Budapest Things to Do Tips by 1courage Top 5 Page for this destination

The fantastic Post museum!The staircase-part 1 Post Museum Review

The other amazing building of the Andrássy avenue is the Postmuseum projected by Győző Czigler and built between 1882 and 1886. Like ost of the buildings of the Avenue also this one was built in Neorenassaince style.
You can visit the staircase free of charge wich I highly recomend to do because it`s breathtaking!
In this first tip I show you 5 pics of the lower parts of the staircase (from the entrance to the 1st floor)

Address: Budapest

Directions: 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 3. 1. st floor

The Palace of Arts

The construction of the Palace of Arts started in 2001 and finished in 2005. This enormous building, unlike the Nathional theatre wich followed the traditions, was constructed in a post-modern, very progressive style. Maybe this is why I don`t like it too much the externals, but surely the internals are impressive. It hosts the the Ludwig contemporary Museum, wich moved from the Buda castle, the very interesting National Concert Hall, wich is the biggest in central Europe, and has perfect accustics and the Festival Theatre.
Clicking on the link below, you can see a virtual tour of the Palace of Arts.

Address: Budapest

Directions: 1095 Budapest, Komor Marcell u. 1.

The Sándor Palota (Alexander Palace)

The Alaxander Palce was constructed in 1806, according to the plans of Mihály Pollack, one of the most important architects of the hungarian classicism. The palace recieved it`s name from the rich Sándor family (counts). Before the second world war it was the residence of the prime minister. In the war, the palace suffered very havy damages(see on the photo in my "Phoenix bird city" tip, on the right side). It remained in ruins for 20 years, when finally at least it`s externals were restored. After the fall of the communism, in 2002 it became the residence of the President of the Republic, when all the Palace, included the breathtaking internals (SEE LINK BELOW), were reconstructed. Unfortunately it can be visited only twice a year, but you can still admire the lovely exteriors.

Address: Budapest

Directions: All over the city.

The ruins of Aquincum Aquincum Review

The archeological site includes more or less the third part of the original town.
Even though there are other roman sites nearby for example in the Hajógyári Island and at the Pest brigdehead of the Elisabeth bridge (Contra Aquincum), on the Flórián square (close to the Buda side of the Árpád bridge). On this page you can find a summary of the roman records in Budapest
Well, it`s not exactly Pompei or Herculaneum, but it`s an important historical site anyway.
The centuries made the old buildings disappear, but thanks to the modern tecnology you can still see how the place was once: the Museum set up so called cronoscopes: this device is like a telescope. When you watch the ruins through it, you can see the original buildings. I found it very interesting.
An advice: if you rent a bycicle in the city centre, you can approach Aquincum easily because there is a bycicle way from the city centre.

Address: 1031 Budapest, Zahony utca 4.

Directions: On Szentendrei ut, after the Auchan store, on the right side. HEV trains from Batthyany ter to Aquincum or local trains from Nyugati pu. to Aquincum felso stop (directions Pilisvorosvar or Esztergom).

Phone: +36 (1) 250-1650, 454-0438

Website: http://www.aquincum.hu

The Holy trinity monument on Szentlélek square Obuda-Belvaros - Obuda Downtown Review

This is the third famous Holy Trinity Monument in the territory of Budapest (1. In the Castle district, 2. on the Zsigmond square 3. and this one). It was originally created in the 1740`s but than in the XX. century the parts were stolen. The district in 2000 managed to find them and they reconstructed the whole monument. For me this is the most beautiful one of the three.
You can find it on the opposite side of the Árpád Bridge to the Óbuda parish church.
From the Szentlélek square you can esaily reach the main square of Óbuda, a little remnant of the old architecture of this brutally modified and modernized district-->

Address: III., Arpad fejedelem utja / Fo ter

Directions: Arpad fej. utja: buses # 6 86 or tram #17 to Kolosy ter; Fo ter: HEV from Batthyany ter to Arpad hid station or buses #6 86 106 to Florian ter, trams #1 1A to Szentlelek ter

Website: http://www.obuda.hu

The japanese garden Margharet Island - Margit-Sziget Review

The japanese people surely have a very big talent in constructing gardens. Copying their style is surely not a crime. Budapest did this, even though this one is quite little so cannot compete with the famous ones in the Land of the Rising sun. You find it in the Northernmost part of the Margareth Island, quite close to the Árpád bridge. It`s a complex of little lakes, cute sculptures in the middle of the lakes, interesting trees and a cascade,
You also see the house of the fountains near the garden wich is a reconstruction of a previously destroyed similar monument.

