Stephanie Fsadni is impressed by the beauty and heritage of Hungary’s capital, Budapest, but discovers there is much more to it – from shopping to thermal baths to nightlife.
“Budapest is absolutely wonderful,” exclaimed András as we sailed down the Danube, the river that runs through the Hungarian capital, one spring evening.
Budapest is a melting pot of cultures from the Orient, west, north and south of Europe
We were there a few days before the river began to swell up last week but luckily, the city escaped damage and the waters have receded.
Our guide was actually quoting a passage from American author Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises. Indeed, Hemingway was one of the many literary greats, artists and philosophers who fell in love with the city over the centuries.
The towering buildings along the river banks glistened in the rays of the setting sun, with the Royal Palace on the hilly Buda side and the majestic Parliament on the Pest flatland dominating the scenery before us.
Built in neo-Gothic style right on the river’s edge, the Parliament building – the largest structure in Budapest – has an impressive exterior, but an equally striking interior. On entering, visitors are swept away by an imposing staircase with gold relief and marble walls, stained glass, statues of pages and frescoes.
Once you climb the flight of steps, you’ll find the magnificent Dome Hall, the spiritual heart of the building, which has a complex ceiling circled by the statues and coat-of-arms of the 16 rulers of Hungary.
Right in the centre of the hall, strictly guarded by statuesque Hungarian soldiers, are the Hungarian Crown Jewels – the crown, sword, sceptre and globus cruciger of St Stephen, the legendary founder of Hungary.
St Stephen is said to be the great-grandson of a Magyar chief, Árpád, who settled in the Carpathian Basin in the ninth century and converted the people from paganism to Christianity. He ascended to the throne on Christmas Day AD1000, when the kingdom and nation of Hungary was born.
The city has various monuments dedicated to him, with the most important being the neo-classical St Stephen’s Basilica, which houses Hungary’s most sacred treasure – St Stephen’s mummified right hand.
From the Castle District on the Buda side, one can get breathtaking, panoramic views of the city. This World Heritage Site is packed with sites such as the Royal Palace and Matthias church, medieval houses and charming, crooked streets. There are also various cafes and restaurants and a number of hotels.
But the whole city is replete with imposing buildings that are a testament to the country’s history. Strolling along the streets and many squares of the capital, one comes across baroque, neo-renaissance and Bauhaus buildings among other styles of architecture.
“Budapest is a melting pot of cultures from the Orient, west, north and south of Europe,” explained András, pointing to a Turkish bath in the distance. “Croatians, Jews, Armenians and Slovakians have lived together here for years.”
Hungary was occupied by the Ottoman empire from the mid-16th to the end of the 17th century and formed part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire from 1867 until the end of World War I.
The USSR forces occupied Eastern Europe after driving out the Nazis at the end of World War II, but in 1956, Hungary rose against the Russians in what is known as the Hungarian Revolution, or Uprising.
Despite failing in its mission, the revolt was highly influential and played a role in the downfall of the Soviet Union decades later.
Monuments commemorating these occupations are scattered across Budapest and beyond.
A 30-minute drive from the city is Gödölló Royal Palace, considered a national treasure both historically and architecturally. One of the favourite retreats of Queen Elizabeth or Sisi during the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, it was used as a barracks and home for the elderly after World War II.
Its baroque theatre and stables-turned-conference room were lately used for various events during Hungary’s EU Presidency in 2011.
We pass under the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, the first permanent stone bridge connecting Buda and Pest, and one of the most symbolic constructions of the city. I’m struck by this engineering and architectural marvel, suspended by 12,000 chains. The 375-metre bridge was destroyed by the retreating Nazis in 1945 but was rebuilt to its former glory in four years, just in time to celebrate 100 years sinceits inauguration.
Lovers of the arts should not miss the Palace of Arts and the National Theatre, also found along the Danube, the Korgart Gallery that houses contemporary artworks or the Mai Mano House – the Hungarian House of Photography – found in the so-called Museum Street. The literary heritage is attested by the multitude of bookshops found around each corner.
