Budapest: Feel the magic
Ah but Budapest is beautiful
First published in Sunday Times, August 2020
The beauty of Budapest sets it apart from many other European cities. It has the architecture, think baroque, art nouveau, renaissance, gothic or off-beat; it has natural beauty such as the Danube curving through the city and the Buda Hills looking down on leafy Pest; and it has a vibrant yet genteel night life.
Pest is the flat part of the city whereas Buda is hilly.
From Castle Hill in Buda you have a great view over the rest of the city. A visit to Matthias Church and the Fishermen’s Bastion are two of the must-sees in the capital of Hungary. Ruszwurm is a tiny patisserie not too far from here that serves delicious cakes with a cuppa.
On the banks of the river Danube
At the bottom of Gellért Hill the Gellért Baths beckon. Remember to pack swim wear and flip flops in order to enjoy the swimming pool (it feels like you are swimming in a cathedral!), thermal bath pools and Finnish sauna in Budapest’s most famous thermal spa, housed in an art nouveau palace that will leave you agape.
Hungary arguably has the most impressive parliament building in the world. It fronts the river in the Pest side of Budapest and it needs to be seen in the day and at night when it’s floodlit.
A stone’s throw away the Four Seasons Budapest Gresham Palace offers the most scrumptious high tea imaginable which enables you to marvel at the original staircase, stained glass windows, ironwork and mosaics.
Take a walk from here to the Jewish Quarter. This district has become a vibey area with countless restaurants, coffee shops and delicatessens.
Say cheers (Egészségedre in Hungarian) in the Jewish Quarter
The Jewish Quarter is where you will find numerous funky ruin pubs. This moniker came about as these bars were built in the ruins of abandoned or derelict buildings, cellars or unused public spaces. The old Jewish Quarter was left to decay after World War II; many decades later the first ruin pub to open was Szimpla Kert in 2002.
Most of the ruin pubs have an inner courtyard that is edgy, artsy and eclectically furnished with flea market finds, weird antiques, shop mannequins and graffiti on the walls.
Few people are not enamoured by the charm of the ruin pubs.
The Hungarian Olympic champion épée fencer, Tamás Gábor (1932-2007) (in Hungarian he is called Gábor Tamás as a different word order is used for names and surnames) described these watering holes as follows: “On summer nights, I love relaxing in the courtyards of falling down buildings, gulping white wine spritzers and hoping the walls of the latest ruin pub won’t collapse on my head (or any other body part).”
The day after the night before
Set aside one morning – preferably not after a ruin pub stint the night before – to head to the Central or Great Market Hall for its indoor food market (closed on Sundays and public holidays).
This glorious fin-de-siècle building with its iron latticework clad in glass and its colourful roof tiles was constructed in 1897; it spans a full three city blocks in length. During World War II it was damaged extensively. About three decades ago it was restored to its former glory.
Upon arrival, head to the upper floor. If you ensure that you are here before 10h00 – that is when busloads of tourists start to arrive – you will share narrow counters with the stall holders as you tuck into breakfast. Join them for a beer to add a buzz to your day.
On the ground floor city slickers, house wives and visitors to Budapest mingle whilst stocking up on brinjals, cabbages, peppers, squashes, kohlrabies, wild mushrooms, radishes, cherries, quinces, blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries, red currants, acacia honey, paprika salamis, paprika hams, paprika sausages, pickles, lavender products and Tokaj wines.
If you are looking for gifts for those back home head back to the upper floor though what is available here – from oven mitts and embroidered table cloths to funky and lewd aprons – you will also see in any other souvenir shop.
If architecture is your thing also head to Budapest Nyugati Pályaudvar (Western Railway Station), one of three main railway terminals in Budapest. The station was built by the Eiffel Company, belonging to Gustave Eiffel (yes, him!). The station building is an absolute masterpiece. It was completed by Eiffel in 1877; a dozen years before the Eiffel Tower in Paris was erected.
The station restaurant, Baross Étterem, in the glass-fronted train shed, has a faded grandeur and a pleasant atmosphere. The décor is old-fashioned, with mirrors, golden frames and chandeliers. They serve unpretentious food and are fully licensed. Try one of the traditional brandies – choose between apricot, pear or kosher plum.
A premium ticket on the Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour of Budapest that sells for less than 30 Euro includes a river cruise down the Danube as well. It offers 25 stops and includes sights – such as the Grand Synagogue, Heroes Square, the Royal Palace, Chain Bridge, Margaret Island and the National Theatre – in both Buda and Pest.
Once you have seen all the main sights take a day to walk around Pest without setting a specific itinerary. Part of the charm of Pest is an unexpected olde-worlde shop, a greengrocer on the corner, a hole-in-the-wall that serves coffee at bar stools on the pavement or a bar where moustachioed old fogies enjoy a pint.
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How safe is Hungary at the moment? The Hungarian government has set up a website with up-to-date information on official measures regarding Covid-19. For more information see www.koronavirus.gov.hu
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