00 549944 FM.qxd 3/18/04 10:42 AM Page i
Budapest & the Best of Hungary 5th Edition
by Joseph S. Lieber & Christina Shea with Erzsébet Barát
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Published by: Wiley Publishing, Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 Copyright © 2004 Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval sys tem or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photo copying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978/750-8400, fax 978/646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for per mission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, 317/572-3447, fax 317/572- 4447, E-Mail: [email protected]. Wiley and the Wiley Publishing logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates. Frommer’s is a trademark or registered trademark of Arthur Frommer. Used under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. ISBN 0-7645-4994-4 Editor: Liz Albertson Production Editor: Bethany André Cartographer: Roberta Stockwell Photo Editor: Richard Fox Production by Wiley Indianapolis Composition Services Front cover photo: Woman in vegetable stall Back cover photo: View over Danube River For information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 800/762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317/572-3993 or fax 317/572-4002. Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic formats. Manufactured in the United States of America 54321 00 549944 FM.qxd 3/18/04 10:42 AM Page iii
Contents
List of Maps viii
What’s New in Budapest & Hungary 1
1 The Best of Budapest 5 1 The Best Little Adventures in 4 The Best Places to Kill an Hour Budapest ...... 5 in Budapest ...... 8 2 The Best Places to Enjoy a 5 The Best Experiences Outside Sunset in Budapest ...... 6 Budapest ...... 8 3 The Best Off-the-Beaten-Track 6 The Best Hotels in Budapest . . . . .9 Museums ...... 6 7 The Best Dining Bets in Budapest ...... 10
2 Planning Your Trip to Budapest 11 1 Visitor Information ...... 11 8 Planning Your Trip Online ...... 25 2 Entry Requirements & Customs . .11 Frommers.com: The Complete 3 Money ...... 13 Travel Resource ...... 27 The Hungarian Forint ...... 14 9 The 21st-Century Traveler ...... 27 What Things Cost in Budapest . . .17 Online Traveler’s Toolbox ...... 28 4 When to Go ...... 17 10 Getting There ...... 29 Hungary Calendar of Events . . . .18 11 Packages for the Independent Traveler ...... 35 5 Travel Insurance ...... 20 12 Escorted General-Interest 6 Health & Safety ...... 21 Tours ...... 36 7 Specialized Travel Resources . . . .22 13 Recommended Reading ...... 37
3 Getting to Know Budapest 39 1 Orientation ...... 39 2 Getting Around ...... 45 Hungarian Address Terms . . . . .41 Fast Facts: Budapest ...... 54 Neighborhoods in Brief ...... 44
4 Where to Stay in Budapest 64 1 The Inner City & Central Pest . . .66 6 The Buda Hills ...... 78 2 Central Buda ...... 72 7 Margaret Island ...... 81 3 The Castle District ...... 75 Staying in Private Rooms ...... 82 4 Outer Pest ...... 76 8 Youth Hostels ...... 83 5 Óbuda ...... 78 00 549944 FM.qxd 3/18/04 10:42 AM Page iv
iv CONTENTS
5 Where to Dine in Budapest 87 The Check, Please: Paying 5 The Castle District ...... 101 Your Bill & Tips on Tipping . . . . .88 6 The Buda Hills ...... 102 1 Restaurants by Cuisine ...... 89 7 Northern Buda & Óbuda . . . . .103 2 The Inner City & Central Pest . . .90 8 Traditional Coffeehouses . . . . .104 3 Beyond Central Pest ...... 97 Our Favorite Sweets ...... 105 Snacks on the Run ...... 98 9 Cafes & Bistros ...... 107 4 Central Buda ...... 100
6 Exploring Budapest 108 Suggested Itineraries ...... 108 Bábszínházak (Puppet 1 The Top Attractions ...... 109 Theaters) ...... 130 2 More Museums & Sights . . . . .118 5 For the Music Lover ...... 130 Where Have All the Statues 6 Organized Tours ...... 131 Gone? ...... 120 7 Spa Bathing & Swimming: Did You Know? ...... 122 Budapest’s Most Popular Thermal Baths ...... 133 3 Parks, Gardens & Playgrounds ...... 124 Taking in the Waters ...... 135 4 Especially for Kids ...... 127 8 Outdoor Activities & Sports . . .136
7 Strolling Around Budapest 138 Walking Tour 1: Pest’s Inner Walking Tour 4: The Jewish City ...... 138 District ...... 153 Walking Tour 2: The Castle Walking Tour 5: Tabán & District ...... 143 Watertown (Víziváros) ...... 156 Walking Tour 3: Leopold Town & Theresa Town ...... 148
8 Budapest Shopping 162 1 The Shopping Scene ...... 163 2 Shopping A to Z ...... 164
9 Budapest After Dark 175 1 The Performing Arts ...... 176 4 Gay & Lesbian Bars ...... 181 Music on a Summer’s Eve . . . .178 5 Hungarian Dance Houses . . . . .181 2 The Club Scene ...... 179 6 More Entertainment ...... 182 3 The Bar Scene ...... 180 00 549944 FM.qxd 3/18/04 10:42 AM Page v
CONTENTS v
10 The Danube Bend 183 1 Exploring the Danube Bend . . .183 4 Esztergom ...... 190 2 Szentendre ...... 184 Prímás-sziget: A Bridge 3 Visegrád ...... 189 over Troubled Waters ...... 191
11 The Lake Balaton Region 194 1 Exploring the Lake Balaton 4 Szigliget ...... 201 Region ...... 195 5 Keszthely ...... 201 2 En Route to Lake Balaton: An Excursion to the Thermal Veszprém ...... 196 Lake in Hévíz ...... 202 Herend: Home of Hungary’s 6 Lake Balaton’s Southern Finest Porcelain ...... 199 Shore ...... 204 3 The Tihany Peninsula ...... 200
12 Northeastern Hungary: Traveling into the Hills 205 1 Hollókó: A Preserved Palóc An Excursion to Bükk Village ...... 205 National Park ...... 210 2 Eger ...... 206 3 Aggtelek: An Entrance to the Caves ...... 211
13 Southern Hungary: The Great Plain & the Mecsek Hills 212 1 The 2,000-Year-Old City of 3 Bugac & the Puszta ...... 220 Pécs ...... 212 4 Szeged: Hungary’s Spice 2 Kecskemét ...... 218 Capital ...... 221
Appendix A: Help with a Tough Tongue 227 1 Menu Terms ...... 227 2 Basic Phrases & Vocabulary . . .229
Appendix B: Hungarian Cuisine 232
Index 234 General Index ...... 234 Restaurant Index ...... 242 Accommodations Index ...... 241 00 549944 FM.qxd 3/18/04 10:42 AM Page vi
List of Maps
Hungary 7 Walking Tour 4: The Jewish District Budapest at a Glance 46 155 Where to Stay in Central Budapest Walking Tour 5: Tabán & Watertown 68 (Víziváros) 157 Where to Dine in Central Budapest The Danube Bend 185 92 Szentendre 187 Central Budapest Attractions 110 Lake Balaton Region 196 Óbuda and Margaret Island 125 Eger 207 Walking Tour 1: Pest’s Inner City Southern Hungary 213 139 Pécs 215 Walking Tour 2: The Castle District Szeged 223 145 Walking Tour 3: Leopold Town & Theresa Town 149 00 549944 FM.qxd 3/18/04 10:42 AM Page vii
About the Authors All four of Joseph S. Lieber’s grandparents emigrated from Eastern Europe at the turn of the 20th century, settling in New York City, where he was born and raised. Mr. Lieber lived in Hungary in the early 1990s, teaching English and researching the first edition of this book. He lives in Boston now, where he is a housing lawyer. Christina Shea served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Hungary in the early 1990s. Subsequently, she directed Peace Corps language-training programs in Lithuania and Kyrgyzstan. She is the author of the novel Moira’s Crossing (St. Martin’s Press 2000). A resident of Boston, she teaches at Lesley University and Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering. Erzsébet Barát was born in Kunhegyes, a small town in the Great Hungarian Plain. She currently splits her time between Szeged, where she is an associate professor of English at Attila József Uni versity, and Budapest, where she is on the faculty of the Gender Studies Department at Central European University. She earned her Ph.D. in Linguistics from Lancaster Uni versity, in England. Her dissertation concerns the oral histories of Hungarian women.
This book is dedicated to the memory of David M. Shea, a man of boundless intellect, deep compassion and faith, and an abiding curiosity about the world.
Acknowledgments The authors, as always, wish to thank their many friends and helpers in Hungary, includ ing Linda Silaghi, Kata Pócs, and the Bereczki family. And finally, we wish to acknowl edge Aryeh T. Lieber, Marcel M. Lieber, and Raphael S. Lieber for being such curious and bright-eyed boys. 00 549944 FM.qxd 3/18/04 10:42 AM Page viii
An Invitation to the Reader In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants, shops, and more. We’re sure you’ll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommendation, we’d love to know that, too. Please write to: Frommer’s Budapest & the Best of Hungary, 5th Edition Wiley Publishing, Inc. • 111 River St. • Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
An Additional Note Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time—and this is especially true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirma tion when making your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for the experiences of readers while traveling. Your safety is important to us, however, so we encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets.
Other Great Guides for Your Trip:
Frommer’s Europe Frommer’s Vienna & the Danube Valley Frommer’s Austria Frommer’s Prague & Best of Czech Republic Frommer’s Europe from $70 a Day Frommer’s Road Atlas Europe 00 549944 FM.qxd 3/18/04 10:42 AM Page ix
Frommer’s Star Ratings, Icons & Abbreviations Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system. In country, state, and regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices and budget your time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (rec ommended) to three stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and regions are rated according to the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star (highly recommended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see). In addition to the star-rating system, we also use seven feature icons that point you to the great deals, in-the-know advice and unique experiences that separate travelers from tourists. Throughout the book, look for:
Finds Special finds—those places only insiders know about
Fun Fact Fun facts—details that make travelers more informed and their trips more fun
Kids Best bets for kids, and advice for the whole family
Moments Special moments—those experiences that memories are made of
Overrated Places or experiences not worth your time or money
Tips Insider tips—great ways to save time and money
Value Great values—where to get the best deals
The following abbreviations are used for credit cards: AE American Express DISC Discover V Visa DC Diners Club MC MasterCard
Frommers.com Now that you have the guidebook to a great trip, visit our website at www.frommers.com for travel information on more than 3,000 destinations. With features updated regularly, we give you instant access to the most current trip-planning information available. At Frommers.com, you’ll also find the best prices on airfares, accommodations, and car rentals—and you can even book travel online through our travel booking partners. At Frommers.com, you’ll also find the following: • Online updates to our most popular guidebooks • Vacation sweepstakes and contest giveaways • Newsletter highlighting the hottest travel trends • Online travel message boards with featured travel discussions 00 549944 FM.qxd 3/18/04 10:42 AM Page x 00 549944 WNew.qxd 3/18/04 10:42 AM Page 1
What’s New in Budapest & Hungary
As of 2004, Hungary is a member of infrastructure funding. Once com the European Union, and the current pleted, the Green line will run from plan calls for adoption of the euro as Keleti Station in Pest across the river currency in 2007. The dollar still goes to Southern Buda, a part of the city a lot farther here than in countries to that is not presently served by the the west of the old Iron Curtain, but metro. This will go a long way towards this too may soon be a relic of the past. opening up that seldom-visited part of We list a host of new things to see town to international travelers. For and do in Hungary below, but for our more on public transportation in money, the best experience here is an Budapest, see p. 45 old favorite: a visit to Pécs. Each time The free weekly English-language we visit, the town is more beautiful publication Look is gone, and has than ever. Do yourself a favor and go been replaced by the free monthly now before the crowds discover it. Budapest Visitors’ Guide, which con PLANNING YOUR TRIP Because tains extensive details on concerts, the Hungarian forint is now fully con exhibitions, and other cultural events. vertible, there are no longer any The publication is available online at restrictions regarding re-exchange of www.budapestsun.com. Other useful unused forints back into foreign cur Hungarian publications are listed on rency. Consequently, unlike in the p. 37. past, visitors need not retain their cur WHERE TO STAY After a Swiss rency exchange receipts as proof of investment group won a tender offer lawful exchange, nor need they exer to purchase the historic but crumbling cise caution in not buying more New York Coffeehouse, the build- forints than they are likely to use while ing’s renovation is nearly finished. in Hungary. For more on currency They will soon reopen the coffeehouse, matters, see p. 13. along with a new five-star hotel. GETTING TO KNOW BUDAPEST Speaking of renovations and new As a result of the election of a center- hotel construction, a group of Cypriot left national government in 2002, the and Canadian investors have rescued long-planned new metro line—the the Gresham Palace, the once-grand Green line—is no longer the subject Art Nouveau structure at the head of of bitter political wrangling between the Chain Bridge in Pest, from its Budapest Mayor Gábor Demszky and longtime state of woeful disrepair. the national government. Still, the They’re currently finishing the build- project remains on hold due to local ing’s conversion into yet another lux funding problems. There are plans ury hotel (of the Four Seasons variety). to begin construction soon with EU 00 549944 WNew.qxd 3/18/04 10:42 AM Page 2
2 WHAT’S NEW
The Budapest Sun predicts that it will Another hot area with new restau be “one of the most expensive hotels rants is the now-pedestrian-only in Europe” when work is completed Ráday utca, which starts near Kálvin (perhaps in 2004). Thanks to the tér (metro: Blue line). efforts of local green activists, who EXPLORING BUDAPEST achieved their first notable success in Nagymezó utca between Andrássy Budapest, the center of the stately and and Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca, the historic Roosevelt Square has not been “Broadway of Budapest,” has finally converted into a parking lot for the been turned into a pedestrian-only new hotel. The original plan was to area. The floodlights in the pavement raze the small park in the middle of and the fountain have turned the the square, which is home to trees that once-ugly area into an attractive hub are more than a hundred years old. of the city’s theater life, providing a Instead, the parking lot was built pleasant atmosphere for nighttime underground. strolling. Check out chapter 4, “Where to The biggest reconstruction project Stay in Budapest,” for more on in the downtown area of Pest is that of Budapest’s accommodation options. St. Stephen’s Basilica and the spacious WHERE TO DINE Although a square in front of it. It has been turned new law requires that all restaurants into a Mediterranean “plaza” with lots offer a nonsmoking section, the fact is of plants and terraces. Just follow the that most barely comply. You should adjacent Sas utca on the eastern side of expect restaurants, especially cafes, to the square and you will find yourself be as smoky as they’ve ever been. in the middle of a nice park with small Countless new and exciting restau waterfalls in the spot where the infa rants, cafes, and bistros have recently mous ugly hole, “Gödör” (hole), once opened along Pest’s grand boulevard, was. An establishment, aptly named Andrássy út, between Oktogon and Gödör, opened here in spring 2003; it Deák tér, turning this historic street is a busy underground cultural center, into a concentrated hub of nightlife. hosting events like the annual Jewish For a comprehensive list of all the Cultural Festival from August through attractions in this area, old and new, September. Next to the center, there is visit www.andrassyut.lap.hu. With an underground garage that is part of tables on the street, and a stylish young a recent municipal project to provide clientele, these places are bringing a environmentally friendly parking bit of Paris to the Budapest landscape. spaces in the center of Pest. A similar One of the recently opened restaurants new underground parking facility is is Antique Restaurant, a combination beneath Szabadság tér, right across antiques shop/stylish restaurant that from the American embassy. This offers live Hungarian music every eve huge garage has come just in time to ning. See p. 90. help normalize the ridiculous traffic in Articsóka is another welcome addi the area. tion to the Budapest dining scene. A The Lakásmúzeum (Zsigmond complex consisting of a restaurant, Kun Folk Art Museum), housed in a cafe, roof terrace, art gallery, and the small apartment, is one of our favorite ater, this establishment features a care little museums in all of Hungary. fully designed Moorish interior and Sadly, the founder, Mr. Zsigmond brilliant fare. On Friday evenings Kun, died in 2000 at the ripe old age there is a free theater performance of of 107. For almost a century, Uncle excellent quality. See p. 90. Zsigmond, as he is fondly called by all 00 549944 WNew.qxd 3/18/04 10:42 AM Page 3
WHAT’S NEW 3
who knew him, traveled around Hun in Budapest beyond the means of the gary collecting and documenting the average Western budget traveler. country’s folk art. The museum closed Jazz clubs have definitely taken for renovation following his death, hold in Budapest. Several new spots but happily, it reopened in 2002. See have opened that complement the p. 123. more established clubs from the For other cool things to see and do 1990s. We recommend several hot in Budapest, see chapter 6, “Exploring places, including Fat Mo’s Music Budapest.” Club (great food, too), Old Man’s BUDAPEST SHOPPING The city (catch the Hungarian blues legend of Budapest is now awash in huge new Hobo), and TRAFO (located in a Western-style malls. As a general rule, funky old converted electric power we tend to avoid such malls in favor of station). Cover charges are minimal or patronizing smaller local shops, but nonexistent. The most important new you might want to check out the addition to the nightlife of the city is amazing “Tropicarium” at a mall in A38, a ship that is anchored year- southern Buda called Campona. You round on the Danube by the Buda foot can take the red No. 3 bus that leaves of the Szabadság Bridge. It is defi from Móricz Zsigmond körtér in nitely “the” place for partying with a Buda, which is best reached by the 4 hip local crowd. or 6 tram that circles the Outer Ring A complete rundown of Budapest’s boulevard. The Tropicarium features nightlife can be found in chapter 9, both an aquarium—the largest in cen “Budapest After Dark.” tral Europe—and a miniature rainfor THE DANUBE BEND The annual est, with snakes, alligators and the like Visegrád International Palace Tour (there’s even rain!). There’s also a nament has grown in scale in recent bowling alley and an 11-screen multi years and is now a must-see for plex cinema at the mall. medieval enthusiasts—it is an authen The very newest shopping mall in tic medieval festival replete with duel town is the West End Center, right ing knights on horseback, and early behind Nyugati Railway Station. This music and dance. See p. 189. is the first and allegedly the last mall In Esztergom you’ll find a new sign to be built right in central Pest. of better days ahead for peaceful co Expensive new boutiques dot the existence in central Europe. Though landscape in central Pest. One of par there is still deeply rooted tension ticular note is run by the controversial between the Hungarians and the Slo designer Tamás Náray, and bears his vaks, Esztergom is once again con name (albeit it in reverse order, Náray nected by bridge across the Danube Tamás). The shop has no telephone, to the Slovak town of Sturovo. The although given the prices here, it is Germans blew up the old bridge con safe to assume the business could necting these towns in World War II. afford a phone line. Until recently, all that remained was a For more on Budapest’s best curious stump on the river’s edge, shopping, see chapter 8, “Budapest along with four unconnected pylons Shopping.” in the river, stark testimonials to the BUDAPEST AFTER DARK Prices German rampage in Europe as well as for concerts, opera, and theater have to the continuing regional hostilities. risen more steeply than any other For more suggestions on what to do prices since the last edition of this in the Danube region, see chapter 10, book. Still, there are few if any events “The Danube Bend.” 00 549944 WNew.qxd 3/18/04 10:42 AM Page 4
4 WHAT’S NEW
SOUTHERN HUNGARY: THE than to stroll down the Karász utca on GREAT PLAIN & THE MECSEK a lovely summer evening, winding your HILLS The heart of Szeged, the way from one pastry shop to the next; proud capital of the Hungarian Great currently no fewer than six tempting Plain (and the paprika capital of the shops compete with the traditional world), is the main pedestrian-only favorite, Virág Cukrászda, along the “walking street,” Karász utca. This 400m (1,312-ft.) length of the street. street has just undergone a thorough For other great things to do in the and loving renovation, and is filled South of Hungary, see chapter 13, with a host of interesting little shops. “Southern Hungary: The Great Plain There is no finer activity in Hungary & the Mecsek Hills.” 01 549944 Ch01.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 5
1 The Best of Budapest
Budapest’s extraordinary atmosphere can be felt everywhere. From old women selling boxes of raspberries in the heart of downtown Pest, cars careening by on all sides, to young boys playing soccer in the green foothills of Buda, where the air is fresh and clean, this city and its people will take you in and hold you tight. Budapest is a remarkable and wholly unpretentious place. Explore it fully. Turn off any of the main boulevards and you’ll quickly find yourself in a quiet resi- dential neighborhood where the rich scent of a hearty gulyás (stew) wafts from a kitchen window, a woman with a brightly colored kerchief tied around her head sweeps the sidewalk with a homemade broom, and cigarette smoke fogs the cavelike entryway of the corner pub, where the sign on the door states that beer is served as early as 7am. You will spy rows of salamis hanging in the window of the grocery store next door. In the park across the way, men play chess in the shade of chestnut trees, young lovers kiss on a bench, and the famed Hungarian pedigree dog, the vizsla, can be glimpsed darting through the trees. Below, you’ll find our personal take on the best experiences that the city has to offer.
