Photos taken/written by Jennifer Mahon
EUROPE ROAD TRIP — DAYS 10 & 11 (OF 19)
Leaving Vienna, we head southeast about 240 km (2.5 hours) to beautiful Budapest. I think it was around this point that we realized that we were supposed to have stopped at every country border to buy a “vignette” (like a tourist permit to use the highways). But since there is no real border, you really have no clue when you even cross a border, and no signage on the highway indicating this.
IF YOU'RE DRIVING, YOU BETTER HAVE A VIGNETTE
Totally by chance, we stopped for a bathroom break, and notice all these cars with a line of these “vignettes” on the windshields. Pointing and laughing at how silly it looks (like a car with too many “my kid is on the honor roll” bumper stickers), it suddenly dawns on me that each sticker says the name of a different country……therefore, by logic, that would mean since we drove in all those countries, we were supposed to stop and buy one of these suckers.
Seems you can buy them in most gas stations, but if you get caught without one, the fine is fairly hefty (equates to approx. $200 CAD) – thank god we bought one at this point for Hungary because as soon as we pulled out, there were cops checking for these on the entry to the highway.
There’s also highway tolls for the use of certain highways, which you have a booth, so you know you have to pay. It’s the vignettes that are tricky – from what I can gather, you must purchase one for: Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland. Check here for complete list.
BUDAPEST
Oh man, Budapest is a vibe. There’s something about this city that’s hard to put into words. We arrived in the early evening, checked into our hotel on the Pest side (Soho Boutique Hotel—they upgraded us to a gorgeous suite, by the way), and headed out to explore with no real plan. Sometimes, no plan is the best plan.
Photos: Gorgeous huge suite at the Soho Boutique Hotel
YOU'VE GOTTA SEE...
RUIN BARS & PUBS
“What’s a ruin bar?” you ask. Great question! Imagine stumbling into an abandoned building, throwing in some quirky decor, and voila—a ruin bar is born. The whole scene started in Budapest’s old Jewish quarter and now it’s the coolest nightlife you’ll find. Szimpla Kert is the top dog, but the whole street, Kazinczy utca, is packed with these bars. No photos, unfortunately—my husband was not thrilled with the idea of whipping out the camera in a sea of drunk people. But trust me, it’s a vibe. But here’s a great link to all the great ruin bars and pubs.
DOHANY STREET SYNAGOGUE
Walking down Dohány Street, we passed this gorgeous building. At the time, I didn’t realize it was the Dohany Street Synagogue, the largest in Europe. We didn’t go in, thinking it was closed, but apparently, it wasn’t. Oops! The two towers and colourful brickwork make it a real stunner from the outside, though.
The temple was built between 1854 and 1859 and restored between 1991 and 1998. The two 44 metre high towers add appeal to the building, as do the yellow and red bricks giving it a striped appearance. The Central Synangogue in Manhattan is pretty much an exact copy of this one. For more info see: http://www.dohanystreetsynagogue.hu/gallery/
Photo: The Dohány Street Synagogue
ERZEBET TER & DEAK FERENC TER
Hands down, my fave memory of Budapest. By day, Deák Ferenc Tér is the city’s main transport hub, with metro lines 1, 2, and 3 all converging here, plus five major streets—Károly körút, Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út, Király utca, Deák Ferenc utca, and Harmincad utca—leading to the neighboring Erzsebet ter.
But by night... oh wow, this place is epic. Erzsebet ter, the largest square in Budapest, absolutely comes alive. In the summer, it feels like half the city is hanging out here. You can grab some food or booze from a nearby store, find a spot on a bench, the grass, or literally any available space, and just... chill. The vibe is unbeatable—locals, tourists, hippies, hipsters, and everyone in between—it’s got that perfect mix of bohemian magic.
