Budapest Mini-Trip Report: ❤️ The Opera! The Scenery! The Food! The Catastrophe!

The Catastrophe:
As I unpacked, I realized I had a problem. When I was waiting for my flight at the Bucharest airport, I had been moving things around because I wanted to make sure I didn't have to check a bag. So I put my purse and moved a few other things around so that all I had was my carry-on and my personal bag. In my rush, I placed my wallet somewhere, and it must have fallen out because when I got to Budapest, I realized it was gone. I tore apart my bags but I couldn't find it.

It wasn't a complete catastrophe as I still had my passport. So all I lost was my driver's license, my health insurance cards, and about six or seven credit cards. I locked the credit cards using my phone and figured there's not a whole lot someone in Romania can do with my driver's license and my health insurance cards. But it was still a pain and I knew I would have to take care of it when I got home. I emailed the Bucharest Airport on the off-chance someone had turned it in, but otherwise, I decided not to let it affect my trip and headed out to explore the city..

Restaurants:
Két Szerecsen: This restaurant, which was fairly close to my hotel, had been mentioned in Time Out, so I headed there. It was wonderful. I had a very tasty dish called Mézes Mustáros Csirkesaláta, which was a salad with slices of chicken and avocado in a honey mustard sauce with bacon and cherry tomatoes. It was so good that I almost licked the plate. I had a glass of rose with it. Both Romania and Hungary have really good rose wines. I've never been much of a rose wine drinker as I usually prefer reds or whites, but I've been drinking a lot of rose since I've been here, and enjoying it immensely.

Goli Budapest: I made a reservation here after I saw it mentioned on the Michelin website. I also read a Facebook post by Cameron Hewitt who raved about it. It was opened several years ago by a chef from Tel Aviv and it specializes in small plates cooked over an open fire. It was amazing. It's a small place but the decor was really cool. I liked it a lot. The menu had been custom printed for me and included a cocktail list. Everything looked so wonderful that my mouth was watering.

The cocktail list was pretty fascinating as well. They had really interesting ingredients. I finally decided to go with the Isfahan Sunrise, which is made from white sun-dried Persian lemon, gin infusion, super lemon juice, and Persian lemon snow. It was wonderful. For my meal, I ordered 3 small plates: pita with homemade Labneh, which was phenomenal; Saged Campfire Potato which was basically a smashed potato that had been flattened out and cooked over fire, topped with spices, tzatziki sauce and olive oil. It was so good that I just wanted to pick it up and cram it all into my mouth. Of course I refrained, but I just couldn't believe how good this food was!

My last dish was entrecote on a stick—beef chunks that had been grilled over open flame, and were so tender they almost melted in my mouth. The flavor was amazing again. I would have loved to have had dessert because I knew that they had Knafeh on the menu, but I was way too full by the time I finished. The bill was very reasonable, and included a service fee.

ETA: Definitely make a reservation if you come here. It's very popular and it's small so they don't have much, if any, in the way of extra seats. They're open for lunch as well.

Kizmeso:
I stopped here after my night at the opera and had a wonderful meal. It was very close to my hotel and quiet at that time of night. I ordered the Veal Paprikash which was served over Bryndza Dumplings and was fantastic. I loved the taste of the paprikash with the soft curly dumplings. It was really a good combination. The dish was accompanied by pickled cucumbers flavored with sesame oil and sprinkled with sesame seed that was quite tasty. I had a glass of red wine with the meal as well. It was a lovely evening and I really enjoyed the dinner.

Cafe Gerbaud: After I read about this lovely cafe, I added it to my list. It's considered a place that is more for tourists than local residents, but it was so beautiful I couldn't resist. It opened in the 1850s and is quite historic with a really lovely decor. It took me forever to decide on a pastry, but I finally settled on a beautiful cake called the SissI Dessert. It consisted of vanilla sponge cake, soft white chocolate mousse with a rich raspberry sauce inside, and topped with violet jelly and candied violets. The whole thing was just decadent. I had a cappuccino with it but also splurged and got some ice cream, as I'd heard their ice cream was very good. I got a scoop of chocolate, which the server said they are known for. That chocolate ice cream was, without a doubt, the best chocolate ice cream I have ever had (and that includes Graeters from Cincinnati). The food, coupled with the decor, really made it a worthwhile visit and I was glad I stopped here. It was pricey but not overly so.

