BUDAPEST

Hungarian Parliament Building (Országház) -  The Hungarian Parliament Building, also known as the Parliament of Budapest after its location, is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, a notable landmark of Hungary, and a popular tourist destination in Budapest. Budapest was united from three cities in 1873, namely Buda, Óbuda, and Pest. Seven years later the Diet resolved to establish a new, representative parliament building, expressing the sovereignty of the nation. The building was planned to face the Danube River. An international competition was held, and Imre Steindl emerged as the victor. Construction from the winning plan was started in 1885, and the building was inaugurated on the presumed 1,000th anniversary of the country in 1896. The keys to the building were handed over in 1902, however, It was not fully completed until 1904. - To visit the outside is FREE.  They have tours inside for $28 per person and it is well worth it, but needs to be scheduled ahead of time.

Great Market Hall (Nagycsarnok) - the largest and oldest indoor market in Budapest.  The building was designed and built by Samu Pecz in 1897. The market offers a large variety of stalls on three floors. The entrance gate has a neo gothic touch. A distinctive architectural feature is the roof which was restored to have colorful Zsolnay tiling from Pécs. The size of the building is 10,000 square meters and is covered by a steel structure. During World War II the market was significantly damaged and remained in deteriorating condition. It wasn't until 1991 that a thorough renovation was undertaken to bring it back to its original splendor. - FREE

Gellért fürdő or Gellért Baths - The Gellért Baths complex includes thermal baths, which are small pools containing water from Gellért hill's mineral hot springs.  The bath complex in Budapest was built between 1912 and 1918 in the Art Nouveau style. They were damaged during World War II, but then rebuilt. References to healing waters in this location are found from as early as the 13th century. A hospital was located on this site during the Middle Ages. During the reign of the Ottoman Empire, baths were built on this particular site. - $29/pp

Gellert Hill – a 235 m (771 ft) high hill overlooking the Danube in Budapest, Hungary. Gellért Hill was named after Saint Gerard who was thrown to his death from the hill. - FREE (currently closed for renovation but we can get close)

Széchenyi Lánchíd or Széchenyi Chain Bridge is a suspension bridge that spans the River Danube between Buda and Pest, the western and eastern sides of Budapest. It was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Budapest, and was opened in 1849. The bridge is named after István Széchenyi, a major supporter of its construction. At the time of its construction, it counted as a wonder of the world. It had an enormous significance in the country's economics and life. Its decorations made of cast iron, and its construction, radiating calm dignity and balance, raised it among the most beautiful industrial monuments in Europe. It became a symbol of advancement, national awakening, and the linkage between East and West. - FREE

The Budapest Castle Hill Funicular or Budavári Sikló is a funicular railway in the city of Budapest. The line was opened on March 2, 1870, and has been in municipal ownership since 1920. It was destroyed in the Second World War and reopened on June 4, 1986. Features of the line are the two pedestrian foot bridges which cross above it. These were present when the line opened, were removed in 1900 when the castle's garden was extended, and rebuilt to the original design in 1983 - $5/pp

Buda Castle (Hungarian: Budai Vár) is the historical castle complex of the Hungarian kings in Budapest, Hungary, first completed in 1265. In the past, it was also called Royal Palace (Hungarian: Királyi-palota) and Royal Castle (Hungarian: Királyi Vár). - - FREE

Matthias Church (Hungarian: Mátyás-templom) is a church located in Budapest, Hungary, at the heart of Buda's Castle District. According to church tradition, it was originally built in 1015. The current building was constructed in the florid late Gothic style in the second half of the 14th century and was extensively restored in the late 19th century. It was the second largest church in medieval Buda. - FREE if you don’t want to go in - $15/pp if you want to go in

Fisherman's Bastion (Halászbástya) is a terrace in neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque style situated on the Buda bank of the Danube, on the Castle hill in Budapest, around Matthias Church. It was designed and built between 1895 and 1902 (Restoration in 1947–48). From the towers and the terrace a panoramic view exists of Duna, Margaret Island, Pest to the east and Gellért Hill. Its seven towers represent the seven Magyar tribes that settled in the Carpathian Basin in 896. The Bastion takes its name from the guild of fishermen that was responsible for defending this stretch of the city walls in the Middle Ages. It is a viewing terrace, with many stairs and walking paths. A bronze statue of Stephen I of Hungary mounted on a horse, erected in 1906, can be seen between the Bastion and the Matthias Church. - FREE

Fogaskereku/Children's Railway - The Children's Railway is located in the west of the city of Budapest. Its eleven-kilometer-long, narrow gauge line runs through the woods of the hills of the city on the Buda side. Children aged 10 to 14 control the traffic and commercial services provided, but strictly according to regulations of any other railway line of the State Railways of Hungary.  The engines are driven by adult engineers, and children on duty are continuously supervised by adult railway employees. - - $5/pp

Hungarian State Opera House. A neo-Renaissance opera house located in central Pest. It is a richly-decorated building and is considered one of the architect's masterpieces. It was built in neo-Renaissance style, with elements of baroque. The auditorium holds 1261 seats.  The construction lasted from 1875 to 1884. - FREE if you don’t want to go in - $20 for a tour/pp

House of Terror. The museum contains exhibits related to the fascist and communist dictatorial regimes in 20th century Hungary and is also a memorial to the victims of these regimes, including those detained, interrogated, tortured or killed in the building. If you only do one museum, this is the one. - $12/pp

Hosok Tere (Hero’s Square). It is one of the major squares of Budapest, rich with historical and political connotations. Hősök tere is surrounded by two important buildings, Museum of Fine Arts on the left and Palace of Art (or more accurately Hall of Art) on the right. - FREE

