Budapest Overview

Often called the "Pearl of the Danube," present-day Budapest is indeed an eastern European jewel, created in 1873 from the separate towns of Buda, Pest, and Obuda. Here, geography, history, and human creativity have all combined to create a city that simultaneously charms, amazes, and fascinates. Its population of 2 million resides in 23 districts.

Districts

The definitive view of Budapest is that of the Castle District located within the first district. The city center (Belvaros) is Pest's District V, embracing the area within the Kiskorut (little boulevard). District VI is the city's mainstream cultural wedge and features Andrassy ut, Budapest's most beautiful boulevard, that has two ends: the traffic center, Deák Square, where all three metro lines meet, and Heroes' Square, one of the city's most important monuments that stands before the City Park. District VII is Budapest's historic Old Jewish Quarter. The eighth could also be known as the 'District of Ill Repute.' District IX, Ferencvaros, is similar in character to the working-class if not downright impoverished eighth, except that it is now an 'up-and-coming' area.

Pop across the river to Obuda ('Old Buda'), which makes up District III. It was the site of the Roman encampment Aquincum, the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire in continental Europe.

Entertainment

From eating and drinking well (and inexpensively) to classical music and opera to rock concerts and discos, Budapest offers pretty much as wide a choice of things to do as you'll find in any city of a comparable size.

Dining and Drinking

There was a time not long ago when all Budapest had to offer its hoards of hungry tourists and locals were hundreds of traditional restaurants offering slabs of fatty breaded and fried pork, surly service and not a vegetable in sight.

How times have changed! Since 1990 and the new political system, restaurants, clubs, bars and cafés have begun appearing in the hundreds. Now, you can find more dishes than you can shake a chip at, involving every ingredient from whatever country takes your fancy. Vegetarians are also now much better off than even just a decade ago, when the sole, melancholy option consisted of fried cheese/cauliflower/mushroom with a 'salad' or pickled cucumber. Now, many restaurants offer imaginative vegetable dishes.

Where To Stay

Picking a place to stay in Budapest is a pleasure: there is something for everyone. The hardest part is deciding what you want as there are so many tempting options.

Even in the middle of summer and the height of tourist season, you should still be able to get a room somewhere. The notable exception is Formula 1 (Grand Prix) weekend in August: hundreds of thousands of fans descend on the city, and hotels, panzios and hostels are booked up for the event up to a year in advance.

Did You Know?

For much of its history, part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire was ruled by the Hapsburgs. Budapest represents a merger of two separate entities, Buda and Pest. A genuine polyglot metropolis, Budapest is an ethnic delicatessen made up of Serbs, Croats, Hungarians, and Turks.

Orientation/Geography

Budapest is Hungary's capital and largest city, and is located in the north-central part of the country. Vienna lies 250 kilometers to the northwest.

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