Perhaps one of the first things to note about Hungary is their
currency, which is massively inflated. A cup of coffee could be between
250 and 400 Hungarian Forint. It was definitely a strange transition
from the Euro. The second thing to know is, unless you already know
Hungarian, the language is pretty much impossible to figure out.
Luckily, most people speak both English and Hungarian.
Our first day in Hungary was spent doing stereotypical tourist
things. We checked into our hotel, then went to climb the hill to the
citadel. It was a gorgeous view of the city and the river, just be
prepared to climb! From there, my group meandered toward the Castle
District, occasionally stopping to take photos or to have photos taken
of us. My suggestions of places to visit include Matthias Church and the
Parliament Building, which we ended our day next to. I was especially a
fan of the street art, namely the elaborate murals that would cover
entire sides of buildings. Budapest was a beautiful combination of the
old and the new that spoke to its history and partial destruction during
WWII.
The next morning we woke up and went to get brunch before beginning an
afternoon that I was very excited about: a visit to the Szechenyi
Thermal Baths! Seriously, if you’re ever in Budapest, go to the thermal
baths. We had reserved our tickets ahead of time, and therefore were
“VIP’s” with our own changing rooms and optional massages. This specific
thermal bath complex is the largest medicinal bath in Europe, and was
built in 1913. Its water is supplied by two natural springs, and
contains numerous outdoor and indoor baths. Believe me, it was a
well-spent day and a great way to end my visit to Budapest.
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