Budapest 4 nights - Top 10 must do
Mar 10th, 2014, 05:56 PM
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Budapest 4 nights - Top 10 must do
We are a couple in ours early 60's, reasonably fit, have not been to Budapest or this area before, not into spending hours going from museum to museum but are willing to have a quick look at almost anything (did Louvre in Paris in under 3 hrs)
Would like to have a top 10 list before we get there and can add other items to the list as we find them. Also feedback on top 5 restaurants, we are staying at the Sofitel Hotel.
We will be there end of July after a river cruise
Always appreciate the feed back we get off Fodor
Would like to have a top 10 list before we get there and can add other items to the list as we find them. Also feedback on top 5 restaurants, we are staying at the Sofitel Hotel.
We will be there end of July after a river cruise
Always appreciate the feed back we get off Fodor
Mar 10th, 2014, 06:50 PM
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Can't give you feedback on top 5 restaurants as I don't keep that information. I was in Budapest 3 years ago and the following was what I found interesting:
Hammer and Sickle tour. Life under communist rule. Google Hammer and Sickle tour Budapest
Absolute tours. Again, google Absolute Tours Budapest
House of Horrors Museum, exhibit relating to facsist and communists regimes
Great market hall directly over bridge from Buda to Pest
Gallert Hotel and spa
St. Stephens opera house
Cafe Gerbeaud for outstanding pastry
Tour of Parliament building
We all have different taste but these were some of my favorites. All have web sites found on google.
Hammer and Sickle tour. Life under communist rule. Google Hammer and Sickle tour Budapest
Absolute tours. Again, google Absolute Tours Budapest
House of Horrors Museum, exhibit relating to facsist and communists regimes
Great market hall directly over bridge from Buda to Pest
Gallert Hotel and spa
St. Stephens opera house
Cafe Gerbeaud for outstanding pastry
Tour of Parliament building
We all have different taste but these were some of my favorites. All have web sites found on google.
Mar 10th, 2014, 07:53 PM
#4
The House of Terrors IS a House of Horrors....
This kind of question always bemuses me - you can get a top ten list out of any guidebook. Don't know why John's list doesn't include the synagogues, the ethno museum, the gold museum, the Art Nouveau architecture.... But you need to pick up a guidebook and see what catches YOUR fancy.
Cafe Gerbeaud is in ALL the guidebooks and is full of tourists. You can do better, Cafe Gerloczy for starters, or just wander.
For more on my last visit to Budapest, start here: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...omment-7502759
This kind of question always bemuses me - you can get a top ten list out of any guidebook. Don't know why John's list doesn't include the synagogues, the ethno museum, the gold museum, the Art Nouveau architecture.... But you need to pick up a guidebook and see what catches YOUR fancy.
Cafe Gerbeaud is in ALL the guidebooks and is full of tourists. You can do better, Cafe Gerloczy for starters, or just wander.
For more on my last visit to Budapest, start here: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...omment-7502759
Mar 10th, 2014, 08:24 PM
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First expect very hot weather... Inescapable as so few things are air conditioned.
My husband and I are mid 50s fit Americans who live in Budapest...
Yes, agree... The Terror Museum might be the one museum... Then walk Andrassy Ut to hero square and the park.
I prefer The Opera House tour to Parliament (personally) and then stop by Liszt Ferenc Ter and pop into the Franz Liszt Academy... While here you could eat at Menza. ( and you could start up Andrassy from here.)
Of course St. Stephens area... Near here I eat at Cafe Kor on Sas street.
Walk thru Freedom Square (Szabadsag ter) past the magic water fountain past Ronald Reagan past the Nagy Bridge to Parliament and make sure to see shoes on the Danube. This area has been under massive reconstruction this week and will reopen in days. We can not wait!
Walk Margit island... You can take the 4 or 6 tram to the island. Watch the music water fountain. Do this after dinner and check out the night time view from Margit Bridge.... Eat on Poszonyi street... Maybe at Kiskakuk .... I like the atmosphere here. Swing around the corner to Szent Istvan Park and watch Hungarian families at play (I live on this lovely park).
Walk the Jewish quarter and stop at the ruin pub, Szimpla Kert ( single favorite thing in town)... See the silver weeping behind the synagogue. If it is lunch time, eat at Kadar.
Should you find yourself behind the opera house, there is a very good Thai restaurant here...it is on Jokai and starts with a P. Google it if you are interested.
Ride the 2 tram from jaszai Mari ter to the main market (written up by national geographic as one of the top 10 trams in the world).
Walk the castle area before 10 AM or at night.
Use the bathroom at the Four Seasons Hotel (trust me on this).
Visit the Holocaust Museum... Walk this emerging area.
Eat cake someplace Gerbeaud is one option... Frolichs, someplace. Research this one. Budapest out coffee houses Vienna.
Drink coffee at Gerloczy, but do not eat here.
Explore the area around the Ferenciek ter.
