The Pearl of the Danube (Budapest, Hungary)

Bank holidays mean a long weekend! My cousin Carine and I decided to go to Budapest from 2 to 6 November 2018. This is the first time we have visited one of the Eastern European countries. We expected to have much colder weather than in Paris but this was not the case. Temperatures reached 20°C during the day, we were very lucky! I brought warm clothes for nothing!
As I told you in my article on South Korea, my cousin and I didn't plan to stop any time soon in our adventures, so here's the second one together.

Day 1

We took a flight in the late afternoon on Friday, November 2nd from Orly with Transavia. As the flight was full, there were no more seats for our luggage, only the first 10 people to get on the plane were allowed to take their cabin luggage with them. All the other passengers, including the two of us, had to put their luggage in the baggage hold (free of charge, of course). The aircraft seats were really comfortable and very colourful (green like the company's colour). The flight lasted 1 hour and 50 minutes. Once we arrived at Budapest airport, we picked up our luggage; the luggage on the carousels was all upright, which is very surprising, so it means that the airport staff took care of our luggage. 

To get to our hotel, we used the miniBUD service, a shuttle that takes you directly to your hotel. We took the round trip not to worry on the day of our return. The airport staff in charge of the miniBUD service gave us a ticket with a number on it. All we had to do was looking at a display screen and waiting for our number to appear; the screen would indicate that the shuttle was ready and its number. There were nine of us in the shuttle, including the driver. He dropped the passengers off at their hotel and then dropped us off last.

What about our hotel? It is a 4-star hotel very well located in Budapest. In just under 10 minutes by foot, we had access to the Parliament and the Danube. The Hotel Parlament Budapest has a jacuzzi, sauna, bar, meeting rooms, delicious red and green apples in self-service and also offers breakfast. We had a welcome drink when we arrived.

Jacuzzi

After leaving our things in the room and visiting the different rooms of the hotel, we went for a walk near the Parliament.
The Parliament is wonderful by night!

Francis II Rákóczi statue

Poet Attila Jozsef

Hungarian Prime minister István Tisza

Lajos Kossuth and his members of the Parliament

Day 2

The next morning, we enjoyed the hotel's extensive lunch before heading to the Terézváros district where we walked on Andrássy út, the Champs Elysées of Budapest and near Budapest-Nyugati Station.

Andrássy út

Fur shop; I am against fur but the shop window is beautiful

Halloween

Budapest-Nyugati station

McDonald's Nyugati, the most beautiful McDonald's of the world

Sophie Brasserie

We then had lunch in Sophie Brasserie where we tasted the famous goulash. We also tasted Távoli Galaxis beer, a Hungarian beer, I strongly advise against drinking that. It smells very bad (smell of feet or cheese) and has a disgusting taste.

Once we were satisfied, we headed for the Belváros-Lipótváros district where we entered the Saint Stephen Basilica, walked through Erzsébet ter and did the Terror Háza (House of Terror) which traces the history of fascist and communist regimes in Hungary.

Saint Stephen Basilica

Erzsébet tér

Market

Mobile library

Here too there are Cat Café as in Seoul

Newspaper Boy

Budapest Eye by day

Budapest Eye by night

Then we head towards the Castle Hill via the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, from where we have a beautiful view of the Buda Castle, where we took the funicular.

Széchenyi Chain Bridge

I love the blurred look of this picture

Buda Castle Tunnel

Budavári Sikló (Budapest funicular)

Buda Castle

View on the Parliament

We then headed to the Erzsébetváros Jewish district where we ate in the Cupákos restaurant.

Day 3

In the morning, we booked a visit to the Parliament via the hotel reception and places for two Hungarian thermal baths. We then walked near the Parliament before heading to Margaret Island.

Hungarian Parliament

The Parliament by day is not as beautiful by night, but the guards put on a "show".

Margaret Island

On the Margaret Island, we rented a pedal cart for 2 hours which allowed us to go around the island and build our legs (thank you very much for the sore muscles in the evening, say hello to the Jacuzzi).

Hungarian politician Anna Kéthly

Olympic Games

View on Margaret Island

Our Mario Kart

Japanese garden

Outdoor theatre

Tree with tentacular branches

Once we visited Margaret Island, we headed to the Budavár district to visit Mathias Church and the Labyrinth of Buda Castle.

