Let’s talk about Budapest.
The first week I arrived I was challenged with a few logistical tasks that needed to get done as soon as possible including finding housing and planning for my residence permit. But since I arrived a week earlier than when my program started, I couldn’t wait to start exploring the beautiful city of Budapest.
Budapest is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and that’s not just my opinion. Many top travel bloggers and professional travelers also agree that the city is unlike any other. It is so beautiful that I’ve struggled to capture its beauty on camera but I will continue to try. What makes the city so uniquely beautiful is its architecture. Many of the buildings were built in the 1800s and survived several wars. So overall, the entire city has a nostalgic feel for older-styled buildings. But beyond the outside architecture, the interior of the buildings is also beautiful. One piece of advice for anyone visiting Budapest is to look up! The ceilings of many older buildings are truly a work of art such as the St. Stephen Basilica, which I often visit. If you have an interest in architecture and art, Budapest is bursting with beautiful buildings that date back to the 13th century.
And it’s not just the buildings that makeup Budapest’s unique history and beauty. The city is also known for its thermal baths that are enriched with minerals and heated from the ground. Most baths consist of multiple indoor thermal pools that range in temperature and outdoor baths with springs and fountains. The construction of these baths are a work of art and make them a breathtaking experience. I personally visited the Szechenyi Baths, which is one of the most popular baths. This bath is extremely popular among tourists and gets full on a beautiful day. Regardless, it was an amazing experience being able to take a “dip” into the history of Budapest.
Another part of Budapest that I love is its trendy and cute coffee shops. Of course, there is Starbucks! Starbucks is everywhere and I love Starbucks, but if you come to Budapest and only go to Starbucks you are truly missing out. In general, Europe has a strong coffee culture. It’s not like in the US where coffee is used mostly for its caffeine content, but also the experience of enjoying specialty coffee. Budapest has many coffee shops on almost every corner, but a popular chain that you will find in the city is Cafe Frei. The cafe was founded by two friends that tested the best coffee beans in the world and brought these diverse beans into one coffee shop. The cafe offers a wide variety of beans from 20 countries on 3 continents. In addition to their wide variety of specialty coffee, they offer teas and fruity drinks. I have tried quite a few different locations and they all have a beautiful rustic vibe. Overall, Budapest is a beautiful city with plenty to explore.