On the Pest side of the riverbank, the striking and perfectly symmetrical Parliament building is a truly iconic symbol of Budapest and certainly the most recognizable building in Hungary.
The Hungarian Parliament building's sheer size, ~ 3 ½ football fields, is difficult to capture in a photo
Tours of the inside are in small guided groups (with headsets in your own language) that make it feel like you're the only one in the immense and peaceful building - making for a great experience. Although the 45-minute tour only includes the Main Staircase, the Dome Hall, and the Session Hall of the Upper House, it is nice that you aren't rushed through them.
The beauty and grandeur of Budapest's Parliament building, with its sweeping staircases and intricate ceiling designs - all accented with a large amount of gold
Housed inside - and strictly forbidden to photograph - is the original Holy Crown which is said to have been given to St Stephen, the first king of Hungary, in 1000. Interestingly, after WWII, the United States safely housed the crown for 33 years. President Jimmy Carter returned the crown, and ironically he died on December 29, the same day we arrived to Hungary.
Afterwards we went on our own little walking tour through Budapest:
The Shoes on the Danube memorial is in remembrance of the several thousands of Jews who were forced to remove their shoes before they were shot into the Danube in 1944
Budapest, like Vienna, also has a Saint Stephen Basilica, but it is named after the Hungarian king. In front of it is one of Budapest's favorite Christmas markets.
We walked down the pedestrian-only Váci Utca (street), stopping for lunch, and ending at the Grand Market Hall.
A tasty croque madame at Mia's Cafe
The Grand Market Hall roof is adorned with Hungary's signature Zsolnay ceramic tiles
We didn't last long in the overly crowded Grand Market Hall. At more than 100,000 square feet, it is interesting to see for a minute, but has bad reviews for its food and souvenir prices.
In the afternoon, I started to get antsy again; teased by yet another Apple weather forecast of brilliant sunshine, Chris and I gravitated back to the views on the Buda side.
Fisherman's Bastion is named after the fisherman's guild who was responsible for guarding this stretch of the city's walls during the Middle Ages.
The best spot to capture a picture of Parliament is right on the opposite bank of the Danube. Come here in the early evening to see the last shafts of sunlight illuminating this impressive building.
We had better luck tonight with traditional Hungarian food at Klauzal Cafe.
Restaurants in Budapest automatically add a service charge of 15% or more.
On our way home for the night, we stopped at the popular Szimpla Kert "ruin" bar. The concept of a Ruin Bar is to convert an abandoned building into a rustic and cool place to hang out.
With over 400 drinks offered at the nine bars inside Szimpla Kert, it makes for a very cool and fun bar
Logistics:
Originally I thought just seeing Budapest's Parliament building would cure my obsession. However, upon further research, I discovered that the interior of the building is just as impressive as its exterior. I was certain my discovery came too late in the game to get online tickets. They have a wonky system where they look like they're sold out. Then randomly they'll release more tickets. I was prepared to wait in line for same-day tickets, but unexpectedly a month before our visit I saw six more online tickets show up!
Arriving 13 minutes after opening, the line was already all the way out the door if you didn't have tickets - or if you had reservations but didn't bring your printed tickets. SKIP THIS LINE IF YOU HAVE YOUR TICKETS. (45 minutes later the line was gone which I assume meant the rest of the day was completely sold out.)
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