Overview
This post covers the Hungarian portion our 9 country 35-day adventure across Europe and picks up the adventure as we leave Croatia. This included a trip to Transylvania in Romania, a 23-day Viking River cruise across Europe from Bucharest to Amsterdam and then a trip that we arranged after the cruise to both Belgium and The Netherlands.
An overview of this trip can be found at A European Sojourn with links to the other segments of the trip listed below in the summary.
Day 1 – Kalosca
Cruising the Danube from Vukovar Croatia to Kalosca Hungary
We awake early morning and head down to breakfast before settling down up on the sun deck to watch the scenery roll by as we sail towards our first Hungarian destination of Kalosca. There aren’t any large towns along this stretch of the river, but we occasionally see some industrial docks and several areas having a small number of riverside homes. It’s early afternoon before we pull into the small dock near the town of Kalosca.
Kalosca Hungary
During our trip we learn Kalocsa is one of the oldest towns in Hungary, with its origins dating back to the early medieval period. It was established as an archbishopric by King Stephen I of Hungary around the year 1000. Kalocsa is famously known as the “Paprika Capital of the World.”
Dunapataj Hungary Bakodpuszta Equestrian Center
We head out from the dock to the Bakodpuszta Equestrian Center where we are treated to a Hungarian horsemanship show. This includes the famous “Puszta ten-in-hand,” where a single rider controls ten horses simultaneously. Their outdoor gift shop offers local brandy tastings as well as chocolate with paprika. We do bring home some Hungarian Smoked Paprika and Nancy can’t wait to cook something with it once we get home.
Saint Joseph’s Church
Next, we head to Kalocsa to visit Saint Joseph’s church with its Baroque architecture, richly decorated interior and a magnificent 4600 pipe organ. We wander around inside the church taking a few pictures and then we are treated to a 20-minute classical concert where we experience the power and the sound of the organ. It’s quite the audio experience!
Archiepiscopal Palace
Next door to the church is the Archiepiscopal Palace which houses an astronomical observatory, a seminary for priests, and colleges for training teachers. We walk the grounds and get a few pictures before heading back to the ship.
Evening Cruising toward Budapest
Our first day in Hungary concludes with us again up on the sun deck enjoying a beautiful sunset as our ship departs for Budapest.
Day 2 – Budapest (day 1)
The central area of Budapest along the Danube River is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has several notable monuments of classical architecture, including the Hungarian Parliament and the Buda Castle. The city also has around 80 geothermal springs, the largest thermal water cave system, the second largest synagogue, and third largest Parliament building in the world. The previously separate cities of Buda, Óbuda, and Pest were officially unified in 1873 and given the new name Budapest. They are essentially separated by the Danube River with Pest including everything in the east and Buda including everything in the west.
All varieties of English pronounce the -s- as in the English word pest. In Hungarian, the -s- is pronounced as in wash: Boo-duh-pesht.
Riverwalk
When we awake the next day, we find we are docked in the heart of Budapest right next to the famous chain bridge. Although it’s raining after breakfast, Harrison takes a walk down the riverwalk past the Parliament to start to get his bearings around the city.
The Shoes on the Danube Bank Memorial
As he walks, Harrison comes across the Shoes of the Danube Monument.
Erected on April 16, 2005, this memorial honors the Jews who were massacred by fascist Hungarian militia in Budapest during World War 2. They were ordered to take off their shoes (shoes were valuable and could be stolen and resold by the militia after the massacre), and were shot at the edge of the water so their bodies fell into the river and were carried away. The memorial represents their shoes left behind on the bank.
Panoramic Budapest Tour – The Castle District
High above the Danube on the Buda side of Budapest is the Castle District with its commanding views of the city. This is a definite a must go see area of the city with a rich collection of architectural treasures including the Matthais church, Fishermans Bastian, Buda Castle, restaurants and shops.
We spend a good portion of the morning walking around this area before hunger overtook us and we look for a place to catch some lunch.
Late Lunch (on our own) in the Castle District
We are famished and find a little cafe not far off the main square in the Castle District and settle in for lunch and a little bit of people watching. Here at Spiler Biergarten we order a pumpkin hummus appetizer and it’s just enough to tame our hunger for a while.
