What would you tell if you could have a local aside you? Budapest tour guides are incredible people, one of them showed me such places I couldn’t even imagine existing. In this article, we will disclose some interesting facts about Budapest itself and how to prepare for the trip.
About Budapest as a city
Budapest is the colorful capital of Hungary, which is considered one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Many tourists are attracted by the Hungarian capital with its magnificent architecture, entertainment, and rich culinary heritage. The city has been known since ancient times when the first inhabitants of the city named it Ak – Ink (abundant waters).
The city was developed like other cities of the Roman Empire, where houses were equipped with central heating, public baths were popular, and an amphitheater operated. The remains of a Roman city can still be seen these days – the city is rich in public pools and saunas, which are popular not only with tourists but also with locals.
The city is suitable for a variety of travelers – both tourists who want to get to know the city, and people who like parties and long dinners in the city. Cultural life in Budapest is boiling – Budapest tour guides, cultural events, concerts, and various sports events take place here. Everyone will find activities!
Accommodation can sound overwhelming
Budapest, like many European capitals, has a wide range of accommodation options. You can stay in the famous 5 * hotels Kempinski, Iberostar, and others, where a night costs about 80 – 120 € per person. You can also choose cheaper hotels as Budapest tour guides advise in the city center, which cost about € 30 per person per night. If you want a budget trip, you can always choose a guest house, of which there are many in Budapest. They are often tidy, well valued, and you will pay around € 40 per person for a 5-day stay.
Transportation
Most of Budapest’s attractions are close to each other, so you can walk everywhere. However, if you need to travel further distances, public transport is always available.
Metro – There are four metro lines in the city, which run all over the city and allow you to quickly reach the desired objects.
Familiar trolleybuses also run in Budapest. They travel in 13 different directions.
Buses are the most commonly used means of transport. There are more than 200 routes in the city. Buses marked with a red number do not stop at all stops, while buses marked with a black number stop at all.
Taxis in Budapest are a fast and cheap way to get there. You can also stop on the street, but it will be cheaper if you call by phone. All taxi cars are yellow, avoid sitting in unmarked cars, a lot of Budapest tour guides say so. Always ask to turn on the taxi meter to see the true price. The price per kilometer is about 0.9 €.
Public transport closes at around 11 pm, there are night buses marked with the letter “É”. You can buy tickets of different types: one-time (~ 1 €), daily travel card, which not only gives the right to travel on all public transport but also offers discounts on some attractions (~ 5 €), three-day travel card (~ 13 €), weekly traveler card (~ 15 €). You can also buy a Budapest Card, which gives you the right to travel by public transport, gives free admission to some museums, and gives a discount on some attractions Budapest tour guides advise. A 24-hour card costs about € 16, a 48-hour card costs about € 25, and a 72-hour card costs about € 31. Buy them at newspaper stands or apparatus at stations. They need to be not only bought but also marked.
Meals and restaurants
In Budapest, food is not very expensive, and beer and Hungarian wine are even cheaper. In supermarkets, food and beverage prices do not differ much from Lithuanian prices – they are slightly cheaper. And in cafes and bars, you can eat even cheaper than in Vilnius. As there are many immigrants in Budapest, you can also taste the most authentic Turkish kebabs and visit the Hummus Bar restaurant and buy a delicious sandwich with falafel or a hummus plate with freshly baked Arabic bread for three euros.
Although you can taste a wide range of food in Budapest, it is also necessary to taste traditional dishes:
Gulyás – also known to us as goulash. This is a traditional Hungarian dish made from meat stew, pasta, vegetables, seasoned with paprika.
Paprika – peppers that are stuffed with a variety of products (usually meat and vegetables).
Jókai bean soup – with lots of vinegar, sour cream, beans, smoked pork, parsley, and carrots.
Lecsó is a Hungarian version of vegetable soup. Served with red and green peppers, tomatoes, onions, peppers. A full vegetarian dream. 🙂
Paprikás Csirke – a famous Hungarian soup. Creamy, with red pepper, chicken thighs.
Halászlé is also known as “fisherman’s soup”, which is a hot, spicy fish soup with paprika.
Lángos – bread that Hungarians often eat with mashed potatoes, sour cream, melted cheese, ham or sausages.
Popular desserts:
Hobo cake – Hungarian biscuit cake covered with chocolate cream and caramel.
Gesztenyepüré – chestnut puree dessert seasoned with whipped cream. Sometimes made with chocolate, cocoa, or rum.
Rákóczi Cottage cheese
Rákóczi túrós – a cake with sweet curd cheese, morengi and apricot cream.
Kürtőskalács – sweet yeast cake with caramel and nuts.
Taste a variety of drinks:
Wine – There are 22 wine regions in Hungary with a wide range of wine production. The most famous is Aszú.
Pálinka is a fruit brandy that is the most famous Hungarian spirit drink. You can drink while sipping, as the Hungarians do, or drink quickly by snacking on a piece of fruit.
Unicum is another spirit drink made according to a secret recipe from 40 different plants. It’s a liqueur that is a bit reminiscent of Jägermeister, just not so sweet.
Fröccs is the perfect alcoholic drink for warm summer evenings in the park. This wine is mixed with refreshing carbonated beverages.
Climate and temperature
In Budapest, summers can be very hot, while winters are short and cloudy. The climate is changeable, with temperatures ranging from – 28 ° C to 22 ° C. The average annual rainfall is 604 mm. The hottest months are July and August. The coolest months are January and February, and there is often snow during the winter. Winter average temperature -2 ° C, summer – 28 ° C.
In the end
Finding new things around the globe can be challenging but definitely rewarding, the same applies when visiting Budapest. If you consider Budapest tour guides as an option they will show you around with pleasure. If you would like to meet some great people that will love to show around, visit it here.
