After 2 years of living in Europe, this is my last week in Europe before repatriating back to the US and I decided to go someplace I haven't been yet this past Saturday and Sunday. Budapest sounded unusual and I left Saturday am and came home Sunday pm. It was too short a trip, but delightful.

Since December, due to my proximity here, Doug and I went to Paris, Berlin, Prague. I would put Budapest on a must see list.

Hungary has joined the EU, but does not yet use the euro in most shops. However, some shops will accept euros.

Physically, Budapest looks a lot like Prague, but a bit more elegant...wider boulevards and hotels right on the Danube overlooking the palace on the hill.

What impressed me more than Prague was that it was not as touristy as Prague and the people were incredibly warm and gracious whereever we went. The natives were funny, helpful and kind and made sure you had a great time.

First, we were warned about the taxis. The hotel wanted 9500 florins (about 183 per US dollar) and we were told a taxi costs about 4500 - if you are not "taken." There is a shuttle that is about 2200 florins per person, but since it takes many, it can take a fairly long time to make its rounds and, since it goes at designated times, you sometimes have to wait. The board at trip advisor recommended www.hotelonlinehungary.com. They responded within 1 hour of my email with a driver's name and telephone number and confirmation. The driver was prompt, friendly and we were delighted with his service ($5000 florins). The airport is comfortable and modern and is about 25 minutes from the center of town.

There are a number of fine hotels. The Four Seasons is gorgeous, but the most expensive five star. It is art nouveau. At the turn of the century, it was built as the most luxurious office, shopping and apartment complex in the city. It fell into disrepair since the war and was recently reopened in December 2004. Sophia Loren was the first guest....her son was married in Budapest. The Sofitel, Intercontinental and Marriott all are five star and are in close proximity to the Four Seasons, in a "hotel" row with many rooms having water views. We chose the Sofitel because an excutive floor room was only $180 Euros including breakfast, snacks throughout the day, hor d'hoevres/drinks, tax and a massage each. We did not have a river view as that would have been an additional 35 Euro. Service was excellent and the breakfast was lovely. The room was one of the smallest I have had in a four or five star in Europe, but not cramped. The bathroom had a separate shower and tub. It (the hotel, not the room!!)had a large atrium with piano music playing around tea time. The Sofitel is very American. A former Hyatt Regency, it has a large, open lobby that rises 10 stories with balconies draped in ivy. The Intercontinental is a typical business hotel right next door. Many of its rooms face the river and I believe an upgrade is available for 15 euros. The Marriott boasts all river facing rooms and is a block down from the Intercontinental, right on the river.

The Four Seasons was $100 more without any of these extras. I have heard nice things on trip advisor about all of these hotels. There is also Le Meridian and the Kempinski around another area (opera). The Hilton has two hotels. One, Westend, is adjacent to a mall and near the train station. I understand for shopping, this mall is great. All of these hotels are on the Pest side of the Danube. The other is right in the Castle area on the Buda side and is a great location if you plan on a castle trip. It is beautiful and quaint here. The Gellert hotel has thermal baths and is also on the Buda side. I don't think you could go wrong with any of these hotels.

The Sofitel hotel area is a couple of block walk to the main shopping street and you could walk to the castle (over the bridge and about 20 minutes) in good weather. There is a lovely promenade along the river and many parks. A city tour cost $12000 florins for 2 and a private tour in a limo was $9000 florins per hour for up to 4 persons. The guides were all very good.

There are many historical and art museums, a gorgeous Parliment building, a zoo, an amusement park and an archeological area. Many of the outdoor attractions were closed from October-March, so I would recommend traveling here other than these months to get your money's worth.

There are also lovely day trips: e.g., to an artists town (with a diamond cutting tour), the Herrend Porcelain factory, etc. and 1-2 hour boat cruises, Jewish tours, etc. The predominant religion (70%) is Roman Catholic, with Protestant faiths comprising another 10%. There are 20,000 jews remaining. The 2nd largest synagogue in the world is located there. Interestingly, as opposed to Prague, the Jewish community is reform, where in Prague, it is orthodox.

We took a day trip to Szentendre: This is a small village on the Danube Bend and has some interesting shops and sights. In the center of town, atop a raised embankment, is the Catholic Parish Church, built in the 14th century, and survived successive waves of conquerors. Most of the town seems to revolve around tourists. The road up to Szentendre is significant because of the Roman ruins of the town of Aquinicum (which were closed un the winter). There is a short portion of a Roman aqueduct still standing in the highway median.