1 The Best Little Adventures in Budapest The many grand attractions of dodging flower pots and laundry Budapest are all described in this book racks. The main entrance doors and are certainly worth a visit. For us, to many apartment buildings are however, the true marvel of the city is left unlocked during the daytime in the details that are too often over- hours. See chapter 7, “Strolling looked or ignored. Consider the fol- Around Budapest,” for further lowing small adventures off the beaten wanderings. track: • Exploring the Neighborhood • Discovering the Courtyards of Markets: There is scarcely a Budapest: Budapest’s residential neighborhood in Budapest with- streets are truly enchanting, but it out its own outdoor produce mar- is inside the courtyards of the ket. Professional vendors mix with buildings that the city’s greatest elderly peasants who are in for the secret is held: Budapesters are vil- day with a wagon of fresh-picked lagers at heart. Fruit trees and fruits and veggies. Produce is fresh flower gardens flourish, cats lounge and inexpensive. Shop for a picnic in the sun, and jars of pickled veg- lunch or simply wander around etables line the window ledges. soaking up the vibrant workaday Nearly every apartment building in atmosphere. See p. 170 for details this city has an open-air courtyard on market shopping. in its center, where pensioners sit • Riding the Trams: Armed with on the common balconies smoking your daily transit pass, get the lay cigarettes, gossiping, and watching of the land and more from the the children race around the yard, 01 549944 Ch01.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 6
6 CHAPTER 1 . THE BEST OF BUD APEST
windows of the city’s many trams. Playgrounds” in chapter 6, Board a tram and ride it to the ter “Exploring Budapest.” minus and back, or disembark • Taking a Walk in the Buda along the way for a closer look Hills: It’s hard to believe that such around—a great and economical a large expanse of hilly forest is way to spend a rainy day. See right here within the capital city. “Getting Around” in chapter 3, There are hiking trails aplenty; “Getting to Know Budapest,” for every Budapest native has a details on public transportation. favorite. Ask around. See chapter • Packing a Picnic for the City 6, “Exploring Budapest,” for more Park: On a nice summer day, it about the Buda Hills. seems that all of Budapest comes to • Strolling Through the Jewish City Park to enjoy the weather and District: Budapest has the largest one another’s company. Children Jewish population of any city on of all ages fill the playgrounds and the European continent (outside linger by the entrances to the Russia). Pest’s historic Jewish amusement park, the zoo, and the neighborhood, run-down but rel circus. Bathers flock to the his atively unchanged, resonates with toric Széchenyi Baths. Mostly, the magic and tragedy of the past. though, people come to stroll, a See “Walking Tour 4: The Jewish time-honored pastime in central District,” in chapter 7, “Strolling Europe. See “Parks, Gardens & Around Budapest.”
2 The Best Places to Enjoy a Sunset in Budapest • From the Riverside: Locals and will lift you gently up into the visitors alike stroll along the evening air. At the apex of the Danube bank (Pest side) in the long, slow ride, you will have an early evening, taking in the chang- astonishing view of the entire city ing light over the shimmering and the falling sun. See p. 128. water. Find a free bench, or ven- • From the Tower of Saint ture out onto one of the bridges Stephen’s Church: This is the that span the Danube to enjoy a highest point in Pest; from here, different view of the glorious river the only barrier to a vista of the that snakes its way through the horizon is haze or smog (on a bad soul of central Europe. See chap- day). For those who can handle it, ter 6, “Exploring Budapest,” for the long, arduous ascent makes more about Budapest’s bridges the view all the more pleasurable. and riverside walks. If climbing doesn’t appeal to you, • From the Ferris Wheel: The ride the newly installed lift to the beautiful old yellow Ferris wheel top. See p. 114. in Budapest’s amusement park
3 The Best Off-the-Beaten-Track Museums • Bélyegmúzeum (Postal Stamp • Közlekedési Múzeum (Trans- Museum): Generations of philat- port Museum): This vast and elists the world over have admired wonderful museum features large- the artistic creations of Magyar scale models of all sorts of vintage Posta. Here you’ll find rack after vehicles—trains, motorcycles, rack of Hungary’s finest stamps. bikes, early model cars, antique See p. 118. horse buggies, and more. Kids 01 549944 Ch01.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 7
THE BEST OFF-THE-BEATEN-TRACK MUSEUMS 7 Hungary 500 mi SYRIA RUSSIA TURKEY 0 500 km 0 BELARUS UKRAINE UKRAINE ROMANIA FINLAND ESTONIA ESTONIA BULGARIA BULGARIA LATVIA LATVIA ROMANIA GREECE LITHUANIA LITHUANIA YUGO- SLAVIA SLAVIA SLOVAKIA SLOVAKIA
POLAND
HUNGARY N
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D
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W S CZECH LY A
IT
AUSTRIA Y
A
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O TUNISIA
N GERMANY
DENMARK E C
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A R F Debrecen Sárospatak Tokaj
37 Tisza Aggtelek Miskolc PLAIN
Belgrade Tisza Szeged THE GREAT E75 Eger 5 E71 Bugac 5 Budapest Hollókó SERBIA Vác Kecskemét
Danube 6 E71 Szentendre Visegrád Székesfehérvár 56 SLOVAKIA Esztergom Pécs Siófok Tata Siklos
r e v i Veszprém R e b Lake Balaton Gyór
u Balatonfóldvár an D Szigliget 1 96 Bratislava 71 Herend Balatonfúred Fertód E65 8 Sárvár 100 mi Tihany Peninsula Hévíz Keszthely 10 100 km CROATIA 16 Sopron Ják Kószeg Fertórákos Railway Oriszentpeter 0 0 AUSTRIA SLO- Vienna Szombathely VENIA 01 549944 Ch01.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 8
8 CHAPTER 1 . THE BEST OF BUDAPEST
adore this fabulous trip through hats, and hundreds of other exam- history. See p. 128. ples of Hungarian folk art. See • Lakásmúzeum (Zsigmond Kun p. 123. Folk Art Museum): For almost • Varga Imre Gyújtemény (Imre the entire 20th century, a fellow Varga Collection): This small named Zsigmond Kun traveled museum features the sensitive, the back roads of Hungary, col- piercing work of Imre Varga, lecting and cataloging all manner Hungary’s best-known contempo of folk art. On display here in his rary sculptor. Of particular note is former apartment are ceramics the shaded garden where Varga’s and brandy flasks, tapestries and forlorn, broken figures stand and chairs, sheep bells, shepherds’ rest on benches. See p. 123.
4 The Best Places to Kill an Hour in Budapest • A Bench on the Danube Prome- still remain. None is quite so nade: Find an empty bench on this pleasant as the traditional, ornate heavily trafficked pedestrian walk- coffeehouse, a symbol of fin de way on the bank of the Danube. siècle Budapest. Coffee and sweets Sit back and drink in Budapest. are still inexpensive, and cus • Margaret Island: This lovely park tomers may linger for hours with in the middle of the river between out drawing unkind looks from Buda and Pest is beautifully main- the waiters. See “Traditional Cof tained, with fountains, floral gar- feehouses” in chapter 5, “Where dens, green fields, and the like. to Dine in Budapest.” Find yourself a piece of green and • A Bench on Tóth Árpád sétány: settle down for a while. See p. 124. This is the perfect alternative to • The Baths: There is no place the Danube Promenade for those quite like the city’s various baths who prefer a quiet urban bench to unwind. Budapest’s fabled ther- to one on a main thoroughfare. mal waters invite you to loosen Tóth Árpád sétány is a surpris up, slow down, and relax. See “Spa ingly untraveled street that runs Bathing & Swimming: Budapest’s the entire length of the Castle Most Popular Thermal Baths” in District on the Buda side (that is, chapter 6, “Exploring Budapest.” the non-Danube side). See “Walk • A Traditional Coffeehouse: ing Tour 2: The Castle District” Imperial Budapest is long, long in chapter 7, “Strolling Around gone, but a few of the trappings Budapest.”
5 The Best Experiences Outside Budapest • Cruising the Danube: There’s best-known ceramic artist are dis nothing like a boat ride on a fine played in this expansive museum sunny day. From Budapest, head in a lovely village on the Danube up the river to the charming Bend. Kovács’s unique sculptures towns of Szentendre and Visegrád of elderly women and her folk- along the Danube Bend. See art–influenced friezes of village “Exploring the Danube Bend” in life are especially moving. See chapter 10, “The Danube Bend.” p. 186. • Visiting the Margit Kovács • Hiking in the Hills Outside Museum (Szentendre): The Szigliget: You can hike up to the highly original works of Hungary’s fantastic ruins of a 13th-century 01 549944 Ch01.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 9
THE BEST HOTELS IN BUDAPEST 9
castle above this scenic little vil cramped, spiral staircase are justly lage in the Lake Balaton region, or rewarded with a spectacular view. go a few miles farther north and See p. 208. hike up into hills covered with • Exploring Pécs: This delightful vineyards. See p. 201. city in southern Hungary is home • Swimming in the Thermal Lake to one of Hungary’s most pleasing at Hévíz: Even in the bitterest central squares and some great spells of winter, the temperature examples of Turkish architecture. in Europe’s largest thermal lake See “The 2,000-year-old City of seldom dips below 85°F to 90°F Pécs” in chapter 13, “Southern (30°C–32°C). Hungarians swim Hungary: The Great Plain & the here year-round, and you can too! Mecsek Hills.” If you’re here in winter, it’ll be a • Sampling Szeged’s Fruit-and- particularly memorable experi Vegetable Market: At the main ence. See p. 202. open-air market behind the bus • Climbing the Eger Minaret: station, in this town near the Ser Eger, a beautiful, small city in bian and Romanian borders, local northern Hungary, is home to one farmers sell their bounty of peaches, of the country’s most impressive apricots, cherries, and pears in sea Turkish ruins: a 14-sided, 33m son, as well as fresh flowers, and, of (110-ft.) tall minaret. Those who course, dried paprika wreaths. See succeed in climbing the steep, p. 224.
6 The Best Hotels in Budapest • Best Historic Hotel: The splen- Hotel Liget, VI. Dózsa György út did, sprawling Danubius Hotel 106 (& 1/269-5300), which is Gellért, XI. Gellért tér 1 (& 1/ across the street from City Park’s 889-5500), first opened in 1918, zoo, amusement park, and circus. is still one of the city’s most ele- See p. 76. gant and charming hotels, and the • Best Moderately Priced Hotel: Art Nouveau Gellért Baths are the The homey Hotel Astra most popular in Budapest. See Vendégház, I. Vám u. 6 (& 1/ p. 72. 214-1906), opened in 1997, is • Best for Business Travelers: The perfectly situated in Buda’s quaint Kempinski Hotel Corvinus, V. Watertown neighborhood, just a Erzsébet tér (& 800/426-3135 in 10-minute walk from the Castle North America, or 1/429-3777), District, and minutes from the is the hotel of choice for corporate Danube embankment. See p. 73. visitors, with conference facilities, • Best Budget Hotel: The accom a state-of-the-art business center, modations at Charles Apartment and an efficient staff. See p. 66. House, I. Hegyalja út 23 • Best for a Romantic Getaway: (& 1/212-9169), are comfortable Any of the pensions in the Buda and clean flats—complete with Hills are suitable, but the Vad- bathrooms and fully equipped virág Panzió, II. Nagybányai út kitchens—in Buda apartment 18 (& 1/275-0200), is particu- buildings. See p. 74. larly fetching, surrounded as it is • Best Pension: The charming by sloping gardens and terraces. Gizella Panzió, XII. Arató u. 42/b See p. 81. (& 1/249-2281), built into the • Best for Families: Parents will side of a hill, has a lovely view of the appreciate the location of the valley in a quiet neighborhood 01 549944 Ch01.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 10
10 CHAPTER 1 . THE BEST OF BUDAPEST
that’s relatively easy to reach by bus. Hotel Kulturinnov, I. Szen- The rooms are quaint and sunny. tháromság tér 6 (& 1/355-0122), See p. 79. is a modest guesthouse just across • Best Location: This one is a tie the square. See p. 75. between the only two hotels in • Best View: You’ll either see the Buda’s elegant and timeless Castle full Pest skyline or overlook the District: The Hilton Budapest, delightful streets of the Castle I. Hess András tér 1–3 (& 1/488- District at the Hilton Budapest, 6600), is a luxurious lodging right I. Hess András tér 1–3 (& 1/488- next door to the Matthias Church 6600), widely considered the and the Fisherman’s Bastion, while city’s classiest hotel. See p. 75.