Bellozzo Pizza: I was delighted to find this wonderful pizza place near my hotel called Bellozzo Oktagon (they have a number of them all over the city—Bellozzo Oktagon was near the Oktagon Metro station by my hotel). It had two sizes of pizza; large and small (the small was a little over 9 inches in diameter) plus pasta dishes and salads. Instead of ordering at a table or a counter, you head for one of the four electronic ordering stations to order your food (there is an English option). Once you’ve decided, you put it in the digital cart and pay for it. It then goes to the kitchen, which is right in front, so you can watch them making the pizzas, which is fun. Up above is an electronic board with your order number on it. It shows the status of your order; “Getting Ready,” “Almost Ready,” and “Ready.” Once it’s ready, your number is placed in a little digital truck, which “drives” over to the “Ready” side. It was really cute and a great idea!

I ordered a Pizza Quattro Formaggi (with Gorgonzola, Pecorino, Grana Padano and mozzarella) that came with fresh arugula sprinkled over the top, and a bottle of water. You can eat there or purchase take-away (there is a bag/box fee for that). The pizza was really good and I was very happy with my choice. It's a great option for solo travelers because you can order a smaller pizza, which is always my issue with other pizza places. I hate having to take leftovers with me and I hate leaving them behind and I simply cannot eat a large pizza by myself.

The Great Market:
The Great Market is a large local market inside a historic building in the city center. It was easy to get there by tram (and once again, free). Most of the stalls on the ground floor had food items: produce, meats, pastries, candies, spices, and alcohol. The second level (a mezzanine floor) has some eating places and lots of tourist gifts and souvenirs.. The basement contains fish, vegetable stalls and some butcher shops.I was looking for a T-shirt for my oldest grandson because he is hard to shop for, and I thought he might like something from there. I really enjoyed it there but it can be overwhelming and after about an hour, I was ready to head out.

Parliament:
I had a ticket for Parliament for 10 am my second morning there. You can spot it in the distance because it's so huge (but also quite beautiful). As I made my way towards the building, I saw there were about six or seven police standing out in front and a mixture of crowds nearby. I walked up to them and asked what's going on, and they said that Parliament was closed today because there was a session. I was a little annoyed because I was really looking forward to seeing the inside, and I didn't get an email about it. But there was nothing I could do about it.

I checked with the office about a refund and they told me that it would be credited back to my account. They also told me I could check in the morning to see if any tickets were opening up that day. I did try it but got nothing. That said, my time wasn't a total waste. While I was at the office, I noticed the gift shop, so of course I had to check that out. Pretty soon I walked out with several purchases. They had some very interesting items for sale there; albeit a bit pricey.

St. Stephen’s Basilica:
Since I couldn't go to Parliament, I trotted off to St. Stephen's Basilica. This gorgeous cathedral is named for King Stephen, the first king of Hungary who ruled around the end of the 10th century through the beginning of the 11th. Along the way I passed by the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace, which is a lovely and ornate hotel decorated in an Art Nouveau style. I really wanted to go inside, but didn't have the nerve, so I just took a few photos of the outside and kept going. Soon I was at St. Stephen's, and I realized I would have to buy a ticket. There was a long queue of people waiting but I pulled out my phone and within a minute or two I had my ticket and went inside.

The cathedral wasn't the largest I've been in, but it was really amazing. Brilliant colors; gold, reds, blues, and shimmery glimmer popped up all over the place.There are some beautiful paintings in there too, as well as a number of ornate life-size sculptures. One interesting exhibit was displayed in a gold reliquary. It contains the mummified forearm of Stephen and is called the Holy Right Hand. When he was canonized about 50 years after his death, his corpse was exhumed and his right arm was found to be quite fresh, so it was cut off to be preserved. I guess the rest of him wasn't quite so fresh, which is why they left it behind.

Fiumei Uti Sirkert (Fiume Road Cemetery)
On my third day, I planned to go to the Hungarian National Gallery, but I got a little confused and wound up going to the Hungarian History Museum instead. I had a lunch date and didn't really have time to devote to the museum, so instead I headed to an interesting cemetery that TexasTravelMom had told me about (we both like cemeteries). 😊 I took the tram rather than walk the whole way, It was a bit of a distance. I like the tram as you can see some interesting sites as you go along, but I also like walking, so I try to combine the two.

