Nostalgic Train Trips & Other Links for planning a trip to Budapest

Hi,
I don't know if you are looking for a website or a suggestion.
Take a bus or train out to Eger from Budapest, stay a night or two at the hotel Senator and take the late evening train back Budapest.
That late evening, early night train back from Eger, was romantic. What decade were we in? Is the countryside really that dark and isolated? And Eger is like a small Disneyland for adults. Visit the minaret. A memory of Ottoman occupation. The castle, the wine caves, the cathedral, the market...it is all there in a small area minus tourists in any great number.

wayne iNWI

I was just posting the link in the event that someone was looking for something to do.

And here is some more:

GENERAL
2014 Conde Nast Number One Travel Destination (tied with Florence)
2013 Trip Advisor Top 25 Destinations – Europe
2013 Traveler’s Choice Winner
2013 US News and World Reports top 20 places to visit - world
2013 Conde Nast Traveler: The 10 Best Cities in the World
2013 Lonely Planet Top 10 European Destinations
Sort of an introduction to an impossible language https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI3QwxO_udw
This is sort of funny and a bit strange to see Alice Cooper promoting Budapest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vApAmydLjjo

Short, quirky and interesting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lySnQRmQbiM&list=PLaZhKwNKtAw8SI7tIEYZaaeIox_TXv4IB
NYT Article from 2011: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/31/travel/36-hours-in-budapest.html
NYT Article from 2013: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/02/travel/wintertime-bargains-in-budapest.html

This video from Viking Cruises is to advertise their Danube trip but all of the city shots, dining shots, shore shots and half of the aerial shots are in Budapest. Good Budapest marketing:
http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7wvw/viking-river-cruises-see-things-differently-

And one of the better Youtube general tourism videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8HSwsRob8I

SUMMER
Jewish Summer Festival is amazing. In addition to the program events on the website there is generally smaller food stalls and vendors set up along some of the streets in the ghetto. This part of the culture and history of Budapest is one of the city's best draws. We've done it twice now, it’s a good time to be in Budapest. http://zsidonyarifesztival.hu/programok/?lang=en
http://www.festivalbudapest.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/June-Festivals-Budapest-Judafest-Jewish-Cultural.png
http://ww3.hdnux.com/photos/11/04/43/2377930/7/628x471.jpg

Budapest International Wine Festival. We went last year and it was a lot of fun. Set up around the Castle in Buda. Not a drunken orgy as is often the case where the booze is free or cheap. This was very well done and just an enjoyable way to spend a few hours. Very nice.
http://www.aborfesztival.hu/index.php http://festivals.topbudapest.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Budapest-Wine-Festival.png

The National Gallop (Nemzeti Vágta): They close off the streets that circle Hero’s Square then they lay down dirt and they race the circuit. The uniforms and the horses are amazing. Great fun. They also close Andrassy ut from Hero’s Square to the Oktogon and they turn it into a mile long expanse of tent like booths selling food, crafts and stages with music. I had wanted to go for years and finally made it last year. It was a blast.
http://vagta.hu/menu/180/2013

WINTER / CHRISTMAS / NEW YEAR

Here is an idea where you don’t have to worry about rowdy crowds and broken glass on New Year’s Eve (did New Year’s in Rome a few years back and experienced the same so it’s not unique to Vienna by any means) http://ppcdn.500px.org/4932259/468b7473e2387eb183fd6b5c5c4cf53a91f968d2/5.jpg

Ice Skating at Városligeti Műjégpálya.
http://budapest-card.com/files/partners/109.jpg

Bath Houses outside (note the snow) http://guidepal.blob.core.windows.net/inspireimage/inspire103057.jpg
or inside a 14th century bath house http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__hpVNPe3HNw/TMMu88ToBfI/AAAAAAAABKI/qiWLg2I5AA4/s1600/WEB+rudas+0.jpg
or maybe you prefer classical:
http://www.thevandallist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/[email protected] with the dubious history of having been visited by Himmler and Schindler.

Even bathhouse party night
http://attractions.topbudapest.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Design-Szechenyi-Bath-Sparty-Budapest-Spa-July-27-2013.jpg

The Bath house New Year Eve party is strangely on the 30th of December http://szechenyispabaths.com/szechenyi-baths-new-year-bath-party/

Concerts New Year’s Eve, Before and After

Opera New Year’s Eve Gala Performance;
http://www.worldwideticketing.com/images/opera-ballet/hungarian-state-opera/hall.jpg
and
http://www.opera.hu/en

“Tourist” Concerts
http://budapestchristmas.com/budapest-new-years-eve-classical-music-concerts

Liszt Academy (fantastic venue)
http://zeneakademia.hu/en/home and http://zeneakademia.hu/en/lisztery/video/-/asset_publisher/fCa86eGLCFdM/content/a-2013-oktober-22-i-unnepelyes-megnyito-gala

Christmas Markets

They run through 31 December in Budapest
http://cdn-wac.emirates247.com/polopoly_fs/1.434344.1324785528!/image/744982653.jpg

Shopping in the three story 19th century market hall http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a171/danperry/Hungary/Budapest/The%20market/1-IMG_3889.jpg

A couple of classic Budapest restaurants for before, during or after:
http://halaszbastya.eu/
http://www.rezkakasbistro.hu/en/

And the holiday lights
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--tIpbcA5HcM/TvDqWvaYXsI/AAAAAAAAAcg/n1SsL9mejgE/s1600/1828771-Christmas_lights_on_Andrassy_Avenue_Budapest.jpg
and even the trams
http://blog.utazol.hu/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Budapest-KAr%C3%A1csonyi-vasar-2013-Zsolt-Andrasi.png
and
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/f6/0f/ff/f60ffff302046f46a437f676f64b2f4b.jpg

Here is the long list:
http://www.budapestbylocals.com/new-years-in-budapest.html#free