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Pest, Buda & The Danube
Pest, Buda & The Danube
Pest and Buda were separate cities before unifying as the capital Budapest in 1873. The reason for this late unification was simple: the bridges.
If you're wondering which part of the city you're in, it's simple: Buda is the hilly side, while Pest is the flat side. Residents of Buda take particular pride in their location—there's even a saying that "Living in Buda is a worldview." Purchasing or renting an apartment or villa is significantly more expensive than on the Pest side. However, most entertainment venues—theaters, cinemas, and pubs—are found in the bustling Pest side.
From large parks like the City Park and Margaret Island to hilly footpaths, natural Danube shores, and exciting caves—Budapest's diverse natural spaces enrich our daily lives.
Then there's the Danube: it provides natural drinking water, enables river sports and cruises, and occasionally brings floods and ice. You might be surprised to learn that the water quality is excellent, and the city council plans to restore the wooden swimming pools that lined the shores in the 1900s.
Getting around in Budapest
Getting around in Budapest
Public transport
Budapest has excellent public transportation. There are no zones; tickets are valid up to the administrative border of Budapest and for all types of vehicles: metro, bus, tram, etc. The tram network and the subway are the fastest, but the bus and environmentally friendly trolley network are also good choices. Tickets and day passes can be purchased at the purple ticket machines at busy stations, or redeemed via the BudapestGo app (keep in mind that the phone must always be charged).
Public tranport ticket prices are published on THIS site
The single ticket must be timestamped with the stamp machine upon boarding the vehicle or entering the metro station; otherwise, it is invalid and a penalty is payable. You can choose the start of validity for daily tickets (24/72 hours), and the last minute of use will already be printed on them. You just have to adhere to the deadline.
Recommended bike rental companies
Zedbikes at Astoria Bike&Relax in Madách Street. Both companies rent out high-quality regular bikes and e-bikes, and they also organize tours. At Zedbikes I might be your tour guide :)
BUBI public bike system The bike can be used after the app is downloaded and is recommended only for short trips and with a monthly ticket. Its per-minute rate is quite expensive compared to a full-day rental from a bike rental shop.
Taxi
Uber is available and an other one "Bolt" operates similarly to Uber, offering in-app payments. Another significant company is "Fotaxi", which accepts card payments. Please be aware that due to traffic jams, taxi travel may take longer, and you might have to wait 20 minutes in peak time for the car to arrive. All taxis are yellow, but be cautious not to hastily enter a car marked "freelancer". The locals in Budapest refer to them as "hyenas" because, unfortunately, some of them often deceive unsuspecting visitors.
Thermal Baths
Thermal Baths
Spa culture is an integral part of the country. The medicinal water, used for healing the body and soul for centuries, is worth trying. There are Turkish baths from the middle ages such as Rudas, Veli Bej, and Király, which date back to the Ottoman occupation. The modern bathhouses like Széchenyi and Gellért were built in the early 1900s. I am often asked which is the "best" spa in the city, and which one I recommend. This is difficult to answer because each spa is unique, as are your needs
The largest complex is in the City Park (Városliget). All 21 of its indoor and outdoor pools are coed, making them ideal for couples. It's the spa with the longest opening hours (6am to 8pm), and it can get busy during high season. In winter, relaxing in the outdoor pool while it snows is a great experience. You can even play chess in the thermal pool. After closing on Saturday evenings, a "Sparty" swimsuit party with DJs is held for night owls.
The bath is connected to a hotel and with its exquisite interior, this was the bath for kings and nobles. If you are a fan of architecture and Art Nouveau, this is the place for you as the pool areas are richly decorated with colored stained glass windows, marble, and Zsolnay porcelain tiles. It has 12 pools; the outdoor wave pool is only open in the summer. The entire thermal bath is co-ed and is also ideal for couples.
The Rudas is a Turkish bath in Budapest dating back to 1556, a remnant of the Ottoman occupation. The steam bath and swimming hall were added at the end of the 1800s and a modern wellness department was also established 10 years ago. The highlight is the pool and jacuzzi on the building's top, overlooking the Danube. The Turkish bath section is open to women or men only on certain days, so check beforehand. They offer relaxed night bathing on Fridays from 10 pm to 3 am.
