Budapest's Parliament Building - A Must See!

Whenever you see photos of Budapest, it's most likely scenes from Fisherman's Bastion (n.d.) or of the Hungarian Parliament Building along the Danube River. The Parliament isn't easily missed in photographs; its golden-hued dome is clearly visible from many points along the river, as is its beautiful façade which is lit up in the evenings. 

Let's look at why you should visit -- and more importantly tour inside -- this beautiful building. 

About the Hungarian Parliament Building

The official name is the Hungarian House of the Parliament (Visit Hungary.com, 2021). Architect and designer Imre Steindl, stipulated construction materials to be locally sourced from within the country, as were the craft persons tasked to work on the project  (Visit Hungary.com, 2021).

Built between 1885 and 1902, several architectural styles can be seen in the design: Baroque (interior layout), Gothic (exterior) and Renaissance (ceiling)  (Visit Hungary.com, 2021). What's most interesting is the floor plan; all aspects of the interior have political and historical meaning. For example, the official tourism guide, visithungary.com (2021) states the middle "cupola...refers to the unity of the legislature...and was also the site of the joint sittings of the lower house and upper house" (paragraph 3). 

Where is the Hungarian House of the Parliament? 

Source: Google Maps (2021) - Hungarian Parliament Building

There are several ways to access this area: 

1. Take the bus. Kossuth Lajos ter Bus No. 15, 70, 78 or 115 
2. Take a tram. Kossuth Lajos ter Tram line 2.
3. Take the Metro. Line M2 and get off at Kossuth Lajos ter. 
   (All transport methods sourced from: Civitatis Budapest, n.d.)

How to Tour Inside the Parliament

English-language guided tours are offered at multiple times during business hours:

• 10 a.m.
• 12 p.m. (noon)
• 1 p.m.
• 2 p.m.
• 3 p.m. 

Tours are approximately 50 minutes (times and tour length source: Civitatis Budapest, n.d.). 

It's advisable to book in advance, which can be done at the Hungarian Parliament Visitor Centre (n.d.a.) which is located next door to the Parliament itself. 

! Please note the linked site listed above is the official government site. A quick Google search finds many fake and false Hungarian Parliament Visitor Centre sites which sell tours. Be careful not to purchase tickets through these fake sites. 

Tour costs range from $6.10 USD up to $21.40 USD (Civitatis Budapest, n.d.). The government's official site to purchase tickets is here (jegymester.hu, 2021). Other safe travel sites to book tours include: Civitatis and Viator. 

Scenes from My Tour Inside the Parliament

The guided tour I took was included in the 10-day Eastern EU itinerary in which I was traveling. As a fan of both architecture and politics, I was excited to join.

First, we arrived early morning to observe the military guards hoisting the Hungarian flag outside (series of three photos):  

Procession 

Preparation

Hoisting the Hungarian flag

The flag ceremony was strict; silence was observed with only a trumpeter (if I recall?) playing, or the occasional yell from the leader enforcing directional orders. Our tour guide allowed us to linger outside a bit more to take in the Gothic architecture of the exterior. 

View outside the House of the Parliament

Once inside, I was offered two options: take an elevator, or follow a Parliamentary guide up some red carpeted stairs. I chose the stairs. This stairwell is called the City Side Staircase XVII:

That ceiling!

The stairs are draped in red carpet flanked by gold walls.

Unfortunately, I am not a great photographer and didn't capture this particular aspect of the building - The Lounge of the Chamber of Peers (photo below). I was too busy marveling at the ceiling artwork of Karoly Lotz (Visit Hungary.com, 2021) which lays above the stairway. Slightly to the left of the photo (below), you can also make out some of the stained glass windows by Miksa Roth (Visit Hungary.com, 2021).

The next stop was the Chamber of Peers, which certainly sounds like it could be a future Harry Potter novel title, perhaps? Seven rows of seats can hold 453 members of parliament (Hungarian National Assembly, n.d.b). 

