Europe: A Day Flirting With Budapest

(Budapest-Mellow Wanderer) Call this a traveler’s version of speed dating, and Budapest is this alluring, sultry, utterly gorgeous thing sitting across the table and you don’t want to hear “time’s up.” Budapest has substance, sophistication, and style right down to the manhole covers people walk over.

A collage of architectural styles from the beginning of civilization define the city: Roman, Gothic, Neo-Gothic, Renaissance, Neo-Renaissance, Baroque, and on, and on.

Beyond history, there’s a hip, vibrant buzz to this city. MW’s mission is how much can I see in my 24 hour last tour stop on an eight day Danube River cruise? Answer: Not enough!

In 85 degree heat under a brilliant summer sun, a guided tour via an air conditioned bus motored through sprawling Budapest. First, a taste of the Pest side. We circled Hero’s Square, Budapest’s largest, and viewed the statues honoring Hungary’s revered historical figures, then zipped through the museum district, the city park with its Transylvania inspired Vajdahunyad Castle, the public thermal pools, and the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Gardens.

A stopover at the Millenium Underground and Railway Museum was on MW’s hit list, but when you’re speed dating, sometimes there’s no time to get off the bus, except for lunch, which means traditional Hungarian cuisine at Mátyás Pince Restaurant. Established in 1904 by Mátyás Borostyánkői (Baldauf), who opened Budapest’s renowned beer house, Mátyás Pince is a feast for all senses: Sight (walls splashed with Hungarian art), taste (pepper and pickle salad, classic Hungarian beef goulash, rum-flavored trifle with walnuts drizzled with chocolate sauce), and sound (traditional music performed by Lakatos Vilmos and his gypsy band).

MW bounded off to the Buda side after lunch, crossing the Danube over historic Chain Bridge dating back to 1849.

We disembarked at a higher elevation to visit Fisherman’s Bastion overlooking the entire city with the most amazing scenic views.

The Bastion has seven stone towers to recognize the Hungarian tribal leaders who conquered the country in 896.

Named after the guild of fishermen who defended the city walls in the Middle Ages, today Fisherman’s Bastion draws tourists and locals to Buda’s Castle District and Matthias Church, a 700 year old Roman Catholic church.

Specialty shops selling Herend porcelain, sidewalk cafes, and strolling gypsy musicians make this area a sparkling gem. Saturdays bring a thriving wedding scene to Fisherman’s Bastion, including elaborate receptions, which can close portions that are popular with tourists.

While Fisherman’s Bastion provides a perch to peer down on Budapest, the Danube River is the real jewel of this town and where you want to be for a sunset cruise. MW boarded one of the many tour boats for an hour long ride up and down the Danube at dusk. It’s a good buy at sixty dollars for two and includes a glass of wine. An audio tour in thirty languages via headsets is a great way to see and learn about the historical sites along the riverbanks.

Your journey begins with a cruise by the magnificent Hungarian Parliament Building and upon your return a setting sun paints the white exterior walls with shades of gold.

Evening brings a different side of Budapest. Call it nightseeing. The city lights up. Bridges, castles, monuments, and buildings glow through the night.

Take a romantic walk along the city’s pedestrian riverfront or board a street car running the length of the Danube. Late dining is the norm in Budapest and MW slipped into Dunacorso Restaurant before the rush without a reservation. Seated outside by the Danube dining on one dish of filet mignon of pork in parmesan with polenta verde and tomato mascarpone sauce, and a second dish of chicken breast grilled with camembert, plum sauce, and rice. Casual and leisurely dining is the lifestyle here and it’s common to see families with small children at the dinner table at nine o’clock or later.

A short walk from the restaurant MW discovered a pedestrian shopping mall alive with specialty stores open late, night clubs, outdoor cafes, and gelato bars; sites and sounds reminiscent of a romp through Miami’s South Beach.

When two statuesque showgirls scantily clad in sequins high-heeled their way to the front of the gelato bar, it was clear Budapest had replaced the Iron Curtain with sheer satin drapes. With that, MW’s time was up. Speed dating’s over but leaving me longing for more.

Take a tour of Budapest by clicking the videos below.