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Siofok: A Resort Town on Lake Balaton in Hungary – Grand European Tour Part 7

SSomewhere — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 12:39:22 +0000

How We Ended Up In An Out-Of-Season Hungarian Party Town

This is the one in a series of blog posts detailing our 10-county trip around Europe on trains, buses, cars and ferries. All the posts highlight what we got up to (without the boring bits) along with some tips and helpful overviews should you wish to visit the destinations. This post focuses on the pretty resort town of Siofok in Hungary. You can see all the posts from this trip here.

Siofok (Siófok) is a small town on the shores of Lake Balaton in Hungary, which is one of Europe’s biggest lakes. We decided to stay there to break up the potentially long train journey from Budapest to Zagreb with a short hop on the train followed the next day by a relatively shortish bus journey, and at the same time take in the lake. It didn’t quite work out that way.

This post may contain affiliate links to things like hotels, tours or products. These help us earn a small commission at no additional charge to you and help keep the lights on at Destination Someplace.

USEFUL RESOURCES – SIOFOK

Accommodation: Booking.com

Activities: Get Your Guide

Flights: Skyscanner

Trains: Rail Europe

Bus: FlixBus

Car Hire: AutoEurope

Siofok – Also For The Young At Heart

Siofok is a small town, renowned for its summer clubbing scene, but this being still out of season we weren’t too worried about being swept up in a chaotic maelstrom of drum’n’bass.

This time of year, like many small resorts it was very quiet (although the signs of party crowds were everywhere to be seen, mostly on faded posters from last season detailing all-night DJ sets – we have such poor timing!). Being out of season we got a good deal on a small spa hotel through booking.com. It was very quiet, I’m pretty sure there were only one or two people staying at the hotel. Still a great hotel and a nice room.

We arrived in Siofok late afternoon and after freshening up went out to seek sustenance. The bars were very quiet, some biding their time (with the shutters down) until the season started, but we found a great little restaurant, the Roxy Café, with an excellent menu.

Charlie’s Bistro – Definitely Worth a Visit

The following day we had free time to explore the town, before meeting our scheduled bus in the afternoon.

Siofok is small but perfectly formed, and, out of season, very quiet. That doesn’t mean however there is nothing to see. For a small town it has some quirky attractions, not least its famous water tower and a trail of interesting and sometimes eccentric statues around the town. We also wanted to walk near the lake, but it seemed all access to it was via the hotels on the lakeside (which were mostly still closed) and we didn’t find a path to walk along it. Maybe there is one, we just didn’t find it that day.

By early afternoon, however, rain stopped play, and we took refuge for lunch at the excellent Charlie’s Bistro which serves a revolving set menu of traditional and wholesome Hungarian food – two options each day of the week if I remember. The staff were friendly and efficient and the food was delicious and very reasonably priced – definitely worth a visit if you find yourself in this part of the world.

Suitably stuffed at Charlie’s we headed back the hotel to pick up our cases and head for the bus station.

Time For Our Annual Sprint!

For certain parts of this trip, we had booked buses with Flixbus to get us around, mostly when we were unable to travel from A to B on train which would certainly be the case when we came to Croatia.

We arrived at the bus station in plenty of time for the bus. We waited. And waited some more, but the bus didn’t arrive at the allotted time, and now nearly 20 minutes late, and unable to access its location via the Flixbus app – we had to make a quick decision: either carry on waiting for a bus that may or may not show up and try to find accommodation in town for another night and then wait all the next day to get out of town, or run like crazy to get the last train to Zagreb leaving in a couple of minutes. We opted for running like crazy.

We ran for the station, dragging our luggage behind, and hauled ourselves onto the train at that last minute – I, imagine, to onlookers, it was probably the most exciting thing that had happened all day.

The train left the station at 4.57 pm and we finally arrives in Zagreb at 10.33, five hours and 36 minutes later. If we stuck with our original plan of going straight from Budapest to Zagreb it would have taken about the same time (about 6 hours), so we didn’t really save any time – but we did get to see Siofok!