Right on the square is Akvárium (Aquarium Event Hall), where you can catch a concert, see an exhibition, or just sip a drink on their terrace by the huge lake (which is actually the ceiling of the hall—so cool!). There are a few restaurants and Fröccsterasz (a former bus station turned open-air bar), and on the other side of the square is the Sziget Eye (aka the Budapest Eye). This Ferris wheel, with its 42 cars and room for 330 people, gives you amazing views of the city, day or night. And when it lights up the night sky, it’s something special. Oh, and if you're into skating or biking, there’s a skateboard park and bike shop nearby too.
Photos: People just chillin' at Deák Ferenc tér and Erzsebet tér
Photos: Sziget Eye at Erzsebet tér | Skateboard Park at Erzsebet tér
PARISI UDVAR (Parisian Court)
The next day, we decided to explore more of Pest before heading over to the Buda side. As we were wandering around, we stumbled upon this gorgeous building, Parisi Udvar, admiring it from the outside, when a local man came up and insisted we had to go inside. He even pointed out the entrance for us. Turns out, it’s an early 20th-century French-style arcade that must have been stunning in its prime, but now it’s a bit run-down. Walking through the dark passage felt like stepping back in time—you can totally imagine it in its heyday, with fancy shops selling haute couture. The architecture is still amazing, and it’s a real shame it’s not in use anymore. Fun fact: you might recognize this spot from the Budapest scene at the beginning of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.
Photos: Outside and inside the beautiful Párisi Udvar
CENTRAL MARKET HALL (Nagyvásárcsarnok)
For some souvenir shopping or a bite to eat, Central Market Hall is the place to go. The first floor is packed with vendors selling everything from sausages to fresh produce, while the second floor is all about touristy goodies and local food stalls serving up Hungarian cuisine. It’s a perfect spot to grab lunch and browse.
SZABADSAG HID (Liberty Bridge)
From the market, we walked over to the Liberty Bridge (also called Freedom Bridge), which connects Pest to Buda over the Danube. The views from the bridge are incredible—you have stunning views of the Danube the Széchenyi lánchíd Chain Bridge, Gellert Hill and Castle Hill. Once on the Buda side, you’re at the bottom of the Gellert Baths, which we didn’t go in since neither of us is fan of public pools.
Photos: Szabadság híd (Liberty or Freedom Bridge) - on the Pest side | Views of the Danube and Gellert Hill from Szabadság híd
Photos: View of the Szabadság híd from the Buda side
CAVE CHURCH (Sziklatemplom)
Next up was Sziklatemplom, a church inside a natural cave system on Gellert Hill. This place is so unique—formed by thermal springs, the church still holds services three times a day. The views from the entrance are worth the visit alone, with a perfect panorama of Liberty Bridge. More info here.
Photo: Cave Church (Sziklatemplom)
CASTLE HILL (Varhegy)
We walk north to the bottom Castle Hill where the Budvari Siklo (Buda Hill Funicular) is. Of course, had it been up to me, I would have taken it up to the top of the hill, but my hubs was hearing none of that. And honestly? It was the right call.
Photos: Budvari Siklo (Buda Hill Funicular) | Széchenyi lánchíd (Chain Bridge) and the Hungarian Parliament Building
I’m glad he insisted we do the walk up, not the 200 steps, but the gradual uphill zig-zagging path, because along this path we saw some pretty awesome things. It’s like they recreated what the walk up to the castle would have been like back in the day. It’s lined with local artisans, all dressed in period costumes and all making their wares on the spot to sell - probably my favourite part of our visit in the Castle District.
Photos: All kinds of interesting finds along the way up Castle Hill
Photos: More local arts and crafts for sale on the walk up Castle Hill
BUDA CASTLE GROUNDS
Once we reached the top, we explored the Buda Castle grounds—stunning gardens, incredible architecture, and jaw-dropping views of the city. We didn’t go inside the castle itself, but we did visit the museum, which gives a detailed history of Buda Castle.
Photos: At Buda Castle Grounds with spectacular views
That’s it for today – continuation coming soon, with Fisherman’s Bastion and more…
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