Hungary
We have visited Hungary on several occasions since our first trip in September 2004 either in transit to one of it's neighbours or to stay and enjoy it's particular beauty.
On that occasion we had 72 hours touring Budapest and the Danube Bend before traveling to the east of the country to stay a week in Hajdúböszörmény, a small town 20km northwest of Debrecen. From there we visited historic Eger, Hajdúszoboszló for the thermal baths and Hortobágy for the National Park. All of these attractions can be seen on day trips from Budapest if you chose to base yourself in the capital. In Budapest everyone we came into contact with could speak English. In the more out of the way places German was the common language of tourism. Everyone we met was friendly and helpful even when we had no common language. Driving in Budapest is unnecessary. The Airport Minibus is frequent, takes about half an hour and drops you at your hotel anywhere in Budapest. All of the city can be accessed easily on foot and public transport is cheap and reliable, as it is around the rest of the country. Accommodation is plentiful in all price bands and meets all reasonable expectations. In addition to the Budapest Tourist Office the Online Hotels Budapest web site offers a very good service.
On our second visit in 2006 we stayed with friends on their farm in the village of Bodaszölö, 15km northwest of Debrecen, before setting off on a five day trip into neighbouring Transylvania.
Budapest's Ferihegy Airport is well served by budget and mainstream carriers. It is the gateway airport to other countries in the area and we use this route to access western Romania via Szeged, two hours drive going south on the motorway.
Hungary still retains much rustic charm but is rapidly becoming more and more westernized. To delay a visit would be to miss much of the essence of the country and it's people's recent past.
Budapest The Danube Bend Debrecen
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The Chain Bridge
and Buda Palace. By taking a walk on our first evening we enjoyed the
city at night and saw more than we otherwise would have done. |
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The Chain Bridge seen from the Buda Palace. Historically Buda is the seat of power. On the opposite bank lies commercial Pest. |
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Buda Palace Gardens and Turul statue. This figure from Magyar mythology was said to be the father of the first dynasty of Hungary's kings. |
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Buda Palace. Never used as a royal palace, the buildings now house art galleries, museums and libraries. |
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Sándor Palace. The prime minister's official residence. |
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Mátyás Church, the Hungarian national church. Inside are wonderful ornate frescoes, a replica of the crown & regalia and informative exhibition. |
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The Fisherman's Bastion. A decorative bastion overlooking the Danube, symbolizing the Magyar tribes that captured the Carpathian basin. |
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The People's car. Even in cosmopolitan Buda the Trabant and the Beetle can still be seen (but note today's Opel Corsa behind). |
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Buda Palace & the Chain Bridge seen from the Pest bank. |
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Mátyás Church, the Fisherman's Bastion and the Budapest Hilton seen from the Pest bank. |
Pest
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St. Stephen's Basilica. King Stephen (d. 1038) is revered as the founder and patron saint of Hungary. Begun in 1851 the Basilica was completed in 1905. |
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St. Stephen's Basilica is even more impressive by day. Inside carvings, frescoes and side chapels all vie for attention. The Panorama Tower is extra. |
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The Parliament Building was begun in 1885, completed 1902. Access beyond the chain-link fence is not permitted, except ...... |
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...... the Parliament Building is open for English language guided tours. They are are free on production of an EU passport and commence from Gate X. |
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Kossuth tér and the eternal flame to those killed here on 25th October 1956. Facing Parliament, this was the focal point for the Uprising. |
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Gold leaf, frescoes and stenciling create the sumptuous interior of the Parliament, yet busy staff demonstrate this is a working building. |
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The main entrance stairs. The photograph scarcely begins to do justice to the splendor of the building . |
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An ante room. The man walking through gives scale to the porcelain jar. |
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The Parliament chamber. |
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Szabadság tér. The Soviet Army Memorial commemorating the liberation of Budapest from the Nazis stands in front of the American embassy! |
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The Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Garden to the rear of the Great Synagogue. A Swedish diplomat, he saved 20,000 of Budapest's Jews from Auschwitz. |
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The center piece of the Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Garden is the Holocaust Memorial. |
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Each leaf on the Holocaust Memorial is engraved with the names of those killed by the Nazis. |
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Alongside the Synagogue is a courtyard full of headstones marking the mass grave of the 2281 Jews who died in the ghetto during the winter of 1944. |
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Váci utca is the main shopping street, now pedestrianized. The shopping and eating get better the further south you go towards the Great Market Hall. |
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Inside the Market Hall. Locally produced food and and drink of every kind on the lower floor; traditional Hungarian tourist souvenirs upstairs. |
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Hotel Kalvin House looks austere outside; inside comfortable airy rooms reminiscent of another age, with service to match. Not a soulless box room. |
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Borbíróság, so good we ate there twice. Located behind the Great Market Hall, the excellent food was prepared from fresh, quality ingredients. |