You can read the next instalment of the Grand European Tour (Zagreb to Slovakia) here.

Or for more tips and insights on Siofok please continue reading below…

Getting to Siofok

By Air: The most convenient airport to Siofok is Budapest International Airport (also known as Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport and commonly known as Ferihegy) which is easily accessible from the UK, as well as via international flights across Europe. I would recommend using Skyscanner to find flights, and, if you are flexible when you go/return using the ‘search by month’ tool to find the most economical flights. You will need to transit from the airport to Siofok, see options below.

By Train: Probably the quickest and most economical option. Siofok is accessible by train from Budapest-Deli railway station in Budapest. Depending on which service you take it’ll take approximately an hour and a half to get there. They run about every hour during the day. Check out trains to Siofok here.

By Bus: This usually takes a little longer than the train and generally is a little more expensive. Two bus companies currently run to Siofok, the Hungarian-based bus company, Volánbusz, and European operator Flixbus.

By Car: Of course, if you intend to travel around a bit you can hire a car at the airport. The transit time by car would be about one hour and twenty minutes from the airport to Siofok. Compare car hire rates here.

Where to stay in Siofok

There are many hotels in the town, so plenty of choice, but a couple worth considering are the La Riva Hotel, the lakeside hotel we stayed at. Or the Residence Hotel Balaton with Spa and pool facilities.

As we said, there is a wide range of accommodation in Siofok, so you can find some other options here.

The Top 10 Things to See and Do in Siofok

Visit Siofok Beach: Yes, there is a beach at Siofok, despite the fact that we didn’t locate it on the rainy day we had wandering around the town. Here you can swim and sunbathe on the shores Lake Balaton, which is also known as the ‘Hungarian Sea’.
Jokai Park: For a bit of nature in the town, take a stroll around the 4.6-acre Jokai Park featuring a pond and a small Japanese garden.
Siofok Water Tower: Climb to the top of the Siofok Water Tower to enjoy views of the surrounding town and Lake Balaton. This is also the location of the tourist information office.
Visit the port: Siofok has a bustling port area where you will find a range of bars and restaurants, and can also book boat tours.
Explore the local wine. Why not partake in some local wine tastings, and sample some of Hungary’s best wines?
Explore on a bicycle: Siofok has several cycle paths, so if you want to get around the area whilst taking some exercise then you could hire a bike in the town.
Boat Cruise: Why not take a boat cruise on Lake Balaton to really appreciate the towns and views along the lake shore (it is so big you’ll forget it isn’t a sea).
Walk the statue trail: This is a great way to explore the town. There are so many statues and memorials in Siofok, that the local tourist office has currently split them into 3 walking routes (Destinies Cast in Metal, Downtown Walk and For Art Lovers) and you can pick up a route map from the tourist office located at the Water Tower in the centre of town.
Change your perspective at the Fordított Ház (The Upside-down house): This one will mess with your head, an interesting attraction in Siofok, this completely upside-down house is fun for all ages.
Visit the Mineral Museum: One for amateur geologists, the Siofok Mineral Museum, where you can explore subterranean relics from around the globe.

It is worth noting that since Siofok is a resort town, some of the above activities may be seasonal, so always worth checking with the local tourist office.

Top Tips – Siofok

Use Omio to compare buses versus trains, very useful.

For Hotels including self-catering apartments we use Booking.com, where you can filter by review score and many properties have a pay later/late cancellation policy should your plans suddenly change.

You’ll also find more useful still on our resources page.

Staying Safe

Hungary is a generally safe country for tourists. Crimes of violence against visitors are rare, but petty theft and pickpocketing do occur especially in crowded tourist spots or busy public transport. So keep your valuables safe and out of sight.

If you have an emergency, dial 112 for assistance.

Of course, the key thing is to have comprehensive travel insurance coverage to protect against, cancellations, theft, illness etc. For this, we use and recommend using Staysure – specialists in over 50’s travel insurance, as we have always found them fair and easy to deal with.

