MyBuda
Category

Travel

Category
Travel

Budapest in Your Pocket: The Apps That Made Our First Week Easier

From trams and scooters to food and hidden places, these are the apps that helped us understand Budapest and start living the city. When you arrive in Budapest for the first time, the city can look more complicated than it really is. There are four metro lines, dozens of trams and buses, trolleybuses, night buses, bikes and electric scooters everywhere. During our first days here, we quickly understood that having the right apps on our phones makes a huge difference. We are staying in Budapest for a month, so one of the first things we did was get a monthly public transport pass. After that, the problem was no longer paying for every trip. The real question became: what is the fastest or easiest way to get there? That is where the apps started helping us. Citymapper: finding the best way to move around Citymapper is probably the app we…

by
Read More
Active tourism

The Citadella: Budapest from Above

The Citadella is one of the best places to see Budapest from above. It stands on the top of Gellért Hill, on the Buda side of the city. From here, the Danube seems to divide Budapest perfectly in two, and you can recognise many of the most famous places in the city. Getting to the top Getting to the Citadella is part of the experience. One of the nicest options is to start from St. Gellért Square, near Liberty Bridge, and walk up through the paths of Gellért Hill. The climb takes some effort, especially when it is warm, but there are several places where you can stop and already get a good view of the city. Another easier option is bus 27, getting off at Búsuló Juhász. From there, the north entrance of the Citadella is around a six-minute walk away. There are also walking paths starting from the…

by
Read More
Active tourism

Fisherman’s Bastion: Budapest at Sunrise and at Night

The Fisherman’s Bastion is one of the most famous places in Budapest. It is on the Buda side of the city, next to Matthias Church, and from its terraces you can see the Danube, the Parliament and a large part of Pest. It is especially popular because of the view, but the atmosphere can be completely different depending on the time you visit it. We decided to see it in two different moments: at sunrise and just after sunset. It almost felt like visiting two different places. Sunrise: quiet Budapest Visiting the Bastion early in the morning means waking up very early, but it is worth it. At sunrise, the first thing we noticed was the silence. There were only a few people around and we could walk through the arches and terraces without the big crowds that normally visit the area during the day. The light also changes everything.…

by
Read More
Active tourism

The Deep Roots and Rebirth of Budapest’s Jewish Quarter

Any tourist asked about their plans for Budapest will definitely tell that they want to visit a “ruin bar.” And there is little doubt that their first step will be directed towards District VII, Erzsébetváros, which goes under another name: the Jewish Quarter. At night, these few square kilometers become one of the liveliest, chaotic, and dynamic places in all Europe to go to a party. However, during the day, the strobes disappear to unveil a district rich in history. It is a place of elegant Moorish buildings along the streets where you can see walls with bullet holes, and kosher bread shops right next to gourmet coffee roasters. But to get to know more about Budapest, one needs to peel off the layer of neon. Here begins the history of the Jewish Quarter, from its golden era to its darkest times, and its amazing comeback in modern days. The…

by
Read More
Active tourism

Where Light Meets the Soul: In Search for Cinema Mystica in Budapest

Deep inside the cultural heritage of Budapest hides a place that removes all the limitations of physical reality. Situated in the very center of the city in Párisi Udvar, Cinema Mystica is no regular movie hall but a leading digital arts exhibition in Central Europe. As soon as you go through dark and heavy curtains you find yourself in a new dimension of reality that combines light, sound and sacred geometry of the material world and digital universe. Covering an enormous amount of dark rooms, this amazing experience utilizes the latest technologies to transform an environment into a living canvas that interacts with you forcing you to reconsider the limits of your body and the art itself. Sanctuary of Sacred Geometry and Digital Light The central concept of the exhibition at Cinema Mystica lies in a rather interesting idea – exploring ancient spiritual symbols, psychedelic patterns and hidden geometry of…