Visit the main market hall.
If you are a cemetery person, walk around the Kerepsi cemetery near Keleti Train station... This might be my favorite cemetery in the world (I am a cemetery person).
July is too hot for the baths for me, but I would visit Rudas for the 500 year old Turkish experience or Szechenyi in city park.
If you want any more info, I write about this area at : www.theworldinbetween.com
My husband and I are mid 50s fit Americans who live in Budapest...
Yes, agree... The Terror Museum might be the one museum... Then walk Andrassy Ut to hero square and the park.
I prefer The Opera House tour to Parliament (personally) and then stop by Liszt Ferenc Ter and pop into the Franz Liszt Academy... While here you could eat at Menza. ( and you could start up Andrassy from here.)
Of course St. Stephens area... Near here I eat at Cafe Kor on Sas street.
Walk thru Freedom Square (Szabadsag ter) past the magic water fountain past Ronald Reagan past the Nagy Bridge to Parliament and make sure to see shoes on the Danube. This area has been under massive reconstruction this week and will reopen in days. We can not wait!
Walk Margit island... You can take the 4 or 6 tram to the island. Watch the music water fountain. Do this after dinner and check out the night time view from Margit Bridge.... Eat on Poszonyi street... Maybe at Kiskakuk .... I like the atmosphere here. Swing around the corner to Szent Istvan Park and watch Hungarian families at play (I live on this lovely park).
Walk the Jewish quarter and stop at the ruin pub, Szimpla Kert ( single favorite thing in town)... See the silver weeping behind the synagogue. If it is lunch time, eat at Kadar.
Should you find yourself behind the opera house, there is a very good Thai restaurant here...it is on Jokai and starts with a P. Google it if you are interested.
Ride the 2 tram from jaszai Mari ter to the main market (written up by national geographic as one of the top 10 trams in the world).
Walk the castle area before 10 AM or at night.
Use the bathroom at the Four Seasons Hotel (trust me on this).
Visit the Holocaust Museum... Walk this emerging area.
Eat cake someplace Gerbeaud is one option... Frolichs, someplace. Research this one. Budapest out coffee houses Vienna.
Drink coffee at Gerloczy, but do not eat here.
Explore the area around the Ferenciek ter.
Visit the main market hall.
If you are a cemetery person, walk around the Kerepsi cemetery near Keleti Train station... This might be my favorite cemetery in the world (I am a cemetery person).
July is too hot for the baths for me, but I would visit Rudas for the 500 year old Turkish experience or Szechenyi in city park.
If you want any more info, I write about this area at : www.theworldinbetween.com
Mar 11th, 2014, 04:10 PM
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THURSDAYSD
As I said in my post, these are the places that interest ME!!!! I didn't mention Synagogues, Gold Museum, Art Nouveau etc because it didn't interest ME!
A guide book is a must, then google places YOU find interesting.
As I said in my post, these are the places that interest ME!!!! I didn't mention Synagogues, Gold Museum, Art Nouveau etc because it didn't interest ME!
A guide book is a must, then google places YOU find interesting.
Mar 11th, 2014, 06:20 PM
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Thanks for you comments, yes I know I can get guide books and also look up plenty on the internet, but I have always found one or 2 very special pieces of info, every time I have asked a question on Fodor. The personal info isn't in any guide book.
Special thanks to Julie & John
Special thanks to Julie & John
Mar 11th, 2014, 08:16 PM
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No worries... Since you were on a fodors web site, I kinda thought you had heard about guide books.
Do pop into Franz Liszt Academy as it may be the most spectacular Art Nouveau building in the world.... It opened in October after a multi year renovation.
Do pop into Franz Liszt Academy as it may be the most spectacular Art Nouveau building in the world.... It opened in October after a multi year renovation.
Mar 11th, 2014, 08:35 PM
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"yes I know I can get guide books and also look up plenty on the internet, but I have always found one or 2 very special pieces of info, every time I have asked a question on Fodor." -- I, too, have gotten a great deal of helpful information from my fellow Fodorites, but I have ALWAYS found places that I truly enjoyed that ARE covered in the better guidebooks that are NOT mentioned by other Fodorites. And it saddens me to find that I very frequently read trip reports in which someone says something along the lines of "had I only known" about something that is covered in just about every guidebook. IME, this board is a fantastic place to hone one's plans, not to make them. Good luck!
Mar 12th, 2014, 06:15 AM
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FWIW Marco the Mackerel man is back at the Gerloczy so you might want to hit fish Friday. And for us the two must-dos are an afternoon at one of the baths and a wine-tasting at the Faust Wine Seller. Can you find it?
Pjk
Pjk
Mar 12th, 2014, 06:32 AM
#13
Szechenyi Thermal Baths, best place to hang out
Segway tour
Opera, you have to suffer for your art
Fisherman's Bastion (climb either the obvious stairs or the funicular) or better, head north at the base of the cliff and find some of the alternative staircases
Parliament building, good for those who love chandeliers and wierd and wonderful bits of brass tat with flags and things.