The post Siofok: A Resort Town on Lake Balaton in Hungary – Grand European Tour Part 7 appeared first on Destination Someplace.

Szentendre: A Town on the Danube, Near Budapest, Hungary – Grand European Tour Part 6

SSomewhere — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 15:40:03 +0000

Grand European Tour – By the Banks of the Blue Danube

This is one in a series of blog posts detailing our 10-county trip around Europe on trains, buses, cars and ferries. All the posts highlight what we got up to (hopefully, without the boring bits) along with some tips and helpful overviews should you wish to visit the destinations. This post focuses on the Hungarian town of Szentendre. You can see all the posts from this trip here.

After visiting family in Slovakia, we retraced our steps the following day back towards Budapest to drop off the rental car, but before that, we had decided to overnight in the charming little town of Szentendre (‘St Andrew’ in Hungarian), located off the banks of the Danube, just north of the capital itself (so perfect for a day trip if you are staying in Budapest).

Following an uneventful drive from the Slovakian border with arrived in Szentendre mid Sunday afternoon. And after the satnav had falsely claimed ‘we had arrived at our destination’, and basically directed us into a makeshift car park* that was more tree roots and trees than parking spaces, we finally located our accommodation for the night.

* Note: Two months later back in the UK, we received notification of a parking fine of around fifty euros for that ten-minute stop in that car park to get our bearings – lesson learned – always pay for the parking, even if we are not going to be in the car park for more than a few minutes. Oh well!

This post may contain affiliate links to things like hotels, tours or products. These help us earn a small commission at no additional charge to you and helps keep the lights on at Destination Someplace.

OTHER USEFUL RESOURCES – SZENTENDRE

Accommodation: Booking.com

Activities: Get Your Guide

Flights: Skyscanner

Trains: Rail Europe

Bus: FlixBus

Car Hire: AutoEurope

Szentendre – Hungarian Hotspot

Szentendre was packed, and very obviously popular with locals and tourists alike, so parking and, indeed, threading our way carefully through the throngs of day-tripping families was a challenge.

Once ensconced in our digs we set off for a little explore. This little-known gem is a perfect walking town, not too small and not too big and lots of little winding cobbled streets to explore, flanked by pastel-coloured houses and with enough souvenir shops and restaurants to keep the hungry and the curious satisfied for a few hours. Marzipan is a big deal in Szentendre, and features heavily in lots of the shops, so a great place to pick some up if that’s your thing.

As the afternoon wore on, after a local beer at one of the many bars in the town and deciding what looked like a good place to eat in the evening, we took a stroll along the riverside which was serene and very relaxing.

Breaking News -Population Abducted by Aliens!

Later, in the evening about 7pm, after a freshen up, we headed back out for dinner. What a contrast! The streets were deserted, the shops were closed, as were most of the bars and restaurants, and there was not a tourist in sight. We had been lulled by a beautiful Spring day into thinking that the holiday season was truly underway, but obviously, the middle of April was still pretty quiet for this little town.

All the visitors that had flocked here today had been day-trippers enjoying the Sunday sunshine and had swiftly returned back to Budapest and the surrounding towns.

Most of the restaurants we had previously scoped out were now closed, but we managed to find one on our list that was still operating, the Korona Restaurant (the oldest in Szentendre that has been in operation for 200 years). We were the only customers, aside from a couple of German cyclists having a beer. Needless to say we had no issues getting served.

On this evening we went traditional with me going for the Budapest-style pork tenderloin – all delicious, all accompanied by some Transylvanian beer (we couldn’t resist).

Hungarian Folk Music – A Private Performance

The staff at the restaurant were great, friendly and knowledgeable. As the evening wore on three besuited, serious-looking guys wondered in, looked nonchalantly around the empty restaurant and then casually started picking the odd note out of some instruments that were, just as casually, lying around.

After some minutes, the most serious of this crew lifted his baleful gaze to us, and without any signal at all the trio burst into full-on performance mode, playing some semi-familiar classics mixed with some typical Hungarian folk tunes. They were absolutely fantastic, especially the serious violinist, who I’m pretty sure had made some kind of pact with the Devil at a crossroads somewhere to gain his musical skills.

