budapest mini guide: what to explore

THE BATH HOUSES

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szechenyi thermal bath the most popular and it is definitely pretty, but honestly not that refreshing for the full bath experience. it is very touristy, dirty and overly packed. if you only have time for 1 or 2 then i'd skip it honestly.

gellert spa & bath our favorite of the baths. in a stunning, old and historic building - this bath is a clean, fun experience in beautiful setting. there is a fun walk here up the hill that has great views over the city.

rudas thermal bath new building and much more modern than the other baths, but very clean and is right on the river. they have a cool spa on the roof looking back over the city that i recommend.
 

THE HISTORICAL SITES

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shoes on the danube during WWII hundreds of innocent men, women and children (Jews, gays, etc) were ordered to take off their shoes and shot at the end of the river, their bodies fell in and floated away.  it's a tragic story and beautiful memorial, completed in 2005

parliament built for an empire 5 times the size of hungary, it's neo gothic architecture is stunning and it's size grand. also check out the opera house skip a show, but do the tour it’s a stunning building

budapest castle district (fisherman’s bastion, royal palace, matthias church, chain bridge) budapest’s most important medieval monuments and museums (UNESCO site). bring drinks from pest (much cheaper) and go here for sunset

great market hall 100 year old market where locals go to shop, fun to browse and grab lunch here [langos!] 

house of terror & hungarian national are two great museums - the exhibits are moving and eye opening on the war filled history here

margaret island in the middle of the danube. tons of walking trails, big open green spaces, and a couple of great restaurants, etc.
 

^^ there are a ton of vintage shops sprinkled around the city. pop in for a browse, you'll definitely find a souvenier 

^^ if your schedule allows, we'd also highly recommend an evening on the water! the boat rides last about an hour and seeing the city at night is stunning 

for more on budapest visit our "where to eat, drink and things to try" and "scenes from around the city" posts, or watch our travel video here

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budapest mini guide: where to eat, drink & things to try

budapest, hungary's capital, is actually two cities merged into one [split by the danube river]. its 19th century chain bridge connects the hilly buda district with the flat pest district. buda represents the old town and castle hill, opposed to pest which has the old jewish quarter and represents the upbeat energy of the city today. 

our time here was mixed, with a few days on our own and a few days with friends & family to celebrate thanksgiving. what a wonderful experience we had exploring this unique and incredible city. we loved the pace, the people, their cafe culture and the deep history around every corner. the city is affordable, fun and has a little something for everyone...below are some of things we loved.
 

THE FOOD & CAFE CULTURE

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BREAKFAST & LUNCH || STIKA budapest coffee and fun breakfast spot || bistro suppé healthy local snacks and really good soup ||  déryné bisztró must come here for brunch before visiting castle hill [short walk from here] || grand market hall can't leave with out trying langos here! || centrál kávéház elegant historic cafe with marble tables & balcony, come here for coffee & cakes || steg fish bar great fish soup and other seafood! 

DINNER || két szerecsen need to do at least 1 dinner here, so cozy - shared plates style and the house wine is delicious. zeller bistro

COCKTAILS || bar pharma or gresham palace budapest for cocktails RUIN PUBS || szimpla kert the first and most popular of the “ruin pubs”. have an organic farmers market here on sundays too. 

COFFEE ||  konyha coffee, tea, food or wine/beer. this place was one of our favorite cafes to hang at for hours.  juicy & budapest bagel grab a juice or try a creative hungarian bagel option like goose liver pate || madal café great coffee and ambiance || espresso embassy beautiful space with a 200-year-old vaulted brick ceiling || fekete ‘black’ in hungarian - their subtle hint on how to order.  

TEAHOUSE || sirius or red lion two old teahouses loaded with cushions and zen vibes for taking a break.
 

things to try

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lángos classic hungarian street food, deep fried flatbread with all kinds of toppings. the basic is sour cream and cheese, adding red onion, arugula and tomato was our favorite.  

goulash soup meat and vegetables, seasoned with paprika and other spices. 

fisherman's soup (halászlé) & goose liver hungarians are famous for it.

boat ride on the water day or night is fun and a great way to see the city. budapest is second only to paris for brightest cities at night.

a few more photos with our friends... 

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for more on budapest visit our "where to explore" and "scenes from around the city" posts, or watch our travel video here
 

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4 cozy european christmas markets

joyous noel from switzerland! chistmas in europe is the most festive thing i've ever seen.

with no thanksgiving holiday, the christmas markets here start around mid-november which gives a whole lot of time to enjoy the christmas spirit. most city's main squares are covered in tiny wooden shops featuring craftsman, christmas decorations, local foods {meats & sweets}, holiday beverages [for children and adults], beautiful lights, decorated trees, live music, and always happy vibes. packed with tourists and locals alike, every night of the week is lively and gives you good reason to brave the cold winter temps. here are a few of the our favorite christmas markets:

1. VIENNA, austria 

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for more info on the vienna holiday markets, click here

2. MUNICH, germany 

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for more info on the munich christmas markets, click here

3. BUDAPEST, hungary 

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for more information on budapest christmas markets, click here

4. KRAKOW, poland

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for more information on the krakow christmas markets, click here

budapest street vibes: photos from around the city

have any of you been to budapest? i'd always heard such wonderful things, but truly had no idea how much i would love this city. the architecture, the delicious food and kind people, the hot bath scene, the cozy cafe culture – and so much more. here are a few of our favorite photos from around the city – you can also watch our travel video here. full travel post coming soon! happy sunday
 

^^ such a touching memorial, read more about it here

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