It was nice getting a bit out of the city and wandering around without crowds. And the cemetery was worth a visit—it was quite evocative with many unique monuments and mausoleums. Some of them were very sad, and others were just... interesting. It's an old cemetery and they no longer have internments there, but there are quite a few famous people buried there including many heads of state, along with Zsa Zsa Gabor and her mother.

Meetup with Mr. E
James and I had talked about meeting up before I even left the states, so once I got there, I WhatsApped him and we arranged to meet at noon at the Opera House. When I got there, he was waiting for me and asked me if I wanted to start walking. I was great with that, so we walked around to some really interesting places. He lives in Budapest and even before he moved here, he'd been coming here for a very long time, so he knows the city quite well. We visited some lovely and interesting places, including the train station, which is really lovely. Then we took the tram over to Buda where we headed to a large market where a lot of the locals shop. The fruits and vegetables I saw were huge and beautiful.

After that, we stopped for lunch at a place that he likes in Buda. It was a nice low-key place with good food and no tourists.. We each had a glass of wine with our lunch (which was very good), and talked for quite a while about many different subjects. James and I may not line up perfectly on politics, but talking to him was such a joy—I loved hearing his perspective and getting caught up in his stories from all the places he’s traveled. Finally, we took the tram back to Pest and he gave me a quick lesson on which trams I should take to go to certain places, which was very helpful. We made our way back to the Oktagon metro station, which is near my hotel and close to where he lives, so we separated there.

The Hungarian State Opera
When I first started planning my trip, I was very excited to see that there was an opera being performed while I was there. As soon as I could, I booked a ticket to see Turandot. It's been a while since I've seen an opera and really missed it. The opera started at 6:30 pm, I started getting ready around 5. I didn't really bring clothes to dress up but I did manage to look presentable (I think). Soon I was walking down Andrássy towards my night at the opera. The opera house was absolutely gorgeous; so beautiful from the outside, but when you walk in, it just shimmered with lights and elegance and excitement.

I could see that there were a lot of out-of-towners there, but most people were quite dressed up, or at least business casual. I did see one woman behind me in a tank top, which I thought was pretty inappropriate, but I certainly wasn't going to say anything. The theatre was just as beautiful as the lobby and I made my way to my seat, which was a good one—13 rows back in the orchestra and close to center stage, so I had a wonderful view of this production. It was worth it. It was an incredible production and I was so impressed by the performance. The music was, of course, fantastic, and the singers were equally impressive—but it was the staging that completely won me over. The set was stunning, the costumes absolutely breathtaking, and under the direction and choreography of Dóra Barta, everything came together beautifully. I was captivated by the entire production, and especially at the end when Calaf sang Nessun Dorma.

Matthias Church (The Church of Our Lady of Buda Castle)
Words cannot describe how I felt about this church. It wasn't a huge church, but the interior was so beautiful. In fact, I might rank it up there as one of the most beautiful churches I've seen. Honestly, I just didn't know where to look as I was so overwhelmed by its lovely interior. It did not have the ornate grandeur of cathedrals and large basilicas. It was just that the colors and designs were so engaging and so lovely that every place you turned, there was something new and beautiful to see. I finally plopped myself down and just stared all around because it was so gorgeous. You could also walk up into the galleys and look out over the church.

Matthias (con't):The original church was destroyed in the mid-13th century, and the new church was built soon after, most of which survives today. However, it was expanded in the 15th century by Matthias Corvinus, who was the king of Hungary in the 15th century, and named after him. Interestingly, King Matthias came from Romania and was born in Cluj-Napoca. There was some additional restoration to the church. in the late 1800s as well. The roof, which I really admired, especially the tile work, is actually fairly modern and was added around the mid-20th century. Evidently, the original roof burnt down after it was shelled by the Soviets in World War II.

The rest of Buda:
After leaving the church, I walked over to a place called the Fisherman's Bastion, where you can look at the views of the Danube River and at Pest below. There were gorgeous views where I stood. If you wanted to get better ones, you could pay, but I didn't feel like it, plus I didn't want to walk up that high.

