I guess you could say that I’m finally catching up on my blogging, since I’m posting a blog post that I had planned for June, right?;) Over the long weekend in June I took a quick trip to Budapest and Croatia to meet my family there. I flew out of Joburg on Wednesday night, and by Thursday afternoon I was walking around the gorgeous streets of Budapest. Budapest was never on my “to-see” list before, but now that I’ve been there, I am dying to go back! Second to Paris it’s the most beautiful city that I’ve ever seen, and if you haven’t visited Budapest yet- book your ticket! I only had one day to explore Budapest, and boy did I fall in love with this city!

I so wish that I got to spend more than a day there, but I am grateful that I at least got that. Instead of my Travel Tips that I usually do for every country, I thought I would compile a post about 5 reasons to visit Budapest. There are so many more reasons than just 5, but I didn’t get a chance to explore them all! I hope this post gives you a little insight into this Hungarian gem, and inspires you to visit it one day!

1.It’s one of the most historical places that you could ever visit.

When you only have a day to spend in Budapest, I do suggest that you take the “Hop On/Hop Off” bus tour (it was about 20 euros per person). It took us through the whole city, and you could get off at any spot and explore, and another bus would come along every 20 minutes. On the bus you also get to hear all about the city, and I was quite taken aback with how rich in history Budapest is.  It has the most architecturally beautiful buildings that will blow you away, and every corner of this city is just bursting with history.

2. Night time Budapest is the most amazing thing to see.

Part of the Hop On/Hop Off ticket also included a night time boat tour. It takes you right on the Danube river and you can see how beautiful the Buda Castle is when its lit up at night. It’s quite breath-taking.

3.The Hungarian food is amazing

I always make it a thing to have local food in whatever country or city that I’m in. When it came to dinnertime, I knew exactly what I wanted- I wanted to go to a traditional Hungarian restaurant that will serve me the famous Goulash Soup. I had that as well as the Chicken Paprika and Warm Cherry Strudel, and it was one of the most amazing meals of my life! As snacks, the Hungarians make amazing crepes and different breads. On average a meal will cost you about 15-20 euros in Budapest.

4.The Citadella is breath-taking

Citadella means “the fortress” and it was quite literally build as one back in 1848 during the Hungarian revolution. You can see the whole of Budapest from it, as well as the Danube River and all of the beautiful bridges. It’s a view that will stay with you forever, and I couldn’t believe how gorgeous it is!

5.The Budapest night life is one big party

Okay so I didn’t technically get to experience this to the full, as I was exhausted from my travels and wanted to sleep, but boy was Budapest pumping at night! So much so that the nightlife was keeping me from falling asleep! Parties in the streets, bars that are open until all hours of the morning, and old ruins that have been transformed into clubs- that’s what Budapest night life is about! Next time I go back to Budapest, I’m definitely making time to go out on a proper night on the town.

Some interesting Budapest facts

Buda is the referred to as the Western part of the city, while Pest is the eastern side. That’s how the city got its name- simple but effective right?

The Hungarian currency is called Forint, and at the moment 1 South African rand will equal to about 20 forints.

The flight from Johannesburg to Budapest is roughly around 13 hours (depending on the layover as there are no direct flight) and will cost you anything from R8000 for a return ticket.