Budapest

[kalex]

Have booked for 3 nights, late March. Really want to do the Jewish quarter walk,

HELP with everything else please, boutht the lonely planet guide but it;s not as good as the book on Prague,

And please keep this bumped until Budababe sees it please.

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Check out a couple of the hot baths.
We used to love Cafe Central (think that's right) for brunch but it was a few years ago!

Hi,
I went 2 weeks ago, had a great time. Stayed at radisson SAS in Pest.
Buy the Time Out Guide, much better. We got a minibus from the airport - ticket place on left just before ou go out of airportwhich takes you directly from the hotel and about half the price of a taxi. You can get a return ticket and ask the hotel reception to book it for your return trip 24 hours before you need to go.Metro is easy, very cheap but make sure you buy a ticket, even late at night. We got caught after not being able to find anywhere to get a ticket Ft 2500 (about £15) fine! Nice bar called Negro by St Stephen's basillica. Other nice bars down the popular Liszt Ferenc ter. This is popular with the stag/hen crowds though although we didn't see any, hoorah!!
Museum of terror supposed to be very good. we went on Monday - it was shut. Rats.
We also went to some turkish baths which was fab! -4 outside but 36 dehrees in the water, lovely. Take a hat if you want to do any serious swimming. Can't remember name of place we went to but it was right opposite the zoo, at the end of Andrassy Utca.
Just wander around a lot, pop into odd looking little bars you find, people very friendly, beer cheap. Go up the Funicular railway and wander over the bridges of the Danube. YOu can't fail to have a good time!

I meant the minibus takes you directly to your hotel from airport and will pick you up for return trip. Will preview message next time!

I went last year. We stayed at Hotel Victoria, which is a basic, but clean and friendly hotel in Central Buda. Every room has a view of the Danube.

I can highly recommend Restaurant Gundel for a special meal. It's a fancy, opulent, old-world restaurant that serves traditional food with a twist. It was fantastic!

www.victoria.hu
www.gundel.hu

The swimming is fabulous wherever you go, most are heated by geothermal energy. Try the baths in the City Park. At the outskirts of town is the sculpture park, all the communist era statues in one place. Good for an ironical afternoon. They advertise it as 'tons of socialism'.

The castle district is worth a walk around. If you are a drinking woman, visit the Hungarian Wine Cellar, near the castle. It cost's about a tenner, but there are 70 odd open bottles of wine for you to try (no limits!) and buy, along with information about the Hungarian wine industry. Excellent if the weather clases in.

Kalex did you see that the Sat Guardian travel section has a double page feature on readers tips for Budapest? Can you get hold of a copy or look online?

With or without children? Thermal baths are indeed great.

Well just back, had a really nice time. Ate at the Spoon which was lovely. Tried the Negro, but was not impressed by the waiters (very grumpy).

I thought the city was really lovely, but found the people in general very unfriendly and had to watch out for being ripped off all the time, and had to challenge 2 restuarants for overcharging, and one bar, for not giving us the correct drinks ie not adding the vodka.

We walked for miles and my legs are killing me.

A lovely time all in all, thankyou for your help and advice