| Submitted by: Dennis Callan, United States |
| Submission Date: 12 April 2005 |
|
 |
|
Three Days in Budapest
“Gypsy Spell”
By Dennis Callan
Have you heard of the Magyar people, or their nation of Magyarorszag? It’s Hungary, the exotic Central European nation whose beautiful capital of Budapest will surprise you with its beauty, affordable luxury and unique history. Gypsy music fills the air; scenic vistas are everywhere; old and new mix in a cultural blend that makes Budapest an excellent destination to put high on your travel list.
This city on the Danube is different from the other great capitals of Europe in a pleasant old-fashioned way that fills it with authentic charms. Two thousand years of invasion, liberation, re-occupation, devastation and rebirth, played out over and over again in a cycle of history, have somehow produced this unique culture. Lack of money has prevented that squeaky-clean modernization machine to roll through town, the way it has recently glitzed up so many other cities on the continent. As a result, some buildings are run-down, plaster is peeling and roads are bumpy, but the beautiful reward for the intrepid traveler is a genuine city filled with real character. A wide variety of architectural styles are on display, sometimes combined in the unique Hungarian Eclectic that blends elements of Classical, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Art Nouveau in a single building.
Ancient invasion by Huns in the 5th century, then Magyars from the Urals, followed by Mongols 800 years ago, then Muslims, five hundred years back, have all left their stamps on the culture. The somewhat mysterious origins of today’s population is reflected in their language, which is more closely related to distant Finnish, Estonian and Siberian than to its immediate Slavic and Germanic neighbors. Somehow, movements of people took place in the fog of history, replacing Celtic locals with a more Asiatic breed that has long since blended into the European mix to create the modern, exotic Hungarian.
Budapest consists of the formerly separate communities of Buda on the western bank of the Danube and Pest on the east. Built on a hill, Buda contains the former Royal Palace and the old Castle District. Pest stands on a level plain and is the site of the main shopping areas, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Palace of Justice, Parliament, and the National Museum. No other city along Europe’s longest river embraces it as much as Budapest, with nine bridges linking the two sides, and a major promenade along the river offering sweeping views.
As usual in our series, we will explain in detail how to get the most out of your time in a carefully-planned itinerary that suggests exactly what to do each moment of the day, with some free time left over for your own pursuits. It takes at least three days to fully explore the many sights on offer in this great city.
Three day schedule:
Day One: Walking tour of Pest; National Museum.
Day Two: Buda walking tour in the Castle District; Danube cruise.
Day Three: Continued Pest walk; Tram ride; Museum of Fine Arts.
DAY ONE: Inner city walking tour and the major museum.
VOROSMARTY SQUARE
Begin your visit in the heart of the Inner City at Vorosmarty Square, surrounded by cafes, shops and lovely pedestrian lanes extending in every direction.
The large statue in the center of this pleasant tree-lined plaza depicts the poet, Mihaly Vorosmarty, who became a national hero with his patriotic writings in mid-19th century, when Hungary unsuccessfully attempted to gain independence from Austria. It says something positive about the nation’s character that it has a heroic poet sitting in the capital’s center, surrounded by two levels of marble benches that draw people to him for comfort and relaxation. He symbolizes that universal human spirit, yearning to be free. This makes a nice people-watching perch you might come back to later, for you will certainly pass through this central square several times in your visit.
Hungary’s most famous café, Gerbeaud, is on the north side of the square, so if you didn’t get breakfast with your room, this would be a fine place for coffee and a roll, or perhaps return later in the day for an elaborate pastry, such as Dobos Torta, a rich, chocolate layer cake, with chocolate cream filling, covered with crunchy caramel. In business since 1858, Gerbeaud has tables on the terrace, dining rooms inside for a complete meal, and a theater offering musical productions at night.
Music is everywhere in Budapest: players on the street corner, gypsy orchestras in fine restaurants, formal productions in several concert halls and opera in a grand theater. One convenient place to find out the music performance schedules is the ticket office in the large, modern building that dominates square, where you could also arrange day-trips, rent a car, or find a room. Another helpful place for information, tickets, maps and free brochures is the city’s official information office, two blocks away at Deak Square, open daily from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. You should purchase the Budapest Card there, or at your hotel, a three-day pass good for free admission to the museums and public transportation, plus many restaurant and touring discounts, for just $22. It will save you money and eliminate the inconvenience of buying individual tickets during your busy three days.
EMBANKMENT VIEWS AND ACTIVITIES
The most beautiful vista in town is the view from the banks of the Danube River along the Belgrad Rampart, just two short blocks from Vorosmarty Square, so head west to the embankment. Across the river you will see the postcard-perfect vision of the Royal Palace sitting atop the hill in Buda, the older half of town you will discover tomorrow. To your right is the other icon of the city, the Chain Bridge, which opened in 1849 as the first permanent crossing of the Danube, providing the link that joined Buda and Pest into one city. In pleasant weather one gets a downright Mediterranean feeling here at the water’s edge, with sunshine streaming through the trees and sidewalk cafes all around, accompanied by a vibrant street-life of performers, vendors, artists, locals and tourists mingling together in a big show.
