On our third day in Budapest we decided to have the traditional baths experience.  A workmate had recommended Gellert Spa for its history and lovely pools, so we trekked through the rain to the Buda side of the river.

After exploring the outside of Buda Castle, we headed to the thermal baths to warm up.  Budapest was first settled by the Romans partly so they could take advantage of the many thermal springs in the area.  However in case my NZ readers are wondering – no it’s not like Rotorua!

Gellert Spa, where we spent the afternoon, was built in 1918, although there had been baths on the site at least as far as the Turkish occupation of the city in the 16th century.  It has both inside and outside pools – I imagine the outside ones would be particularly pretty in winter.

 

After several hours of soaking we reemerged relaxed and ready to keep exploring.  We crossed the Liberty Bridge and got some stunning views of the Castle and Gellert Hill Cave Chapel.

We’d seen all sorts of food offerings available in Budapest, from traditional Hungarian to Japanese and kebabs, but had been particularly intrigued by the delicious Mexican smells wafting out of El Rapido, just a couple of doors down from Szimpla Kert.  While upstairs was a fairly standard joint, downstairs we discovered an eclectic wonderland of Mexican and Hungarian decor – very cool!

I tried a shot of peach palinka – a type of the traditional fruit brandy, and after reading the Lonely Planet description none of the other girls would try it with me. I can (not so) happily report that the LP writer clearly knew what they were talking about – it did indeed kick like a mule.  An experience, that’s for sure!

We headed back into the craziness of Szimpla Kert for our last round, and this time chose a spot in one of the side-rooms, with the old-school tvs and computers that blared out randomly through the evening.  Very fun!

On our final day we had just enough time for a last spot of sightseeing and shopping before heading back to London.  Of course coffee breaks were mandatory too!

Vaci Ut (street) is a mainly pedestrian street that runs through part of downtown Budapest, and is one of the main shopping thoroughfares, filled with leather and craft shops, as well as many many touristy restaurants.  Kate and I purchased deliciously soft leather gloves – perfect for the London winter coming.

We ended up back at the market on Karoly Boulevard that we had discovered a couple of nights before – just as cute in the day time!  I had to try some more of the traditional Kürtőskalács or Chimney bread, which is cooked over an open fire and then coated in cinnamon, chocolate or nuts – so good.

Budapest was an amazing experience and I’m so glad we chose to go.  It was my first experience of a truly Eastern European city and I really noticed the differences, from the architecture to the food to the atmosphere.  There seemed to be a real positivity to the city, with an attitude of focusing on the future while recognising and honouring the past.  All in all, a very cool long weekend!