7 The Best Dining Bets in Budapest • Best for a Romantic Dinner: • Best Gulyás: While fine gulyás At Náncsi Néni Vendéglóje, (stews) abound in this town, you II. Ördögárok út 80 (& 1/397- surely won’t be disappointed with 2742), high up in the Buda Hills, the offerings at Malomtó Étterem, you can dine in the casual, elegant II. Frankel Leó u. 48 (& 1/326- outdoor garden in summer, with 2847). See p. 104. live music at night. See p. 102. • Best Wild Game: At Arany • Best Decor: The huge branches of szarvas, I. Szarvas tér 1 (& 1/ a wonderful old tree create a 375-6451)—the restaurant’s name canopy under which guests dine means “the Golden Stag”—you by candlelight in the interior can enjoy savory venison stew, courtyard at Kisbuda Gyöngye, pheasant, and wild boar. See III. Kenyeres u. 34 (& 1/368- p. 100. 6402). See p. 103. • Best Vegetarian: At Marquis de • Best View: You won’t be able to Salade, VI. Hajós u. 43 (& 1/ pronounce the restaurant’s name, 302-4086), cooks from around but the vista from a terrace table at the world prepare an amazing lovely Udvarház a Hármashatár- assortment of delicious vegetarian hegyen, I. Hármashatár-hegyi út dishes. See p. 94. 2 (& 1/388-8780), is beyond • Best Coffeehouse: Múvész Kávé words. High in the Buda Hills, ház, VI. Andrássy út 29 (& 1/ you’ll enjoy a great panoramic 352-1337), just across from the view of the surrounding hills. See Opera House, is a certifiable clas p. 102. sic. It’s open late, and occupies the • Best Wine List: Gundel, XIV. perfect location for a coffeehouse. Állatkerti út 2 (& 1/468-4040), See p. 106. the city’s fanciest and most famous • Best Pastries: Our favorite pastry restaurant, complements its tradi- shop is the century-old, utterly tional dishes, which are prepared charming little Ruszwurm Cuk in innovative ways, with a fabu- rászda, I. Szentháromság u. 7 lous and extensive wine list. See (& 1/375-5284), located in the p. 97. heart of the Castle District. See p. 106. 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 11
2 Planning Your Trip to Budapest
Now that you’ve decided to travel to Budapest, you may have dozens of ques- tions: Do I need a visa? What currency is used in Hungary, and can I get my hands on some at home? Will any festivals take place during my trip? What’s the best route to get there? This chapter is devoted to providing answers to these and other questions.
1 Visitor Information VISITOR INFORMATION A website with dozens of links to a For general country information and a large variety of Budapest-related sites is variety of pamphlets and maps before www.fsz.bme.hu/hungary/budapest/ you leave, contact the government- bplinks; check out www.fsz.bme.hu/ sponsored Hungarian National hungary/qgeneral.html while you are Tourist Office, 150 E. 58th St., New there. Another site with lots of helpful York, NY 10155 (& 212/355-0240; information for visitors is www.vista. fax 212/207-4103; www.gotohungary. hu, the website of the Vista Visitor com). In London the Hungarian Center (p. 40). Find general city infor- National Tourist Office is at 46 mation at www.budapest.com. To Eaton Place, London SW1X 8AL get news about Hungary, check out the (& 020/7823-1032; fax 020/7823- Hungarian News Agency at www. 1459). The Hungarian National english.mti.hu. It’s updated daily. Tourist Office’s main website, a great Current local news, entertainment list- source of information, is www.goto ings, and the like can be found hungary.com. at either www.budapestsun.com or www.budapestweek.com.
2 Entry Requirements & Customs ENTRY REQUIREMENTS well as the current fees for processing Citizens of the United States, Canada, passport applications. For an up-to-date the Republic of Ireland, and the country-by-country listing of passport United Kingdom need only a valid requirements around the world, go the passport to enter Hungary. Citizens of “Foreign Entry Requirement” Web Australia and New Zealand need a visa page of the U.S. State Department at as well as a passport; contact the near- http://travel.state.gov/foreignentryreqs. est Hungarian embassy for details and html. requirements concerning visas. WHAT YOU CAN BRING For information on how to get a INTO HUNGARY passport, go to the Fast Facts section of You’re allowed to bring duty-free into this chapter—the websites listed provide Hungary 250 cigarettes, 2 liters of downloadable passport applications as wine, and 1 liter of spirits. There is no 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 12
12 CHAPTER 2 . PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO BUDAPEST
Tips Passport Savvy Allow plenty of time before your trip to apply for a passport; processing normally takes 3 weeks but can take longer during busy periods (espe cially spring). And keep in mind that if you need a passport in a hurry, you’ll pay a higher processing fee. When traveling, safeguard your pass port in an inconspicuous, inaccessible place like a money belt and keep a copy of the critical pages with your passport number in a separate place. If you lose your passport, visit the nearest consulate of your native coun try as soon as possible for a replacement.
limit to the amount of money you cigars. In addition, you’re allowed to may bring into the country. However, mail gifts to Canada valued at less than you may not take out of the country C$60 a day, provided they’re unso more than 1,000,000 forints in Hun licited and don’t contain alcohol or garian currency. tobacco (write on the package “Unso licited gift, under $60 value”). All valu WHAT YOU CAN TAKE ables should be declared on the Y-38 HOME FROM HUNGARY form before departure from Canada, Returning U.S. citizens who have including serial numbers of valuables been away for at least 48 hours are you already own, such as expensive for allowed to bring back, once every 30 eign cameras. Note: The $750 exemp days, $800 worth of merchandise tion can only be used once a year and duty-free. You’ll be charged a flat rate only after an absence of 7 days. of 4% duty on the next $1,000 worth Citizens of the U.K. who are of purchases. Be sure to have your returning from a European Union receipts handy. On mailed gifts the (EU) country (which Hungary duty-free limit is $200. With some became in May 2004) will go through exceptions, you cannot bring fresh a separate Customs exit (called the fruits and vegetables into the United “Blue Exit”) especially for EU travelers. States. For specifics on what you can In essence, there is no limit on what bring back, download the invaluable you can bring back from an EU coun free pamphlet Know Before You Go try, as long as the items are for personal online at www.customs.gov. (Click use (this includes gifts), and you have on “Travel,” and then click on “Know already paid the necessary duty and Before You Go Online Brochure.”) tax. However, Customs law sets out Or contact the U.S. Customs Service, guidance levels. If you bring in more 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Wash & than these levels, you may be asked to ington, DC 20229 ( 877/287- prove that the goods are for your own 8867) and request the pamphlet. use. Guidance levels on goods bought For a clear summary of Canadian in the EU for your own use are 3,200 rules, write for the booklet I Declare, cigarettes, 200 cigars, 400 cigarillos, 3 issued by the Canada Customs and & kilograms of smoking tobacco, 10 Revenue Agency ( 800/461-9999 liters of spirits, 90 liters of wine, 20 in Canada, or 204/983-3500; www. liters of fortified wine (such as port or ccra-adrc.gc.ca). Canada allows its citi sherry), and 110 liters of beer. zens a C$750 exemption, and you’re The duty-free allowance in Aus allowed to bring back duty-free one tralia is A$400 or, for those under 18, carton of cigarettes, one can of tobacco, A$200. Citizens can bring in 250 40 imperial ounces of liquor, and 50 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 13
MONEY 13
cigarettes or 250 grams of loose wine and beer, or 1.125 liters of tobacco, and 1,125 milliliters of alco liquor. New Zealand currency does hol. If you’re returning with valuables not carry import or export restric you already own, such as foreign-made tions. Fill out a certificate of export, cameras, you should file form B263. A listing the valuables you are taking out helpful brochure available from Aus of the country; that way, you can tralian consulates or Customs offices is bring them back without paying duty. Know Before You Go. For more infor Most questions are answered in a free mation, call the Australian Customs pamphlet available at New Zealand Service at & 1300/363-263, or log consulates and Customs offices: New on to www.customs.gov.au. Zealand Customs Guide for Travellers, The duty-free allowance for New Notice no. 4. For more information, Zealand is NZ$700. Citizens over 17 contact New Zealand Customs, The can bring in 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, Customhouse, 17–21 Whitmore St., or 250 grams of tobacco (or a mixture Box 2218, Wellington (& 04/473- of all three if their combined weight 6099 or 0800/428-786; www.customs. doesn’t exceed 250g); plus 4.5 liters of govt.nz).
3 Money CURRENCY Currently 1€ = $1.15. This is done pre The basic unit of currency in Hungary dominantly as a hedge against forint is the forint (Ft). Coins come in inflation; Hungary became a member denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, of the European Union in May 2004, and 100 Ft. Banknotes come in but is not planning to introduce the denominations of 200, 500, 1,000, euro until 2007. All hotels in Budapest 5,000, 10,000, and 20,000 Ft. accept payment in Hungarian forints Over the past several years, the as well as in most foreign currencies. weakened U.S. dollar has fallen short CHANGING MONEY of its earlier pattern of gaining against It’s a good idea to exchange at least the Hungarian forint at roughly the some money—just enough to cover same rate as inflation in Hungary. airport incidentals and transportation During the 1990s and early 2000s, the to your hotel—before you leave home, U.S. dollar, in general, typically went so you can avoid lines at airport ATMs about as far in Hungary as it had the (automated teller machines). You can previous year. This trend seems to exchange money at your local Ameri have stopped for now. However, Hun can Express or Thomas Cook office or gary continues to be considerably less your bank. If you’re far away from a expensive for travelers than most bank with currency-exchange services, Western countries. Labor-intensive American Express offers traveler’s services, such as picture framing, tai checks and foreign currency, though loring, shoe and watch repair, and the with a $15 order fee and additional like, are particularly inexpensive. shipping costs, at www.american As of this writing, the rate of express.com or & 800/807-6233. exchange is $1 = 220 Ft (or 100 Ft = The best official rates for both cash 45¢), and this is the rate used to cal and traveler’s checks are obtained at culate all the U.S. dollar prices in this banks. Exchange booths are also book. Of course, exchange rates fluc located throughout the city center, in tuate over time. train stations, and in most luxury Note: Several hotels and pensions in hotels, but exchange booths almost Budapest list their prices in U.S. dol uniformly offer less favorable rates lars, while most list prices in euros. 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 14
14 CHAPTER 2 . PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO BUDAPEST
than banks. This is particularly true of offering you a rate more than 2% to the Inter Change chain, which offers a 3% better than the official one. Such a rate up to 20% less favorable than the person is certainly out to cheat you. going bank rate, depending on the Since 2001, with the full convert amount you exchange. ATMs are ibility of the Hungarian forint, there found in front of banks throughout are no longer any restrictions regard the city or in major shopping malls. ing re-exchange of forints back into You may withdraw forints at the daily your currency. Consequently, unlike exchange rate from your home in the past, you need not retain your account through the Cirrus and PLUS currency exchange receipts as proof of networks (see “ATMs,” below). At exchange. some banks and at all exchange booths, you will get a better rate when ATMs exchanging cash. The easiest and best way to get The bands of honest money-chang- cash away from home is from an ers that were once a permanent fixture ATM (automated teller machine). The Cirrus (& 800/424-7787; www. of Keleti Station are scarcely to be & found anymore. You should regard mastercard.com) and PLUS ( 800/ with extreme suspicion anyone who 843-7587; www.visa.com) networks accosts you on the street wanting to span the globe; look at the back of change money, especially someone your bank card to see which network
xchange. The Hungarian Forint For American Readers At this writing $1 = approximately 220 Ft (or 100 Ft = 45¢), and this was the rate of exchange used to calculate the dol lar values given in this chapter. For British Readers At this writing £1 = approximately 375 Ft (or 100 Ft = 27p), and this was the rate of exchange used to calculate the pound val ues in the table below. Note: The rates given here fluctuate and may not be the same when you travel to Hungary. Therefore, this table should be used only as a guide. Ft U.S.$ € U.K.£ Ft U.S.$ € U.K.£ 5 .02 .02 .01 3,000 13.00 15.87 8.10 10 .04 .05 .03 4,000 18.18 20.91 11.00 25 .11 .13 .07 5,000 22.00 25.88 13.50 50 .22 .25 .14 6,000 27.27 31.36 16.20 75 .34 .39 .20 7,000 31.50 36.23 18.90 100 .45 .52 .27 8,000 36.00 41.40 21.60 200 .90 1.04 .54 9,000 40.50 46.58 24.30 300 1.35 1.55 .81 10,000 45.00 51.75 27.00 400 1.80 2.07 1.08 15,000 67.50 77.63 40.50 500 2.25 2.59 1.35 20,000 90.00 103.50 54.00 750 3.40 3.91 2.00 25,000 112.50 129.38 67.50 1,000 4.50 5.18 2.70 30,000 135.00 155.25 81.00 1,500 6.75 7.76 4.05 40,000 180.00 207.00 110.00 2,000 9.00 10.35 5.50 50,000 225.00 258.75 135.00 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 15
MONEY 15
Tips Small Change When you change money, ask for some small bills or loose change. Petty cash will come in handy for tipping and public transportation. Consider keeping the change separate from your larger bills, so that it’s readily accessible and you’ll be less of a target for theft.
you’re on, then call or check online for TRAVELER’S CHECKS ATM locations at your destination. Be Traveler’s checks are something of an sure you know your personal identifi anachronism from the days before the cation number (PIN) before you leave ATM made cash accessible at any home and be sure to find out your time. Traveler’s checks used to be the daily withdrawal limit before you only sound alternative to traveling depart. Also keep in mind that many with dangerously large amounts of banks impose a fee every time a card is cash. They were as reliable as currency, used at a different bank’s ATM, and but, unlike cash, could be replaced if that fee can be higher for international lost or stolen. transactions (up to $5 or more) than These days, traveler’s checks are less for domestic ones (where they’re rarely necessary because most cities have 24 more than $1.50). On top of this, the hour ATMs that allow you to with bank from which you withdraw cash draw small amounts of cash as needed. may charge its own fee. To compare However, keep in mind that you will banks’ ATM fees within the U.S., use likely be charged an ATM withdrawal www.bankrate.com. For international fee if the bank is not your own, so if withdrawal fees, ask your bank. you’re withdrawing money every day, There are numerous ATMs through you might be better off with traveler’s out Budapest that are connected to checks—provided that you don’t mind the Cirrus (& 800/424-7787; www. showing identification every time you mastercard.com) and Plus (& 800/ want to cash one. 843-7587; www.visa.com) networks, You can get traveler’s checks at as well as credit card accounts. Look almost any bank. American Express for them at the airport or on the street offers denominations of $20, $50, in front of banks. You may withdraw $100, $500, and (for cardholders money from your account in Hungar only) $1,000. You’ll pay a service ian forints only, at the official daily charge ranging from 1% to 4%. You exchange rate. In our experience, the can also get American Express trav- ATMs of OTP and Bankomat banks eler’s checks over the phone by calling are the most convenient when it & 800/221-7282; Amex gold and comes to walking around in town, and platinum cardholders who use this those of MKB are most convenient in number are exempt from the 1% fee. shopping centers, while the ATMs of Visa offers traveler’s checks at K&H banks are not always reliable. Citibank locations nationwide, as well You can also get cash advances on as at several other banks. The service your credit card at an ATM. Keep in charge ranges between 1.5% and 2%; mind that credit card companies try to checks come in denominations of protect themselves from theft by lim $20, $50, $100, $500, and $1,000. iting the funds someone can withdraw Call & 800/732-1322 for informa outside their home country, so call tion. AAA members can obtain Visa your credit card company before you checks without a fee at most AAA leave home. offices or by calling & 866/339-3378. 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 16
16 CHAPTER 2 . PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO BUDAPEST
MasterCard also offers traveler’s even know you had one, call the num checks. Call & 800/223-9920 for a ber on the back of your credit card location near you. and ask the bank to send it to you. It If you choose to carry traveler’s usually takes 5 to 7 business days, checks, be sure to keep a record of though some banks will provide the their serial numbers separate from number over the phone if you tell your checks in the event that they are them your mother’s maiden name or stolen or lost. You’ll get a refund faster some other personal information. if you know the numbers. Your credit card company will likely Traveler’s checks are accepted for charge a commission (1% or 2%) on exchange at most banks and exchange every foreign purchase you make, but offices, including the American don’t sweat this small stuff; for most Express office between Vörösmarty purchases, you’ll still get the best deal tér and Deák tér in central Pest, at V. with credit cards when you factor in Deák Ferenc u. 10, 1052 Budapest things like ATM fees and higher trav- (& 1/235-4330 or 1/235-4300; fax eler’s check exchange rates. 1/267-2028). Many hotels (but not Credit and charge cards are widely stores) also accept them as payment. accepted throughout Budapest. All You are likely to get a slightly lower first- and second-class hotels, many exchange rate with traveler’s checks pensions, and all of the more expen than with cash, especially at exchange sive restaurants in Budapest accept at booths. Be aware that if you should least one major card. Many—but not wish to cash in your traveler’s checks all—boutiques, art galleries, antiques for dollars at the American Express stores, crystal and china stores, and office, you will end up losing 7% since trendy shops in the city center also they first exchange the checks for accept credit and charge cards. Inex forints and then buy the forints back pensive restaurants and shops that for dollars. cater more to locals than travelers gen erally do not. Credit cards are not CREDIT CARDS accepted at marketplaces. Look for the Credit cards are a safe way to carry applicable stickers in the window. money; they provide a convenient Most shops require you to produce record of all your expenses, and they some additional form of ID, such as generally offer good exchange rates. your passport or driver’s license. You can also withdraw cash advances For tips and telephone numbers to from your credit cards at banks or call if your wallet is stolen or lost, go ATMs, provided you know your PIN. to “Lost & Found” in the Fast Facts If you’ve forgotten yours, or didn’t section of chapter 3.
