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The Hungarian national parliament

Europe : Central Europe : Hungary : Central Hungary : Budapest

Budapest is a huge city with several district articles containing sightseeing, restaurant, nightlife andaccommodation listings consider printing them all.

Budapest [1] [2] is the capitalcity of Hungary. With green filledparks full of charming pleasures,museums that will inspire, and apulsating nightlife that is on par withits European counterparts, Budapestis one of Europe's most delightfuland enjoyable cities. Thanks to theperfect location, inhabitants'hospitality and memorablemonuments is it mentioned as "LittleParis of Central Europe" and "Pearlof Danube".

DistrictsAlthough Budapest isadministratively divided into 23numbered districts which are always

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Budapest's Chain Bridge and Castle Hill

Co nt ent s1 Districts2 Understand

2.1 History2.2 Official Tourism Information2.3 Quality o f life

3 Get in3.1 By plane

3.1.1 Terminals3.1.2 Connections3.1.3 Airport transfer

3.2 By train3.2.1 Train stations

3.3 By bus3.3.1 Bus stations

3.4 By boat4 Get around

4.1 Orientation4.2 On foot4.3 Public transport

4.3.1 Tickets and passes

Districts of Budapest

written in Roman numerals, it canmost simply be divided into the twocities of which it is comprised (Budaand Pest) and one historic district:

Buda - The hilly West side of theDanube (Districts I- III, XI-XII, XXII).Cast le Hill - District I of Buda,the oldest part of the citycontaining the eponymous Castleand many of Budapest's best-known attractions (FishermensBastion, Labyrinth and MathiasChurch)Pest - The flat East side of theDanube, covering the moderncommercial core of the

city(Districts IV- IX).

UnderstandTravelers arequickly recognisingthe appeal ofBudapest, withtourism accountingfor approximately2.7 million visitorsper year. Consistingof two very differentcities, Buda on theWest bank of theDanube River andPest on the East bank, Budapest (pronounced "BOO-dah-pesht")offers travelers Viennese romanticism at an affordable price.However, Budapest is unique in its own right. Hungarians are proudof what this ancient capital has to offer and its contributions to

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New Year ho lidays inHungary

In o ther languages

ca: Budapestde: Budapesteo: Budapetoes: Budapestfi: Budapestfr: Budapesthu: Budapestit: Budapestja: nl: Boedapestpl: Budapesztpt: Budapestero : Budapestaru: sv: Budapest

o ther sites

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4.3.1 Tickets and passes4.3.2 Metro4.3.3 Tram4.3.4 By bus4.3.5 Tro lley-bus4.3.6 Suburban rail4.3.7 Other4.3.8 Night services

4.4 By car4.5 By taxi4.6 By bicycle4.7 By Skateboard

5 See6 Gallery7 Do

7.1 Festivals7.2 Performing arts7.3 Cinema7.4 Baths

7.4.1 Traditional public baths7.4.2 Modern baths7.4.3 Others

7.5 Active Leisure7.6 Caving

8 Learn9 Work10 Buy

10.1 Non-speciality shopping11 Eat

11.1 Coffeehouses11.2 Restaurants11.3 Ship Restaurants

11.3.1 Chains11.4 Vegetarian/Vegan11.5 Grocery Stores11.6 Kosher11.7 Others

European culture, especially in the field of music, a language onedoesn't need to speak to appreciate.

HistoryBudapest first appeared on the world map when the Romansfounded the town of Aquincum around 89 AD, in what is todaybuda. It soon became the capital of the province of LowerPannonia, and the Romans even founded a proto-Pest known asCont ra Aquincum on the other side of the river.The Romans were replaced around 900 by the Magyars, who wenton to found the kingdom of Hungary (Magyar Kirlysg ). TheMongols dropped in uninvited in 1241, but the Magyars bouncedback and built the Royal Castle, which still dominates Buda, in 1427.In 1541, Buda and Pest fell to the Ottomans and stayed in the handsof the Turks until 1686, when the Austrian Habsburgs conquered thetown. Now at peace, both sides of the river boomed, and after anabortive Hungarian revolution in 184849, the great Compromise of1867 made Budapest the united capital of the Hungarian half of theDual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary.Budapest emerged from World War I battered but now the capital ofan independent Hungary. Its population reached one million in 1930.Air raids and a terrible three-month siege towards the end of WorldWar II resulted in the death over 38,000 civilians, and up to 40% ofBudapest's Jewish community were murdered during the Holocaust.A total of 400,000 Jews in the area were murdered by the Naz is andtheir Nyilas sympathizers. Various people helped members of thelocal Jewish community including Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedishhumanitarian sent to Hungary under a diplomatic cover, who tried tomake a difference by distributing Swedish passports to as manyJews as possible, and the Italian Giorgio Perlasca, that, pretendingto be a Spanish diplomat, rescued a good share of Budapest'sJewish community.After the war, the city recovered and became a showcase for themore pragmatic policies of Hungary's hard- line Communistgovernment. It was, however, site of the 1956 Hungarian uprising

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12 Drink13 Sleep14 Contact

14.1 Phone14.2 Internet

14.2.1 Wi-fi14.3 Wifi Networks

14.3.1 Internet Cafes15 Stay safe

15.1 Crime15.2 By night15.3 Tourist traps15.4 Money15.5 Important phone numbers

16 Stay healthy17 Cope

17.1 Embassies18 Get out

Budapest Opera

against unpopular policies such as collectivisation. The revolutionagainst communist rule only ended when the Soviets sent in thetanks as they felt Hungary slipping out of their influence and control.Today's Budapest is by far the wealthiest and most cosmopolitancity in Hungary and is increasingly popular with tourists. In 1987, itwas inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for the culturaland architectural significance of the Banks of the Danube, the BudaCastle Quarter and Andrssy Avenue.

Official Tourism InformationTourism Of f ice of Budapest [3] , 1115 Budapest, Bartk Bla t105-113., tel: +36 1 438-8080. You can get some very good andfree brochures. amongst it: map of Budapest, a map of hungary withall the youth hostels and prices, a very complete brochure about thenorthern part of Hungary (available in many languages).Tourism Info Center 1051 Budapest, St utca 2 (Dek Ferenctr)

Quality of lifeHomelessness is a big problem in Budapest. People who are homeless are commonly seen in the innercity metro stations and sleeping in doorways in both Buda and Pest.

Get inBy planeBudapest Franz Liszt Internat ional Airport (IATA: BUD)[4] , Budapest Liszt Ferenc Nemzetkzi Repltr(pronounced "list- ferents"), formerly, and colloquially referredto Ferihegy ; is the country's largest airport, located about 16km (10 miles) southeast of the city centre. The airports centraltelephone number for information is: +36-1 296-9696 or on+36-1 296-7000. Luggage services can be contacted on +361296-5449 in connection with flights to and from Terminal 1 and+36-1 296-5965 for Terminal 2.

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The airport has two terminals. It is wise to double-check your arrival and departure terminal. While Terminal2A is within a short walking distance from Terminal 2B, the distance between Terminal 1 and 2 is quitesizeable - the trip takes 6-8 minutes by car or 12 minutes by bus.

The small, renovated Terminal 1 (gates 1-10; opened in 1950) is used by low-cost airlines (such asWizzAir and EasyJet ) both from Schengen and Non-Schengen destinations.

As of June 1 2012 Terminal 1 is now closed and all flights depart and arrive from Terminal 2.The more spacious Terminal 2 (opened in 1985) is divided in two: Terminal 2A (gates 20-30) servesall Schengen Area destinations. Terminal 2B (gates 11-19) serves all Non-Schengen Area destinations.

Duty free stores are operated by Travel Value [5] . Customs authorities in German airports may not allowyou to bring duty- free items purchased at the airport in Budapest through Germany. In Terminal 2, HugoBoss and Swarowski are the only dedicated brand shops. The alcohol- tobacco-sweets assortment shophas a decent choice of local wines, mainly by Gundel. Several cafs are present. There are Caff Ritazza[6] eateries on Terminal 2A. One is in a pre-checkin area; another is in the boarding area, after passportcontrol. Terminal 2B pre-boarding area has half a dozen cafes. The cafe on the second floor of terminal 1(outside of the security area) offers computers with internet access.

ConnectionsHungarian discount airline Wizz Air operates flights between Budapest and 21 European cities. AmericanAirlines operate direct flights between Budapest and New York City . Many discount airlines also operateservice to/from Budapest.As of 2012, the following discount airlines operate to and from Budapest (using Terminal 1 unless otherwisestated):

Aer Lingus [7] (from Ireland) - Terminal 2B;EasyJet [8] (from France, Germany, Great Britain and Switzerland);Germanwings [9] (from Germany);Jet2 [10] (from Great Britain);Norwegian Air Shuttle [11] (from Denmark, Norway and Sweden);RyanAir [12] (from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Finland,Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Poland);transavia.com [13] (from the Netherlands);WizzAir [14] (from Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy,Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain and Sweden).

Airport transferPublic t ransport . There is a railway station called Ferihegy connected to Terminal 1. Passengers from

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Terminal 2A or 2B can also reach it by local bus 200E to the stop "Ferihegy vastlloms" (8 min). Bustickets are available in airport terminals for HUF 320 at the newspaper vendors, or HUF 400 if youpurchase from the driver. This bus also continues on until Kbnya-Kispest where you can transfer toMetro M3 (an additional ticket is required for the metro for another 320 HUF, though with this ticket youcan transfer to another metro line once). To transfer to the Metro wait until the final bus stop; the secondlast stop is also called Kbnya-Kispest, but the final stop is closer to the metro station.

