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Our client had only a day or so
to spend sightseeing in Budapest between business meetings. He
wanted a very active day that would give him a good overview of the
city. We warned him that this itinerary would make for a
very active day in
Budapest!
Activities & Sites
Gellert Hotel Pool and Thermal Baths
in Buda
Kelenhegyi út 4 (near the Szabadság
Bridge)
Bus
7, Trams 18, 19, 47,49,
Open:
6am-6pm Mon-Fri, 6am-4pm Sat-Sun;
Choose between the beautifully luxurious and
large Art Nouveau communal indoor pool (or outside pool, weather
permitting), and the indoor thermal baths. Go early in the morning to
start your day off right.
- Indoor pool – You will need a swim
cap (you will be provided with a disposable shower cap if you
don’t have one) for the pool and a bathing suit. Don’t be embarrassed by
the cap; there will be others looking as ridiculous and it’s worth
it.
- The thermal baths are divided
by sex. Each bath has
two lovely warm pools (both very large), an icy cold pool (very
small, but you won’t want to linger), two varied temperature
saunas and a steam room.
Clothing is left in the lockers and you may receive a small
apron-like covering that you can use to sit on – no need to be
modest, everyone is nude in the spa. You may want to try to get
a massage treatment, but beware that these are very basic, but
excellent massages.
The spa is frequented by lots of locals who, upon doctors’
orders, regularly visit to cure their bone ailments. Sometimes, communicating
is difficult. Just
watch what the others do.
Upon
leaving the Hotel Gellert, take a short walk up Gellert
Hill for wonderful views of the city. The path leading up to the
hill is right across the street from the hotel. Midway up, pop into the
Cave Church that was dedicated by the Hungarian Paulite order
of monks in 1926, boarded up during the Communists era and reopened
in 1989. At the hill’s
summit are the Citadella (a fortress built by the Habsburgs
after the failed War of Independence between 1848-1849), the statue
of St. Gellért (martyred on that spot) and the Liberation
Monument.
Descend Gellert Hill, walk across the
Szabadság Bridge to Pest and head to the wonderful Central Market
Hall (the largest of 5 market halls opened during the late 19th
Century), where you can pick up some good snacks for your long and
active day, hot Hungarian Paprika, and inexpensive souvenirs.
After
the market, take a stroll along Váci Street (it’s near the
Central Market Hall). It’s a great and
lively shopping street abounding with lovely Art Nouveau
architecture. Rest up
at Vörösmarty Square, centrally located just behind the major
hotels on the Pest Embankment, and take in a hot chocolate, coffee
or one of their special chestnut dessert at Gerbeaud
Café. The Luxus
Department Store is located near the
square.
Continue up beyond Vörösmarty Square to
Roosevelt Terrace. Walk
across the Chain Bridge (wonderful place for photos) and head back
to Buda. You’ll
end up at Clark Ádám tér where you’ll take the funicular to
Castle Hill.
Castle
Hill (Várhegy) is a wonderful
place where you can get lost wandering up and down lovely cobbled
lanes, but if you only have a day, here are the
highlights.
The
funicular will drop you off right next to the Turul Statue
(mythical Hungarian eagle who sired Álmos the father of Árpád, the
9th Century Magyar conqueror of the Carpathian Basin) and a short
walk away from the Royal Palace, which houses the Hungarian National
Gallery, Budapest History Museum and the National Széchenyi
Library.
A
short walk to the [direction] will take you to the heart of Castle
Hill – the Fishermen’s Bastion (representing the 7 Magyar
tribes that made up Hungary) and the very impressive 13th century
Matthias Church.
The views of Pest and the Parliament Building from
Fishermen’s Bastion are breathtaking. The colorful and unique
Matthias Church is well worth a visit.
Wander about
Castle Hill – the cobbled lanes and the architecture are lovely and
you will feel you are in another time and in another world.
Places to Eat
Snacks/Lunch
Budapest has a wonderful café tradition, much
like many other European cities. In addition to Gerbeaud
Café in Vörösmarty Square, another must café is Ruszwurm Café,
in operation since 1824, with its delicious pastries and Biedermier
interior. Szentháromság
utca 7, Tel: 175-5284, Metro: M2 Moszkva tér, Várbusz, Open 10am-7pm
daily.
Dinner
Kis Buda
Gyöngye
Kenyeres u.
34, Tel: 368 6402, 368 9246, Fax: 368 9227, E-mail: gyongye@drotposta.hu, Website: www.remiz.hu. Open: noon-midnight daily, All major credit
cards, Tram 17 from Margit híd. This is a wonderful
restaurant in Óbuda, which is a short and inexpensive taxi
ride away from the center of Budapest. The restaurant has a lovely
warm décor, live piano, attentive service and will transport
you to another time and place. Classic Hungarian dishes
superbly cooked and excellent wine
selection.
Alabárdos
Országház utca 2,
Tel: 356 0851, E-mail: info@alabardos.hu, Website: www.alabardos.hu. Open: noon-4pm and 7pm-11pm Mon-Sat, Sun
closed.
Metro: M2 Moszkva
tér then Várbusz to Castle Hill. This restaurant is located in Castle
Hill and has been around for 400 years. Its evocative gothic décor
and Transylvanian specialties make it a real
destination.
Your
Budapest Checklist
Activities &
Sites
___
Gellert Hotel Pool and Thermal Baths in
Buda
___
Gellert Hill
___ Central
Market Hall
___ Váci
Street
___ Vörösmarty
Square
___ Chain
Bridge
___
Castle Hill
(Várhegy)
___ Fishermen’s Bastion
___ Matthias
Church
Places to
eat
Snacks/Lunch
___ Gerbeaud
Café
___ Ruszwurm
Café
Dinner
___ Kis
Buda Gyöngye
___ Alabárdos
