Budapest - Very Short stay

Some folks view 'All Forums' but for those that view by country, this might be more frequently viewed on the Hungary forum.... where Budapest is.

We will be taking a cruise next week and starting in Budapest. We visited Budapest about 7 years ago and spent a few days sight seeing. I would recommend the Baths (the one that starts with S)--a relaxing experience for sure. A restaurant that we enjoyed was Kiskakkuck which translates to The Little Cuckoo. You can google for more information for location but I remember it being not far from the Margaret Bridge. The great market hall is a must see. Andrassy Blvd is a major street with shops and some museums--one was the Museum of Terror--a bit grim but interesting. St Mathias Church is worth a visit. Another restaurant the was good was Toscanna.

We're also on a river cruise starting there at the end of May. I've done some research for our group and typed up the below info (some comments from other travel sites). FYI - we're staying across the river at the Intercontinental so they're on that side. Mostly casual stuff. No breakfasts as it's included at our hotel.

Utca = street, etterem = restaurant

Cafe Kor 17 Sas utca, 1051 Open 10-10 Vegetable and fruit soups, veal paprikash, schnitzel, and főzelék (vegetable stews) with meatballs.
Tüköry Étterem 15 Hold utca - open 11-11 Reasonably-priced and reliable traditional Hungarian staples in a red-and-white-checkered-tablecloths-style setting. Although there exists better Hungarian food in Budapest, I find Tüköry’s pörkölt, made-to-order schnitzel-like dishes (frissensültek) such as the cordon bleu, and the palacsinta desserts (Hungarian crepes) their strong suits. Most of the main dishes are in the €6-8 range.
ÉS Bisztro. It is attached to the Kempinski Hotel, mixed menu with burgers, salads, steaks, pasta, Hungarian specialties price range about $12-20 – also has a deli with sandwiches
The Strudel House Első Pesti Rétesház 22 Október 6. utca, open 9-11 mixed menu with both sweet and savory strudel and other choices. Can watch strudel being made.
Great Market Hall – closes at 6, upstairs casual dining space - cafeteria style.
Pipa Etterem - next door to the market – open 12-10 –soups, salad, entrees mostly around $10
Börze Budapest Open til midnight Off the lunch and dinner menu, I enjoyed the cordon bleu (€10), a crispy, breaded pork schnitzel filled with melted cheese and a layer of ham. You could also try two Hungarian classics: the chicken paprikash (€10) or the layered potatoes (€9) laced with sausages and eggs. Finish off your meal with túrógombóc (€4), a Hungarian specialty of sweet cottage cheese dumplings topped with sour cream and apricot jam at Börze. With main dishes in the €9-13 range, prices at Börze are not unreasonable for the scenic, central location. In addition to tourists, they try to attract locals with a wallet-friendly two-course lunch prix-fixe (€5 and served on weekdays only), which is especially popular among office workers. Cherry on top is the location on Liberty Square, Budapest’s most monumental public park.
Fishermans House Szegedi Halászcsárda Budapest has too few restaurants located along the Danube River. And even the existing few are often content with offering vistas, rather than gastronomic delights. Flanked by endless rows of docked Viking river cruises, Szegedi Halászcsárda isn't a promising sight, but the restaurant is actually a positive surprise. As its moniker suggests, their specialty is the Hungarian fisherman’s soup, halászlé, especially its famed version from the south-Hungarian city of Szeged. Soups, salads/garnishes, entrees. Very reasonably priced - $10-20.

Budapest Bistro 1054 Budapest, Vécsey street 3 - M to F 7:30-24:00 – traditional foods, soups, pastas - $10-20 -
Molnars Kürtöskalács Chimney Cakes 1052 Budapest, Váci utca 31. Traditional chimney cakes, ice cream and coffee. Near Elizabeth bridge. The 8 most popular flavours are: vanilla, cinnamon, walnut, almond, chocolate, coconut, cocoa and poppy-seed.
The Chimney Cake Shop - Károly krt. 13-15. Budapest, Hungary 107 – no web page – looks like cone shaped cakes filled with ? ice cream

Beyond the obvious that BP isn't un the Czexh Republic ..... and your hotel is off the beaten path .... I am guessing you have one jet lagged late afternoon/evening plus one full day.

So, that first afternoon walk to the start of the No2 tram and ride it past the parliament and along the river to the Corso. Visit Vorosmarty ter, Vaci u. ( not to be confused with Vaci ut where your hotel is). Eat dinner on the corso with one of the world's most stunning views.
Go home and crash.

Next day, same tram all the way to the Great Market Hall, then the 47/49 tram to the Great Synagogue. Then walk to the end of Andrassy ut and take the M1 to Hero's Square. On to the Bath house if that lights your fire. Then walk the length of Andrassy ut to the Opera. Eat at Callas next to the opera, drink at Kadarka about 2 blocks away, then find your way to the 4/6 tram that will get you home for the night.

Budapest indeed is not in Czech Republic which Maria and James noticed.

Thanks to everyone for your information and suggestions! Looking forward to this trip.

Central Market, Castle Hill, Széchenyi Baths.

I have private messaged you , BP

James E is on the right track, but walk to Parliament & circle the building. Walk down stream along the river to the memorial for the Jews killed in WWII. Walk around the neighborhood inland of Parliament; see the Imre Nagy memorial.

Skip Vaci Ut. Over priced, over crowded shopping street with no charm.

I assume the first day of your cruise will be standard 4 he intro visit to Budapest. Abandon the tour after the visit to St Mathias Church on Castle Hill and stay on Castle hill until you get tired. IF your boat tour does not go to Castle Hill, go there on your first full day. Visit the Hilton on castle hill-- restrooms & Roman ruins exposed in the lobby.

FYI: In regards to "must sees" recommended up thread, please see blog 1/4/19 on RS site.
"Cameron's Travels R.I.P. Imre Nagy: The Death of Rational Governance in Hungary."
We are so disappointed to miss this opportunity on our upcoming stay in Budapest.

Janis, that blog is devoid of any attempt to be balanced. There is truth in it but it is presented in such a biased way as to make it impossible to begin to get an understanding of the politics at work in Hungary. And an understanding of the politics in Hungary might prove to be very important if you want to understand Europe of the very near future. You might think that V.O. is hated in Hungary after reading that? His party received two thirds of the vote, a party more extreme to the right received another 10 - 15% if my memory is correct which means that about 3/4 of the popoulation supports him or doesnt think he is going far enough.

Personally the guy makes me a bit nervous at times. But I have that opinion based on more than the sort of propaganda that blog represents. BUT!!! It's a great topic. Some say never talk politics when traveling. I say the oppositee ... just have enough respect for your hosts to listen and not judge. After all its their home, not yours. So vist, stay long enough to get comfortable with a few folks and ask a 1000 questions. You will be a more informed voter in your own country.

Janis, my response sounded a bit harsh. Not my intent. Not a good writer.

"Some say never talk politics when traveling." If that's the case, I am glad I never took that advice.

I totally dissent from the view. Starting with my first trip in 1971, I talked politics, history and the war with Germans, even though I had been given advice here by Americans specifically not to do that. .