Inside the Chamber...

Looking slightly right in the Chamber

Military guards were seen patrolling the next tour stop: the Dome Hall. During our tour, I remember the guide requesting us to give them plenty of room as they completed their ceremonial duties which includes guarding the Hungarian Holy Crown and Coronation Isignia (Hungarian National Assembly, n.d.b.). I had to admit, the swords were a little scary. 

Before ending the tour, all visitors get treated to a view of the beautiful Grand Staircase (below): 

Apologies that my photos don't really match to the extravagance inside the building. It truly is a well worth seeing in person as videos, nor photos, can appropriately showcase all the art, textured carpets, and adornments inside. 

All photos by Cutenekko unless otherwise stated/cited. The tour was completed in July, 2018.

Travel Information

There is a wonderful gallery of photos of the Hungarian House of the Parliament via the official site, here:

Gallery - Visitors - Országgyűlés (parlament.hu)

The tour route, as listed on the official site: Visitor route - Visitors - Országgyűlés (parlament.hu)

The official Hungarian National Assembly site for visitors who wish to tour the Parliament is here: Home - Visitors - Országgyűlés (parlament.hu)

It's ideal to visit the House of the Parliament on a rainy or cold day as the tour is completely indoors. 

One caution for those with accessibility issues:
I did not see many elevators, ramps and the like while there. Before arriving for a tour, the official Assembly site recommends those with wheelchair or other accessibility needs to email them at: tourist.office(at)parlament.hu. 

References cited: 

Civitatis Budapest. (n.d.). Budapest Parliament. Retrieved Oct. 31. 2021 from URL. 

Google Maps. (2021). Hungarian Parliament building. Retrieved Oct. 31, 2021 from URL. 

Fisherman's Bastion.com (n.d.). Fisherman's Bastion Budapest. Retrieved Oct. 31, 2021 from URL. 

Hungarian National Assembly. (n.d.a). Welcome! Retrieved Oct. 31. 2021 from URL. 

Hungarian National Assembly. (n.d.b). Visitor route: a walk through the house of parliament. Retrieved Oct. 31, 2021 from URL. 

Jegymester.hu. (2021). Hungarian Parliament building. Retrieved Oct. 31. 2021 from URL. 

Visit Hungary.com (2021). Hungary's most iconic building: the Parliament. Retrieved Oct. 31, 2021 from URL.  

Been to the Hungarian House of the Parliament and want to share your travel tips? Have a question? Looking for more information? Tell us in the comments below.

Why You Should Visit Szentendre (Hungary)

Europe is most certainly full of quaint and picturesque cities. That said, Szentendre is beyond charming. So much so, it attracts artists whose works are freely installed outside for public viewing, and young people who like strolling throughout the twisty cobbled streets, taking in a café or an ice cream at a parlor. 

Let's explore why Szentendre deserves to be seen if you're planning to stay for a bit in Budapest. 

Where is Szentendre? 

Source: Google Maps

Szentendre is roughly 40 minutes north by train or car from Budapest. It is situated along the Danube river. There are a variety of ways to get there, the cheapest being the bus which costs approximately $1 CAD (Rome2Rio, n.d.). Other, possibly more fun options from Budapest to Szentendre include: 

• the suburban HEV train on the Metro red line from Batthyány tér station, or 
• boarding a boat at either Vigadó square or Batthyány square (Szentendre: Wikitravel, 2019). 

Szentendre's small population of less than 30,000 also makes it safe, ideal for cycling or walking around, and something that can be completed as a day trip from Budapest. 

More About Szentendre

Meaning Saint Andrew (Szentendre, 2019), the town was settled by Serbians who fled Turkish occupation in the 17th century (Tripadvisor, 2021). Szentendre rests along the Danube river, has several Orthodox Serbian churches in baroque style, museums (both indoor & outdoor), artist colonies, and has been described as 'Mediterranean-like' due to its colorful shop fronts and its hilly lanes (Szentendre, 2019).