The arts are prominent in town, with a number of theaters/music halls and 2 opera houses. The art museum houses a very large collection of impressionists, second only to the D'Orsay museum in Paris. There are a number of antique shops and art galleries scattered throughout the city in fairly large numbers. There is also a large covered market in the center of town, which is a great place to get a sense of the culture.

Shopping souvenirs consist of lace, embroidery, paprika, fur, leather, goose liver foie gras, wine, china, and pottery. I didn't price the goose liver, but I ordered it twice and it was excellent at $2000 florins for a main course (this was 4 medalions, sauteed, vegetable and starch). Goulash Soup came to about 2-3 dollars. If you like goulash soup, order double. I understand wine is excellent, but I don't like wine, so I didn't order it. The pottery and china were very expensive. I bet the Herrend store has a seconds store, but I didn't go. I didn't spend $100-200 for a tea or coffee cup for a first quality. I found the Faence pottery more than in Prague, though very nice. I thought the fur hats and lined leather gloves were high quality and very reasonable. Very nice lined gloves were between $5000 and 14000 florins, depending on workmanship and fur or wool lining. Fur hats were under $100, including mink and fox. Malls are open 7 days a week until 7 or 9:30, depending on day of the week. Stores close most days at 7, but on Saturday, small stores close at 2 and are closed on Sunday. Tescos (groceries) is open 24 hours, 7 days per week.

A city of 2 million, the Pest side is the commercial side, founded in the late 1800s-early 1900s, and is the most populous now. The Buda side dates back to 3AD and is mountainous. Except along the river, Budapest did not suffer much in WWII as Hitler was protecting oil reserves and had stationed many of its troops here. Most of the damage in the city was caused in the 1956 uprising against the Soviets. Budapest has been a democracy since 1989. Compared to Berlin and Prague, many of the Soviet buildings have been/are being torn down and buildings, more in keeping with the general tone of the city, are being erected or restored (Baroque). Outside of the city, the key secondary highway reminded me of a US route one, dotted with an array of older bungalow-style homes, new homes in the same style and large, rundown communist high rises. This road was reminiscent of the main road in St. Petersberg, Russia.

Many exhibits focus on the emancipation from the Soviets instead of the Nazi's, as in other European cities. There is considerable focus on the years of post-WWII terror by the Soviets. Budapest is a westernized city and appears quite upscale and cultured. Folks told us that there are pros and cons to the new government, which do not appear to be that dissimilar to ours. Under the communist oppression, folks rallied together and were very close in their poverty. Everyone had a job and knew he would have food, education and clothes. Today, the jobless situation has increased and folks are rather cutthroat and out for themselves. Some miss the security of communism and others love their newfound freedom. Overall, they seem like a happy and content lot of people.

As a bonus, food is reasonable, delicious and hearty. There was goulash (with beef or vegetarian)soup, Chicken paprikash, sauteed foie gras, fish paprikash, beef stew, veal stews, escargot soup, cold cherry soup, dumplings, mashed potatoes, goose, turkey, steaks (filets, etc.), lots of pastry (they have lots of pastry shops and are proud of their desserts and coffee shops). The first thing that people recall about Hungarian cuisine is goulash, which is, contrary to popular belief, not a stew but an artistically prepared thick soup. You might also try fish soup, chicken paprika, a good home-made pörkölt (stew) and the excellent fresh-water fish: grilled pike-perch, trout with almond. Also compulsory is goose liver. Whether fried or grilled, cold or hot, it is simply unforgettable, if you like goose liver.

We ate at Rezkakas restaurant and had a wonderful meal and fantastic service. Prices were reasonable. There was live hungarian music that was quiet and lovely. We talked with another couple next to us and my dinner companion and I and each of them all had different meals. Everything was RSSC quality. Most main courses were about 1500 to 2900 florins. Appetizers were from 500 to 800 florins and desserts the same.

Just about everyone spoke English. Russian was last taught in the schools 15 years ago and English is now the second language. Many stores are quite upscale..Escada, Dior, Gucci. Almost all stores are set up as brand name boutiques, i.e., Lancome has its own store.

I really enjoyed my short visit and feel comfortable recommending it to any of you venturing inland.

Thanks, Andi. I'm saving your report. We hope to get to central/eastern Europe in 2006. Welcome back to the USA and safe travels. Cheers, Anne

Hmm. Hearty food! Yum. We had a substantial immigration from Hungary in the 50s, and as usual, they opened lots of Hungarian restaurants! When I went to university in the 60s, that was the cheap and cheerful cuisine near the campus!