Tips Dear Visa: I’m Off to Budapest! Some credit card companies recommend that you notify them of any impending trip abroad so that they don’t become suspicious when the card is used numerous times in a foreign destination and your charges are blocked. Even if you don’t call your credit card company in advance, you can always use the card’s toll-free emergency number (see “Fast Facts” in chapter 3) if a charge is refused—a good reason to carry the phone num ber with you. But perhaps the most important lesson here is to carry more than one card with you on your trip; a card might not work for any num ber of reasons, so having a backup is the smart way to go. 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 17
WHEN TO GO 17
What Things Cost in Budapest U.S.$ £ Taxi from Ferihegy II airport to the city center 20–35 7.70–16 (depending on which fleet) Metro from Nyugati Station to Deák tér .55 .25 Local telephone call 1.05 .55 Double room at the Hilton in high season 311–403 137–201 (Very Expensive) Double room at the Hotel Victoria (Expensive) 117 64 Double room at Hotel Kulturinnov (Moderate) 92 45 Double room at Hotel MEDOSZ (Inexpensive) 68 31 Dinner for one, without wine, at Kis Buda 11–18 5.70–8.50 Gyöngye (Expensive) Dinner for one, without wine, at Malomtó 5.60–14 2.85–5.70 Étterem (Moderate) Dinner for one, without wine, at Makkhetes 5.30–13 2.15–4.25 Vendégló (Inexpensive) Half liter of beer 1–2.60 .70–1.05 Coca-Cola 1–1.50 .60–1.05 Cup of coffee 1–2.50 .70–1.40 Roll of ASA 100 Kodacolor film, 36 exposures 7 3.20 Admission to the Hungarian National Museum 2.70 1.20 Movie ticket 3 1.80 Opera ticket 12–43 9.20–25
4 When to Go THE CLIMATE February are the coldest months, aver- Budapest has a relatively mild aging 30°F (–1°C), though tempera- climate—the annual mean tempera- tures can dip well below that on any ture in Hungary is 50°F (10°C). Nev- given day. Be prepared for damp and ertheless, summer temperatures often chilly weather in winter. Spring is usu exceed 80° to 85°F (27°C–29°C), and ally mild and, especially in May, wet. sweltering hot, humid days are typi- Autumn is usually quite pleasant, with cal in July and August. January and mild, cooler weather through October. Budapest’s Average Daily Temperatures & Rainfall Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Temp. (°F) 30 34 38 53 62 68 72 71 63 52 42 35 Temp. (°C) –1 1 3 12 17 20 22 22 17 11 6 2 Rainfall (in.) 1.3 1.2 1.1 1.5 2.2 2.5 2 2 1.6 1.3 2 1.6
HOLIDAYS Holiday), Easter Sunday and Easter Hungarian holidays are: January 1 Monday, May 1 (May Day), Whit (New Year’s Day), March 15 (National Monday, August 20 (St. Stephen’s 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 18
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Day), October 23 (Republic Day), display the year’s newly released November 1 (All Saints’ Day), and titles. The main attractions, such as December 25 and 26 (Christmas). authors’ signing sessions, are located Shops, museums, and banks are closed in Vörösmarty tér. Most books are on all holidays. in Hungarian, of course, but there are always beautiful books on art, HUNGARY CALENDAR architecture, and other subjects. Last week of May or first week of June. OF EVENTS With a little luck, your trip to Budapest will June–August coincide with one or more of the city’s cul Open-Air Theater Programs, tural events. Keep in mind, though, that dur Budapest. A rich variety of open- ing some of them, particularly the Spring air performances are given through Festival and the Formula One Grand Prix in out Budapest during the summer. mid-August, hotel rooms are hard to come Highlights include opera and ballet by, so you should reserve in advance. All inquiries about ticket availability and location at the Margaret Island Open-Air of events should be directed to Budapest’s Theater, folklore and dance at the main tourist information office, Tourinform, Buda Park Theater, musicals in which has a main office at Sütó u. 2, 1052 Városmajor Theater, and classical Budapest (& 1/317-9800; fax 1/317-9656; music recitals in the Dominican www.tourinform.hu). It’s open daily from Courtyard at the Hilton Hotel. For 8am to 8pm. There’s also a branch office in the heart of Budapest’s Broadway, at Liszt information, contact the Hungar Ferenc tér 11 (& 1/322-4098; fax 1/342- ian Arts Festivals Federation (& 36/ 2541) that’s open daily from 9am to 7pm. 1-318-8165). June through August. March Organ Concerts, Budapest. Con Budapest Spring Festival. For 2 certs are given in the Matthias weeks, performances of everything Church, in the lovely Castle Dis from opera to ballet, from classical trict of Buda. See p. 116 for details. music to drama, are held at all the June through August. In addition, major halls and theaters of Budapest. Budapest’s largest church, St. Simultaneously, temporary exhibi Stephen’s Basilica, also hosts organ tions open in many of Budapest’s concerts. See p. 114. July through museums. Tickets are available at August. the Festival Ticket Service, V. “Budafest” Summer Opera and 1081 Rákóczi út 65 (& 1/486- Ballet Festival, Budapest. This 3300; Red line: Blaha Lujza tér), 10-day festival is the only time to and at the individual venues. Mid- see a summer performance at the to late March. wonderful Hungarian State Opera Hollókó’s Easter Festival. During House in Budapest. Tickets are avail Easter in this charming small town in able at the Opera House box office northeastern Hungary, villagers wear at VI. Andrássy út 20 (& 1/353- traditional costumes and participate 0170) or at the National Philhar in a folk festival. Traditional song, monic Ticket Office, V. Vörösmarty dance, and foods are featured. For tér 1 (& 1/318-0281). August. information, contact the Hungarian International Palace Tournament, Arts Festivals Federation (& 36/1- Visegrád. Each summer, this ancient 318-8165). Easter day. town on the Danube hosts an May–June authentic medieval festival replete Book Fair, Budapest. Publishers set with dueling knights on horseback, up kiosks throughout central Pest to and early music and dance. Contact 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 19
HUNGARY CALENDAR OF EVENTS 19
Visegrád Tours, RÉV u. 15 in country’s patron saint is celebrated Visegrád (& 26/398-160). Second with cultural events and a dramatic weekend in July. display of fireworks over the International Guitar Festival, Danube at 9pm. Hungarians also Esztergom. This stately little town celebrate their Constitution on this on the Danube hosts a guitar festi day and ceremoniously welcome val that features performers from the first new bread from the recent around the world. Classical con crop of July wheat. August 20. certs are performed in the Basilica. National Jewish Festival, For information, contact Gran Budapest. In 1999 this new annual Tours, Esztergom at Széchenyi tér festival arrived on the Hungarian 25 (& 33/502-001). First week of cultural scene. The festival features August every other year; the next a variety of Jewish culture–related festival is scheduled for 2005. events—from klezmer music to a Formula One Grand Prix, book fair, from ballet to cabaret— Budapest. One of the European rac held in “Gödör,” a new cultural ing circuit’s most important annual center that opened in Deák tér in events is held at Budapest’s Hun 2004 (on the site of the former cen garoRing in Mogyoród. Call & 36/ tral bus station, which was at one 2-844-4444 or check out www. time slated to be the location of a hungaroring.hu. Second weekend grandiose new national theater in in August. Budapest). For information, con tact the Tourism and Cultural Pepsi Island (Pepsi-sziget), Óbuda Center of the Budapest Jewish Island in the Danube. Established Community, 1075 Budapest, Síp in 1994 as Hungary’s very own u. 12 (& 36/1-343-0420; the not- “Woodstock,” Pepsi-sziget is a quite-up-to-date website is at www. weeklong music festival that draws interdnet.hu/Zsido/zsikk/festival_ young people from all over Europe. en.html). Late August or early Sep The event features foreign and local tember; call for exact dates. rock, folk, and jazz groups on dozens of stages playing each day Szeged Summer Festival. Szeged, from early afternoon to the wee the proud capital of the Great Plain, hours of the morning. Camping is is home to a summer-long series of available. You can get details and cultural events (ballet, opera, rock pick up a program schedule at opera, open-air theater). For infor Tourinform (p. 40). Usually begins mation, call & 62/471-411. June the second week of August. through August. Traditional Handicraft Fair, September Budapest. The Castle District is the Budapest International Wine Fes site of a 3-day annual handicraft tival. This festival, in Budapest’s fair, which draws vendors from Castle District, features wine tast across Hungary and from Hungar ings, displays, and auctions, as well ian enclaves in neighboring coun as folk and classical music perform tries, especially Romania. The wares ances. The sponsor is the Hungar are generally handmade and of high ian Viniculture Foundation, XI. quality. This is a part of the Bartók Béla út 152 (& 1/203- St. Stephen’s Day celebrations. 8507; www.kertnet.hu/Hungarian- August 20. Horticulture/gb/226s.htm). Early September. St. Stephen’s Day, Budapest. This is Hungary’s national day. The 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 20
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Budapest International Fair. For (& 36/1-318-8165). The festivals’ 10 days, Budapest’s HungExpo traditional start is September 25, grounds are filled with displays of the day of Béla Bartók’s death. Europe’s latest consumer goods. Contemporary Music Weeks, Contact & 36-1/263-6000; www. Budapest. Held in conjunction hungexpo.hu. Mid-September. with the Budapest Art Weeks, this Budapest Art Weeks. In celebra 3-week festival features contempo tion of the opening of the fall sea rary music performances in all the son, special classical music and capital’s major halls. For informa dance performances are held for 3 tion, contact the Hungarian Arts weeks in all the city’s major halls. Festivals Federation (& 36/1-318- For information, contact the Hun 8165). Starts September 25. garian Arts Festivals Federation
5 Travel Insurance Check your existing insurance policies America (& 866/807-3982; www. and credit card coverage before you accessamerica.com), Travel Guard buy travel insurance. You may already International (& 800/826-4919; be covered for lost luggage, canceled www.travelguard.com), Travel Insured tickets, or medical expenses. The cost International (& 800/243-3174; of travel insurance varies widely, www.travelinsured.com), and Trav depending on the cost and length of elex Insurance Services (& 888/457- your trip, your age, health, and the 4602; www.travelex-insurance.com). type of trip you’re taking. MEDICAL INSURANCE Emer TRIP-CANCELLATION INSUR gency medical treatment is provided ANCE Trip-cancellation insurance free of charge in Hungary, but you’ll helps you get your money back if you have to pay for prescription medica have to back out of a trip, if you have tions and for nonemergency care. to go home early, or if your travel sup Most health insurance policies cover plier goes bankrupt. Allowed reasons you if you get sick away from home— for cancellation can range from sick but check, particularly if you’re ness to natural disasters to the State insured by an HMO. With the excep Department declaring your destina tion of certain HMOs and Medicare/ tion unsafe for travel. (Insurers usually Medicaid, your medical insurance won’t cover vague fears, though, as should cover medical treatment— many travelers discovered who tried to even hospital care—overseas. How cancel their trips in Oct 2001 because ever, most out-of-country hospitals they were wary of flying.) In this make you pay your bills up front, and unstable world, trip-cancellation insur send you a refund after you’ve ance is a good buy if you’re getting returned home and filed the necessary tickets well in advance—who knows paperwork. And in a worst-case sce what the state of the world, or of your nario, there’s the high cost of emer airline, will be in 9 months? Insurance gency evacuation. If you require policy details vary, so read the fine additional medical insurance, try print—and especially make sure that MEDEX International (& 800/527- your airline or cruise line is on the list 0218 or 410/453-6300; www.medex of carriers covered in case of bank assist.com) or Travel Assistance ruptcy. For information, contact one International (& 800/821-2828; of the following insurers: Access www.travelassistance.com; for general 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 21
HEALTH & SAFETY 21
information on services, call the com- Travel Guard’s “BagTrak” product. pany’s Worldwide Assistance Services Don’t buy insurance at the airport, as Inc. at & 800/777-8710). it’s usually overpriced. Be sure to take LOST-LUGGAGE INSURANCE any valuables or irreplaceable items On domestic flights, checked baggage with you in your carry-on luggage, as is covered up to $2,500 per ticketed many valuables (including books, passenger. On international flights money, and electronics) aren’t covered (including U.S. portions of interna by airline policies. tional trips), baggage is limited to If your luggage is lost, immediately approximately $9.05 per pound, up to file a lost-luggage claim at the airport, approximately $635 per checked bag. detailing the luggage contents. For If you plan to check items more valu most airlines, you must report able than the standard liability, see if delayed, damaged, or lost baggage your valuables are covered by your within 4 hours of arrival. The airlines homeowner’s policy, get baggage are required to deliver luggage, once insurance as part of your comprehen found, directly to your house or desti sive travel-insurance package, or buy nation free of charge.
6 Health & Safety STAYING HEALTHY doctors to your condition and give No shots or inoculations are required them access to your records through for entry to Hungary. To be on the MedicAlert’s 24-hour hot line. safe side, bring enough of any pre Pack prescription medications in scription or other medication you may your carry-on luggage, and carry pre need. It is also good practice to take scription medications in their original along a copy of all prescriptions—in containers, with pharmacy labels— their generic forms—in case you run otherwise they won’t make it through out of any meds. Sunscreen and other airport security. Also bring along toiletries are readily available. copies of your prescriptions in case you lose your pills or run out. Don’t WHAT TO DO IF YOU GET forget an extra pair of contact lenses or SICK AWAY FROM HOME prescription glasses. Carry the generic As we mentioned before, emergency name of prescription medicines, in medical treatment is provided free of case a local pharmacist is unfamiliar charge in Hungary, but you’ll have to with the brand name. pay for prescription medications and Contact the International Associa for nonemergency care. tion for Medical Assistance to Trav In most cases, your existing health elers (IAMAT) (& 716/754-4883 or, plan will provide the coverage you in Canada, 416/652-0137; www. need. But double-check; you may iamat.org) for tips on travel and health want to buy travel medical insurance concerns in the countries you’re visit instead. (See the section on insurance, ing, and lists of local, English-speak- above.) Bring your insurance ID card ing doctors. The United States with you when you travel. Centers for Disease Control and If you suffer from a chronic illness, Prevention (& 800/311-3435; www. consult your doctor before your depar cdc.gov) provides up-to-date informa ture. For conditions like epilepsy, tion on necessary vaccines and health diabetes, or heart problems, wear hazards by region or country. Any for a MedicAlert Identification Tag & eign consulate can provide a list of ( 800/825-3785; www.medicalert. area doctors who speak English. If you org), which will immediately alert 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 22
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get sick, consider asking your hotel Pickpockets generally work in teams, concierge to recommend a local with one or more creating a distraction doctor—even his or her own. You can (bumping into people, falling down, also try the emergency room at a local staging a fake argument, and so on), hospital; many have walk-in clinics for while a partner takes advantage of the emergency cases that are not life- fact that their victim is distracted. One threatening. You may not get immedi way to protect yourself is to always ate attention, but you won’t pay the carry valuables in an inside pocket or high price of an emergency room visit. in a money belt. There is no shortage of rambunctious drunks at night in STAYING SAFE Budapest, but they don’t seem to pose Budapest is a fairly safe city, and vio much danger to others. Budapest is a lent street crime is far less common city filled with underpasses. Be careful than in similar sized U.S. cities. How at night; you can always choose to ever, you should always be on the cross a street above ground if an lookout for pickpockets, especially on underpass appears deserted. crowded buses, trains, and trams.
