{"id":9202,"date":"2024-08-24T17:48:59","date_gmt":"2024-08-24T15:48:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.danamladin.com\/?p=9202"},"modified":"2026-01-25T19:51:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-25T17:51:10","slug":"budapesta-in-vizita-la-vecini-ca-e-misto-la-ei-acasa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.danamladin.com\/en\/2024\/08\/budapesta-in-vizita-la-vecini-ca-e-misto-la-ei-acasa\/","title":{"rendered":"BUDAPEST \u2013 visiting the neighbors, because it’s cool at their place"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

(update October 2025)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though it\u2019s just a stone’s throw away from Romania, I almost never had a clear desire to visit Budapest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first time I came here was many years ago, on my birthday, as it was a cheap and attractive option for me and my boyfriend at the time, both of us being broke at that time\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It happened in 1998, dude. In another millennium!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We came by train, and for us, it was a super cool trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Later, I went back twice for work (in 2019 and 2022) and twice just for fun, for Robbie Williams<\/strong>‘ concert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2006<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One hour flight from Bucharest, a taxi from the airport (about 35 euros) and, in 30 minutes, I arrive in the Chain Bridge area, a place where I like to start exploring the city on foot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Budapest is divided by the Danube into two different cities. (In fact, they were actually two independent cities.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buda<\/strong> \u2013 the part with the most important museums, the Hungarian kings\u2019 castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, the famous thermal baths, and other places worth seeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pest<\/strong> \u2013 the livelier, more crowded part. Here are the long streets with shops, restaurants, bars, clubs. But tourist attractions aren\u2019t missing either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN BUDA<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

BUDA CASTLE<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I\u2019m taking advantage of the view from my hotel room and staring at Buda Castle (the Royal Palace) from morning till evening. No, not continuously \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was built between 1247-1265 to serve as the residence of King B\u00e9la IV. Declared a historic monument, it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2019<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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2022<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m not taking a selfie with it now since I already did that in two different years\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The shortest way to get up to the Castle is by taking the funicular at the base of the hill. That is, if your legs don\u2019t feel like climbing and if you make it within its operating hours \u2013 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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funicular car<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Built in 1870, man, this funicular still does its job well and has long become a tourist attraction, not just a means of transport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Right before you reach the funicular, you\u2019ll see a stone marking Budapest\u2019s Kilometer Zero.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tip: if you want a good front view of the city while you\u2019re on the funicular, get into the lowest cabin. But don\u2019t expect a panoramic view \u2013 not really. It\u2019s more like seeing the city through blinkers \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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at sunset<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It only takes about three minutes<\/strong> to go up \/ to go down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ticket isn\u2019t exactly cheap: it costs 5,000 forints round trip (around 13 euros \u2013 2025 price). And unfortunately, even if you plan to go up by funicular and walk down \u2013 which only takes about 5-7 minutes \u2013 you still have to pay for a full ticket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Right next to the funicular you\u2019ll find S\u00e1ndor Palace<\/strong>, the official residence of the President of Hungary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you\u2019re lucky (or know the schedule), you might catch the Changing of the Presidential Guard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From here, the view over Budapest is stunning! I could have stayed there for hours, especially in the evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you\u2019re not in the mood for visiting the Castle exhibitions, you can just stroll around on foot \u2013 you\u2019ll soon reach a really lovely area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FISHERMAN’S BASTION<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Whether you walk up (from the metro, you climb the hill), take a public bus, or a taxi, it’s worth spending a few hours here. There\u2019s plenty to do. You can visit, take photos, eat, and, of course, buy souvenirs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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June 2022<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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July 2024<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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July 2024<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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September 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fisherman\u2019s Bastion is an impressive structure. It has 7 towers, representing the 7 Hungarian tribes that first arrived in the Pannonian Plain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what about the fishermen? Where are they?