Tea Time Travels

Our first getaway to kick off our European adventures was to Budapest, Hungary. And what an amazing place to experience. It was a very last minute trip, but we still managed to get flights for $120 each and an Airbnb for $50 per night.

Our airbnb was in an amazing location on the west side of District VII. It was close to many restaurants and bars, and public transportation. The first morning we found a cozy spot for breakfast with delightful coffee drinks. We then wandered down to the Danube river, all the while admiring the intricate architecture. We saw the Shoes on the Danube Memorial and learned about the terrible events that happened to the Jewish population within the city. The city was rich in history and information that I wasn’t aware of.

We admired the impressive parliament building by daylight, then took a bus to the Heroes’ Square. This is one of the most prominent squares in Budapest, and it was buzzing with energy.

That night we went to one of the ruin pubs called Szimpla Kert. This is the biggest ruin bar in Budapest and was one of the most unique bars I had ever been to. The decor was very eclectic and each different room had a different vibe. There were two different live music performances during our time there that we listened to while drinking our Hungarian beer.

That evening we had a traditional Hungarian meal. My husband said he could live there forever based on how good the food was. The cuisine was very “meat and potatoes” oriented, and every bite was delicious.

The next day we started our day at the Central Hall Market. It was filled with fruit and vegetable stands, and upstairs they had many vendors selling classic Hungarian food. We wanted to try lángos, a traditional street food, but the queue was about 45 minutes long. So instead we tried a Kürtöskalács (chimney cake) which quickly became my favorite treat.

We wandered over to the Buda side and hiked to see the Citadella, a hillside fort. It was unfortunately fenced off, but we saw some amazing views that overlooked the whole city on both the way up and down.

That night we went to the Flippermúzeum (Arcade Museum) that had over 140 pinball machines, some of which dated back to the 1940s. We paid $10 for an entrance fee and spent hours playing the machines that were free to play with an entrance ticket.

We rode a scooter home along the riverside and admired Budapest by night, one of the more scenic cities I’ve seen by nightfall.

The third day we spend the morning in the House of Terror, a museum that highlights the communist and fascist regimes in Hungary. We had an audio guide, and it was chilling to hear stories about people being taken from their homes, tortured, and living in fear for the entirety of these regimes. Although somber, I would highly recommend this museum.

We spent our final afternoon strolling around Margaret Island, which separates Buda and Pest. It was a lovely area that had a musical fountain and beautiful gardens.

We walked past the Parliament building one last night at night while reflecting on a wonderful adventure in Hungary. If you are looking for a beautiful, vibrant, historical, and cheap city, Budapest has it all.