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 be arranged through a tourist agency.
Across the street from the Parliament is the Museum of Ethnography, which has a permanent exhibition called "The Folk Culture of the Hungarian People," as well as impressive temporary exhibitions. But the neo-classical building is worth a visit for its extraordinarily ornate interior alone. A quick ride on the subway brings the visitor to Deak Tere, a local transportation hub for Pest. Nearby is St. Stephen’s Basilica, the city’s biggest church. The mosaics are worth seeing, but don’t miss St. Stephen’s mummified hand. For a few coins, the hand is lit up and supposedly moves.
A few blocks away are Vaci utca and Vorosmarty Tere, pedestrian areas that are the gathering place for artists, tourists, street musicians, shoppers and trinket-hawkers. There are also a few cafes, including the famous Gerbeaud, which has rich pastries and outdoor seating. As in the Castle District, prices in Vaci utca’s fashionable stores are high, geared to the foreign tourist. Because of Hungary’s high sales tax and import fees, prices on Western goods here are more expensive than in the States. Wait to purchase such goods at the airport duty-free shop.
At the southern end of Vaci utca is the Market Hall, recently renovated and a favorite shopping place for everything from fresh vegetables to home-made tablecloths. A quick walk west, by the Marriott Hotel, brings one to the Danube bank, where there are plenty of outdoor cafes and city benches from which to watch the riverboats glide by. The boats provide a pretty trip up the river to nearby Margaret Island, where locals swim at the pool, roller-skate, jog or just absorb the sun. No cars are allowed on Margaret Island, which also can be reached from either side of Margit Bridge. Jutting off from Deak Tere is Andrassy ut, Budapest’s best-known grand boulevard. It is also the route of the city’s yellow line subway—the oldest in continental Europe—but the line is closed for lengthy repair. Take a bus
instead.
Along Andrassy are displayed some of the city’s most impressive architecture, including the neo Renaissance style Opera House. Tours are available for about $4.00 — but why bother, when a ticket to the show can be had for as little as $1.50? At the end of Andrassy is Hosok Tere (Hero’s Square), a square and series of statues honoring Hungary’s kings and leaders, including heroes of the 1956 revolution. The square is also the main entrance to City Park, a half-square mile park filled with a zoo, a theater, restaurants, the Szechenyi thermal baths, and the Vajdahunyad Castle, which now houses a museum.
But perhaps the best way to enjoy Budapest is to do nothing - or almost nothing. Sit at an outdoor table at one of the city’s many cafes, or soak in one of the thermal baths while you wait for your foot massage. Camp out at a bench along the river, or find a perch atop Castle Hill. The city bustles with a new attitude, but still finds time to relax.
Pest travel guide - Wikitravel
