Budapest sights

I can tell you that the Szechenyi Baths were the absolute highlight of our trip to Budapest - and we loved Budapest. They are not only beautiful but very fun as well. Nudity not required - pack your swimsuit. The water is warm and they're open year-round. To us, they are the #1 "don't miss" in Budapest.

One don't miss I tell everyone going to Budapest is to eat a langos if you love deep-fried goodness covered in fresh garlic. The one we tried was from the stand on the second level of Great Market Hall. Stupendously delicious. For full meals, we found the food to be generally outstanding and priced unbelievably low. Noteworthy restaurants include Soul Cafe on Raday utca (a street also known as Budapest's "Restaurant Row" - lots of places to choose from there) and Central Cafe (realized after we'd eaten there it is a Rick Steves' pick). As far as activities, we had such a blast in Budapest that it's difficult to pare down our favorite. But, I will say that our visit to Statue Park was indeed a notable highlight. Have a great trip!

I too enjoyed the baths. I went to both Sezchenyi and Gellert, and I liked both for different reasons. I was traveling solo, so being segregated by sex wasn't a big deal for me, but I could see why some couples would consider that a downside to Gellert, but they also had the wave pool, which was ridiculously fun. Sezchenyi was just beautiful, and I really enjoyed the jets that bubbled up from the floor and the whirl pool. Other things that were quite memorable for me were the House of Terror and the Hospital in the Rock (slightly difficult to find as there really isn't much in the way of signage, but made easy with the directions in Rick's Budapest book). They were both pricey, but I found them a great value. Basically I found the same with Statue Park. I took the bus there from Deak Ter, and I probably wouldn't again if I had to pay for their transport, just because it seemed very over price. Then again, its very difficult to get to by public transport, so they've got you between a rock and a hard place. I think I might have had a better time there if I had been with others. It seemed like posing with the statues was a highlight for families. Enjoy Budapest-its a fun city!

We went to Budapest last December. It was cold and rainy most days so we were not looking forward to getting wet in an outdoor setting. We kept putting off our trip to SZecheni Bath. So it was our 4th and final day and we decided to just do it. At that point, we were both sore from all the walking we had done. After our bath experience, we had absolutely no pain in our joints. It was such an amazing experience that we regretted waiting til the last minute to do so. If we had done it first, we would have done it every day we were there. The fun pool was indeed fun, with the currents and water jets. The hot pool, was indeed very hot and one could only stay in for about 15 to 20 minutes. There was a series of pools inside the building, each a different color and a different temperature. It was my favorite experience in Budapest.

Thanks for the information. I am really looking forward to Szechenyi Bath, I love the mineral theremes here in Germany and was hoping they would be as wonderful in Budapest. We will try to hit up that restuarant too! Danke, Christina

Hi Christina, I lived in Budapest for 3 years and like the previous posters, I would also highly recommend the Szechenyi Baths. As for sights to see, if you enjoy history and museums, go visit the Hospital in the Rock, in the Castle District, and the House of Terrors. But keep in mind that both are closed on Mondays. The little tourist town of Szentendre is also worth a visit, about 30 minutes outside of Budapest and you can take public transport if you don't have a rental car. Great for souvenirs :) List Ferenc Ter and the area around Andrassy Ut has tons of restaurants as well. Feel free to pm me if you like, and enjoy your trip...you'll love Budapest!

I also enjoyed the wine tasting in the caves (listed in RS Budapest book). I was shocked as to how good Hungarian red and white wine tasted. Especially the wine that translates to "Bull's Blood". Yum. Was supposed to bring it home, but it did not last 1 night.

I hope you're enjoying Budapest; I left there about 10 days ago. The "Bull's Blood" wine referred to above is Egri Bikaver (named for the town of origin, Eger). The multi-day transportation passes are good[INVALID]they're good on metro, tram, and bus. Keep your pass with you; I saw inspectors at the tops of escalators at exits at several metro stations.

Just got back from the Szechenyi baths, definitely worth a visit. We were there at sunset and it was just gorgeous and relaxing. If you do the House of Terror, get the optional audio guide. A lot of things were in Hungarian only and not entirely easy to understand. Walking along the chain bridge is a must, as is the waterfront along Pest. Skip the funicular up castle hill in Buda - long lines, only lasts a minute, and you can walk up in about 5. The views are better on top anyway.