The Mini Rough Guide to Budapest

This guide to Budapest includes information on where to stay, eat and drink; accounts of the major sights including the Varhegy and the Belvaros; city-centre walks; researched sections on food and wine, architecture, Jewish Budapest, thermal baths; folk and classical music; and day trips.

Introduction

With its wonderful natural setting, straddling the River Danube, its beautiful architecture and excellent Magyar cuisine, Budapest is one of the most satisfying cities in Europe to visit. Its magnificent waterfront and boulevards invite comparisons with Paris, Prague and Vienna - as do many features of its cultural life such as its coffee houses, its love of opera and its wine-producing tradition. However, the city is also distinctively Hungarian, its inhabitants displaying fierce pride in their Magyar ancestry. Their language too, whose nearest European relatives are Finnish and Turkish, underlines the difference.

Ironically, provincial Hungarians have long regarded Budapest as a hotbed of alien values and loose morals - a charge that misses the point. Foreigners have played a major role in the city since its inception, and the Chinese and Arab communities established since the end of Communism simply bring it up to date as an international city for the next millennium. Even the sex trade that has earned it the reputation of the "Bangkok of Europe" is nothing new, having been a feature of life during Habsburg times. In politics, art and much else, Budapest is not only the capital but a catalyst for the country, without which Hungary would be a far duller place.

Budapest is divided into two halves, Buda and Pest, by the river Danube. Its compact centre located around the waterfront and its excellent public transport system make it an easy city for visitors to explore. Vrhegy (Castle Hill) is the obvious starting point for an exploration of the city, where the Mtys Church, Fishermen's Bastion, and Renaissance inns and cellars of Buda Palace evoke a proud and turbulent past. Nearby are two of Buda's famous Turkish baths, where you can wallow in the original Ottoman pools.

Vrhegy and Gellrt-hegy on the Buda side both offer stunning views over the bustling Belvros (Inner City) and central districts of Pest, where most of the restaurants, nightlife and other attractions are found. Encircled by the Kiskrt and Nagykrt (Small and Great Boulevards), these neighbourhoods form the heart of the city, and, though Pest contains such monumental sights as Parliament and St Stephen's Basilica, its social and cultural life is the prime attraction. The boulevards of Vci utca and Vrsmarty tr are synonymous with people-watching, caf society, shopping and street entertainers, with concerts at the Vigad- concert hall. Around the corner is the Gerbeaud patisserie, the best-known of Budapest's coffee houses, whose Biedermeier elegance contrasts with the Art Nouveau opulence of the New York and Astoria coffee houses.

One of the great things about Budapest is that most of its pleasures are affordable for visitors on a tight budget. Delicious meals can be had all over the city, and discovering things for yourself can be half the fun. Though Hungarian cuisine is noted for its richly sauced meat and fish dishes, there are enough alternatives (Indian, Chinese, Italian, Middle Eastern) for vegetarians to enjoy themselves too.

Budapest's nightlife is also very affordable and, though small, it caters for a wide range of tastes. There isn't always much of a distinction between clubs and bars, as many bars play live music or have a disco; beer halls, however, usually serve full meals. Generally, the scene is trouble-free and welcoming, with a whole network of events that are surprisingly accessible. This is especially true of the Tnchz (Dance House) scene, where Hungarians of all ages perform wild stamping dances to the rhythms of darkest Transylvania, and internationally renowned artists like Mrta Sebestyn appear in an informal setting.

In the case of classical music and opera, world-class ensembles and soloists can be enjoyed in the palatial settings of the Vigad- and State Opera House, especially during the major festivals in spring, summer and autumn. You can also go to outdoor concerts on Margit sziget (Margit Island) over summer. For fans of pop, rock and world music, the two big events are the Budapesti Bucs, first held to celebrate the departure of Soviet troops in 1991, and the Sziget Festival, which claims to be the largest in Europe.

When to visit

The best times to visit Budapest are spring (late March to the end of May) and autumn (Sept-Oct), when the weather is mild and there are fewer tourists, except during the Spring Festival (late March/early April). The majority of tourists come in the summer, when residents decamp to Lake Balaton and those who remain flock to the city's pools and parks to escape the heat and dust. Though many concert halls are closed over summer, there are all kinds of outdoor events to compensate - especially in August, when the Sziget Festival, the Formula-1 Grand Prix and the Opera and Ballet festival all take place around the middle of the month. Winter is cold and may be snowy, but you can still enjoy all the city's sights and cultural attractions (as well as trying roasted chestnuts from street vendors), while the thermal baths take on an extra allure. It's wise to book accommodation in advance for Christmas, New Year, the Spring Festival and Grand Prix.