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Budapest offers the visitor the familiarity of European culture with a distinct Hungarian flavour. It is evident in the neo-Gothic Parliament buildings, sidewalk cafes and Magyar cuisine; classical concerts and Hungarian folk music; the cobbled streets of medieval neighbourhoods and shady parks, and everywhere the sounds of an unfamiliar language. Highlights for visitors include a river cruise on the Danube and a thermal bath in one of the Turkish-era bathhouses.
Budapest was originally two cities built on either side of the Danube, namely Buda and Pest. The two districts are still distinct in their contrasting makeup, with the older and more charming Buda comprising atmospheric cobbled streets, little picturesque coloured houses and a medieval, neo-Classical mixture of architecture set among the gentle hills of the west bank. It is famous for its historic Castle Hill featuring the Royal Palace, museums and galleries, St Matthias Church and the ramparts of Fisherman's Bastion.
Pest lies on a flat plain and is the commercial core of the city. It bustles with fashionable shopping areas and has characteristically wide, leafy boulevards. Andrássy Boulevard is the Champs-Elysées of Budapest, lined with a typical mosaic of architectural styles and buildings with the enormous Heroes' Square at the end.
A history of numerous wars and invasions, with repeated destruction and rebuilding, has created the Budapest of today, with an amalgamation of styles, created over time during periods of loving restoration by a proud and resilient nation of people; a city of charm and character, both European and singularly Hungarian.
Getting around: Budapest has an extensive, inexpensive and
efficient public transport system that includes the metro, trams,
buses, trolley buses and trains. Most transport runs until about
11.30pm after which there is a limited night bus and tram service
until about 5am. The metro is clean, safe and frequent, and
although there are only three lines it reaches most areas of
interest to tourists. Trams are good for travelling around the
Great Boulevard or along the embankment; trolleybuses (electric
buses) operate in Pest; and although more difficult to use, buses
are useful for journeys that can't be made by metro, especially
around Buda. There are regular incidents of pick pocketing on buses
and metro lines though, particularly when they are crowded. An over
ground HÉV train network services the outer suburbs. One of the few
ways to reach the Castle District other than on foot is by means of
a funicular from Clark Ãdám tér. All forms of public transport
require the self-validation of pre-purchased tickets, which can get
complicated; it is best to get a travel pass for convenience that
will also save money. Day or multi-day passes are inexpensive and
hassle-free, although the tourist Budapest Card combining three
days of travel with discounted attractions isn't all that good
value. Budapest's taxis have a reputation for cheating foreigners
and visitors are warned not to do business with private, unmarked
vehicles that hang around stations. Legal taxis should have a
yellow number plate, clearly display their rates and have a meter
that is switched on. It is cheaper to order one by phone from
reputable companies such as Citytaxi, Fo Taxi or
Tele-5-Taxi.
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