The thermal spring of Lukacs had a nice tradition from the 19th century. All those seeking healing came here from all over the world and after their successful treatments, they placed marble plaques of gratitude on the wall of the spa's courtyard, which can still be seen today. It was also the center of intellectual social life, and local patriots from Budapest still frequent it today. It is located north of Margaret Bridge on the Buda side.
The bath founded in 1574 under Ottoman rule, is a real gem. The renovated spa is a mixture of ancient and modern and it is licensed for a maximum of 80 people. On weekdays, it is only open to the public in the afternoon, as treatments of the connected hospital take place in the mornings. There are 3-hour long tickets, and unfortunately, you cannot book tickets online.
This is the central webpage of Budapest’s baths for more details.
Archive photo: Fortepan 1973 / #205233 Kereki Sandor
Gastronomy & Restaurants
Gastronomy & Restaurants
When Hungarian gastronomy comes to travelers' minds, the first thing is usually: "goulash"! Hungary made efforts, especially during the communist era, to be identified by this rich paprika-flavored soup.
While paprika is undoubtedly a significant part of Hungarian cuisine—varying by household—our gastronomy offers much more than just one spice. Located in the heart of Europe, Hungarian gastronomy has been shaped by many influences. Paprika was introduced to Hungary only in the 17th century during the Ottoman Empire's occupation. Italian, Turkish, Austrian, and French cuisines are closely tied to Hungarian food due to the region's political history. Jewish cuisine also has a long-standing tradition here, like solet, or goose soup or the delicious cake, flodni.
Budapest now offers also several Michelin-starred restaurants, and you can find current recommendations here
Hungarian Wine
Hungary is an excellent wine country, though its wine quality suffered during 45 years of communism when all private property was nationalized. After communism ended in 1990, private wineries began producing quality wines again. Today, Hungary has 22 wine regions, with roughly one-third dedicated to red grape varieties.
White grape varieties make up 70% of the country's vineyards, including Hárslevelű, Furmint, and Olaszrizling. The Tokaj wine region, famous since the 1700s, is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its renowned Tokaji Aszú, almost the world's oldest sweet wine, is made from hand-harvested grapes that have dried to a raisin-like state.
I encourage you to explore various dishes on the menu and ask your waiter or somelier for recommendations of traditional Hungarian food and wines!
Here are some local restaurants, several of which offer international cuisine. Please visit their websites and read the reviews to ensure they match your preferences.
Pest side
Buda side
Music & Cultural Venues
Music & Cultural Venues
Music plays an important role in Hungarian everyday life. The famous composer and pianist Franz Liszt was born in Hungary, and together with Ferenc Erkel, he established the Academy of Music in Budapest in 1875. The world-known solfège system, a music teaching method, was invented by Hungarian composer Zoltán Kodály. Music is a fundamental part of our elementary school education—even children who cannot sing must learn to read music, study composers, and learn our main folk songs. Local public music schools provide instruction for children to learn musical instruments.
The Hungarian State Opera House boasts the second-best acoustics in Europe. It presents opera and ballet performances almost daily. The stunning building also offers guided tours.
The Academy of Music is equally worth visiting—its beautiful Art Nouveau building is a real gem offering diverse programs including jazz, organ, classical music, children's concerts, and open student recitals.
MÜPA (Palace of Arts) is a massive modern concert hall on the outskirts of Budapest that showcases stars of classical, jazz, and world music.
St. Stephen's Basilica and Matthias Church in the Castle District host regular organ and symphonic concerts.
The House of Music in the City Park offers interactive workshops, concerts, exhibitions, and a unique sound dome that creates an immersive, relaxing experience.
For authentic Hungarian folk music and dance performances and workshops, visit FoNo and Hagyományok Háza on the Buda side.
Madach Musical Theatre, Örkény István Theatre and Vígszínház - offers perfromances with Englsih subtitles
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