We arrived in Budapest at 2:30am on a Sunday morning. Ouch. Later that day, much later than intended, we headed out to make the most of our few days. We had Sunday afternoon, all of Monday and Tuesday morning. Here are some of the things I loved.
1.First things first, breakfast. That’s right, I always have my priorities straight. We headed to Lumen Café which is a great spot in the 8th district, Josefvaros, where we were staying. Bright and spacious with a great outside area, it was the perfect space to spend an hour or so planning our day. We were pretty late arriving so missed some breakfast options (like freshly squeezed orange juice and croissants) but the choices were still good. I went for Granola, black tea and a cherry juice (amazing) and Joe opted for bacon and eggs and a coffee. Both were very good and set us up for the day ahead. Wifi, good coffee and balloons on the ceiling…whats not to like? It would also be good for those of you with little ones as it had a room just off the main area with lots of art and fun to keep them entertained. We also heard they have daily live music too. We didn’t catch any but would love to check it out when we (inevitability) go back.
2.The Hungarian Parliament building is located in Kossuth Square, on the banks of the beautiful Danube, Pest side. We actually stumbled upon it by accident strolling to Margaret Island. It’s striking neo gothic style stopped us in our tracks and we sat and rested on one of the many benches situated in the square. Although we didn’t go inside you can book guided tours if that’s your thing. The outside of the building is covered in many statues and there’s a huge statue of Gyula Andrássy, a former Prime Minister of Hungary located on the south side. With pretty wild flowers growing outside it’s a lovely spot to sit and admire the glorious rotund domes and take a break on the long walk along the Danube.
3.Margaret Island is a small island in the middle of the Danube connected to the city by a bridge aptly called Margaret bridge. It’s a calming area of green in a busy, urban city and popular with joggers and dog walkers alike. It’s also a great space to take some time out, read or eat a giant cotton candy stick like I did. There’s a musical fountain, some old ruins and what looks like a stunning Japanese garden that we didn’t know about until after we left. We did however discover one of our favourite things to do in Budapest. Scoooot!
4.Hop on a scooter! Whatever you’re doing, wherever you are, you have to have a go on one of these. We buzzed all around Margaret Island on ours and then buzzed out of there and along the Buda side of the Danube. I have to admit I was a teeny bit scared at first, they go 22 kph which, for someone who doesn’t drive, seemed pretty fast. Once on one however you couldn’t get me off. There’s so much to see and do in Budapest and using the electric scooters made a massive difference and we’re just so much fun! They also help the blisters I was developing from all of the walking before we discovered them. They’re super easy to use, just download the app and you’re off!
5.If you’re in Budapest you have to visit a Ruin bar. These are basically bars that have being built amongst the ruins of abandoned buildings, car parks, old stores. Wherever there’s an empty space there’s a ruin bar. We headed to what appears to be the most popular, Szimpla Kert. It was huge! I was expecting a small bar with mismatched furniture but this was insane. Remember that scene in the Labyrinth with The Junk Lady, where Sarah ends up in her bedroom full of junk? Well imagine that but with coloured lights, music and cocktails. Amazing!
6.Right next door to Szimpla Kert was Street Food Karavan which is an outdoor street food set up. There’s a fab variety of food from countries all over the world but we settled for hummus and pitta, great for soaking up the cocktails we’d just sank.
7.Visit Szechenyi Baths to while away a couple of hours in the medicinal waters, supplied to the baths by two thermal springs. It’s not too expensive but remember to take a costume, flip flops and a towel otherwise it gets a little pricey. We forgot all of the above and ended up paying over the odds which was even more frustrating when a member of staff refused to give my deposit back after the towel I was given at the desk suddenly wasn’t the right one upon returning. We sorted it out eventually (I basically refused to leave without my money) and tried not to let it ruin what had been an incredibly fun experience. The baths themselves have both indoor and outdoor pools including a whirl pool which was so much fun and surprisingly fierce. There are also cold pools to dip into if that’s your thing, its absolutely not mine! The water was lovely and warm and we were lucky to have some sun as we’d chosen to bathe in the outdoor area. The water is said to have many benefits due to its valuable minerals, including sulphite, magnesium, calcium and sodium.
8.Have a bite to eat at Mazel Tov. A stunning middle eastern cafe/restaurant situated in the Jewish Quarter. It was under restoration when we were visiting which meant no grill which in tuen meant no meat which was fine by us as it was the hummus and baba ghanoush we were after. We also ordered Israeli olives, falafel and flatbreads, all amazing! It was the smoothest hummus I’ve ever eaten, I’ve thought about it often since. The baba ghanoush was so creamy and smoky I could have eaten a barrel full of it. Definitely a must visit if you’re in Budapest.
9.Take a trip to the Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center and marvel at his wonderful images. The center houses several exhibitions throughout the year and whether interested in photography or not there’s sure to be something to peak your interests. There’s also a cool little cafe next door serving a few light bites and great coffee.
10.Have breakfast at Bluebird Cafe situated in the Jewish District. We stumbled upon it when exploring on our first day and went back to eat the morning we left. It has a chilled out atmosphere with a mixture of bright artwork , mismatched furniture and old coffee grinders scattered round the place. They make a very good coffee and grind their own beans and you can also buy coffee beans to takeaway. The staff are super lovely too. They have an extensive breakfast menu, I had banana bread, croissant and homemade strawberry jam, it came with a hot drink and a juice all for around £7. Bargain!
11.EXPLORE! Walk, bike, scoot, jog, whatever you like but get out there and discover things. It’s a good idea to have plan but we happened upon The Great Synagogue, St Stephens Basilica, Heroes Square, Matthias Church and the Fisherman’s Bastion all by getting out there and seeing where our feet took us. It really is a beautiful city with so much to see and do. Just remember to take your budgie smugglers and some plasters.
The actual life of Riley 