Half-hourly suburban trains run westwards to Budapest-Nyugati plyaudvar via Kbnya-Kispest andeastwards to Monor via Vecss and ll, though it should be noted that these suburban trains are operatedby the Hungarian rail operator MV, and by no means included in the HV network. These suburbant rains are labelled "Szemly" while long-distance t rains use other labels. Travel time to Budapest-Nyugati is 23 min. A single ticket costs 365 HUF and can be bought from the ticket vending machines at thestation, though local travelcards (which you can buy at the newspaper vendors at the airport) are also valid[15] . Do not assume that it's always best to get off at Budapest-Nyugati even for the city centre. Nyugati islocated in the north central part of the large city centre and depending on the location of your hotel, it maybe quicker to get off the suburban train at either Kbnya-Kispest or Zugl and continue by metro or busfrom there. Be sure to check this out.

Long-distance trains also operate from the airport to destinations such as Kecskemt, Szeged,Pspkladny, Debrecen, Nyregyhza, Miskolc and Zhony at the Ukrainan border. You may alsoencounter Intercity trains with Budapest-Keleti station as the destination, BUT UNDER NOCIRCUMSTANCES WHATSOEVER SHALL YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT TAKING THIS TRAIN IFYOU'RE GOING TO BUDAPEST . It will take you to Budapest, yes - in 5 h 4 5 min, and at a cost of6660 HUF. (to clarify, this is a ring line which starts at Nyugati and goes through Ferihegy and easternHungary before terminating at Keleti, and the other way around). Using long-distance trains to Nyugati isnot recommended either, as this will require a seat reservation, and this might be expensive.

Minibus service. If you travel alone, consider the Airport Minibus service [16] , a shared taxi operationthat collects passengers going in the same direction and will take you to or from anywhere in Budapestfor HUF 3.200 per person or HUF 5.500 for a round trip. Join the queue at the airport and you will be onyour way in 15 minutes. For the trip back, call the centre at +36-1 296-8555 at least 24 hours beforehandand Airport Minibus will pick you up.Taxi. Ftaxi [17] is the only contracted taxi operator from Lisz t Ferenc airport. Depending on yourdestination, a trip to Budapest costs between HUF 3.900-6.500 (3900 is valid around the airport,downtown hotels usually HUF 5,800 or 21 and above that). Queue at the taxi stand to receive a writtenquote for your fare, then pay it when you arrive at your destination. This system is designed to eliminateunjustified price hikes. IMPORTANT: unless you have pre-ordered a taxi from a different company, donot accept offers from taxi drivers waiting in the terminal or near the terminal entrances (but when youpre-order you get a better price than the Fotaxi rates). On your trip into town you might receive a

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business card from Ftaxi quoting cheaper fares bound to Lisz t Ferenc airport (i.e. 16 from Pest).Reserve a car by phone and quote the offer to save some money.

By trainTrains connect Budapest with almost all countries in central and eastern Europe. All trains arrive at BudapestKeleti station, unless stated otherwise.

Berlin: 11h, two direct EC trains daily, one connection with change at Beclav and a night train Metropol .Munich: 7h, four daytime Railjet trains and one night train Wiener Walzer . These trains stops inSalzburg and Linz too.

Tickets from Germany are much cheaper if bought online [18] , at least 3 days in advance.Vienna: 2h, every two hours, departing from Wien-Meidling station. For tickets from Vienna, as well asfrom other cities in Austria, note: the earlier you book them, the cheaper they are. One-way ticket pricefrom Vienna begins at 19.Prague: 7h, three direct EC trains, two with change at Beclav and night train Metropol . There is a throughsleeper car departing from Prague one hour before Metropol and later attached to it, so you have moretime to sleep. Online tickets [19] are much more cheaper than normal tickets (the price begins at 19),but you should buy them at least 3 days in advance. If e- tickets are sold out or you have to buy a ticketimmediately before departure, buy a (domestic) ticket Prague-Kty Gr. (the CZ/SK border point) andinternational tickets Kty Gr.-trovo and trovo-Budapest. This combination costs about 65% of thedirect ticket. For the two international tickets you can get RailPlus discount and return ticket discount.Bratislava: 2h, six EC trains a day. Thank to bilateral agreement between Slovak and HungarianRailways there are reasonably priced tickets from many important Slovak cities, sold at station counters.Warsaw: 10, four trains a day, one direct during night with through seat, couchette and sleeper cars(11h) and three EC trains through daytime with one transfer in Beclav or Ostrava Svinov (10-11h).There is a limited amount of SparDay and SparNight discounted tickets, sold at Polish stations, from 29in seat car and 39 in a couchette.Bucharest: 16h, two night trains Dacia and Ister and one daytime connection with change at Timisoara.For Ister train you can buy a discounted Fortuna ticket for 29 for seat or 39 for couchette, but youshould do it at least 7 days in advance. It cannot be booked online. Normal ticket cost about 50 one-way, 77 return (a RailPlus discount is possible) and couchette reservation fee is 15.Venice: 13h, an night Euronight train via Slovenia. There is a limited amount of Smart tickets for 29 forseat and 39 for couchette, if bought at least 7 days in advance. You can buy it online [20] andchange it to real ticket at station counter in Venice. If the discounted tickets are sold out, the normal ticketcost 55 for seat and 69 for couchette.Ljubljana: 9h, a daytime IC Citadella, arriving at Dli station. There are discounted Budapest-Special ticket

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for 29 one-way and 39 return. Apart from this there is a nightime train from Venice through Croatia, butit isn't much useful, as it departs from Ljubljana on 2AM and costs two times more.Zagreb: 6-7h, three daytime trains a day. The train Maestral , arriving at 16:45, ends up at Dli station.Return ticket valid 1 month costs about 30 and it's even cheaper than one-way ticket.

There is a seasonal sleeper train from Split, departing every Wednesday and Saturday from 11 Jun to 27Aug.

Belgrade: 8h, two daytime trains Avala and Ivo Andric and one night train Beograd. They are oftendelayed. There is a special offer Budapest Special /Beograd Special , 15 for one-way and 26 for returnticket. These tickets are sold only at Budapest and Belgrade stations (you can also buy special tickes inNovi Sad at the same price). Couchette reservation is 16.40 for 6-berth couchette, but there arereservation- free seats even on the night train. Notice that the night train, arrives in Budapest very early at5AM, and border crossing is around 2AM.

The train Avala has seasonal sleeper cars from Podgorica and Bar, departing every Monday, Thursdayand Sunday from 19 Jun to 19 Sep.

Sarajevo: 11h, IC Drava over Croatia. One-way ticket costs about 54 and return ticket valid 1 monthcosts only only 2 more.Sofia: 18h, Balkan Express with a through couchette car via Belgrade. Direct ticket is expensive, thebetter solution is to buy a ticket Sofia-Belgrade (see Belgrade#By train) and then Belgrade-Budapestticket at Belgrade station. The through car waits 2.5h in Belgrade and even if Balkan Express is delayed(a quite common situation), you have a time until the through car is shifted to the train to Budapest. BalkanExpress leaves Sofia at noon and arrives to Belgrade at evening, so you can travel to Belgrade in asitting car, and buy a cheaper couchette reservation only from Belgrade to Budapest.Kiev and Moscow: 25h/39h, fast train Tisza, a typical Russian long-distance train going over 2 nights.International ticket is much more expensive than domestic Russian and especially Ukrainian domesticticket. If you are on a tight budget, use another train from Kiev (departing on 18:52 or 20:06) to Chop(arriving on 10:04 or 10:52) near UA/HU border. In Chop buy a ticket to to local train to Zhony (HU) andin Zhony buy a ticket to IC to Budapest (arriving on 18:37). You have more than 3h time in Chop and 1hin Zhony to buy your tickets - and there are later trains from Zhony to Budapest too. The overall trip iseven shorter that the direct train and you'll pay less than a half of the official international fare. Bewarethat Ukraine uses Eastern European Time, which is one hour later after Central European Time.

Train stationsThe main railway stations (plyaudvar) are Kelet i plyaudvar (Eastern Railway Station), Dli plyaudvar(Southern Railway Station) and Nyugat i plyaudvar (Western Railway Station). The stations are not named

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for their geographic location in the city, nor for the direction of the destinations served by each.Most of international trains, as well as domestic trains to Miskolc, Eger, Gyr and Szombathely leave fromKeleti. Some trains to Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lake Balaton and south-western regionsof Hungary leave from Dli. From Nyugati leaves domestic trains to Debrecen, Nyregyhza and Szeged.The stations are well connected to each other and to the rest of the city. Keleti and Dli Railway Stations arelocated on Metro 2, Nyugati Railway Station is on Metro 3. A transfer should take less than 15 minutes duringpeak hours, slightly more on weekends and evenings.Depending on where you are coming from, some outer stations can be useful to you; trains arriving fromVienna and Lake Balaton or other western locations stop at Budapest Kelenfld station, which is a goodpublic transport hub for Southern Buda. Trains arriving from Romania, Ukraine and Eastern Hungarian citiesregularly stop at Kbnya-Kispest station, a good place to get to Eastern Budapest or to FerihegyAirport.Train stations in Budapest are not up to Western quality standards; they are hard to access for people withdisabilities and their facilities are very limited. Be prepared for long queues at the ticket office. English israrely spoken. Do not expect luggage trolleys or clean toilets. Food or a coffee purchased at the stations isunlikely to give you a gastronomic buzz ; it is also difficult to find a good nearby cafe if you didn't researchin advance. Do not accept any offers from taxi drivers waiting around the station entrance. For furtherinformation read also Stay safe section.

By busHungarys national bus network is operated by Voln Associat ion [21] . If you arrive to Budapest fromanother Hungarian city, bus is often the best option. For services, discounts, schedules and on- line bookingpossibilities check Hungary#Get_around.International bus routes are operated by Eurolines +36-1 318-2122 [22] . Most connections run two orthree times a week; connections to/from Austria and Slovakia run daily. Orangeways [23] 36-30 830-9696, offers cheap tickets to and from Austria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Germany, Netherlands, Poland andSlovakia.