…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apparently, the name comes from the Middle Ages, when the city walls were defended by fishermen. Anyway, with a loooong fishing rod, I could almost catch a fish from the Danube.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2006<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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2024<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Beyond the architecture, the beautiful square, the shops, and terraces, this place attracts those who want to take photos of Budapest from above. The truth is, the view is really cool, and the Parliament building is perfectly framed for a photo from here!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There\u2019s a covered terrace with a view of the Parliament and the Danube \u2013 Panoramia<\/strong>. It\u2019s a fight for seats, especially the ones on the edge. You can sit nicely in the shade, drink a beer, a lemonade, eat a salad, a burger, and enjoy the scenery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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But you can still enjoy the view without spending a dime \u2013 just move a bit to the left. And in the evening, it\u2019s nothing like the daytime rush, when everyone crowds under the arches to take pictures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MATTHIAS CHURCH<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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2024<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Matthias Church stands proudly on this plateau, with its distinctive architecture and colorful tiles that make you envious: these guys really have all their tiles in place!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Here, right in this church, the coronation ceremonies of the most important kings took place, including Franz Joseph I and Queen Elisabeth (Sissi).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you want to enter, it costs about 8 euros. But there are discounts for certain categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HOUDINI<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Just a few meters from the Fisherman\u2019s Bastion, you\u2019ll find the House of Houdini. Well, it wasn\u2019t actually his house, but it sounds good for tourists\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a museum opened in 2016, showcasing all kinds of authentic items related to Harry Houdini<\/strong>, the famous Hungarian-American illusionist and escapologist (born in Budapest, who emigrated to the U.S. with his parents as a child).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Houdini became famous for his spectacular escape acts and is considered one of the most important figures in the history of magic!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Here you can see a wide range of genuine Houdini-related items: personal letters, documents, stage props, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I read that the poster from the movie where Tony Curtis<\/strong> played Houdini was actually donated to the museum by Curtis\u2019s daughter \u2013 Jamie Lee Curtis<\/strong>. Pretty cool, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Before entering the museum, guess what? You get to attend a magic show!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s included in the ticket price \u2013 13 euros (you can pay in euros right at the entrance if you haven\u2019t booked online).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were just seven of us at that hour, and a gentleman did his best to impress us with some fun tricks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THERMAL BATHS<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Budapest is famous for its spas, with 118 thermal springs!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve never actually gone to soak in them. But I was impressed when I saw online how two of them look, built at the beginning of the 20th century: Gell\u00e9rt<\/strong> and Sz\u00e9chenyi<\/strong>. It\u2019s like you\u2019re going to a museum, not a bath\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Gell\u00e9rt Baths, built in Art Nouveau style along with an adjacent hotel, are right on the banks of the Danube, so I took advantage and photographed them from the boat during a river cruise (about 12 euros for a 50-minute tour)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have baths too, so why praise others\u2019, you might say. Well, come and see the famous Herculane Baths<\/strong> here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I read that Gell\u00e9rt is the site of the first wave pool in the world!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also had one, at the Lido Hotel in Bucharest. I won\u2019t show you what state it\u2019s in now, because we\u2019d all fall into depression\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GELL\u00c9RT HILL<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The name of Gell\u00e9rt Hill in Buda comes from an Italian bishop, Gerard (in Hungarian, Gell\u00e9rt), who was brought to Hungary by King Stephen to Christianize the population. According to legend, the Hungarian pagans who didn\u2019t want this put the bishop in a barrel and threw him off the hill straight into the Danube.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I see people climbing to the monument dedicated to the bishop. I made it to the top of the hill, where the Citadel \u2013 an impressive fortress \u2013 and the Liberty Statue are, but by car \ud83d\ude42 I understand that it takes about 20 minutes on foot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From above, the view over the city is breathtaking!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Parliament<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Castle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

