Four days in Budapest
Written: Oct 12 '03
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Pros: Inexpensive, great food, beautiful women, rich culture and history, architecture. The "Old-World" feeling.
Cons: Language, under-developed infrastructure, tourist groups clogging the airport and sights.
The Bottom Line: Budapest is definitely a city to see. Tourist hordes, lack of infrastructure, and language difficulties are offset by good prices and bountiful historical and cultural sights.
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| pspark's Full Review: Budapest |
I got the opportunity to go to Hungary in September 2003. My friend's wife is a native-speaker and spends half of the year there. Having a translator, driver, cultural guide, and apartment all proved invaluable, as there are a lot of intangibles about this country, not the least of which is the language.
Hungarian is part of the obscure Finno-Ugric language tree which means that it's only similar to Estonian and Finnish. Bearing no resemblance to the Romance or Germanic languages that descended from the Indo-European tree, means that a lot of people who speak the more common European languages, often have trouble with Hungarian. I speak Spanish and Dutch, and when I hit the ground in Budapest I was very thankful to have a native speaker. I couldn't make heads or tails of the signs, but some of them are in English. Many Hungarians speak German or English, which makes things much easer. Notwithstanding the fact that I always feel vulnerable when I can't speak or read the language, there is nothing worse than being at the mercy of tour guides/groups, or the unscrupulous business types looking for an easy mark. I'll touch on this later.
Bear in mind that Hungary is still emerging from the results of communism and to be honest, it is still a bit bleak. I’ve heard references to Budapest as being the “Bangkok of Europe,” and saw a few niggling reminders that the sex trade does exist here, but believe me, it’s nothing on par with Amsterdam. The Hungarian people are warm, friendly, and gracious, albeit a bit formal upon first introduction. Hungary will join the EU in 2004, and I suspect that it will continue to grow and become a more vibrant and progressive country.
While most of this write-up will concentrate on Budapest, I did get a chance to see some of the countryside just north of the city and will speak briefly upon that as well. As with all of my reviews, I like to post an “intangibles” section at the end—its full of condensed advice that I hope will be as helpful as the body of the review.
GETTING THERE:
Rail travel is feasible, but it’s cheaper and faster to just fly in. Public rail systems are still running the communist-style streetcars are in shabby condition. The inter-city trains are fairly new and clean, but it’s just easier to fly. Most of the road systems are fairly good but a lot of the small towns lack any type of traffic signals (aside from signs) and you will find areas of disrepair everywhere. The roads also use the European turnabout circles, the rules of which are not consistently followed. Traffic can be absolute murder during rush hour, especially around the bridges in Budapest. I’d advise against driving here.
Flights arrive to Ferihegy (Ferry-hodge) airport with good frequency, but I’m not aware of any direct flights to Budapest from U.S. cities. You’ll most likely have to fly into Heathrow, Frankfurt, or another hub city and transfer.
The airport is fairly new, but there are a couple of things you should know about it. First, most international flights go in and out of Terminal B, so make a mental note. Second, baggage control is just plain terrible. The carousels are too small and have an electric eye system which doesn’t allow bags to be released very quickly. Porters are sometimes present to re-arrange the bags on the carousel, creating gaps that the eye will allow new luggage to fall into, but it means that you’ll be delayed. I was one of the first through passport control, but got delayed 20 minutes waiting for my bag to work its way down. Third, and most important: beware of tour groups on British Airways! Large numbers of British pensioners are flocking to Hungary and because of the language issues, they tend to congregate in tour groups that clog every access point. After observing the trouble they caused at every hotel, landmark, and restaurant I visited, I made the decision to get to the airport 2 and a ˝ hours prior to my outbound flight. The check-in desk was not open, but I queued anyway. Not more than fifteen minutes later, 200 elderly British tour-group lemmings were dropped off by coach and completely clogged the terminal. British Airways, also has a “first-come” first served policy when assigning seats at check-in, so early arrival is also needed. I’ll elaborate more in a write-up of BA in the future.