Bus stationsBudapests long distance bus stations are located outside the city centre, but are very well connected to therest of the city. The main stations are:

Npliget Bus stat ion (Npliget autbuszlloms , metro 3, Npliget station). Buses from abroad andmost of Western Hungarian destinations arrive and depart here. It is a fairly modern station with reliablefacilities. Do not forget to check- in if you travel abroad.Stadion Bus Stat ion (Stadion autbuszlloms, formerly known as Npstadion autbuszlloms, metro 2

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The Chain Bridge and aview of Pest

Stadion Bus Stat ion (Stadion autbuszlloms, formerly known as Npstadion autbuszlloms, metro 2Stadionok station). This is the biggest hub for Eastern Hungarian destinations, quite modern butsomewhat dirty station built underground.rpd Bridge Bus Stat ion (rpd hd autbuszlloms , metro 3 rpd hd station ). This is a smallerstation for some Northern destinations and suburban traffic; use it to and from Szentendre, Esz tergom orVisegrd.Etele tr Bus Stat ion (Etele tri autbuszlloms , bus 7E, 173E). This is a newly built station next toKelenfld Railway Station, at the future terminus of metro line 4. Useful for getting to Statue Park andsome suburban destinations.

By boatMahart , +36-1 484-4000, [24] operates a scheduled hydrofoil service on the Danube to and from Viennaand Bratislava between early April and early November.Hungaria Koncert 00361 317 1377 hunkonc@ticket.info.hu [25] operates cruises with lunch or dinnerdaily at 14:00, 19:00 and 20:00. This service is 90 minutes with hot buffet lunch or dinner. During the cruise,the Parliament, Chain Bridge, Royal Castle, Palace of Arts etc. can be seen.

Get aroundOrientationOrientation is not a big problem in Budapest. The river Danube splits the cityinto two areas: Buda and Pest. Aside from the very center, the city's structureis quite logical. Landmarks in Buda as the Royal Castle or Citadella Castlealso help you to find your way. Besides the Danube itself, the best referencepoints for orienting yourself are the bridges crossing the river. From North toSouth, they are:

rpd Bridge (rpd hd ), A modern bridge linking to Northern MargaretIsland. The longest bridge in Budapest at 973 meters.Margaret Bridge (Margit hd ), Easily identified thanks to its distinctiveshape: it makes an approximately 35 degree turn half way across, at thesouthern tip of Margaret Island. Trams 4 and 6 cross the Danube here.Chain Bridge (Szchenyi lnchd ), Completed in 1849, the oldest, arguably most beautiful and certainlythe most photographed of Budapest's bridges, floodlit at night.Elisabeth Bridge (Erzsbet hd ), Completed in 1903. Its original chain structure was destroyed in WorldWar II, and was eventually substituted by a modern cable bridge opened in 1964.Liberty Bridge (Szabadsg hd ), Elegant but simple, opened in 1896; it connects the Gellrt Baths

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(Gellrt frd) in Buda with the Great Market Hall (Nagyvsrcsarnok) in Pest. Recently renovated.Petf i Bridge (Petfi hd ), For a long time the southernmost bridge, it links the inner ring road(Nagykrt) of Pest with Buda.Lgymnyosi Bridge (Lgymnyosi hd ), The newest bridge in Budapest, with modern architecture anda spectacular lighting system where mirrors reflect the beam of the upward facing floodlights. Built verynext to a railway bridge on its southern side.

On footMany of Budapest's highlights are easy to approach walking, and in the center you find more pedestrianzones from year to year. Car drivers tend to respect pedestrians and often give advantage on a cross-walkeven if there is no traffic light. Due to the lack of bike lanes, cyclists have to weave around pedestrian traffic;be prepared. Don't wear high-heeled shoes in the downtown as there are lots of stone pavements,especially in the Castle Hill.

Public transport

NOTE: A new bus and tram numbering system has recently been introduced in Budapest.Various tram and bus lines have now new numbers and many routes have beenreestablished or modified. Don't believe your guide book and map edited before

September 2008 or you will inevitably get lost.

NOTE: A number of places (streets, squares, parks) were redenominated in mid-2011,which resulted in the renaming of a number of stations and stops. On the schedules youmay find the new names, if unsure, inquire! Most people are well aware of the changes and

would be pleased to help you find your direction. Also many schedules were modified, some busescirculate less frequently, while other means of transportations may have an their operating timeextended. Schedules are placarded at every stop unless vandalised.

You'll find several points of interest within walking distance, but Budapest is a sizable city, so unless youdrive your own car, you will inevitably use some form of public transportation. The good news is that theurban area is well covered by three metro lines, blue urban buses, yellow trams and red trolley-buses, and

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Metro 4 Favourite WorstNightmareWhen the government decided in theearly 70's that a new metro line shouldconnect South Buda with Central Pestby 1978, no-one thought that it wouldbecome a synonym for incompetenceand perpetual lack of money. Everythinghad been at a standstill until 2007, whenworks finally began after endlesspolitical debates. Is everybody nowhappy? Of course not. The Metro 4construction is widely criticised for itshigh cost and supposedly failed andobsolete trace. Officials say it won't becompleted by the official deadline(2010) (and in February 2012 we cansay that no, it is nowhere nearcompleted), and construction keeps thecity paralysed, which is locals' favouriteconversation theme for now.

Single ticket, valid for one

the whole system is easy to understand. The bad news is that the schedules are less than reliable, vehiclesare not always clean, and tickets have become increasingly expensive.Public transportation in Budapest is run by Budapest Transport Limited Company (BKV) [26] , which hassome useful English- language pages on their site including current schedules and fares. Vehicles run fromaround 5AM to 11.30PM (or, on Christmas Eve, to 4.00PM). After that an extensive night bus network isavailable.If you only visit Budapest for a few days as a tourist, you mayfind the following lines part icularly useful :

Metro 1, 2, 3 connect the suburbs with the biggesttransport hubs, numerous touristic highlights and centralhotels.Tram 2 runs along the river Danube on Pest side.Tram 4 , 6 follow Nagykrt, Pest's inner ring road.Bus 7, 7E, 173 and 173E connect Keleti railway stationwith the city center and many points of interest in Buda andPest.Bus 16, 16A and 116 go to Buda castle.Bus 105 connect Hsk tere (Hero's Square), goes up anddown Andrssy boulevard to Dek square/Erzsbet squarebefore it goes across the Chain Bridge to Buda and passesby Dli plyaudvar (Southern railway station).Bus 200E serves the airport.

If you stay longer, it's worth to buy a public transportation mapat any BKV ticket office. You can also find detailed publictransport maps in some tram stops, especially along the 4-6tram lines.

Tickets and passesIf you intend to travel a lot (and you probably will), travel cardsare far less expensive than single tickets. As of 2009 most useful tickets and travel cards for tourists includethe following:

Single t icket (vonaljegy): Valid for one journey within the city limits ,transfer not allowed on buses and trams, but one transfer is allowedbetween metro lines (a new rule introduced in January 2009). HUF 320.HUF 400 if purchased from the driver (available on designated lines).

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journeyTransfer t icket (tszlljegy): Valid for one journey within the city limits ,one transfer allowed. HUF 470.10 single t icket book: 2800 HUF (April 2010)One-day t ravel card (napijegy): Valid for 24 hours after purchase (not only on the day of purchase - anew rule introduced in January 2009). HUF 1550.Three-day t ravel card (hromnapos turistajegy): Valid for 72 hours after purchase (not only on the dayof purchase and the two following days - a new rule introduced in January 2009). HUF 3850.Seven-day t ravel card : Valid on the day when purchased and on the following six days. HUF 4600.Fourteen-day pass (ktheti Budapest-brlet): Valid for 14 consecutive days with a photo pass (take apassport size photo to the ticket office). Valid also on MV trains and suburban yellow Voln buses (anew rule introduced in January 2009). HUF 6200.One-month pass (havi Budapest-brlet): Valid for 30 or 31 consecutive days with a photo pass (take apassport size photo to the ticket office). Valid also on MV trains and suburban yellow Voln buses (anew rule introduced in January 2009). HUF 9400.Monthly pass for students : Valid for 30 consecutive days, with a Hungarian student ID, HUF 3850.You will be able to buy one without a Hungarian student ID, but if you are stopped, you will probably befined, even if you have ISIC, or other student ID.Budapest card (Budapest krtya) [27] allows you unlimited free travel in the city, and also gives youdiscounts at museums and restaurants. Two-day card HUF 6300, three-day card HUF 7500.

Sooner or later, you WILL run into t icket inspectors, especially on Sunday in trams and buses, and theyare posted daily at almost every single metro entrance and exit. They have a notoriously bad reputationwith the locals, often being rude and curt (when they are not deep in conversation amongst themselves).They rarely speak English and sometimes pick tourist out of the pack banking on their lack of knowledge ofthe public transit system. If you happen to get caught for "blitz ing" (commuting without paying), you will beasked to pay a fine on the spot of HUF 6000 but they may threaten you to pay HUF 12,000 by saying theywill call the police. Don't be af raid as the police usually never come. They can also try to make youfeel as though they are doing you a favor by only asking for 6000 if you don't ask for a receipt. Ticketcontrol inspectors can, but don't actually have a legal right to, ask for any type of ID (passport, ID cards,etc.) as they are not considered peace officers under Hungarian law. Therefore, you are not required (andyou should not) give them any of your IDs, passports or credit cards as they have NO RIGHT to ask forthem in the first place. Don't even show them you have ID on you or they may try to grab these from yourhands. (On the other hand how can they tell if you are over 65 AND EU citizen entitled to free travel withoutchecking your ID?) If you do pay on the spot, ask for a receipt to prevent them from pocketing the money.To have a care- free trip throughout Budapest, you should always have a pass/ticket with you at all times. Ifyou feel threatened or in trouble, call the police or your Consulate in Budapest (some locals may also helpyou to get away), but the best way is to have a Budapest Card, or any unlimited travel pass. Keeping in

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The rebuilt Sz ll Klmntr(former Mosz kva tr) metro 2station

mind that ticket inspectors are not considered peace officers, and since they have no legal right of arrest,detention or even of asking for your ID documents, if you are stopped on a tram for not having a ticket,once you get off the tram and are standing on the open street platform, you are free to JUST WALK AWAY!This only works for trams and buses where you have an escape path (i.e. outside the encapsulated subwaysystem). Once you disembark completely from the public transit vehicle, simply keep walking. Again, itshould be re-emphasized, that if you want a care- free time in Budapest, just pay the fare or get theday/week/monthly pass or the Budapest Card and you won't have to worry about validating a ticket all thetime or the inspectors.Most major subway stations check your tickets/passes on entrance and exit, especially at major stations.

