Summary of Our Budapest Adventure
Budapest is among the largest cities in Europe, rich in history and culture.
I greatly anticipated this visit long before planning was underway, and I found myself deeply impressed with the city upon my arrival.
To begin with, the cost of living in Budapest offers remarkable value, especially for those coming from the UK. Accommodations in five-star hotels and dining at renowned restaurants can be enjoyed at a fraction of the prices prevalent in London.
This aspect positions Budapest as an ideal holiday destination.
In terms of safety, we felt neither out of place nor insecure throughout our journey (as anticipated). Additionally, it is advisable to wear comfortable shoes, as the city is best explored on foot. The amount of content required for one post ultimately necessitated a second installment, so do look for that in the coming days.
To continue where I left off upon our arrival in Budapest, we chose to stay at the Corinthia Hotel, which provided an exceptionally luxurious experience (so extravagant that I would not even consider a similar hotel in London). We also arranged for private transfers to and from the hotel in a luxurious Mercedes, complete with a chauffeur dressed impeccably. One might wonder how accustomed I am to chauffeured pickups from hotels during travels, but my collection of bus and train tickets suggests a different story altogether. (I tend to keep many as mementos.) Regardless, our arrival in Budapest was met with seamless transportation to our hotel.
Upon reaching the hotel, I quickly changed and made a casual update on Facebook with a cheer for arriving in Budapest, along with photos showcasing my comfort in the hotel.
I aimed for a comfortable look, although I may have managed a somewhat strained expression instead—oh well.
I embarked on a brief tour of the hotel.
We finally ventured outside to start exploring the city. Our first stop was The Hungarian State Opera House, as depicted below. For the sake of clarity in this post, let us assume that all mentioned sites will be illustrated with corresponding photos below.
Next, we visited St. Stephen’s Basilica, which was impressive both externally and internally.
As we left the Basilica, it started to rain, necessitating the use of an umbrella that I regrettably didn’t check beforehand. Although it failed to offer much protection, it ultimately kept me dry, and I hardly minded. (See, I did make a trip to the hotel to change!)
We proceeded to see the renowned Chain Bridge and the Danube River. I always recall hearing The Blue Danube waltz in my childhood, and being there invoked memories of that melody.
We stopped by the Hungarian Parliament, capturing the lesser-known view from the rear.
Subsequently, we crossed the bridge to take in the captivating sights of the Hungarian Parliament, the Chain Bridge (in the distance), and the Danube River.
As twilight approached, the city transformed into a more breathtaking sight, illuminated by night.
Although the rain intensified, it did nothing to diminish the surrounding beauty or our enthusiasm. We continued to explore further to experience more of what Budapest has to offer.
TRIVIA: Budapest consists of two districts, Buda (on the western bank) and Pest (on the eastern bank), which is how it earned its name, Budapest!
For now, I will pause here. Stay tuned for the upcoming post that will detail the remainder of our experiences in Budapest.