Transport to the city from Ferihegy is abundant, and you will probably just take a cab, hotel bus, or mini-bus. Beware of unlicensed taxis and make sure that the meter is running. Unscrupulous taxi-drivers abound in every tourist city and the typical rules apply.
WHERE TO STAY:
Budapest is divided into a western (Buda) side and eastern (Pest) side. The Buda is more residential and hilly, and contains Castle Hill, the Gellert Hotel and spa, and a couple minor things to see, but the majority of the action is on the Pest side. I was lucky enough to be able to spend a few days on a hill on the Buda side, but it meant that I had to be driven everywhere.
I’d recommend staying on the Pest side, but choose your hotel wisely. Since Hungary is becoming more economically stable, the major hotel chains have established themselves on some of the Pest’s prime central properties. In fact, the Four Seasons chain forcibly bought out the residents of the historic Gresham Palace right at the eastern side of the historic Chain bridge on Roosevelt Ter. The beautiful views of the Danube (Duna in Hungarian) and Castle Hill are spectacular and the residents were basically hung out to dry by the government. When the hotel opens, its central location will make it a world-class 5-star property.
As I said most of the centrally located hotels near the Chain Bridge on the Pest side are of the large luxury type and quite spendy, even for Budapest. There are good smaller hotels present, but the locations can be spotty. Budget travelers can find good accommodations in private residences or you can rent an apartment for a week or so. Hungary has the same type of property-ownership system as Italy. There are no mortgages and people own their apartments outright. As in my friend’s case, she owned two places and rented them both out, fully furnished.
One of the better budget hotels was the Art’Otel which is located right on the Danube on the Buda side. It’s within walking distance of Castle Hill and not unreasonable to walk or take public transport to the Pest side. However, its strongest suit is the fact that it’s views of the Danube and the lit-up Parliament and Chain Bridge are simply stunning. The backside of the hotel has a partially restricted view of the Castle Hill, so choose your room wisely. I will do a write-up of this hotel with more detail here (http://www.epinions.com/content_115322097284). I have some views of the view posted on my website. Just go to the Europe 4 and 5 section from the link in my profile.
On the Pest side, there is an equally stunning view of the Danube and Castle Hill at both the Marriott and Intercontinental, but the prices are easily double. The Kempinsky Hotel is centrally located and pretty close to Le Meridien. Neither of these have views like the others. The Gellert Hotel is also close to the Danube, but is too far south to compare to the places I’ve mentioned, although it is home to the famous thermal baths. Another good alternative for spa-fans would be the Margaret (Margit) Island hotels. They are isolated, but also have good in-house thermal pools.
GETTING AROUND:
You can use the Hungarian subway (the second oldest in Europe after the London Underground) with relative ease, but I should warn you that it’s a bit antiquated and cramped. Surface streetcars are of the old stodgy communist design and stops are indicated by a red light and buzzing sound from small nodules above the doors.
When you buy a subway ticket, you’ll self-validate at one of the orange ticket stamp boxes before you board. Since my friend and I drove everywhere, I never did figure out exactly how the pay system works, but I do know that you basically pay at each transfer point. It is possible to buy an unrestricted pass for a few days, which may be best. The one time we did ride the subway to Heroes Square, some female conductors tried to shake us down since we apparently were sold the wrong tickets and had ridden the train several stops past our limit. We gave them the equivalent of five USD and they scurried off, but not before my friend took their badge numbers and collected a receipt.
As I mentioned before, Budapest is difficult to drive in and like a typical European city, is a panoply of side roads, and crossings marked only with signs that will be difficult for US drivers to understand. Parking is a nightmare and there is virtually no free parking available. In fact, you will see cars parked up on curbs or on medians during the working hours, since these de facto spaces are free; the problem is so widespread that the city doesn’t enforce any regulation or towing.
On the Buda side of the Danube, you may notice two parallel roads. One is lower and right next to the river embankment, and the other is about 20 feet higher. During the flood season, the lower road is completely covered with water, which means traffic gets shunted to the upper road. It can be confusing and inconvenient and you should be aware of it.
