Five Places to Visit in Budapest

The city of Budapest is the largest and the capital city of the country of Hungary and also considered as one of the largest cities in the European Union. The city was nicknamed as “Paris of The East” due to its scenic setting and beautiful architectures, and because of that the city was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The city is one of the most beautiful and most visited cities in Europe because of its youthful atmosphere, classical music scene as well as a booming nightlife that one must experience.

There are so many things to do and see in this city and here’s our list of five places to visit in Budapest:

1. The Royal Palace - The palace was built by Charles Robert’s eldest son, Stephan Duke of Anjou and was later remodeled. After several remodeling, the unique building we see today is the recreation of Alajos Hauszmann and Miklós Ybl’s 1896 millennial designs. Today the Palace is converted into some museums and it hosts the National Gallery. It’s one of the most popular and iconic landmarks of Budapest today.

Photo Credits (Flickr CC): The Royal Palace by Paul Mannix

2. St. Stephen's Basilica – This is the main church of Budapest and it is an important example of the neoclassical architecture, the church was recently renovated. The mummified right hand of Hungary first king is kept inside the chapel of St Stephen. Once inside you’ll see that the interior of the church is decorated with mosaics. It’s a beautiful church that you shouldn’t miss seeing.

Photo Credits (Flickr CC): St. Stephen's Basilica by rachel_titiriga

3. Great Synagogue and the Jewish Museum – The city of Budapest was home to one of the largest Jewish community in Europe before the war has erupted. The Dohány street Synagogue was opened in 1859 and it is the largest and one of the most beautiful ones in Europe. It was recently restored to its former grandeur. Next to the Synagogue is a small but impressive museum. In the rear of the Synagogue is a memorial for victims of the Shoah.

Photo Credits (Flickr CC): Great Synagogue by fristle

4. The Gellért Hill Cave - The hill hosts a huge cave network, inside a cave is located a rock Church in which the monks of the Pauline Order are still celebrating. The church’s plans were made by the Hungarian architect and Professor Kálman Lux taking on by example a similar rock construction located in Lourdes.

Photo Credits (Flickr CC): The Gellért Hill Cave by Robot B

5. Olof Palme Ház – The place is an elegant building in the style of North Italian renaissance and was erected in 1884 by the architect Pfaff Ferenc. The central part of the building is decorated with some portraits of the most important italian renaissance artists like Michelangelo, Raffaello and Leonardo da Vinci.

These are just some of the places you can see and visit in Budapest. There are much more to see if you explore the city for a couple more days.

Have you been to Budapest? Feel free to share your tips and recommendations.