Buda and Pest: two cities for the price of one, and with a fabled river, the Danube, in between. Bustling Pest has historical treasures from its Habsburg and Jewish past, while verdant, hilly Buda is a hiker’s heaven. Although Hungary joined the European Union in 2004, its capital retains an eastern mystique, with twisty old streets lined with beautiful architecture and a populace that knows the importance of not spending all one’s time working. The nightlife is buzzy, the classical music scene impressive and the thermal baths cheap and plentiful.
Every visitor to Budapest walks along the River Danube, and for good reason: liquid history flows below and spectacular views greet you at every turn. On the west bank is Buda, on the east Pest. Pest’s street layout features Habsburg-style ring roads, joined by important spokes, such as Andrássy út, the tree-lined boulevard that begins next to the monument to the nation’s leaders at Heroes’ Square (Hösök tere). Further up is the House of Terror Museum (VI. Andrássy út 60, 374 2600, http://www.terrorhaza.hu, closed Mon), a sobering exhibition about oppression in a building once used by Nazis and, later, the communist secret police. Continue downtown to find the opulent Opera House (VI. Andrássy út 22, 353 0170), built in 1884 by Miklós Ybl, and the basilica (V. Szent István tér, 317 2859), named after St Stephen, whose mummified right hand is inside.
On the river, three blocks from the basilica, is the Chain Bridge (1873), the first permanent crossing between Buda and Pest. The Buda side of the bridge is at the foot of the main tourist sights of Castle Hill. On the hill, the Royal Palace complex houses the vast Hungarian National Gallery (224 3700), the National Széchényi Library (224 3848), Matthias Church (I. Szentháromság tér 2, 355 5657) and the Fishermen’s Bastion, which offers superb views of the city.
A few blocks north of the Chain Bridge, on the Pest side, is the Parliament building (V. Kossuth Lajos tér, 441 4904). This structure, along with much of central Pest, was built in the late 19th century, during Hungary’s heyday as a partner in the dual monarchy with Austria.
Other periods have clearly influenced the look of the city, including the period of Habsburg domination, when the castle district was built, and the 16th-century Ottoman occupation, which produced Turkish baths like Széchenyi (XIV. �?llatkerti út 11, 363 3210) and the newly renovated Rudas (I. Döbrentei tér 9, 356 1322). No prizes for guessing who was responsible for the hideous apartment blocks that stud the outskirts of the city.
Further sites of note include the world’s second largest synagogue (VII. Dohány utca 2, 413 5500) and the new Holocaust Memorial Centre (IX. Páva utca 39, 455 3333, http://www.hdke.hu).
• Tourist information: V. Sütö utca 2 (438 8080, http://www.tourinform.hu).


Seasonal Budapest


Budapest shines in summer, when pavement cafés and outdoor clubs are buzzing, and the locals shed clothes and inhibitions. August brings the Sziget Festival (1st wk of Aug, http://www.sziget.hu), a week of roots, rock and hip hop on a Danube island; St Stephen’s Day, the national holiday (20 Aug); and Grand Prix racing (mid Aug). Winter is high season for classical music – of a high calibre and at reasonable prices – in venues like the Opera House, Franz Liszt Music Academy (VI. Liszt Ferenc tér 8, 342 0179) and the new National Concert Hall (IX. Komor Marcell utca 1, 555 3000, http://www.mupa.hu)

Restaurants & bars

Magyar cuisine is rich, meaty and cheap. At the upper end of the scale, Gundel (XIV. �?llatkerti út 2, 468 4040, http://www.gundel.hu) is a culinary legend restored to glory by famed restaurateur George Lang. Café Kör (V. Sas utca 17, 311 0053) offers light, bistro-style Hungarian cookery. For classic Hungarian, try Károlyi Étterem Kavéhaz (V. Károly Mihály utca 9, 328 0240). The Gresham Hotel’s Pava (V. Roosevelt tér 5-6, 268 5100) offers gourmet Italian cuisine in an elegant setting. Coffee-house culture is big in Budapest; good choices are Müvész (VI. Andrássy út 29, 352 1337) and Centrál Kavéház (V. Károly Mihály utca 9, 235 0599) for gooey cakes and cappuccino amid 19th-century grandeur.
Bars abound around Liszt Ferenc tér and along Ráday utca, where Jaffa (IX. Ráday utca 39, 219 5285) is a standout. Nearby, the bohemian Csiga (VIII. Vásár utca 2, 210 0885) offers dining and drinking in a lively, arty milieu. Katapult (VII. Dohány utca 1, 266 7226) is a fun bar that stays open late.


Nightlife

Hungarians drink hard and party late. In summer, outdoor clubs make the hours between evening and dawn melt away. Some excellent permanent venues offer indoor and outdoor spaces, like Szimpla kert (VII. Kazinczy u. 14, http://www.szimpla.hu, no phone) and West Balkán (VIII. Kisfaludy u. 36, no phone). Kuplung (VI. Király utca 46, no phone), in a former garage, has an airy atmosphere.
On the Pest side of the Petofi Bridge, the outdoor Buddha Beach (IX. Közraktár utca 9-11, 210 4872) and adjacent Club Inside, offer year-round fun. On the Buda side of the bridge, Zöld Párdon (XI. Goldmann György tér, http://www.zp.hu, no phone), and a cluster of outdoor dance clubs right on the river, are open from May to September. The A38 boat (464 3940, http://www.a38.hu), a converted barge nearby, hosts concerts and DJs year round.


Hotels

At the top end are two newly renovated, five-star beauties: Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal (VII. Erzsébet körút 43-49, 479 4000, http://www.corinthiahotels.com, €150-€350) and Four Seasons Gresham Palace (V. Roosevelt tér 5-6, 268 6000, http://www.fourseasons.com, €250-€740). Less expensive is the well-known Danubius Hotel Gellért (XI. Szent Gellért tér 1, 889 5500, €150-€190), a historic art nouveau gem with Turkish baths. Hotel Pest (VI. Paulay Ede utca 31, 343 1198, http://www.hotelpest.hu, €62-€90) is central, affordable and in a well-renovated, 200-year-old building.
The less expensive �?bel Panzió (XI. �?bel Jenö utca 9, 209 2537, €60-€70) is a winner, set in a beautiful garden, on a quiet side street. IBUSZ travel service (V. Ferenciek tere 10, 485 2765, http://www.ibusz.hu) rents comfortable, centrally located furnished flats for as little as €20 per night. Danubius Group (V. Szervita tér 8, 888 8200, http://www.danubiusgroup.com) reserves rooms at Budapest hotels. Note that, while hotels give prices in euros, Hungary still uses the forint as the national currency.


Nearby

Local trains are cheap and frequent, and any destination in Hungary can be reached from Budapest in three hours or less. Towards Serbia, attractive Pécs has a beautiful old town and plenty of culture.