Jewish quarter
The market, and eat one of those weird deep fried things offered on the top floor
You have to go to Ruszwurm Confectionary up on the castle (http://www.ruszwurm.hu/a_menu.html) terrible website but order torte, tokay wine or cake and you will not be disappointed. We were walking by looking for coffee ( I had a terrible coffee-head) and two customers walked out, took one look at me and huddled me inside for a fantastic cake and coffee stop.
What ever you do, drink the local wine, dry furmint is very pleasant and true sweet Tokay is out of the world.
Segway tour
Opera, you have to suffer for your art
Fisherman's Bastion (climb either the obvious stairs or the funicular) or better, head north at the base of the cliff and find some of the alternative staircases
Parliament building, good for those who love chandeliers and wierd and wonderful bits of brass tat with flags and things.
Jewish quarter
The market, and eat one of those weird deep fried things offered on the top floor
You have to go to Ruszwurm Confectionary up on the castle (http://www.ruszwurm.hu/a_menu.html) terrible website but order torte, tokay wine or cake and you will not be disappointed. We were walking by looking for coffee ( I had a terrible coffee-head) and two customers walked out, took one look at me and huddled me inside for a fantastic cake and coffee stop.
What ever you do, drink the local wine, dry furmint is very pleasant and true sweet Tokay is out of the world.
Mar 12th, 2014, 06:33 AM
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Our favorites which include a few things not mentioned above:
Hospital in the Rock (WWII hospital and cold war nuclear fallout shelter) http://www.sziklakorhaz.eu/en/ The entrance isn’t easy to find but you go down the stairs in the wall behind the castle and it is just to the right at the bottom.)
Wine tasting at Hungarian House of Wines (right near the castle too). http://www.destinationguidebudapest....hrough-hungary
Secret Prison Museum http://www.terrorhaza.hu/ (Not just about the prison but also about 20th century Hungarian history and politics.)
Hungarian National Museum http://www.hnm.hu/ (Hungary has a very interesting and ancient history among European countries and this museum is quite nice with plenty of English.)
For restaurants I second Gerloczy Cafe (we stayed there to as it is also a hotel). Had some other great meals. Would recommend you check out the website and blog of an American who writes about food and wine there http://www.carolynbanfalvi.com/bio/
Hospital in the Rock (WWII hospital and cold war nuclear fallout shelter) http://www.sziklakorhaz.eu/en/ The entrance isn’t easy to find but you go down the stairs in the wall behind the castle and it is just to the right at the bottom.)
Wine tasting at Hungarian House of Wines (right near the castle too). http://www.destinationguidebudapest....hrough-hungary
Secret Prison Museum http://www.terrorhaza.hu/ (Not just about the prison but also about 20th century Hungarian history and politics.)
Hungarian National Museum http://www.hnm.hu/ (Hungary has a very interesting and ancient history among European countries and this museum is quite nice with plenty of English.)
For restaurants I second Gerloczy Cafe (we stayed there to as it is also a hotel). Had some other great meals. Would recommend you check out the website and blog of an American who writes about food and wine there http://www.carolynbanfalvi.com/bio/
Mar 12th, 2014, 07:18 AM
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I have never had a good meal at the Gerloczy - though others love it. And I have done the fish fry thing too. But it is my favorite coffee house.
Ah, I just believe Segway tours should be outlawed...
End of July they will not have to suffer for their art... But I always recommend the tour (no performances by then).
And please, the deep fried things... Langos!... (the s is always an SH... so Langosh)... Deep fried something or another covered with cheese and sour cream (and gosh, they are heart stoppingly good).
Ah, I just believe Segway tours should be outlawed...
End of July they will not have to suffer for their art... But I always recommend the tour (no performances by then).
And please, the deep fried things... Langos!... (the s is always an SH... so Langosh)... Deep fried something or another covered with cheese and sour cream (and gosh, they are heart stoppingly good).
Nov 10th, 2014, 11:54 PM
#18
I was just in Budapest and ate at the Gerloczy, which was very convenient for my apartment. Unfortunately, although the food was good, my chair was too uncomfortable, and the music too loud, for me to go back. I renewed my love affair with the Central, a longer limp away, instead (it had faltered on my last visit, with new owners and new decor). Of course, you have to take a look at the Book Cafe, but it is too full of camera-wielding tourists for me to stay long.
BTW, do check to see if the newish Gold Museum at the far end of Andrassy ut has reopened - it was, sadly, closed to set up an exhibition when I was there this time.
Agree that the National Museum is worth seeing, finally got around to it on this trip.
BTW, do check to see if the newish Gold Museum at the far end of Andrassy ut has reopened - it was, sadly, closed to set up an exhibition when I was there this time.
Agree that the National Museum is worth seeing, finally got around to it on this trip.
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