Castle District to Vaci Street Area
After lunch we go on a long walk down from the Castle District and cross the Danube using the Chain Bridge, then head toward the well-known Vaci Street. The area is lined with upscale shops, restaurants, and cafes. We use it as our destination for the evening and we explore the city as we walk slowly in this general direction.
Dinner at Doppio on Vaci Street
Nancys grandmother was Hungarian, and she used to cook Chicken Paprikash for her as a child. We search for a place that serves this dish. We find this little street cafe called Doppio that has it and we order it. It turns out to be excellent and Nancy tells me it tastes just like her grandmother used to make.
Buying Tickets for a Few Things
We have a full free day in Budapest tomorrow and we make plans to explore the city in depth by using the Hop-on/Hop-off bus. We have used this type of travel before in other parts of the world and find them a good way to get around. If you have no idea what we’re talking about, you buy either a 1 or 2 day pass and you can get on or off at any location and use the bus as much or as little as you want. Buses typically run every 20-30 minutes with a total ride approximately 90 minutes in length. They provide headphones to listen to commentary (available in like 12 languages). We usually take the bus completely around once to get a feel for the city and then decide where we are going to spend time on the second ride. After our little snack at Doppio we head down to the water where we get our ticket for the bus and also purchase a ticket for the night cruise on the Danube.
Hard Rock Cafe Budapest
We have a couple hours of daylight left before our cruise so we decide to check out the nearby Hard Rock Cafe. It’s a little bit of a thing that developed for us starting when we honeymooned many years ago. We order Pork Quesadillas and the huge portion totally satisfies our need for any more food today. We enjoy hanging our for a bit and watching music videos which you really don’t see much anymore, anywhere.
Night Cruise
We had been told that seeing Budapest at night was a treat not to be missed – and experiencing it on the river was exceptional. SPOT ON! It’s a clear night. We watched the moon rise over Buda Palace and so many building and bridges are lit up in full glory. We HIGHLY recommend this tour on a trip to Budapest. It was also significantly less expensive than the one Viking offered (but it was exclusive to their guests and had special entertainment).
Day 3 – Budapest (day 2)
Hop-on/Hop-Off Bus
After breakfast on the ship, we walk across the street to the bus stop and catch the Hop-on/Hop-off Bus on a route taking us around the city. It’s a beautiful day and we are able to grab a couple seats on the open air top and have a grand view of the sights of the city as we listen to the commentary through our ear phones.
Budapest Opera House
We pass the Opera house where we learn construction began in 1875 and was completed in 1884. It was funded by the city of Budapest and Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria-Hungary. We were told an interesting story of how the emperor allowed it to be constructed as long as it wasn’t bigger than the opera house in Vienna. When it was completed, he visited it but was taken aback – although it was smaller, it was more robustly decorated and more beautiful than the one in Vienna. And so, he never visited it again.
The building is richly decorated with marble, frescoes, and sculptures by leading Hungarian artists such as Bertalan Székely, Mór Than, and Károly Lotz. The interior features a grand staircase, a horseshoe-shaped auditorium, and a royal box. Viking offered an optional excursion to listen to a performance at the Opera House. We did not go but heard from people that the experience was amazing.
Heroe’s Square
City Park
City Park is a very large collection of park land, cultural attractions, and recreational activities. As we pass Heroe’s Square, we to enter the main grounds of City Park. At the park’s main event venue we notice they are setting up for an Oktoberfest Event that will unfortunately be held after we leave. We wander around this very large park admiring the fountains, statues and other buildings. At one point we run into a statue of George Washington of all people. This statue was erected in 1906 to honor the first President of the United States and symbolize the friendship between Hungary and the United States. The initiative to build the statue was driven by Hungarian-Americans who wanted to celebrate the shared values of democracy and freedom between the two nations.
We end up spending several hours walking around the park to see some of the highlights including Vajdahunyad Castle and Széchenyi Thermal Bath.
