Eastern Europe but I’m so glad I did. First of all Budapest is cheap! So affordable! The most I spent money on was activities. The local food is really good. The local beer and wine is also really good. I got my activities off Airbnb so I will link them at the end. I went on a cave tour in and it was quite adventurous, but not if you’re claustrophobic. I also went to a beer spa and bathed in beer as I ate hors d’oeuvres & drank beer. It was pretty cool. They have natural springs around the entire city, some big, some not so big but all are reasonably priced (approx $10-$20). They have ruin bars and there are these huge abandoned buildings turned into bars; with multiple rooms and at least 2 to 3 stories. The one I went to and the most popular was Szimpla Kert. The whole vibe there was a good one. You don’t need a car because getting a taxi is better and cheaper. But the taxi company is run by the Mafia so they hike up the prices. I suggest downloading “Bolt” it’s the Uber of Budapest and they don’t hike up the rate. I stayed at an Airbnb without A/C so I won’t recommend my place but there are plenty of places that are cheap and nice.
Here’s the link for the cave tour.
https://abnb.me/
Here’s the link for the beer spa.
https://abnb.me/wVs4MNpqbY
Budapest is a place that had been on my list for a while. It was a lovely destination but i didn’t find the locals to be friendly. At one point a local started to insult me and my friend in a shop.
I personally think Budapest is overrated, but each to their own.
The only thing that would probably make me go back in future Mazel Tov. If get a chance make sure you visit this restaurant, i promise you the food won’t disappoint. Also make sure you try their sweet wine it’s called Bodrog Bormuhely Meses Furmint. And if you like it as much as i did, make sure you buy a bottle because it’s impossible to find. The ones in the shop don’t taste as good.
Budapest’ was born in 1873 from the meeting of three cities, Buda, Pest and Obuda
It is said that one day Count István Széchenyi was stuck on the wrong side of the bank and he had the idea to connect the two banks of the Danube between Pest and Buda by a permanent bridge: Széchenyi Lánchíd (Chain Bridge)
On the right bank of the Danube, the old aristocratic district of Buda has long been the seat of royal power
On the left bank in Pest, most administrations, shops, bars, restaurants, museums and theaters
Arriving by the airport, there is the choice between Taxis, MiniBUD Airport Shuttle Service and Public Transport (100E or 200E). I advise to take the public transport because they take directly to the city center. It’s simple, efficient and economical (900 HUF the ticket, 3 EUR!)
My circuit
The strategy was to take a tourist bus to target places to visit and then, walk around and to these places to discover the city:
Heroes’ Square
Szechenyi Baths
Museum Of Fine Arts
Zelnik (Gold) Museum
Vajdahunyad Castle
Budapest Zoo & Botanical Garden
Kunsthalle Art Museum
Transport Museum
Keleti Railway Station
Hotel Hungaria
New York Cafe
Astoria Hotel
Great Synagogue
Kiraly Street
Underground Railroad Museum
Jewish Quarter
Nyugati Railway Station
Hungarian Parliament Building
Funicular
Freedom Square
Imre Nagy Statue
Ronald Reagan Statue
Soviet Memorial
The Ethnographic Museum
St Stephens Basilica
Chain Bridge
Academy Of Science
Gresham Palace
Petofi Square
Greek Orthodox Cathedral
Vigadó Concert Hall
Gellért Statue
Citadel
Great Market Hall
Gellért Baths
Chapel In The Rock
Freedom Bridge
National Museum
Kiraly Street
State Opera House
Andrássy Avenue
Terror Háza Múzeum
A beautiful city to visit, rich in historical monuments!
It was really a pleasure to go there even though I got sick so the weather was bad!
Where to eat:
Menza
Very good address for the dinner and the brunch. I also recommend cocktails!
Kőleves
Another very good address for the dinner and the brunch. I recommend homemade lemonades, especially ginger ones!
Soul Cafe
Once again a good address for lunch. I also recommend homemade lemonades.
Bohemtanya
A good address for big eaters! We could not finish or take away because we were flying right after
We were sated until the next day.
Where to stay:
Apartment Fatmagül, well located 100m from the Oktogon Metro and the House of Terror.
Kőleves Fogadó, very well located 600 meters from Deák tér metro station and the nightlife district.
Nightlife:
The 7th district, especially the Szimpla Kert, a kind of huge artist squat very nice! We can eat there too.
My sister and I took a cruise on the Danube River and it was good to see the city at night. We also saw the Shoes on Danube which was an experience. Interestingly enough, we got our 1st tattoos in Budapest from DarkArt Tattoo. Unfortunately, I don’t remember my artist name but he did a great job. Besides the river cruise, we roamed the city visiting the highlights. We had to cancel our caving tour due to time, but there were some great reviews.
