Esperienze a Budapest
Destinazione
Budapest
Data
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Domande frequenti
Budapest is really two cities facing each other across the Danube. On one bank rise Buda's castle hill and quiet old streets, and on the other lies the flat, busy grid of Pest, with its grand avenues, cafés and nightlife. Joined by bridges and fed by dozens of hot springs, it is one of the most beautiful capitals in Europe, especially from the river at night. A local guide helps you see past the postcard views to the history of empire, war and revolution behind them.
Informazioni su Budapest
Buda, Pest and Óbuda were only united into one city in 1873, and you can still feel the difference. On the Buda side, Castle Hill holds the Royal Palace, the colourful tiled roof of Matthias Church and the white towers of the Fisherman's Bastion, which has some of the best views over the river. Across the water, the neo-Gothic Hungarian Parliament, one of the largest parliament buildings in the world, lines the Pest bank. The Chain Bridge, the first permanent bridge across the Danube here, joins the two sides.
In Pest, St Stephen's Basilica keeps the mummified right hand of Hungary's first king. Andrássy Avenue runs past the Opera House to Heroes' Square, with the oldest metro line in continental Europe running beneath it. The old Jewish Quarter is home to the Dohány Street Synagogue, the largest in Europe, and to the famous ruin bars in abandoned buildings. By the river, the Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial remembers the Jews shot there in 1944 and 1945. Budapest sits on more than a hundred thermal springs, and its bathhouses, from the grand Széchenyi to the Ottoman-era Rudas, are part of everyday life.
Cosa aspettarsi da un'esperienza a Budapest
Most visits to Budapest mix a few kinds of day:
- The city itself: walks around Castle Hill and the Buda side, the Parliament and the grand streets of Pest, the Jewish Quarter and its history, and food tours of the Great Market Hall, goulash, lángos, Tokaji wine and pálinka.
- The river and the baths: cruises on the Danube, especially at night, when the Parliament and the bridges are lit up, and visits to the thermal baths.
- Day trips: the Danube Bend, with the artists' town of Szentendre, the castle at Visegrád and the basilica at Esztergom. There is also Lake Balaton, the royal palace at Gödöllő, and the wine town of Eger.
Each tour page lists its exact meeting point, what is included and the languages available on each date.
Il periodo migliore per visitarla
April to June and September to October are the best months: mild, good for walking and for the river. July and August are hot and busy, but long evenings on the Danube and outdoor bars make up for it. In December, Christmas markets fill Vörösmarty Square and the square in front of St Stephen's Basilica. Winters are cold, which is the best time to sit in an outdoor thermal pool with steam rising around you.
Come spostarsi
Pest is flat and easy to walk, and Buda's Castle Hill can be reached on foot, by bus or by the historic funicular from the Chain Bridge. The metro, trams and buses are frequent and cheap. Tram 2, along the Pest bank of the Danube, is one of the most scenic rides in Europe. Budapest Ferenc Liszt Airport is about 16 km south-east of the centre, linked by the 100E airport express bus. Hungary uses the forint (HUF), not the euro. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, but carry a little cash for markets and small places.
