Having just returned from a lovely little trip to Budapest I was super excited to show you guys some pictures and maybe give you some pointers in case you're thinking of visiting yourself!
The first thing to note about Budapest is that it's crazy cheap! We managed to get flights for just £17 each way (!!) and our hotel cost just a fraction of what you'd usually pay in a city!!
The city itself is split into two halves ('Buda' and 'Pest') by the Danube river. We stayed in Pest which is the busier side of the city, here you'll find all the bigger shopping areas and the majority of the restaurants, it's full of businesses big and small pretty much everything you'd expect from a big city. 'Buda' which lies on the opposite side of the river is full of the beautiful landmarks and historical buildings including the Statue of Liberty (Budapest style) and Buda Castle which both have the most incredible views over the city! We actually climbed up the whole of Buda Castle before realising there was a lift, so if you don't fancy walking up there is an alternative! We also walked up to the Statue of Liberty as we didn't see any other way of getting up there, it's quite a steep climb but the view is so amazing it was soo worth it!!
Anyway, before I start sounding like Michael Palin lets get onto the good stuff! As a major shopaholic I always promise my boyfriend that I'm not going to shop on holiday but I just can't hold back - especially when the shops look soo pretty! I was really impressed with the shopping in Budapest, I visited the West End City Centre which is the big shopping centre but personally I thought that the shops were better on the streets around Deák Ferenc Tér station where I found the biggest H&M I have ever seen along side Zara, Bershka, Stradivarius, MAC and loads more (heaven!).
One of my favourite places we visited was Szimpla Kert, I'd heard so much about Budapest's ruin bars and according to Google this was the best one (and they did loaded friend so I was pretty much sold). It did not disappoint, from the outside it looked a little creepy but inside it was full of quirky furniture and decor - so many Instagram opportunities! The coolest part was in the beer garden at the back there was an old car covered in stickers and converted into a seating area, perfect for kicking back with a cocktail! The price of a pint there literally about £1, so you can easily spend a few hours chilling out and it'll cost you next to nothing!
The one place everyone always goes when they visit Budapest is the thermal baths/spas so as a dedicated tourist we went to! It cost the equivalent of £13.00 each for us to go in but it allows you as much time as you like within the baths themselves. We paid the higher price to get a 'cabin' (basically a changing room) as we didn't fancy stripping off in front of a room full of strangers but if that floats your boat then you can get in cheaper! Personally I wasn't super impressed, the building is beautiful but to me it was a bit little bit gross, the outdoor pools were really warm and relaxing but when we went to find the indoor pools we were greeted with an eggy smell and the water looked a bit murky (vom) so unless you're super excited about it I'd say it's not a must see and there are far better landmarks! (Maybe I'm just a bit of a germaphobe...)
I think I could keep going on forever about this trip but I don't want to bore you all but shout out to my boyfriend for the best surprise Christmas present ever!! What would you guys suggest for our next trip?