Address: 1138 Budapest, Margitsziget

Directions: Bus No. 26 (from Nyugati pu.) serves the whole island and trams 4 and 6 stop at the entrance bridge (stop "Margitsziget").

Statues of the square (IV) Heroes' Square - Hosok tere Review

On the top of the column we see the sculpture of archangel Gabriel (1.st pic), who holds Saint Stephen`s Holy Crown and the Double Cross. This is also a work of György Zala, like the allegorical statues of:

2.the Peace and
3.the War.

The communists, in the 1940`s destroyed some of the statues (representing habsburg kings, wich were replaced by other personalities), and they wanted to demolish also the column on wich we see the archangel Gabriel to give place to the huge monument of stalin.

Fortunately this has never occured, All the square, included the statues, in the 90`s was completely renovated. The refurbishment finished in 2001, and this year, in 2006 also the Museum of the fine arts has regained it`s original beauty.
But on this square we find another interesting building: -->

Address: Hosok tere

Directions: Pest side, near City Park - metro station Hosok tere (M1)

Inside the Basilica St. Stephen's Basilica - Szent Istvan Bazilika Review

The internal of the basilica is just fantastic. The biggest masters of that period worked on the decoration for decades. The two most beautiful paintigs are:
1. Saint Stephen offers Hungary to Virgin Mary-painted by Gyula Benczúr and you find it on the right side o fthe Basilica
2. Christ on the Calvary hill- work by Gyula Stettka- visible on the opposite side.
On this page you can see all the other important paintings, statues of the Basilica.
Of course the main sight of the basilica is the huge cupola richly ornated with mosaics and of course gold.
By the way the gold is present everywhere in the Basilica, just look at these images-->

Address: 1051 Budapest, Hercegprímás u.

Directions: Near Deak Ferenc ter (central metro station (M1 M2 M3), terminal for buses 4 9 15 and trams 47 49;M1 or bus 4 express Bajcsy-Zsilinszky ut station/stop.

Phone: +36 1 317-2859

Website: http://www.basilica.hu

Views from the Gellért hill Gellert Hill - Gellert Hegy - Citadella Review

The english says: easy like sunday morning. That`s by the way true and quite funny. But I say: easy like shooting photos by day from the Citadel. By night it`s certainly more difficult )see my nightlife tips), but by day I beliveve that nobody manages to take bad photos from here: You must only set your camera to automatic, stay there and push the button. That`s it:)
In february 2008 came Liz and Chris and after making the climbing called among us "the Citadel experiment" (I made them climb the hill *** and they both seemed quite exhausted when they finally arrived to the top). Nevertheless I think that they were pleased with the views from there, even if-as you can see on these photos, there is absolutely no comparison between the summer views and the winter views. In summer everything is much-much greener and nicer.

*** Believe me, I offered them another choice-going up with the bus number 27- but they opted for the harder way:)

Address: 1118 Budapest, Gellerthegy, Citadella

Directions: On the top of Gellert Hill in Buda. Access by bus #27 from Moricz Zs. korter. Get off at Busulo Juhasz (Citadella) stop and walk uphill. Cars not allowed.

Website: http://www.citadella.hu

The Holy right chapel and the museum St. Stephen's Basilica - Szent Istvan Bazilika Review

Of course a basilica is not a real basilica without important relics. In this Basilica you can find a part the right arm and the hand of the king Saint Stephen (died in 1038), Hungary`s first king. It can be found and visited in a chapel wich is accessible from the left side nave of the Basilica.
To see the holy right hand in the reliquary wich is quite dark, you must drop a 100 HUF coin in the cashier. As an alternative you can also wait that other tourist do this for you:)
Also the museum of the basilica is worthy of look, although it`s not too big. You can see the wonderful golden objects from the different periods of the eclesistical art.
The last advice that I can give you is taking a turn around the Cupola (available in almost every big basilicas of the world). You don`t even have to climb the stairs: when the reconstruction was made also a lift was installed beside the staircase, so it`s really an easy ride.

Address: 1051 Budapest, Hercegprímás u.

Directions: Near Deak Ferenc ter (central metro station (M1 M2 M3), terminal for buses 4 9 15 and trams 47 49;M1 or bus 4 express Bajcsy-Zsilinszky ut station/stop.

Phone: +36 1 317-2859

Website: http://www.basilica.hu