Honestly since Budapest doesn’t get many travelers of color, we all look like people from another planet to them. The only “bad”experience is that many people would come up to touch the twists in my hair to compliment me but they’d touch without permission. But most people were extremely sweet.
I went here for a week with another friend. We are both black females.
– The Food was bland, but fine. Nothing to write home about (the Paprika spice is like a catfish. It looks good but doesn’t taste like much)
– Party life there is amazing. When you go you should utilize the Budapest Boat Party (https://www.budapestboatparty.com), not only do they have awesome boat parties, but the same company also has a bunch of other activities like bar crawls that let you meet people and take you to some pretty cool, eclectic bars (I remember one looking like a combination funhouse/dungeon. It was one of my favorite memories.) They also have some hostels there known for partying. I’d say that partying is probably one of the best parts about Budapest tbh.
– If you’re black, people are gonna stare at you. HARD. And make noises. And act like they just saw an alien spaceship land on earth. Half will be racist, ALL will be in awe.
– You can forget about having phone service. I usually do an internal pass, but it was so shit I just turned it off and relied on wifi in my Airbnb (definitely do an Airbnb by the way)
– Transportation: arrange this in advance. the language barrier is pretty difficult there. I arrived a day before my friend and getting to the airbnb was HARD. I know for a fact my taxi insanely overcharged me.
– In terms of things to do, there’s not TOO, TOO much to do. You could spend 3 days there and be more than fine. One day at the baths, One doing historic things, One day recovering from a hangover. I was meeting my friend who I hadn’t seen in over a year who lives in Paris so the 7 days we were there was awesome. But usually, Budapest is something people do in a couple days as part of another trip.
– Would I return? I would def recommend going there at least once, but also, once is all you need. It’s not one of those places like London where you could return over and over and over again.
If it wasn’t for the baths, history, and finding a TGIF. Hungary is not somewhere I would return. Do not get me wrong I had a great time, it was my first solo trip. Now I know traveling alone has its ups and downs especially being a young Black woman traveling BUT I never felt so much racism and stereotyping in my life. From my airport pick up to dining at TGIF I felt so uncomfortable. I found an affordable airport that picked you up in the airport parking lot and let’s just say he almost left me until others that were being picked up vouched for me even though I had a ticket like everyone else. Then I was dropped off randomly in the middle of the city while everyone else got dropped off where they wanted to. Thankfully I used myTaxi (Uber) and got to my hotel (Mamaison Hotel Andrassy) where things got better. Then my 10-minute walk to the Budapest Baths began. People stared, and whistled but I remained like Beyonce with my crown held high lol. With that said I paid to enter after easy translation and found my spot outside the pool where I occasionally got in and stayed clear of others because no one was gonna ruin my time. I was fortunate enough to find some young ladies to take my pictures. However, I did quickly notice that Hungarian men took a quick interest in my melanin and another woman who looked like me. All in all would I go back? Yes, just with a group.
**TGIF service was just full of being ignored. I did eventually get service and a FREE MEAL! :-)
Budapest is a very clean city with lots of history. I had a great time. The food is ok didn’t have a problem with that. They A Budapest bath parties at night it’s pretty dope. Historical places is Chain Bridge, Buda Castle, Hungarian Parliament Building… Best thing is to get a AirBNB when you wanna find somewhere to stay.
By far 1 of the tastiest foods I’ve had, Budapest is really the spice of Europe.
We stayed at a hotel by the airport cause we were only there for 1 night. Beautiful Scenery on the hop on hop off tour, as that is always the best way to view the city in 1 shot. Download your google offline maps for you get around and use of public transit. The city centre is typically vibrant, so make sure you’re taking your walks around there as well. I always look for a rooftop patio restaurant and that’s always another way to catch those city views. People are not very warm but enjoy the experience with an open mind.
I took a four day trip to Budapest in December 2015. If you can handle the cold weather, I highly recommend visiting at this time to see the Christmas markets. This was a stop on a euro trip with my younger sister. What I can say is there are no other black people, and there seemed to be a lot of unwanted curiosity about us from locals, but most of it was subtle.
I can’t say we had any negative experiences. At the Széchenyi thermal baths, an older Hungarian gentleman approached us and made some strange comments about our ‘black beauty’ that we politely smiled off. I would say we were mostly uncomfortable being sexualized by this man, rather than feeling threatened racially.
It’s never fun to be somewhere with no other black people, but we had a great time despite that. And we came in with those expectations already.