Budapest Holidays

Budapest is a city of two halves – both in name and geography. It’s split by the Danube River, with Buda to the west and Pest to the east. The former’s crowned by a hilltop castle and a fortress, which offer up some of the best panoramas around. Meanwhile, the latter’s home to the quirky Jewish Quarter and the grand-and-Gothic parliament building.

Reminders of the past are everywhere you turn in Hungary’s capital – from the poignant Shoes on the Danube memorial to the charming Castle District and the enlightening House of Terror museum. Then there are the open-air ruin bars, found in the Jewish Quarter’s abandoned buildings. The most famous of which – Szimplakert – has become a Budapest institution. Here, you can take a seat in a cut-open car or bathtub, surrounded by graffiti-covered walls and junkyard-chic furniture.

As well as a scene-stealing riverside setting, Budapest’s blessed with a collection of thermal springs. The mineral-rich waters supply the city’s popular bathhouses, hence its nickname – the City of Spas. They’re a treasure chest of architecture, too, from the Art Deco Gellert Baths to the Ottoman-era Kiraly Baths and the canary-coloured Szechenyi.