MetroBudapest's underground network is an excellent way to get around, itconnects the suburbs with railway and autobus stations, several centrallylocated hotels, museums and sights. The system consists of three lines,crossing at Dek tr station (Dek square, in Pest center).

Metro 1 (yellow line) connects Mexiki t (Mexiki road, a transporthub in Central-Northeast Budapest) with Vrsmarty tr (Vrsmartysquare in Pest's commercial and touristy center), and also passes theOpera and Hsk tere (Heroes' square). It was built to commemoratethe 1000th year of Hungarian nationhood in 1896 (thus often calledMillennium Subway). It was the first underground built in the ContinentalEurope and second in the world after London. Although the vehiclesare not original, the beautifully rebuilt, tile covered stations are agorgeous historical memory of Budapest's richest period (1880-1910).Metro 2 (red line) connects Dli plyaudvar (Southern Railway Station, in Central Buda) with rs vezrtere (rs vezr square, the biggest transport hub of Eastern Pest), and also takes you to Szll Klmntr (former Moszkva tr, Buda's biggest transport hub), Kossuth tr (Kossuth square, around theParliament in Pest center) and Keleti Plyaudvar (Keleti Railway Station, in Pest). Although theconstruction started in the 50's, the line was only opened between 1970 and 1972. Having beencompletely rebuilt since 2004, its stations seem brand new, but trains are still the old, Soviet- style ones.Metro 3 (blue line) goes from jpest-Kzpont (residential area in Pest's Northern suburbs) to Kbnya-Kispest (transport hub in Central-Eastern Pest, terminus of bus 200 to the airport), passing NyugatiPlyaudvar (Western Railway Station) and different stations in central Pest. Opened between 1976 and1990.

All the metro lines are well represented on maps scattered on platforms.

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In 2006 the world's longesttrams started their service onlines 4 and 6

Blue urban bus in Buda

There is one important fact for Senior Citizens resident in the EU. For EU Residents, over the age of 65,travel on the Metro, Buses and Trolley Buses is Free, but an Identity Document must be carried proving theabove to Inspectors if requested. This also applies to some train journeys.

TramBudapest's 25 t ram lines are a tourist- friendly way of getting around.They are slower, but more scenic than the subway and particularly usefulon the nearly subway- less Buda side of the river. Be careful about doors,they open on different side of the tram on different stops.Particularly useful lines for tourists are:

Tram 4 and 6 both run along Nagykrt, Pest's inner ring road,providing access to all three metro lines at multiple stations, andcrossing over to Buda on Margaret Bridge (Margit hd) anotherbeautiful view. Although technically two lines, 4 and 6 only diverge fortheir last two stops that the tourist is unlikely to visit.The two lines running along the Danube river (19 in Buda and 2 inPest) are considered a part of the cityscape. Both offer beautiful view of the opposite side.

By busBudapest has a dense bus network, which also connects theagglomeration and suburban zones with several metro and train stationsand the city center. Numbering system is now easy to understand.Numbers below 299 indicate regular bus routes. Numbers with an added'E' (for example 7E or 173E) indicate express services that don't stop atall stops. Numbers with an added 'A' have shorter routes than theirregular counterparts (for example bus 30 has a longer itinerary than30A). Numbers above 900 indicate night services. (Numbers between800 and 899 are suburban services provided by Voln company, BKVtickets and most tourist passes are not valid on them.)Particularly useful lines for tourists include:

Bus 7, 73, 7E, 173E, all connect Keleti railway station with Blaha Lujza square (Blaha Lujza tr,junction with tram 4, 6), Pest city center and many points of interest in Buda.Bus 16/16A/116 go to Buda Castle from Szll Klmn tr (former Moszkva tr). Bus 16 starts from DeakFerence Ter, the main metro line hub.Bus 200E runs to Ferihegy Airport from Kbnya-Kispest Metro 3 station.

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The cogwheel railway atVrosmajor terminus

Be aware that in September 2008 many lines have been provided with new numbers.

Trolley-busBudapest's 13 trolley-bus lines run in Northeast and Central Pest. Unless you are a trolley buff, you'reunlikely to use them frequently. However, some of them pass through the City Park (Vrosliget) and crossAndrssy avenue (Andrssy t), giving you beautiful views while using this eco- friendly mode of transport.Line 70 from Kossuth square (Kossuth tr, next to the Parliament) to City Park (Vrosliget) also passesthrough the lively Nagymez utca, Budapest's "Broadway".

Suburban railGreen suburban railway lines (called HV) connect central Budapest with several suburbs, but most ofthem are of little use to visitors. Note that your tickets and travel passes are valid only within the cityboundaries, otherwise you should purchase a supplementary ticket (kiegsz t jegy) at a ticket office.

Line Bat thyny trSzentendre goes upriver to the picturesque village of Szentendre. The same traintakes you to Sz iget Fesz tivl [28] , Central Europe's biggest summer music festival. It connects atBatthyny tr with metro 2, at Margit hd (Margaret bridge) with tram 4/6.Line rs vezr tereGdll takes you to the beautiful royal castle of Gdll from rs vezr teremetro 2 station.

OtherSome other means of public transport can be useful if you get tired ofregular buses and trams, or if you want to escape from the hustle andbustle to the lush green hills surrounding Budapest.

Cogwheel railway (Fogaskerek vast) is a tram- like railway runningfrom Vrosmajor terminus (two stops from Szll Klmn tr metro 2station by tram 59 or 61) to Szchenyi hill (Szchenyi hegy), Buda'spopular picnic, excursion and sledging place. BKV tickets and passesare valid.Boat . Budapest currently has only one regular boat service,theoretically running around five times a day from May to September,from Borros tr (South-Central Pest) to Rmaifrd (Northern Buda),making 8 intermediate stops. BKV tickets and passes are NOT valid.Buda Cast le funicular (Budavri sikl). This handsome, short funicular line takes you from ChainBridge (Lnchd) Buda end to Buda Castle. Built in 1870, completely destroyed in World War II, rebuiltonly in 1986. BKV tickets and passes are NOT valid. As one might expect, it is relatively expensive andtouristy.

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Szchenyi Hill Children's Railways (Szchenyi-hegyi Gyermekvast) it's a narrow gauge line,operated partly by children. The 11,2km long line is running on the Buda Hill's, giving a beautiful look atthe nature around Budapest. You can reach the endstation "Szchenyi hegy" by the Cogwheel railway orthe other one "Hvsvlgy" by taking the tram number 61 from "Szll Klmn tr". Before using it, youshould take a look at it's home page for the timetable at [29] . BKV tickets and passes are NOT valid.Zugliget Chair- lif t (Zugligeti libeg) It's a chair lift, taking you from "Zugliget" to "Jnos hegy". You willhave a nice view while traveling. BKV tickets and passes are NOT valid. [30]

Night servicesBudapest is covered by 34 night bus lines. Numbers are triple-digit, starting with '9'. Buses run every 15-60minutes from around 11PM until 4AM. The main linking points of the night bus network are Szll Klmnsquare (former Moszkva tr) tr in Buda and Astoria (junction of Kossuth Lajos utcaKroly krt) in Pest.Daytime tickets and passes are valid.Most useful night buses are:

923 Running along the Nagykrt, Pest's inner ring road, basically as tram 4 and 6 do during the day.907 Substitutes daylight bus 7.914 , 950 In the city center substitute metro 3.

On line map and schedule are available on BKV's home page [[31] .On Friday and Saturday nights ticket inspectors gather around the stops and don't let you hop on the buswithout a valid ticket or pass. They also sell tickets for HUF 350.

By carApart from the summer holiday, Budapest has heavy traffic with long- lasting traffic jams in the morning and inthe afternoon. If you don't want to spend your visit to Budapest in a traffic jam, leave your car in the hotel'sgarage, and use the public transport.If you drive across downtown, plan your journey, otherwise you can get into tough situations. For exampleyou cannot turn left in most of the crossings of the inner ring road (Nagykrt) or on the main avenues likeAndrssy t, Vci t, lli t or Rkcz i t.

By taxiBudapest's taxi drivers are not always prepared for English speaking clients, but it does not necessarilymean that they intend to overcharge their foreigner guests use one of the major taxi companies withEnglish speaking switchboards to avoid problems. Most companies' websites now have pages in English. Ifyou wish to call any of the following phone numbers from abroad, use the +36-1 (Hungary-Budapest) codebefore the numbers.

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TaxiCab, www.taxibudapest.eu fixed prices +36/70/645-4444 English language: [32]TaxiCab, www.taxicab.5mp.eu fixed prices +36/70/594-50-11 English language: [33]Volan Taxi, [34] +36-1 4-3333-22.Budataxi, [35] +36-1 233-3333.City Taxi, [36] +36-1 211-1111.Ftaxi, [37] +36-1 222-2222.Taxi 2000, [38] +36-1 200-0000.Tele 5 Taxi, [39] +36-1 555-5555.Zna Taxi,[40] +36-1 365-5555.6x6 Taxi, [41] +36-1 266-6666.Budapest Taxi, [42] +36-1 433-3333.Mobil Taxi, [43] +36-1 333-1757.Radio Taxi, [44] +36-1 777-7777.Taxi Plus, [45] +36-1 888-8000.

