Budapest - TAT (The Away Today) Score
| Budapest, Hungary | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average Cost Per Day (including transportation, lodging, food, activities, etc.) | $65.00 | ||||
| Average Steps Walked per Day | 14,664 | ||||
| Architecture | 5 | ||||
| Food | 4 | ||||
| Walkability | 4 | ||||
| Public Transportation | 5 | ||||
| Activities | 5 | ||||
| Vibe | 5 | ||||
| All Around | 5 | ||||
Budapest, Hungary – Did it Live Up to the Hype?
During my Central/Eastern Europe tour, I’d already had some disappointments (looking at you, Prague) and some pleasant surprises (holla, Krakow!). Prague & Budapest seem to be the #1 choices when people choose to tour Eastern Europe – in my mind, they were lumped into the same category, I was basically expecting the same thing from both cities. But were they actually similar in reality?
I’d say definitely not. Hungary & the Czech Republic have similarities in history, and there seems to be a debate about how invented the chimney cake (spoiler alert – it’s Hungary), but that seemed to be about it. For starters, the Hungarian language is unlike any other. Czech sounds similar to Russian and Slovakian (which makes sense as the former Czechoslovakia). You’d think Hungarian might be in the same familiar – but no. It sounds more like Finnish than anything else.
So why Budapest?
Budapest (phonetically boo-dah-pesht) is absolutely stunning. The architecture is insane, especially when you take a walk across the bridge into the hillier Buda side. Once you’ve been in the city for a bit, you learn that the city is actually made up of two cities – Buda & Pest. The busier, and more touristy, part of town is in Pest, while Buda houses the castles and sweeping views of Pest. The parliament building is a sight to behold, with the best views of this incredible building from Buda. Fun fact – the Budapest parliament building is the second largest in Europe – just behind Bucharest’s “People’s Palace.”
Maybe someone else can chime in here, but good lord, there are some good looking people in Hungary. I generally like the tall, dark haired men with bushy beards, and there are plenty of them here. The women are also stunning with their beautiful hair and tall figures. I found the Hungarian locals to be similar to Washington, DC locals – slightly cold and apprehensive at first, but kind and cheeky after a little friendly conversation.
So what are some must do’s while you’re in this Hungarian city?
Learn some Hungarian
Or at least “I don’t speak Hungarian.” I lucked out for the most part, but got yelled at by a cranky old man for asking to use the toilet in English.
Eat langos
What’s not to love about fried dough smothered with sour cream and cheese?! Don’t worry, you’ll work it off while walking around this gigantic city.
Party at the Ruin bars
Szimpla is probably the most famous and for good reason. You get lost wandering around the different rooms, which each serve a different type of alcohol. The decorations are random but so intriguing. While Szimpla is the most well known, it’s not the only one worth visiting. Check out this list for some other ruin bars!
Walking tour
Like every city, I started my trip in Budapest with a walking tour. Walk from Pest to Buda, admire the bridge, learn a few Hungarian phrases, meet some new friends.
Bath houses
Going to the bathhouses is unique to Budapest, and one of the most iconic things to do in the city. I only went to Szechenyi, the famous yellow bath. The outside baths are beautiful and lovely for lounging, but the real gem is inside. There are countless baths of all shapes, sizes, and temperatures.
Walk around
Budapest is huge, and will definitely take multiple days to walk around the whole city. TO get the best views, walk across any of the bridges and hike up to the Buda side to see breathtaking views of the Parliament building and other stunning Budapest architecture.
Cafes
Budapest loves their cafes. They’re everywhere, and they’re quite unique from each other. Grab a book, order a cappuccino, and relax outside while people watching.
So, did Budapest live up to the hype? Yes! Absolutely. It’s on everyone’s list for a reason, go check it out for yourself!
Be sure to visit some other cities while you’re in this part of the world – Bratislava is only two hours away, Vienna is three hours away, and Krakow is seven hours away (all by bus & for less than 20 euros!)