Budapest

The first station of our travel to Central Europe was Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Budapest became a single city with a unification of Buda and Pest banks of Danube River. Time is 1 hour back from Turkey in Hungary. We arrived at Budapest Ferenc Liszt Airport (BUD) after about 2 hours flight from İstanbul (Malév). Currency is Hungarian Forint (HUF). 1 Forint was equal to approximately 0.01 Turkish Liras. Turkish citizens who have regular passports need a Schengen visa to enter Hungary. Special passport owners are visa free. We learned that Wizz Air İstanbul-Budapest flights were cancelled while visa application and, we had to buy tickets again from Malév Hungarian Airlines.

Tramway ticket was 320 Forints.

Our Budapest route:

1. day – 22.07.2011

It was 20:00 when we arrived at the hotel (Star Inn). And, we had a short trip near places to hotel. Firstly we saw Opera House (Magyar Állami Operaház) and took photos.

Opera House
Opera House
Opera House
Opera House
Opera House
Opera House

Then we took photos of St. Stephen’s Basilica (Szent István Bazilika).

St. Stephen's Basilica
St. Stephen’s Basilica
St. Stephen's Basilica
St. Stephen’s Basilica

Then, we saw Gresham Palace which is used as Four Seasons Hotel. And then, we went to Chain Bridge (Széchenyi Lánchid).

Gresham Palace
Gresham Palace
Chain Bridge
Chain Bridge

Budapest and Buda Castle (Budai Vár) night views were wonderful from here.

Buda Castle
Buda Castle

The only thing that bothered me was spiders on the bridge. Anyway I have called the bridge as spider bridge. However, I only saw neat spider webs as in here on TV before 🙂 We went back to the hotel after taking beautiful night photos from the bridge.

Buda Castle from Chain Bridge
Buda Castle from Chain Bridge

2. day – 23.07.2011

In our second day, the weather was rainy and cold. We didn’t get thick clothes with us because it was in the middle of summer. We put on whatever we find in our luggage. We firstly went to Heroes’ Square (Hősök Tere) following Andrassy  Street. Each building on the street was seeming like a museum. Terror House (Terror Háza) also takes place on this street.   It contains exhibits related to the fascist and communist dictatorial regimes in Hungary. Even the photos of victims outside of the museum deeply affects.

Terror House
Terror House

One of the buildings on Andrassy Street was Theatre (Vígszinház).

Theatre
Theatre

There were statues of heroes important for Hungarian history on Heroes’ Square. It is one of the places you shouldn’t miss when you go to Budapest. It was the most crowded place by tourists in Budapest despite the rain.

Heroes' Square
Heroes’ Square

This square is surrounded Museum of Fine Arts (Szépmuvészeti Múzeum) and Palace of Art (Műcsarnok).

Museum of Fine Arts
Museum of Fine Arts
Palace of Art
Palace of Art

We didn’t visit museums because we have not much time. We took photos of museums from outside and went to City Park behind of the square. There was a large lake in City Park. We took photos of ducks and statues of “Art on Lake” exhibition and went to Vajdahunyad Castle (Vajdahunyad Vár). This castle was like castles in cartoons. “Art on the Lake” exhibition would continue until September 4, 2012. The exhibition could be toured by boat for hourly 1500 Forints.

City Park-Lake
City Park-Lake
"Art on Lake" exhibition and Vajdahunyad Castle
“Art on Lake” exhibition and Vajdahunyad Castle
City Park
City Park

After seeing Vajdahunyad Castle, Ják Chapel (Jáki Kápolna) and Anonymvs statue, we went to Turkish restaurant near the hotel and had lunch.

Ják Chapel
Ják Chapel
Anonymvs statue
Anonymvs statue

After then, we went to Tomb of Gül Baba passing over Margit Bridge (Margit Híd). Gül Baba is a Bektaşi dervish who lived late 15. century and early 16. century. He known as Gül Baba (Father of Rose) or Gül Dede (Dervish of Rose) since he was carrying a rose in his conical hat.

Gül Baba Statue
Gül Baba Statue
Tomb of Gül Baba
Tomb of Gül Baba

After then, we took photos of churches and Parliament which became a symbol of Budapest until arriving at Fisherman’s Bastion (Halászbástya).

