Tag: Attractions

Top five Budapest attractions

Top five Budapest attractions

Posted on by Budapest Guide

Coming to Budapest and wonder what are the most important attractions to see when in town? We have created a list telling you what are the top five Budapest attractions.

The attractions on this list are things to see, which means that we have not included activities and programs. These are buildings and landmarks that you simple need to see, because they are stunning and because if you do not see them, you can not return home claiming to have seen the most important sights in Budapest. So here we go, our top five Budapest attractions.

Top five Budapest attractions

St. Stephens Basilica
We have always been big fans of the St. Stephens Basilica. It has a beautiful exterior and interior. From the square outside the church it is possible to make magnificent pictures, from the dome you can enjoy the best view available on the Pest side, and inside you can enjoy the mixture of prayer, organ music and beautiful paintings, sculptures and much more!

St. Stephens Basilica in Budapest
St. Stephens Basilica is in our eyes the most beautiful church in all of Budapest! Majestic both on the inside and the outside.

Parliament
The Hungarian Parliament might be the most impressive of all buildings in Budapest. It is located by the Danube and it reminds quite a lot about the Parliament in London. As you watch the building from the outside you will be extremely impressed, but do not make the mistake to think that you have seen it once your bus or taxi has driven next to it during daytime. It is when the lights are turned on in the evening it turns into one of the most beautiful buildings Europe has to offer.

The Hungarian Parliament
One of the nicest Parliament buildings in the world can be found in Budapest

Heroes Square
If you want an introduction to the history of Hungary, bring a guide book or a guide with you to the Heroes Square. The square is beautiful both during daytime and nighttime, but be aware of the fact that in the hottest months it is hard to be out on the square for more than 5-10 minutes. The monuments and the statues at the square are delightful, and the two wonderful museums at both sides of the square just gives a plus to it all.

Heroes Square in Budapest
The best place to get an introduction to the history of Hungary, the Heroes Square

Chain Bridge
If you buy a postcard from Budapest, it is very possible that the Chain Bridge is the landmark you will see on it. The bridge is first of all a favorite object to photograph when it is illuminated in the evening, and it is also the oldest bridge connecting Pest with Buda. Beautiful, and almost impossible to miss out on when in Budapest.

Top Five Budapest attractions
The Chain Bridge is one of the most beautiful attractions in Budapest

Castle Hill
The fifth and last attraction on our list of the Top five Budapest attractions is the Castle Hill. We realize that the Castle Hill in fact is a hill and not one attraction, so it is kind of tricky. However, as we write the Castle Hill as an attraction it includes the castle building itself, but also the Matthias Church and the Fishermens Bastion.

Matthias Church in Budapest
The Matthias Church is beautiful, and its location next to the Fishermens Bastion is perfect.

The best route to see these five attractions

If you decide to see all these five attraction on one and the same little trip on your own, then we recommend the following route.

  • Start your tour at the Heroes Square
  • Take the yellow metro or walk your way down the Andrassy avenue to the St. Stephens Basilica
  • Continue towards the Chain Bridge and walk across it
  • Walk on foot or use the funicular to get to the Castle Hill
  • Walk from the Castle towards the Trinity square (Szentharomsag ter)
  • Enjoy the view of the Matthias Church and the Fishermens Bastion
  • Walk to the top of one of the viewing points at the Fishermens Bastion and see the beautiful Parliament from there.

Enjoy your trip and if you have further thoughts and advices, just write a comment!

Prague vs. Budapest

Prague vs. Budapest

Posted on by Budapest Guide

There is a constant fight between Prague and Budapest; which city should the tourist visit? In 2008 Prague had almost 5,000,000 tourists coming to visit the city. Hungary had a total amount of 10,000,000 tourists coming in 2008. London alone has around 27,000,000 per year. Quite some numbers! But the real fight is not between Budapest and London, but between Budapest and Prague. As the cities are located quite near to oneanother, some people decide to combine the two cities, while other feels as if they have to decide… Budapest or Prague!

Beautiful Budapest

I need to decide – Budapest or Prague?
Last week I visited Prague and I had quite high expectations. As a guide in Budapest I know the city, the buildings, the history and love the city. Could Prague compete? Yes it could. This should be an objective article, so I will try to keep it that way.

What I liked better in Prague!
In Prague the center felt much more compact and concentrated. It was not only one shopping street (as Vaci Utca in Budapest), but if you went into a sidestreet from the shopping street you could still find beautiful shopping streets, romantic sidewalks, outdoor cafes and restaurants. Of course we visited a shopping center, and it was a great experience to walk into Palladium, which from the outside looks as an oldfashioned building, but on the inside a very modern shoppingcenter (just like WestEnd in Budapest). But what I enjoyed the most was the really nice and compact inner city, and also the feeling that you will probably find something interested in the sidestreets as well. In that inner area of the city there was not much cars (big plus). The walk towards the castlearea can also be done in such circumstances! Enjoyable!

What I like better in Budapest!
There are a lot of things to say, but the view from the Pestside towards the Danube where you can see the Gellert Hill, the Castle, the Fishermens Bastion and so is to me much more enjoyable than the panorama in Prague. The panorama given from the Gellert Hill is as well outstanding! The bridges of Budapest is nicer as well (in my oppinion), though I have to say that the Charles Bridge in Prague is a nice piece of art. Of course this might vary (due to the fact that I did not eat in the best places in Prague), but I do prefer the restaurants in Budapest compared to those in Prague. Especially the principle of taken payed for placing bread or ketchup at your table (even though you do not eat of it or ask for it) feels a little bit strange.

This article could last forever, but I have to end it here. So, the decision is yours, but if you come to Budapest, join us on a guided tour, and fall in love with Budapest as well!