A flying visit to… Budapest!

By Anita Balogh

1. Good To Know
Time - GMT +1 (Summer Time GMT +2)

Currency - Hungarian Forint (HUF)
1 Euro = 311.37 HUF*
1 GBP = 370.22 HUF*
1 USD = 277.51 HUF*

* As of August 2016
For the latest exchange rates, visit http://fairfx.com/refer/aronhegarty

2. Visa?
Check http://www.visahq.com/visas.php

3. Do
Thermal bath at Szechenyi, Gellert, Kiraly or Rudas
Cruise on the Danube
Drink in one of the ruin bars i.e. Szimpla or Koleves

4. See
Buda Castle, Matthias Church & Fisherman’s Bastion
Chain Bridge, Parliament Building [Pictured] & St. Stephen’s Basilica
Heroes Square, City Park & Vajdahunyad Castle

5. Go
Margaret Island - ideal in summer
Gellert Hill - for spectacular city views
Vaci Street & Andrassy Street - for shopping

6. Getting Around
Walking - city centre is walkable
Bicycle - convenient, lots of bike rentals available
Taxi - readily available & not too expensive
Bus - cheap, but tends to be traffic congestion during rush hours
Budapest Metro - well-connected & easy to use

7. References & Sources
Personal recollections from my Budapest visit in summer 2005
Inputs from Anita Balogh September 2013

Thermal bath - http://visitbudapest.travel/activities/budapest-baths/
Ruin bars - http://ruinpubs.com/
Buda Castle - http://budacastlebudapest.com/
Parliament Building - http://latogatokozpont.parlament.hu/ 
Vajdahunyad Castle - http://www.vajdahunyadcastle.com/ 
Gellert Hill - http://www.budapestinfo.org/citadel.html
Budapest Metro - www.budapestinfo.org/images/metromap.jpg 
Tourism site - http://www.budapest.com/
Official website - http://budapest.hu/sites/english/Lapok/default.aspx
Wikipedia page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest
FairFX currency conversions - http://fairfx.com/refer/aronhegarty
Visa? - http://www.visahq.com/visas.php