From Istanbul to Budapest

Immediately following our trip to Turkey we flew from Istanbul to Budapest, Hungary for another 5 days before heading home. Budapest has always been on my bucket list and when I was playing around with Google Flights for Turkey, I stumbled upon a layover option at Budapest so I made it a stopover to cross off two countries off my list for the price of one.

We arrived at Budapest around noon and took a taxi to our airbnb. Ubers are banned in Hungary (Bolt is not) but the taxi service at the airport was 100% better and probably the smoothest I have ever experienced in any country. You wait in a short line at the taxi stand and provide the destination address to the staff, they provide you with a receipt with a taxi number printed and an approximate price for the ride. Within 3 minutes your taxi with the number printed will pull up to the taxi stand and off you go. No struggling to locate your Uber or Lyft driver at a meeting point with a dozen other travelers or getting yelled at by airport staff for blocking traffic. So yeah, very good first impressions of Hungary.

Our host gave us a tour of our spacious and modern airbnb, located near all the embassies and close to public transportation. This place is a steal and I would totally come back and stay for a work remote/ vacay. We headed to the tourist center to get all our administrative work out of the way. First with the Budapest card, the official city pass that offers free public transport and discounts on admissions for specified periods of time. We opted for the 120-hour pass but the 72-hour plus might have been a better deal since there were some admissions that only came with the 72-hour plus. We also booked our evening cruise along the Danube as well as the thermal path. I did not do as much planning as I did for the Budapest part of this vacation so it was very helpful to have the staff help plan it right there and then.

Buda Castle and Hungarian National Gallery

With our city pass we took the bus and crossed over from the Pest side of town to Buda, the hilly side. From the Buda Castle stop we then took the Buda Castle Funicular up towards Buda Castle. The Buda Castle Funicular first opened in 1870 but was destroyed during WWII. It was restored in 1986 and currently runs a 95 meter route with a 50 meter elevation up to Castle Hill.

The timing was completed unplanned but we made it to the the castle at the perfect time for a golden hour view.

We also visited the Hungarian National Gallery located within the Buda Castle, the largest public collection of Hungarian fine art. On the top floor you can take another flight of stairs to see the dome up close and as well as out to the Danube River.

By the time we finished at the gallery it was already dark, and we retraced our steps back down Castle Hill and across the Széchenyi Chain Bridge to Pest for dinner.

Dinner was at Menza, a traditional Hungarian eatery that our hosts recommended near where we’re staying. I had the pork chop and it was absolutely delicious!

Halászbástya (Fisherman’s Bastion) and Mátyás Templom (Matthias Church)

The next morning we made some breakfast at the airbnb (our host left us some fresh eggs!) and burned off all that calories by climbing up Castle Hill on the north side, for Fisherman’s Bastion. We climbed the turrets - a total of 7 representing the 7 Hungarian tribes, and soaked in the stunning views of Pest from across Danube. One of them is practically the model of a Disney castle. The 19th century fortress is best viewed in the early morning before the tourist crowd. We had the whole place to ourselves and the lighting was impeccable.

Across from the Fisherman’s Bastion is Matthias Church. It is believed that the church was built back in 1015 and then reconstructed in the late 14th century, and then again in the late 19th century, when the signature patterned rooftop tiles were added.

The inside of the church is just as impressive and worth the visit. We didn’t opt to climb the church tower - it was too cold for me to brave the wind but I am sure an aerial view of the rooftop tiles and the Danube would be amazing. There is a small museum on the second floor of the church to oversee the grand space.

Lunch at Castle Hill

We had an early lunch at Ramazuri down the street from Matthias Church. Seated by the large windows you get an unobstructed view of the church while enjoying your meal. Everything was fresh and delicious, and so nicely presented!

After lunch we walked along the walls of Castle Hill heading south, back to Buda Castle.

Budapest History Museum and St. Stephen’s Hall

The Budapest History Museum is located within the Buda Castle, on the far end of Castle Hill. We passed by the same building National Gallery building we set foot in yesterday, viewing the grand castle in a different light.

Entry to the to museum is free with our Budapest card, and we added on a visit to St Stephen’s Hall, the only room in the Royal Palace of Buda that was restored extensively to its former glory after it was completely destroyed in WWII during the siege of Budapest. The rest of the museum is huge and we picked the exhibit for the history of Hungary, from Ottoman Empire to Turkish and Mongolian invasions. We also squeezed in the gothic statues from the royal palace as well as a temporary Kádár’s (toy) soldiers exhibit.

