BUDAPEST: SPA, WALKING & DRINKS

I honestly love how easy it is to get around in Budapest. Everything is within walking distance and easy to navigate. However, it is freezing cold, and multiple trips to coffee shops are a must.

We started the day off by walking and exploring. We went to the famous Széchenyi Chain Bridge. Apparently, the bridge architect was a perfectionist and challenged everyone to find a single mistake with his construction. Everything is perfectly symmetrical and beautiful; however, the perfectionist had made one tiny mistake. The lions protecting the bridge are breath-taking, but his significant error was that he had forgotten the tongues of the lions. Even though his creation was and still is loved by everyone, the architect committed suicide as a result of the bridge not being perfect. It is a sad story to think about as you cross his creation and take pictures of the tongue-less lions.

I have a love-hate relationship with traveling during winter. One the one hand, it is so cold and dark, resulting in a gloomy atmosphere. This can be nice in places like Amsterdam, but here in Budapest, I do not think it is doing the city justice. On the other hand, the coldness means fewer people. You do not have to stand in overly crowded lines to get places, and usually, you can take pictures without being disturbed. It might be the “instagramer” in me, but I would prefer not to have 10 people in my photo, or edit them out. One or two people is not a lot of work, but if there is a crowd of people in front of whatever I am taking a picture of, I usually end up not liking it. Traveling during winter allows for a quiet atmosphere, but then again you have to wear thick jackets and walk around in the dark.

To get some heat into our bodies, we had planned to go to the Széchenyi Thermal Bath. This was something that came highly recommended by friends and the people we met around Budapest. To be a bit blunt, it did not live up to my expectations. Maybe my expectations are too high after visiting places in Island, but this is far from what we pictured:

The pools themselves are great! They are warm, clean and one of them even has a spiral-stream-thing you can play in. However, they are crammed with people, something that does not really bother me and was expected (but to be noted). What really gets my grind going is the amount you pay for nothing. You start off by paying the entrance fee, here you can opt (like we did) to get a private changing room (so you can leave your stuff safely), then a towel, then shoes (unless you want to slip into your Timberlands with wet feet), and if you are really luxurious there are plenty of things to spend your money on. Well, what you get for this amount is basically paper slippers, a tiny dirty and wet stall, bathrooms without paper, showers with walls covered in dirt and the whole building is as cold as the outside. To be honest, everything except the cleanliness would probably not be a problem during summer, but these extras are not cheap and do not match the pictures they show while selling them, so that always gets me going. Show me a picture of how it is, and I will be happy, show me a lie and the whole thing sucks. In conclusion, we did have a good time, and I would recommend the place to everyone, but with realistic expectations. It is not a spa, you will most likely not feel clean or relaxed, but it is an experience and have as much fun as you want to.

To end the day, we enjoyed the debated ruin district. From the 360 rooftop bar to the oldest Szimpla Ruin Pub. So far, neither food or drinks have disappointed me on this trip, and the bar scene in Budapest is incredible. You can find everything you want, from the quiet romantic bar to the experimental cocktail laboratory, to a three-story “everything you could think of place”. Szimpla Ruin Pub was definitely a favorite and a must for everyone. It is the oldest bar, with a gloomy dark, yet fun and exciting atmosphere. You walk into the bazooka bar, continue through tables to a dancefloor where you have a beer palace on the left and a drink station on the right. Up the stairs you find the second floor, where you can play cards, walk around the plants and talk to an arrangement of exciting people. The 360 bar is nothing new or exciting, rather the opposite, expensive drinks, relaxing and has a fantastic view. Placed in an igloo with heaters, you cove yourself in blankets, order your drinks and cozy up with the love of your life while you look at the city.

BUDAPEST: NEW YORK CAFE

If there is one thing you notice in Budapest, it’s the smell of food. Every corner you turn brings with it a new dish. From Hungarian to American fast food, they have everything you could want. So we after getting some recommendations from locals, we have been wandering to wherever the food is supposed to be the best. We had a cheese and pastrami plate at a place I cannot for the life of me remember the name of, and went for some out of this world burgers at Meatology. Our favorite so far has been the New York Palace Café. Not because the food was the best (don’t get me wrong the Hungarian food was super), but because of the atmosphere. The café is a part of a hotel, but has a long history in Budapest. BUT if you are thinking of going there you have to reserve a table! Even with the low season for tourism we could see the ones whom had not booked a table being crammed into a little space.

Other than that we have been wandering around, it’s such a great city to walk in. Everything is super close and there are coffee shops everywhere, where you can get a hot beverage to warm up your body again.

ARRIVING IN BUDAPEST

For some reason every time my boyfriend and I get on a plane, one of us seems to get sick. I would like to blame the plane, but I think we might be working ourselves to a point of exhaustion where our bodies just shut down as soon as we know it’s a holiday. Or it might simply be the cold weather and snow; we aren’t exactly good at the cold. But even with the flue, we made it to Budapest. I honestly didn’t know what to expect, but im blown away by the atmosphere and feel of the old city. I have some friends from Hungary, but the decision to go was so spontaneous we didn’t have a chance to milk them for information.

So with a runny nose and the wanderlust in check we started to explore the city. The first days in Budapest we went to all the museums we thought might be interesting: The Great Synagogue, Jewish Museum, Hungarian National Museum and The National Gallery. There is something peaceful about travelling during the winter. The streets are quiet and you get everything to yourself. Seems like all the locals and tourist opt for staying in the warmth, rather than exploring the city. My boyfriend loves going to museums, so having him write about them would probably be smarter, whereas all I can say is that they were interesting, affordable and beautiful. Other than that we obviously wandered into some great restaurants and bars, tasting all we could handle.

So far Budapest has not disappointed us in any way. The food, art, drinks, history and people are amazing.