Budapest is the capital of Hungary, a city with diverse monuments and atmosphere that brings you to the glory days of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. The Royal Castle towering over the Danube, the monumental cathedral, the building of thermal baths, numerous bars and restuarants make it possible to spend a great time here.
The city was created from the merger of two centers, royal Buda and middle-class Pest. Buda is located on a hill and there is a Royal Castle. Only the foundations remain of the medieval fortress, while the buildings erected by the Habsburgs now house museums. The whole is surrounded by stylized walls rebuilt at the beginning of the 19th and 20th centuries with Neo-Roman and romantic towers, including the famous Fishermen's Tower.
The tower, like the Gellert Hill located in the same part of the city, is a great viewpoint for Budapest. From here you can see all the most important monuments and the wide ribbon of the Danube, on which cruise ships move.
On the other side of the Danube is Pest. His most important monument is the cathedral of St. Stefan, with the relics of the most famous Hungarian ruler. However, the neo-Renaissance building of parliament standing on the Danube embankment and the eye-catching dome and beautifully decorated facade is much more famous. Along the coast near Parliament there are restaurants and wine bars and a popular pedestrian zone.
An important place of Pest is the Square and Monument to the Heroes, Varosliget, where the figures of the most important kings and commanders in the history of the country were placed. Behind the monument is a park of the same name with a palace erected after World War I, which is a replica of the Vajdahunyad castle currently located in Romania. The park can be reached by the oldest subway line in continental Europe, opened in 1896.
The most entertaining part of Budapest is the former Jewish district centered around Kazinczy Street. There are now bars and pubs as well as music clubs with various offers in former shops and workshops. It was here that Budapest's "ruined pubs", located in renovated tenement houses, were initiated.
Budapest as a thermal swimming pool was already known in Roman times. Currently, the most popular thermal pool complexes are Dagály and Széchenyi and bathing areas on Gellert Hill and Margaret Island.
