Oct 2024 Budapest Notes

Weekend trip to Györ:

I took the train to Györ for 2 nights with a day trip to Pannonhalma Archabbey. Györ has a small and charming city center, with more great architecture and a couple of beautiful churches and squares. I also found the small but really interesting “Permanent Exhibit on the history of tile stoves”. I probably only spent about 30-40 minutes there but it was a unique gathering of pretty things!

For the train: I bought a ticket on the MÁV app, and after choosing my train, entering my info including birthday (I am in the 65 & over group), it charged me about $2 each way for a seat reservation, and took about an hour from the Kelenfold station.

Bus to Pannonhalma: The central bus station in Györ is right behind the train station. More on busses below, but if you choose the route with the smallest amount of walking upon arrival, you wind up at the front of the Abbey. The ride is only about 30 min. There is a stop that shows @ 20 min of walking, but in actuality it is at the bottom of the hill very near the gardens. So it would be a good stop if you are walking through the garden and perfumery area at the end - maybe not good to start with.

Pannonhalma Abbey: First founded in 996, it is the one of the oldest historical monuments in Hungary and on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Of course, it has been damaged, rebuilt, refurnished, added on to through the centuries but is historical and impressive. The library is reminiscent of other lovely abbey or monastery libraries I have been to (Admont, Strahov) but a little smaller. It holds the oldest surviving document using the Hungarian language (from 1055). Also less crowded in October. For 10-15 minutes I was the only person in the library!

I spent about 2 hours, plus lunch, in total - and in summer with the lavender and herb gardens blooming, I could probably have stayed an hour or two more. If the winery had not been closed for a special event, maybe an hour more.

With an extra day, I would have day-tripped to Esterhazy Palace.

Continued…

Restaurants: I love food in Budapest and I had several friends in town over my two weeks, so tried both new and familiar places. I will probably do an updated list later separately.

New to me this trip were:

Macesz Bistro with forum friends. A really nice place. I splurged a little and had the 3 course chef’s menu, with the wine pairing.

Margaret’s Pub and Restaurant: Pretty wide menu and extremely convenient location off the 4/6 on a drizzly night. For beer drinkers (I am not one), they seemed to have a very large selection of craft beers. I did try the “Sweety” flight, mostly fruit-flavored and a touch sweet. I liked most of the 5 flavors and might try the cherry again.
Cork Breakfast and Wine for dinner: It was my birthday and I was grabbing a small meal before the Operette, when I decided to have dessert. I asked for a recommendation and they not only made a great one, but wouldn’t let me pay for it.

Ferdinánd Monarchia Étterem: Czech food that seemed to have a lot in common with Hungarian food.

Belvárosi Lugas for chicken paprikash. I mean, good food sitting outside across from St. Stephan’s in perfect weather…..

Le Troquet: I actually went here to see a photography exhibition and stayed for lunch. I had a Croque Monsieur and the bread (well, all of it) was really good.

Rézkakas Bistro Easy Terasz: very nice - white tablecloths, live music, good food with a couple of friends. Make a reservation.

QUI Restaurant and Bar: also with a friend. It was a combination of Thai, Japanese, Chinese, and was really good.

Cafe Vian: a wide variety of food and drink, lots of seating both inside and outside. It made a good last evening’s dinner with a friend.

Hemingway Restaurant: Lovely lovely place both inside and outside over in Buda, facing a small lake. Good food and best with company. They also have a brunch on Sunday but I haven’t tried that yet.

Return visits:

Menza: A nice reliable place and I enjoyed it more with friends.

Porc & Prezli: A recommendation from Christy - and I loved it last year and it was just as good this year with forum friends (we overlapped most of a week).

Kadarka: I always have to make a stop at least once for their excellent choice of wine (at great prices) and the flatbread with ham and cheese. :)

Duna Corso: for the stuffed cabbage with sausage and Hungarian bacon (this time) but mostly for the river views and live music. I wait for good weather and dark.

Continued….

It’s all about the Arts:

I always look for what to see, but this time I hit the jackpot.

The musical Jekyll & Hyde at the Budapest Operette , which is like a baby opera house. It was a bit odd in that it had been translated into Hungarian, and had the English subtitles above the stage like opera. But I was familiar with the music - and the singing, staging, costuming, and lighting were top-notch. It always amazes me.

Il Volo at the MVM Dome , a new venue for me: The concert was marvelous! I don’t think we had the full capacity of 20,000, but even if it were only 10,000 it was very easy to both arrive and depart. There is quite a bit of parking, but of course, I took the metro. The M3 goes straight to Nepliget from Deak ferenc ter. From there, it was a walk of 3-4 minutes to the door. I was a little early because I expected it to take longer to get inside and seated - but that was not at all the case. Leaving the concert with my 10,000 new best friends, everything was easy, orderly, and calm (I worry about crowds). The metro was waiting and there was a line of busses ready to head off in their respective directions. It really couldn’t have been easier. And although the group itself is fairly young, the audience appeared to by and large be 40’s and up.

