Things to do and see besides the wedding

Major attractions and sightseeing in Budapest

1. Szent Istán Bazilika (St. Stephen’s Basilica) - Hungarian’s first king’s right hand is preserved and can be seen here - the biggest basilica in Budapest.

2. Hungarian Parliament - you can take an English language tour inside and see the 1010 year old Hungarian crown. The largest building in the country, which is the permanent location of the national assembly, is situated on the bank of the Danube. The Neo-Gothic building complex was built between 1884 and 1904 from lime stone. Its entrance faces the Kossuth Square, where many Hungarians were killed during the Soviet crackdown of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. On the walls of the opposite building of the Parliament, you still can see the bullet holes of the Revolution.

3. Castle District - Buda Castle, Fishermen’s Bastille, Mátyás Templom (Matthias Church) - the main Coronation Church in the Buda Castle district, which stands on the Szentháromság (Holy Trinity) Square, just three minutes walk from the dinner venue. Religious tradition has it that the church was founded by the first Hungarian king, St. Stephen in 1015. The Buda Castle, the Royal Palace, where many battles and wars took place, is one of the country’s symbols with many museums, shops, restaurant and of course a spectacular view of the city.

4. Lánchíd (Chain Bridge) - The capital’s first bridge monument, with decorative lights at night and the Buda Castle in the background, is a fascinating spectacle. We Hungarian still just love walking through it.

5. Heroes’ Square - The capital’s most spectacular square can be found at the entrance to the City Park. In the park you can find the world-famous Széchenyi Baths and Vajdahunyad Castle. On the right of the square, we can find the Hall of Art, and on the left there is the Museum of Fine Arts.

6. Széchenyi Fürdő (Széchenyi Termal Bath) or one of the Budapest’s thermal bath - Budapest is the city of spas. Its tradition goes back to the Turkish times, when Hungary was under Turkish occupation from (1541-1699).  If you have time, you definitely should have a soak in one of the Budapest`s thermal baths. The Széchenyi Bath is one of the largest bathing complexes in all Europe with indoor and outdoor medicinal baths. Király Gyógyfürdő, the Király Baths still looks like as in Turkish times.

7. The Great Synagogue, also known as Dohány Street Synagogue - It is the largest synagogue in Eurasia and the second largest in the world, after the Temple Emanu-El in New York City. It seats 3,000 people and is a center of Neolog Judaism. Theodore Herzl's house of birth was next to the Dohány street Synagogue. In the place of his house stands the Jewish Museum, which holds the Jewish Religious and Historical Collection, built in 1930 in accordance with the synagogue's architectural style and attached in 1931 to the main building.

8. Andrássy Út - Andrássy Avenue - part of the World Heritage - shops, restaurant and walking and Hungarian Operahouse.

9. Liszt Ferenc tér - Liszt Ferenc Square - A square full of restaurants and wine bars opening from Andrássy Út - one of the favorite “enjoy life and chat for three hours places” of Hungarians - the real European flare - restaurants are open well into the night, but you can enjoy the same flare during the day as well.

10. Vörösmarty Square - Gerbeaud Cafe - Restaurants and shopping - as well as the famous Gerbeaud cafe house with one of the best cakes and cafe in Hungary and a beautiful architecture - again enjoy your coffee and cake and chat for hours.

11. Váci utca - Váci street - shopping and restaurant - one of the most famous streets of Budapest - again just walking and chatting in a cafe.

12. Korzó - A walking street along the Danube with beautiful view of the Castle, the Chain Bridge, the Gellért Hill - with many restaurants.

13. Gellért Hill and the Citadella - superb panoramas from the viewing terraces. The sights on the hill recall individual periods in history: the statue of Bishop St. Gellért that of pagan times, the Citadel that of Habsburg oppression after the 1848-49 War of Independence, and the Liberty Monument towering over the city the period after the Second World War. The 14-m-high statue was raised in 1947 in memory of the country’s liberation and was not removed even after the Soviet rule ended.

14. Margit Sziget - Margaret Island - The capital’s most beautiful park can be found here. This is where many “pestiek” (as we call people who live in Budapest) spend there weekends, go for running, biking or just have some romantic moments and escape from the city noise. Kind of like Budapest’s “Central Park”.

15. Hungarian Opera House - beautiful architecture inside and out.

16. Gresham Palota or Gresham-Palace is an example of Art Nouveau architecture in Central Europe. Built during the early 1900s, it is now owned by an Irish company, Quinlan Private, and managed by Four Seasons Hotels. It's architecture worth a visit!

17. New York Palota - The New York Palace is a luxury hotel on the Erzsébet körút (Erzsébet Blvd.), under Erzsébet körút 9-11. Its Café in the ground floor named New York Café (New York Kávéház) was a longtime center for Hungarian literature and poetry, almost from its opening on October 23, 1894 to its closure in 2001, to reconstruct it into a luxury hotel, as it is now. The Café was also reopened on May 5, 2006 in its original pomp, as was the whole building. Here you can dine and have café under beautiful mosaics and golden architecture.

If you want to have further information and practical advice on Budapest, please visit: http://www.budapestinfo.hu

If you are here only for a very short time, we recommend to try the “Hop-on, Hop-off bus”. Such tour would show you the major attractions. It usually costs about 4500 Ft, about 23 dollars and lasts about four - five hours.
http://www.citytour.hu/budapest_hop_on_hop_off_tours/1/hop-on%2824-stunden%29-4000_huf

Outside the city

Szentendre - a small city north of Budapest - many artists live here and it has a wonderful downtown

Visegrád - Situated north of Budapest on the right bank of the Danube in the Danube Bend,Visegrád is famous for the remains of the Early Renaissance summer palace of King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary and the medieval citadel. It can be a good day trip.

Balaton - Lake Balaton is a freshwater lake in the Transdanubian region of Hungary. It is the largest lake in Central Europe,[1] and one of its foremost tourist destinations. As Hungary is landlocked, Lake Balaton is often called the "Hungarian Sea." Many Hungarians have a summer place here and spend there weekends here swimming, sunbathing or enjoying one of the vineries around the Balaton.

Eger - Eger is best known for its castle, thermal baths, historic buildings (including the northernmost Turkish minaret), and red and white wines. The Castle of Eger is a castle in Eger, Hungary. Historically, it is known for its repelling of the Turkish attack in 1552 during the Siege of Eger.

Tokaj - The wine-growing area was first mentioned by the name Tokaj in 1067. The world - famous Tokaji wine is made here. You can visit many wine cellars and enjoy this spectacular flavor.

Hortobágy - Hortobágy (Hungarian pronunciation: is both the name of a village in Hajdú-Bihar county and an 800 km² national park in Eastern Hungary, rich with folklore and cultural history. The park, a part of the Alföld (Great Plain), was designated as a national park in 1973 (the first in Hungary), and elected among the World Heritage sites in 1999. The Hortobágy is Hungary's largest protected area, and the largest natural grassland in Europe.