Budapest’s Top Attractions

Budapest, the largest city and at the same time capital of Hungary, has become one of the most popular destinations in Central Europe. With its stunning views and excellent taste of local foods and wines, Budapest makes a perfect travel destination. It has been dubbed as the Paris of the East and has been considered as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The historic past, poetry, and gaiety in it make tourists fall in love with it.

The Duna (Danube) river splits Budapest city into two: Buda and Pest. Buda is situated in the west side of the river bank while Pest is located on the east side, which covers the modern commercial core of the city. As such, Budapest deserves its dub as the Pearl of the Danube.

Great attractions await tourists who wander and want to kill time in the city. Among those popular attractions are summarized and categorized below according to the situated location where they belong.

Buda

• Castle Hill – This landmark is positioned in the western bank of the Danube River. Known as Várhegy in Hungarian, its medieval structure provides breathtaking views of the Danube River when you are its highest point. It has been said that it is in this place that Budapest was founded.

• Buda Royal Palace – It is Castle Hill’s most prominent feature, which is a historical castle where the Hungarian Kings of Budapest lived. It is sometimes called the Royal Castle or the Royal Palace. The Buda Castle is located in the southern tip of the Castle Hill.

• Fisherman’s Bastion – Tourists will have an excellent view of the city from this site. This spot is strategically located near the Castle Hill where you can have a good look at the city as well as the two bridges, Chain Bridge and Elizabeth Bridge. This is also where the Mathias Church is located. It is a nice place to look at the Hungary’s Parliament building and the Academy of Sciences. This is called the Fisherman Bastion because most of the settlers, here are fishermen. This neo-Gothic and Roman Style structure was built as a fortress for any attacks.

• Gellért Hill and the Citadella – It has an overlooking view of the landscaped realms of the entire Budapest. It towers over the other natural and man-made buildings near it at the height of over 239 MASL. It is basically made of a mineral that constitutes calcium magnesium carbonate and has similar appearance to a sedimentary rock. The fascinating view at the top of the hill is the Danube River itself, the whole Buda, the Parliament building, and the Buda Castle.

Pest

• Parliament – This is the notable landmark of Hungary and a popular destination in Budapest. It is one of Europe’s oldest legislative buildings and the seat of Hungary’s National Assembly.

• St István Basilica – This is an ecclesiastic basilica in Budapest, which is named in honor of the first Hungarian king, King Stephen (975-1038). Built in a neo-Renaissance-Classicist style, it is considered as Hungary’s second most important church and the largest in Budapest. This is known as St. Stephen’s Basilica as this is where the mummified right hand of first Christian ruler of Hungary is kept.

• The Great Synagogue – This is one of Budapest’s distinguishing landmarks. It is the second largest synagogue in the world and is also known as the Dohany Synagogue.

• Andrássy út – It is one of the most beautiful and the biggest street of Budapest. It starts in Erzsebet ter and ends in Varosliget.  This is also called the Andrassy Avenue.

• Városliget – This is Hungary City’s park. It also has a zoo in here.

• · Vajdahunyad Castle – This is a castle in City Park. It was built in 1896 for the Hungarian millennium.

The Danube

• Elizabeth Bridge – It is the second newest bridge in Budapest and was named after Queen Elizabeth. It is known as the longest suspension bridge in the world.

• The Chain Bridge – This is one of Budapest’s famous landmarks. This is the magnificent chain that connects Buda and Pest over the Danube River.

• Margaret Island – This is originally known as the Rabbit Island located in the middle of the Danube River.

Budapest Travel Tips

Budapest, the largest city and capital of Hungary is one of the great tourist destinations through-out Europe. With the city considered an important international hub, it is also the principal center for national activities of Hungary. Measuring 525 square kilometer in area within its city limit and home to almost 2 million residents, mostly of Jewish descent as of the latest 2009 population survey.

Aside from its very rich historical significance in Europe’s history, the city offers a satisfying view of its many architectures enough to attract and satisfy tourist – includes baroque, neoclassical, eclectic and secessionist building architecture.

The City tourism industry attracts 20 million visitors every year. Considered as a tourist gem, the city is famously known for its wealth of history and world heritage sites. It is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Only this year, Budapest ranked as the most livable city among Central and Eastern Europe cities with regards to quality of life. In 2008, the city ranked third (3^rd) out of 65 cities on MasterCard’s Emerging Markets index.

Here are some tips for better City navigation and transportation.

• If you travel by plane, be sure to double check your arrival and departure terminal, some terminals are 10 to 12 minutes ride apart, and it saves time knowing the correct terminal.
• Get a map, encircle the places you want to see and create a schedule. Ask locals for direction and suggestion, they are ready to help and guide you.
• Wait for a taxi at the designated taxi stands to get a fare rate, and pay only upon arriving at your aimed location – it is intended to get rid of  unjustified fare hikes on taxis. Do not entertain bids from drivers waiting around the station entrance.
• A minibus service is a better transportation mode during your visit, especially if you are traveling alone. It collects passenger with same route and cheaper.
• If you decide to take the train, don’t expect too much. Their facilities are very limited, difficult to access for people with disabilities and not so clean toilets.
• Orientation is not a big problem in Budapest. There are many landmarks like the Royal Castle or Citadella castle to help you find your way. The Danube River itself is the best reference point in orienting yourself.
• Many Budapest’s highlights are easy to approach walking. More pedestrian zones are added yearly and car drivers tend to respect pedestrians. Walking will save you a money and more possibility of good views along the way.
• Wear appropriate clothes, especially shoes on travel. Do not wear high-heeled shoes as there are many stone pavements in the city.
• Secure the latest transportation guidebooks and maps – preferably edited after September 2008. Transportation system and routes were changed and modified.