PEOPLE:
Hungarians use the last name first and are quite formal during first introductions. Otherwise they are very hospitable. They’re much more attractive than Americans since the majority of them aren’t obese. Crime is fairly low and usually limited to property crime, with car theft ranking high (another reason to avoid driving). In fact, some car thieves are using radio frequency devices to detect the wavelength emitted by the alarm fobs. They watch as you leave your car and then steal it while you are shopping. 86% of Hungary’s people are ethnic Hungarians, with the next minority being the Roma. I’ll speak about them later. Germany, being Hungary’s biggest trading partner, makes up the next most common group. There are Muslims starting to settle in Budapest and some racially motivated attacks have occurred. There is also a small Jewish population, but it was almost completely wiped out by the Nazis.
The people are very sensitive about the country’s history and there is much national pride in their recovery. At the same time, they still harbor bitterness about the loss of 2/3rds of the country during WWI. I have to mention that Hungarian women are some of the most attractive I've ever seen and they are everywhere. I suppose that any nation that hasn't been blighted with fast-food will fall into this category. I didn't see the hordes of obese, unhealthy people that America spawns so effectively and it was very refreshing.
WHAT TO DO:
I’ll have to break this down into small sections since there are quite a few sights to see in Budapest. I’ll try and touch on a few of the intangibles which will make your trip easier. As with everything touristy, timing is everything, and avoiding the mobs can make or break your ability to fully enjoy things. By the way, Ter means “square” and Utca (Oot-suh) means street.
Parliament:
The Hungarian Parliament tour is something you should really consider doing. The best time to do so is probably Sunday morning…early. Just by chance, I got there at 8am after seeing Kossuth Square and the Soviet Army Memorial, and got a ticket for the 9am tour. At 8:40am, the tour busses started spewing out hundreds of people with their cameras a-clicking like mad. You can buy and advance ticket, but queue for the tour on Sunday since it’s the least busy, and not full of workers. There is a large granite monolith with a faux “melted” top and eternal flame commerorating the victims of the 1956 Uprising. To the north of this you should also see a statue of Lajos Kossuth, who led the revolt against Hapsburg rule in 1849—he’s analogous George Washington. At night Parliament is lit up until midnight and even with the ongoing restoration work, it looks stunning.
Inside Parliament, you’ll find that the tour is actually pretty short (under a half hour), but you will get to see the rather modest Hungarian Crown Jewels, climb the 96 steps (96 refers to the founding of Hungary in 896 AD) to the central dome, see a matchstick model of Parliament, and see the actual chamber itself. The tour guide should point out a bullet hole in the speaker’s podium, a remnant of more turbulent times. The central dome is very ornate and houses a ring of statues that all look down upon the atrium—all except St. Stephen.
Kossuth Lajos Ter Area:
Just east from Parliament are the Ministry of Agriculture and Museum of Ethnography. These were the second and third place building designs for the original Parliament. To the southeast there is a small park with a metallic bridge spanning a small pond. A statue of Imre Nagy, the Prime Minister during the 1956 Uprising who was murdered by the Stalinists stands on the bridge. Continuing southeast down Vecsey Utca, you will come to the Soviet Army Memorial. This large obelisk commemorates the “sacrifices” of the Red Army during WWII and during the occupation of Hungary and is still somewhat controversial. Just east across the memorial is the US Embassy, and to the west is the former stock exchange—now home to Hungarian national television.
St. Stephen’s Basilica:
This is Budapest’s largest church and has an interesting history. Work began in 1851, but the dome collapsed in 1868, requiring total demolition of the building. Work restarted in 1891 and the church opened in 1905. I didn’t bother going inside because, to be quite honest, it’s not the oldest or most historical church in Europe, or even Budapest.