On the way to Mathias Church

Toldy Ferenc high school

Hunfalvy utca (Hunfalvy street)

Saint Mathias Church

What about this church? It's beautiful! It reminds me a lot of Hogwarts (in Harry Potter) thanks to its sublime turrets. This place is one of my favourites in Budapest with the Parliament, two such beautiful monuments by night. The Church is also very beautiful during the day.

Wedding

Saint Mathias Church model

Let's go to Buda Castle

Labyrinth of Buda Castle

According to legend, Count Dracula was locked up under Buda Castle. The Labyrinth of Buda Castle allows you to discover his chamber by the light of a torch. Fearful, run away, you might wet your pants!

Entry to the labyrinth

Cruise on the Danube

After visiting Dracula's spooky chamber, we took a night cruise on the Danube. Great to see the beautiful monuments of Budapest illuminated. An alcoholic beverage was offered to us during the cruise.

Our boat, the Legenda

We were starving when we got back from the cruise. We bought a "Hungarian", a very spicy pizza not far from our hotel.

"Hungarian" pizza

Day 4

We have booked a guided tour of the Parliament via the hotel reception. When the receptionist went on the Internet to book 2 seats for a guided tour in French, he told us that another person was booking the last two tickets at the same time. So we chose to do the tour in English.

Great Market Hall

In the morning, we went to the Belső-Ferencváros district to stroll around the Great Market Hall. Aficionados of cooked meats, fruit and vegetables and typical dishes, you will be served! My cousin and I took a sausage rice with us before we went to the Parliament.

Parliament

After swallowing our sausage rice in front of the Parliament, we entered for the visit. The interior is very beautiful but I was left hungry because I found the visit was fast. We were not allowed to take a picture of the Holy Crown of Hungary nor the large hall in which it is displayed and well guarded. I also had the impression that I had seen very few of the rooms of the monument.

The different rooms visited in the Parliament

After visiting the Parliament, we wen to the thermal baths of Budapest, opened during winter and summer and the water temperature reaches up to 36°C in winter, a real treat!

Gellért thermal baths

First of all, swimming in the Gellért thermal baths in the Szentimreváros district. We were not conquered by these thermal baths which we found far too simple despite the beautiful view of the city. Maybe we haven't visited every nook of these baths.

Széchenyi thermal baths

Head for the Széchenyi thermal baths in the Városliget district just after. So there my friends, what to say, what to say? A pure wonder these thermal baths! The swimming area is very large and equipped with a swimming pool, water jets, a "jacuzzi"; and an "tourist attraction"; in which bathers are drawn into a whirl of waves, it was great!

Acces to the stateroom

The swimming pool

I Quattro Artisti restaurant and surroundings

Head to the Belváros-Lipótváros district for dinner at the I Quattro Artisti restaurant.

Girl with her dog statue

Hàz söre pohar hungarian beer

Hungarian beef

Paprika chicken

Little Princess Statue

Statue of the Hungarian artist Roskovics Ignac

Shoes on the Danube Bank (memorial to honour the Jews who were killed during the Holocaust)

Day 5

For this last day in Budapest, we walked along the Danube in the morning before taking our shuttle to the airport.

Shoes on the Danube Bank (by day)

Renault Zoé in Budapest

Additional information and feelings:

I really liked this city which I find beautiful. The buildings are in Haussmann style, which is why Budapest is sometimes referred to as "Paris of the East".

The city is much more beautiful at night with all its bright facades; taking a cruise on the Danube by night is therefore a very good idea.

The city has many bronze statues, each one prettier than the other, we no longer know where to look.

The city can be visited on foot, something we did during the whole stay. We used public transport (bus, tram and metro) on rare occasions to make the most of our stay and visit as much as possible at the end of the stay.

There is no fraud in Budapest, there are ticket inspectors stationed next to the punchers in the metro stations.

To get to the Széchenyi thermal baths, both on the outward and return journey, the bus drivers let us board for free. We wanted to pay in cash but I don't think it was possible, so that's why we travelled for free.

Ticket

Puncher

Budapest is a very friendly cycling city, there are cycle paths everywhere.

Thank you to my cousin Carine for making this trip with me; as I said in my article on South Korea, it will not be the last. See you in 2019 for our next adventures together. You can't change a winning team!