City map of Szentendre with points of interest listed (click to expand).

 

What Should I Do in Szentendre?

Walking or cycling the town is recommended, as the small layout makes it ideal for slow tourism. It's best to start from the main street or square, and then venture outwards. For those looking for more ideas, travel writer Orfhlaith Kearney of Culture Trip (2017) has compiled a very nice top 10 list of places to check out in Szentendre. 

Main square in Szentendre. 

How I Spent a Half Day in Szentendre

One activity I booked in advance of my arrival to Szentendre was a cooking demonstration and lunch. While waiting for the chef to begin, we were treated to a glass of lemon squash. 

 

My refreshing glass of lemon squash.

I'm not much of a cook, but I enjoy sampling all kinds of different foods and am curious to see how things are made. This cooking demonstration was of Hungary's most famous dish - goulash. Goulash is similar to beef stew; ingredients include onions, paprika, sweet peppers and tomatoes. It can be served with bread, pasta or potatoes (The Bossy Kitchen, 2021).

During my trip, I ate quite a bit of goulash with bread or potatoes and some pickles on the side. If you're curious and want to make it yourself, you can find an authentic recipe for Hungarian Goulash on the blog, The Bossy Kitchen. 

I think the chef and translator were totally flirting with each other. 

During the demonstration, the smell was tantalizing and my mouth was watering by the end. Finally, lunch was served of the aforementioned goulash, along with bread and a small pastry. 

The freshly prepared goulash. 

Cannot recall what was inside pasty due to eating it so quickly. 

With lunch complete, I was now free to venture off and explore more of Szentendre. I gathered my things and took off on foot, stopping only when I found something of interest, or in the case below, rather funny.

The Holy Cow Burger restaurant entrance board. Eating here is a...blessing? LOL 

Passing by one outdoor café, I spied an unusual customer - and one who likely skipped out on his bill - a ginger cat, curled up in a patch of sunshine. 

Hungarian cats strikingly similar to Canadian cats - lazy AF. 

Moving along the cobbled streets, I spied a path going up in a spiral. I followed it up to a rooftop/hilltop park which offered a good view of the church in the main square.

How it started (climbing) ...

... How it ended (with a beautiful view). 

I also came across an alleyway that looked remarkedly similar to alleys one might see in Kyoto or Matsumoto (Japan). I set up my camera on the ground and took a self portrait.

Self portrait.

I finally made my way to the Danube river where there was a wonderful walking/cycling pathway along its edge. This was perhaps my favorite view from the day; I noticed a lot more people strolling along the river taking in the fine weather. It seemed to me that Szentendre made a great spot for those wanting to get away from the busier pace of Budapest. 

I had to return to the meeting point to catch a bus back to the city. The waiting spot was situated along a path next to a more modern church. The narrow concrete tower (below) made quite an interesting contrast to the red tiled house next door. It would be my final photo before heading back to Budapest for the evening.

I hope you enjoyed photos and stories from Szentendre Hungary. The next blog post will feature more sights within Budapest. I hope you'll return next week. 

All photos by Cutenekko taken on a Huawei P10 Lite. 

Travel Information:

Szentendre, Hungary - Tourism site from Budapest.com.

When to Visit:

Spring and Fall are ideal times due to being off-peak season and milder temperatures. During summer, avoiding weekends may be best to avoid crowds of locals from the city.  

 

Resources Cited:  

• Explore Szentendre. (2021). Tripadvisor. Retrieved October 21, 2021, from URL. 
• Kearney, O. (2017, April 12). The top 10 things to see and do in Szentendre, Hungary. Culture Trip. URL. 
• Hungarian goulash. (2021, March 11). The Bossy Kitchen. Retrieved October 24, 2021 from URL.
• Rome2Rio.com. (n.d.). Budapest to Szentendre. URL. 
• Szentendre. (2019, April 24). In Wikitravel. URL. 

Been to Szentendre? Got info you'd like to share? Please drop a comment below. I would love to hear from you. 

