szabolcs' VirtualTourist Home Page

Hi and first of all thank you for being here. You have arrived at the VT homepage of a young globetrotter from Budapest with an unsatiable wanderlust. Yes, I sometimes wonder where my extreme obsession with traveling comes from. Maybe I had been genetically 'coded' this way...

I'm into all kinds of travels. As a professional tour guide I often take classical "touristy" trips that many of us here joke about. On my private trips I am everything from budget-conscious backpacker to luxury traveler.
I'm open to anything new and unknown and there is no single spot on this planet that does not interest me. Every country is on my "to do" list, but I'm looking for more than just a "been there, done that" experience.
I'm back at VT after a multi-year hiatus. The coming months will see most of my existing pages redone and new ones written. Your messages are always welcome. Have a great time.

Although I do believe that every country on this planet can offer something special and their uniqueness needs to be appreciated, I keep being asked about my favorites.

Here you go: hard as it was, here is my ever-changing list. They are by far not complete and I sometimes feel I am doing injustice to lots of great places but who could ever be expected to read a Top 1000 list or so...?

MY TOP 15 CITIES IN THE WORLD

in no particular order

- BUDAPEST, Hungary (my hometown...)
- NEW YORK CITY, NY, USA
- AMSTERDAM, Netherlands
- JAIPUR, India
- RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil
- BEIJING, China
- HONG KONG, China
- SHANGHAI, China
- ROME, Italy
- PARIS, France
- VENICE, Italy
- MARRAKESH, Morocco
- SINGAPORE
- DUBLIN, Ireland
- ISTANBUL, Turkey

MY TOP 10 TOWNS AND SECLUDED PLACES

in no particular order

- ZHOUZHUANG, China
- CESKY KRUMLOV, Czech Republic
- TAORMINA, Italy
- MELACA, Malaysia
- SIDI BOU SAID, Tunisia
- A I LOFOTEN, Norway
- GLENDALOUGH, Ireland
- MOSTAR, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- CUSCO, Peru
- MOULAY IDRISS, Morocco

MY TOP 15+1 PLACES TO STAY

1. GRAND MERCURE, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2.COLCA LODGE, Colca Canyon, Peru
3. BOPHA ANGKOR, Siem Reap, Cambodia
4. TIWA AMAZON, Manaus, Brazil
5. SHANGHAI MANSIONS, Shanghai, China
6. LIBERTADOR CUSCO, Cusco, Peru
7. INTERCONTINENTAL, Madrid, Spain
8. BALA'S CHALET, Cameron Highlands, Malaysia
9. EREMO SUL MARE, Vernazza, Italy
10. CROWNE PLAZA, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
11. L'ESCALE D'AZURE, Gattieres, France
12. HAZYVIEW PROTEA HOTEL, Hazyview, South Africa
13. BAIYOKE SKY, Bangkok, Thailand
14. CLUB MED, Uxmal, Mexico
15. OLD DUTCH, Volendam, Netherlands
+1 JUSTAD VANDRERHJEM, Stamsund, Norway

MY TOP 5 NATURAL WONDERS

1. IGUACU FALLS, Argentina-Brazil
2. STROMBOLI, Italy
3. THE ISLE OF CAPRI, Italy
4. THE SOUTHERN DRAKENSBERG - SANI PASS, South Africa-Lesotho
5. PREIKESTOLEN I LYSEFJORD, Norway

MY TOP 10 MUSEUMS

1. The Metropolitan Museum, New York, USA
2. The Vatican Museum, VATICAN CITY
3. Vincent Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS
4. National Museum, Dublin, IRELAND
5. Uffizi Gallery, Florence, ITALY
6. Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology, Lima, PERU
7. Kon-Tiki Museum, Oslo, NORWAY
8. Egyptian Museum, Cairo, EGYPT
9. Shaanxi History Museum, Xi'an, CHINA
10. British Museum, London, UK

MY TOP 20 MAN-MADE MONUMENTS

in no particular order

- THE GREAT WALL, Badaling, China
- THE STATUE OF CHRIST THE REDEEMER, Rio, Brazil
- ANGKOR WAT, Cambodia
- THE FORBIDDEN CITY, Beijing, China
- THE BASILICA OF ST.PETER, Vatican City
- THE EIFFEL-TOWER, Paris, France
- BOROBUDUR, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
- THE LOST INCA CITY OF MACHU PICCHU, Peru
- THE GRAND MOSQUE OF HASSAN II., Casablanca, Morocco
- THE AMPHITHEATRE OF EL JEM, Tunisia
- THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE, Jerusalem, Israel
- THE HUNDERTWASSER CHURCH, Barnbach, Austria
- THE YONGHEGONG LAMA TEMPLE, Beijing, China
- THE PHRA PATHOM CHEDI, Nakhom Pathom, Thailand
- THE RECOLETA CEMETERY, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- THE CHRYSLER BUILDING, New York, USA
- THE TEMPLE OF THE EMERALD BUDDHA, Bangkok, Thailand
- THE CHAIN BRIDGE, Budapest, Hungary
- THE KYKKO MONASTERY, Kykko, Cyprus
- THE HAGIA SOPHIA, Istanbul, Turkey

MY TOP 5 AIRLINES

1. QATAR AIRWAYS, Qatar
2. SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS, South Africa
3. AUSTRIAN AIRLINES, Austria
4. VARIG, Brazil
5. AIR FRANCE, France