Budapest, on the Blue Danube, proved to be a wonderful experience at night. We strolled along the banks of the Danube on a warm summer night which turned out to be magical. This was the beginning of an exciting stay. with our hotel, the Marriott right in the middle of the action.
Things to do in Budapest
Nighttime Danube River Cruise A Top Tourist Attraction
Another option in the evening is to do a nighttime river cruise on the Danube. Many options range from a big dinner cruise as well as a simple ride to view the illuminated buildings that line the riverbanks. We chose the simple option. This is a great way to see Budapest on the Blue Danube.
Free City Walking Tours
My readers know that I like to orient myself in a new city by going on a free city walking tour. You can Google this online for the details. The first one covered the Pest side of the river which also included the prominent Elizabeth Square and proceeded on to St. Stephen Basilica which is the spiritual center of Hungary. We walked along the Danube and came to the Shoes memorial which consisted of shoes left behind by Budapest Jews executed by the Nazis during World War II. Our last stop was the magnificent Parliament Building which in fact rivals Great Britain’s Westminster for length.
Our second day covers the hilly Buda side with its huge palace complex not to mention that those Hapsburgs really liked to live big. Also included was the important St. Mathias Church.
Dohenyi Sreet Synagogue A Top Tourist Attraction
The Dohenyi Street Synagogue was quite a thrilling visit for its beautiful Moorish architecture not to mention its important history. This was quite a dark period than ever the less did prove to be inspiring.
Parliament Building A Top Tourist Attraction
The Parliament Building is another symbol of the history of Hungary. They have tours that you must book online in advance of your visit in order to see this impressive building.
Szechenyi Thermal Baths and Pools A Top Tourist Attraction
On our last day in Budapest, we wanted to make the most of it. on a very hot summer day. On our list was a visit to the Szechenyi Thermal Baths and Pools https://www.szechenyibath.hu/ which consists of 3 outdoor pools and 15 indoor pools plus spas and steam rooms.
St. Stephen Festival
Also going on was the St. Stephen Festival with lots of Hungarian entertainment plus food stalls and fireworks. We saw lots of singing and dancing at many sites in Budapest which made for an exciting evening. The St. Stephen Festival takes place every August 20th.
A Word from Steve
Please visit Booking.com as I do for absolutely the best deals to address your hotels and other travel needs. Save, save, save.
One of the frustrating aspects of travel is the chance that your luggage will arrive late, which happened to me on the initial state of this trip. We flew from Philadelphia to London and changed planes to go to Budapest. We both checked in together at Heathrow and wouldn’t you know that Maria got hers back quickly at the Budapest airport. I was the disappointed one. This took me an extra day to get mine which is not an excellent way to start a trip. You must always keep your luggage receipt, which helps track the luggage.
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