So, in spite of the lack of other human company, we had a really good evening, great food and great music – who can ask for more?

You’ll find the next instalment of the Grand European Tour here.

Or for more tips and insights on Szentendre please continue reading below…

Getting to Szentendre

There are several options to getting to Szentendre, by far the easiest are from nearby Budapest where you can pick up tours to the town, often incorporating the Danube Bend and/or Visegrád Citadel. These are great if you are only in the area for a few days and want to see the main sights outside of Budapest.

If an organised tour is not your thing then these are the other main options:

By Train: You can take the suburban railway line HÉV H5 from Batthyány tér (train station). It takes about 40-45 minutes and leaves every 20 minutes from Budapest. You can buy your ticket in the station at the booths or at the purple ticket machines. Like most countries in Europe you will need to validate (date/time stamp) your ticket before boarding – do this at the yellow machines dotted around the station – if you don’t validate your ticket you will be fined.

By Taxi: Another option would be to take a taxi, it would take around 25 mins to get there, depending on the traffic.

By car: For maximum flexibility and to enable you to explore the surrounding areas you could always hire a car in Budapest (as we did) to travel to Szentendre.

Top Tips – Szentendre

Use Omio to compare buses versus trains, for getting around this area, very useful.

Check our resources page for more budget tips and discounts from our days in transit!

Where to stay in Szentendre

Here are a few accommodation options for a stay in Szentendre.

A couple of hotels worth considering are Centrum Hotel which is located just across from the promenade and where we stayed on this visit, or the equally well-located Bükkös Hotel & Spa.

The Top 10 Things to See and Do in Szentendre

Explore the Old Town: Take the time to wander through the picturesque cobbled streets of the Old Town, lined with colourful buildings, art galleries (Szentendre has a thriving artistic community which gives the town a laid-back vibe), and craft shops. The Baroque and Rococo architecture adds to the town’s unique old-world atmosphere.
Visit the Hungarian Open Air Museum (Skanzen): Founded in 1967, this open-air museum shows Carpathian folk architecture and life in various regions of Hungary. Located on the outskirts of Szentendre, Skanzen is a great place to learn about the country’s rural heritage and culture.
Szentendre Art Museums: The town is known for its vibrant artistic community, so make sure to visit some of the various art museums and galleries. Some notable ones include the Ferenczy Museum Center, Margit Kovács Ceramic Museum, and the Kovács Margit Museum. Or if cars and nostalgia are more your thing, a visit to back to the 70s at the Retro Design Center, might be more your thing, where you’ll find a selection of vehicles from the communist era.
Blagovestenska Church: This Serbian Orthodox church, dating from 1752, is a significant religious site in Szentendre, an architectural gem with beautiful frescoes and interesting history. Simple on the outside, impressive on the inside.
Main Square (Fő tér): The main square is the heart of Szentendre. Relax at one of the cafes, enjoy street performances, and admire the beautiful architecture surrounding the square.
Danube River Promenade: Like we did, why not take a leisurely stroll along the Danube River, enjoy the views of the river, and perhaps find a spot to have a picnic if the weather is good?
Marzipan Museum: Marzipan is a traditional Hungarian sweet, and the Marzipan Museum showcases incredible marzipan sculptures and artwork. It’s a fun and unique experience for visitors of all ages.
Visegrád Citadel/Castle: While not in Szentendre itself, Visegrád Castle is nearby and worth a visit. This medieval fortress offers breathtaking views of the Danube Bend and the surrounding countryside.
Wine Tasting: Hungary has a rich wine culture, and you can enjoy wine tasting at local cellars and wineries in and around Szentendre.
River Cruises: Consider taking a boat cruise on the Danube River to see the region from a different perspective and capture stunning views along this iconic river.

Staying Safe

Hungary is a generally safe country. Crimes of violence against visitors are rare, but like many major cities petty theft and pickpocketing do occur especially in crowded tourist spots or busy public transport. So keep your valuables safe and out of sight.