7 Specialized Travel Resources FOR TRAVELERS WITH www.sath.org; annual membership DISABILITIES fees: $45 adults, $30 seniors and stu Buses and metros in Budapest are not dents), which offers a wealth of travel equipped for people with disabilities, resources for all types of disabilities and many hotels, restaurants, and and informed recommendations on museums are generally not accessible to destinations, access guides, travel wheelchairs. However, Hungarians are agents, tour operators, vehicle rentals, accustomed to helping people with dis and companion services; and the abilities get on and off buses, up and American Foundation for the Blind down stairs, and so on. You will find (& 800/232-5463; www.afb.org), people to be very helpful and generous which provides information on travel in this respect. ing with Seeing Eye dogs. Many travel agencies offer cus For more information specifically tomized tours and itineraries for targeted to travelers with disabilities, travelers with disabilities. Flying the community website iCan (www. Wheels Travel (& 507/451-5005; icanonline.net/channels/travel/index. www.flyingwheelstravel.com) offers cfm) has destination guides and sev escorted tours and cruises that empha eral regular columns on accessible size sports and private tours in mini travel. Also check out the quarterly vans with lifts. Accessible Journeys magazine Emerging Horizons ($15 (& 800/846-4537 or 610/521-0339; per year, $20 outside the U.S.; www. www.disabilitytravel.com) caters specif emerginghorizons.com); Twin Peaks ically to slow walkers and wheelchair Press (& 360/694-2462; http:// travelers and their families and friends. disabilitybookshop.vir tual Organizations that offer assistance ave.net/blist84.htm), offering travel- to travelers with disabilities include related books for travelers with special MossRehab (www.mossresourcenet. needs; and Open World Magazine, org), which provides a library of published by the Society for Accessible accessible-travel resources online; Travel and Hospitality (see above; sub the Society for Accessible Travel scription: $18 per year, $35 outside and Hospitality (& 212/447-7284; the U.S.). 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 23
SPECIALIZED TRAVEL RESOURCES 23 GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELERS Gay Travel A to Z: The World of The International Gay & Lesbian Gay & Lesbian Travel Options at Travel Association (IGLTA) (& 800/ Your Fingertips by Marianne Ferrari 448-8550 or 954/776-2626; www. (Ferrari Publications; Box 35575, iglta.org) is the trade association for Phoenix, AZ 85069), a very good gay the gay and lesbian travel industry, and lesbian guidebook series. and offers an online directory of gay- SENIOR TRAVEL and lesbian-friendly travel businesses; Mention the fact that you’re a senior go to their website and click on when you make your travel reserva “Members.” tions. Although all of the major U.S. Many agencies offer tours and airlines except America West have can travel itineraries specifically for gay celed their senior discount and and lesbian travelers. Above and coupon-book programs, many hotels Beyond Tours (& 800/397-2681; still offer discounts for seniors. In www.abovebeyondtours.com) is the most cities, people over the age of 60 exclusive gay and lesbian tour operator qualify for reduced admission to the for United Airlines. Now, Voyager aters, museums, and other attractions, (& 800/255-6951; www.nowvoyager. as well as discounted fares on public com) is a well-known San Francisco– transportation. based gay-owned and -operated travel Members of AARP (formerly service. Olivia Cruises & Resorts known as the American Association of (& 800/631-6277 or 510/655-0364; Retired Persons), 601 E St. NW, www.olivia.com) charters entire resorts Washington, D.C. 20049 (& 800/ and ships for exclusive lesbian vaca 424-3410 or 202/434-2277; www. tions and offers smaller group expe aarp.org), get discounts on hotels, riences for both gay and lesbian airfares, and car rentals. AARP offers travelers. members a wide range of benefits, The following travel guides are including AARP: The Magazine and a available at most travel bookstores and monthly newsletter. Anyone over 50 gay and lesbian bookstores, or you can can join. order them from Giovanni’s Room Many reliable agencies and organi bookstore, 1145 Pine St., Philadel zations target the 50-plus market. phia, PA 19107 (& 215/923-2960; Elderhostel (& 877/426-8056; www. www.giovannisroom.com): Frommer’s elderhostel.org) arranges study pro Gay & Lesbian Europe, an excellent grams for those ages 55 and over (and travel resource; Out and About a spouse or companion of any age) in (& 800/929-2268 or 415/644-8044; the U.S. and in more than 80 coun www.outandabout.com), which offers tries around the world. Most courses guidebooks and a newsletter 10 last 5 to 7 days in the U.S. (2–4 weeks times a year packed with solid infor abroad), and many include airfare, mation on the global gay and lesbian accommodations in university dormi scene; Spartacus International Gay tories or modest inns, meals, and Guide (Bruno Gmunder Verlag) and tuition. ElderTreks (& 800/741- Odysseus: The International Gay 7956; www.eldertreks.com) offers Travel Planner (Odysseus Enterprises small-group tours to off-the-beaten- Ltd.), both good, annual English- path or adventure-travel locations, language guidebooks focused on gay restricted to travelers 50 and older. men; the Damron guides (Damron Recommended publications offer Company), with separate, annual ing travel resources and discounts for books for gay men and lesbians; and 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 24
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seniors include: the quarterly magazine sites like the Family Travel Network Travel 50 & Beyond (www.travel50 (www.familytravelnetwork.com); andbeyond.com); Travel Unlimited: Traveling Internationally with Your Uncommon Adventures for the Kids (www.travelwithyourkids.com), Mature Traveler (Avalon); 101 Tips a comprehensive site offering sound for Mature Travelers, available from advice for long-distance and interna Grand Circle Travel (& 800/221- tional travel with children; and Fam 2610 or 617/350-7500; www.gct. ily Travel Files (www.thefamilytravel com); The 50+ Traveler’s Guidebook files.com), which offers an online (St. Martin’s Press); and Unbelievably magazine and a directory of off-the- Good Deals and Great Adventures beaten-path tours and tour operators That You Absolutely Can’t Get Unless for families. You’re Over 50 (McGraw-Hill). How to Take Great Trips with Your Kids (The Harvard Common FAMILY TRAVEL Press) is full of good general advice Children are treated like royalty in that can apply to travel anywhere for Hungary, pampered not just by par people of all ages. ents and extended family members, but also by shopkeepers, train conduc STUDENT TRAVEL tors, and all sorts of other people. If you’re planning to travel outside the Budapest has numerous attractions U.S., you’d be wise to arm yourself with geared toward children, from the zoo, an International Student Identity circus, and amusement park in Pest’s Card (ISIC), which offers substantial City Park to a range of museums, savings on rail passes, plane tickets, and including ones dedicated to science, entrance fees. It also provides you with natural history, and transportation. basic health and life insurance and a There is even a miniature children’s 24-hour help line. The card is available railway running through the hills of for $22 from STA Travel (& 800/ Buda, with children in official Hun 781-4040, and if you’re not in North garian railway dress serving as conduc America, there’s probably a local num tors. And in this land of sweet teeth, ber in your country; www.sta.com or there are fresh pastries and ice-cream www.statravel.com), the biggest student cones sold everywhere, seemingly travel agency in the world. If you’re no from every open window along the longer a student but are still under 26, commercial thoroughfares. We have you can get an International Youth been traveling here with young chil Travel Card (IYTC) for the same price dren for the past 7 years and have no from the same people, which entitles regrets—neither will you. This guide you to some discounts (but not on is full of recommendations for kids; in museum admissions). (Note: In 2002 particular, see “Especially for Kids” in STA Travel bought competitors Coun chapter 6, “Exploring Budapest.” cil Travel and USIT Campus after they Familyhostel (& 800/733-9753; went bankrupt. It’s still operating some www.learn.unh.edu/familyhostel) offices under the Council name, but it’s takes the whole family, including kids owned by STA.) ages 8 to 15, on moderately priced Travel CUTS (& 800/667-2887 domestic and international learning or 416/614-2887; www.travelcuts. vacations. Lectures, fields trips, and com) offers similar services for both sightseeing are guided by a team of Canadians and U.S. residents. Irish academics. students should turn to USIT (& 01/ You can find good family-oriented 602-1600; www.usitnow.ie). vacation advice on the Internet from 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 25
PLANNING YOUR TRIP ONLINE 25 Express, the former state-run stu FOR WOMEN dent travel agency, remains a valuable Women Welcome Women World resource for students. Among other Wide (5W) (& 203/259-7832 in the things, Express sells the International U.S.; www.womenwelcomewomen. Student Identity Card (ISIC) and org.uk) works to foster international International Youth Hostel Federa friendships by enabling women of dif tion card (IYHF) (for the ISIC card, ferent countries to visit one another you need to bring a photo; the nearest (men can come along on the trips; photo booths are at V. Október 6 u. they just can’t join the club). It’s a big, 22 and at Nyugati railway station). active organization, with more than The main office of Express is located 3,500 members from all walks of life at V. Szabadság tér 16 (& 1/331- in some 70 countries. 6393); it’s open Monday through Check out the website Journey- Thursday from 8:30am to 4:30pm, woman (www.journeywoman.com), a and Friday from 8:30am to 2:30pm. lively travel resource, with “GirlTalk The Hungarian Youth Hostel Guides” to destinations like New Federation, on the fourth floor of York, Hong Kong, and Toronto and a VII. Almássy tér 6, near Blaha Lujza free e-mail newsletter; or the travel tér, Red line (& 1/352-1572, ext. guide Safety and Security for Women 203), is another good source of infor Who Travel, by Sheila Swan Laufer mation and discounts for young trav and Peter Laufer (Travelers’ Tales, elers. Pick up an IYHF card (no photo Inc.), offering common-sense advice required) for 1,500 Ft ($6.75). The and tips on safe travel. office is open Monday through Friday NANE, an organization to help from 8am to 4pm. There is also a use women in the case of rape and/or ful youth travel agency called Mellow domestic abuse, operates a hot line in Mood Ltd., located at VII. Baross tér Hungarian and English; call & 1/267- 15 (& 1/413-2062; Baross utca on 4900. Leave a message if necessary. The tram no. 4 or 6). It’s open Monday International Women’s Club Foun through Friday from 8am to 4pm. dation (& 1/225-3078; the line is active only 10am–noon daily) meets regularly and welcomes new members.
8 Planning Your Trip Online SURFING FOR AIRFARES smaller travel agency websites, Side- The “big three” online travel agencies, Step (www.sidestep.com) has gotten Expedia.com, Travelocity.com, and the best reviews from Frommer’s Orbitz.com sell most of the air tickets authors. It’s a browser add-on that bought on the Internet. (Canadian purports to “search 140 sites at once,” travelers should try Expedia.ca and but in reality only beats competitors’ Travelocity.ca; U.K. residents can go fares as often as other sites do. for Expedia.co.uk and Opodo.co.uk.) Also remember to check airline Each has different business deals with websites, especially those for low-fare the airlines and may offer different carriers such as Southwest, JetBlue, fares on the same flights, so it’s wise to AirTran, WestJet, or Ryanair, whose shop around. Expedia and Travelocity fares are often misreported or simply will also send you e-mail notification missing from travel agency websites. when a cheap fare becomes available Even with major airlines, you can to your favorite destination. Of the often shave a few bucks from a fare by 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 26
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booking directly through the airline Priceline and Hotwire are great for and avoiding a travel agency’s transac flights within North America and tion fee. But you’ll get these discounts between the U.S. and Europe. But for only by booking online: Most airlines flights to other parts of the world, now offer online-only fares that even consolidators will almost always beat their phone agents know nothing their fares. about. For the websites of airlines that For much more about airfares and fly to and from your destination, go to savvy air-travel tips and advice, pick “Getting There” later in this chapter. up a copy of Frommer’s Fly Safe, Fly Great last-minute deals are avail Smart (Wiley Publishing, Inc.). able through free weekly e-mail serv ices provided directly by the airlines. SURFING FOR HOTELS Most of these are announced on Tues Shopping online for hotels is much eas day or Wednesday and must be pur ier in the U.S., Canada, and certain chased online. Most are only valid for parts of Europe than it is in the rest of travel that weekend, but some (such as the world. If you try to book a Chinese Southwest’s) can be booked weeks or hotel online, for instance, you’ll proba months in advance. Sign up for bly overpay. Also, many smaller hotels weekly e-mail alerts at airline websites and B&Bs—especially outside the or check megasites that compile com U.S.—don’t show up on websites at all. prehensive lists of last-minute specials, Of the “big three” sites, Expedia may such as Smarter Living (smarterliv- be the best choice, thanks to its long list ing.com). For last-minute trips, of special deals. Travelocity runs a site59.com in the U.S. and last- close second. Hotel specialist sites minute.com in Europe often have hotels.com and hoteldiscounts.com better deals than the major-label sites. are also reliable. An excellent free pro If you’re willing to give up some gram, TravelAxe (www.travelaxe.net), control over your flight details, use an can help you search multiple hotel sites opaque fare service like Priceline at once, even ones you may never have (www.priceline.com; www.priceline. heard of. co.uk for Europeans) or Hotwire Priceline and Hotwire are even bet (www.hotwire.com). Both offer rock- ter for hotels than for airfares; with bottom prices in exchange for travel both, you’re allowed to pick the neigh on a “mystery airline” at a mysterious borhood and quality level of your time of day, often with a mysterious hotel before offering up your money. change of planes en route. The mys Priceline’s hotel product even covers tery airlines are all major, well-known Europe and Asia, though it’s much carriers—and the possibility of being better at getting five-star lodgings for sent from Philadelphia to Chicago via three-star prices than at finding any Tampa is remote; the airlines’ routing thing at the bottom of the scale. Note: computers have gotten a lot better Hotwire overrates its hotels by one than they used to be. But your chances star—what Hotwire calls a four-star is of getting a 6am or 11pm flight are a three-star anywhere else. pretty high. Hotwire tells you flight SURFING FOR RENTAL CARS prices before you buy; Priceline usu For booking rental cars online, the ally has better deals than Hotwire, but best deals are usually found at rental- you have to play their “name our car company websites, although all the price” game. If you’re new at this, the major online travel agencies also offer helpful folks at BiddingForTravel rental-car reservations services. Price- (www.biddingfortravel.com) do a good line and Hotwire work well for rental job of demystifying Priceline’s prices. 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 27
THE 21ST-CENTURY TRAVELER 27
Frommers.com: The Complete Travel Resource
For an excellent travel-planning resource, we highly recommend Frommers.com (www.frommers.com). We’re a little biased, of course, but we guarantee that you’ll find the travel tips, reviews, monthly vacation giveaways, and online-booking capabilities thoroughly indis pensable. Among the special features are our popular Message Boards, where Frommer’s readers post queries and share advice (some times even our authors show up to answer questions); Frommers.com Newsletter, for the latest travel bargains and insider travel secrets; and Frommer’s Destinations Section, where you’ll get expert travel tips, hotel and dining recommendations, and advice on the sights to see for more than 3,000 destinations around the globe. When your research is done, the Online Reservations System (www.frommers.com/book_a_ trip) takes you to Frommer’s preferred online partners for booking your vacation at affordable prices.
cars, too; the only “mystery” is which most travelers the difference between major rental company you get, and for Hertz, Avis, and Budget is negligible.
