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Second guessing our apartment location

My husband and I are spending a week in Budapest this December--it will be our first visit.

I booked an apartment on Ráday utca 43 because we enjoy staying in more residential neighbourhoods. But now I'm wondering if we should stay somewhere more central and I'm considering an Airbnb that looks right onto St Stephen's--it's on a busy street but looks into a courtyard so it's quiet.

We're in our 60s, love walking, not much into nightlife (other than hoping to attend some concerts at the Liszt Academy). We'll be arriving by train at the Keleti station.

I'd appreciate any opinions on these two (very different, I think) locations to help me decide whether I should make a change.

Posted by
3181 posts

You are a ten-minute walk from the Great Market Hall. Sounds like you’ll be riding the metro and trams.

Posted by
8 posts

I’ve just been looking at the Airbnb again and I see that it’s on Zrinyi utca between Oktober 6 and Nador utca.

Posted by
3181 posts

It's a good area. You're a mile from the Hungarian Parliament building on the Pest side.

Posted by
19936 posts

Getting off Raday utca was probably a good idea. Every street in Budapest is a residential neighborhood so thats an easy acheivment. But that one tends to be not well connected or close to much.

The one on the pedestrian road in front of the Basilica is a tad better connected (but not ideal.... so a lot more walking) but very tourist commercial. But also sort of pretty in the evening. Definately better. The only problem is the walk to public transportation. Doesnt matter how close anything is, what matters is how close by tram or metro. This location is only close to the 2 Tram which has beautiful views and serves from the Market Hall to the Parliament. Other than that you will be walking a ways to get to the 47/49 tram and the M1 to see the rest of the sights. But pretty walks. Not horrible at all.

Here is a street view https://www.google.com/maps/@47.5004224,19.0500509,3a,75y,256.81h,96.89t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s14uFh6pgZsma0JtjEOASnA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-6.886981712019505%26panoid%3D14uFh6pgZsma0JtjEOASnA%26yaw%3D256.8124235415827!7i13312!8i6656?authuser=0&coh=205410&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDkyNS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Posted by
8 posts

Thanks to both of you. I’ve got to think about it. We generally try to avoid overly commercial, touristy locations but I can see the benefit of being a bit more central, especially with shorter, colder days. I find it’s hard to really visualize how large a city is before you visit. As I said, we’re pretty good walkers—on our last trip we walked about 16 km a day.

Both apartments are really well reviewed and both say they’re in the “perfect”location which doesn’t make it any easier to decide.

Posted by
8 posts

Two other possibilities: one at Csengery U @ Kiraly U and another at Szinyei Merse U @ Kmety Gyorgy U. I think both of these might be a bit better for public transport but further from the river.

Posted by
19936 posts

Two other possibilities: one at Csengery U @ Kiraly U and another at
Szinyei Merse U @ Kmety Gyorgy U. I think both of these might be a bit
better for public transport but further from the river.

The river must be experienced from both sides, day and night. But its not necessary to stay close to it as so much of what there is to see in town is scattered elsewhere. The good thing is that all the areas between the sights are beautiful and fascinating as well. So it’s the total immersion that you go for. Likewise, physical distance doesn’t mean near as much as public transportation access. 2km as the crow flies can be 5 minutes on a tram or 25 minutes on foot if you or the destination are not on a transportation line.

My choice of all those you have mentioned so far: Szinyei Merse utca @ Kmety Gyorgy utca, is certainly an interesting location, Your desire to be more residential and more off the tourist trail is met with this. My desire to have you close to transportation so you can get around is also taken care of ( a few blocks from the M1 metro). Here is the street view: https://www.google.com/maps/@47.511232,19.0681516,3a,75y,121.08h,96.61t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s-uJKtPZGszl8s7sofws2IQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-6.6143428433938%26panoid%3D-uJKtPZGszl8s7sofws2IQ%26yaw%3D121.07887012606425!7i16384!8i8192?authuser=0&coh=205410&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDkyNS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D As interesting is the end of the street at Andrassy ut where the M1 stop is. This is beautiful Budapest: https://www.google.com/maps/@47.5096924,19.0700671,3a,75y,264.47h,84.27t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1scEyjI0JyKSe9316UGw62XQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D5.7315866850883594%26panoid%3DcEyjI0JyKSe9316UGw62XQ%26yaw%3D264.46837442797494!7i16384!8i8192?authuser=0&coh=205410&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDkyNS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Csengery u. @ Kiraly u. (if you are going to abbreviate utca, it’s a lower case "u" as Hungarians dont have the same capitalization conventions that we do). Close to the Hunyadi téri piac (market hall) and the park which is sort of nice if you are there on a Saturday. Also not far from the Oktogon and the 4/6 Tram and the M1 Metro so fairly convenient to get around. Not as charming an area as the other selection but still very nice. https://www.google.com/maps/@47.5044432,19.0678479,3a,75y,318.7h,89.44t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1smPmpJSjUkrlx_RTz6ZxVTg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D0.5582626007686002%26panoid%3DmPmpJSjUkrlx_RTz6ZxVTg%26yaw%3D318.7006249072828!7i16384!8i8192?authuser=0&coh=205410&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDkyNS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Posted by
8 posts

Thanks for the very helpful reply. I’m definitely leaning towards Szinyei Merse u @ Kmety Gyorgy u. It’s the least expensive of all the options which is an added benefit.

Posted by
19936 posts

Its the least expensive possibly because its not on the tourist circuit. Its an interesting city. Get one block or two blocks off the main circuit and prices drop quickly. But, when you find one like this that is close to the M1, for tourism it doesnt matter much. You wont see any tourists at that location, but two block up the road and you are at a metro stop. Walk half the distance to the next stop and you are at the House of Terror Museum. Ride the M1 up Andrassy ut for Heroes Square, City Park, the bath house. Ride the M1 the other way a few stops to the Opera House and a few more get you down close to the river. Along the way you cross the 4/6 tram to the NY Palace in one direction and Nyugati Station, the famous 2 tram to the Parliament the corso and on to the Market Hall, or go across the river to Margrit Island, Buda. At the end of Andrassy ut is the 47/49 tram to the Great Synagogue and the Market Hall and on to Buda and the Gellert Bath.

Enjoy. Let me know if you need any help.

Posted by
8 posts

Thanks again--I really appreciate all your help and we're really looking forward to visiting Budapest.