Budapest questions
 

I'm starting to read up on things to do in Budapest and had a few questions.

1) It looks like some of the spas are unisex (men on one day, women on another). I'm really just looking for a relaxing place to spend a couple of hours, maybe something like the Turkish baths in Istanbul, but would like to do it at the same time as my husband, not necessarily together but on the same day. Any suggestions?

2) I found a terrific restaurant in Chicago that serves Hungarian food and love their chicken paprikash, the wonderful fried garlic bread and yummy desserts, any recommendations for places to find good Hungarian food?

3) It looks like you can take boat trips on the Danube, are there ones that have commentary in English? Or perhaps a trip via the river to Szentendre might be a better option?

Thanks!

1. I'd recommend either the Art Deco Gellert baths or the fun outdoor Szechenyi Baths. Both are beautiful and very relaxing. Men and women everyday at both. Separate mens and womens soaking baths plus communal indoor and outdoor swimming pools at Gellert, communal mens and womens soaking pools and swimming pools at Szechenyi.

2. There are plenty of good (and unfortunately many tacky, touristy) restaurants serving Hungarian fare. I'd recommend picking up a copy of "Where" Budapest magazine or other similar free publications at the airport and flip through the pages. Budapest Week is another good one. Just avoid the tourist traps offering 'Tourist Menus' along the Vaci Utca. The low prices really are too good to be true, and the food mediocre at best. For coffee and cake, I enjoyed the cafe Gerbaud. Pick up a box of their chocolates too.

3. Yes there are. The 'Cityrama' company offer some good and reasonably priced excursions, and you can book them from all the major Budapest hotels. 1 hour, 4 hours, all day, casino trips, OPera trips, with or without on board or shoreside dinner, etc. I'll see if I can get you a number or e-address of the company from the stash of pamphlets I brought back.

You'll have a ball. I sure did.

While the Gellert baths were prettier and older, I prefer the Szechenyi. They were more modern the water was hotter and much cleaner. The whirlpool bath was great fun and the steam rooms went from warm to hot to super hot (I couln't see my hands through the steam, hot) I loved them.
I could see that the Gellert was once a beautiful space but now it's a bit tattered and the tempeture of the waters were a little too cool.

...sorry about spelling errors, I hit the post instead of preview.

Thanks for the replies! It's too bad about the Gellert being a little worn, it looks beautiful from the photos in the Eyewitness Guide. I may just stop by there for the historic aspect of it.

Szechenyi is sure historic too though -- a splendid Beaux arts pavilion of about 1900. Great setting in the main city park.

Favourite restaurants -- and there are many recommendations on this forum:

The world-famous Gundel, plus:

Muzeum
Karoly, in the Karoly palace
Abszint cafe
Bouchon
Central Kavehaz

and I'd like to try the New York Cafe in the NY Palace if it's re-opened

Szentendre is only 25 minutes by HEV train so it cannot be much of a river cruise...

Hi there!

1. As for the thermal spa it is definitely the Neo Baroque Szechenyi, that was opened as a public Spa in 1927 (in 1913 it was opened as a medical center). As of May 1st, it is opened till 10:00 pm! Also the Lukacs worth visiting however it is rather modest in comparison with Szechenyi but it has the best thermal (healing) water in Budapest. This is the reason it is the most popular among the locals. The Gellert is a bit run down and nowadays it is mostly an overpriced tourist attraction.

2. Now the restaurants. Well, being a tour guide and a local as well, I can admit that the biggest problem with our restaurants is the instability. One time you go to a restaurant and you are in heaven, next time the same place is just an expensive eatery and you start dreaming of that takeaway pizza instead (meaning cheaper and more delicious). This is due to owner’s change, a new chef, etc. Since I am guiding people around I have visited most of Budapest restaurants quite a few times and this is my list of the places that normally provide you with the same standards in years:
The Rosenstein, an absolute winner in terms of money/value. However last week some of my clients told me politely that it was not worth the price and the food was rather ordinary. Well, let’s pretend it was just a very single case.
Same value for money and food quality and stability as well are the Premier or the Kogart (this one has a nice art gallery as well), both are on Andrassy Boulevard just a few steps from each other.
Another winner is the Alfoldi, a little nice restaurant downtown on Kecskemeti st., which serves the most typical Hungarian flare from the Great Plain (a region in Hungary). Typical Hungarian decorations, very reasonably priced as well. Take in mind the kitchen closes at 10:00 pm. So be there before 9:30 pm.
For Hungarian type of entertainment try the Kaltenberg Royal Bavarian Brewery, good food, live gipsy music, huge portions, however a bit touristy, but a good value for money. Here you will pay a fraction of what you would have to pay in the Matyas Pince or the Gundel. Also the one called “1894 Food & Wine Cellar”, next to the Gundel. One of the best wine/food cellars in town, and also much nicer and way lot cheaper then the Gundel which is 50 yards from it.
The Gundel itself, sorry Mr. Lauder, just the name, nothing else. Very expensive, very touristy, probably a good place for a lavish reception, where people care more for the party and the ambiance and not the food itself. Try the Owl’s Castle (Bagolyvar) instead. Located just a few steps from the Gundel, have the same wines, and almost the same food but prepared in a home-style cooking instead, for half or less of the Gundel’s rates.
The one under the Gerbeaud café, under the same name is not bad. I would not recommend the café itself, it is ONLY a place to see and to be seen otherwise just a typically overpriced tourist attraction. Try the Muvesz Kavehaz or the Zsolnay Caffe in the Hotel Taverna instead. This one is probably the best in town and they serve everything in the world famous Zsolnay porcelain sets.
Another good and not expensive restaurant with a long tradition of serving Hungarian flare is the Kispipa (located at Akacfa Utca), a few steps from the New York Hotel and Caffe. The later is scheduled for opening this fall. But to my knowledge it will be more for the Hotel (supposed to be the first 6 star Hotel in the country) than the Caffe itself.
The last but not least is the Brasserie in the Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal, also a few steps from the New york. The architecture and style of that one rivals the Gresham Palace. The food is very good as well.

