Some of my favorite activities in Hungary's capital city. This is also your chance to take panoramic photos of the Pest side stretched out across the river. This step-by-step guide could help you navigate. How did all this come together in our neck of the woods?
Excellent temporary shows, too. Why does a country with ten million people need such an enormous building? When this Parliament was built in the late 19th century, Hungary was three times its current size and Budapest riding high on its golden period as a capital of Austria-Hungary. The minute guided tour is just the right amount of time to appreciate the lavish interior without getting tired and lost in one of its rooms.
After the tour, you could pay respect to the Budapest victims of the Holocaust at the poignant Shoes Memorial steps away on the riverbank. Starting in downtown, you'll pass fancy retail stores, Revival Style Renaissance palazzos, and the Opera House. The outer section is lined with handsome villas, many of them embassies now. As you saunter along, peep into the side streets too, all of them the result of the great 19th-century buildup of Budapest.
Today, you can visit medieval hammams built during Budapest's occupation by Ottoman Turkey or ornate baths dating back to Austria-Hungary. My thermal bath guide could help you choose one that suits you best. The upper floor, across twenty halls, traces the history of Hungary from its tribal beginnings through the Habsburg period to the fall of Communism.
Even if you don't feel like spending a whole day here, the astonishingly rich collection β with short and informative wall texts β is worth at least a glimpse child-friendly, too. A special exhibition on the ground floor displays the Seuso Treasure, fourteen silver vessels from the late-Roman era that were unearthed in Hungary, and gorgeous porcelain from Central Europe. And so much more here , my favorites! Bonus: the general admission ticket provides access to the museum's panoramic cafe and the cupola up top.