Birthday Dinner at Stand Étterem

The last event of the night was a 2 star Michelin night out with mom at Stand Étterem. We took the metro over a few stops and the restaurant is near the Opera House station. We opted for the 6 course menu and it did not disappoint. Again, fine dining seems to be a much better deal outside of New York? Food was excellent and service was great, I even got a birthday cake for my belated birthday. Not a bad way to kick off 33.

Budapest Foodie Tour

Day 3 in Budapest started out a little later as our food tour isn’t scheduled to start till 10AM in the morning. We took the metro over to the meeting point to meet our tour guide Britgit and learned that it' is again a private tour for us two. Our first stop was a bakery inside the metro station, a place where locals pick up something light to go on their way to work. We picked up the chocolate snail which is the chocolate swirl bun and another one with chicken liver. We also tried the chimney cake - the treat originated from Romania and was a snack children would make with leftover bread and sugar.

We hopped on the metro and just 1 block away from where we were staying is Hunyadi tér where there is a weekend farmers’ market. We got a look at the locale veggies, cheeses and smoked meats, and Britgit picked some up for us to sample later. There is also the fried pig fat and the pig ear’s jelly (collagen) that’s used to make soups. Britgit explained that Hungarian cuisines have a lot of fermented foods because of the harsh winters, so cheeses, charcuterie and fermented veggies are engrained into the diet.

From the outdoor market we moved to the indoor section which is open all days, and purchased some local wine (you bring your own bottle and they’ll fill it up for you!), fresh milk and some eggplant spread with bread. Inside the market there is a spot for lángos - a deep fried flatbread with sour cream, cheese and garlic. We of course had to try that with some sweet tea. Britgit set up a whole charcuterie board with our purchases and let us try a little bit of everything with schnapps. With a tour for two there were leftovers and we got to take some of our favorite items home with us. The fresh milk and the eggplant spread was probably my favorite items - the milk was so creamy and fresh.

Meatlover’s Shop

After our meal we took the tram over to a more residential area, and headed to a butcher shop to try some pork belly and sausage with horse radish. The meatlover’s shop reminded me of the Sui Mei (Chinese roasted meat) shops where you can either pick what’s ready or to be cooked on display.

No foodie tour is complete without a dessert stop - and in Bupadest we tried rétes which are Hungarian strudel, made with a similar pastry as the Turkish baklava. The one strudel we tried has cottage cheese in it but it tastes like a dessert.

Our last stop is a 50 year old bar where we sampled the local Hungarian beer and unicum, a herbal liquor. It definitely warmed us up in the cold Hungarian weather! Before we parted ways with Britgit she gave us some Hungarian sweet parika and recipes to try at home!

Margaret Bridge and Margaret Island

Our last stop of the afternoon was a walk onto Margaret Bridge and Margaret Island. A little getaway within the city, Margaret Island is located in between Buda and Pest. It reminded me of Central Park, only in the middle of the Danube.

Hungarian Parliament

Morning Commute

Another day, another early morning in Budapest.

The only English tour for the Hungarian Parliament was at 8:45AM so early morning it is. The 45 min guided tour of the Hungarian Parliament goes through the Great Hall entrance area reserved for ceremonies and conferences, the Dome Hall with the Holy Crown of Hungary on display (this is also only room that doesn’t allow photos), as well as the assembly room that is still in use for sessions today. An interesting fact is though the building was built so long ago (construction started in 1885), it was constructed with cooling and heating systems. The building features a boiler system which was pretty sophisticated for its time because the architect did not want chimneys out of the building, and before central air was put in place, ice blocks were placed in underground mines to cool the space down. The rooms throughout the tour was magnificent (the symmetry!) , but be sure to check out on the exhibit that describes the construction and maintenance of the place. To offer perspective on how large the parliament building is, there are 147 bathrooms and 30 staircases in total. Imagine how much work goes into the upkeep.

Can you guess what the photo above is for? It’s a brass and built into the ancillary hallways throughout the parliament building. Answer on the bottom of the blog!

We emerged from inside the parliament and walked outside towards the Danube Riverfront, before going around the parliament to Kossuth Lajos Square to admire the parliament building close up. There was a couple taking wedding photos, and I got asked about five times to take photos for other fellow tourists (probably because I am holding a fujifilm and you always ask the Asian if you want good photos). Nonetheless I had a great time soaking in the winter sun and taking photos!

