Midway through the year, I flew from Berlin to Budapest, Hungary’s capital. It was the only city in Europe’s top five on Nomad List that I had not yet visited, so I wanted to see it for myself.
Budapest is often described as Eastern European, though geographically it sits near the very center of Europe. The language was completely unfamiliar to me, so I wrote down a few basic words to learn:
- Hi — szia
- Bye — helló
- Thanks — köszönöm
- You’re welcome — nincs mit
- How are you? — hogy vagy?
- Okay — oké
- Yes — igen
- No — nem
- Sorry — bocsánat
- Please — légyszíves
Later, I came up with the idea of making a list of 10 basic words for all countrieswith help from native speakers.
I enjoyed my two months in Budapest, although it did not quite live up to the glowing reviews I had read beforehand. I am not sure I would return.
https://twitter.com/gijsheerkens/status/1027915854737022977
I did meet good people and find places I liked. These were the things that stood out:
- Plenty of cafés to work from
- Cycling is practical
- Beautiful views along the Danube
- A compact city center
- Relatively affordable
- The Sziget festival
- Thermal baths everywhere
Cafés
There are countless coffee bars in central Budapest. Since I don't like to work in coworkings, I wanted another reason to leave my Airbnb more often.
Budapest gave me one. I tried a different café almost every day, worked for a few hours, and then explored that neighborhood. It was a lovely way to discover the city.
My favorite was Café Zsivágó.
Cycling
The city was pleasant to cycle around. At first I tried its bike-share scheme, BuBi, but it did not work well for me.
Eventually I bought a bike through Facebook Marketplace and sold it to a student who arrived a few days after I left. He sent me the money through PayPal, and I left the bike outside his accommodation. It all went smoothly.
I even managed the uphill ride to Fisherman’s Bastion on the Buda side.
The Danube
Buda lies west of the Danube, and Pest lies east. Most of the bustle is in Pest, but Buda has the Citadel, with a view over the city and the Parliament building.
Seven bridges connect the two sides. The Chain Bridge is probably the best known.
Walkability
Although Budapest is a large city (it's in the top 100 largest cities), its center is compact and easy to walk around.
After a few weeks, I realized I could reach most places in the center within 30 minutes from my apartment in the Jewish Quarter (District VII).
Affordability
Coming from Western Europe, I noticed many older buildings, including the one that housed my Airbnb. The cost of living felt relatively low.
Sziget
Sziget means “island” in Hungarian. The festival lasts ten days and takes place on an island in the Danube. I bought tickets for two days with my friend Johan Fuif. He visited me for a week in August. We saw Arctic Monkeys, Slaves, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, and Liam Gallagher. As with the city itself, I enjoyed the festival without finding it extraordinary. The aftermovie is excellent, though.
Baths
Budapest is known for its many bathhouses. I visited the most famous one in Városliget (City Park). It had more than 25 pools at different temperatures. I would recommend it to anyone visiting the city.
My Budapest song
I choose one song to represent my memories of each place I stay. For Budapest, it is Live Forever by Oasis. Hearing Liam Gallagher play Oasis songs at Sziget was a highlight.