But Budapest is not only about history, literature and art. One of the slogans of the Hungarian Tourism Office is, in fact, More Than You Expect It. And it certainly is.
There is plenty of shopping, with large shopping complexes housing most Western high-street brands and more. Those willing to part with a few more forints or euros should head to the elegant Andrássy Boulevard, where one finds designer shops, such as Gucci, D&G, Louis Vuitton, Max Mara and Moncler, or Fashion Street, with its Hugo Boss and Byblos retail outlets, among others.
A visit to the Great Market Hall, which houses delicatessen, paprika shops and souvenir shops among others, is a must. Even Queen Elizabeth II and the late Margaret Thatcher and Lady Diana visited the place.
The restaurant at the Great Market Hall serves traditionally rich food – consisting mainly of meats and fresh vegetables – which comes in large servings. As one of my travel companions said: “You’ll never get hungry in Hungary.”
You can find any type of cuisine in the city – from French to Kosher to Japanese to the fast-food chains we know so well.
The city is also full of quaint coffee and cake shops. You can also get a taste of Malta at Cafe Jubilee, found in a main street close to the Danube in Pest.
We visited the Széchenyi Bath and Spa, the largest medicinal bath in Europe, with various indoor and outdoor pools set in a magnificent building
As the air over the river gets a bit chillier, I recall the warm pleasure of entering a thermal bath earlier on in the day.
There are about 30 thermal baths in Budapest, fed by hot water springs containing various minerals such as calcium and magnesium.
We visited the Széchenyi Bath and Spa, the largest medicinal bath in Europe, with various indoor and outdoor pools set within a magnificent building.
As the sun sets, these baths turn into night spots, as they play host to concerts and DJ sets, with patrons dancing away in their swimming gear.
The city, home to some 1.7 million people, comes alive at night, and each of the 23 districts features several wine bars, concert venues and clubs. One of the main attractions are the ruin pubs in the old Jewish quarter.
These quirky bars are given this name because they sprouted in abandoned buildings and are filled with flea market furniture and weird antiques.
Travelling in the city is not a problem: Budapest is well served by trams, an efficient underground service, the good old buses and rickshaws!
If you want to travel to the countryside, you can go by train or rent a car. Hungary has 10 national parks, which attract keen birdwatchers, as migrating birds stop here on their way to South Africa.
A popular destination, especially in summer, is the picturesque Lake Balaton, which is the largest hot water lake in Europe, found 100 kilometres away from the capital.
Motor-racing enthusiasts should not miss the Hungaroring, the motor-racing circuit where the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix is held in the middle of summer. It is found at Mogyroród, which is only a few kilometres away from Budapest.
Tradition is kept very much alive at Lázár Equestrian Park, owned by coach-driving world champions Vilmos and Zoltán Lázár. Nestled among the picturesque lakes of Gödölló hills, the park celebrates Hungarian horsemanship with spectacular shows.
As the city starts to light up, the boat trip sadly comes to an end. But I’m comforted by the promise of a wholesome dinner in the hip Gozsdu Udvar area, followed by a beer or a glass of tokaji (wine) at one of the ruin pubs.
András’s suggestion to top the evening with a Pálinka (a fruit brandy invented in the Middle Ages) at the Szimpla Kert, the mecca of all ruin bars, sounds just perfect.
Oh yes, I think Hemingway was right. Budapest is absolutely wonderful.
• This trip was organised by Malta International Airport, Wizz Air, the Hungarian Tourism Office and Hilton Budapest.
Wizz Air
Wizz Air is a low-cost airline with the largest network connecting the east and west of Europe. It operates over 270 routes, 94 destinations and 33 countries. It flies to and from Malta twice a week, Mondays and Fridays.
www.wizzair.com
Hilton Budapest
Hilton runs two five-star hotels in Budapest: the Hilton Budapest Hotel in Castle District, Buda, and the Hilton Budapest Westend on the Pest side. Both offer premium facilities and services synonymous with the brand, with a special focus on business travel.
A culinary tour of Budapest will feature next Sunday.