Several of the city’s top five-star hotels are located here along the river, making this neighborhood an ideal place to stay. My favorite is the Marriott, where all rooms are spacious and have a river view, with services that include a huge breakfast buffet. Other excellent riverside choices are the Atrium Hyatt, which has the Las Vegas Casino, and the Inter-Continental. Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace will be the latest super-star to join the cluster when it opens at the end of this year in one of the city’s premier palaces, which had fallen on hard times but has been completely re-built by this luxury chain. Completing the super-deluxe category, one must include the Kempinsky, four blocks inland, which many consider the top, and most expensive, hotel in town. Their lobby, especially upstairs, is a great place to sit and rest while listening to live classical music. Of course there are many smaller, less-expensive hotels scattered throughout town, but the dollar goes a long way in Hungary, so why not live it up?
The river embankment is perfect for a stroll in the evening as well, when the Palace and Chain Bridge are brightly illuminated, and several nice restaurants serve traditional cuisine at terrace tables with live gypsy music, including Dunacorso on the corner and Vigado on the side of the Vigado Concert Hall. Music-lovers should check the schedule at Vigado, as there are some outstanding classical music revues most nights, usually featuring opera excerpts. There are usually young vendors on the embankment, and elsewhere on the pedestrian lanes, selling tickets for the traditional folk-dance show presented by the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble, which is really worth seeing. Check the schedule to see which night the performance is offered at the convenient Duna Palace, just six blocks away, and purchase seats from the first vendor you see. While it is not a flashy Vegas-style production, there is a string quartet accompanying twenty singing dancers in colorful folk-costumes, putting on a wonderful show.
Souvenir kiosks on the embankment also have good values in postcards, t-shirts and dresses, or you can purchase directly from strolling ladies who offer their hand-made tablecloths, clothing, dolls and doilies. You will likely come back here several times, perhaps for a tram ride or river cruise, but for now, have a good look up and down the embankment, then return to Vorosmarty Square to continue your walk.
VACI UTCA
Undoubtedly, the main pedestrian street in the heart of town is the Vaci utca, which leads out from Vorosmarty Square’s south end. This lively promenade is lined with shops and cafes and filled with people all day. It extends about one mile to the Central Market Hall, a huge, indoor food emporium. Walk along Vaci utca in the morning to enjoy the quiet serenity of this busy strip before all the shops open, and continue to the food market. This food hall is one of the few places in town that awakens early, so it’s a fine place to explore at the beginning of the day. It closes by 5:00 p.m. most days, so you could visit in the afternoon if your schedule required.
CENTRAL MARKET HALL
The Central Market is one of those special places you really will enjoy, even if you don’t buy anything, because it is full of history, color and life. The hall is huge, covering an area of two football fields, and very old, first opened in 1896, built in the early-modern style of steel and glass, with a very high ceiling enclosing the vast space. On the outside it looks like a classic train station, but inside it is filled with food stalls of all kinds. You will notice lots of chili peppers hanging everywhere -- an essential ingredient in Hungarian cuisine, which is generally used in a mild form of paprika that doesn’t burn your mouth, but adds rich flavors. The real delight here is watching the locals shopping for their fresh produce, and you might pick up some fruits for healthy snacking later. There are a couple of food counters upstairs, and Fakanal Restaurant, where you could have an inexpensive meal, and you’ll find a few souvenir shops scattered amidst the food stalls. It was thoroughly refurbished ten years ago so it is in very good condition.
When you have finished with the food market, come out through the elaborate front doors, which resemble the portal of a major church, and turn right to walk along the busy ring road for 3 blocks to the National Museum, for a big dose of Hungarian history. The museum is so close to the food hall that this is a perfect time to go, especially since it is still early in your visit and will give you a better understanding of how Hungary developed.
HUNGARIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM
The museum is housed in an impressive neoclassical structure that looks like an ancient temple with eight massive Corinthian pillars holding up a triangular pediment, depicting gods that reflect the early Roman settlement in this area. Opened in 1847, it is the fourth-oldest history museum in Europe and was completely renovated ten years ago with a new permanent exhibition that fills twenty galleries depicting the past thousand years. The quality of display is excellent, comparable to what you can find at the Smithsonian or any major museum, with a wide range of items that illustrate daily life and important events of this vast time span. There are some flashy items to impress you, including many royal jewels and crowns from the various monarchs and nobles who ruled the land. It is always fascinating to see how the decorative arts of furniture, costumes and ceramics change over time, leading right into the modern era.
Start with room 1, because the galleries are arranged in a chronological order that will take you from the kings of the 11th century right up through the collapse of communism. |
|
| Copyright © - "Dennis Callan" |
|
|
|