Shoes on the Danube Bank

On the east bank of Danube, the unique shoe sculptures commemorate those killed during World War II. Jews were ordered to take their shoes off before they were shot into the Danube, and their valuable shoes were stolen and resold by the militia after the massacre.

St. Stephen’s Basilica

Lunch was at Ket Szerecsen (the bar), a smaller location on the same block as the bistro with the same name. I really enjoyed their goulash soup with pinch pasta. Post lunch we headed to St. Stephen’s Basilica, the largest Catholic church in Budapest. We got tickets for both the church hall as well as the panoramic terrace. The church was nice but the view comes after you climb the stairs (there is an elevator but you still gotta climb another couple flights to make it to the observation terrace area). We got there and caught a few rays of sunshine on the cloudy afternoon.

Before heading back we stopped by a souvenir shop and I discovered the Hungarian secret box. I won’t spoil the fun so go look up how to open one.

Evening Cruise on the Danube

The final activity of the day (or night) was an evening cruise on the Danube. We initially sat inside but stepped out onto the outside deck for better views and photos. The highlight of the cruise was definitely the Hungarian Parliament. The building illuminated on the west bank of Danube, capturing everyone’s attention as our boat moved up and down around the river.

Széchenyi Thermal Bath

On the last full day of our time in Budapest we made a visit to the Széchenyi Thermal Bath, the largest medicinal bath in Budapest and one of the largest bath complexes in all of Europe. It features 21 pools, both indoor and outdoors. Now the building first opened in 1913 so the facilities are a bit dated especially with the indoor pools. My recommendation is to spend your time in the outdoor thermal baths, one at 74°C and another at 77°C, and go around the lazy river or enjoy the neck showers. One thing to note this that the two thermal baths are separated by a full size pool in the middle (you need a swimming cap to enter) so if you’re visiting in the middle of winter, you’ll be experiencing the brutal 4°C winter chill while fast walking to the other end of the outdoor space in your slippers. Nonetheless I highly recommend it - it’s kinda like the opposite of a cold plunge but probably have the same health benefits? It’s best to visit early in the morning to avoid the crowds, and bring your own towels and flip flop!

Central Market

After stopping by the post office to mail our postcards, we headed to Central Market, a farmer’s market + food hall + souvenir shop. The first floor was mostly fresh produce and food items, and the second floor features souvenir stalls and food options. We had the goulash to share from one of the stalls, and then shopped for more souvenirs and gifts to bring home. Whether it is Hungarian paprika, unicum, chocolates with pálinka (Hungarian fruit brandy), or magnets, postcards and tote bags this is the spot!

New York Cafe

New York Cafe (in Budapest) boasts the title of “The Most Beautiful Cafe in the World,” and we paid a visit in the afternoon. The building was once the home of an insurance company - New York Insurance Company. The plan was a four storied building with a coffee shop on the ground floor. Lavish is the world that comes to mind when you step foot in the cafe - decorative ceilings with chandeliers, and large windows and mirrors making the space infinitely larger. Despite the elaborate decor it was actually a meeting place for the poor struggling artists, so much so that New York Cafe has been associated with Hungarian modern literature.

Like its decor the food was on the pricier side (they have a coffee with 24k gold), but they’ve got live music to keep you entertained.

Before we closed out our last night in Budapest, I stumbled upon a Flying Tiger store and went on a shopping spree. Why did they close the store in NYC?!

From Bud with Love

We had time in the morning on our very last day to get breakfast at a nearby cafe. Everyone else was on their laptops or on the phones on this Tuesday morning and reminding me it’s time to get back to work. It was Valentine’s Day and they were handing out chocolates at the airport. After two flights, a short layover and a small flight delay we made it back to New York safely. Dad came and picked us up from the airport late in the evening. And I just wanted to end this blog post with this from Instagram:

“Airport pickups are such a show of love. Doesn’t matter if it is romantic or platonic. Anyone who picks you up from the airport that you aren’t paying to do so, actually loves you.”

— @Mochievous

Answer to the parliament question: They are brass cigar holders. Smoking is forbidden in the chambers, so the Lords would leave their cigars out in the hallway on the cigar holders. I am pretty sure the parliament is now a smoke free building, but the cigar holders was a nice reminder of the older times.

Budapest. February 2023