| Budapest, Hungary |  |
| October 27 - 30, 2003 |
Budapest and Vienna, both capitals of the former Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy, are closely connected to each other by its history. That's probably why I felt so comfortable in Budapest. Although there are still some communism traces to be seen, Budapest is very similar to Vienna: the Big Ring Road (Nagykörút), parks, bridges crossing the Danube and history everywhere.
The city of Budapest (population ~ 1.9 million) was formed in 1873 by uniting Buda, Pest and Óbuda, whereas Buda lies on the western, hilly bank of the Danube and the flat plain of Pest on the eastern bank.
You can easily spend 4 days to a week in Budapest to see all the city's sights. In Buda you may stroll around Castle Hill (recognised by the UNESCO as world cultural heritage) to explore Buda Castle, Royal Palace, Trinity Square, Matthias Church, Fishermen's Bastion, etc. Moreover, the Castle District is also one of the most romantic pedestrian quarters in Budapest. It's a little medieval town with atmospheric streets, lovely houses, gas lamps and monuments. Pest, on the other hand, is more commercial - here you'll find shopping centers but also historic and cultural monuments: St. Stephen's Basilica, the Parliament, Opera House, Hereos' Square, and the Synagogue - just to name a few.
All in all, Budapest is great city where the curious visitor can see, do and experience a lot - not to mention the food! Keep your eyes open and you'll love this metropolis at the Danube!
Last but not least, I wanna thank Eszter - our host - for her hospitality, for her priceless tips on her hometown, for her refreshing nature, for everything! And thanks to her mum Erika for the delicious Pörkölt!
Following you find some pictures of Oli and my stay in Budapest.
| Buda | |||
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| Pest | |||
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| The Danube - connecting Buda and Pest | |||
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| People | |||
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