Budapest - City Card
Eating
Budget: Szt. Jupát (II. Dékán
utca 3.) is a non stop restaurant near Moszkva tér, one of the main
traffic hubs in Buda. Its fare is mainly Hungarian and servings are huge,
it’s open until the early hours. Fészek Klub (VII. Kertész
utca 36) is close to the entertainment district of Pest and the haunt of actors
and musicians, it has a beautiful courtyard to sit and enjoy a meal.
Mid-Range: Remiz (II. Budakeszi út 5)
is in the leafy residential part of Buda with outdoor eating if the weather
permits: the food is Hungarian with an international twist. Bagolyvár
(XIV. Állatkerti út 2) near Hosok tere is a cosy, traditional
restaurant entirely run by women with a large canopied outdoor area for the
summer.
Luxury: The hallmark of luxury restaurants in
Budapest is gypsy music: the best bands play in Gundel (XIV. Állatkerti
út 2.) where the atmosphere is refined and the food the best of Hungary
and the Continent, or Monarchia (XII. Virányos út 4/a) in the
Buda suburbs.
Drinking
The café-bar scene is concentrated in two distinct areas: Liszt Ferenc
tér and Ráday utca near Kálvin tér. Pubs are mostly
Irish, Becketts (V. Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út 72.) is the best known, Champs
Sports Pub (VII. Dohány utca 20) has television screens for the committed
sports fan. Near the stations and in side streets there are several cheap
local wine bars where wine is served from the barrel.
Things To See And Do
- The mighty Danube bisects Budapest, to the west is Buda the historic capital
of the county and on the eastern side is Pest, the administrative and business
centre. A visit to the Castle area is a must, here, in the Gothic Matthias
church the Hungarian kings were crowned, in the Royal Castle some of the countries
most important art collections are housed, and the views over the Danube towards
Pest are imposing.
- Walk over historic Chain Bridge built by British engineers and you right
in the centre of Budapest’s banking and business centre, the best shops
are here as well. Stroll down elegant Andrássy út past the Opera
House, cafés and restaurants to Heroes’ Square. The square is
flanked by the Museum of Fine Arts and The Art Hall where temporary exhibitions
are held. Over the boating lake is lovely Vajdahunyad vár and the famous
Széchenyi Baths in the city park.
Shopping
The most popular shopping area in Budapest is Váci utca and the neighbouring
streets, look out for the old fashioned small shops in the courtyards of the
houses. Antique shops are clustered around Falk Miksa utca further north,
while the main Market Hall is at the southern end of Váci utca. Budapest
has its fair share of shopping malls, West End by Nyugati Station or Mammut
near Moszkva tér.
Beyond The City
- A popular excursion is to the Danube Bend, this is one of the most spectacular
stretches of the entire river. For the best views visit the citadel of Visegrád
castle. Further up the river is Esztergom, the seat of the Archbishop of Hungary
and a charming town with the largest church in Hungary. Closest to Budapest
is Szentendre, an artists colony with lots of museums and galleries and the
main open air ethnografic museum in the country.
- Gödöllo is 30 minutes east from Budapest, the Baroque palace was
the favourite summer residence of Queen Elisabeth in the 19th century. In
the summer there are chamber music concerts in the courtyard.
- If you like horses, visit the nearby Lázár Park, it has regular
horse shows and you can test your riding abilities as well.
Cost Of Living
50 cl bottle of beer - from 160 Ft
One and half litre of mineral water - from 140 Ft
36 exposure colour film - 1000 Ft
City Centre bus ticket - 180 Ft
Adult football tocket - 2000 Ft
Three course meal with wine or beer - 5000-10000 Ft
Key Phrases
Hello - Jó napot
Goodbye - Viszontlátásra
Yes - Igen
No - Nem
Please - Kérem
Thankyou - Köszönöm
Excuse me - Bocsánat
Do you speak English? - Beszél angolul?
I don’t understand - Nem értem
Where is the ... - Hol van a(z) ... ?
Train Station - vasut állomás
Tram stop - villamosmegálló
Bank - bank
Tourist Office - Tourinform hivatal
What time does the train leave? - Mikor indul
a vonal
I’d like a single/return ticket - Egy
vonal/retur jegyet kérek
Do you have any rooms available? - Van szabad
szobájuk?
How much is it? - Mibe kerül?
I need a doctor - Hivjanak orvost
What time is it? - Mennyi az ido?
Call the police/an ambulance - Hivják
a rendorséget/mentoket
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