Heroes Square:
It’s a respectable distance from the center of the Pest side to Heroes Square. The best way to get there is to take the subway line that runs right under Andrassy Utca to the Hosok Tere top. You may want to get off a couple of stops early and just walk down this street. Some of the nicest homes are located here, and most of the foreign embassies as well. The square itself is very large and flanked by the Museum of Fine Arts and the Palace of Arts. Centrally located is the Millenary Monument commemorating the conquest of the Carpathian Basin by the Magyar tribes. A large column with the Archangel Gabriel atop, is flanked by statues of the Magyar chieftains. At the base of the column is the Heroes Monument—basically a large stone where wreaths are laid to acknowledge the sacrifices of Hungarian heroes. Forming a semi-circle around the rear of the square are colonnades housing statues of the central Hungarian history, above which are statues symbolizing Work and Wealth, War, Peace, and Knowledge and Glory. At the base of each statue is a bas-relief snapshot of their most notable historical moment.
The one depressing aspect of Heroes Square is the skateboarders. They grind on the base of the Millenary Monument and ruin the atmosphere. It’s inappropriate, disrespectful, and not good for the structure.
The Museum of Fine Arts is something you may want to look into if you have time, but aside from a few Carregio’s, Titians, El Greco’s, and some of the Flemish masters, you’ll find much more noteworthy stuff at Uffizi or Louvre. The Fine Arts Palace is dedicated to modern works. I visited neither.
City Park:
A short walk behind the Heroes Square is the City Park (Varosliget). During the winter there is an open-air skating rink, but when I visited, it was completely drained and the whole place reeked of sewage. Vajdahunyad Castle is within the park, however it was built in 1896 and like most of the structures has little historical importance. The statue of Anonymous sits in front of the main castle doors. Anonymous is the unknown 12th century Magyar author credit with first establishing the Hungarian code of law. The Budapest Zoo and Circus are both in the park, but I didn’t visit them. My friend told me that in the high season, there is always some type of event or fair taking place in the park.
Castle Hill:
This is a must-see and I recommend you do so during the week when the crowds are lower. There is a residential community to the north end of Castle Hill, but limited vehicle traffic due to the corrosive effects of exhaust on the buildings. Seeing as the Hilton is located right on top of the hill adjacent to the Matthias (Matyas) Church, there really is a well-entrenched tourist presence despite the day or season.
One of the most memorable ways to ascend the Castle Hill is to take the Funicular cable car at the west end of the Chain Bridge. This will deposit you at the Former Royal Palace and the Hungarian National Gallery and Library. There is a large statue of Eugene Savoy in the courtyard and some stunning views from the overhangs. North of the Castle at Disz Ter you will find the main area of restaurants and shops. A nice statue of a winged Hussar is present. Continuing north, you will eventually come to the Matthias Church. Founded in the 13th century, it survived various reincarnations as a Christian and Muslim church, as the waves of conquerors swept through the city. Admission is now charged and the church is undergoing extensive renovation, making some areas inaccessible. Behind the church is the Fisherman’s Bastion which also has stunning views. A large statue of St. Stephen dominates the area. At the extreme northern end of Castle Hill is the Military Museum and National Archives—really not worth seeing. The remnants of the Mary Magdalene church tower are in the area as well; the church was destroyed in WWII. The last interesting aspect of Castle Hill are the Buda labyrinths which are tunnels that originally connected the medieval houses for use during times of war.
Be prepared for exorbitant pricing on food and drink (even for Hungarian standards).
Liberation Monument/Citadel:
This is a rather interesting place to visit and is located to the south of Castle Hill. The Liberation Monument shows a woman holding a wreath and was originally a communist tribute just like the Soviet Army Memorial. There used to statues of communist soldiers and proletariat surrounding the base of the statue but these were removed when the Cold War ended. The remains of the Citadel can also be viewed and are just to the north of the Liberation Monument. During the close of WWII, the German Army attempted to hold out for the winter. The structures were bombed flat by the Red Army, of course.
Buda Hills:
A nice way to spend the day is to go to the Lebego Chairlift which will take you 800 meters to the top of Janos Hill. The views can’t be beat and the top of the hill is a nature reserve with extensive trails and woods. The U.S. Embassy residence is next to the base of the lift.