by
Read More
Active tourism

Budapest from the Water: Local Danube Riverboat Cruise

This is one of the reasons Budapest is called “The Pearl of the Danube.” Although wandering through the winding cobblestone streets of the castle area or sitting in a ruin pub enjoying some drinks might be wonderful, there is nothing like the view of Budapest from the heart of the river, particularly at night, where the whole capital turns into a masterpiece of gold lights. However, one does not have to pay lots of money for an expensive private cruise in order to see this spectacle. The river boat line of the local transport operator BKV allows tourists to enjoy the sight of the most magnificent parliament of the world. Why the Local Riverboat is Budapest’s Best Kept Secret The majority of tourists immediately visit the tourist piers at Vigadó tér where the premium price is paid for the usual commercial cruises. But while the tours are excellent, there is…

by
Read More
Active tourism

A Mediterranean Oasis at the Very Heart of the City: Discovering Twentysix in Budapest

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the VII District of Budapest, lies the hidden oasis of Twentysix, which offers the sensation of being thousands of miles away from the harsh winds of Europe. All one needs to do is enter the inconspicuous door on Király Street and suddenly find themselves transported to Twentysix, an exquisite indoor jungle that redefines the meaning of interior dining and hanging out altogether. This is not only a restaurant, but an entire living ecosystem that combines ultramodern architecture and nature. With a constant climate of 26°C (79°F)—which is suitable both for the exotic flora and people—the gorgeous courtyard under the glass roof has soon turned into the most desirable retreat spot for the local citizens and tourists. The Architectural Structure of the Botanical Courtyard There is something about Twentysix which makes it a true architectural wonder – it is the perfect example of blending nature…

by
Read More
Active tourism

Budapest’s Great Market Hall – the Vivid Heart of Authenticity

For anyone looking to fully immerse oneself into the spirit of daily life in Budapest, the real energy and the culture of cooking in this unique city can be found in just one location. Nestled at the end of the Liberty Bridge is the stunning neogothic church of food known as the Great Market Hall (Nagyvásárcarnok). Upon entering this magnificent brick structure, one is immediately greeted with the wonderful scents of smoked paprika, pastry, and meat that have been part of the Hungarian cuisine tradition for over a hundred years. This vibrant market center is not only a tourist attraction but also an alive monument of European market traditions in the modern era. A Wonder of Brick and Zsolnay Tiles The Great Market Hall was erected back in 1897, led by the renowned architect, Samu Pecz. It came as a result of dire necessity to ensure the quality of food…

by
Read More
Active tourism

The Rolling Meadow in the Sky: The Architecture of Budapest’s New Ethnographic Museum

If you head into the green heart of Budapest’s City Park (Városliget), you will stumble upon an architectural marvel that looks like a giant, futuristic skateboard ramp covered in lush meadows. This is the new Museum of Ethnography (Néprajzi Múzeum). Instead of building a traditional, imposing monument that blocks the landscape, the architects did something revolutionary by designing a structure that curves gracefully into the earth, turning its entire, massive roof into a public, walkable hanging garden. This elevated urban park has quickly become a favorite sanctuary where city dwellers and travelers come to relax, walk, and experience the city from a completely fresh vantage point. A Bridge Between Nature and Culture Completed as part of the ambitious Liget Budapest Project, this award-winning building was designed by the Hungarian studio NAPUR Architect. The concept is beautifully poetic: the building is designed as two sweeping hills that meet in the center,…

by
Read More
Active tourism

Rolling and Floating: What It’s Really Like on Budapest’s Amphibious Water Bus

Have you ever been strolling around the banks of the Danube, minding your own business, when suddenly a flashy yellow bus comes right off the road, dives straight into the water? No need to be alarmed, the driver did not doze off behind the wheel. What you have just seen is the RiverRide, the amphibious water bus that Budapest is known for! If you are torn between a standard bus tour of the city and a boat ride, this funny yellow bus takes care of both of your needs. Below is what it is like riding this one-of-a-kind attraction in Budapest. What is an Amphibious Bus? At first glance, the RiverRide looks like a normal, albeit slightly bulky, tour bus. It has standard bus seats, large panoramic windows, and a tour guide with a microphone. But underneath, it’s built on a custom-designed chassis that functions entirely as a boat. Because…

by
Read More