Adventures in Southern California: vienna

Budapest is one of those European cities that I would highly recommend adding to your travel itinerary. It has some of the most incredible architecture in Europe, fantastic nightlife, great restaurants and great historic attractions. It's also affordable compared to many other major European cities. If you're planning a trip through Central Europe, Budapest is an easy city to combine with Prague and Vienna. All three cities are connected by train, and you could easily turn them into a fantastic 10-14 day European vacation.

One of the things I really liked about Budapest was how inexpensive the accommodations were. We found a fantastic two-bedroom apartment with a jacuzzi right in the room for just $150 a night. You can find some really nice Airbnbs and hotels here for considerably less than what you would pay in cities like Paris, Amsterdam or Vienna. We stayed in the Jewish Quarter, which I would highly recommend if you enjoy restaurants, bars and nightlife. It's a lively neighborhood with tons of places to eat and drink, and you can easily walk to every major attraction in the city.

Exploring Budapest's Incredible Architecture

The architecture in Budapest is absolutely incredible. The Hungarian Parliament Building is easily one of the most beautiful buildings I've seen anywhere in Europe. It sits right along the Danube River and looks almost like a massive Gothic palace. The amount of detail on the building is amazing. It's worth walking around the outside to appreciate the architecture, but some of the best views are actually from across the river on the Buda side.

One of my favorite areas to explore was Heroes' Square and Városliget Park, also known as City Park. Heroes' Square is a massive historic plaza with impressive monuments and statues honoring Hungary's history. Behind the square is a huge park with walking paths, lakes, gardens and plenty of attractions. We had a great time exploring the park and checking out the enormous Main Playground. It's a really impressive public playground with all kinds of elaborate climbing structures and play areas. Also inside the park is Vajdahunyad Castle, which looks like something straight out of a fairy tale. It's a beautiful collection of historic architectural styles surrounded by trees and water. Nearby are the famous Széchenyi Thermal Baths, one of Budapest's most popular attractions. The massive outdoor pools are surrounded by beautiful historic buildings, and it's an easy addition to a day exploring the park. We also stopped at the Hungarian State Opera House and did a quick walk through the building. It's another great example of the city's beautiful architecture.

Crossing the Danube to Buda

You definitely want to spend some time on both sides of the Danube River. Most of the nightlife and restaurants are on the Pest side, but the Buda side has some of the city's most impressive historic attractions and views.

One of the highlights is Fisherman's Bastion, a beautiful collection of towers, terraces and stone walkways overlooking the river. It almost looks like a medieval castle, and the views of the Hungarian Parliament Building from here are incredible. Right next to it is the Church of Our Lady of Buda, better known as Matthias Church. The church has an amazing colorful tiled roof and some beautiful Gothic architecture. This entire area is one of the best places in Budapest to walk around and take photos.

Another great place to enjoy the scenery is Szabadság híd, also known as Liberty Bridge. The large green steel bridge crosses the Danube and offers fantastic views of the river, the surrounding hills and the historic buildings along the waterfront. Budapest is a great city to explore on foot, and walking across its bridges is one of the best ways to appreciate just how beautiful it is.

Fantastic Food, Cocktail Bars and Nightlife

One of the things I liked most about Budapest was the nightlife. There are tons of interesting cocktail bars, pubs, outdoor restaurants and places to hang out late into the evening. The Jewish Quarter is especially lively, with bars tucked into old buildings and courtyards. If you enjoy going out at night, I would highly recommend staying in this neighborhood. A few of the bars we loved were Hotsy Totsy, Jardín Cocktail Bar and FIRST Craft Beer & BBQ. Hotsy another area I really liked was Madách Imre Square. There are a bunch of bars and restaurants with outdoor seating. It's a great place to hang out in the evening. You can sit outside with a drink, enjoy the atmosphere and watch everyone walking through the square. It's exactly the kind of nightlife I enjoy when traveling around Europe. For lunch, I would highly recommend stopping at Karaván Budapest, an outdoor street food market in the Jewish Quarter. There are a bunch of individual food stalls serving different types of food, along with places to grab a beer or cocktail. One of our favorite meals in Budapest was at Leila's Authentic Lebanese Cuisine. We met up with some local friends for a big group dinner, and the food was absolutely fantastic. It's a great restaurant for sharing dishes with a group, and everything we tried was delicious. Budapest has a really good international restaurant scene.

A Beautiful City With a Little Grit

Budapest isn't quite as polished as some other major European cities, and that's something you'll notice as you walk around. There is graffiti in quite a few places, and some neighborhoods are worn down. You'll see beautiful historic buildings right next to older buildings that could use some work. Personally, I didn't mind that at all. It gives the city some character.

I would recommend spending at least three full days in Budapest, especially if you enjoy nightlife and exploring cities on foot. It's a great destination on its own, but it's even better as part of a train trip through Central Europe. Prague, Vienna and Budapest make an excellent combination, with three very different cities offering some of the best architecture, history, food and nightlife in Europe. Budapest was a city I really enjoyed, and I would definitely recommend adding it to your list if you're planning a European vacation.