LIBERTY STATUE<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The Liberty Statue at the top of Gell\u00e9rt Hill has become a symbol of Budapest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I read that, initially, the statue was supposed to hold a sword with both hands, representing the fight for liberation. But when the communists came to power, it was decided without question to replace the sword with a\u2026 large palm leaf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN PEST<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of statues, here are a few sculptures I came across in the city \u2013 both in Buda and in Pest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I discovered three tiny ones! The first \u2013 a balloon dog, which I understand is called Libido<\/strong>. It\u2019s located right on the promenade along the Danube. The second \u2013 Mr. Bean\u2019s bear, created on the occasion of Brexit and embedded in the wall where the British Embassy once operated. The small statue is aptly named Brexit<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The third one is right up by the funicular \u2013 it\u2019s called The Rabbit with Square Ears<\/strong>, and it\u2019s looking at the Chain Bridge through a telescope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are about 30 such tiny \u201chidden\u201d statues scattered around Budapest, <\/strong>all created by artist Mih\u00e1ly Kolodko. <\/strong>You can even go on a little hunt to find them!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other statues are actual street characters, integrated into the urban bustle:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ever since I came across this Peter Pan, I\u2019ve been taking pictures next to him. Only now, in 2025, did I find out he\u2019s not Peter Pan at all, but\u2026 the Little Princess! What???<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Yes! Sculptor L\u00e1szl\u00f3 Marton<\/strong> created her in 1989, inspired by his daughter, who used to play around the house wearing his bathrobe and a paper crown on her head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I read that it\u2019s one of the most photographed statues in Budapest and has become an unofficial symbol of the city. There\u2019s even a copy of it displayed in Tokyo! How cool is that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s also the Statue Park<\/strong> (Memento Park), which I haven’t visited yet, a park outside the city where all the statues from the communist era have been gathered. Like an open-air museum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BUDAPEST PARLIAMENT<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Can you say you\u2019ve seen an image of Budapest without the Parliament?…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s clearly the tourist attraction I\u2019ve photographed the most during all my visits!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2022<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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2024<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Poor Parliament hasn\u2019t escaped from me: I\u2019ve captured it during the day, evening, and night, with me and without me, from the boat, from up close, from the hill, and from the riverbank\u2026 I think it doesn\u2019t want to hear from me for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1998<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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2024<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A marvel of Neo-Gothic style, the Parliament is still the largest building in Hungary, for which 40 kilograms of pure gold, half a million precious stones, and over 40 million bricks were used! Wow!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The building was inaugurated in 1896, marking 1,000 years since the Hungarian tribes united and settled in the Pannonian Plain. Although the Parliament was not yet completed that year (it was finished in 1904), the first government session was held there in 1896.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Parliament seen from above, near the funicular.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

THE SHOES ON THE DANUBE BANK. THE JEWISH MEMORIAL.<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Just a stone\u2019s throw from the Parliament, right on the banks of the Danube, up to the Chain Bridge, you\u2019ll come across many shoes \u2013 60 to be exact. Women’s, men’s, children’s shoes, boots, and sneakers\u2026 All these footwear pieces are made of iron, fixed into the concrete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Their story is heartbreaking: they pay tribute to the approximately 3,500 Jews killed by fascists on the banks of the Danube during the winter of 1944 to 1945. The fascists brought the Jews to the riverbank, forced them to remove their shoes, and then shot them. This way, they also disposed of the bodies, as they were carried away by the Danube. (At that time, the Danube was known as the “Jewish cemetery”\u2026)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did they make them remove their shoes? Because shoes were a valuable commodity that winter; they could be worn or sold on the black market!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brrr, I get chills just thinking about it! And I’ve read some more horrible details!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This unique “monument” was created in April 2005. It was conceived by film director Can Togay, who was helped to bring his idea to life by sculptor Gyula Pauer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There are many people here. Some sit on benches, deep in thought, while others carefully look at the shoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the shoes have colored ribbons tied to them, others have flowers, stones, or candles, and some have messages or beads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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