After that, I decided to head to Hospital on the Rock, which is a museum that was built prior to World War II to handle injuries and was built under Buda Castle in caverns. It sounded really interesting and I would have liked to have seen it, but when I got all the way there, it turned out that the tours were all booked for the next three hours, and they only do one an hour. So I would have had to have come back at 4:00, and I just didn't feel like it. Since I plan on coming back to Budapest at some point, I figured I would save it for my next trip.

After that, I just continued walking through Buda and enjoying the beauty of this part of the city. At one point, I decided to head up to the Hungarian National Gallery because I really wanted to see some of the paintings. So I walked and walked and walked, mostly uphill, up steps and winding paths. When I finally got almost to the top, I found a bridge that I had to cross that went over the funicular. I tried to make myself go across, but it was so high up I just couldn't do it, even though it looked very sturdy. It was made of brick and certainly wide enough, but it was just freaking me out. So I stopped and turned around and walked back down and just kept walking down and down until I got to the bottom again. But the views going both up and down were so beautiful that I really didn't mind the walk.

A Happy Ending to the Catastrophe
Soon I was heading back to my hotel where I needed to do some packing as I was moving to the Ibis Airport hotel the next day given that my flight was at 6:20 am. Ugh. But I had a moment of joy when I discovered my wallet!!!!! It turns out my Bagsmart backpack that I used as a personal bag has a hidden zipper in one obscure area which I must have found when I was stuffing things in the bag at the airport but then inconveniently forgot about later. So I had my wallet, and I could unlock all my credit cards and I didn't need to replace my driver's license or medical insurance cards. Hooray!

The next day I wandered around town a little bit more and did some souvenir shopping but eventually made my way to the airport. I took the 100E bus again and it was just as easy as before. It dropped me off at the airport in front of Departures, and I got out and made my way to the ibis hotel.

ibis Styles Budapest Airport
The hotel was okay but not great. The room was small and had some unattractive graphics but it was fine for a one-night airport stay. I don't think I would have wanted to stay longer. That said, breakfast next morning, which was included in the rate I paid (€109), was very good. The best part was it started at 4:00 am, which meant I could have breakfast before I left for the airport. And as a bonus, the walk to the airport from the hotel was a very quick 3-4 minute walk.

I should mention that after I got to the hotel, I received a message from the KLM app, which asked me to check my bag the next day at no cost as the flight was full. This worked out well for me as I had tried to check-in online earlier but couldn’t do it, and was told to check in at the airport. So when I got to the airport I headed to the check-in but was pretty dismayed by the huge lines I saw there. I walked over to an employee standing nearby and told her that I was trying to check my bag and explained about the message.. She immediately thanked me for checking it, and told me to follow her up to a station with no line where I got my bag and myself checked in. I then happily made my way to the proper gate.

I really loved Budapest and I can't wait to go back there. I did not see everything that I wanted to (or even close to it) as I was still a little bit tired from my three weeks in Romania, so I took it somewhat easy. But it was such a beautiful city and had so many wonderful restaurants and beautiful sights that the city could easily become a favorite of mine. I look forward to a return trip in the not-so-far future!

what a wowzer report - most excellent

Thanks, Nigel!!!

Agree with Nigel. Excellent trip report!

Thanks so much, Claudia!

Loved your report and that you met up with James. I think you meant 15 minute walk vs. 15 hour walk.......

Great report, Mardee. I’m glad you found your wallet!

Great trip report Mardee! Budapest has never been on my to-do list, but it may be now.
My great-grandfather or was it great-great- grandfather was from Buda or was it Pest (long ago stories from family past).

Mardee, I visited Budapest over 10 years ago and also loved it. Did you converse in Hungarian or English? I found most of the young folks knew English, but older ones did not. Unfortunately Hungarian is a difficult language to learn as it is not Latin based. I am so glad you found your wallet and admire how you absorbed thinking you'd lost it. Putting it in a hidden pocket and then forgetting there is a hidden pocket sounds just like me. When I got home on Sunday from my domestic journey I couldn't find the key to the chest I put important papers & my laptop when I travel. I remembered it was a new spot and I was concerned it might be too 'easy,' but to date I have not found it. I pulled the chest out from the wall and managed to get half the back off so I could access my laptop. Hopefully some day I'll find the key and hopefully won't need things still in the chest which are difficult to access.