If you have an emergency, dial 112 for assistance.

The post Szentendre: A Town on the Danube, Near Budapest, Hungary – Grand European Tour Part 6 appeared first on Destination Someplace.

Budapest to Slovakia By Car – Grand European Tour Part 5

SSomewhere — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 13:04:20 +0000

We Return to Budapest Because We Can’t Resist That Goulash!

This is one in a series of blog posts detailing our 10-country trip around Europe on trains, buses, cars and ferries. This one focuses on our visit to Budapest and our drive from Budapest to Slovakia. All the posts highlight what we got up to along with some tips and helpful overviews should you wish to visit the destinations. You can see all the posts from this trip here.

Some years ago, we’d previously spent a week exploring/getting lost in Budapest and its surroundings, so on arrival at the station we were already familiar with the town, and it is one of our favourite capitals in Europe, lively, compact and constantly interesting.

On arriving at the western railway station (Nyugati pályaudvar) we soon located our, rather disappointing accommodation (Mrs A has very particular standards and this particular accommodation simply did not meet them, but it was too late to change options, so we made the best of it), close to transport options, and about a mile walk to the town centre. After stocking up with supplies, we headed off in the direction of the river Danube with no set agenda except to find somewhere to eat, which this evening was to be the Mythos The Greek restaurant a couple of hundred metres from St. Stephen’s Basilica, which wasn’t too busy and the food was very good.

Goulash, Guiness and The Great Hungarian Downpour!

The following day we awoke to rain showers, the kind that you know are not going anywhere anytime soon. After breakfast we headed off into town by foot to reacquaint ourselves with the city, which before the rain really set in was looking more beautiful than ever.

By lunchtime, the rain had decided it wasn’t going to let up (it was raining stair rods as we say in Yorkshire), so after a stand-up lunch in the Central Market Hall, also known as the Great Market Hall (which was so crowded there was nowhere to sit – we’d forgotten how busy it can get) of traditional goulash (it was worth standing up because we really love that goulash!) and armed with a newly bought umbrella, and the obligatory packets of paprika we braced ourselves, once again, for the deluge.

Feeling somewhat damp and weary by now, we soon sought refuge in the form of the Longford Irish Pub and, obviously, took some solace in a pint of Guinness. Check the best things to do in Budapest later in this article.

Unfortunately on leaving the pub (which was pretty busy, as all the tourists seem to have had the same idea), the rain had not abated so rather than a 30-minute very wet walk we jumped on a 10-minute tube ride back to the western railway station (close to our accommodation) – the transport system in Budapest is cheap and efficient, and nowhere near as crowded as the London Underground.

In the evening (still raining) we had a great meal at the Mosselen Belgian Beer Café close to our digs, this is a great restaurant/pub serving delicious local fare and a great range of beers and wines all in a friendly, authentic atmosphere.

Budapest to Slovakia by Car

The following morning, after checking out of our accommodation (much to Mrs A’s relief), we headed to the northern end of Budapest via the tube (which after a little confusion on our part, actually turned out to be a replacement bus rather than a train, as two local tube stations were being upgraded).

The next part of our journey was Budapest to Slovakia by car to visit family in southern Slovakia (this was a quicker and more straightforward option than taking the train, which would have taken a circuitous 4 to 5 hours as opposed to 2 hours driving. For this we had booked car hire in advance with AutoEurope, and picked it up at a Sixt office, which was a very straightforward process.

In Hungary and in Slovakia you need a vignette to drive, the one for Hungary came with the car, but we knew we would have to stop at the border to buy the one for Slovakia (vignettes are common in a few countries in Europe for driving including Switzerland and Austria, and now are often bought online in advance, or at petrol stations close to borders, or the border itself as we were to do).

