WHAT ELSE TO DO IN BUDAPEST AND IN
HUNGARY / Tips?
Attending the Opera
The Opera House is one of Budapest's most spectacular buildings. For the price of a
baseball ticket back home, you can sit in the royal box,once the preserve of Habsburg
monarchs.
Taking a Leisurely Walk in the Buda Hills.
It's hard to believe that such an expanse of hilly forest land is right here within the
capital city. The trails are plenty; every Budapest native has a favorite hiking trail.
Shopping for Produce and Salami at the Market
Halls.
Built at the turn of the century, Budapest's vintage market halls continue to be home to
lively commerce in fruits and vegetables. Even if the vendors seem oblivious to the great
halls they work in, you'll marvel at their size and dignity.
Stopping for Coffee and Pastry at the New York
Kávéház.
One of the city's finest an nouveau interiors, the New York Coffeehouse has been serving
coffee and pastries since the turn of the century, when it was the place for artists,
writers, and actors.
 Dipping into the Thermal Baths.
No Central European could imagine a trip to Budapest without at least one session in the
city's fabled thermal waters. The art nouveau Hotel Gellért is the most glorious of the
many bathhouses - others are 16th-century Turkish baths. More info
here
Dining in Grandeur at
Gundel.
Although this is Budapest's most expensive and fanciest restaurant, you can get a meal
here for the price of a casual lunch in Vienna. The owner is George Lang, whose book The
Cuisine of Hungary is an authoritative source on the subject.
Cruising Down the Danube.
The wide stretch of the Danube divides Buda from Pest; a boat ride affords you a view of
most of the City's great buildings. You can go by boat to the charming towns of Szentendre
and Visegrád along the Danube Bend.
Participate on a Folklore evening on the Danube! More information
here!
Strolling through the Jewish District.
Budapest has the largest Jewish population of any city on the European continent (outside
Russia). Pest's historic Jewish neighborhood, run-down but relatively unchanged, resonates
with the magic and tragedy of the past.
Guided tour available here!
Visiting the Margit Kovács Museum in Szentendre.
The works of Hungary's best-known ceramic artist are displayed in this expansive museum in
a lovely, if tourist-infested, village of the Danube Bend. Kovács's unique sculptures of
elderly women and her folk-art-influenced friezes of village life are especially moving.
 Hiking in the Hills outside Szigliget.
You can hike up to the fantastic ruins of a 13th-century castle that remain
above this scenic little village in the Lake Balaton region, or go a few miles farther
north and hike up into hills covered with vineyards.
Swimming in the Thermal Lake at Héviz.
Even in the bitterest spell of winter, the temperature in Europe's largest thermal lace
seldom dips below 85" to 90"Fahrenheit. Hungarians swim here year-round, and you
can, too! If you're here in winter, it'll be a great photo op and travel tale.
Check out the offers of
Thermal Hotel Heviz and
Thermal Hotel
Aqua!
Climbing the Eger Minaret.
This beautiful, small city in northern Hungary is home to one of the country's most
impressive Turkish ruins: a 14 sided, 1l0-foot-tall minaret. Those who succeed in climbing
the steep, cramped spiral staircase are justly rewarded with a spectacular view.
One-day guided tour from Budapest is available
here!
Exploring Pécs.
When you wander around this delightful city in southern Hungary, you'll discover why it's
known as the 2,000-year-old city. Pécs is home to one of Hungary's most pleasing central
squares and some great examples of Turkish architecture.
Sampling the Fruit and Vegetable Market in Szeged.
At the main open-air market behind the bus station, in this town near the Serbian and
Romanian borders, the vendors are local farmers selling their bounty: peaches, apricots,
cherries, and pears, as well as fresh flowers, and of course, dried paprika wreathes.
Don't forget to buy tickets for the open air theater performances in the summer!
Unforgettable experience!
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