Central Market:
This is a great covered European market just behind the Economics Institute on the Pest side of the Liberty Bridge. The bottom floor is mostly food and agriculture related, with a few tourist vendors. The top floor has eateries and most of the tourist souvenirs. They have pre-packaged paprika that you can take home—its only about a dollar a bag.
WHAT TO EAT:
The good news about Hungary is that you will be hard-pressed to actually go hungry. I apologize for the one bad pun, but I couldn’t resist…
Food is cheap in Hungary, although the average Hungarian does not eat out that often. The average per capita income is still quite low, compared to most of the EU and you will find that even a modestly priced meal (in USD) at about 10 dollars a plate is expensive for the natives. I managed to buy an entire dinner for my friend and one other guest for just about thirty dollars.
Hungarian food is surprisingly interesting due to the liberal amounts of paprika used. Paprika is not a native plant, but its high concentrations of vitamin C made its value apparent soon after being introduced by the Turks. There are different levels of spiciness to paprika and some mixtures are more sweet than hot.
The cuisine is typical central European. It is very heavy on potatoes, legumes, dense wheat noodles, beef, game birds, and chicken. There are freshwater fish from the lakes and rivers, as well. The goulash (gulyas) is the best known and least understood national dish. I always had horrible images of greenish mucous-like swill, ladled from communist cauldrons onto day-old bread. Even the phonetics and sounds of the word are horrid on the ear.
The truth is that goulash is the complete opposite. Much like the Vietnamese national soup known as pho, goulash has an infinite number of variations and styles. It’s a hearty beef-based broth that is spiced with paprika and full of vegetables, cubed beef, and potatoes. Just about every café will have this on their menu.
As I mentioned before, the Hungarian diet is intensely centered around the pepper plant. In fact, it’s not uncommon to have a fresh pepper or salted pepper on the table along with a snack of bread, salted meats, and fruit. The Hungarians will slice pieces off of the pepper and eat them just as they would any other finger food. A selection of salted peppers (they taste like our pepperoncinis) will usually accompany a hot meal.
The Hungarian diet is also very meat-intensive and heavy on sauces and starch products. My advice is to order lightly. In most of the local restaurants, you’ll be pretty full after your appetizer, and may want to just get a main course. If you are a vegetarian, there are some offerings, but just about everything that you eat here had parents.
Special mention should be made of Gerbaud which is the famous pastry shop at Vorosmarty Ter (Vor-oash-mar-tee) on the Pest side. It’s very touristy and crowded on the weekends and peak hours, but I highly recommend sampling some of the cakes. They have master chefs in the kitchen and it really shows.
Wine drinkers will want to try the unique Hungarian desert wine called Tokaj (Tok-eye) which is quite good. There are also Hungarian reds that are gaining world-class status, despite the rather undeserved reputation of them all being like the fortified “Bull’s Blood.” I could go on and on about Hungarian wines, but I recommend you do some research, since this topic is so diverse. Hungary has great microclimates in the north and around Lake Balaton in the south, and now that they are free of communist agricultural management, they are producing great wines. The Budapest wine festival on Castle Hill actually took place the weekend I was there, and I was able to take partial advantage of this.
OUTERLYING AREAS:
Szentendre:
If you have some time, you may want to go to Szentendre (Sen-ten-drey) which actually is the last stop on the northbound HEV line. This is a small village on the Danube Bend and has some interesting shops and sights. Like most European villages, it has a central square where most of the tourist-trap restaurants, shops, and museums can be found. In the center of town, atop a raised embankment, is the Catholic Parish Church. Like many of the churches in Hungary, it was built back in the 14th century, and survived successive waves of conquerors (Turks, Christians, Nazis, etc). Very little of village life remains, aside from the familiarity of the locals with one another, and most of the town seems to revolve around tourists or from weekenders from the city.
The road up to Szentendre is significant because of the Roman ruins of the town of Aquinicum are just off the highway. There is a short portion of a Roman aqueduct still standing in the highway median, and the foundations of the village are a short ways past as you proceed north.
