My husband and I will be spending 6 nights in Budapest at the Art OTel. From reading this website earlier we figured we would go see the Faust Wine Cellar and House of Hungarian Wines. And of course the Parliment Building, St. Mathias Church and take a Danbue River Cruise. Has anyone taken the Danbue Cruise? I was wondering how much it was and if its worth doing. Anything thing else that is of interest that we might like? Also does anyone know if there is a reasonable day trip that can be taken to a neighboring country? We are open to all suggestions. We will be in Budapest Nov 1st-7th. Thank You

Maybe you already have this site bookmarked, but if not check it out. It has some great info about Budapest including schedules and prices for city river cruises.

http://www.budapestinfo.hu/en

We were in Budapest for 3 nights in March 2001. We took a Danube River cruise at night which was wonderful. The buildings and bridges are lit up. It was magical. It wasn't a dinner cruise...just a cruise on the river although I think they served some wine. The wine was nothing to write home about but the cruise was lovely.

LeeParis

Suggest a short day trip (local bus or train) up river to Szentendre...and artsy town, alleries, shops, lovely watefont, good restaurant selection for lunch..pleasant surroundings.

Take the minitrain ride unto the Buda Hills...scenic views. Visit the classic indoor spa at the Gellert hotel at base of Castle Hill..take the waters, as they say.

Enjoy Budapest...

Stu T.

Thank You all for your great suggestions! Please keep them coming! Also does anyone know how cold it might be in early November? My husband says it will be like winter? I am hoping for a warm spell.

Arrange a tour of Parliament. You can reserve in advance on the parliament website...something like www.parliament.hu. I don't remember exactly but I found it at Google. If you have reserved a spot, it is an easy thing to go and pick up the tickets and take the tour. The architecture is stunning and the tour guides are friendly and informative. You can take pictures too.

We also enjoyed tours of the Great Synagogue and the Opera House. Since you are there during the season, you should try and see either an opera or ballet while you are there. We wish we could have done that, but we went in July and it was off season.

Have fun and enjoy. We stayed at the art'Otel and it was lovely. I have pictures on my flickr account if you want to do a search at flickr for art Otel Budapest, it should show up. I posted a link earlier this week, so you could also search for my posts and get it if you are interested.

Kellye

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I was in Budapest last year in late October and early November. The days and nights were cool - ranging from nightly lows of 7C to daytime highs of 16C and the days were bright and sunny. Nothing that a wind breaker and light fleece couldn't take care of.
I even ran across the Danube bridges in the early morning in shorts and tee shirt. Dress in layers and peel off as required. Of course, what it might be like this November is anyone's guess but thats what I encountered since you asked.

Have fun. Its a beautiful city and one of my favourites.

I love Budapest and travel frequently to all types of destinations. Don't forget the museums, Visit Heros Square. We also enjoyed Statue Park, a small outdoor area where Soviet occupation Statues were moved to. The setting is not all that great, but interesting part of history. Fisherman's Bastian and the church in Buda are wonderful near the the Castle. St Stephens Basilica is also impressive. I concur with the recommendation for the side trip to Szendendre (spelling). It is a charming little town. Also concur with a trip to the baths. Gellert or Szecheny are wonderful part of history and can go with spouse vs. some where it is male/female on certain days.

"Also does anyone know how cold it might be in early November? My husband says it will be like winter? I am hoping for a warm spell."

I was there in November 2005, and it was something like 75 degrees when I got there (I was quite surprised how warm it was, and it stayed warm (I wore no coat) for about 3 days, and then the temps. plummeted, and an icy wind whipped up off the Danube-so be prepared to have a coat, and layers-because it can go to either extreme.

As far as I'm concerned Faust Wine Cellar is a MUST for Budapest, as you will discover once you go down in that ancient monastery cellar, and taste those divine wines-love it! Also, I did do a Danube cruise, and it was very nice, I also went to Szentendre, but wasn't all that impressed, it's a bit touristy-I wouldn't go again.

While up there at the Hilton for the Faust wine cellar tasting, you ought to go down the hill from the Hilton, through the Vienna Gate to my favorite Budapest restaurant ARANY KAVIAR (the Hilton concierge can direct you exactly-it's quite close). They do Russian and Hungarian specialties here-excellently, with an emphasis on seafood (hard to find in Budapest) wonderfully romantic atmosphere-a lot of diplomats stop in here when they are in town-of course all kinds of Russian vodkas and caviars are on the menu, as well as many excellent Hungarian specialties-highly recommended.

And make sure you pay a visit to the best and oldest pastry/coffee shop in Budapest-Ruszwurm-excellent pastries.

I also loved Budapest. Plus, food is amazing! I would add House of Terror museum I think on Andrassey(sp). sobering but very interesting.

Here are 2 coffee houses not to be missed. The New York perhaps a bit touristy, but the Central, definately worth at least a newspaper long stay or a few chapters of a book. You will most likely find more locals in the 2nd option. See where/how the real Huns do it.

Centrál Café
Károlyi Mihály utca 9 ., V. district, M3 metro Ferenciek tere station
Tel: (+36 1) 266 2110
Open: 8.00-24.00 daily

As the grandest of all historic Budapest coffee houses, the Central was not only a place for drinking coffee and nibbling cakes but a meeting place for writers, poets, editors and artists. The coffee house functioned as a focal point of urban social life where new ideas, notions were discussed and dispersed. Many literary works were inspired and born here at the turn of the 19th-20th and in the first half of the 20th century. The staff of the famous literarary periodical, the Nyugat were regulalrs here. They worked on the gallery where the Central's restaurant section operates today.

The Centrál reached its heydays between the two world wars with famous writers Frigyes Karinthy and Lőrinc Szabó among the regular guests. The communists did not tolerated popular and unique places like the Centrál, so they shut the place down.

The grim times ended and the Centrál Café was the first classic coffee house that reopened after the fall of communist dictatorship in 1989. The restored café managed to recapture the grand coffe house feeling of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Enjoy its excellent coffee specialties (like the Café Pepperino: espresso with chocolate and pepper), cakes and pasteries!

New York Café-on the ground floor of the New York Palace
Erzsébet körút 9-11., VII. district, M2 metro Astoria station, tram 4, 6
Open: 9.00-24.00

Out of the 500 Budapest coffee houses the New York Café was the most elegant and popular at the turn of the 20th century. Writers and poets formed the regular guests.

According the story the writer Ferenc Molnár wanted the café to stay open day and night so he threw its key into the Danube. Besides writers, actors, journalits, artists people who wanted to enjoy the bustling atmoshpere also favoured the New York. The tables in New York Café witnessed creation of many important pieces of Hungarian literature .

The New York Café together with a luxury hotel reopened in spring 2006 so you can see the place in its original splendour.

I agree strongly with shangrila about the Central Coffee House and the New York. Both are well worth visiting, and I too prefer the Central. It's a great place for breakfast.

I disagree a little about the restoration of the New York Coffee House, in that I think the new furniture is out of keeping with the beautiful room.

If you get a chance and love food, you've got to try Tom George which is behind the Four Seasons. We ate there in May and it was one of the best meals I've ever had anywhere!