Budapest: why it is the best destination in Europe to travel

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It is one of the fashionable cities in Europe.

Now and before the pandemic.

Not surprisingly, Budapest has been the

by the Best European Destinations association, dedicated to promoting

within the European Union, the body on which it depends.

There are plenty of reasons for the Hungarian capital for this award.

Art, unique museums, quality gastronomy, independent boutiques,

like you don't see in half of Europe...

The

deserves a separate mention with buildings such as the

building , on the banks of the Danube, the river that divides the city in two: Buda and Pest.

This jewel declared a World Heritage Site is also the second largest parliament in the world after

These figures support the record: 40 million bricks and as many

were used for its construction, which lasted seven years;

occupies 18,000 square meters of surface;

the red carpet on the main staircase is three kilometers long;

monopolize 365 towers and 352 statues...

Panoramic view of the Parliament of the Hungarian capital.

It can be seen from almost anywhere in Budapest, but one of the best ways to immortalize it is from one of the

that ply the waters of the second longest river in Europe after the Volga.

If we're talking about panoramic views, that's what the rooftops of main streets like

are for, the city's commercial hub (it's full of posh restaurants and

) which owes its name to a supposed lover of Sissi, the She was Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary.

Well, it also hides rooftops like the one at the

, with its coveted glass igloos (they have a waiting list to get a place in one of them) from which to enjoy, once evening has fallen, the lights that surround the entire the metropolis.

Of the nine bridges that cross it to the

or the mythical

The transparent bubbles of the 360 ​​bar.

Since we are with the views, we must also point out those of the terrace of the

, a historic building from the Belle Époque declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO converted into a

.

Low cost design hotels

Anyone looking for something cheaper can stay at one of the offshoots of

the Berlin chain that is revolutionizing Europe thanks to its designer rooms at very competitive

Hence, its motto is

or

as the sign that greets guests at the Budapest hotel says.

Not in vain, its growth in recent years (it was founded in 2000) has been extraordinary with

distributed in 23 cities.

From Vienna to Munich, Amsterdam, Cologne, Prague or Budapest.

Lobby of the a&o hotel, a chain of Berlin origin.

Due to the success of the chain,

are already in the sights of their managers, as Andrei Bota, director of the Budapest hotel, points out.

"Our goal is for everyone to be able to travel, but not in any way. We offer accommodation that is somewhere between

and hotels, but of great quality, with

, design, gastronomy... Nothing to do with the idea. bad thing we usually have to sleep in a hostel," adds Bota.

Its price:

per person depending on the season and demand.

The Budapest building is located in the central

(Elisabeth or district VIII), just 15 minutes from the central station and 10 from the Jewish quarter.

Only one year old, it is located in an

with original elements such as the tiled floors and the beautiful central patio.

It is aimed at both

and businessmen, places or families.

Facade of the central a&o hotel.

The experience of a Budapest at a good price can be completed by flying with the national airline

, which offers flights from Spain from 19 euros.

The next stop takes us to see the mythical gambling dens erected in

, attracting locals and strangers from half the world.

Ruin bars are called.

The

(although many are not very much in favor of this occupancy aesthetic) is that its owners have decided to leave the establishments as they were, without any improvement, introducing

elements

,

swings, retro paintings, works of art and what is third.

Among the most interesting are

Red, A-38, Sztyor or Mazel Tov.

Atmosphere of the Fogasz Haz ruin bar.

The route through the capital is not complete without a stop at the classic

many of them sheltered within

where you

at 38 degrees in the open air while you see how, outside, it begins to snow placidly .

It is one of the experiences offered by wellness temples such as

one of the most popular, where they even have pools where you can bathe in beer.

It should be noted that under the ground of the city there

Roman heritage first and then the Turks.

There are many more:

at the foot of the Buda mountain, and considered one of the

(and exclusive) spas in Budapest.

And from half the world.

ad was filmed in it

," as local guide Melinda Csonka points out.

The stalls of the emblematic Central Market.

It's time for shopping.

We already said that

is perfect for it, especially if you walk around with a pocket to spare.

If what you are looking for are autochthonous details, it is better to go through the

with its shops selling handicrafts, from black and white photo cameras to old books,

wool hats, designer lamps... .or matryoshka dolls (yes, they are Russian, but they are everywhere...).

local shopping

The list of typical articles of the country continues with embroidery, porcelain or Rubik's cubes, due to the fact that its author was born in Budapest.

Other illustrious Hungarians: the musician Franz Lizt,

The first two have their own namesake museum.

The third one also works as an exhibition center for

with workshops, talks and photography courses for experts and laymen.

The House of Terror, on Andrássy Avenue.

Other essential museums: the National, the Fine Arts, the Holocaust, the Ethnographic, the

... Without forgetting the

, which recalls the atrocities committed by both the Nazis and the Soviets during the 20th century in Hungary.

We now head to the Art Deco-style

packed with stalls selling local delicacies such as salami, goose liver pâté (note: much of the French foie gras is imported from Hungary),

one of the 22 wine regions of the country, and Palinka, the national brandy that even has a museum, located in caves where, in addition to tasting, visitors make their own liquor.

Strudel House, a restaurant specializing in this delicacy.

On the first floor of the market there are restaurants like

ideal for trying

that

that is co-authored with Germany.

Here, of course, they say that the original is theirs.

The same goes for

with the difference that in Hungary they eat it not only sweet (and not only apple), but also salty.

The best place to eat it:

where you can see how they prepare the dough behind the bar.

The route can continue in its nineteenth-century cafes.

Two wonderful ones:

where Sissi (she had to go out again...) put herself to the top of the

and her six layers of sponge cake.

Of course, there is controversy, since they say that her favorite pastry was

, the oldest in the city (1827).

Due to its small size, there is always a queue.

Interior of the 19th century New York cafe.

It is right next to the beautiful church where she was crowned queen,

in Buda.

Since we are in this area, it's time to walk between hills and forests with stops at the San Gerardo viewpoint, the Royal Palace, the natural caves of

or

which hides one of the most iconic restaurants in the city,

with a neo-Gothic air.

Chef Christian Olivieri's suggestions: "Tataki de la casa, goose liver soup, deer tartare and plum tart".

Views from the Fisherman's Bastion.

PRACTICAL GUIDE

HOW TO GET

Wizz Air

(wizzair.com), the Hungarian low cost airline, the largest in Europe and the best in 2019, flies from various points in Spain such as Madrid, Barcelona or Malaga to Budapest from 19 euros each way.

WHERE TO SLEEP

a&o hotels

(aohostels.com).

Berlin chain with design rooms and reasonable prices whose motto is 'Everyone can travel'.

It offers single, double, family and shared rooms from 15 euros depending on demand and the season.

The a&o Budapest, central, cozy and modern, was previously a playing card factory, so it still retains original elements from that era.

WHERE TO EAT

In

or

three good options to try the local cuisine.

MORE INFORMATION

At visithungary.com and cityrama.hu

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