Budapest, sometimes called the Paris of the East and the Pearl of the Danube, is the largest city in Hungary with about 1.7 million inhabitants. Budapest is located in north central Hungary, not far from Hungary’s border with Slovakia.

 

 

History

Like many of mainland Europe’s big cities, Budapest was at one point part of the Roman Empire. Under the Romans, Budapest was called Aquincum, and was the capital of the Roman region of Lower Pannonia, an area which also included modern-day Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Later on, the Turks ruled Budapest for nearly a century and a half, and much of the city still bears the architectural and cultural influence of the Turks. In the nineteenth century, a bridge was built between the two towns of Buda and Pest, thus beginning to unite the two towns into one city. After the birth of Austria-Hungary in 1867, the cities formally merged and became the united Budapest, as it is called today.

 

Art & Museums

Budapest’s Museum of Fine Arts (on the Pest side of the Danube), was built in the early twentieth century and houses a vast array of collections, from ancient Egyptian art to collections from the 19th and 20th centuries. Some of the most notable works are the Museum’s collection of 13th to 18th paintings, which include works by Bruegel the Elder, Rubens, El Greco, and Goya.

Budapest is also home to many historical churches and other sites of importance to European history. The Castle District contains three of these churches, along with six museums and the former Royal Palace. For history buffs, this district is a must-see in Budapest.

 

Nightlife

The sixth, seventh, and eighth districts in Budapest are the areas which are home to much of Budapest’s nightlife bar and club scene for the younger crowd. A more uniquely Budapest nightlife experience is dinner in one of its restaurant ships along the Danube. Some of these ships are stationary, while others include a dinner cruise along the Danube.

For quieter fun at night, walk along the exterior of the famous Buda Castle, which is beautifully lit at night. The park near the castle at night offers an excellent view over the Danube of the city and is not very crowded, with the exception of a few roaming security officers.

 

How to get there

The Budapest International airport is located 16 km southeast of the city’s center. The airport has only two terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, and Terminal 2B is the arrival point for most international flights. From the airport, the minibus is one inexpensive way of making it into the city. Many trains also come in and out of the airport – 51 trains per day during the week and 38 per day during weekends and holidays. Like most of Europe, traveling by train is fairly easy and cost-effective in Budapest.