Budapest, Hungary

Continuing the 10-day bus tour through several countries in the EU, today brings us to Hungary's capital city and one most within the group were looking forward to - Budapest. 

Budapest is actually two cities split via the Danube river. Buda, home to the royal residence lays on one side, and Pest, which has seen growth from the 19th century onwards (Budapestinfo.hu, 2021). Regardless, the city is certainly considered a jewel within the Eastern EU countries. 

There are a few sights one should complete while here: the parliament buildings, thermal baths, Chain bridge, Hero's Square and a few churches (Budapestinfo.hu, 2021). I was able to visit most of these (see footnote). With that, let's get to the travel photos and stories. 

On the morning of July 10th (2018), our bus dropped us off at the bottom of the hill close to one famous church within the compounds of Buda Castle: the Church of Our Lady. 

Looking up toward the Church of Our Lady within Buda Castle.

The church also goes by the name Matthias Church, as it was King Matthias Corvinus who expanded the church into its current Gothic style. The Gothic architecture is most prominent on the bell tower built in the 15th century (Buda Castle: Budapest.com, n.d). The church also has a wonderful red tiled mosaic roof, and windows which "depict the lives of Hungarian heroes and saints" (Budapestinfo.hu, 2021). 

 

Main view of Matthias Church - the Church of Our Lady. 

Close up of the Gothic style bell tower with gargoyles visible.

I didn't go inside the church, but did learn that monthly concerts are held here. If you're into classical music, you can likely pick up a ticket and take in the interior views of the church this way (Buda Castle: Budapest.com, n.d.). 

After we were given free time to walk more on our own, I immediately broke away from the tour group to explore solo around the castle area. 

Cobblestone street in the shadows at the top of Buda Castle.

I'm a big fan of modern architectural styles, odd shaped windows and red paint, and so, this entrance captured my eye. Would love to have seen the inside of house number 21. 

I'm not sure why, but this view (below) reminded me of a scene from New York City looking towards the Empire State building. It seems similar, no?

An empire state of mind in Budapest, Hungary? It's really the Church of Our Lady.

Walking further from the church, I came across a circular area of cobblestones within which, sat small one-seater benches. I thought this was a pretty nifty idea for elderly locals to stop and chat without feeling uncomfortable sitting next to a stranger. Thinking logically though, these benches were most likely shortened to prevent homeless from sleeping on them in evenings (below). 

Enough exploring for my personal happiness, it was time to focus back on Buda Castle. Perhaps the most scenic and outstanding views of the city can be completed from Fisherman's Bastion within the castle grounds. The Bastion was completed in 1902 to "celebrate the 1000th birthday of the Hungarian state" (Buda Castle: Budapest.com, n.d.). 

The white arches and spires make for natural photo framing with view of Budapest as a backdrop. If you're traveling in Budapest with your love interest, a stop at the Fisherman's Bastion around sunset would make a romantic evening. 

Fishman's Bastion, looking from one spire to another.

Looking down on the city from Fishman's Bastion from the Buda side. 

The large building  on the right is Parliament building.

The next blog post will feature a tour of the Parliament buildings in Budapest and an excursion to Szentendre (a river side town outside of Budapest). Stop by again in one week.

Been to Budapest and have travel stories to share? Drop them in the chat. I'd love to hear from you. 

All photos by Cutenekko taken on a Huawei P10 lite.

Footnote:
Unfortunately, it was in Budapest that I got quite sick. When I booked the tour, I agreed to share a hotel room. Doing so reduces one's tour fee. My roommate turned out to be an older woman who on day one, explained she was quite sick and hoped I wouldn't catch what she had. My face fell immediately. I struggled on until Budapest, where her illness finally jumped to me. I ended up spending an evening in bed in my room, when I had planned to go to a thermal bath; therefore, sorry readers, no photos from a bath in Budapest. A lesson was learned though: always pay the single supplement fee (thus snagging a room to yourself) when joining a tour so you don't risk your health. 