Mardee, you are a class act. It was a pleasure.

Thanks for your trip report Mardee, I enjoyed reading it. It's probably been just over a decade since I was last there and it deserves a return visit. I love reading your restaurant reviews, I think our tastes are quite similar so I'll be sure to keep your recommendations in mind.

Mardee, that's quite a walk you took!

Wow, you handled your catastrophe well. I would have been going crazy. So glad you discovered the lost wallet. I assume you used your Apple or Google wallet to pay. How does that work when you lock your cards?

I'm bookmarking this for your wonderful restaurant reviews. Budapest has moved up on my list. Thanks for your report.

Carol NR, ha ha, yes, I did mean minutes! Good catch and thanks! I've fixed the error.

Barbara N, thanks, and believe me, I was very happy about that!

Horsewoofie, that's very interesting about your ancestors! I think you would love the city. It has such a wonderful vibe to it.

Laurie Beth, oh, all my speaking was in English. 😊 I know no Hungarian. At some point I think I found someone that spoke a little German and we were talking but that was it. I hope you find the key!

Mr. E, the pleasure was all mine!

JC, thank you! I do like really good food and Budapest is definitely a place where you can find that. I hope you do get back there.

Jeanm, thanks so much! Yes, I used Apple Wallet to pay for everything. After I locked the cards, I left my Chase Sapphire Preferred card unlocked as I knew I would get an immediate notice if there was a transaction. But locking and unlocking the card really only took a few seconds. I just had to go to the app, which is very easy and quick to do. So I could have unlocked it, made a transaction and then locked it back up within a 5-minute period. And yes, that walk really did me in. With my leg problems, I was feeling it for a week or so after I got home. Of course the flight back and being cramped in a regular seat and then having to sit for two or three hours in a shuttle bus to get home didn't help.

Loved reading this, so glad you found your wallet! Saint Matthias is one of the most beautiful churches I’ve ever visited, it made a big impression on me too and I loved reading your descriptions.

Mardee, I must admit that your title had me at The Catastrophe! I skipped everything else until I got to that section and then skipped all beyond it to A Happy Ending to the Catastrophe: climax, denouement. It is a good example about how rational thought goes out the window when we're jet lagged and/or flustered by all the rules and getting everything "right" at the airport. I'm glad it turned out for you. Now I'll go back and read the "good stuff".

Cat, I just loved it! posted some photos up on Facebook and a friend of mine who is a well-known portrait artist was raving about the beauty of it. He said he wants to go to Budapest now just to see that church.

Lindy, that made me laugh so hard! I actually do things that way, too, lol!

Great report Mardee. I'll be in Budapest for a couple of days this fall so saving your restaurant recommendations. It's one of my favorite places. So glad your catastrophe had a happy ending.

This is a fabulous report! I had to read it in two pieces as well - first to determine the catastrophe and then to enjoy the travel info;)

Mardee, im not sure if everyonr understand that your $100 a night hotel is the equivalent to finding a great $100 a night hotel on the Vienna Ringstrass or within feet of Prague Old Town or Paris' Île Saint-Louis. There was no location compromise. You chose well.

Leslie, thanks! I'm already trying to figure out a way to get back there! 😊

Valerie, ha ha!!! Thanks, and I was so glad that the catastrophe ended well. Next time I'll remember where I put the darned thing!

Mr. E., I can't argue with that! It really was a wonderful location. But I have to thank TexasTravelMom for letting me know about it!

Getting back here? Careful or you end up like the others. Someone said I say "Budapest" too much today. To be fair, I say Montenegro and Bosnia & Herzegovina a lot too. So, getting back here is as simple as flying into Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina and out of Podgorica, Montenegro to Budapest. I could recommend a trip planner to connect Bosnia and Montengro. I think that makes a world class trip.

So glad you found your wallet! It sounds like a great trip! That's so fun you and Mr E got to meet.

Mardee, wow, thanks for sharing, especially the restaurant information. Bookmarking for our 2 weeks in Budapest this spring.

Loved your review of Budapest! Some of the best food I’ve ever had was in Budapest! It’s a beautiful city and I’ve wanted to go back for several years. I don’t travel solo and my travel friends aren’t interested. 🙁!
Hubby and I walked and walked too!

Great trip report! Well done! Vivid! I felt like I was there again.