Tropical Aquarium:
If you’re into mall culture, there is a new mall to the SE of Budapest which houses the largest aquarium on continental Europe. I can’t remember the exact name of the mall, but the aquarium is well known and worth the trip. The forward portion of the aquarium houses some rather dull local and foreign fresh-water fish. There is a crocodile enclosure with a couple of lackadaisical looking specimens and a simulated thunderstorm and deluge that occurs a few times/hour. Just past this is an open aviary and lemur enclosure—watch for bird droppings—followed by a exhibit of reptiles, poisonous toads, and assorted rare arachnid and insect specimens. It’s not for the weak of heart, although the tortoises were cool. The salt-water aquarium is the best part and includes a Plexiglas tunnel which allows you to see the sharks and other salt-water fish up close. There are about a dozen or so smaller tanks housing things like sea horses, moray eels, and several reef-tanks with living coral. If you know anything about reef tanks, you can appreciate the size and complexity of what they have here—the set-ups are absolutely stunning. At the end is an open manta-ray pool where you can touch the specimens. Of course, its unsupervised and there is a warning sign about getting stung if you touch the tail.
INTANGIBLES:
Currency: Hungarian forint is about 227 to 1 USD. Will change to Euros in 2004.
Voltage: Continental European two-pin round prongs at 230v. You’ll need an adaptor.
ATM: Plentiful and take all US cards on Cirrus/ Interlink/Star. Located at the airport in departures.
Cellular service: No problems with Tri-band phones.
Overseas dialing: You need to dial 00 and wait for a high-pitched tone. Then just dial the country code (1 for the U.S., 44 for the UK, etc).
Beer Toasts: Hungarians DO NOT touch glasses when drinking beer after a toast. This is done out of respect for Hungarian dissidents that were murdered by the Nazis, who then toasted with beers over the bodies.
Gypsies/Roma: There is a very low opinion of these people throughout the world. According to my friend, there are three types. 1) Musicians and artists which are usually tolerated and even liked. 2) Second-hand salesmen/scavengers who go through street refuse and re-sell used goods—these are marginally tolerated, but mostly looked down upon. 3) Thieves and welfare-scammers. These are not tolerated, but their presence gives all Roma a bad name. I just avoided them all together.
Posta: To mail international post, you’ll have to go to the Posta (Poash-tah). These are post offices, but they also have news-stands inside. Additionally, these are the places where Hungarians pay for their utility bills (gas, electric, water, etc). Make sure you’re in the right line.
Police (Rendorszeghy-pronounced Ren-dor-sheg): They have the right to stop any and all vehicles and demand proof of licensure, ownership, and insurance. It’s to curb the car theft problem and yet another reason to avoid driving. There used to be a major corruption problem with the police, but it’s supposedly better.
Drugs/Alcohol: DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE. There is a zero-tolerance policy for drunk driving and if you blow anything above zero, you’re in serious trouble. Drug offenses are treated very harshly.
Internet: Most hotels have broadband access, as do internet cafes.
Nightlife: I really didn’t go out much. It’s kind of bleak, but my friend told me that there are plenty of large dance clubs in Budapest. I found the bar scene to be pretty active. Single men should be aware about the “hostess bars.” These are similar to what you see in Asia. A hot girl lures you into a bar and when the check comes, its for a couple thousand bucks—you risk a beating if you don’t pay.
Prostitution: Just open the phone book or turn on the television after midnight. It’s nothing but escort service ads. The proximity of Hungary to the Eastern bloc and its desperate women make this a depressing fact of life. There are plenty of gentlemen’s clubs in Budapest and they advertise openly.
Hopefully you found this review helpful. There is plenty to do in Budapest, but getting around is the biggest hurdle to overcome due to the poor driving conditions and sketchy subway system. The language is of minor concern as well, but don’t let these things get in the way. Budapest is a great place to visit, it is full of history, and the prices make it a palatable alternative to the more expensive European destinations. Be warned that there are still visible signs of the abuses of the communist economy and these are most notable in the still-developing infrastructure.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Singles
Best Time to Travel Here: Sep - Nov
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pspark
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Location: U.S.S. Defiant
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