9 The 21st-Century Traveler INTERNET ACCESS AWAY Internet on. Avoid hotel business FROM HOME centers, which often charge exorbi Travelers have any number of ways to tant rates. check their e-mail and access the To retrieve your e-mail, ask your Internet on the road. Of course, using Internet Service Provider (ISP) if it your own laptop—or even a PDA has a Web-based interface tied to your (personal digital assistant) or elec existing e-mail account. If your ISP tronic organizer with a modem—gives doesn’t have such an interface, you can you the most flexibility. But even if use the free mail2web service (www. you don’t have a computer, you can mail2web.com) to view and reply still access your e-mail and even your to your home e-mail. For more flex office computer from cybercafes. ibility, you may want to open a free, Web-based e-mail account with WITHOUT YOUR OWN Yahoo! Mail (http://mail.yahoo.com). COMPUTER (Microsoft’s Hotmail is another popu It’s hard nowadays to find a city that lar option, but Hotmail has severe doesn’t have a few cybercafes. Although spam problems.) Your home ISP may there’s no definitive directory for be able to forward your e-mail to the cybercafes—these are independent Web-based account automatically. businesses, after all—two places to If you need to access files on your start looking are at www.cyber office computer, look into a service captive.com and www.cybercafe. called GoToMyPC (www.gotomypc. com. See p. 57 for some of our com). The service provides a Web- favorite Internet cafes in Budapest. based interface for you to access and Aside from formal cybercafes, most manipulate a distant PC from any- youth hostels nowadays have at least where—even a cybercafe—provided one computer you can get to the your “target” PC is on and has an 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 28
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always-on connection to the Internet of iPass providers, go to www.ipass. (such as with Road Runner cable). The com and click on “Reseller Locator.” service offers top-quality security, but Under “Select a Country” pick the if you’re worried about hackers, use country that you’re coming from, your own laptop rather than a cyber and under “Who is this service for?” cafe to access the GoToMyPC system. pick “Individual.” One solid provider is i2roam (www.i2roam.com; & 866/ WITH YOUR OWN 811-6209 or 920/235-0475). COMPUTER Wherever you go, bring a connec Major Internet Service Providers tion kit of the right power and phone (ISPs) have local access numbers adapters, a spare phone cord, and a around the world, allowing you to go spare Ethernet network cable. For online by simply placing a local call. Hungary, you’ll need 230 Volts of cur Check your ISP’s website or call its rent and prong plugs. toll-free number and ask how you can Most business-class hotels through use your current account away from out the world offer dataports for lap home, and how much it will cost. top modems, and a few thousand If you’re traveling outside the reach hotels in the U.S. and Europe now of your ISP, the iPass network has offer high-speed Internet access using dial-up numbers in most of the an Ethernet network cable. You’ll have world’s countries. You’ll have to sign to bring your own cables either way, so up with an iPass provider, who will call your hotel in advance to find out then tell you how to set up your com what the options are. puter for your destination(s). For a list
Online Traveler’s Toolbox
Veteran travelers usually carry some essential items to make their trips easier. Following is a selection of online tools to bookmark and use. • Visa ATM Locator (www.visa.com), for locations of PLUS ATMs worldwide, or MasterCard ATM Locator (www.mastercard.com), for locations of Cirrus ATMs worldwide. • Foreign Languages for Travelers (www.travlang.com). Learn basic terms in more than 70 languages and click on any underlined phrase to hear what it sounds like. • Intellicast (www.intellicast.com) and Weather.com (www.weather. com). Give weather forecasts for all 50 states and for cities around the world. • Mapquest (www.mapquest.com). This best of the mapping sites lets you choose a specific address or destination, and in seconds it will return a map and detailed directions. • Universal Currency Converter (www.xe.com/ucc). See what your dol lar or pound is worth in more than 100 other countries. • Travel Warnings (http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html, www. fco.gov.uk/travel, www.voyage.gc.ca, and www.dfat.gov.au/consular/ advice). These sites report on places where health concerns or unrest might threaten American, British, Canadian, and/or Australian trav elers. Generally, U.S. warnings are the most paranoid; Australian warnings are the most relaxed. 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 29
GETTING THERE 29 USING A CELLPHONE traveling to non-GSM regions, such as The three letters that define much of Japan or Korea.) While you can rent a the world’s wireless capabilities are phone from any number of overseas GSM (Global System for Mobiles), sites, including kiosks at airports and at a big, seamless network that makes car-rental agencies, we suggest renting for easy cross-border cellphone use the phone before you leave home. That throughout Europe and dozens of way you can give loved ones your new other countries worldwide. In the U.S., number, make sure the phone works, T-Mobile, AT&T Wireless, and Cin and take the phone wherever you go— gular use this quasi-universal system; especially helpful when you rent over in Canada, Microcell and some Rogers seas, where phone-rental agencies bill customers are GSM, and all Euro in local currency and may not let you peans and most Australians use GSM. take the phone to another country. If your cellphone is on a GSM sys Phone rental isn’t cheap. You’ll usu tem, and you have a world-capable ally pay $40 to $50 per week, plus air phone such as many (but not all) Sony time fees of at least a dollar a minute. Ericsson, Motorola, or Samsung mod If you’re traveling to Europe, though, els, you can make and receive calls local rental companies often offer free across civilized areas on much of the incoming calls within their home globe, from Andorra to Uganda. Just country, which can save you big bucks. call your wireless operator and ask for The bottom line: Shop around. “international roaming” to be acti Two good wireless rental companies vated on your account. Unfortunately, are InTouch USA (& 800/872-7626; per-minute charges can be high— www.intouchglobal.com) and Road- usually $1 to $1.50 in western Europe Post (& 888/290-1606 or 905/272- and up to $5 in places like Russia and 5665; www.roadpost.com). Give them Indonesia. your itinerary and they’ll tell you what World-phone owners can bring wireless products you need. InTouch down their per-minute charges with a will also, for free, advise you on whether bit of trickery. Call up your cellular your existing phone will work overseas; operator and say you’ll be going simply call & 703/222-7161 between abroad for several months and want to 9am and 4pm EST, or go to http:// “unlock” your phone to use it with a intouchglobal.com/travel.htm. local provider. Usually, they’ll oblige. For trips of more than a few weeks Then, in your destination country, spent in one country, buying a phone pick up a cheap, prepaid phone chip at becomes economically attractive, as a mobile phone store and slip it into many nations have cheap, no-ques- your phone. (Show your phone to the tions-asked prepaid phone systems. salesperson, as not all phones work on Stop by a local cellphone shop and get all networks.) You’ll get a local phone the cheapest package; you’ll probably number in your destination country— pay less than $100 for a phone and a and much, much lower calling rates. starter calling card. Local calls may be Otherwise, renting a phone is a as low as 10¢ per minute, and in many good idea. (Even world-phone owners countries incoming calls are free. will have to rent new phones if they’re
10 Getting There BY PLANE former Hungarian state airline, offer Northwest Airlines (& 800/447- nonstop service between North Amer 4747) and Malév (& 800/877-5429, ica and Budapest. Other leading carriers 800/262-5380, or 800/223-6884), the include Lufthansa (& 800/645-3880), 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 30
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British Airways (& 800/247-9297), than ever. Generally, you’ll be fine if Delta Airlines (& 800/241-4141), you arrive at the airport 1 hour before and Austrian Air (& 800/843-0002). a domestic flight and 2 hours before Until a few years ago, Budapest was an international flight; if you show up served by two adjacent airports, Feri late, tell an airline employee and he or hegy I and Ferihegy II, located in the she will probably whisk you to the XVIII district in southeastern Pest. front of the line. However, Ferihegy I was turned over Bring a current government- to NATO for military use, so Ferihegy issued photo ID such as a driver’s II (which has a Terminal A and a Ter license or passport. Keep your ID at minal B) is the place for all civilian the ready to show at check-in, the flights. There are several main infor security checkpoint, and sometimes mation numbers: For arrivals, try even the gate. (Children under 18 do & 1/296-5052; for departures, call not need photo IDs for domestic & 1/296-5883; and for general infor flights, but the adults checking in with mation, call & 1/296-7155. Make them should have them.) sure you pick up a copy of the free In 2003 the Transportation Security LRI Airport Budapest Magazine Administration (TSA) phased out while at the airport, as it contains a gate check-in at all U.S. airports. Pas wealth of valuable phone numbers and sengers with E-tickets can still beat the transportation-related information, as ticket-counter lines by using elec well as articles on Hungary. tronic kiosks or even online check- All arriving flights are international in. Ask your airline which alternatives since there is no domestic air service in are available, and if you’re using a Hungary. All arriving passengers pass kiosk, bring the credit card you used through the same Customs gate and to book the ticket or your frequent- emerge into the bustling arrivals hall flier card. If you’re checking bags or of the airport. looking to snag an exit-row seat, you Though extended and modernized will be able to do so using most air over the past few years, the airport lines’ kiosks; again, call your airline for remains quite small. In each terminal, up-to-date information. Curbside you will find several accommodations check-in is also a good way to avoid offices, rental-car agencies, shops, and lines, although a few airlines still ban exchange booths. Note that exchange curbside check-in; call before you go. rates are generally less favorable here Security checkpoint lines are getting than in the city, so you may not want shorter than they were during 2001 and to change very much money at the 2002, but some doozies remain. If you airport. have trouble standing for long periods Twenty-four-hour left-luggage serv of time, tell an airline employee; the air ice is available at Terminal B (& 1/ line will provide a wheelchair. Speed up 296-8802). security by not wearing metal objects such as big belt buckles. If you’ve got GETTING INTO TOWN metallic body parts, a note from your FROM THE AIRPORT doctor can prevent a long chat with the See p. 40. security screeners. Keep in mind that GETTING THROUGH only ticketed passengers are allowed THE AIRPORT past security, except for folks escorting With the federalization of airport passengers with disabilities or children. security, security procedures at U.S. Federalization has stabilized what airports are more stable and consistent you can carry on and what you can’t. 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 31
GETTING THERE 31
The general rule is that sharp things newspapers for promotional spe are out, nail clippers are okay, and cials or fare wars, when airlines food and beverages must be passed lower prices on their most popular through the X-ray machine—but that routes. You rarely see fare wars security screeners can’t make you offered for peak travel times, but if drink from your coffee cup. Bring you can travel in the off-months, food in your carry-on rather than you may snag a bargain. checking it, as explosive-detection • Search the Internet for cheap machines used on checked luggage fares (see “Planning Your Trip have been known to mistake food Online” earlier in this chapter). (especially chocolate, for some reason) • Try to book a ticket in its country for bombs. Travelers in the U.S. are of origin. For instance, if you’re allowed one carry-on bag, plus a “per planning a one-way flight from sonal item” such as a purse, briefcase, Johannesburg to Bombay, a South or laptop bag. Carry-on hoarders can Africa–based travel agent will stuff all sorts of things into a laptop probably have the lowest fares. bag; as long as it has a laptop in it, it’s For multileg trips, book in the still considered a personal item. TSA country of the first leg; for exam has issued a list of restricted items; ple, book New York–London–- check its website (www.tsa.gov/public/ Amsterdam–Rome–New York in index.jsp) for details. the U.S. At press time, the TSA was also rec • Consolidators, also known as ommending that you not lock your bucket shops, are great sources for checked luggage, so screeners can international tickets, although search it by hand if necessary. The they usually can’t beat the Internet agency says to use plastic “zip ties” on fares within North America. instead, which can be bought at hard Start by looking in Sunday news ware stores and can be easily cut off. paper travel sections; U.S. travel ers should focus on the New York FLYING FOR LESS: TIPS Times, Los Angeles Times, and FOR GETTING THE BEST Miami Herald. For less-developed AIRFARE destinations, small travel agents Passengers sharing the same airplane who cater to immigrant commu cabin rarely pay the same fare. Travel nities in large cities often have the ers who need to purchase tickets at the best deals. Beware: Bucket shop last minute, change their itinerary at a tickets are usually nonrefundable moment’s notice, or fly one-way often or rigged with stiff cancellation get stuck paying the premium rate. penalties, often as high as 50% Here are some ways to keep your air to 75% of the ticket price, and fare costs down: some put you on charter airlines • Passengers who can book their with questionable safety records. ticket long in advance, who can Several reliable consolidators are stay over Saturday night, or who worldwide and available on the fly midweek or at less-trafficked Net. STA Travel (p. 24) is now the hours will pay a fraction of the world’s leader in student travel, full fare. If your schedule is flexi thanks to their purchase of Coun ble, say so, and ask if you can cil Travel. It also offers good fares secure a cheaper fare by changing for travelers of all ages. ELT your flight plans. Express (Flights.com) (& 800/ • You can also save on airfares TRAV-800; www.eltexpress.com) by keeping an eye out in local started in Europe and has excellent 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 32
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Travel in the Age of Bankruptcy At press time, two major U.S. airlines were struggling in bankruptcy court and most of the rest weren’t doing very well either. To protect yourself, buy your tickets with a credit card, as the Fair Credit Billing Act guaran tees that you can get your money back from the credit card company if a travel supplier goes under (and if you request the refund within 60 days of the bankruptcy). Travel insurance can also help, but make sure it cov ers against “carrier default” for your specific travel provider. And be aware that if a U.S. airline goes bust midtrip, a 2001 federal law requires other carriers to take you to your destination (albeit on a space-available basis) for a fee of no more than $25, provided you rebook within 60 days of the cancellation.
fares worldwide, but particularly connect through Vienna, where 11 to that continent. It also has “local” daily trains depart for Budapest from websites in 12 countries. FlyCheap either the Westbahnhof or Sudbahn (& 800/FLY-CHEAP; www.1800 hof station. Six daily trains connect flycheap.com) is owned by pack- Prague and Budapest, while one con age-holiday megalith MyTravel nects Berlin with Budapest and two and so has especially good access connect Warsaw with Budapest. to fares for sunny destinations. The train trip between Vienna and 1 Air Tickets Direct (& 800/778- Budapest takes about 3 ⁄2 hours and 3447; www.airticketsdirect.com) is costs approximately $50 one-way in based in Montreal and leverages first class, $33 one-way in second the currently weak Canadian dollar class. Hungarian railway offers a great for low fares. deal for short-term visitors coming • Join frequent-flier clubs. Accrue from Vienna: a round-trip second- enough miles and you’ll be class ticket for $38, valid up to 4 days, rewarded with free flights and elite that includes a free pass for all public status. It’s free, and you’ll get the transport in Budapest. For more infor best choice of seats, faster response mation on Vienna trains, contact the to phone inquiries, and prompter Austrian National Tourist Board, service if your luggage is stolen, 500 Fifth Ave., Suite 800, New York, your flight is canceled or delayed, NY 10110 (& 212/944-6885); or if you want to change your seat. 11601 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 2480, Los You don’t need to fly to build fre- Angeles, CA 90025 (& 310/477- quent-flier miles—frequent-flier 3332); 30 St. George St., London credit cards can provide thou W1R 0AL (& 020/7629-0461); sands of miles for doing your 2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3330, Toronto, everyday shopping. ON M4W 1A8 (& 416/967-3381); • For many more tips about air travel, or 1010 Sherbrooke St. W., Suite including a rundown of the major 1410, Montréal, PQ H3A 2R7 frequent-flier credit cards, pick up (& 514/849-3708). a copy of Frommer’s Fly Safe, Fly Train travel within Hungary is gen Smart (Wiley Publishing, Inc.). erally very efficient; trains almost always depart right on time and usu BY TRAIN ally arrive on time. You can access a Countless trains arrive in Budapest full, user-friendly timetable on the from most corners of Europe. Many Web, at www.elvira.hu. 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 33
GETTING THERE 33
Hungarian ticket agents speak little than 30 minutes difference between English, so you will need to know the two in terms of speed. some basic terminology in Hungarian. During the day, obtain domestic Indul means “departure” and érkezik train information over the phone by means “arrival.” The timetables for dialing & 1/461-5400 and interna arrivals are displayed in big white tional train information at & 1/461- posters (érkezó vonatok), while depar 5500. Purchase tickets at train station tures (induló vonatok) are on yellow ticket windows or from the MÁV posters. The relevant terms in the time Service Office, VI. Andrássy út 35 tables are honnan (from where), hova (& 1/322-80482), open Monday (to where), vágány (platform), mun through Friday 9am to 6pm in sum kanap (weekdays), hétvége (weekend), mer, 9am to 5pm in winter. You need munkaszüneti nap (Sat), ünnepnap at least half an hour before departure (holiday), gyors (fast train)—stops time to make a reservation. only at major cities, as posted, and IC TRAIN PASSES (inter city)—stops only once or twice en route; you must reserve a seat for Regional passes, such as the European IC trains). Ticket terminology is as East Pass, are available. The pass cov follows: jegy (ticket), oda (one-way), ers Austria, Hungary, the Czech oda-vissza (round-trip), helyjegy (reser Republic, Poland, and Slovakia, and is vation), elsó osztály (first class), máso good for 5 to 10 days of travel within dosztály (second class), nem dohányzó a 1-month period. You must purchase (nonsmoking), ma (today), and hol the pass from a travel agent or Rail nap (tomorrow). Europe (see contact information A train posted as személy is a local below) before you leave for Europe. A train, which stops at every single vil pass for any 5 days of unlimited train lage and town on its route. Always opt travel in a month-long period costs for a gyors (fast) or Intercity train to $225 first class, $158 second class get to your destination in a timely (children ages 4–11 pay half the adult manner. All Intercity trains (but no prices, and children under 4 years old other domestic trains) require a hely travel free). Additional travel days cost jegy (seat reservation), costing 440 Ft $25 for first class and $18 for second ($2); ask for the reservation when pur class (children’s discounts apply here chasing your ticket. On Intercity too). You can also purchase a Hungar trains, you must sit in your assigned ian Flexipass (www.eurorailways. seat. All intercity trains now comply com), which covers 5 days of travel strictly with a new law imposing con within a 15-day period in Hungary. straints on smoking in public spaces; This pass costs $76 for 5 days, $95 for they have a single car designated for 10 days (half price for children 6–4, smokers, while the rest of the train is and free for children under 6). If you nonsmoking. If you want a seat in the plan to visit only one European coun smoking car, you need to ask for try or region, bear in mind that a dohányzó when buying your ticket. country or regional pass will cost less The gyors train is typically an old, than a Eurailpass. gritty, rumbling train with the classic EURAILPASS The Eurailpass enti eight-seat compartments. The Inter tles travelers to unlimited first-class city, a state-of-the-art, clean, modern travel over the 160,900km (100,000- train without compartments, is said to mile) national railroad network in all travel faster, but our experience has western European countries, except shown us that there’s seldom more Britain, and including Hungary in 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 34
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eastern Europe. It’s also valid on some Rd., London SW1V 1JZ (& 171/ lake steamers and private railroads. A 834-7066). Eurailpass may be purchased for as BY BUS short a period as 15 days or as long as 3 months. The passes are not available Inland and international buses arrive at to residents of the countries where the and depart from two terminals (the pass is valid or to residents of the former main station at Erzsébet tér was United Kingdom. permanently closed in 2002 as part of The Eurailpass, which is ideal for the general reconstruction of the down extensive trips, eliminates the hassles town area). Buses to and from western of buying tickets—just show your pass and eastern Europe and points in Hun to the ticket collector. You should gary west of the Danube call at the new note, however, that some trains terminal, Népliget. You reach this sta require seat reservations. Also, many tion by getting of at the Népliget metro of the trains have couchettes, or sleep stop on the Red line. Buses to and from ing cars, for which an additional fee is the Danube Bend and other points north of Budapest call at the Árpád híd charged. & The pass cannot be purchased in bus station ( 1/320-9229 or 1/317- Europe, so you must secure one before 9886). Take the Blue line metro to Árpád híd. For domestic and interna leaving on your trip (www.raileurope. & com). It costs $588 for 15 days, $762 tional bus information, call 1/219- for 21 days, $946 for 1 month, $1,338 8080, though you should be aware that for 2 months, and $1,654 for 3 it can be rather difficult to get through months. Children under 4 travel free if to the bus stations over the telephone they don’t occupy a seat (otherwise and to reach an English speaker. Your they are charged half the fare); children best bet is perhaps to gather your infor under 12 are charged half the fare. mation in person or ask for assistance at If you’re under 26, you can obtain the Tourinform office (p. 40). unlimited second-class travel, wher BY CAR ever Eurailpass is honored, on a Eurail Several major highways link Hungary Youthpass, which costs $414 for 15 to nearby European capitals. The days, $664 for 1 month, $938 for 2 recently modernized E60 (or M1) months. connects Budapest with Vienna and Groups of two or more people can points west; it is a toll road from the save on train fairs with the Eurailpass Austrian border to the city of Györ. Saver Flexi, and the company also The E65 connects Budapest with offers a Eurail Flexipass and a Youth Prague and points north. Eurail Flexipass, which allows more The border crossings from Austria flexibility in travel times. and Slovakia (from which countries These passes are available from most Westerners enter Hungary) are travel agents in North America, or you hassle-free. In addition to your passport, can contact Rail Europe by calling you may be requested to present your & 800/848-7245 or surfing over to driver’s license, vehicle registration, and www.raileurope.com. proof of insurance (the number plate For British travelers, many different and symbol indicating country of origin rail passes are available in the U.K. for are acceptable proof ). A green card is travel in Europe. Stop in at the Inter required of vehicles bearing license national Rail Centre, Victoria Sta plates of Bulgaria, France, the former tion, London SW1V 1JY (& 171/ USSR, Greece, Poland, Italy, Romania, 834-2345); or Wasteels, 121 Wilton and Israel. Hungary no longer requires 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 35
PACKAGES FOR THE INDEPENDENT TRAVELER 35
the International Driver’s License. Cars 2:30pm, with a stop in Bratislava when entering Hungary are required to have a necessary (passengers getting on or decal indicating country of registration, off ). From July 3 to August 29, two a first-aid kit, and an emergency trian hydrofoils make the daily passage, gle. For traffic regulations, see “Getting departing Vienna at 8am and 1pm, Around,” in chapter 3. arriving in Budapest at 1:30 and Driving distances are: from Vienna, 6:30pm, respectively. From August 30 248km (154 miles); from Prague, to November 1, the schedule returns to 560km (347 miles); from Frankfurt, one hydrofoil daily, departing Vienna 952km (590 miles); and from Rome, at 9am and arriving in Budapest at 1,294km (802 miles). 2:30pm. Customs and passport con trol begin 1 hour prior to departure. BY HYDROFOIL The one-way fare is 830AS ($69) and The Hungarian state shipping com round-trip fare is 1,150AS ($96) (We pany MAHART operates hydrofoils use the exchange rate of $1 to AS12 for on the Danube between Vienna and these purposes.) Children 5 years and Budapest in the spring and summer under not requiring seats ride free; months. It’s an extremely popular children between the ages of 6 and 15 route, so you should book your tickets ride for half price. Eurailpass holders well in advance. In North America or also receive a discount, as long as they Britain, contact the Austrian National buy the ticket before boarding. ISIC Tourist Board (see “By Train,” above). holders also receive a discount. The In Vienna contact MAHART, Han & Budapest office of MAHART is at V. delskai 265 ( 43/729-2161; fax 43/ Belgrád rakpart (& 1/318-1880). 729-2163). Or visit this website: www. Boats and hydrofoils from Vienna besthotelz.com/hungary/hydrofoil/ arrive at the international boat station hydrofoil.htm. next door to the MAHART office on From April 3 through July 2 the the Belgrád rakpart, which is on the MAHART hydrofoil departs Vienna at Pest side of the Danube, between the 9am daily, arriving in Budapest at Szabadság and Erzsébet bridges.