Easy Drive to Slovakia

Once out of Budapest, the driving was easy, and it made a change to be back in control of our own wheels. The roads were fairly traffic free, the countryside relatively flat and the rain had finally cleared. We were heading for the Banska Bystrica region of southern Slovakia which is just over the border from Hungary. After a couple of hours driving, we came across the remains of the old border station (now unused, unloved and rather dilapidated), with just a small shop and a non-descript container cabin off to one side where we bought our vignette, and crossed the border into Slovakia.

Go here to read the next instalment of the Grand European Tour.

Or for more tips and insights on Budapest please continue reading below…

Getting to Budapest

By Air: You can get to Budapest International Airport (also known as Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport and commonly known as Ferihegy) easily from the UK, as well as via international flights across Europe. I would recommend using Skyscanner to find flights into Budapest, and, if you are flexible when you go/return using the ‘search by month’ tool to find the most economical flights.

By Train: Budapest is easily accessible from the major towns of Hungary, as well as the rest of Europe. Check out trains to Budapest here.

By Bus: Budapest is also easy to reach by bus, and for this, I would recommend Flixbus, which is a company based in central Europe, serves the vast majority of mainland Europe and offers cost-effective options to get to Budapest.

Budapest: Getting to and From the Airport

If you decide to fly to Budapest, here are a few simple options for getting into the city from the airport (Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport) depending on your budget. They are:

Take the bus: A direct bus (bus 100E ) leaves for the city centre around every 30 minutes from the bus stop between the terminal 2 buildings on the Arrivals level. It usually arrives at Deák Ferenc tér in 45 minutes, depending on the traffic. Tickets can be obtained from the airport ticket booths, automatic vending machines, from the driver inside the bus, or via the BKK mobile app. Please note that the 100E airport bus ticket must be validated on entering the bus.

Take a taxi: Yellow cabs with the “TAXI” sign on their roof and the “Főtaxi” (the official taxi firm used by the airport) sticker at the left front door are available at the airport, and you’ll find them at the official taxi rank located outside the Arrivals area of T2A and T2B. Make sure that you take an official airport cab, and don’t trust individuals or non-official providers as you may get overcharged.

Budapest airport taxis are metered, and it’s best to pay in forints (local currency), as the taxi exchange rate from forints to euros is not always favourable.

Hire a car: Of course, this is also an option for your transfer from Budapest International Airport to the city centre. You’ll find all the usual main providers at the airport, or you can book in advance online.

Getting around Budapest

There are lots of options for getting around the capital of Hungary, and the public transport systems are safe and efficient.

Note that Budapest has an integrated ticketing system which means that a single ticket can be valid for multiple modes of transport (including buses, trams and metro) within a specified time limit. You can purchase tickets at the metro, newsstands and from ticket vending machines. You will have to validate your ticket before starting your journey. Probably the easiest option might be to buy a 24-Hour Travel Card, which is valid for unlimited trips throughout the day, except for boat services (note: this is not the same as the Budapest City Card which is a city tourist pass and gives free public transport, along with discounts/free entrance to many of Budapest’s main attractions).

Walk: Budapest’s city centre is relatively compact with many of the main tourist attractions within walking distance of each other (although not so great in the rain!).

By bicycle: Budapest is becoming more bike-friendly, so why not hire a bike to explore the city? You can rent bicycles from many public bike services such as MOL Bubi, and like many capital cities, there are many pick-up and drop-off points scattered all over the town.

The Metro: Budapest has one of the oldest and most well-developed underground systems in Europe, featuring a network of four lines that offer an efficient way to get around the city.

By Bus: The city has an extensive bus/trolley bus network which compliments the metro and can be more convenient for reaching the more far-flung areas of the city.

Trams: Again, integrated into the transport system, the tram network covers the majority of the city. The popular tram 19 is great for sightseeing on the Buda side of the city, connecting Kelenföld Train Station with Óbuda and taking in some scenic views by the Danube along the way.

By taxi: You can hail taxis or find them at one of the city’s designated taxi stands. Uber is now also available in Budapest, along with its competitor Bolt.