The ballet Coppelia at the Opera House : this was my second ballet there and it was every bit as good as last year: dancers, costuming, choreography, set, and of course, live orchestra. I had chosen a matinee and it was completely full, like the evening performances, and mostly adults (you might suspect more children because of timing). Dress was a little more casual than evening performances (for those who don’t want to travel with a dress or slacks).

I found a couple of free performances at the Lizt Academy that I couldn’t make it to, but would have enjoyed.

Mr. É has said that Budapest loves its music and that is the absolute truth. I have yet to attend anything that wasn’t full. Buy a ticket for something or find a free performance - just go!

Continued….

Busses and trains:

All Volanbusz busses (busses from town to town) are also free for 65 & over. With 4 different trips, I simply had my passport ready, opened to the page with my birthdate, and showed the driver. (Board at the front of the bus.) Sometimes the driver looked and sometimes he didn’t. But it was fine. I saw people showing passes, using a paper ticket and scanning on the bus, and buying a ticket from the driver with cash. It might be possible to tap and pay - I just didn’t see that.

Of course, busses within Budapest are also free for 65 & over, as are the trams and metro. Many busses are “enter from the front and show your ticket/pass/ID to the driver”.

I encountered a few inspectors on the metro: a couple glanced at my passport page and one didn’t want to look at me. Ha! I only saw one inspector on a tram: a girl who got on at the same stop as me was having to pay a fine - I saw she had a ticket but maybe she didn’t validate it.

It is possible I could have used my drivers license; but the law is to carry your passport, so that is what it made sense to use. I am careful - but I really don’t worry about pickpockets there, so I keep it handy in my small crossbody purse.

Departing:

I took the 100E bus (free to 65 & over - sending a theme here?) from Deak ferenc ter (again showing my passport when boarding) to the airport, catching my noon flight for an overnight layover in Helsinki (because I have decided I hate those 6:30am departure flights) and home the following day.

You sound like such a native! I will have to get back to Budapest one of this days and will draw upon your expertise!

BethFL, that makes me laugh. But yes, it is becoming familiar and makes a good and relaxing end to many of my trips since I have time.

Out with one friend after another. You ought to just move here. Maybe you can get a job as a US T.P. distributor in Hungary.

You saw Il Volo????!!!!!????? And Coppelia. And a visit with a very special friend.

I'm going to go weep in a corner that I didn't make it work.

On the plus side, I love it when you write up an itinerary for my next visit to somewhere!!

Wonderful, thanks for the report! I’ve got 13 nights penciled in for 2026! Can’t wait!

Tammy, I love that you will have so much time! I hope you like it like I do. :)

CW, you could completely follow the Coppelia plot line through the choreography down to small movements. I loved it. And yes, I was so happy she was able to come - and go to the ballet with me. Il Volo was a total coincidence - another friend and I were talking about the travel thought of following a performance (she is a musician) and she mentioned she would love to do that for Il Volo. That made me Google their tour dates - and there they were! So….. next year? Ha! You know I just followed you and Carol around the Baltics.

Mr. É, I might need an apartment but I sure don’t want a job. That might interfere with fun with all my friends. Lol.

So….. next year?
Hmmm, Italy in January and Germany in November. Oh, but this I cannot believe ..... they will be in Madrid ... the night before I get there. Not kidding. Bit late to change my flight?!? ;-/

TTM I did catch a glimpse of you in Buda. But you got away too fast. But I recorded it.
https://www.tiktok.com/@visit/video/7350460756426509600

CW, I would be checking out the seating chart to see if there’s a fantastic solo ticket left….. If there is, you can fix the flight! LOL.

Mr. É, you found my TikTok!

TTM, such a wonderful trip report! Budapest keeps inching its way up in my queue, and after reading this, I am trying to figure out a way to to make it work for next year or the year after. But really, your trip sounds so cool, and I love that you saw Coppelia. One of my favorite ballets!

Thank you, Mardee! You keep inching further east…. Ha! Maybe tack on a week at the end of your Bulgaria tour?

Of course, busses within Budapest are also free for 65 & over, as are
the trams and metro. Many busses are “enter from the front and show
your ticket/pass/ID to the driver”.

It is possible I could have used my drivers license; but the law is to
carry your passport, so that is what it made sense to use.

