Sights of Budapest… Citadella. Located at the top of Gellert Hill (a quick bus ride or character-building, calf-bulking walk to the top) provides the best view of Budapest ‘s green hills and dense downtown. The Liberation Memorial used to be joined by Red Army soldiers, but these statues were taken down after the communists left [...]

Pest Pest, the busier side of the river, is loaded with visitor attractions. Perhaps the most imposing is the Parliament Building, a massive baroque structure whose beautiful image is reflected into the nearby Danube at night. Visitors may walk around the late 19th-century, 691-room building, but tours of the inside—with its spectacular frescos and paintings—must [...]

Buda Language aside, Budapest is a city seemingly made for tourists. Getting lost is a pleasure, since the architecture is spectacular and there are historical sights in almost every neighborhood in the city. Start with Citadella, a fortress and monument atop Gellert Hill (so named because St. Gellert was thrown from the hill to his [...]

It is that history that separates Hungary from the other former East Bloc states. Hungary and its people cannot be lumped in with those of its neighbors. The origin of the people is different; the culture is different, and — most frustrating for the visitor — the language is different, so different that some linguists [...]

Budapest has re-awakened, and while it is still stirring after a long sleep under communist rule, the city has kept the Old World charm that make it such an attractive place to visit. There are two moods of Budapest, representing the old and the new: the pleasantly lazy lifestyle of cafes, thermal baths, simple living [...]

It’s tempting to take the easy way to the top in Budapest, plunking down less than a dollar to ride the funicular to the height of the city’s ancient and charming Castle District. But if you walk instead, up a winding series of stone stairways, you will not miss the glorious views of the Danube [...]