Do not accept of fers f rom taxi drivers wait ing in the airport terminals or railway stat ions. Useyour common sense, sit only in taxis logoed by bigger companies. If possible, as stupid as it maysound, try to pick a taxi with the meter in a place where the driver can't fiddle with it while driving. While thefare per kilometer stays the same, apparently it's possible to "bump" the price by adding extra basic fees.Also note that most taxis parked in the downtown areas do not belong to radio taxi companies and chargemuch more than the usual HUF 200+ per km. Ask about their price in advance or call any of the taxicompanies above.Please note that any of the above companies will take you for less than the taxis they book for you inhotels.

By bicycleBudapest may be one of the most exciting places of Europe, but it's still not a cyclists' paradise. There arebikeways separated from automobile roads in the downtown, but unfortunately often used as car-park orpedestrian zones. Generally, the city is not prepared for cyclists' presence, but the situation is slowlychanging. Budapest has been home to Europe's biggest cycling demonstration, Crit ical Mass [46] ,where in 2008 more than 80 000 people participated.If you are ready, renting a bike is not a problem, but still not cheap. Expect to pay around HUF 2000-3000for a day.Budapest offers a variety of bike rental companies. Some of them are:

Budapest Bike, [47] +36-30 944-5533. Rent a bike starting at 2,000 HUF for 6 hours. PDFmyURL.com

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The Danube River and the leafy hills ofBuda

Yellow Zebra Bike, [48] +36-1 266-8777. Rent a bike starting at 1,500 HUF for 1-5 hours.Bikebase, [49] +36-1 269-5983. Bike rentals available for 2,000 HUF for 24 hours.

Cyclists are not very patient, so be aware while you are walking, if you hear a shout, be prepared to get outof the way quickly. This is because a bell is something people haven't really heard of (both cyclists andpedestrians alike) so using one while cycling might not result in people moving to the side; they might noteven react at all! Also, beware of pedestrians wandering onto marked bicyclepaths.

By SkateboardPest is ideal for skateboarding. Sidewalks are wide and smooth without too many pedestrians to avoid.Police won't pay you any attention as long as you are using your skateboard for transport and not trying todo tricks. Longboards are ideal because of their stability and bigger wheels.

SeeIndividual listings can be found in Budapest's district articles

Most of Budapest's famous sights are concentrated on Castle Hill on the Buda side, in downtown Pest andalong the riverside walkways.The main sights on Cast le Hill are:

The Royal Palace (Kirlyi palota). The most popularattraction on the hill. Home to the:Nat ional Gallery (Nemzeti Galria) [50] . Inside theRoyal Palace wings B, C and D houses an astoundingcollection of paintings.The Fisherman's Bast ion and lookout terrace(Halszbstya). For impressive views across the Danubeto Pest.Mat thias Church (Mtys templom, aka Church of OurLady). Dominant neogothic church crowning Budapest'scityscape - nowadays is under reconstruction.

Other museums on the Castle Hill:The Historical Museum of Budapest [51] . Exhibition of medieval Budapest and history of the RoyalPalace.The Music Museum. Includes a collection of musical instruments and the Bartok archive.The Military Museum [52] . Uniforms, weapons, maps and other Hungary- related military objects from11th century until nowadays.

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The Parliament Building

Marz ipan Museum.Pharmacy Museum . Collection of pharmaceutical objects from the Renaissance and Baroque eras.Museum of Medieval Judaism. Presents the medieval Jewish objects of Buda.

The Danube Bridges (see Orientation above), especially the Chain Bridge (Szchenyi Lnchd ) are reallyattractive and make it worthy to promenade along the river bank. Lnchd (pronounced laance heed)means chain bridge and the suspension structure of the bridge is made of chains whose links are hugedog-bone shaped metal bars linked by pins at their ends.You can have a superb glimpse over the bridges from the Citadella on the top of Buda's Gellert Hill(Gellrthegy ).Riding a boat is ideal as you can enjoy both riverbanks at the same time. For romantic views of the city, goat night.Margaret Island (Margitsziget ) and its large parks (see Buda) are a very pleasant place to relax andwander. Perfect for a sunny afternoon.Downtown (Belvros) of Pest is the administrative and business centreof Budapest and the whole of Hungary. The main sights here are:

The Parliament Building (Orszghz). A neogothic jewel, beautifullysituated overlooking the Danube. It is very much worth going inside,but you can only do that during guided tours, which are FREE forinhabitants of European Union (ignore those trying to pick you upoutside the Parliament). Tickets for guided tours can be obtained eachday from 8AM. It is recommended to do it in advance because thetickets can be sold out quickly in the morning. You will have to go infront of the Parliament and queue at the ticket line. Again, ignore those that ask you if you want a guidedtour. Just pick up your ticket inside and come back at the hour on the ticket. Guided tours in English areheld each day at 10, 12 and 14.St . Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvn Bazilika) [53] . The main church of Budapest is an importantexample of neoclassical architecture, recently renovated. The mummified right hand of Hungary firstking, St Stephen is kept in the chapel. The 96 meter high dome can be seen from anywhere in the cityand inside is decorated with mosaics.Great Synagogue and the Jewish Museum (Dohny utcai Zsinagga ) [54] The biggest Synagoguein Europe, and the most impressive in the world. Next to the Synagogue is a small but impressivemuseum. In the rear of the Synagogue is a memorial for victems of the Shoah. The synagogue wasrecently restored to its former grandeur. A block away you'll find a smaller, but nearly identicalsynagogue built long before the Great Synagogue. The plaque in front explains that this was used as

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The historical building of the Faculty ofHumanities of Etvs Lornd University

some sort of assembly grounds for those persecuted during the Holocaust before they were deported. Ithas not been renovated, and you can see through the boards on the outside how decrepit it still is. Achilling sight.Etvs Lornd University (Faculty of Humanit ies)[55] is on Mzeum krt, opposite Hotel Astoria, andbetween the National Museum and a modern office block.It was founded in 1635 by Pter Pzmny, CardinalArchbishop of Esz tergom. The university is one ofHungary's most widely recognized institutions of highereducation. The campus of the Faculty of Humanities issituated among historic walls, and is attended by nearly8,000 students and a vibrant international studentcommunity from all over the world. The former library andstudy of Lornd Etvs, the famous Hungarian physicistand eponymous founder the university, had his library andstudy in Building "D", but several other hidden treasurescan be found at the Faculty. It is worth dropping by for a short visit. Visitors can rest in the lush TrefortGarden or have a refreshment in the popular Blcssz Terasz , an open-air cultural garden that hasmusical performances as well as food.

Museums in at the city centre:Museum of Ethnography [56] .Nat ional Museum [57] .Museum of Applied Arts [58] .Natural History Museum [59] Mainly minerals at display.Ludwig Museum of Modern Art [60] .Holocaust Memorial Cent re [61] .Museum of Transport .Jewish Museum at the main synagogue [62] .Bible Museum.

The Andrssy t boulevard in Pest stretches from Downtown (Belvros) to the City Park (Vrosliget ). It islisted on UNESCO's World Heritage List and has some important sights along it, including:

The State Opera House This is one of the most beautiful opera houses in the world. The mainstaircase was an important element of the building in the 19th century for ladies to show off their newgowns.The House of Terror (Terror Hza ) [63] . Housed in the secret police headquarters of the communist

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Heroes' Square

era, this museum objectively documents the terror of the Naz i and Communist eras. Visiting is hard work,but essential for anyone wishing to understand Hungary's recent past.The Hopp Museum of East Asian Art [64] . Collection of 20,000 pieces from China, Japan, India,Nepal, Tibet and Mongolia. Nearby is another similar collection, namely Gyorgy Museum .Ernst Museum [65] . Contemporary Hungarian art.The City Park (Vrosliget ) is at the far end is probably the mostpleasant of Pest's districts and features several interesting if low-keyattractions which are often overlooked:

Heroes' square (Hsk tere) - with the Millennium Monument.Museum of Fine Arts (Szpmvszeti Mzeum) [66] has anincredible range of European artwork from Greek and Roman timesto the present. Especially valuable is its collection of SpanishBaroque painting.Zelnik Istvan Southeast Asian Goldmuseum (Aranymzeum)[67] has the leading collection in Europe of southeast asian goldartifacts from the 1st millenia BCVajdahunyad Vra is a castle on a little island on a lake built for the 1898 World Fair. In the winter,the lake is turned into the city's biggest ice rink. Nowadays it houses an agricultural museum.

On Buda side there are:Aquincum [68] was a city in the Roman times, its remains are turned into a great open-air museum.It's situated in the buda district of northern Buda. There are some ruins of thermal baths, made bystones and decorated with mosaics and paintings. Visiting these places was social events for Romans.Gl Baba Trbje [69] is the shrine where Gl Baba (literally Rose Father, from whom the Rzsadomb(Rose Hill) was named) lies.Offers a nice view and the little street which leads down the hill from therecontains more houses that won the "House of the Year" award.Kassk Museum at the Zichy Castle shows works of the modern Hungarian artists as well as modernHungarian art.Kiscelli Museum [70] - The Budapest Picture Gallery.Statue Park - Rather than smash the statues of the Communist era, the Hungarians arranged them witha twist of irony in this park to the south of Buda.Victor Vasarely Museum shows many works of the famous Hungarian-born post-modern painterVsrhelyi Gyz (1908-1997).

Music related Museums: Music lovers, beware that all four museums are closed in August.Kodly Museum .

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Liszt Museum. Home of Ferenc Lisz t, most famous Hungarian composer. Collection of his personalobjects and instruments can be visited.Bartk's House.The Music Museum. Includes a collection of musical instruments and the Bartok archive.

Additional Museums:Fashion Museum.MEO Budapest's art fair.House of the Future [71] .

There are several travel agencies, tour operators offering city tours or walking tours, if you don't have muchtime, you can use one of them and you can visit the main sights within 3 - 4 hours.

Gallery

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DoExperience an opera at Budapest's spectacular State Opera House or a performance of forklore orclassical music at any of Budapest's many concert halls.Buda Hill Labyrinth. The Labyrinths are accessible by two points on the Buda hills. Originally partswere formed from hot water springs and then during WW2, they were linked with some of the cellars onthe hill to create an air raid shelter for up to 10,000 people and a military hospital. The labyrinth is now apopular tourist attraction. It is a bit cheesy, but would be good for families travelling with children. TheLabyrinths has been permanently closed by the Green Militia as of July, 29, 2011.