3. Yes there are evening sightseeing boats with diner or just a few drinks in different languages. As for Szentendre, the HEV train is under reconstruction so nowadays it’s a 90 minutes (at least) trip by the so called HEV substitute bus. The boat trip over there takes about 90 minutes or so.
The Subway number 2 (Red line) is also not running between Deak ter and the Stadim (substitute buses instead). A few weeks ago they have started a major road renovation program in Budapest so count on double time at least, to get anywhere in the city. It’s a complete mess for us this summer.

Fell free to ask if you have any other questions.

Regards,
Bela Lukacs

Hello Bela, I really appreciated your answer to Kristi. Perhaps you can help me a little further. A group of 7 of us (age 33 to 61)are coming to visit our Hungarian roots and join a reunion in Romania. We have family from Vitnyed (Sopron) and from Transylvania Matisfalva. 5 of us are flying into Prague and staying there for 2 days. Then we hope to take the night train to Budapest and meet 2 of our members that are flying in to Budapest. Then on the night train to Brasov Romania. We will have the whole day in Budapest before getting on the second train.

I have two problems that you might help me with. I have found lots of places on the internet to get our Eurail passes but I have not been able to make our Sleeper Car reservations. Is there a local phone number that I can call in Budapest to be sure we have the most important reservations?

Second, I am assuming we might like a place to relax between trains. We would arrive 8:18AM from Prague and do not get on the train again until 11:10PM. I had thought about getting a hotel room just for the day so everyone could shower if they wanted. The SPA might be just the thing.

What do you think? Any other ideas?

Great thread....I'm planning a trip to Budapest...this is a terrific help!!

Bela....what tours do you offer?
[email protected]

Hello Diane,

You can check the website of the Hungarian railroads company:
www.mav.hu
There you can find all the timetables and necessary phone numbers.
Also a very good and reliable source of information and a travel agency for railroad tickets is the WASTEELS. They sell discounted railroad tickets.
They are located at the Keleti Train station. The trains for Romania leave from there.
Their number is: + 361 210 28 02
They also sell discounted railroad tickets.
Open 8:00 am – 7:00 pm, Monday through Friday
Saturday 8:00 am – 1:00 pm. Closed Sunday

The SPA is a very good alternative to spend the day and relax after or refresh before your train trip. Definitely visit the Szechenyi, it’s only 5-10 minutes by bus from the Keleti Station (you can leave your baggage at the Station’s lockers). Also the Szechenyi is in the City Park, opposite the Vajdahunyad Castle, an absolute must see, and just a few steps from the Hero’s Square. All in all an excellent choice for spending the day between the 2 trains.

Kristi-regarding the restaurant choices in Budapest, you'll be overwhelmed by how many there are. I will second the recommendation for Bagolyvar-the inside is very nice, but sit outside on the patio and enjoy your fantastic meal. Bagolyvar is on the Pest side-and not to show favoritism to one side or the other-also suggest Nancsi Neni, which is located in the Buda hills. It's a bit of a ride to get there, but you won't be disappointed once you're there. Again, the inside is nice, but sit outside and enjoy the patio if you can. Reservations are probably in order at this time of year. As for Szendendre, I can recommend the Elizabeth Cafe for casual dining. Enjoy Budapest-it's a lovely city.

1.I visited the Gellert baths in May, and I thought they were beautiful and not run down at all. From what I had read, I expected it to be filled with tourists. Instead, it was mostly locals. Maybe this is because I went early (7:30 AM)? I would highly recommend the baths for a relaxing experience.

3. We took a nighttime Danube Cruise on the Legenda. There are quite a few boats offering cruises. Ours was 1.5 hours (i think), cost appx. 20 usd per person, and included 2 drinks. The boat was equipped with video monitors taht showed the interiors of the buildings as you passed. You plug headphones in, and select the language that you want.

Good luck!

Thanks for the additional information, I appreciate the input.

Another question, my husband likes to go to flea markets, mainly for old Soviet stuff. We are only there during the week so I think Petofi Csarnok is eliminated (weekend mornings 7-2) so I'm left with Jozsefvarosi Market which is off my map in the Eyewitness Guide or Ecseri Flea Market which Fodors says is reachable by bus #54 and looks like the better market. Can anyone tell me approximately how much time it takes to get out there and what landmark I can use to know when to get off the bus? And is it worth going out on a weekday which will be less populated? Thanks.

ttt

Hi Kristi

I'm also interested in visiting some flea markets in Budapest. Hopefully some one will help us out with some first hand knowledge, but according to my notes you catch Bus 154 from Metro: M3 Határ út or bus 54 bus from HÉV stop Boráros tér - and in both cases get off at "Fiume út" stop.

I also have a note of a new market - Nowák piac at Dózsa Gy. utca 1-3, behind Keleti Station. Not sure if it is open during the week or not. :)