It is less well-known that Budapest is the largest spa city in Europe. It has over 120 hot springs, which can be enjoyed in 21 baths. 10 of them are spas.
On the way to the metro, we pass the Memorial for the Victims of the German Occupation and St. Stephen’s Basilica, the largest basilica in Budapest, which can hold up to 8,500 people.
It was built by Austrians in Pest as the parish church of St. Leopold under the patronage of St. Leopold of Austria.
From the Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út stop, we take the metro to the Széchenyi fürdő stop, near the Széchenyi Bath in the City Forest, the largest of its kind in Europe.
The City Park is a recreational area with numerous leisure and entertainment facilities. In addition to the spa, there is the Körhinta, a culturally significant and extensively restored carousel, the Zoological-Botanical Garden, the Capital Circus, the Amusement Park, the Transportation Museum, the Biodome (plant and animal house), the Ice Rink and the Boat Rink, the Museum of Ethnography, the Vajdahunyad Castle and several smaller attractions.
The Vajdahunyad Castle was built for the Millennium Exhibition of 1896. It served as an exhibition building for historically valuable art objects. Today, it houses the Agricultural Museum.
The monument to Georg Kastrioti Scanderbeg commemorates the fight for an independent Albania against the Turks. Scanderbeg defended the Principality of Kastrioti against the Ottomans. He first served the Ottoman Empire, then the Republic of Venice, and finally the Kingdom of Naples. Today, he is considered an Albanian national hero.
Heroes Square, with its statues and monuments, is also part of the city park. It is framed by the Budapest Art Gallery and the Museum of Fine Arts.
Back in the center of Budapest, we take a short break at Gerbeaud Coffee House before strolling down Váci utra, Budapest’s most famous shopping street.
We return to the Danube, cross the Elisabeth Bridge, and enjoy the view. Then, we continue to the Liberty Bridge, which we cross to get an impression of the surroundings
The most important sights are the Market Hall, the Main Customs Square (Fővám tér), the Rock Church, the Statue of Liberty, the Gellért Bath, the Technical University, the Corvinius University, and the Congress Center.
Sights, some of which we plan to explore in more detail the next day.
After so many impressions, it’s time for food and drink. We take the metro three stops from Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út to Vörösmarty utca. From there, we walk past the Bábszínház Puppet Theatre to Kiraly 100 Gastro Corner.
This rustic, three-level restaurant is famous for its Hungarian cuisine. We round off the evening with delicious goulash and cabbage rolls.
Text, photos and video: Copyright © myVideoMedia