Two girls. Four free days to wander from Berlin to Florence. What do we book the day before our departure? One way flights to Budapest! In one pre-Europe conversation, I ran my general plan by a friend who said, “That all sounds great but if you can, add Budapest.” Take recommendations, ladies.
Hungarian is known as the one of top five hardest languages to learn in the entire world. That being said, power through. With the right confidence, you will have no trouble seeing and doing a beautifully unique city that houses some of the nicest and most helpful locals I’ve ever encountered. Don’t forget to say, köszönöm! Here’s a guide to spending some quality time in Budapest.
Pass through the massive, old-world front doors into a colourful, graffiti-ed-out courtyard oasis! The entire place has been given the star treatment from famed street artists and each room has a theme with custom mural. Here, you will make insta-friends. The warning signs on the website seem to deter all party-poopers, resulting in a true community feel. Every night there is a different hostel-wide, going-out activity at no extra cost (open mic night, ruin bar crawl, DJ party in the bathes, etc.) but it’s up to you if you want to participate—no pressure. If you’d rather detox and not live in the party, you can also stay at the sister hostels: Grandio, Carpe Noctem and Carpe Noctem Itea. They’re fun too! But Retox is the hub.
One of the best food stumple-upons of my trip! Ket Szerecsen has a brasserie look with delicious Hungarian food and tapas. It was a great refresher to our day, just sitting on their patio with a huge vegetable platter and some chicken stew with parsley dumplings. Goulash too! Great staff that manage to keep service really relaxed and easygoing, even in such beauty of an atmosphere.
Ruin Bars: You cannot leave Budapest without visiting a ruin bar. I can’t pick between; so here are two to go visit!
This is the godfather of ruin pubs, the oldest and wisest. Picture two floors of softly lit, vintage furniture-filled bars in the middle of downtown Budapest. It’s enormous, but feels intimate. There are spiral staircases to climb, alcoves to discover, and music that leaves room for conversation while still keeping things upbeat. Lonely Planet also deems Szimpla as the third best bar IN THE WORLD. You’d think that’d mean this establishment would have some serious airs about them but no. No cover, no pretensions, just fun.
Fogashaz takes a different approach to the ruin bar by going modern! Well, as mod as could be, given the circumstances. In addition to the regular DJ dance night, they also host theatre performances, film clubs, and various exhibitions and workshops. For the décor, think pop circus-meets-ruins, epitomized by the central courtyard that’s decked out with giant cut outs of red and arty lips. This place was particularly fun to explore; you never knew what was around the corner! It could be a new dance room one minute, then a pizza bar, then onto free pinball and video games. Plenty of drink deals available and a bumpin’ good time.
Tips and Activities
What is spelunking, you ask? It’s caving! It’s you, a group and a guide climbing down a pit into a series of caves in the Palvolgyi region. Claustrophobics need not apply! However the sheer length of time you spend there (multiple hours) is well spent, allowing you to adjust to the light of your helmet and fully absorb the experience. Our guide was wonderful; there are different rock formations and fossils to be pointed out. But he also got us to turn off our lights and hear the sound of absolute silence… and then the sound of ten people smiling at the same time. It’s a weird sound. Get underground!
Ah, the spa baths! Anytime of the day, after any degree off movement (maybe after some caving, eh?), don’t say no to hitting to the baths. Because you’re worth it. There is a one-time admission fee, and then you can stay as long as you’d like. Lockers with a keyless wristband system are included and from there you have access to many indoor and outdoor pools, bathes and saunas. Create your own circuit! Ask for a recommendation! Get a massage! You really can’t go wrong and your body will thank you.
Kerepesi Graveyard
This is an activity to appeal to your inner creep. If you look on a map, you can see the Kerepesi graveyard, which seems to have a Jewish cemetery attached. But there is no entrance in sight; it has been walled off and inaccessible to the public since WWII. I won’t take responsibility and advise breaking Hungarian trespassing laws … I’m just going to say that if you were to perhaps hop a fence or two (just two), there might be an amazingly well preserved, yet overgrown cemetery of crypts and mausoleums that date back to the 18th century. Maybe. And maybe no one gets to see them anymore, but maybe someone like you should give it a try.
Taxis
Locals don’t hail taxis straight off the streets, so neither should you. There are many fake//”independent”/unregistered cabs out there and there’s no easy way to distinguish which is which. But you won’t be stranded! Any establishment with a phone will make the call for you. If you can, solicit an opinion or check online to see how much your trek should cost. If ever in doubt just go by the meter, since often when a fixed rate is offered, it’s not actually a deal. Stay alert and stay safe!
Great Market Hall
OMG it is St. Lawrence Market on Hungarian steroids. The first floor is stall after stall of cheese, meat, fish and fresh produce and the top floor is a sea of Hungarian street food, ready to go. We were running late somewhere and simply devoured plates of cabbage rolls, langos, meatballs, potato casserole and steaming hot goulash in fifteen minutes flat. Mouths were burnt in the process but we just couldn’t stop. Perfect place to plan a picnic or just indulge your inner foodie.
Buda Vs. Pest
Budapest is actually made up of Buda and Pest. They are two sorta cities, separated by the Danube River. Naturally, you’ll want to see both sides! There are many bridges at your disposable and it’s no sweat to walk across them. Take a walk up Castle Hill for a stellar view, overlooking Buda and Pest. Atop the mountain is the former Hungarian palace, museums, the national library, the house of the Hungarian President and definitely don’t miss the colourfully tiled Matthias Church. With a little walk around, it’s a very nice and easy way to see a lot of prominence and beauty in a short distance.
As you can see, you will be hard-pressed to find a boring minute in this fine, fine city. When the map comes out and you start planning a trip to Europa, don’t discount the East. Of course we all want a little fun in the beachy sun, but you can find stunning, wild, and inexpensive options when you go a little off the beaten path. It’s simple: Budapest is best.
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