Walk around and look at the market stands and the entertainment on some of the bridges in the evening.And the best of all: get a map, circle the things you want to see, divide up your time and see the city byyourself. Locals are always ready to help and they even tell you what to see and what is better to stayaway from. They even guide you for a short time to keep up their English by having a goodconversation. Don't hesitate to ask questions!With your children go to the City park. Great fun can be made here. Walk arround the lake and feed theducks. See statue of Anonymus in a fairytale- like building, the Vajdahunyad Castle. Next to the lake theSzchenyi Spa is really enjoyable for kids as well, or a performance with international artists in the GreatCapital Circus or adventure in the fun Fair. As a finish of the day more than 800 special animals can bevisited in one of the oldest zoos in the world.Rent a bike and go round the city (~1600 HUF for half a day), it's lovely! You can easily go outside thecity as well. Szentendre is a 2hrs ride max from the center and you get to see nice places like a lakewhen you follow the river.Take a bike tour. A great way to start your visit. 2 1/2 hours gets you some exercise and introduces youto the local geography. Staff at Buda Bike [underground garage at the plaza in front of St. Stephan'sBasilica] are very friendly. They also rent bikes.

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FestivalsThe Sziget Festival at budai Island (=Sz iget) [72] attracts rock fans, world music hippies and theusual festival crowd every year in august. With cheap beer, great acts and a multitude of cultural, culinaryand musical offers, it's definitely a good deal. Day tickets cost 45 and festival passes, includingcamping privileges cost 170 if purchased before April 15th and 200 thereafter. Festival passes withoutcamping privileges cost 30 less. Sleeping in a tent under the open sky instead of a hotel room givesthe complete festival feeling. Be careful with your personal belongings though - you should leave them inthe safe boxes.Spring Fest ival - around the end of March

Performing artsHungary has a surprisingly rich theater scene and, not surprisingly, Budapest is the epicenter of it. Seasonbegins in mid-September and ends in June. Productions range from classic dramas and traditional operasto post-modern performances. There is much to discover around Budapest theaters, even if you don'tspeak Hungarian; the following venues can be particularly interesting for non-Hungarians. Tickets arebookable about one month beforehand at Interticket [73] , the Hungarian theaters' official booking enginefor a small (10% + HUF 50) booking fee.

Hungarian State Opera House, Magyar llami Operahz [74] , 1061 Andrssy t 22, metro 1 stationOpera, tickets HUF 300-10,900. One of Europe's architecturally most breathtaking opera house'scompany performs traditional opera and ballet. The quality of its huge repertoire is not always up tointernational standards, but if you don't expect too much, you will spend a decent night here. Cheapertickets offering reduced visibility are a good deal if you don't want to pay HUF 2500 for the official guidedtour [75] to the building. The company also performs at Theat re Thlia, (Thlia Sznhz 1065Nagymez u. 22-24, metro 1, tram 4, tram 6 station/stop Oktogon, tickets HUF 2900-4900), [76] , whileTheat re Erkel, the Opera's chamber theater is closed due to reconstruction.Palace of Arts, Mvszetek Palotja [77] , 1095 Komor Marcell utca 1, tram 2 stop MillenniumiKulturlis Kzpont, tickets HUF 700-9,800, standing tickets for students are available for HUF 200 onehour before every show, (be sure that your student card is valid, otherwise you won't get in). Thismodern, power plant- looking building hides an excellent modern art museum, a festival theatre and themarvellous Bla Bartk Nat ional Concert Hall (Bartk Bla Nemzeti Hangversenyterem ), which offergreat concerts from classical, jazz and world music to Hungarian and international pop, special childrenprogrammes and the best opera performances in Central Europe. The annual Wagner festival in June isa must. Spectacles are held all around the year. Book your tickets at the Palace of the Arts home pagewithout additional booking fee.Theat re Madch, Madch Sznhz [78] , 1073 Erzsbet krt 29-33, metro 2 station Blaha Lujza tr,

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tram 4, tram 6 stop Wesselnyi utca, tickets HUF 500-8900. If you want to see the Hungarian version ofblockbuster musicals like The Phantom of the Opera or Producers, this is your place. Madch is widelypopular among musical fans, and some of their recent shows have been critically acclaimed, so bookwell in advance.Budapest Operet ta Theat re, Budapesti Operett Sznhz [79] , 1065 Nagymez utca 19, metro 1,tram 4, tram 6 station/stop Oktogon, tickets HUF 950-15000. Grandmothers' eternal favourite, theOperetta Theatre performs old- fashioned operettas for the nostalgic hearted and tries to be Madch'smain rival in musicals.Traf House of Contemporary Arts , Traf Kortrs Mvszetek Hza [80] , 1094 Liliom utca 41,metro 3 station Ferenc krt, tram 4, tram 6 stop lli t, tickets HUF 1000-2500, 25% discount forstudent card holders. In a renovated transformer building, Budapest's most important contemporarycultural center presents Hungarian and international experimental dance, theatre and musicperformances. A disco hall in the cellar and a lively bar upstairs also serve your entertainment.Millenris [81] , 1024 Fny utca 20-22, metro 2 station Szll Klmn tr, tram 4, tram 6 stop Szna tr,tickets HUF 1000-6000. This huge cultural center has been built around former factory buildings. Thecomplex includes a park, a small artificial lake, cafs, an interactive museum called Csodk Palotja(Palace of Miracles) and a theatre which hosts music, theatre and sometimes great contemporary operaperformances. You could book your ticket at their home page, which is available in Hungarian andEnglishMerlin Internat ional Theat re, Merlin Nemzetkzi Sznhz [82] , 1052 Gerlczy utca 4, metro 1/2/3station Dek tr, tickets HUF 600-2000. Merlin, within stone- throwing distance of Vci street, Budapesttouristy and commercial heart, is a hub for some Hungarian alternative companies and also forperformances in English.Nat ional Dance Theat re, Nemzeti Tncsznhz [83] , 1014 Budapest, Sz nhz utca 1-3, bus 10, bus16, stop Dsz tr, tickets HUF 1100-3500. The main dance theatre of Hungary hosts a wide range oflocal and international performances. Although not always revolutionary modern, it's always worth tocheck the program.Experidance Company [84] . This popular company performs Hungarian popular dances in modernconception.MU Theat re, MU Sznhz [85] , 1117 Krsy J. utca 17, tram 4 stop Fehrvri t, tickets HUF 1500, forstudent card holders HUF 1000. MU, one of the well- known Budapest dance theatres hostscontemporary dance performances.Cent ral European Dance Theater, Kzp-Eurpa Tncsznhz [86] , 1071 Bethlen Gbor tr 3,metro 2 station Keleti Plyaudvar, tickets HUF 1200, for senior citizen HUF 700, for student card holdersHUF 800. CEDT's company performs renowned contemporary dance theatre.

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Theat re Szkn, Szkn Sznhz, 1111 Megyetem rakpart 3., Budapest University of Technology andEconomics (BME)'s theatre hall, bus 7, bus 73, stop Szent Gellrt tr during the construction of metro4 station in Szent Gellrt tr use temporary stairs next to the river for reaching the building, [87] .Szkn hosts, among others, Bla Pintr and Company [88] (Pintr Bla s Trsulata , tickets HUF1500), many alternative theater goers' favourite. Their 2006 autumn premier, Korcsula (Korula thename refers to a Croatian island), a Central European black commedy, is subtitled in English. Book yourticket by email.

Danube Palace (Duna Palota), 1051 Zrnyi u. 5 (5 minutes walk from Dek Ferenc tr ), [89] . Folkloreperfomances every day at 20:00. 3,600-6,400 HUF, discounts available for students . e d it

CinemaBudapests cinema life has developed around malls. Since the shopping center revolution in the late 90s,more than two thirds of the citys cinema screens are run by international chains and franchises. Mainstreamcinemas mainly show subtitled (or not) Hollywood films and Hungarian romantic movies. For contemporaryEuropean and Hungarian titles turn to Budapests excellent art house movie chain, Art mozi [90] , most oftheir branches are provided with a caf or pub and offer pleasant atmosphere to spend your evening.

Most centrally located mall cinemas are Palace Westend [91] in Pest (in Westend City Center, Vci t1-3, metro 3, tram 4, tram 6 station/stop Nyugati plyaudvar) and Palace Mammut [92] in Buda (inMammut Center, Lvhz utca 2-6, , metro 2 station Szll Klmn tr, tram 4, tram 6 stop Szna tr);Palace MOM PARK in Buda, which is the "ORIGINAL LANGUAGE MOVIE" in Budapest, so you canwatch all the foreign movies here with subtitles too. check Palaces web site [93] for programme andbooking. Tickets cost HUF 1250, for student card holders HUF 990, on cheap days HUF 800.Corvin [94] (Corvin kz 1., metro 3 station Ferenc krt, tram 4, tram 6 stop lli t). One of theoldest, although completely modernised cinema in the city- -gives multiplex feeling for those tired ofmalls. On Corvin's wall memorial tablets and reliefs are reminescent of the 1956 revolutions heavyfightings around the building; the memorial itself is worth a visit. Tickets HUF 1150, before 16.00 HUF 950,on Wednesday HUF 750.Urnia Nat ional Movie Theat re [95] ,(Urnia Nemzeti Filmsznhz , Rkcz i t 21, metro 2 stationBlaha Lujza tr, tickets HUF 890-990). Combines mainstream European artistic movies with newHungarian films, the latter ones sporadically subtitled in English.Cinema Puskin(Puskin Mozi , Kossuth Lajos utca 18, metro 2 station Astoria, metro 3 station Ferenciektere, tickets HUF 800-1050). Pushkin is the most mainstream among the art house movie theatres inBudapest, an elegant, decorated multiplex offering quality, but generally easy- to-watch Hungarian and

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foreign films. Its caf is recommended.Cinema Mvsz (Mvsz Mozi , 1063 Terz krt 30, metro 1, tram 4, tram 6 station/stop Oktogon,tickets HUF 920-1050) is probably the most popular Art Moz i theatre in Budapest. Many Hungarianmovies are on show with English subtitles; ask for them at the desk.Movie Museum rkmozg (rkmozg Filmmzeum , 1073 Erzsbet krt. 39, tram 4, tram 6, stopKirly utca). Perpetual motion (thats what the name means) is your best choice if youre in mood tosee a movie from the times when Leonardo DiCaprio was a child. Most of the oldies speak their originallanguage and are subtitled in Hungarian.