Szecheny Baths. The Széchenyi Medicinal Bath in Budapest (Széchenyi-gyógyfürdő) is the largest medicinal bath in Europe. Its water is supplied by two thermal springs; their temperature is 74°F/23°C and 77°F/25°C, respectively. The bath can be found in the City Park, and was built in 1913 in Neo-baroque. It is also a station of the yellow M1 (Millennium Underground) line of the Budapest Metro. - $29/pp

Acquincum - remnants of a Roman town, 106 A.D.  Today at Aquincum visitors can see statues, paintings, coins, and a lot of very interesting ancient things within the walls where these artifacts were new sometime. Between remnants of houses and courtyards slender roads of yore lead to the ruins of marketplace, baths, gymnasium, and a shrine. - $6/pp - there are other roman ruins around it that are free

Elizabeth Lookout - The Elizabeth Lookout (Hungarian: Erzsébet-kilátó) is a historic lookout tower on János Hill (Hungarian: János-hegy) above Budapest. Built in 1911, the tower was named after Empress Elisabeth, wife of Emperor Franz Joseph I. Frigyes Schulek was the architect. At 527 meters (1,729 ft) , János-hegy is the highest point in Budapest. Awesome view of Budapest and most of Hungary from the top - FREE

Tomb of Gül Baba - Gül Baba's tomb in Budapest, Hungary, is the northernmost Islamic pilgrimage site in the world. The mausoleum is located in the district of Rózsadomb on Mecset Street, a short but steep walk from Margaret Bridge. Gül Baba was a member of the Bektás Dervish Order, who died in Ottoman Buda in 1541. He died during the conquest of Buda, Hungary, by the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. Gül Baba was declared to be the Wali (Patron saint) of the city. - FREE

House of Music - The House of Music Hungary, a unique and complex institution of musical initiation and the venue for the country’s first comprehensive exhibition presenting the history of music, opened in the City Park in January 2022. Although Hungary is famed for its musical heritage, no multi-faceted exhibition presenting the history of Hungarian music in the context of European music had been hosted in any Hungarian institution exhibition before this one. The iconic building, designed by Japanese star architect Sou Fujimoto was selected from among 170 international projects and since the announcement of the design as the winner of the architectural competition it has attracted massive attention in international professional circles. This is confirmed, for example, by the fact that in early 2021 it was listed by CNN and the World Architecture Community as one of the ten most anticipated new buildings of the year. The final result did not disappoint: a truly contemporary architectural masterpiece has come into being. - FREE

Central Park - The City Park is a public park close to the center of Budapest, Hungary. It is a 0.9-by-0.6-mile rectangle, with an area of 302 acres. Szecheny bath and Vajdahunyad Vara are located in the park - FREE

Danube Sightseeing Cruise - A 1 hour 15 minute boat ride on the Danube.  The best way to see the city. - Pricing depends on availability of boats and weather situation

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DAYTRIP - SZEGED

Day trip to Szeged (Noemi’s home town).   Szeged is the fourth largest city of Hungary, the regional center of South-Eastern Hungary and the capital of the county of Csongrád. - $20/pp round trip

The Votive Church of Our Lady of Hungary is a twin-spired church in Szeged. Construction began in 1913, but due to the outbreak of the First World War, it was not completed until 1930.  It is the fourth largest church in Hungary. The dome is 54m outside (33m above the inside floor) and the towers are both 91m high. The "Heroes' bell" in the tower on the Tisza side weighs 8600kg.  The church was built as a token of gratitude to God for his help in warding off new floods of the Tisza river. - FREE

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DAYTRIP - SZENTENDRE

Day trip to Szentendere.  Szentendre is a riverside town in Pest county, near the capital city Budapest. It is known for its museums (most notably the Open-Air Ethnographic Museum), galleries, and artists. Due to its picturesque appearance and easy rail and river access, it has become a popular destination for tourists staying in Budapest. There are many facilities including shops and restaurants catering for these visitors. - $5/pp round trip

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DAYTRIP - ESZTERGOM

Day trip to Esztergom - Esztergom is a City with county rights in northern Hungary, 46 kilometres northwest of the capital Budapest. It lies in Komárom-Esztergom county, on the right bank of the river Danube, which forms the border with Slovakia there. Esztergom is one of the oldest towns in Hungary.[13] Esztergom, as it existed in the Middle Ages, now rests under today's town. King Stephen's coronation took place in Esztergom on either Christmas Day 1000 or January 1, 1001. - $6.50/pp round trip

Sturovo - While we are in Esztergom, we can cross over to Slovakia.  Štúrovo is a town in Slovakia, situated on the River Danube. Its population in 2018 was 10,279. The town is situated opposite the Hungarian city of Esztergom. The Mária Valéria bridge connects the settlements. The bridge was destroyed in 1944 during World War II, but reconstructed in 2001. - FREE

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DAYTRIP - LAKE BALATON

Lake Balaton is a freshwater lake in western Hungary. It’s a major holiday destination with beaches, volcanic hills, resort towns and high-rise hotels along its 197km shoreline. Lake Balton is the inland sea of Hungary, and Europe's largest lake. Train tickets are about $15/pp

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DAYTRIP - VIENNA - AUSTRIA

Day trip to Vienna - Vienna, Austria’s capital, lies in the country’s east on the Danube River. Its artistic and intellectual legacy was shaped by residents including Mozart, Beethoven and Sigmund Freud. The city is also known for its Imperial palaces, including Schönbrunn, the Habsburgs’ summer residence.  - $26.50/pp roundtrip = $6/pp day ticket

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Other sites:

  • Many other things as we walk the city
  • St. Stephen's Basilica
  • Feneketlen to (Bottomless lake) Budapest
  • Memento park Budapest - old communist statues
  • Godollo
  • Romai part
  • Tata
  • Margaret Island
  • Parizsi Udvar