Although Budapest is a peaceful city and crime rate is relatively low in comparison to other European cities, don’t let your vigilance down. Always be safe while on Budapest. Here are some tips for your safety.

• Pick pocketing is the most common incident for a tourist. The important rule is never wear a backpack or purse on your back. Always put your wallet or money on the front pockets.
• Don’t show off your money and wear flashy jewelries, it will attract robbers.
• Don’t walk alone at night on districts 8^th and 9^th or Danko, Magdolna and Lujza streets – it is not particularly dangerous but these areas are shady or deserted.
• Keep a low profile or avoid public night transportation on weekends, you may come across aggressive drunk youngsters since it is a peak socializing time on Friday and Saturday nights.
• Eat only where locals eat and drink where locals go. It is compulsory in Hungary to put the menu cards outside the entrance of restaurants, if it is not the case do not enter.
• Exchange currencies in banks, they usually offer better rates and safer.
• Do not participate in Street gambling, they often lure tourist, and you may lose your money on tricks they played.
• Be sure to check your change, all 1,000ft notes should contain vertical silver strips; otherwise they are already invalid or fake.

Top Six Tips for First-Time Travelers

Traveling to a new country or to somewhere far from home for the first time can be both exciting and scary. Of course, major trips are planned ahead of time, and as you are counting the days until you finally get to board the plane and fly off, your eagerness also builds up. However, it is also normal to be anxious and uneasy about a lot of things, like your safety while you are in a strange place and how you will go about interacting with people you don’t know.

So here are the top 6 things you need to remember when traveling for the first time:

1. Research. The best thing you can do, and perhaps the number one advice any travel expert will give you, is to do some research before your scheduled trip. Thanks to the Internet, gathering the most important info about any place is very easy and can be done within the comforts of your own home. Know about the place you are visiting and about its people and their culture. Check out its climate, the available accommodations, the different tourist spots, the various local events, the modes of transportation, and the do’s and don’ts. If you are already familiar with the local laws and customs of your travel destination, make sure you respect them when you are already there. When going to a foreign country, it would also help if you know some of the basic local words and phrases – like words used for greeting and for asking essential questions.

2. Travel Insurance. Traveling abroad can be exciting and full of adventures, but sometimes things could go wrong, and you might find yourself faced with an emergency situation. You can prepare yourself for the unforeseen by taking out a travel insurance. An appropriate insurance for travel covers medical evaluation, hospital treatment, and other activities like adventure sports.

3. Copies of Important Documents. Make several copies of important documents and information like your passport, insurance policy, travelers’ checks, driving license, credit cards (or credit card numbers), visas, and other identification cards. It is best if you have informed loved ones and friends at home about your travel and your itinerary and leave copies of these documents to them. Make sure you carry original documents and photocopies in separate places or separate bags, just for security purposes. It would also be wise if you carry a list of important contact numbers with you at all times: like the phone numbers of family members at home, the phone number of your travel agency, and perhaps even a contact number of your home country’s embassy.

4. Travel and Health Advice. Before leaving, check your destination’s latest travel advice. You can do this by subscribing to free e-mail notification, which you will get every time there’s a travel advice update. You also need to check with health or medical professionals for information regarding the recommended vaccinations and other precautions (against malaria, for instance) that are necessary when visiting your country or city of choice. And don’t forget to check overseas laws on traveling with pills and medicines.

5. Safety, Safety, Safety. When you have already arrived at your destination, always keep in mind some basic rules of safety. These rules include leaving valuables in the safe of the hotel or lodge you’re staying; dressing conservatively and not drawing attention to yourself; avoiding any flashy jewelry; not carrying large amounts of cash; sticking to the main roads and avoiding narrow alleys and poorly lit streets; choosing accommodations and transportation providers with care; not disclosing travel plans and itinerary with strangers; and knowing the laws about exchanging money. The best safety precaution, however, is to never travel alone.

6. Passports and Visas. Traveling overseas may require a valid passport. Make sure that your passport is valid for at least six months after your planned date of return. Some countries will refuse your entry upon arrival while some airlines also won’t allow you to board if your passport doesn’t meet this requirement. So confirm the requirements’ way ahead of time. Moreover, check if you will require visas for the country or countries you intend to visit. Always note that visas do not always guarantee entry.

These tips will ensure that you enjoy your vacation or trip to the fullest, and that you remain safe while you are away from home. The most important thing to remember when traveling, however, is to always trust your instincts.