Yes been to Budapest, had a couple of great nights out. One bar Morrisons had a pint for the equivilant on 32p (got drunk for less than £1 .
Thought the Spa's are overrated (but others in my group disagreed so each to their own) Buda is nicer than Pest Really enjoyed a riverboat tour The Terror museum is worth a visit, really interesting/shocking. Did a tour of the Parliament building- nothing to write home about, but again some enjoyed it a lot.
Have you been to Prague? People who know or lived in both cities say that Budapest is like Prague but warmer and sunnier, and the girls dress accordingly. Big city, very elegant along the river, traffic can be a nightmare. I haven't been since the crisis struck, people say it hit them hard, and the atmosphere is darker, lots of begging on the streets, and you might encounter some xenophobic stuff if you cross some meatheads in clubs or bars. But you will find it cheap, food is decent, and often so is the wine. There is the huge Lake Balaton to chill out at, they treat it like their seaside.
Like most 'eastern' european cities that I've been to it has it's mixture of soviet style buildings (also a communist styled basement pizza restaurant and it's more historical prettier ones).
I found it very interesting and went the the szechenyi baths which was good (in early March, although the signage was in Hungarian and there is a lack of english speaking which made it fun)
Bars were cheap and one night after frequenting one in the quiet shopping area, my then girlfriend and I encountered and lady kneeling down pleasuring a gentleman who was sitting on a bench, both without seemingly a care in the world.
So yes, interesting, go!
Oh, and there's and old aircraft museum at the airport if you're into your Tupolevs!
Been a few times...great place...but has a very seedy side...had a gun pulled on me in a cab (avoid cabs - ultra expensive)....food is largely terrible IMHO but you can get lucky...suggest you stock up at b'fast...clubs and bars are good and still cheap compared to what we're used to...personally I loved the baths mentioned above (if those are the ones near the zoo) - total hangover treatment... I went for the F1 a few years ago last time (worked for one of the team sponsors), so prices do go up when the teams are in town but I was on expenses, so heh ho... Enjoy!
Budapest is great. The terror house museum which was the headquarters of the nazi then state police is a must. Statue park which is a little way outside the city houses a lot of soviet era monuments is also very good. We also went to see an opera in the state theatre which was suprisingly (for me) great.
Budapest is great. The terror house museum which was the headquarters of the nazi then state police is a must. Statue park which is a little way outside the city houses a lot of soviet era monuments is also very good. We also went to see an opera in the state theatre which was suprisingly (for me) great.
Then you sat on a bench in the quiet shopping area ............. and the rest is history!
Great cake / coffee shop in Andrassy boulvd. Terror museum a must. Try to go on the underground which is very interesting. Get into a restaurant and have Goulash. Definitely go to a restaurant called Karpatia (Carpathia). Un fecking believable. Google it. Not expensive at all by our standards and great food and atmos.
Budapest is great. The terror house museum which was the headquarters of the nazi then state police is a must. Statue park which is a little way outside the city houses a lot of soviet era monuments is also very good. We also went to see an opera in the state theatre which was suprisingly (for me) great.
Then you sat on a bench in the quiet shopping area ............. and the rest is history!
That's where you're wrong. It wasn't a lady kneeling down!
I went with my missus and we had a great time. Totally different to Prague and the other eastern european cities. They seem to be less caught up in how many euros they can get off you. Both sides of the city are nice. Some very nice restaurants in the old part and some very nice cheap bars in the new part
Been twice, once when that so called smaller team played Ferencvaros in the UEFA Cup and once recently.
Spent both times boozing, so can't recall much, except that a Mongolian all you can place in Buda was lovely, a nightclub called Angels or White something was quality despite the row with the local gypsies which made my mate who lives out there worry we were going to get shot & dumped in the river after and that when we had to find our own way around one night we had no idea where to go.
Both were autumn/winter times, but summer in Budapest is supposed to be quality, loads of river/terrace bars/clubs etc.
Been there would not rush back - eye opener when you leave the airport and see where and how some people live - and when you get to budapest it is either as cheap as chips or bloody expensive - and F1 week reckon would be th latter -
'Party Island' was amazing in Budapest, ended up there in the early hours. Several clubby type places but generally with more class and less queues at the bars. If that's your scene then its a must
Despite both my parents being Hungarian I have actually only been three times but enjoyed each of those visits for differing reasons.
On the earliest of those trips my Godfather arranged for us to spend the day with the then European footballer of the Year, Florian Albert which included a guided tour of the National Stadium followed by lunch. Still have the photos which I will always treasure.
On another I watched my cousin train with Honved who he played for at the time and I distinctly remember feeling rather inadequate as a footballer. There again, by comparison, I was.
For me though the strangest site took place on my last visit, a decade or so ago, when three rather unsavoury looking skinheads got in the same carriage and sat right next to us. Only for them to jump up and offer their seats to an elderly couple getting on at the next stop!
Take a trip up the Danube at night, visit the sights during the day, sample the food and wine and you won't go too far wrong.
Comments
Thought the Spa's are overrated (but others in my group disagreed so each to their own)
Buda is nicer than Pest
Really enjoyed a riverboat tour
The Terror museum is worth a visit, really interesting/shocking.
Did a tour of the Parliament building- nothing to write home about, but again some enjoyed it a lot.
The language is totally, completely impossible.
I found it very interesting and went the the szechenyi baths which was good (in early March, although the signage was in Hungarian and there is a lack of english speaking which made it fun)
http://www.szechenyibath.com/
Bars were cheap and one night after frequenting one in the quiet shopping area, my then girlfriend and I encountered and lady kneeling down pleasuring a gentleman who was sitting on a bench, both without seemingly a care in the world.
So yes, interesting, go!
Oh, and there's and old aircraft museum at the airport if you're into your Tupolevs!
My then girlfriend and I pleasured a gentleman who was sitting on a bench, without a care in the world.
There's also a really nice bar up there where you can have a drink overlooking parliament, the river and lower town. This is the view:
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/309_559205518362_286102978_4411615_26_n.jpg
Should be a nice sunset too if the weather's clear.
www.karpatia.hu/
When I emerged into the reception area to meet my girlfriend (now wife) afterwards (it had separate male/female baths) I was as white as a ghost!
Both sides of the city are nice. Some very nice restaurants in the old part and some very nice cheap bars in the new part
Spent both times boozing, so can't recall much, except that a Mongolian all you can place in Buda was lovely, a nightclub called Angels or White something was quality despite the row with the local gypsies which made my mate who lives out there worry we were going to get shot & dumped in the river after and that when we had to find our own way around one night we had no idea where to go.
Both were autumn/winter times, but summer in Budapest is supposed to be quality, loads of river/terrace bars/clubs etc.
Believe me, my considerable bulk has never moved so fast as it did when I had to get away from the Magyar Mauler in August 1997.
http://www.the-budapest-guide.com/nightlife/dream-island
On the earliest of those trips my Godfather arranged for us to spend the day with the then European footballer of the Year, Florian Albert which included a guided tour of the National Stadium followed by lunch. Still have the photos which I will always treasure.
On another I watched my cousin train with Honved who he played for at the time and I distinctly remember feeling rather inadequate as a footballer. There again, by comparison, I was.
For me though the strangest site took place on my last visit, a decade or so ago, when three rather unsavoury looking skinheads got in the same carriage and sat right next to us. Only for them to jump up and offer their seats to an elderly couple getting on at the next stop!
Take a trip up the Danube at night, visit the sights during the day, sample the food and wine and you won't go too far wrong.