Vajdahunyad Castle
The castle was originally built in 1896 as part of the Millennial Exhibition, which celebrated the 1000th anniversary of the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin. It was designed by architect Ignác Alpár and features elements from various historical buildings across Hungary. We learn it was initially constructed from cardboard and wood but was later rebuilt with stone and brick between 1904 and 1908 due to its popularity. Today, the castle houses the Museum of Hungarian Agriculture, the largest agricultural museum in Europe
Széchenyi Thermal Baths
As we go to exit city park, we pass by the beautiful Széchenyi Thermal Baths complex built in 1913 in a Neo-Baroque style. The hot spring water in Budapest comes from a network of natural thermal springs lying beneath the city. The tradition of thermal bathing in Budapest dates back to Roman times, and was further developed during the Ottoman occupation in the 16th and 17th centuries.
We head back to the bus stop and catch the bus to our next destination – the Great Market Hall.
Great Market Hall
The Great Market Hall is the largest and oldest indoor market in Budapest, Hungary. Built in 1897 it was established to improve the food supply to Budapest, ensuring only inspected food was sold and was part of a broader plan to organize the city’s food distribution. The market offers a variety of stalls spread across three floors. The ground floor is primarily for fresh produce, meats, pastries, candies, spices, and spirits. The upper floor features eateries and souvenir shops, while the basement houses a supermarket, fish market, and stalls offering traditional pickles.
We walk around the various areas of the market to get a good feel for what it has to offer and then head out to Vaci Street again to locate a place to have lunch.
Vaci Street
We are approaching Vaci Street this time from the opposite end and into an area we didn’t visit the previous day. We easily find a number of options at the various street cafes and since Nancy is in the mood for pizza, this quickly narrows our choices down to a few places.
Vaci Street Lunch
We chose Magyar Izek and order a pancetta pizza. The crust was superb and the toppings were a wonderful blend of meat, cheese, peppers and other spices. We sit and relax enjoying our food and people watch before heading out to our next destination.
Elizabeth Bridge
Originally constructed between 1897 and 1903, the bridge was destroyed in 1945 during World War II by retreating German forces. The current bridge was constructed and opened in 1964. The bridge is named after Elisabeth of Bavaria, who was a beloved queen and empress of Austria-Hungary and who was assassinated in 1898. As we walk across the bridge, we enjoy some beautiful views of the city and the Danube River.
Gellért Baths
At the end of the bridge, we see the Gellért Baths which were built between 1912 and 1918 in the Art Nouveau style. This site has been known for its healing waters since the 13th century.
Buda Castle (aka: The Royal Palace)
Buda Castle was originally constructed in the 13th century as a royal palace. Over centuries, it has seen numerous reconstructions, particularly after major damages during World War II and the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. Today, it houses the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum, offering a deep dive into art and history. We opt to take a free combined elevator and escalator route up to Buda Palace to save ourselves over 100 steps. We walk around the grounds enjoying the views of the city and taking in the various fountains and statues all around us. It’s getting later in the afternoon, and we need to slowly make our way back to the ship as it’s sailing today for our next port of call at sunset. After descending the hill (by steps) we reach the bus stop and head back towards the ship.
Myugati Train Station
We reach the beautiful Myugati Train station, which was Built by Eiffel Company and opened on October 28, 1877 (the same firm responsible for the Eiffel Tower).
Harrison decides to get off and walk back to the ship because he wants to get a closer look at the Parliament building and its grounds. He has enough time to do this without being in a rush. Nancy continues on the bus to the ship.
Hungarian Parliament
The construction of the Parliament Building began in 1885 and was completed in 1902. This building was constructed to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin. Its design incorporates elements symbolizing Hungary’s history and national identity. The dome is surrounded by statues of Hungarian kings and other important figures.
The outside grounds are very beautiful, but Harrison isn’t going to have time on this trip to do a tour in the interior. NOTE: We need to return to Budapest someday and tour the building.
Evening Cruise leaving Budapest
Our ship leaves Budapest just as the night lights are coming and it’s not long before the city is behind us, and we start our journey to Austria.
Summary
Even after 2 full days in Budapest we feel we left a ton of things to do on the table and this was more of a reconnaissance visit than anything. We didn’t have enough time to do a detailed tour of any of the major sites like the Parliament building or any of the museums. This is definably a place we will come back to someday. Our adventure now continues in Austria
Other segments of this trip can be found here:
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