Posted by Karbo
We arrived in Budapest on the night of the 8th and checked into our Airbnb apartment, which was between the 7th and 8th districts in Pest.
On the 9th we went on a free walking tour around Budapest. There's no Sandeman walking tour in Budapest so we went with Free Walking Tours, which follows the same concept. The tour was very good and we learned a lot about the city: for example, it's pronounced BudapeSHt; Buda lies to the west of the Danube river while Pest lies to the east; Buda is covered in hills while Pest is completely flat; and the layout of Pest is much more organized than Buda.
After the tour we received a pamphlet full of tips on Budapest - where to go, what to eat, things to avoid, etc. It was super helpful!
The first thing we focused on from the pamphlet was local Hungarian snacks. Luckily, we walked past an outdoor market after the tour and we got to sample a few right away.
The first thing we focused on from the pamphlet was local Hungarian snacks. Luckily, we walked past an outdoor market after the tour and we got to sample a few right away.
On the 10th we used our Marriott points to check into the Marriott Courtyard Budapest City Centre. The hotel is only 3-years old and we felt spoiled with the flat-screen TV, modern bathroom, and spacious room! Travelling long-term on a budget really helps you appreciate the small things.
Jess, our host in Bath, had recommended the House of Terror so we made sure we took the time to check it out. The museum focuses on Hungary's history under the Nazi and Iron Curtain regimes. It's pretty heavy stuff but we recommend it for anyone wanting to learn more about this era of Hungary's history. (Jason: There's a lot of reading involved at this museum)
For dinner we went to Paprika Vendeglo for some traditional Hungarian food. The restaurant was recommended to us by a friend who had lived in Budapest for a year and we recommend it as well! We splurged a bit on dinner to celebrate Jason's 29th birthday. =)
On the 11th we took a trip out to Memento Park, an open-air museum that houses a collection of statues from Hungary's Communist-era. We really recommend taking the time to go here! The statues give you a glimpse of the Communist propaganda that was all over the country while it was behind the Iron Curtain.
We also went to the Great Synagogue (or the Dohány Street Synagogue), which is the largest synagogue in Europe. We'd been to so many churches up until this point that we removed our hats out of habit; however, we forgot that men are required to cover their heads in a synagogue so Jason received a kippah at the entrance.
We had a lot of cold, rainy weather during our stay in Budapest and so for our last day in the city, we stopped for some cappuccinos and cakes at the Alexandra Book Cafe and soaked for a few hours at the Szechenyi Thermal Baths.
Jason's tips for going to Szechenyi Thermal Baths:
1) Bring your own towels. They're not cheap to rent.
2) Wear/Bring flip flops. The floor is wet and dirty, and can be cold.
3) A couple can save some money by sharing a cabin, which is just a small private change room where you can lock up your stuff.
4) Go at night. We enjoyed the atmosphere with all the lights turned on.
1) Bring your own towels. They're not cheap to rent.
2) Wear/Bring flip flops. The floor is wet and dirty, and can be cold.
3) A couple can save some money by sharing a cabin, which is just a small private change room where you can lock up your stuff.
4) Go at night. We enjoyed the atmosphere with all the lights turned on.