I am always a little paranoid about carrying the passport where it is easy to reach. I have a residency card (you would use your drivers license) in one of those wallets thats a lot more like a money clip, but has a window on one side for a drivers license (https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71Om9x5nqtL._AC_SX679_.jpg). Being compact it fits deep in the pocket next to my flip phone. The passport is in a more secure less accessible place.

I get checked maybe 5 times a week. By checked I mean I pull out my wallet, before i am asked, and hold it with the card behind the window facing the inspector. I have never been asked to remove it so that the inspector could actually read it. The act of presenting it has been enough.

If you get caught, YOU WILL PAY THE FINE, no excuse will ever work. If one is smart enough to earn the money to travel, one is smart enough to figure out the rules

Great trip report! You did a lot working around your dental work.

Would you recommend going to the Four Seasons for a drink as a splurge? I’ve heard it’s a good idea.

If one is smart enough to earn the money to travel, one is smart enough to figure out the rules

Weeeeelllll, I may have broken a rule once or twice by not knowing….. Not in Budapest, though.

Andrea, I heard the same thing. It has a pretty amazingly gorgeous lobby, but I think the drinks are double (or triple?) what you you would pay anywhere else. Would definitely need to be a special splurge.

Yes, they will clip you 10 euro for a glass of wine (EDIT 7000 ft or $19) Wait, thats a US price (EDIT for a similar place). Thats okay. And the lobby when decorated for Christmas is pretty amazing. Dress the part and get treated accordingly.

Another good place when the weather is good is the veranda at the W Budapest in the evening when the Opera house across the street is all lit up. My favorite street corner in Budapest becuse of the atmosphere. But i am biased because its near my home. Again, they will clip you 10 euro for glass of wine (Kadarka is about 5 euro).

Weeeeelllll, I may have broken a rule once or twice by not knowing

Me too. But I dindt know till after and if I had been caught I would have happily paid.

I saw four Americans get caught at Deak Ferenc ter the other day. I was so proud of everyone involved. The paid the fine on the spot wihtout complaint, then the inspector took the time to help them with directioons. The talked a while, all laughed and shook hands and smiled when parting. The way it should be. From both sides. Of course 4 x 12000 aint cheap.

Thank you, Mardee! You keep inching further east…. Ha! Maybe tack on a week at the end of your Bulgaria tour?

Well, it's a Romania tour, but that has been on my mind. In fact, I am planning to post a question about that at some point as I'm trying to decide what to tack on and when. I would love to go to Budapest but I would also like to see Bulgaria. Maybe both? Sigh.

Ryan flies Budapest to Sofia for under $100. I know an excellent guide in Bulgaria.

Oops, right - Romania. It still fits!

I am looking at Romania next Sept. too. Originally thought I would visit Bulgaria same trip but am now considering a different couple of options, one of which might include a week in Istanbul. It might also depend on how I am feeling after my spring marathon.

Isn’t there a cheap flight to BP from Bucharest? Although I might end up closer to the border and take bus or train to Budapest since I wouldn’t be on a tour.

I think Wizz or Ryan is flying to Brasov now. But not sure. Yup. i just checked.

To Bucharest its about $120 last time I went,.

Ha ha, yes it still does! But do let me know when you think you might be in Romania! My tour starts Sept. 25, but I know I will get there early; maybe even a week or more.

Oh, that cheap flight sounds like a nice option (thanks, Mr. E), although I really don't mind riding on the train for long distances. It's nice to have options. :-) Actually, I could take the train to Brasov from Bucharest where the tour ends, and then fly to Budapest. It's been on my list for so long that it seems like I should definitely take advantage of the proximity.

And TTM is the perfect guide

Thanks, yall (not - ha!)…. Just spent 10 minutes looking at the calendar for Sept. & Oct.…. Oh, goodness…. I still have a couple of unknowns hanging out, keeping me from settling on exact dates.

And TTM is the perfect guide.

Well, duh. :-) Why do you think I keep trying to steal all her itineraries?

Enjoyed the report and have it linked to my Hungary file. A month in Budapest, Mar - Apr 2026, is my second stop after Albania when I begin my Retirement Slow Travel. Mr. E has provided much information as well.

Marlee, I live here, but when TTM is in town, I let her plan my days. Not like i have a choice.

It's probably easier that way, Mr. E. ;-)

Oh, yea
Absolutely. No fighting forces of nature.

Quit making stuff up. Maligned on my own thread…..

brushtim, thank you. Your slow travel plan sounds wonderful. I will be interested to hear what and how long you have planned for Albania. If you have time for Montenegro, it is another easy interesting and not expensive country. I have definitely thought about a month in Budapest also. My first trip was two weeks and I knew then I would come back. It’s become a good place to end my trips.