The Top 10 Things to Do in Budapest

Take a free walking tour: This is always our go-to way of getting an initial feel for any city, learning a lot of the local history, and picking up some useful tips along the way. Although free walking tours are indeed free, please tip your guide at the end of your tour – they will be worth it. Just google ‘free walking tours Budapest’.
Cruise the Danube: The Danube defines and divides this great city, and a river cruise will certainly give you a great perspective, especially enchanting in the evening. Here are some options.
Relax like a local at the thermal baths: Budapest is renowned across the world for its thermal baths, the most famous of these is the
Széchenyi Baths, the largest and most popular. At any of the town’s bathhouses, fed by 120 thermal springs, you can enjoy an array of outdoor/indoor pools, therapeutic waters and saunas.
Stroll the promenade: It’s great to walk along the promenade of that Danube taking in a lot of the local sights whilst getting some exercise. We suggest starting at the Elizabeth bridge on the Pest side of the city and walking north for great views across the Danube of the Fisherman’s Bastion and Buda Castle and discover, along the way, the statue of the Little Princess and The Shoes on the Danube, the sobering memorial honouring the Jewish victims shot on the banks of the river during the dark years of World War II. This is definitely one of the best things to do in Budapest while you are here.
Visit Heroes’ Square: No visit to Budapest would be complete without a visit to this enormous square, featuring the heroes of Hungary’s past and an icon of the city – the Millenium Monument.
Visit St. Stephen’s Basilica: This is a grand neoclassical church in honour of the first king of Hungary. Fantastic views of the city from the top. A range of entry tickets can be found here.
The Great Market Hall: Like we did, why not visit the Great Market Hall, fantastic for picking up souvenirs of Budapest, with an especially mind-boggling array of paprika (a staple in many Hungarian dishes). You also find stalls selling anything from sweet pastries to ‘I Love Budapest’ T-shirts. Grab some traditional goulash from one of the stalls up the stairs on the first floor.
The Parliament Building: You’ll find this oddly familiar edifice on the Pest side of Budapest, its main façade overlooking the River Danube, however, the main entrance is reached from the square on the east side of the building.
Visit a Ruin Bar or two: The history of Budapest’s famous Ruin Bars started when run-down buildings, mostly in the Jewish quarter were converted into make-shift bars. Adorned with graffiti, plants and various re-cycled wackiness they are a great place to sample local beers and wines. Some famous ones are Szimpla Kert, Élesztőház and Kőleves to name but a few.
Eat like a local: There are plenty of gastronomic delights to sample while in Budapest, such as traditional goulash, chimney cake (Kürtöskalács), or Langos (deep-fried flatbread).

Top Tips – Budapest

Use Omio to compare buses versus trains, very useful.

Check our resources page for more budget tips and discounts from our days in transit!

Where to stay in Budapest

Here are a few accommodation options for a stay in Budapest.

A couple of hotels worth considering are the 4-star Hotel Vision which is centrally located and with the added bonus of free parking should you hire a car, or located in heart of Castle Hill on the Buda side of the city, the Maison Bistro & Hotel.

A private apartment such as the Blue Ball Apartment, a little further afield, could also be a good option.

Where to eat

Obviously, there are lots of great places to eat in Budapest, and the two we mentioned in our article above, we are particularly happy to recommend. They were the Mythos The Greek restaurant which is more centrally located, and the excellent Mosselen Belgian Beer Café (book a table as it can get busy) which is tucked away in a back street not too far from the western railway station (Nyugati pályaudvar).

RESOURCES – BUDAPEST

Accommodation: Booking.com

Activities: Get Your Guide

Flights: Skyscanner

Trains: Rail Europe

Bus: FlixBus

Car Hire: AutoEurope

Staying Safe

Budapest is generally a safe city. Crimes of violence against visitors are rare, but like many major cities petty theft and pickpocketing can occasionally occur especially in crowded tourist spots or busy public transport. So keep your valuables safe and out of sight.

If you have an emergency, dial 112 for assistance.

The post Budapest to Slovakia By Car – Grand European Tour Part 5 appeared first on Destination Someplace.