Budapest On A Budget: Unveiling An Affordable European Escape

This article appeared in Outlook Traveller on July ’24. You can see the original print here.

With affordable attractions, imposing architecture, excellent street food and vibrant nightlife, Budapest makes for a value-for-money European destination.

Budapest is Hungary’s capital and crown jewel. Its architecture is an amazing mélange of Romanesque chapels, Gothic cathedrals, and Baroque palaces.

Buffeted by the vast winds of change which brought it under the sway of the Austro-Hungarian empire, followed by the Nazi occupation of WWII and captured as part of the Soviet Communist empire until its liberation in 1991, this beautiful city has only just begun to reclaim its rightful place as the “Pearl of the Danube.”

Once, there were two cities, Buda and Pest, on either side of the Danube linked only by a single Chain Link Bridge, and it was not till 1873 that they were united. Both their geographical and cultural characteristics set them apart. Buda is the more sedate, residential side with a clutch of palaces and churches built on a series of hills, while Pest is flat as a pancake, where all the tourist action is, with happening bars, restaurants and cafés.

Since my wife and I are staying on the Pest side, we decide to take the free walking tour (guruwalk.com), which starts at 11 am from the plaza in front of St. Stephen’s Basilica and comes highly recommended. There, we find our guide, Pisti, a dead ringer for Conan O’Brien with the same sharp features and fast-talking style, waiting under his trademark green umbrella.

Our group gathers under the towering shadow of the Basilica, which is dedicated to the holy king St. Stephen, the founder of Hungary. It has the most ornate interiors, with beautiful altars and chapels made of jasper and marble and walls covered by glorious frescoes.

Pisti quickly shepherds us to the Liberty Square, which has several controversial monuments, including the German Occupation memorial and the Soviet War memorial, two successive regimes that oppressed the Hungarian people until their liberation in 1991. Pisti is a great storyteller with an ironic sense of humour, which enlivens Hungary’s recent history. He takes care to point out things we would have otherwise missed, like the Stumbling Stones—tiny brass plaques embedded in the city’s pavements, encapsulating the stories of each Jew before they were deported and exterminated during the Holocaust.

Finally, we arrive at the broad panorama of the Danube, which is dominated by the imposing bulk of the Hungarian Parliament building, the third largest of its kind in the world and more like a splendid imperial palace than anything else. Why such a gigantic public structure for such a small country is the question in my mind, but it is certainly a popular attraction, with crowds queuing up for the 45-minute guided tour of its magnificent ornate interiors (double the price for non-EU citizens at USD 30, i.e. INR 2,498).

The tour ends on the Danube promenade, where the group almost stumbles across 60 pairs of rusted iron shoes set into the concrete. This is an incredibly poignant memorial to the Hungarian Jews who fascist Arrow Cross militiamen shot into the Danube during the winter of 1944-45. The Jews were forced to remove their shoes, which had scarcity value to their killers, before they were ruthlessly executed and swept away by the icy river. There are no words to describe our feelings when confronted so abruptly and immediately by such unspeakable horror.

In the evening, we cross the Chain Link bridge to explore the Buda side. The quaint old wooden funicular is an easy way to the top of Buda Hill. The first thing you encounter is the Disneyesque Fisherman’s Bastion, from where you can watch the sun go down on the dramatic Pest skyline.

Overlooking the Bastion is the Matthias Church, which dates back to 1255 and is a fine example of neo-Gothic architecture. You can admire its colourful roof tiles and the art nouveau frescoes and mosaics within. Dominating the top of Buda Hill is the Royal Palace, the former home of Hungarian kings, built in a grand Baroque style. If you visit during the day, you can tour the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest Historical Museum, which it now houses.

You must try their most famous dish, goulash, a rich stew prepared with meat and vegetables and lots of paprika. We went to the mid-range Rezkakas Bistro right next to the Basilica, which lived up to its reputation for great ambience and live gypsy music. Another classic dish specific to Budapest is halászlé, a spicy delicious fish soup made from carp caught in the Danube and flavoured with paprika. We were entertained by a chatty Turkish waiter who dished out, in liberal measure, his menu recommendations and his low opinion on all things Hungarian!

Budapest has a long-running love affair with jazz dating back to WWI, when a blanket closure of New Orleans bars led to a mass exodus of unemployed musicians to seek their fortunes in Europe. Today, the Budapest Jazz Club is the city’s finest destination for the most prominent international and local stars. We caught a performance by the six-piece Hot Jazz Band, who played an eclectic selection of hits to a delighted audience and enjoyed dinner at their chic bistro afterwards.

Know Before You Go

Visa: Indian citizens can easily visit Hungary on a Schengen visa (INR 7,200).

Currency: Hungarian Forint Exchange rate: INR 1 = HUF 4.3

Getting There: Flights with layovers in Dubai and Istanbul start at approximately INR 30,000 (one-way). You can also fly into Vienna and continue your journey by train.

Getting Around Hungary: In Budapest, choose from single-journey tickets, or travel passes covering all BKK transportation from INR 584/day. The Budapest Card, starting at INR 2,618 for 24 hours, includes transport and attraction entry. Use the MOL Bubi bike rental via the app, starting at INR 9/minute.

Food: A meal at a mid-range restaurant with a soup, main course, and a drink would cost around INR 1,000 per person. Street foods, such as sausages and lángos are cheap and delicious.

Accommodation: Budapest offers accommodations for all budgets. A double room in a three-star hotel should cost about INR 5,428. Stay on the Pest side if you want to check out the nightlife.

Pro Tip: Due to the more favourable exchange rate, it would be a better deal to pay in HUF than in EUR—which is freely accepted—in smaller outlets. Also, the most inexpensive and scenic tourist ride is Tram No 2, which glides the length of the Pest embankment.