Sounds like a terrific city. I will put it on my list. We've been to Lithuania, Romania, Ukraine and Bulgaria in the east. Maybe we can make it to Budapest before it gets too touristy! Thanks for the travelogue.

Excellent report, Andi. It came at a very good time for me, as I am now researching a trip to include Prague and Budapest for 2006. I have several options under consideration.

If you have information about drivers, etc., could you please email me the information, directly? Thanks.

My father's side of the family is Hungarian. My grandmother was a chef and baker, by profession, and I know how wonderful Hungarian cuisine can be. She spoiled us.

I really long to do this trip next year.

I only know my driver was Eugene. Contact the Intercontinental concierge and see if they know him. Otherwise, write the Sofitel concierge and ask them.

You will like the Intercontinental there. It's location is excellent. Do not go in the winter. It is terribly cold. So is Prague.

Thanks. Planning hopefully to go in Sept. or very early Oct. 2006.

I always like InterContinental! But, I'm partial!

Denise, many things close October 1. I would suggest September. Both are walking cities and you miss a lot with bad or cold weather.

Thanks for the suggestion. Then Sept. it is.

I'd really enjoy getting a group together for this trip. Anyone interested in joining in? Judy and John have expressed an interest in doing this with us.

Thanks for the detailed report, Andi. I was very interested in it, and particularly today because Denise and I e-mailed back and forth last night about our possibly joining her and Alan for a Prague-Budapest trip in 2006. I have previously read more about Prague than Budapest, so your information is very helpful.

Denise, as you know, we're interested! And September is one of our favorite times of year to travel.

Glad it was helpful. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time. I understand Belgrade is also lovely.

So happy that you are interested in this wonderful trip with us, Priscilla. I am looking into it now, as you know.

Any and all suggestions are surely welcome.

Andi - thanks for the report - I will have to put that one aside for future usage!

Masaki

Hi Andi, Thanks for your detailed report of Budapest. I have looked into booking a Danube River cruises and wanted to begin in Budapest. Hopefully I will be able to enjoy this part of the world. I have squirreled away your review for future reference. Thanks again. It sounds like you had a delightful stay.

Beth,

You are welcome to join us, if you'd like. I am looking into river cruises now. If you could private message me, I'd like to hear which river cruises you've looked into.

Thanks.

Andi, Great report, thanks! Budapest is also one of my favorite cities, and I'll add an endorsement for the Budapest Hilton. Unlike most of the "downtown" (Pest) hotels, it is up on the cliffs in the castle district (think old, cobblestone streets, street cafes & bistros, candle light, and horse-drawn carriages) with fantastic views of the Danube over the fisherman's bastion of Parliament, Margit Szeged (a fabulous island in the middle of the Danube for a day visit), and all of the bridges. Rooms, service, food, and location were excellent.

Cheers,
Ken

Ken, The Hilton was beautiful. I was impressed with the area. Should be mentioned that it is located on the foundation of a 10th (?) century monestary and the facade is original. It is really lovely. I'm glad it was so nice inside. I thought it might be.

Budapest has a large number of very fine hotels, all well located. I'm amazed that it has so many fine services considering its late 20th century past, far superior to Athens.

Thanks, Ken for adding some great information to this thread. The Hilton sounds lovely. We will certainly need to check it out.

Denise.

I KNOW that you like to do things independently, but just wanted you to know that some very discriminating friends did a Tauck Tour of Prague, Budapest, etc., originating in Vienna, and were VERY pleased.

Thanks, Kathy. Tauck is one of the options I have been considering. Tauck is a class act.

I have never done a Tauck tour, but my grandparents always did and loved the tours they took. While in Copenhagen, Doug and I were in a museum where we had the good luck to overhear a Tauck tour lecture. It was superb.

Doug and I asked the tour how they got the lecturer and they told us they were part of a Tauck tour. We asked how satisfied they were and they said that all the lecturers were as excellent as the one we just heard. It was fantastic and we were very, very impressed with the quality, both delivery and content.

Coincidentally, we are looking to travel to Prague and Budapest in 2006. Our trip does not have to have a connection with a Rad cruise. Count us in, at this point, and we would be happy to help plan the itin.
Sedona, a terrific report. Thanks
Denise, please contact me at med4bike@yahoo.com
Maurice

Great report, Andi. Thanks for taking the time. I'd love to see Budapest someday. My father's side of the family is from Slovakia and I've never yet been anywhere in eastern Europe.