Parliament
Parliament
Franciscan Church
Franciscan Church
Greek Catholic Church of St. Florian
Greek Catholic Church of St. Florian
Parliament
Parliament
Church of St. Anne
Church of St. Anne
Reformed Church
Reformed Church
Capuchin Church
Capuchin Church

Fisherman’s Bastion was a wonderful place that you shouldn’t miss when you visit Budapest.

Fisherman's Bastion
Fisherman’s Bastion

The sound of the violin from the terrace and wonderful views of Buda and Pest were worth to see.

Budapest view from Fisherman's Bastion
Budapest view from Fisherman’s Bastion
Parliament from Fisherman's Bastion
Parliament from Fisherman’s Bastion

There was Matthias Church (Mátyás Templom) near Fisherman’s Bastion. This church was also a very nice place with its different roof and details.

Matthias Church
Matthias Church

There was St Stephen Statue between Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion.

St Stephen Statue
St Stephen Statue

There was a column in the square (Szentháromság Tér) on the other side of the church, which was built in memory of those died because of plague in the beginning of the 18. century.

Matthias Church and Plague Column
Matthias Church and Plague Column
Plague Column
Plague Column

Then, we went to Kapisztrán square and took photos of Church of St. Mary Magdalene (Mária Magdolna Templom)

Church of St. Mary Magdalene
Church of St. Mary Magdalene
Budavári Evangélikus Church
Budavári Evangélikus Church

And then, we came back to Pest side passing over Chain Bridge.

Tunnel
Tunnel
The funicular goes up to Buda Castle
The funicular goes up to Buda Castle
Buda Castle
Buda Castle
Chain Bridge
Chain Bridge
Gresham Palace
Gresham Palace

We went to the hotel after taking photos of monument in Freedom Square (Szabadság Tér) and moving fountain.

Monument in Freedom Square
Monument in Freedom Square

This fountain was very entertaining 🙂 When we went on water, it was withdrawing, and when we came back, it was gushing out. We entered inside of the square area as going closer to water and withdrawing water.

Fountain in Freedom Square
Fountain in Freedom Square

3. day – 24.07.2011

In the third day, we went to National Theatre (Nemzeti Színház). Theatre has a large garden and there were a lot of statues in it. There was a ship shaped part in front of the building.

National Theatre
National Theatre

There was a round labyrinth and a spiral Ziggurat on the other side of the building.

Labyrinth
Labyrinth
Ziggurat
Ziggurat

We went up top of Ziggurat and watched environment.

Lágymányosi Bridge from Ziggurat
Lágymányosi Bridge from Ziggurat

There was a huge museum (Ludwig Múzeum – Kortárs Muvészeti Múzeum) behind of the theatre. We had lunch in Mc Donald’s at return. Then, we took photos of St. Francis Church (Ferencvárosi Assisi Szent Ferenc Templom), Museum of Applied Arts (Magyar Iparmuvészeti Múzeum), St. Joseph Church (Szent József Plébánia) and went to Keleti Railway Station (Keleti Pályaudvar) to buy tickets for going to Bratislava for the next day.

St. Francis Church
St. Francis Church
Museum of Applied Arts
Museum of Applied Arts
St. Joseph Church
St. Joseph Church
Keleti Railway Station
Keleti Railway Station

After buying our tickets, we took photos of St. Elizabeth Church (Szent Erzsébet Plébánia), Rumbach Street Synagogue (Rumbach Utcai Zsinagóga), Dohány Street Synagogue (Dohány Utcai Zsinagóga), Mihály Vörösmarty Statue in Vörösmarty Square, and went to the hotel.

St. Elizabeth Church
St. Elizabeth Church
Rumbach Street Synagogue
Rumbach Street Synagogue
Dohány Street Synagogue
Dohány Street Synagogue
Mihály Vörösmarty Statue
Mihály Vörösmarty Statue

Our returning was from Budapest and we planned to have tour on our last 2 days of our vacation. But, we couldn’t find ticket and we could return to Budapest on last day. If we have one more day to tour in Budapest, I would like to have a trip on Buda Castle and Gellért Hill, and watching awesome view of Budapest from these high points.

Bratislava Travel Notes

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