Another fun story: 
Due to feeling unwell, I wore a mask for the remainder of the trip for which the tour guide gave me heck and constant side-eyes. Wearing a mask was normal in Japan and I had gotten used to the practice; I always wear one whenever I fly to destinations. The joke is on that tour guide now; during this time of COVID we're all wearing masks. 

Travel Information:

Fisherman's Bastian at Buda Castle - Travel information for visitors. 

Budapest - Official tourism site. So much great info here. Useful tabs include: 

• top sights
• pubic toilets(!) and
• barrier-free travel within the city. 

Blog Recommendation of the Week:

Curb Free with Cory Lee

I've been following Cory on Twitter for several years now. He's a global traveler, uses a motorized wheelchair and specializes in writing about barrier-free travels. Since following him, I've been more keenly aware of barriers others may face and try to advocate for better services and accessibility for all. Barrier free benefits not only those in wheelchairs, but elderly patrons using walkers, caregivers pushing strollers, even skateboarders. I hope you'll check out his site; his travel stories offer a unique perspective. 

Sources Cited: 

Church of Our Lady (Matthias Church) at Buda Castle. (2021). Budapest.hu. Retrieved October 15, 2021 from URL. 

Fisherman's Bastion in Buda Castle Budapest. (n.d.). Budacastlebudapest.com. Retrieved October 15, 2021 from URL.

Matthias Church Buda Castle Budapest. (n.d.). Budacastlebudapest.com. Retrieved October 15, 2021 from URL. 

The History of the City. (2021). Budapest.hu. Retrieved October 15, 2021 from URL. 

Top Sights. (2021). Budapest.hu. Retrieved October 15, 2021 from URL. 

Bratislava, Slovakia

On July 9th, 2018, I arrived at the third stop of a ten day tour through eastern Europe - Bratislava (n.d.), the capital city of Slovakia. This is a fairly compact city that is easy to walk and our tour bus parked letting all on board the freedom to go wherever one liked for about three/four hours. 

The weather was perfect for strolling. Feeling on this day I'd rather avoid the touristy things, I decided to walk to the Old Town, and from there, navigate around taking pictures as I went. Here are a few of the unique things I found that day; we'll start backwards, with the final photos being those of the main square.

A garden emerges within a courtyard. These are amazing in my mind as you see nothing like this here in Canada, unfortunately. 

I have friends in Japan who told me they enjoy reading my blog, and so, this photo is purely for them. It's the outside view of the Japanese Embassy in Slovakia; the location was in the Old Town of Bratislava. How I wish I could work here; seems like every office window's view is spectacular! 

What is Old Town in Bratislava exactly? According to bloggers, Couple Travel the World  (2020) the main square in Old Town is actually named Hlavne Namestie. Wikipedia (2021) mentions that Old Town Bratislava has retained much of its medieval roots, and so, you can see architecture throughout the area reflecting this. 

A medieval gate hangs over a street within Old Town.

Cafes along the lane. 

There was a market set up in the square on the day I visited; I checked out many of the local booths, of which, the majority were artists. 

Artisan booths within the square. 

One of the most beautiful views in Bratislava, in my opinion, is that of Michael's Gate & Tower (below). The city's official tourism site describes Michael's Gate as historically, "an integral part of the coronation route followed by the kings who were crowned in Pressburg as they left the city to where they would take their oath" (Michael's Gate, n.d.). Today, visitors can take coronation photos as a souvenir (I did not). 

As for the tower, a description of it is as follows: 

"The roof of the original gothic tower, built in the mid 14th century, was modified between 1753 and 1758 to give it its current, baroque style. The 51 meters tall tower has seven floors" and "at the top of the tower is a statue of the archangel Michael, slaying a dragon" (Michael's Gate, n.d.). 

Apparently, one can climb stairs inside the tower to enjoy views from the top; however, I also did not do that.  

Michael's gate & tower - considered a must see while in Bratislava. 