11 Packages for the Independent Traveler Before you start your search for the airlines offer air/land packages, includ lowest airfare, you may want to con ing American Airlines Vacations sider booking your flight as part of a (& 800/321-2121; www.aavacations. travel package. Package tours are not com), Delta Vacations (& 800/221- the same thing as escorted tours. Pack 6666; www.deltavacations.com), Con age tours are simply a way to buy the tinental Airlines Vacations (& 800/ airfare, accommodations, and other 301-3800; www.coolvacations.com), elements of your trip (such as car and United Vacations (& 888/854- rentals, airport transfers, and some 3899; www.unitedvacations.com). Sev times even activities) at the same time eral big online travel agencies— and often at discounted prices—kind Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, Site59, of like one-stop shopping. Packages and Lastminute.com—also do a brisk are sold in bulk to tour operators— business in packages. If you’re unsure who resell them to the public at a cost about the pedigree of a smaller pack that usually undercuts standard rates. ager, check with the Better Business One good source of package deals is Bureau in the city where the company is the airlines themselves. Most major based, or go online at www.bbb.org. If 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 36
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a packager won’t tell you where it’s even let you add on a few guided based, don’t fly with them. excursions or escorted day trips (also Travel packages are also listed in the at prices lower than if you booked travel section of your local Sunday them yourself ) without booking an newspaper. Or check ads in the entirely escorted tour. national travel magazines such as Before you invest in a package tour, Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel Maga get some answers. Ask about the zine, Travel & Leisure, National Geo accommodations choices and prices graphic Traveler, and Condé Nast for each. Then look up the hotels’ Traveler. reviews in a Frommer’s guide and Package tours can vary by leaps and check their rates for your specific dates bounds. Some offer a better class of of travel online. You’ll also want to hotels than others. Some offer the find out what type of room you get. same hotels for lower prices. Some If you need a certain type of room, ask offer flights on scheduled airlines, for it; don’t take whatever is thrown while others book charters. Some limit your way. Request a nonsmoking your choice of accommodations and room, a quiet room, a room with a travel days. You are often required to view, or whatever you fancy. make a large payment up front. On Finally, look for hidden expenses. the plus side, packages can save you Ask whether airport departure fees money, offering group prices but and taxes, for example, are included in allowing for independent travel. Some the total cost.
12 Escorted General-Interest Tours Escorted tours are structured group and lodging and dining choices are tours, with a group leader. The price predetermined. As part of a cloud of usually includes everything from air tourists, you’ll get little opportunity fare to hotels, meals, tours, admission for serendipitous interactions with costs, and local transportation. locals. The tours can be jam-packed Many people derive a certain ease with activities, leaving little room for and security from escorted trips. individual sightseeing, whim, or Escorted tours—whether by bus, motor adventure—plus they also often focus coach, train, or boat—let travelers sit only on the heavily touristed sites, so back and enjoy their trip without hav you miss out on the lesser-known ing to spend lots of time behind the gems. wheel. All the little details are taken care Before you invest in an escorted tour, of; you know your costs up front; and ask about the cancellation policy: Is a there are few surprises. Escorted tours deposit required? Can they cancel the can take you to the maximum number trip if they don’t get enough people? Do of sights in the minimum amount of you get a refund if they cancel? If you time with the least amount of hassle— cancel? How late can you cancel if you you don’t have to sweat over the are unable to go? When do you pay in plotting and planning of a vacation full? Note: If you choose an escorted schedule. Escorted tours are particularly tour, think strongly about purchasing convenient for people with limited trip-cancellation insurance, especially if mobility. the tour operator asks you to pay up On the downside, an escorted tour front. See the section on “Travel Insur often requires a big deposit up front, ance,” earlier in this chapter. 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 37
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You’ll also want to get a complete Tips may not be included. Find out if schedule of the trip to find out how you will be charged if you decide to much sightseeing is planned each day opt out of certain activities or meals. and whether enough time has been As we recommended for package allotted for relaxing or wandering tours, investigate escorted tours before solo. you buy. Ask about the accommoda The size of the group is also impor tions choices and prices for each. Then tant to know up front. Generally, the look up the hotels’ reviews in a From- smaller the group, the more flexible mer’s guide and check their rates for the itinerary, and the less time you’ll your specific dates of travel online. spend waiting for people to get on and You’ll also want to find out what type off the bus. Find out the demograph of room you get. If you need a certain ics of the group as well. What is the type of room, ask for it; don’t take what age range? What is the gender break ever is thrown your way. Request a non down? Is this mostly a trip for couples smoking room, a quiet room, a room or singles? with a view, or whatever you fancy. Discuss what is included in the Finally, if you plan to travel alone, price. You may have to pay for trans you’ll need to know if a single sup portation to and from the airport. A plement will be charged and if the box lunch may be included in an company can match you up with a excursion, but drinks might cost extra. roommate.
13 Recommended Reading A good number of the best books on A History of Hungary (Indiana Univer Hungary are now out of print. If you sity Press, 1990), edited by Peter can’t find a given book in a Sugar, is an anthology with a number bookstore or on the Internet, your of good essays. The Habsburg Monar best bet is to check in a university chy, 1809–1918 (London: Hamish library. Many books published by Hamilton, 1948), by A. J. P. Taylor, is Corvina, a Budapest-based English- a lively and readable analysis of the language press, are recommended final century of the Austro-Hungarian below. They can be purchased at Eng- empire. lish-language bookstores in Budapest, The Holocaust in Hungary: An or you can write for a free catalog: Anthology of Jewish Response (Univer Corvina kiadó, P.O. Box 108, sity of Alabama Press, 1982), edited Budapest H-1364, Hungary. and translated by Andrew Handler, is HISTORY & POLITICS There is notable for the editor’s excellent intro a new general history of Hungary that duction. Elenore Lister’s Wallenberg: came out in 2000. We have not yet The Man in the Iron Web (Prentice read it, but it comes with high recom Hall, 1982) recounts the heroic life of mendations from knowledgeable Raoul Wallenberg; the setting: Nazi- friends, so we do not hesitate to rec occupied Budapest. ommend it here: László Kontler’s A Joseph Rothschild has written two History of Hungary (Palgrave/Macmil- excellent surveys of 20th-century East lan, 2002). If you can’t obtain it before ern European history, both with large your journey, you can pick one up at sections on Hungary. They are East the Central European University’s Central Europe Between the Two World bookshop (V. Nádor u. 9-11) in Wars (University of Washington Press, Budapest, where the author happens 1974) and Return to Diversity: A Polit to be head of the history department. ical History of East Central Europe 02 549944 Ch02.qxd 3/18/04 10:45 AM Page 38
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Since World War II (Oxford University contains a fine introductory essay and Press, 1989). over 300 plates. In our opinion, the MEMOIRS Two memoirs of early- best traveler-oriented coffee-table 20th-century Budapest deserve men book available in Budapest is Budapest tion: Apprentice in Budapest: Memories Art and History (Flow East, 1992), by of a World That Is No More (University Delia Meth-Cohn. of Utah Press, 1988) by the anthro FICTION Not all the best examples pologist Raphael Patai; and Budapest of Hungarian literature are available in 1900 (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1989), translation, but 2002 Nobel prize by John Lukacs, which captures winner Imre Kertész’s Fateless is a the feeling of a lively but doomed must. You should also look for any imperial city at the turn of the 20th translations of the highly esteemed century. Post-Communist Budapest is contemporary authors Péter Nádas described in Marion Merrick’s Now and Péter Esterházy. Of particular You See It, Now You Don’t; Seven Years interest is Esterházy’s Helping Verbs of in Hungary 1982–89 (Mágus, 1998). the Heart (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, Another book of note is In Search of 1991), a gripping story of grief follow the Mother Book, a memoir by the ing a parent’s death, and Nadas’s A American feminist literary figure Susan Book of Memories (Penguin, 1998), Rubin Suleiman, who fled Hungary which was assessed by Susan Sontag as after World War II and returned to the the best European novel of the 20th land of her birth in the late 1980s. century. You may also want to find CULTURE & CUISINE Hungary and read the following: Gyula Illyés’s in the Culinaria series (2001) by The People of the Puszta (Corvina, Aniko Gergely provides an excellent 1979), an unabashedly honest look at and thorough cultural introduction to peasant life in the early 20th century; Hungarian cooking, in addition to a György Konrád’s The Case Worker bunch of authentic recipes. The Cui (Penguin, 1987), a portrayal of a sine of Hungary (Bonanza Books, political system in disrepair; István 1971), by the famous Hungarian-born Örkény’s The Toth Family and The restaurateur George Lang, also con Flower Show (New Directions, 1966), tains a great deal of material on the a book with two stories: the first subject. Also see “Appendix B: Hun an allegorical story about fear and garian Cuisine” for a quick lowdown authority, and the second a fable on Hungarian food. about different types of reality in Tekla Domotor’s Hungarian Folk modern life; Zsolt Csalog’s Lajos M., Beliefs (Corvina and Indiana Univer Aged 45 (Budapest: Maecenas, 1989), sity Press, 1981) covers witches, an extraordinary memoir of life in a werewolves, giants, and gnomes. Soviet labor camp; Kálmán Mikszáth’s Zsuzsanna Ardó’s How to Be a Euro St. Peter’s Umbrella (Corvina, 1962); pean: Go Hungarian (Biográf, 1994) is and Zsigmond Móricz’s Seven Pennies a witty little guidebook to Hungarian (Corvina, 1988), a collection of short culture, etiquette, and social life. stories by one of Hungary’s most cele Julia Szabó’s Painting in Nineteenth brated authors. Century Hungary (Corvina, 1985) 03 549944 Ch03.qxd 3/18/04 11:41 AM Page 39
3 Getting to Know Budapest
In this chapter, you’ll find a host of from how to use a pay phone to how practical information that should be to avoid taxi hustlers. Glance through useful during your stay in Budapest— this chapter before your arrival, and from neighborhood orientation to list- consult it during your stay. ings of the cheapest rental-car agencies,
1 Orientation ARRIVING BY PLANE The easiest way into the city is probably the Airport Minibus (& 1/296-8555; fax 1/296-8993), a public service of the LRI (Budapest Airport Authority). The minibus, which leaves every 10 or 15 minutes throughout the day, takes you directly to any address in the city. From either terminal, it costs 2,100 Ft ($9.45); the price includes luggage transport. The trip takes from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how many stops are made. The Airport Minibus desk is easily found in the main hall. Minibuses also provide the same efficient service returning to the airport; arrange for your pickup from your hotel 1 full day in advance by calling the number above. The minibus will pick up passengers virtually anywhere in the Budapest area. We strongly discourage the use of cabs from the Airport Taxi fleet (& 1/296-6534), which are notoriously overpriced. A ride downtown from one of these cabs might cost as much as twice the fare of a cab from a recommended fleet (see “Getting Around,” later in this chapter for names and contact infor- mation). Unfortunately, for reasons no one has been able to explain to us with a straight face, cabs from the Airport Taxi fleet are the only cabs permitted to wait for fares on the airport grounds. However, dozens of cabs from the cheaper fleets that we recommend are stationed at all times at roadside pullouts just off the airport property, a stone’s throw from the terminal, waiting for radio calls from their dispatchers. All it takes is a phone call from the terminal and a cab will be there for you in a matter of minutes. For three or more people traveling together (and maybe even two people), a taxi from a recommended fleet to the city, at approximately 4,500 Ft ($20), will be substantially cheaper than the combined minibus fares. A taxi from the airport to downtown takes about 20 to 30 minutes. It’s also possible to get to the city by public transportation; the trip takes about 1 hour total. Take the red-lettered bus no. 93 to the last stop, Kóbánya- Kispest. From there, the Blue metro line runs to the Inner City of Pest. The cost is two transit tickets, which is 250 Ft ($1.10) all together; tickets can be bought from the automated vending machine at the bus stop (coins only) or from any newsstand in the airport. 03 549944 Ch03.qxd 3/18/04 11:41 AM Page 40
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BY TRAIN Budapest has three major train stations: Keleti pályaudvar (East ern Station), Nyugati pályaudvar (Western Station), and Déli pályaudvar (Southern Station). The stations’ names, curiously, correspond neither to their geographical location in the city nor to the origins or destinations of trains serv ing them. Each has a metro station beneath it and an array of accommodations offices, currency-exchange booths, and other services. Most international trains pull into bustling Keleti Station (& 1/314-5010), a classic steel-girdered European train station located in Pest’s seedy Baross tér, beyond the Outer Ring on the border of the VII and VIII districts. Various hus tlers offering rooms and taxis woo travelers here. The Red line of the metro is below the station; numerous bus, tram, and trolleybus lines serve Baross tér as well. Some international trains arrive at Nyugati Station (& 1/349-0115), another classic designed by the Eiffel company and built in the 1870s. It’s located on the Outer Ring, at the border of the V, VI, and XIII districts. A sta tion for the Blue line of the metro is beneath Nyugati, and numerous tram and bus lines serve busy Nyugati tér (formerly Marx tér). Few international trains arrive at Déli Station (& 1/375-6293), an ugly modern building in central Buda; the terminus of the Red metro line is beneath this train station. MÁV operates a minibus that will take you from any of the three stations to the airport for 2,100 Ft ($9.45) per person, or between stations for 1,200 Ft ($5.40) per person. To order the minibus, call & 1/353-2722. Often, however, a taxi fare will be cheaper, especially for groups of two or more travelers (see “Getting Around,” later in this chapter). BY BUS The Népliget Bus Station is the city’s recently opened modern main bus terminal on the Red metro line at the Népstadion stop. The Blue line goes to the much smaller Árpád híd bus station that caters to domestic bus service only. VISITOR INFORMATION Since Budapest continues to undergo rapid changes, published tourist informa tion is often out-of-date. The best information source in the city is Tourinform (& 1/317-9800 or 1/317-8992; www.hungarytourism.hu), the office of the Hungarian Tourist Board. Centrally located at V. Sütó u. 2, just off Deák tér (reached by all three metro lines) in Pest, the main office is open daily from 8am to 8pm. There is now another Tourinform office in the bustling entertainment district of Liszt Ferenc tér, open daily from 9am to 7pm (Liszt Ferenc tér is just down the street from Oktogon, reached by the Yellow line of the metro or tram no. 4 or 6). The staff in both offices speak English and dispense advice on all tourist-related subjects, from concert tickets to pension rooms, from train sched ules to horseback riding. Another very useful information source is Vista Visitor Center at V. Paulay Ede u. 7 (& 1/267-8603; www.vista.hu), a 5-minute walk from Deák tér (reached by all three metro lines) in Pest. This travel agency/cafe is open Mon day through Friday from 9am to 8pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Best used as an in-country travel resource (as well as a meeting point), Vista also has a great deal of information on Budapest (as well as Internet access; see “Fast Facts: Budapest,” at the end of this chapter). You can also access city information through the “Touch Info” user-friendly computer terminals located at the airport, at Déli Railway Station, at several of the larger metro stations, and in the market hall at Fóvám tér. 03 549944 Ch03.qxd 3/18/04 11:41 AM Page 41
