Budapest and Lake Balaton

Placid

Off in a bit, any tips from seasoned travelers?

Mol

I liked Buda but can be done fairly quickly, Pest is where most of the touristy stuff is. Cross the river into Buda for Momento Park to see all the old communist statues in one spot, have a walk about then back to Pest. Depends how long you're going for?

Djpekingman

Beautiful city. Loved it when I was there. Walk down the big avenue with the big colonial villas to the victory square and the municipal park, where they have the big flea market - stock up on hungarian footballers international medals for pennies. Stunning. Mooch around, checking out the bullet holes in the churches and other old buildings from the '58 uprising. You have to eat the goulash. And wash it down with a bottle of 7 puttoynes Tokaj. A sweet white wine, that tastes of honey and vanilla and is not cloying in any way. Absolutely delicious.

The thermal baths are worth a dabble and most of the touristy bits are actually worth seeing.

And most of all don't let the missis catch you checking out the talent. Very difficult to do as there seems to be gorgeous totty everywhere you look. And no blokes.

Placid

Great holiday, took kids to Margaret Island Water Park and Dargaly water park the two days we were in Buapest. 40 degree meant dragging them round old castles was not an option. I went to the Ruda and Gellert baths in the morning to take the waters. Felt ace after although the "turkish speedos" you have to wear are well suspect.

Lake Balaton is perfect for kids. Little beaches "strands" where you have to pay a couple of quid to get in and the same for a lounger for all day. The beaches are grass parks with small sand areas and are all fenced off so the kids can roam about leaving me to read in the sun. Only saw one English family there a father (65) and son (40 odd) in Man U tops same time as the Charity Shield was on.

Most of folk there were Russian, Hungarian and German. Food cheap as chips. Not one meal was over £40 for 4 of us each night. Would definitely recommend for a family holiday.

Raposa

Off to Budapest next week for 5 days (wife's 50th).
So if anyone has anything to add to the above,appreciated.

Djpekingman

The baths, the funicular railway, the municipal park with the flea market therein on a Saturday morning, mooch mooch and mooch, the place is stunning, the food superb, it's cheap and the eye candy is startlingly good. Eat goulash, drink Tokaj. Buy peppers and paprika and pimenton from the market stalls. Watch for the bullet holes in the buildings around the cathedral made during the uprising. I love the place.

Djpekingman

Djpekingman wrote:The baths, the funicular railway, the municipal park with the flea market therein on a Saturday morning, mooch mooch and mooch, the place is stunning, the food superb, it's cheap and the eye candy is startlingly good. Eat goulash, drink Tokaj. Buy peppers and paprika and pimenton from the market stalls. Watch for the bullet holes in the buildings around the cathedral made during the uprising. I love the place.

Imagine the beauty and the grandeur of parisian architecture without the french. But with eastern influences chucked in here and there.

Placid

http://ruinpubs.com/index.php?id=blog&cikk=5Cruise on the river is a must.

Raposa

Cheers chaps..wasn't my choice and in all honesty would have preferred chilling on a beach somewhere,but her indoors wanted to check out the birthplace of her folks.

The decent feedback has got me really looking forward to it now,although might need to replace the sunglasses if the eye candy's that good!

Raposa

Fantastic place...without doubt the best European city break we've been on.
Defies belief how they knock out such quality food and drink so cheaply.

Did the dine and cruise along the Danube taking in the stunning architecture which looked even better under lights when dusk fell.

The view from the top of Gelert Hill by the monument overlooking the river and the sunkissed Parliament building,is breathtaking.

Despite the fact we hit most of the tourist spots listed above by others,4 days just isn't enough to take it all in.
Never got to Lake Baloton which is apparently an hour away,so will definitely return.

Oh and you were right about the totty...sensational...and that was just the Russian prostitutes hanging about outside the hotel entrance every night!

Harvest

Nice one. Would love to do Budapest.

Harvest

I've been to some ace places in Europe , mostly watching Leeds, absolutely no memories of some cities. Like a drunk Alan Whicker.

Placid

Djpekingman wrote:
Djpekingman wrote:The baths, the funicular railway, the municipal park with the flea market therein on a Saturday morning, mooch mooch and mooch, the place is stunning, the food superb, it's cheap and the eye candy is startlingly good. Eat goulash, drink Tokaj. Buy peppers and paprika and pimenton from the market stalls. Watch for the bullet holes in the buildings around the cathedral made during the uprising. I love the place.
Imagine the beauty and the grandeur of parisian architecture without the french. But with eastern influences chucked in here and there.

Great description, think the Pest side is inspired by Hausman who built the wide Parisian boulevards so Napoleon could get cavalry and artillery down them if there was another revolution.

Anchor

Just booked Budapest for late October for my 50th.

Really looking forward to it and after seeing what i’ve read here - even more so.