Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

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Hungary : Budapest - April 2008

Country Code: Dial for Hungary

With the advent of spring, Budapest reawakens. It’s a place best explored on foot, especially at this time of year. Walkers should head for the city’s parks and the surrounding hills, where they can swap pavements for wooded paths. Carolyn Bánfalvi takes a hike

Getting around

Ferihegy International Airport

Bus: The No 93 bus leaves Terminal 1 and takes about 20 minutes, leaving every half hour from 4.55am to 8.50pm. Tickets cost €1 /HUF 230. A travel card gives you unlimited use of Budapest’s buses, trams, metro and cog-railway. A one-day card costs €5/HUF 1,350, a one-week card costs €15/HUF 3,600.
Taxi: A taxi from the airport to the city will take about 30 minutes and there’s a fixed price of €17/ HUF 4,200. Go to the Zona Taxi window at arrivals.
Tourist information: Located at 7 Március 15 tér (tel. , www.budapestinfo.hu).

ANDRÁSSY ÚT

Andrássy Avenue runs from BajcsyZsilinszky út to Városlige (City Park). Budapest’s grandest avenue, it’s lined with great cafés and fancy shops.

Sleep soundly – Andrássy Hotel is Budapest’s first boutique hotel.

Culture vultures – Visit the House of Terror (60 Andrássy út) for a glimpse of communist Hungary. Otherwise, the Kogart House (112 Andrássy út) is holding a retrospective of 20th-century Hungarian painter Lajos Gulácsy’s work.

Must eat – Klassz (41 Andrássy út) is a favourite with Budapest’s foodies. Baraka Restaurant & Lounge (111 Andrássy út, tel. ) is renowned for its creative way with Asian ingredients.

Must drink – Sip espresso at the historic Müvész Kávéház (29 Andrássy út). Callas (20 Andrássy út) is an ideal stop for drinks, and also serves food.

Shop til you drop – Visit Design Corner (11 Andrássy út) for high-end Hungarian design. Or splurge on natural beauty products at Omorovicza (2 Andrássy út).

OLD JEWISH QUARTER

District VII was once the Jewish hub of Budapest. These days it’s mainly known for its fashionable bars.

Culture vultures – Visit the Great Synagogue (2 Dohány utca), Europe’s largest, and its museum of Jewish history.

Must eat – Kádár Étkezde (9 Klauzal tér, tel. ) is a lunch-only place serving home-style food at bargain prices. Spinoza KávéházÉtterem (15 Dob utca, tel. ) is a cheerful café with an art gallery and a small theatre attached.

Must drink – Szimpla (48 Kertész utca) pulls in the city’s boho set. One of the city’s first ‘guerilla’ bars, Szimpla Kert’s (14 Kazinczy utca) outdoor space is the perfect place to spend a balmy spring evening. Castro Bistro (3 Madách Imre tér) is a smoky bar that serves up Serbian specialties.

Dance the night away – Sit upstairs at Szoda (18 Wesselényi utca) for free WiFi, or head downstairs for dancing.

BELVÁROS

Downtown Budapest encompasses several neighbourhoods – the Danube promenade, Váci utca shopping area, Falk Miksa utca antique district, and the regenerated area near St Stephen’s Basilica.

Sleep soundly – Splurge at the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace.

Culture vultures – Catch a daily tour of the enormous Hungarian Parliament (1-3 Kossuth Lajos tér). Or climb to the top of St Stephen’s Basilica (Szent István tér) for panoramic views.

Must eat – Momotaro Ramen (16 Széchenyi utca, tel. ) is good for huge, steaming bowls of ramen (noodles in broth). The Elsö Pesti Rétesház (22 Október 6 utca, tel. ) specialises in strudel (both savory and sweet).

Shop til you drop – Stock up on pálinka (fruit brandy) at Mesterpálinkák (18 Zrínyi utca) and Hungarian wine at La Boutique des Vins (12 József Attila utca).

CITY PARK

Stretching back from Heroes’ Square, Városliget is Budapest’s largest park.

Sleep soundly – The Ibis Budapest Heroes Square has been recently refurbished.

Culture vultures – Budapest Zoo’s (6-12 Állatkerti körút) art nouveau animal houses are almost as big a draw as the animals themselves. The Museum of Fine Arts (Dózsa György út) holds one of Europe’s finest collections of Spanish masters. Soak in the thermal waters at Széchenyi Spa (11 Állatkerti körút).

Must eat – Gundel Étterem (2 Állatkerti út, tel. ) is Budapest’s most renowned restaurant. If that’s a bit pricey, why not try its more affordable sister, Bagolyvár (2 Állatkerti út, tel. ).

Shop til you drop – Cultural centre Petöfi Csarnok (14 Zichy Mihály út) turns into an open-air flea market at weekends.

Compiled by Carolyn Bánfalvi