Budapest: A golden hour hotspot
Budapest, Hungary
Now this reflection is a view of Budapest in the Summer, as a visitor not having (yet!) been in the Winter, it is a much different experience to be imagined. If you plan to book a Summer trip to Budapest, you must consider a room with a high view which isn’t as expensive as you may think, as the sight is just glowingly spectacular and perfect for those money shots.
Pest
The Hungarian capital in peak Summer season…
Stepping off a short bus ride from the airport into downtown Budapest, you’ll realise that the city is far different from any other in Europe. In the middle of August, you can enjoy an intensely hot 35 degree heat.
You’ll find the streets are clean, super attractive and buildings are intimidatingly tall but they make you feel safe.
It feels like you are walking around in a Wes Anderson movie from all the beautiful pastel colours that magically greet you as you get lost in the city.
Like all European cities, many languages are heard walking about the streets, and the restaurants are just as diverse with the cuisine they have to offer. You’ll feel immersed and impressed by the interiors and sophistication of casual Budapest restaurants, where every dish is presented with such precision and delicacy like it is an artwork. Chilled bistro restaurants such as Levante and Getto Gulyas are delightful, and don’t forget to try Goulash, Hungary’s national dish (Getto Gulyas has been rated the best place for it!).
Spas are a normal daily activity there whereas back home it is more of a treat, the Gellert Spa is a luxurious fantasia of a spa which takes you back to Ancient Rome culture when thermal baths were first built and believed to be a pleasant social activity.
Dracula’s digs
You’ll soon make the connection that the gothic buildings are similar to the one Dracula may or may not have lived in up in the Carpathian mountains. Transylvania is close by Budapest and the gothic buildings make the city distinctly standout from any other in Europe. An Australian friend actually described Budapest like ‘Prague on Steroids’ to give you an idea.
The city can have a spooky feel in the best way possible from the moonlight shining over the buildings, shadows of bats circulating turrets, thin clouds moving in front of the moon and the sound of the church chimes.
The Danube
Lily Kadera
A river cruise on the Danube is a wonderful way to spend an evening and see the city at its best as you see the buildings in a spotlight. The way the city lights up is astonishing most of all, it is like the city has its own studio lighting. As you cruise down the wide waters of the Danube you can catch a glimpse of the Buda side of Budapest, a far more relaxed and quieter environment than Pest. Margaret Island meets in the middle between the two sides, where there is a spacious park to unwind from the city.
Fancy getting out of the city?
There are so many charming places to pay a visit to outside of Budapest that show what true Hungary is all about such as the little town of Szentendre which also shares the Danube. Lake Balaton is also a firm favourite for those who wish to escape to the country which is Central Europe’s largest lake, under an hour away from Budapest!
Nightlife
The City of Spas also opens its doors at night to spa fans. The Szechenyi baths throw an infamous ‘sparty’ every Saturday night where you can feel like Roman royalty dancing the nightaway. If you’re not ready to hit the hay then there are plenty of bars in Szimpla Kert and Instant (yes they are two individual buildings), with multiple bars to choose from so there is a beat for everybody but beer is pretty much the only cheap drink!
Overall…
Budapest is a fairytale of a city with magnificent skies and colours, but it is not as cheap as people say. The place feels like a movie as some aspects do not feel real to the eye and everything looks exquisite.
TIPS
Always pay in cash if you can
On the subject of money, double check the prices of everything
Walk around without a plan
Stick with somebody at all times, especially at night
Try to explore the outskirts of Budapest for a day