We've taken two Tauck tours and have been very impressed with both of them. I saw in the brochure that they have a river cruise tour. I think it's called "Blue Danube" or something like that. I'd bet that would be outstanding. They really are a class act and they make traveling as painless as possible. Of course, you are usually dealing with changing hotel rooms and buses. We're all a bit spoiled from our hotel rooms that float. :)

Denise, I think you'd be very safe going with them, especially one of their river cruise options. You'd have all the benefits of Tauck and none of the hassle of buses and changing hotels all the time.

Don't think we'll be able to do anything in 2006, but if we could have, we'd definitely have been interested. :)

Have a safe trip home, Andi.

Kathy

Thanks, Kathy.

Tauck was one of the first options I considered. We've toured with them before and were very pleased.

I did see that river/land combo you are talking about. Great itinerary. The only negative that I can see is that the cabins on MS Switzerland have twin bedding. I will need to consult a TA as to whether or not this is the case. Twin beds will not work for us. Alan is a tall guy!

Tauck has a land tour that looks quite good. Only negative with that is the packing/unpacking.

Sorry you can't do this in 2006. It would be great to have you join us.

Maurice, I will send a note your way!

Anyone else? Please PM me. If I can get a large enoough group interested, I can ask about group pricing.

Denise and all

The American Express Travel Show is here this weekend & I already have tickets. Tauck is one of the exhibitors. I will make a point of stopping by their table to see what I can find out.
I think I have the A & K brochure for Europe. Will look. They aren't cheap.
Kathy, how funny. I am half Czech & you are Slovak. Together we should make a fine pair.

Thanks, Betty. Please let us know what the word is for Tauck. They are amongst my top choice, as well as a few river cruises. If you could ask about group discounting, as the group now consists of 9 people.

Checked into A&K. Unfortunately, they do not fit into our budget.

BTW, I'm half Hungarian!

One word of caution about river boats as some of my American friends have had problems.

Service can be an issue. The biggest complaint I hear has to do with Europeans and SMOKING. It is supposedly dreadful. If smoking bothers you, please check the rules of the particular boat.

I've heard this as well and am checking that out.

Denise -

Todd and I had checked out Viking River Cruises about a year ago. When Todd called to inquire about the smoking policy, he was told that on the ships which cater to North Americans, there is NO indoor smoking. At that time, they supposedly had a very restrictive smoking policy. The China boats were an exception to that. At the time, they allowed more smoking on the China boats. We always have to check it out. Todd and I are very sensitive to smoke and my Dad is even more so. He smoked two or three packs a day years ago, but he can't stand to be anywhere near the smell today. I know lots of ex-smokers who have that same reaction.

Might be worth checking out Viking River. One other thing to keep in mind, though. Don't know what the river level is like now, but last year a number of people ended up on a bus rather than the river cruise they expected. Apparently the water levels on the river were so low they couldn't move the ships.

Betty - small world. It's rare that I run into anyone else who is Czech or Slovak. I missed such an opportunity years ago to get tons of geneological info. By the time I got interested in doing the research, my Grandmother was too far gone to remember anything. I'm still kicking myself!

Thanks, Kathy, for your comments.

We are not smokers and I am asking each company's policy pertaining to such.

Funny that you mention Viking. We received our Conde Naste today and Viking made the list of one of the best cruises. I will look into this line, as well.

The issue with river levels is a very big concern, as well. I do recall what happened last year and felt horribly for those poor people who saved and looked forward to their river cruises, only to have their cruises fall apart.

Lots of factors to consider and fortunately time to do so. While a river cruise seems really lovely and much more convenient/easy, I can't help but lean towards the possibility of a Tauck land tour. The only drawback for us with this is the packing and unpacking. But, a land tour is a great way to see much of the countryside and Tauck is a master at doing so.

I spoke with Tauck, Dielmann and Amadeus today and got some additional information on group pricing. Now I need to compile a list of pros and cons.

After weighing pros and cons - i.e. smoking, touring on big busses with lots of people, cramped accommodations, mediocre cuisine, dried-up rivers, to name a few, we are now contemplating putting together our own trip, utilizing private guides. This appears to be the best approach.

We hit the jackpot with a really wonderful guide in Prague, who comes highly recommended through Rick Steves. I received a terrific response from her yesterday to my inquiry. She has also given me the name of a guide in Budapest. Now we just need to locate a guide for Vienna and I think our trip plans are well underway!