Budapest, Hungary

Budapest, Hungary is a city with many unique contrasts. In this article you’re going to first see some of those contrasts. Then we’ll move into the cuisine, and on to things to do.  

Hungary, country of contrasts.

Hungary is a country in the European Union, but it does not use the Euro. Instead, the currency is the Hungarian Forint (HUF).  

The exchange rate is basically 1,000 HUF = 3 USD as a rule of thumb.

The country of Hungary is located in Central Europe, not Eastern Europe. And it’s completely landlocked. Hungary is surrounded by land that was formerly part of Hungary. In a sense, Hungary is landlocked by itself. 

Hungarian Cuisine

Paprika is the national spice made from peppers. There are three types: sweet, smoked, and hot. Sweet is the most popular. You can buy it everywhere.

Unicum is a national drink, a digestive initially made for the emperor. Just shoot it down. If you sip it, you probably won’t want a second sip.  

Palinka is a local Brandy made from fermented plums and other fruit. It has an alcohol content between 37%- 86%.

Hungarian Street Food

The most popular street food is Langos. Langos is fried flatbread and it is delicious! There are many ways to order it. The classic with sour cream and cheese is an excellent place to start.

Thermal Baths

Thermal baths are a lifestyle in Budapest. There are many to choose from and different styles too. To do it right, you will go from room to room, cold to hot, and do it more than once. Essentially, it’s supposed to be very good for your health.

Budapest’s Central Market Hall

Visit the Central Market Hall to see what Hungarians eat.  

Things to do in Budapest

I’ll end with a couple of recommendations that work for Budapest and any city you visit for the first time.

Take a city tour as soon as possible after arriving. A bus tour is a great way to start. The Hop On Hop Off Bus is a double-decker. I like to sit on top to have great views of the city as you drive around. You will receive a headset on the first bus you board. When you plug into the audio system, you will choose the language you want to hear.

Have the map included with the tour readily available. I always lay the map on my lap so that I can follow the route as you travel around. I find this very helpful in getting to know the city.

Take a Foodie Tour to find out what the locals eat as soon as possible. Food Tours allow you to sample the local food and drink in small portions. In Budapest, the Foodie tour is usually in the Central Market Hall. This day was a national holiday and everything was closed. Our guide filled in with some great alternatives, and made our foodie tour extra special.

The picture below has the goulash we sampled that evening.

Keep your eyes open for statues of all sizes. Some are in miniature and sitting in plain sight if you’re looking for them. But there are also life-size statues of such notable people as George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan. Don’t forget to look for statue of Columbo and his dog honoring Peter Falk whose mother was Hungarian.

Budapest’s Memento Park

The Communist Era in Hungary lasted from 1949 to 1989. During this period, the Communists erected massive Communist statues around Budapest. Then in 1989-90, the Communist Era ended and many statues were destroyed. Still others were kept as reminders, although you won’t see them around the city. Instead, the new government moved them to Memento Park. A Communist statue graveyard, of sorts, located outside the city. 

Click here for an article from CNN Travel about Memento Park and other Communist -era relics.

This is second of two articles about Budapest, Hungary. If you missed part one of this article, click here.   

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