Highlights of Budapest, Hungary
Highlights of Budapest, Hungary
I am writing this in my new home for the semester, a quaint apartment in the city of Florence, Italy. But before I get into my new life in Italy, I want to share about my time in Hungary’s capital, Budapest. The LIU Global class of 2021 spent three days there primarily focusing on the rise of right-wing nationalism and populism within Hungary and Europe in general. We met with several political experts and organizations while there, but here are some touristy highlights of my time in Budapest.
A Boat Tour of the Danube
When we first arrived to Budapest, we took a two-hour boat tour of the Danube complete with commentary from a history professor at Central European University and an amazing lunch spread that had most of us going back for seconds and thirds. We were able to see a lot of beautiful parts of the city that are built along the riverside and learn about the history and distinctions of both Buda and Pest.
A view of the Hungarian Parliament from a boat tour along the Danube river
Soaking in the Széchenyi Thermal Baths
We had some free time on our first night in the city, so some of the girls and I organized ourselves enough to get to the biggest thermal bath complex in the city, the Széchenyi Thermal Baths. Budapest is known for its thermal bath houses, and this was a must-do for me while there.
The outside of the Széchenyi baths
Admission to the baths were 5800 forint, or about the equivalent of $21. This got us entrance to several thermal pools both indoor and outdoor as well as access to a locker.
After paying, we immediately changed and headed outside to the large thermal pools. It was SO COLD OUTSIDE and the sensation of finally stepping into the steamy water was like no other. The water immediately relaxed my muscles and body that had taken a toll from constant travel for multiple weeks.
One of the large, outside thermal pools at the Széchenyi baths
Me with two of my classmates at the Széchenyi baths
One of the indoor thermal pools at the Széchenyi baths
After tiring of the outdoor pools, we headed inside where we spent a bit more time. After about two hours total we were warm, relaxed, and sleepy, and made our way back to our hotel for the night.
A Tour of the Hungarian Parliament
We started our first full day in Budapest waiting out in below-freezing weather for our program director to figure out how to get tickets to the Parliament building. We were cold and grumbly, but made the best of it by watching the changing of the guards, taking photos, and in the case of some of my classmates, Irish line dancing.
Freezing my booty off outside of the Hungarian Parliament building
After a long while in the cold, we filed inside to take the English guided tour of the Parliament building.
Which, I’ve gotta say, is amazing. It’s one of the largest Parliament buildings in the world, and it is incredibly opulent. The tour was a short half an hour, but took us through a gold-adorned stairwell, a grand staircase, the inside of the dome, and one of the parliamentary chambers that is not currently in use.
Walking through the golden stairwell of the Hungarian Parliament
The grand staircase of the Hungarian Parliament, which is only used by foreign delegations and members of parliament on their first day of office
One of the stunning sitting rooms in the Hungarian Parliament
One of the parliamentary chambers of the Hungarian Parliament
Everything we saw was undeniably beautiful and certainly a testament to the historical might of the Hungarian empire. However, the tour only gave us a very small glimpse into the Hungarian government, and completely glossed over any hints of current issues within Hungary. The government is currently run by a right-wing dictator of sorts, Victor Orban. Massive changes have been made in the past eight years, one of which being reducing the parliament by almost half. Corruption is high in Hungary and whether democracy is being upheld it highly questionable, so Hungary is one to watch in the coming years.
Eating our Way Around the Great Market Hall
Right before arriving in Budapest, my school’s Facebook page shared this article about the nine best food markets in Europe, and Budapest’s Great Market Hall was at the top of the list. After seeing this, I knew I needed to make it there, and it did not disappoint.
The outside of Budapest’s Great Market Hall
The large, open inside of Budapest’s Great Market Hall
Most of my classmates and I headed there while on a lunch break, and I immediately made a beeline for the food stalls. There were tons of stalls on the second floor serving up steaming-hot traditional Hungarian food. I got a cabbage leaf stuffed with rice and pork covered in sour cream and with a side of sweet cabbage. That may sound odd or even simple, but it was so incredibly good. It was hearty, flavorful, and delicious.
Stuffed cabbage with pork and rice at the Great Market Hall. Just look at that steam…yum
After stuffing my face with stuffed cabbage, I wandered around the stalls looking at goods ranging from kitschy souvenirs to paprika. Kendall and I also grabbed some pastries as a snack while walking the aisles.
Our visit to the market was one of my favorite parts of our trip to Budapest.
A Walk Around the Buda Castle District
It was super cold, but one of our afternoons found us on the Buda side of the Danube admiring palaces, views of the city, and the stunning Matthias church.
A view of the city from the hills of the Buda side of the Danube
A bunny statue looking out on the Danube river
Matthias church
A statue of St.Stephen, who reportedly brought Christianity to Hungary
A view of the back of Matthias church, which gave me Hogwarts vibes
A Visit to the Great Synagogue of Budapest
The Great Synagogue of Budapest, also known as the Dohány Street Synagogue, is a splendid synagogue that was a pleasure to visit because the tour gave me a greater understanding of the Jewish faith as well as some history and recognition of Hungarian Jews killed in the Holocaust.
The Great Synagogue of Budapest
The inside of the synagogue is highly decorated and truly beautiful, and the outside gardens and silver tree of life with victims’ names engraved on the leaves was solemn and reverent.
The inside of the Dohány Street Synagogue
Names of Hungarian Jews that were murdered in the Holocaust engraved on leaves on a silver tree of life
The synagogue provided a nice break from the seemingly endless stream of cathedrals that we visit all over Europe. It was our last real visit in the city before heading back to Vienna. It was very interesting not only to visit Budapest as a tourist, but also as an international relations student. Budapest is absolutely beautiful and a city that I would recommend others visit, but I can now also recognize that politically and socially, things are weird there right now, and it will be interesting to see where Hungary goes in the years to come.