Happy travels.

Mr. E, I will keep all that in mind. Thanks!

pbscd, it was fun to meet up! I always enjoy meeting up with forum friends.

Tammy, You will love it! That's so cool that you have two weeks there - I'm jealous!

Diane, Isn't the food amazing? I hope that you can get back there soon!

David, thank you!

pbscd, I used to try and keep a thread of who is visiting and when, so that RS types could meet. But the enthusiasm wasn't there.

I am not a social person. I got dragged kicking and screaming into my first RS meetup. Turned out to be a pleasant surprise, the type I think most of this forum woukd enjoy in any corner of the world.

Through the years I have developed wonderful aquaintances, very close friends and have been surprised by the genuine honesty and intelligence and sincerity of people like Mardee. Of course, when the backdrop of the meeting is Andrassy ut with the Opera on one side of tge street and the Drechsler Palace on the opposite, can you possibly have a better beginning?

Every country should have a thread to facilitate this sort of thing. When strangers meet and talk the world gets closer together.

Mr E, I couldn't agree with you more.

Every country should have a thread to facilitate this sort of thing. When strangers meet and talk the world gets closer together.

That is a wonderful idea. And your last sentence says it all. That's so true.

I ended up meeting people who are on this forum (I don't know their usernames and don't know how often they post but they said they have posted here) at the Manoir St Victoire in Bayeux. They were all interesting and kind. I know there can be valid hesitations to meeting people, too (and my husband and I are pretty quiet, he is especially so).

pbscd, I get it. My reputation, hard earned, is anti social. But I have met so many amazing people through tourism. Its sort of the opposite of my daily life attitude. I now have honest legitimate and loving friends in a half dozen countries. The type that come in times of need. For that reward its worth pushing past a little shyness or discomfort.

What was facinating about Mardee and a certain Left Coast RS tourist now planning to return with the S.O. was a realization tgat we share a lot of goals, just differ in the best way to achieve them.

Okay, more fun: Unicum Factory Tour. Its great. Do it.

Mardee, what a great trip report! I stayed at Hotel Medosz in the "family room" in September, 2019 when I was traveling with two friends and we liked it a lot. The location was fabulous and the room (which was actually two bedrooms and a living area) was spacious. I would recommend it to others looking for a hotel in Budapest.

Such an amazing trip and trip report, Mardee. I’m envious for sure. You are a wonder to me, traveling on your own as you do. Wish I had the courage. So cool that you met up with Mr E, love reading all you did and experienced. Many thanks for this report!

Luv2Travel, pick a destination that has a good RS forum support. Good means locals and a lot of recent tourists. Vienna and Montenegeo and Frankfurt and Paris come to mind. With that sort of support and if you take the time to become a bit personal then the trip can be a bit more like going to visit relatives. Much more comforting.

Mardee! Thanks so much for the wonderful trip report! I, too, gasped at your catastrophe. But I knew you used ApplePay so assumed you would be alright. I did not know you could lock and unlock CCs like that instead of just canceling them. That is very useful knowledge.

And...laughing at your using the secret pocket and forgetting it was there. This is totally something I would do! If I put my card case in a different location I try to say the location to myself to "set" the information. Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

Which Bagsmart bag was it? I can't remember how many you have, lol!

Thanks again for taking the time to write this up! Clearly very helpful for many!

Sherry, thank you! I'm glad to hear you liked it as well. It really was a wonderful location and I like the room a lot, too!

Luv2Travel, thanks! It was fun to meet up with him and I love doing that. I think that's one of the advantages of solo travel. It's easy to meet other people like locals and forum friends. 😊 Have you ever thought about traveling to some place that you know already for just a few days to a week by yourself? I know some people have done it starting slowly and then working their way up to longer trips. And Mr. E has some good advice as well.

Pam, I didn't really either because I've never had to lock one before, but when I went on the app for each credit card, I found it was super simple to lock them and then unlock them. And yes, I can't begin to tell you how dumb I felt when I found it, although I was also very happy. So I like to think the happiness cancelled out the stupidity, lol! But that's a good idea to repeat the location back to myself. I was just rushing because I knew we were going to be boarding soon and I was just cramming stuff in figuring I'd find it all later at the hotel. Duh...

