Budapest, Hungary

Train station in Budapest

From Vienna I caught the train to Budapest. Budapest is a city with a full on history, and it is also full of beautiful architecture. It had to endure not just Nazi occupation but was also on the Western frontier of the Soviet empire, so it has some dark history. The city is undergoing a metamorphosis as some of it's beautiful but crumbling buildings are being rapidly gentrified.

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Soviet era sculptures

​There are so many interesting corners to the city, like the underground church, and mid 19th Century hot pool complexes. The city is a varied, colorful and quirky place. I must say, I really do love Budapest!

Grand Synagogue of Budapest

Budapest is home to the largest Synagogue in Europe, which I went to visit. It is a beautiful building and I signed up for a guided tour. Sadly, it is also accompanied by a tragic history, most of the Jewish population were killed under the Nazi occupation during WW2. There is a beautiful shimmering tree sculpture in the garden to the people that were killed called the tree of remembrance.

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I went to see Vajdahunyad Castle, built in 1896, it is really quite a recently built Castle. I particularly liked it's pointy turrets, it kind of reminded me of Dracula's castle.

Entrance to the underground church

I also went to see the cave church in central Budapest. The legend goes that a hermit monk used to live in these caves and use the naturally occurring thermal water to heal the sick. It was later turned into a monastery and chapel.

Budapest has some fantastic, historic hot pools, so I made sure to visit them when I was there. They seem very popular with the locals as well as visitors. They are truly beautiful and a great place to visit on a chilly autumn day.

Me at the hot pools

Inside the hot pool complex

Halloween in Budapest!

It was Halloween in Budapest and the hostel I was staying in organised an evening boat trip across the Danube. It was a great way to take in the glistening lights of the beautiful buildings along the shore. These included the famous Parliament buildings. 

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Rugged up in warm clothes for the chilly trip across the harbour!

Parliament buildings Budapest