BathsBudapest is a famous spa city, so go "bathing". The baths are really the last vestige of Turkish culture inBudapest, left over from their occupation of the city. Budapest does not have a large Turkish culture theway a city like Berlin or Munich does; instead the Hungarians have modified and molded this tradition intosomething of their own.All baths are built around hot springs, and their central part is one or several thermal pools. They areusually complemented with several steam baths, saunas, massage services and other therapies includingdrinking cures. Unlike in some Scandinavian or German baths, at Budapest baths almost all places requireyou to wear your bathing suit to the sauna too!Tourist mix: After locals, Russians seem to be most frequent in Budapest's baths; Italians and Americanscome next (and for many Americans, baths are the main reason for visiting Budapest).

Traditional public bathsTraditional public baths (like Gellrt, Szchenyi) have quite a complicated navigation and Soviet- timeservice and admission system, but it's worth going through to experience authentic bathing with localsaround you. At the cash desk at the entrance, you are expected to select treatments / areas to access inadvance. Time to spend in baths is not restricted, but if you're finished earlier, some part of your paymentmay be returned. The only thing that can't be paid at the entrance is rental of towels and bathrobe (and/ordeposit for it)- - it should be paid inside, right where they are given (with the exception of Gellrt - towels,etc are paid for at the entrance). There are two types of place to change clothes: a common room withlockers is cheaper (male/female-separate, of course); cabins can be used by families and may differ insize (2 or 3 persons). For cabins, you're handed a token with a number, which is also written on achalkboard inside as a security code; you need to remember cabin number. To open your cabin, show yourcabin and a token to attendant, and s/he'll check it against the number inside. In swimming pools, swimmingcaps are recommended (and are available for rent), although this is not always strictly enforced.

Gellrt Baths, Buda, Kelenhegyi utca 4 (Gellrt Hotel at the base of

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Gellert Bath

Gellrt Hill), (36-1) 466-6166, [96] . 6.00AM-7.00PM weekdays;6.00AM-5.00PM on Sat and Sun (between Apr 30 and Sept 30)..While the Kiraly baths may be a more authentic Turkish bathexperience, those at the Gellrt can't be beat for style- -and they areequally popular among locals and tourists. This is probably the finestArt Nouveau pool in Europe, and the baths are beautiful as well asrelaxing. The entrance fees and deposits can be quite confusing, aswell as where to go and how to get around once you get in. Ask theinformation desk to clarify if you're not sure about how to proceed. e d it

Prices: The full entrance price to both the swimming pool and the man and woman thermal facilities is3500 HUF, which also includes a cabin rental, where you can change clothes and a towel (bedsheets style). At weekdays this ticket is 4050 HUF Ticket and 30 minute massage can be reservedin advance.If you rent a towel or a bathrobe, you are charged a deposit as well as a fee for the rental. You getthe deposit back at the front desk when you leave, upon presenting the original receipt ticket youreceived when paying upon entrance. You'll need to get your receipt ticket back from the attendantsinside when you return your item, otherwise you forfeit your deposit. Unfortunately, the managers arequite unforgiving in this matter and won't believe you if you try to collect your deposit without youritem or a receipt. Consequently, its recommended that you bring your own towel or bathrobe, as therental "towels" are more like bedsheets.The massage therapists mean business. Prices: from 2500 HUF for Refreshing, 15 min. to 3800 HUFfor Powder, 30 min.

They also offer very good Tai massages. 1h is 11500 HUF and 1.5h is 15500 HUF (march 2010)Changing: Besides individual lockers and family cabins, there's some number of single-personchanging rooms in both men-only and women-only area.Indoors: Common area for men and women has only a 50m(?) swimming pool and a soaking poolwith massage bubbles, both with 36..38C water. Using swimming caps in the swimming pool isprescribed by signs, but not enforced at all. There are separate Turkish-style thermal baths for menand women, which encompass several different areas: two soaking pools (one with 36C, anotherwith 38C), the showers, the dry sauna and Turkish steam bath, and the cold pool (designed toscare the living daylights out of one's body after it's been happily lounging in the warmth).Outdoors: A large open-air complex of pools (open only in summer time).Special Note: For the separate male/female baths, if you are uncomfortable sitting in a giant tub ofwater with other naked people of the same sex, this will not be your scene. You will notice touristsunfamiliar with this environment are a bit taken aback when they first encounter this, and either leave

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Inside Sz echenyi bath

immediately or simply adapt to local culture. The men area requires bathing suites or a little towelthat hide the front part in the pools, though nudity is still common in the changing area.

Szchenyi Spa (Szchenyi Frd ), Pest, llatkerti krt. 11 (rightnext to the Zoo; metro: Szchenyi frd, M1 yellow line), [97] .Indoor part open daily from 6AM to 7PM; outdoor 6AM-10PM inwinter; summer- time hours may be different.. Built in 1909 in thepresent-day City Park, this is the largest spa in Europe, andprobably the nicest one in Budapest. A vast bath complex amidstbeautiful architecture, it contains 3 outdoor pools including a largelap pool, at least 3 sauna rooms, and several indoor pools atdifferent temperatures. e d it

Prices: 3,100 HUF entrance fee, includes rental of a locker(locked by an electronic wristband which also acts as youradmission ticket) or 3,400 HUF entrance fee, includes rental of a changing cabin (locked by a key).300 HUF refund for leaving within 2 hours. It is recommended not to store valuables in these lockers- - use the safe boxes. Signs warn they are not responsible for losses except for safe boxes.Safe boxes are available for 500 HUF (well worth the peace of mind). The boxes are approximately5" high x 12" wide x 18" deep (13cm x 30cm x 46cm). The attendant will ask you to write a "code"word on a piece of paper; this paper is placed in the box along with your valuables, and you will begiven a physical key. When retrieving your items, the attendant will ask you for the "code" and checkit against the paper in the box. These safe boxes can be used if the larger locker or changing roomis not required.Its recommended that you bring your own towel or bathrobe, as the towels available for rent aremore like bedsheets.Outdoors: Two hot soaking pools (30 degrees C and 38 degrees C) and one swimming pool (26-28degrees C) are all open-air (even in winter), and form the center of the baths. All facilities are sharedby men and women (except shower and toilets). There's a swimming tube (a whirling corridor):round- (outdoors) or rectangle-shaped (indoors) pool with artificial flow, a feature difficult to findelsewhere. Another specialty is a tradition to play chess while sitting in the water - even in winter. Oneor two cafes/juice bars are available directly from the swimming deck, near the cabins, year- round.Indoors: Several saunas, one steam bath. Cold-water pool, hot tubs, aqua-gym pool with weights.Northern part of indoors baths is more modern and clean.

Modern bathsThere are also very modern baths (like Danubius Grand Thermal Hotel) which are usually called spas,although their central component are thermal pool and multitude of steam baths/saunas, which is not always

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typical for spas in the rest of the world.Danubius Grand Hotel/Thermal Hotel Margitsz iget , (northern end of the Margaret Island(Margitsziget)), +36(1)889-4700 (resind@margitsziget.danubiusgroup.com , fax: +36(1)889-4939),[98] . until 9:30PM. . High- level and modern baths and spa also offers a great choice of medicaltreatment. Admission fee (5,700 HUF weekdays, 7,000 HUF weekends) doesn't limit your time inside,and gives access to all spa facilities including a great gym (remember to bring your fitness suit).Solarium and medical treatments should be paid separately, remember before entering the changingrooms (1,300 HUF for 10 minutes). e d it

What's inside?: Two body- temperature soaking pools and a cold-water corridor with stones on thefloor; one swimming pool; separate steam baths; common sauna. There's a drinking fountain withmineral water extremely rich in minerals- - find on a way from baths to the gym.Changing: Towels are handed at reception- -without fee or deposit. Also, there seems to bebathrobes available for rent- -ask at the reception. For changing clothes, only lockers are available,without attendant- - you have a key. There's no cabins (as families typically live in the same hotel).Every shower cabin have a curtain, and there's some liquid soap available.Visitors mix: Almost no locals; in New Year season (and 1-9 of May?) about 80% are Russians whoare also residents of the hotel.

Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal Spa, Erzsbet krt 43-49 , +36(1)479-4000(royalres@corinthia.hu , fax: +36(1)479-4333), [99] . A symbol of history, culture, architecture and thetradition of hospitality opens its doors in all its original splendour. The Royal Spa has been beautifullyrestored to its original splendour and now offers the latest state-of- the-art spa facilities and treatments.The Royal Spa is one of the most expensive in Budapest costing 10,000 HUF for a day pass. It is aspectacle of opulence and luxury in the amaz ing art deco setting. Included in the price is bath robe,towels, lockers, hydromassage, fruit juices and water. Although expensive it is a truly unforgettableexperience . e d it

OthersKirly Baths . Buda, F utca 84 (metro: Batthyny tr). Old, authentic and pretty small; personnel speaklimited English. The baths used to alternate between male- and female-only days, but now every day ismixed for both men and women. Kirly Baths have been known for some years as a meeting place forgay men. Following an expose on Hungarian TV, the management introduced a rule that swimwear hasto be worn in the baths. Some gay activity may be visible, but you can enjoy this unique place withoutany problem if you are not gay.The baths have a main pool with adjoining very small pools, steam room and dry sauna. The emphasisis more on relaxing and enjoying the waters rather than swimming. It's possible to get a massage hereas well. Ask the attendants in the changing room or massage room area.