And the bag I had was the 28L BAGSMART Blast Travel Backpack that I bought about a year ago. It is the only one I have, thank you very much. It sounds like I've got a collection of them hanging in my closet! 😂😂😂

"It sounds like I've got a collection of them hanging in my closet! 😂😂😂"

Oh...I thought you had an entire ROOM dedicated to your bags, packs, small pouches, toiletry bags, accessory bags, personal items, rolly bags, cross body bags, enabled purchases, purchases which enabled an avalanche of others to purchase, you know??..... hahahaha!!!!

And yes, allowing myself to rush and stuff is the worst tactic for me!

Ha ha ha ha ha!!!! OK, maybe I have a few more than is necessary for a solo traveler, but in my defense… oh, what the heck, there is no defense!

I would say a successful stop all the way round!!

I just fell for the power of 'the influencer" in this thread--I ordered the BUG Lightweight Women Tote Bag because I HAD to look at "Bagsmart bag". Yes, I really did want something like it that zipped at the top and could hold all the snacks that I wanted to take for our family of eight on the flight to Barcelona in three weeks. I must say, though, that every suggestion/"need" that Mardee has posted has turned out to be a jewel (or so the addict tells herself).

Thanks, Mardee! Loved your report. We've been back from Europe for 5 weeks and we're still raving about Budapest (and Poland) .I think we were at the opera the same night- mentioned in an earlier post. I wasn't the one wearing a tank top. We took clothes specially (all the way from New Zealand) Congrats on finding your wallet - my catastrophe is that I hid my diary as it has most of our passwords written in it and we had a house sitter. But where did I hide it? Its whereabouts remain unknown!

What a great report, Mardee. I went to Budapest on my first trip to Europe in 1989, and I'm going back for a week next spring. I've bookmarked this post so I can refer to it after I get back from my current trip and start planning.

Great trip report, Mardee! I’m happy you found your wallet and envious that you got into that cemetery. We went there with TTM last year and discovered they were closed. It was quite a disappointment. I’m hoping we will make it back to Budapest and we will try again.

TexasTravelMom, ha ha, yes indeed!

Lindy, that's so funny! Although I think we're all guilty of not only being influenced but also influencing. I know I've gotten so many ideas from folks here on the forum.

JennieB, thank you! OMG, there's nothing worse than losing something in your house that you need. I've definitely been there. I hope you find it soon! Yes, it would have been wonderful to have met. Mr. E just started a thread that he will keep open for people traveling to Hungary so that it will give others the chance to see who's going to be there at the same time.

Lane, thanks! Your spring trip sounds wonderful, especially after an absence of over 35 years! How fun!

Andrea, thank you! I hope you make it to the cemetery next time. It really was a very interesting place and it was so peaceful and quiet when I was there. I think that's what I liked the most. Sometimes it's nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of a big city, even one as wonderful as Budapest.

Mardee, I am so glad that you wrote this report and kept it “short,” haha! It was just right IMO.

I am planning to go to Budapest next November (no actual plans yet), and your report will be so helpful. I loved your descriptions of the hotel, the sites, and the restaurants. My husband and I usually just wing it when it comes to food and we do a lot of inexpensive takeout. But it sounds like Budapest would be a good place to focus on food and make dining reservations.

So glad you found your wallet. It is always comforting to hear stories like that! I have been known to lose my keys when they are in my purse, so I consider myself a master at losing without really losing things. LOL 🙄

Glad you found your wallet, it reminds me how I often outsmart myself by putting things in different spots than I'm used to. For example, on travel days when my passport is required, it goes in a certain pocket in my pants so I know exactly where it is for quick retrieval; no exceptions. Except when I decide a different spot makes more sense and then I panic at the airport when it’s not where it always is.

Budapest is on my list but not my wife's so I'm not sure when we'll go. She also never had a desire to go to Naples, Mexico City (February), New York.... but I eventually wear her down.

Great trip report, Mardee - thank you for sharing! My husband and I will be leaving this week for our first visit to Budapest (staying for 9 days). Our apartment location sounds very near to your hotel, so this is another great resource for us. Between Mr. E, Texas Travel Mom, and you…this trip has been so easy to put together. Thanks, all!