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Of the various free information pamphlets that you will find at tourist offices, pubs, and elsewhere in the city, the most useful is probably Visitors’ Guide, a free English-language monthly publication with extensive entertainment listings for events in and around Budapest. The listings in Pesti Est, a free mainly Hun- garian-language weekly that is widely available at clubs, bookstores, and other such places, are more extensive but harder, obviously, for the nonnative to understand. Two other useful free monthly publications are Programme in Hungary and Budapest Panorama, both available at tourist offices and hotels. These contain information on scheduled cultural events. The Budapest Sun, an English-language weekly newspaper, also has listings for concerts, theater, dance, film, and other events, along with restaurant reviews and the occasional interesting article; it’s available at most hotels and many news stands. It is also available online at www.budapestsun.com; you can also search back issues at this website. A similar resource, now available only online, is the former print publication Budapest Week, found at www.budapestweek.com. CITY LAYOUT You’ll follow this section much better with a map in hand. The city of Budapest came into being in 1873, the result of a union of three separate cities: Buda, Pest, and Óbuda. Budapest, like Hungary itself, is defined by the River Danube (Duna). The stretch of the Danube flowing through the capital is fairly wide (the average width is 400m/1,325 ft.), and most of the city’s historic sites are on or near the river. Eight bridges connect the two banks, including five in the city center. The Széchenyi Chain Bridge (Lánchíd), built in 1849, was the first permanent bridge across the Danube. Although it was blown up by the Nazis, it was rebuilt after the war. MAIN STREETS & SQUARES PEST On the right bank of the Danube lies Pest, flat as a palacsinta (pancake), spreading far into the distance. Pest is the commercial and administrative center
Hungarian Address Terms
Navigating in Budapest will be easier if you are familiar with the fol lowing words (none of which are capitalized in Hungarian): utca (abbreviated as u.) street út road útja road of körút (abbreviated as krt.) boulevard tér square tere square of köz alley or lane liget park sziget island híd bridge sor row part riverbank pályaudvar (abbreviated as pu.) railway station állomás station 03 549944 Ch03.qxd 3/18/04 11:41 AM Page 42
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not just of the capital, but of all Hungary. Central Pest, the term used in this guide, is that part of the city between the Danube and the semicircular Outer Ring boulevard (Nagykörút), stretches of which are named after former Aus- tro-Hungarian monarchs: Ferenc körút, József körút, Erzsébet körút, Teréz körút, and Szent István körút. The Outer Ring begins at the Pest side of the Petófi Bridge in the south and wraps itself around the center, ending at the Mar- git Bridge in the north. Several of Pest’s busiest squares are found along the Outer Ring, and Pest’s major east-west avenues bisect the Ring at these squares. Central Pest is further defined by the Inner Ring (Kiskörút), which lies within the Outer Ring. It starts at Szabadság híd (Freedom Bridge) in the south and is alternately named Vámház körút, Múzeum körút, Károly körút, Bajcsy- Zsilinszky út, and József Attila utca before ending at the Chain Bridge. Inside this ring is the Belváros, the historic Inner City of Pest. Váci utca (distinct from Váci út) is a popular pedestrian-only shopping street between the Inner Ring and the Danube. It spills into Vörösmarty tér, one of the area’s best-known squares. The Dunakorzó (Danube Promenade), a pop ular evening strolling spot, runs along the river in Pest between the Chain Bridge and the Erzsébet Bridge. The historic Jewish district of Pest is in the Erzsé betváros (Elizabeth Town), between the two ring boulevards. Margaret Island (Margit-sziget) is in the middle of the Danube. Accessible via the Margaret Bridge or the Árpád Bridge, it’s an enormously popular recre ation park with restricted vehicular traffic. BUDA & ÓBUDA On the left bank of the Danube is Buda; to its north, beyond the city center, lies Óbuda. Buda is as hilly as Pest is flat. Streets in Buda, particularly in the hills, are not as logically arranged as those in Pest. The two most dramatic points in central Buda are Castle Hill and Gellért Hill. Castle Hill is widely considered the most beautiful part of Budapest. A number of steep paths, staircases, and small streets go up to Castle Hill, although no major roads do. The easiest access is from Clark Ádám tér (at the head of the Chain Bridge) by funicular or from Várfok utca (near Moszkva tér) by foot or bus. Castle Hill consists of the royal palace itself, home to numerous museums, and the so-called Castle District, a lovely medieval neighborhood of small, winding streets, centered around Holy Trinity Square (Szentháromság tér), site of the Gothic Matthias Church. There’s little traffic on Castle Hill, and the only industry is tourism. Gellért Hill, to the south of Castle Hill, is named after the martyred Italian bishop who aided King István I (Stephen I) in his conversion of the Hungarian nation to Christianity in the 10th and 11th centuries. A giant statue of Gellért sits on the side of the hill, and on top is the Citadella, a fortress built by the Austrians. An area of parks lies between Castle Hill and Gellért Hill, in the historic Tabán neighborhood, an impoverished quarter razed for hygienic reasons in the early 20th century. A few Tabán buildings still stand on the eastern edge of the quarter. Below Castle Hill, along the Danube, is a long, narrow neighborhood known as Watertown (Víziváros). The main street of Watertown is Fó utca (Main St.). Central Buda, the term used in this guide, is a collection of mostly low-lying neighborhoods below Castle Hill. The main square of central Buda is Moszkva tér, just north of Castle Hill. Beyond Central Buda, mainly to the east, are the Buda Hills. 03 549944 Ch03.qxd 3/18/04 11:41 AM Page 43
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Óbuda is on the left bank of the Danube, north of Buda. Although the greater part of Óbuda is modern and drab, the area boasts both a beautiful old city center and the impressive Roman ruins of Aquincum. Unfortunately, the road coming off the Árpád Bridge slices the old city center in half, destroying its integrity. The historic center of the old city is Fó tér (Main Sq.), a square as lovely as any in Hungary. Óbuda Island (Óbudai-sziget) is home to a huge and underused park and is the site each August of Hungary’s own annual “Wood stock” music festival, called Pepsi sziget (Pepsi Island). For more on this event, see p. 19. FINDING AN ADDRESS Locating addresses in Budapest can be daunting at first, largely because of the strangeness of the Hungarian language. However, with a little practice and a good map, you should meet with success. Budapest is divided into 22 districts, called kerülets (abbreviated as ker.). A Roman numeral followed by a period should precede every written address in Budapest, signifying the kerület; for example, XII. Csörsz utca 9 is in the 12th kerület. Because many street names are repeated in different parts of the city, it’s very important to know which kerület a certain address is in. If the address you seek doesn’t have a Roman numeral preceding it, you can also tell the kerület from the four-digit postal code. The middle two digits represent the kerület; thus, Csörsz utca 9, 1123 Budapest will be in district XII. The most popular neighborhoods for travelers are the V. kerület (the Inner City of Pest) and the I. Kerület (Buda’s Castle District). A common mistake made by visitors is to confuse Váci út, the heavily traf ficked main road that goes from Nyugati Station toward the city of Vác, with Váci utca, the pedestrian-only street in the Inner City. Similarly, visitors some times mistake Vörösmarty utca, a station on the Yellow metro line, with Vörös marty tér, the terminus of that same Yellow metro line. Read signs carefully—Hungarian is a language with a fine sense of detail. Refer to the “Hungarian Address Terms” box above. Street signs are posted on buildings and give the name of the street or square, the kerület, and the building numbers found on that block. Even- and odd- numbered buildings are on opposite sides of the street. Numbers are seldom skipped; often you’ll end up walking longer than you expected to reach a given number. Many street names have been changed since 1990, reverting for the most part back to their pre–World War II names, though on a handful of central streets with politically evocative former names, like Lenin körút (now Teréz körút) and Népköztársaság útja (“Road of the People’s Republic,” now Andrássy út), the old signs, for symbolic reasons, have been left up alongside the new, with red slashes through them. But the great majority of streets offer no such hint of past names. Floors in buildings are numbered European style, meaning that the first floor is one flight up from the ground floor (földszint), and so on. Addresses are usu ally written with the floor number in Roman numerals and the apartment num ber in Arabic numerals. For example, XII. Csörsz utca 9, IV/3 is on the fourth floor, Apartment 3. STREET MAPS A good map can save you lots of frustration in Budapest. Western-made maps are sold throughout Budapest, but Cartografia, a Hungar ian company, makes two maps that are substantially cheaper and cover Budapest in great detail. The Cartografia foldout map is fine, but if you find its size awk ward, you should pick up Cartografia’s Budapest Atlas. Both maps are available 03 549944 Ch03.qxd 3/18/04 11:41 AM Page 44
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throughout central Pest at kiosks and bookstores. Public transportation lines are shown on the maps, but, in places, the map is too crowded to make the lines out clearly. The BKV térkép (Budapest Transportation Authority map), available from metro ticket windows, is therefore recommended as a complement (see “Getting Around,” below). If you plan on any hiking excursions in the Buda Hills, you should pick up the A Budai Hegység map, no. 6 of the Cartografia Tur istatérképe (Touring Map) series. Our favorite map stores in Pest, where you can pick up the maps listed above (except the transit map), maps of other cities in Hungary, the Budapest-by-bike map, and international maps, are Globe Map Shop, at VI. Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út 37 (& 1/312-6001), open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm (Metro: Arany János utca on the Blue line); and Térképkirály (Map King), at V. Sas u. 1 (& 1/266-0561), open Monday through Friday from 9am to 7pm (Metro: Deák tér). You can also find maps in most of the bookstores recommended in chapter 8, “Budapest Shopping.” And, for the wired folks among you, there is an excellent (and free) Budapest map with great search capabilities online at www.fsz.bme.hu/hungary/ budapest/cgi-bin/search.
NEIGHBORHOODS IN BRIEF Pest Oktogon and down into the Inner Inner City (Belváros) The his City. This grand street has been toric center of Pest, the Belváros is regaining its reputation of elegance: the area inside the Inner Ring, Andrássy út is once again the “best bound by the Danube to the west. address” in town. The Teréz körút Many of Pest’s historic buildings are section of the Outer Ring cuts found in the Belváros, as are the through Terézváros; Oktogon is its city’s showcase luxury hotels and major square. The area around most of its best-known shopping Nagymezó utca is the city’s theater streets. district. Leopold Town (Lipótváros) Just Elizabeth Town (Erzsébetváros) to the north of the Belváros, Directly to the southeast of Lipótváros is considered a part of Terézváros, Erzsébetváros is the his central Pest. Development began toric Jewish neighborhood of Pest. here at the end of the 18th cen During the German occupation of tury, and the neighborhood soon 1944–45, a ghetto was constructed emerged as a center of Pest business here. This district is still the center and government. Parliament, plus a of Budapest Jewish life, though it number of government ministries, is exceedingly run-down and is by courthouses, banks, and the former no means as vibrant a place as it stock exchange, are all found here. once was. Before the war, this was consid Joseph Town (Józsefváros) One of ered a neighborhood of the “high the largest central Pest neighborhoods, bourgeoisie.” Józsefváros is to the southeast of Theresa Town (Terézváros) The Erzsébetváros. It has long had a rep character of Terézváros is defined by utation of being the seediest part of Andrássy út, the great boulevard Pest, and for all appearances this running the length of the neighbor reputation is a deserved one. József hood from Hero’s Square through körút, the neighborhood’s segment 03 549944 Ch03.qxd 3/18/04 11:41 AM Page 45
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of the Outer Ring, is a center of the Víziváros, parallel to and a prostitution and pornography. block away from the river. Buda Buda Hills The Buda Hills are Castle District (Várnegyed) The numerous remote neighborhoods city’s most beautiful and historic that feel as if they’re nowhere near, district dates to the 13th century. let alone within, a capital city. By On a plateau above the surrounding and large, the hills are considered a neighborhoods and the Danube classy place to live. Neighborhoods beyond, the Castle District is are generally known by the name of defined by its medieval walls. The the hill on which they stand. immense Buda Palace and its Rose Hill (Rózsadomb) This is grounds fill the district’s southern the part of the Buda Hills closest to end. The northern end is home to the city center and one of the city’s small winding streets, Matthias most fashionable and luxurious res Church, the Fisherman’s Bastion, idential neighborhoods. and the Hilton Hotel. Óbuda Watertown (Víziváros) A long, Óbuda is a mostly residential area narrow neighborhood wedged now, though its long Danube coast between the Castle District and the line was a favorite spot for workers’ Danube, the Víziváros is histori resorts under the old regime. Most cally a quarter where fishermen and facilities have been privatized, so a artisans reside. Built on the steep large number of hotels are found slope of Castle Hill, it has narrow here. The extensive Roman ruins of alleys and stairs instead of roads in Aquincum and the beautifully pre many places. Its main street, Fó served old-town main square are utca, runs the north-south length of Óbuda’s chief claims to fame.
2 Getting Around BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Budapest has an extensive, efficient, and inexpensive public transportation sys tem. If you have some patience and enjoy reading maps, you can easily learn the system well enough to use it wisely. Public transportation, however, is not with out its drawbacks. The biggest disadvantage is that except for 17 well-traveled bus and tram routes, all forms of transport shut down for the night at around 11:30pm (see “Night Service,” below). Certain areas of the city, most notably the Buda Hills, are beyond the reach of this night service, and taxis are thus required for late-night journeys. Another problem with the system is that travel can be quite slow, especially during rush hour. A third disadvantage, pertinent mostly to travelers, is that Castle Hill can be reached in only three ways by pub lic transportation and all of these modes of transportation are quite crowded in the high seasons. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, crowded public trans port is the place where you are most likely to be targeted by Budapest’s profes sional pickpockets (see “Safety” on p. 22). FARES All forms of public transportation (metro, bus, tram, trolleybus, some HÉV railway lines, and cogwheel railway) in Budapest require the self-validation of prepurchased tickets (vonaljegy), which cost 125 Ft (55¢) apiece (children under 6 travel free); single tickets can be bought at metro ticket windows, newspaper kiosks, and the occasional tobacco shop. There are also automated machines in most metro stations and at major transportation hubs, most of which have been 03 549944 Ch03.qxd 3/18/04 11:41 AM Page 46
Budapest at a Glance
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