Frommer's Budapest Day by Day

by Smyth, Robert

• ISBN13: 9781119970033
• ISBN10: 1119970032
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-02-21
• Publisher: Frommers

Summary

Frommer's Budapest Day by Day gives you the perfect pocket guide book to experience and enjoy this culturally and historically rich city in the simplest, smartest and most time-efficient way, letting you decide where to go and what to see according to your timeframe. With extensive insider knowledge and advice and honest reviews, this guide helps you to avoid time wasting and tourist traps; getting straight to the best of Hungary's capital with dozens of local and thematic tours alongside hundreds of photos and bulleted maps leading the way from sight to sight. Pinpointing where to stay, eat and shop in each location, as well as where to find the city's best sights and hidden gems from Heroes Square to the Castle District, discovering Budapest's Jewsish quarter, boat trips on the River Danube, or a day out on Lake Balaton, this full-colour Day by Day guide covers everything you might want to see and more in this vibrant Hungarian city. Frommer's Budapest Day by Day includes: -The Best Full-day Tours give mapped stop-by-stop instructions on the best sights to explore around the city, with different day-length tours to suit all travellers' timeframes, around the main sites of the Castle District, Andrassy ut, The Opera House, Heroes Square and all the best places to stop for coffee while you're wandering around, with the odd baths to rest weary muscles. -The Best Special-Interest Tours gives unique experiences the city has on offer, with a section devoted to Kids, Coffee Houses, Baths, as well as tours of the Jewish quarter and the Castle District, tours for those interested in the city's Communist past, and its Revolutionary history, and Art Nouveau lovers. -Details the Best Neighborhood Walks around the UNESCO Castle District, around the Royal district and the Jewish area. -Features outdoor visits to Margaret Island, the. City Park with its Ice Rink, Zoo, Circus and Time Wheel, to Tab ny and Gell rt Hill. -Lists the Best Shopping around markets and malls and little Hungarian stores. -Recommends The Best Dining experiences from Magyar cuisine to sushi; the Best Nightlife, the Best Arts and Entertainment including Opera, and the Best Places to Stay -Includes Day Trips to some of the best surrounding wine areas, to Lake Balaton, Eger, P cs, and the Danube Bend. -Invaluable up-to-date and need-to-know information is also provided in the "Savvy Traveller" chapter with contacts, websites and references for smarter travelling. -Features dozens of full-colour maps inside, including fold out metro and road maps on the inside front cover as well as a detachable tear-resistant map in a waterproof resealing wallet at the back.

Author Biography

Robert Smyth is a Budapest-based travel/wine writer who hails from the faded seaside resort of New Brighton, directly across the River Mersey from Liverpool, England. He has been living in Budapest for almost 18 years during which time he’s seen certain aspects of the city change beyond recognition, but can still find enough old world and quirky charm to keep him there. He holds a degree in Economics from the U.K., which he followed up with an MBA at Budapest’s former Karl Marx University only to find that writing holds more appeal than the world of business. He has written print and online guides respectively for the Blue Guides and Whatsonwhen.com; he also writes articles on wine tasting. He also still sometimes puts his qualifications to use in covering Hungary’s hairaising economic woes.

Table of Contents

15 Favorite Moments 1

1 The Best Full-Day Tours 5

The Best in One Day 6

The Best in Two Days 12

The Best in Three Days 16

2 The Best Special-Interest Tours 21

The Best Art Nouveau 22

The Best Baths 26

Turkish Traces 30

The Best Coffeehouses 34

Budapest with Kids 38

Revolutionary Budapest 40

Behind the Iron Curtain 44

3 The Best Neighborhood Walks 49

Belváros 50

The Jewish Quarter 54

The Watertown (Víziváros) 58

The Castle District 60

4 The Best Shopping 65

Shopping Best Bets 66

Budapest Shopping A to Z 71

5 The Best of the Outdoors 81

City Park 82

Buda Hills 86

Margitsziget (Margaret Island) 88

6 The Best Dining 91

Dining Best Bets 92

Budapest Dining A to Z 98

7 The Best Nightlife 109

Nightlife Best Bets 110

Budapest Nightlife A to Z 116

8 The Best Arts & Entertainment 125

Arts & Entertainment Best Bets 126

Arts & Entertainment A to Z 130

9 The Best Lodging 135

Lodging Best Bets 136

Budapest Lodging A to Z 140

10 The Best Day Trips & Excursions 147

The Danube Bend 148

A Wine Country Detour 152

Lake Balaton 156

Pécs 158

Eger 160

The Savvy Traveler 163

Before You Go 164

Getting There 167

Getting Around 167

Fast Facts 168

Budapest: A Brief History 172

Useful Phrases & Menu Terms 173

Index 177