Carroll, that's funny about you losing your keys in your purse. I was actually thinking about that just before I came back here to respond. I think I'm going to get another AirTag since they're on sale right now and put one in my wallet. In fact I'm going to attach one to everything I have that I could possibly lose that would cause me some problems. And if I lose it, I just ping it and voila (if it's there, of course). 😂 I hope you enjoy Budapest although I know you will! It definitely is a good place to concentrate on food.

Allan, ha ha, that's so funny! Yes, that's the problem. It's easy to learn something but then when you change it, watch out! I hope you do wear your wife down. I honestly think she would love it.

Wendy, thanks so much! Have a wonderful trip. I can't wait to hear about it when you get back! Enjoy!

Thanks for the detailed report, enjoyed reading your observations. My last time in Budapest was a decade ago, in May of 2015 as a day trip from Vienna.

I did make it a point to see the Matthias Church because of that singular dynastic historical event in 1916, by which time the country fighting on 3 fronts was acutely suffering from the war.

Good that you saw the Matthias Church. It was the site where the last Habsburg was crowned, the young Archduke Charles (Herzog Karl) following the death of the Emperor Franz Joseph at the end of 1916.

Sounds like you had a wonderful trip. And I am so glad you found your wallet ! And especially that you could then unlock your credit cards !

Fred, Vielen Dank! And that's very interesting about the Matthias Church. I didn't know any of that information, especially about the last Habsburg being crowned there. It really was a beautiful church. I just fell in love with it.

Kim, thank you! And yes, the unlocking of the credit cards was all important! 😂

Great report, Mardee, and it brought back a lot of wonderful memories. Budapest kicked off my second trip to Europe, and I loved it. I didn't get to meet the Mr. E man, like you did, but he played a big role in the success and enjoyment of my trip, nonetheless.

I stayed not far from where you stayed (quite close to the Opera), and I agree that the location is superb. Like you, I was blown away by the architecture in the area.

I'm so glad you found your wallet! I can relate to the feeling, as I left my purse on an airport golf cart last year (it had fallen into an opening near my feet), and then I was fortunate, after I realized, to find it again. I can so relate to putting something in a safe place and then forgetting where I put it! Anyway, you handled the situation with aplomb, and I'm glad you didn't let it spoil your trip.

BB, thanks so much! It's such a scary situation to lose stuff like that. I lost my passport on my very first trip to Europe back in 1996 in London. It was eventually found and returned to me after I was back in the States but I had to go through the whole process of replacing the passport and getting money because I also lost my credit cards, traveler's checks and cash. They were in a money belt that fell off without me noticing (I was wearing a long raincoat). I didn't let it spoil my trip then either, although the half carafe of wine I had may have contributed to that! 😂

I hope you get back to Budapest again!

Mardee, remember that place for lunch. Tonight was a sparkling wine tasting dinner. The waitress asked where you were.

Mardee, remember that place for lunch. Tonight was a sparkling wine tasting dinner. The waitress asked where you were.

Ooh, that sounds nice! Definitely worth making another trip over there for that! And please give my regards to the waitress!

Hi Marlee, For one glad you found your wallet. I had lost mine once before and it’s like panic sets in. I now have my wallet in fully zipped warmup pants. Anyway Glad you had a good time in Budapest. We went in August this year. I will have to tell you What a fascinating city. We walked half way on the Chain bridge. I got to see the shoes on the Danube. I went alone since wife was tired, and seen something unexpected. A male swimmer guessing in his 30 s. Came out of the river completely nude. That was an eye opener. I wanted to see Fisherman’s Bastion, but no cabs were running that day due to a huge celebration. I heard you was near the Gresham hotel. That’s were we stayed sine this was a Viking River cruise. I highly recommend this hotel, Very nice. I did get to go in the Parliament building, Very impressive inside. One of the areas was you were prohibited from taking photos since 2 motionless guards were guarding some kings crown, which was invaded in a cube. One stop on our cruise was in a 3 day in Prague. I hope you would get to see this city sometime. I felt I was in some fairytale city. Any way glad you had a nice trip, Larry

Larry, ha ha, that must have been a shock to see that swimmer. I'm glad you liked the Gresham Hotel. It was a beautiful exterior although I didn't go inside (much as I wanted to). 😊 That must have been a very nice place to stay. And I'm glad you like Prague. I was there back in 2010 and enjoyed my visit. Thanks for posting!