I’ve heard many travelers say that Budapest is one of the most beautiful cities, and I found that this beauty goes down to the depths of the city. There are so many areas to explore that it’s not a one-night or even a two-night city – it has layers that take time to peel back.
Divided by the Danube river, I saw the tale of two cities: “Buda” on the west and “Pest” on the east, both completely unique but joined together as one through a network of bridges, most noticeably, the Chain Bridge. I love walking the ins and outs of every city, and I walked the Chain Bridge multiple times; in the daytime, in the nighttime, in the wind and in the calm. You get a different perspective every time. I got a bird’s-eye view for people watching those sitting on the banks and had an “Office Space” moment as I walked faster down the bridge than the cars driving across because they were stuck in gridlock. I could hear the music each car was playing. It was little window into the lives around me. Unfortunately, I didn’t hear any ’80s music fans around, but hey, ya win some, ya lose some.
In terms of ambiance, one of my favorite restaurants in Budapest was actually a hole-in-the-wall pizza place called “Local Korner.” There is only room for about six people to sit inside. The walls are covered with a map of the world, and everyone who comes in can write something on the spot where they are from. A lot of people tape money on the wall too. There are currencies, names and well wishes from all over the world encircling you – it’s fantastic. Many countries on the wall were getting full, so I did write something on the wall but in a secondary location. Hats off if you can find it! The guys who own the place are awesome – they are all about keeping it local but are looking for a slightly bigger spot. They said they are trying to figure out if they can pull down pieces of the existing wall to take with them – I hope so!
You are probably wondering if I actually had the local cuisine as well, and of course I did! I felt at home when I found Terv Presszó. Everything in that place is just super laid back. Old posters and pictures line the walls in a retro but not cheesy way. There isn’t anything “fancy,” and if you are looking for a Michelin meal here, you’ll want to reset your expectations. This is a place to catch a fun band, enjoy a local, friendly vibe and keep the hunger pains at bay with Hungarian comfort meals. On my first night there, I was enjoying my goulash dinner and reading a bit on my Kindle when I noticed a guy on the opposite side of the room who was alone but chatting up the bar staff in a way only a local would. Of course, we caught each other’s eyes and did the across-the-room hello with a smile and head nod. Funnily enough, two days later, I was at a different restaurant and ran into the same guy. It became a running joke – we laughed and said, “Hey, see you for dinner at the next place!” It’s always such a small world.
When in Budapest, you also have to go to a thermal bath. There are a handful to choose from across the city, and I chose Széchenyi Thermal Bath. Just getting to this spa from the Pest city center can be a historical treat. You can take the M1 yellow line metro, which dates back to pre-1900. You are literally stepping back in time when you enter this underground train en route to the bath. Once you pop out at the Széchenyi fürdő stop, you are only moments away from the baths. Széchenyi Thermal Bath, originally built in 1913, is now an enormous bath complex, one of the largest spas in Europe. It’s interesting to see the differences between then and now. You can bask on the side with the “whirling corridor” where the water moves you and a hundred people on their iPhones along in a circle with its current, but when you walk to the individual changing cabins on the top floor of one of the buildings, it feels like it hasn’t been touched in 80 years. Walking that corridor with the black and white tiled floors and green and gold colored cabins, I felt like I should have been wearing a one-piece polka dot bathing suit and a white bathing cap with a parasol in hand.
Even though it was June and warm out, the water still felt amazing and utterly relaxing at 95 degrees Fahrenheit. You can even catch the local gentleman playing chess and checkers while in the baths. Now as someone who can’t spend longer than 15 minutes soaking in a bathtub without sweating, I couldn’t have that type of focus for a competitive game while stewing in the water. I think I made it about 30 minutes before having to step out and cool off to avoid looking like a boiled chicken.
Now heading to the Buda side of town, this is where you can really dig up some amazing views of the Pest side because Buda is built into the hills. If you want to cheat, you can take the funicular, which also predates 1900, up the incline to the Buda Castle, but I much preferred trekking up on foot as there are two areas where you can literally walk over the funicular and see the people gazing out of its windows.
Near the Fisherman’s Bastion, you can’t miss the tall Matthias Church. Parts of this church go as far back as the 12th century. What caught my eye was the number of weddings this Catholic church turns out. I happened to be visiting on a Saturday, and you could see a variety of wedding couples getting pictures, all waiting for their time slots. I spoke to one of the women who work there, and she said they had four weddings that day. I’m not Catholic, but I assumed this church had to be in high demand with its history as a cornerstone to the city. She told me that, surprisingly, the church and building use for weddings is completely free, but there was about a four-year wait. I thought, “No wonder they have to fit four weddings in one day! If they only did two, it would be an eight-year wait!” I will say that I think the wedding photographers had a handful of interesting photos of the brides walking down the aisle. Since there is no waiting area inside the front door of the church, the bride waits outside with all the tourists standing and staring at her. Once the doors open and the bride starts her walk, I can imagine all you see in the background and reflective glow of her veil are the shorts-clad tourists with iPhones, selfie sticks and cameras hanging around their necks. I’m sure I’d get a kick out of seeing those pictures. Good luck to all those couples!