I decided to drink in the scenery and not wanting to leave it, I did what I could: I ended up purchasing a watercolor print of the tower from a local artist which now hangs on a wall in my home office (below). 

After leaving Slovakia, our tour bus moved southwest toward a city I was most excited to see. But first, we first had to pass by the old border checkpoint from Slovakia into Hungary (photo below). It was at this point in the tour where I felt I had truly arrived in eastern Europe, noting a shift in the architectural stylings. 

Before suppertime, our bus parked at the top of a viewpoint overlooking the capital city of Hungary - Budapest. It was crowded with other buses, tourists, and others enjoying the amazing expanse of the city below. Such is life, but, how amazing is that view?? (below) 

The next blog post will be solely on Budapest where I spent two days. I'm looking forward to sharing those photos with you soon. 

All photos by Cutenekko.

Travel information: 

Bratislava - Official city tourism site (in English and other languages)

Top 10 in Bratislava - Recommended by the official city site above

Visit Bratislava - Michael's Gate

Tour Radar - Travel site where you can input dates, regions, duration and budget and it will recommend tours you can join. Ideal for solo travelers or those with limited time. I used this company to find this particular bus tour of Eastern EU. 

Prague Castle

In early summer 2018, I took a 10-day tour through five countries in the EU. It was to celebrate two things: getting a full-time job after many years of part-time contracts and, completing my Master's degree. 

On the second day, I took a river cruise along the Vltava River in Prague. After departing the ship, I had a few hours free before joining a walking tour of Prague Castle. 

I'm not sure why, but I followed a group of people who told me they were in search of a bar that, according to our tour guide, had the best cocktails. It turned out to be a Cuban bar/restaurant, and the cocktails were actually mojitos. So, I found myself sitting in a Cuban bar...in Prague...enjoying a mojito. 

 Scenes from the Cuban bar/restaurant, La Bodeguita del Medio Praha 

(website in English & Czech). 

It was a very refreshing mojito with abundant mint. 

So...after that slight distraction, I walked out to make my way towards Prague Castle. I took a few photos of sights along the route.

             

Prague certainly has the atmosphere of a fantasy novel, no? 

Prague Castle (Sygic Travel, 2021) historically, was established in the 9th century and was first built as a church. Currently, it is the official residence of the President of the Czech Republic. I had quite a bit of time to explore the area and took numerous photos. 

II Courtyard within the Castle. The President's offices are here, within the New Royal Palace (Prague.net, 2008).

Looking up at St. Vitus Cathedral (Prague.net, 2008) within the castle grounds. 

Castle guards marching past.

When to Visit Prague Castle

Travel writer Shiran Brodie (2019) notes it's recommended to visit Prague Castle in either the early morning or late afternoon to avoid crowds (Justapack.com). I passed through the security check late in the afternoon. I also let the tour group get way ahead of me; dawdling behind so that I could get photographs without others in the shot. It turned out to be a good strategy. 

My Adidas sneaks holding up over the pebbles. 

I still have these sneakers in 2021! 

               

Views within the castle grounds - sorry I have forgotten the details. 

St. George Basilica (Prague.net, 2008) - a must see stop while walking through Prague Castle. 

What Not to Miss in Prague Castle

According to travel notes, it's recommended to view the sights I've shown above, as well as, the White Tower and Golden Lane, among others. For some reason, I missed quite a few of those latter highlights; however, if you're curious about the other historic sights within the Castle, please visit the official visitor's site for Prague Castle (2021); scrolling to the very bottom of that site page offers a virtual tour.

In the next blog post, we'll shift from the Czech Republic to another country in the Eastern EU. See you soon!

Travel information mentioned on this page:

• Prague Castle - Official visitors site (Prague Castle, 2021) 

• Cuban bar & restaurant, La Bodeguita del Medio Praha 

If you enjoyed this post, or have been to Prague, share your comments below. I would love to hear your stories and/or thoughts. - Cutenekko.