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The Palat inus Outdoor Baths , on the Margaret Island (Margitsz iget), have three pools filled withtherapeutic water- -and a total of 11 pools (totaling 17.5 acres). In front of the baths is a beautiful rosegarden, and nearby, an open-air stage where opera and ballet performances are held, plus an open-aircinema used during the summer.Rudas, in Buda. This is where to go if you are looking for an authentic Turkish feel with its 16th centurydome encrusted of colored glass. It is quite popular amongst locals. While it was a men-only bath, itnow allows access to men and women. It is much more authentic than Gellert or Szechenyi. Like Kirly,the baths have a main pool(36C) with adjoining small pools(12C, 28C, 30C, 33C and 42C), steam roomand dry sauna. Rudas has more small pools than Kirly and seems in better condition (renovated in2007). There are two parts of the bath - the Turkish relaxation bath and a swimming hall. Both charge anentrance fee (as of February 2008): 2.200 HUF for the Turkish bath, 1.500 HUF for the swimming hall.Both can be booked for 3.300. Bring a towel and your swimwear and you are set for the swimming hall(but you will look like a tourist in the bath section with a swimwear - they will provide you with a verysmall towel). There is also a very nice rest room, where you can chill outside the water. The staff has gotvery limited English.Massages are offered as oil or soap&water versions. 15 min. cost 2,500 HUF, 30 min. 3,500. Be awarethat this type of massage has nothing to do with the relaxing Asian variants. Parts of Schwarzeneggermovie Red Heat was shot here.

Dagly is a large complex of baths and pools located just north of rpad Hd Metro station on the Pestside and directly on the Danube. There is an outdoor 50m lap pool open year round and a covered- in-winter 25m lap pool. There are 2 large outdoor hot baths. One heated to 33C and the other to 36C. Insummer, several huge pools are also available and plenty of open grass and trees for sunbathing orshade. The architecture is classic modern. Admission is ~1,300 HUF. One changes clothes in a smallcubicle before passing through to the large unisex locker room where attendants lock your clothes in alocker. Tip HUF 100 on your way out. Be sure to bring some bath sandals to wear to the pool edge. Thefloors are not always clean. One sees lots of families here, elderly people and fitness swimmers. Staffdo not speak English, but is helpful and patient.

Active LeisureIf you live a sporty life you should not have a break during your holiday. Wide variety of health clubs,yoga & pilates clubs, riding schools, swimming pools and squash and tennis courts give sportingopportunity. On Margaret Island you will find joggers, and swimming opportunity in the Hajs OlympicPool. Practicing the mentioned sports is cheap in Budapest.

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Note that caving in Budapest ranges from well lit and renovated Szemlhegyi cave, where you can evengo to parts of the cave in a wheelchair, to some of the more extreme tours in the Pl- vlgyiMtys-hegyi cave system, where you have to squeeze through several meters long passages with no room tospare.Szemlhegyi cave, 1025 Pusz taszeri t 35 (Take the No. 29 bus from Kolosy tr, and get off at theSzemlhegyi barlang stop.), +36 1 325 6001. Wed-Mon 10:00 AM to 4.00 PM. e d itPl-vlgyiMtys-hegyi cave system, (Take the No. 65 bus from Kolosy square. You have to step offat the fifth bus stop, named Pl-vlgyi cave.), +36-20-9284969 (info@barlangaszat.hu ), [100] . e d itThere is a joint ticket for the standard tourist areas of the Pl- vlgyi and the Szemlhegyi caves. Thecaves are walking distance to each other - ask for a map from either cave ticket office. These areas areeasily accessible and well- lit making them better for the slightly claustrophobic among us, though toenjoy the true beauty of the caves you must go on the longer more strenuous tours. Due to the times thatthe tours start, you're better of starting at Szemlhegyi then taking the 15 minute walk to Pl- vlgyi. Thisway it is possible to not have a very long wait between your caves, and the outdoor area at Pl- vlgyiis far more pleasant in nice weather than the Szemlhegyi cave museum.

The Pl- vlgyiMtys-hegyi cave system is recommended for the adventurous (and non-claustrophobic)who wants a great taste of "proper caving" instead of the more "tourist friendly" alternatives. The tours lastsbetween 2.5-3 hours and much of the time is spent crawling or climbing, so some degree of physical shapeis needed. The guided tour includes a helmet, headlamp and overall so bring good shoes! Guides arevery professional. English guided tours are usually on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays late in theafternoon, but can be pre-booked by groups at other days as well. For booking you need to be with atleast 4 people.Please do not litter, write your name on the cave wall or damage the cave in any other way! Part of theexperience is the feeling of being in unspoiled nature.

LearnCent ral European University [101] offers a small undergraduate business program and an extensivegraduate program in a wide variety of subjects.Internat ional Business School (Nemzetkz i z leti Fiskola, IBS-NF) [102] offers numerousundergrad and postgrad programs, mostly providing Oxford Brookes University and Hungarian Degreesin English and/or Hungarian languages.Budapest University of Technology and Economics [103] , B.Sc. and M.Sc. Offers engineeringcourses available for foreigners in English, French and German language at the International EducationCenter of the university.

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Paprika and more, GreatMarket Hall

Etvs Lornd University [104] . The oldest University in Hungary, B.A, B.Sc., M.A, M.Sc. and Ph.Dlevel programs are available in English language.Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music [105] . World- famous music academy in the heart of the city.Debrecen Language School [106] offers Hungarian language classes year round at all levels inBudapest, Debrecen and Sopron.Corvinus University of Budapest [107] also known as Kzgz : Offers Bachelor and Mastercourses in many languages.

WorkTeaching English is a popular profession for travellers and people moving to Budapest.

Generally speaking, finding a full- time job is fairly difficult unless you speak Hungarian. You should also beprepared that Western standards at job interviews regarding personal life and diversity issues do notalways apply. Do not be surprised if you are asked about your smoking habits. Also, companies are notalways prepared to fully understand and accept people from diverse backgrounds. You should be preparedthat most places wont hire you until you speak at least a little Hungarian. Restaurants with a specificcountries cuisine (such as Italian restaurants and pizzerias) tend to hire people from that country for makingthe food more authentic.

BuyMost of the visitors from far away end up shopping in Pest in the middleof the city: Vci utca and nearby. It is historically the most expensive partof the city. You'll find Hungarian linens and lace, pottery, and other items,in souvenir shops.You definitely want to visit the Great Market Hall (Nagy Vsrcsarnok ) atFvm tr the recently renovated markethall with essential atmosphere(it's at the south end of Vaci). Prices for the same items vary a lotbetween sellers and aren't set in stone so be sure to compare andbargain.

Non-speciality shoppingAlso, chain stores can be found along the Vci utca (C&A, H&M, Clinique,Estee Lauder, New Yorker, etc).The "Plazas" are usually good for buying clothes, but prices may varywildly even in shops next to each other. For electronics, the cheap

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A Chocolate shop inBudapest

supermarkets like Electro World and Media Markt are good targets, butthe quality is on par with the prices.Absinthe is available for purchase at common liquor stores, a must-havepurchase for the European traveler. Many brands available in the MarketHall and liquor stores are of poor quality (or not even "real" Absinthe).

EatIndividual listings can be found in Budapest's district articles

Local specialties include papriks, gulys, Lake Balaton pike-perch(fogas), prklt (a goulash- like stew with lots of onions), halszl (fishermen's soup served differently byregions), stuffed cabbage, and liberal use of paprika. There is also a great variety of wonderful pastries,many of which you will recognize if you are familiar with Viennese pastries. As in other spheres, theHungarian approach to food combines pride in their own traditions with a readiness to accept outsideinfluences. The result is a vibrant restaurant scene where an Asian-Hungarian fusion restaurant may well beof genuine interest.Remember, though, that "goulash soup" is indeed a soup, not the "goulash" that visitors may be familiarwith. To order that, you want "prklt".

CoffeehousesCoffeehouses (kvhz) are a Budapest institution and a visit to one should be on every traveller's agenda.As the name implies, these are places for a cup of coffee and a delectable pastry, not a full meal.The two most well- know, landmark coffeehouses are

Gerbeaud (Vrsmarty tr 7-9) [108]Mvsz Kvhz (Andrssy t 29) [109]

RestaurantsBudapest has many great places to eat, but an unfortunate number of tourist traps as well. Avoidrestaurants in touristy areas like Vci utca, especially if the customers are all foreigners, or you'll more likelythan not be served mediocre food with an exorbitant bill padded with all sorts of bizarre charges. In otherrestaurants too, note that anything you don't explicitly ask for, but appears on your table anyway, is likely tobe charged for. Don't take restaurant tips from anyone on streets, do it at your hotel.A wide variety of decent food for reasonable prices can be found at in "Budapests Famous RestaurantStreet", Raday utca, near Calvin tr.

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Top-notch quality food (1st category restaurants) charge a wide range of prices (from starters around 1000HUF, main courses around 3,000-10,000 HUF, and menus from 5,000 HUF).

Ship RestaurantsWalking next to the Danube on the Pest side a lot of excellent standing restaurant and bar ships can befound. Most of them serve traditional Hungarian and international dishes. Thanks for the beautiful panoramaof Danube, these restaurants provide unforgettable dining experience. Between them are some great placeto drink also.

ChainsOnly cross-district chains are listed here; see district articles for individual restaurants.

Wasabi [110] . Excellent Japanese and Korean food. Lunch 3790 HUF (11AM-5PM weekdays).Pest . Podmaniczky ut 21 (close to Nyugati station) 11:30AM-11PM weekdays.Buda. Szpvlgyi ut 15 (train station Szpvlgyi ut) 11AM-11PM.

Trfea Grill [111] . The best among all- you-can-eat (buffet) and all the alcohol you can drink. Best tobook a