48 Hours In Budapest

WHY GO NOW?

WHY GO NOW?

When the winter mists rise from the Danube to shroud the beautiful Hungarian capital in a thick white cloak, there are few more intriguing cities in Europe. And if you want to fly and flop, Budapest ranks with Bali and Baden-Baden as one of the world's great spa destinations, where visitors can take the city's healing waters in stunning Art Nouveau baths.

TOUCH DOWN

Malev (0870 909 0577; www.flymalev.co.uk) and Sky Europe (020-7365 0365; www.skyeurope.com) fly from Stansted to Budapest's Ferihegy airport from around £100 return. Malev also flies from Heathrow; British Airways (0870 850 9850; www.ba.com) flies from Heathrow and Gatwick; and easyJet (0871 244 2366; www.easyJet.com) flies from Luton. The best route into the city is by shared minibus (00 36 1 296 8555; www.bud.hu) direct to your hotel. Tickets cost 3,600 forints (Ft) - about £10 - return. (Some hotels charge in euros, but the forint is likely to remain the local currency for a while.)

GET YOUR BEARINGS

Hungary's capital gives you two towns for the price of one, divided by Eastern Europe's greatest waterway. Elegant, historic Buda occupies the western bank of the river and looks down from a series of hills on the more prosaic businesses, shops and government buildings of Pest that spread over the plains to the east. The Hungarian parliament building is on the Pest bank; it has free tours in English every day at 10am, noon, 1pm and 2pm. Directly across the water from here is Castle Hill - the silent walled city that dominates the river's banks. No cars (except those belonging to permit-holders or guests at the Hilton) are allowed inside the walls, which enclose a warren of cobbled streets, seven museums, the National Theatre, the beautiful Mattias church and the enormous Royal Palace. Most of the buildings here have been destroyed by war and rebuilt in the last century, except the dark stump of the former Ministry of Defence, which is pocked with bullet holes caused by fighting between the Nazis and the Red Army in 1945.

Budapest has a good network of trams and trolley buses, plus a three-line Soviet-built Metro system with uncomfortable seats, crackly announcements and doors that shut with a ferocity that could sever a limb. Buy a Budapest card, available from stations and newsagents, for free transport and entry to 55 museums and sights. A two-day ticket costs Ft4,700 (£13) - and also covers a child under 14; a three-day ticket costs Ft5,900 (£16.50).

CHECK IN

For luxury laced with history, the Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal at 43-49 Erszebet korut (00 36 1 479 4000; www.corinthiahotels.com) is difficult to beat. Built in 1896, the Grand's original incarnation featured a tropical garden and bars that were the toast of Hollywood's A-list. Largely destroyed during the Second World War, the hotel has been renovated on three occasions, lastly in 2002. It now has guest rooms with African carpets and striking modern paintings. Doubles start at €142 (£101) without breakfast.

At the faded Art Nouveau Gellert at 1 Szent Gellert ter (00 36 1 889 5500; www.danubiusgroup.com/gellert), little has changed since the 1950s, apart from the room rates: doubles now start at €150 (£107) with breakfast. Guests receive discounted entry to the ornate pool and steam rooms, where massages are performed by staff with the tenderness of Bond villains.

For simple comfort with superb views, the Victoria at 11 Bem rakpart overlooks the parliament (00 36 1 457 8080; www.victoria.hu) - doubles here start at €84 (£60) with breakfast.

TAKE A VIEW

Start at the Gellert Statue near the Elizabeth bridge. Follow the paths to the top of Gellert Hill for great views across Pest and the Castle District from the base of the Liberty Monument. The memorial was built in 1945 to mark the Soviet triumph over the Nazis and is one of the few Communist-era landmarks still in its original position. After the 1989 revolution, the other clenched-fist tributes to state socialism were moved to Statue Park on the edge of the city (00 36 1 424 7500; www.szoborpark.hu). To visit take the bus from the Deak ter stop with the Statue Park timetable. Combined transport and entry tickets cost Ft1,950 (£5.50).

TAKE A HIKE

From Buda, cross the Elizabeth bridge, enjoying the fine prospect of Pest. Bear slightly right to the southern part of Vaci utca, and zig-zag through some Soviet-era structures to Kalvin ter Metro station. Follow Ulloi utca and head for the Museum of Applied Arts at number 33-37 (00 36 1 456 5100), open 10am-6pm daily except Monday, admission Ft600 (£1.70). This stunning domed building was created by Odon Lechner, Budapest's Gaudi, who is responsible for many of the city's best Art Nouveau structures. Nearby is the Ferenc Korut Metro station.

LUNCH ON THE RUN

Budapest residents are fuelled by sausage. Two of the best places in the city to meet the locals and their delicacies are the food markets in Pest on Kossuth ter and Vaci utca. Diners often tuck in with their pocket knives, so come prepared (but don't carry one in your cabin baggage).

WINDOW SHOPPING

Stylish shops have sprung up everywhere in the 16 years since the collapse of Communism, but walk away from the main retail streets and you'll find relics of the old days - tiny shops that only sell buttons or just repair umbrellas, filled with staff who have no interest in selling anything. From Vorosmarty ter walk to the pedestrianised zone around Vaci utca. Ekes Kestzyu at 14 Regiposta utca (00 36 1 266 0986) specialises in hand-crafted leather gloves, and Varga Design at 1 Haris koz (00 36 1 318 3221) has a good range of original jewellery. If malls are more to your liking, try Mammut at Moskva Ter, a huge new complex with branches of Benetton and Mango. Most shops open 10am-5pm Monday-Friday, 10am-1pm Saturday, while malls are open all day, every day.

CULTURAL AFTERNOON

Pay a visit to Budapest's Museum of Fine Arts at Heroes' Square (00 36 1 363 2675), which is open 10am-5.30pm daily (except Monday), admission free. The huge building has a fine selection of Old Masters, an excellent collection of frescoes and some of the most bloodthirsty religious works you will ever see. The National Gallery in the Royal Palace is devoted to Hungarian art and opens 10am-6pm daily except Monday, admission free (00 36 1 224 3700).

AN APERITIF

Budapest's hippest and most expensive new bars line Liszt Ferenc ter, close to the Oktogon. Try Buena Vista at number 4 (00 36 1 344 6303), which has a great selection of cocktails and is open until midnight every night. The Oscar Café, at Ostrom utca 14 (00 36 1 212 8017) near Moskva ter, is a dark, atmospheric venue with a huge bar and walls lined with film stills. It is open until 2am Monday-Thursday and 4am on Friday and Saturday. Alternatively, try any bar on any street for a shot of Unicum, Hungary's national drink, which tastes like cough medicine but is unlikely to make you feel better.

DINING WITH THE LOCALS

Baraka at 12-14 Magyra utca (00 36 1 483 1355), is a popular choice among the city's well-heeled socialites. The owner used to work at the City Bakery in New York and the bread is exquisite, as are the mainly fish-based mains. Expect to pay around Ft12,000 (£35) per head for three courses with wine. Alternatively try Muzeum at 12 Muzeum korut (00 36 1 267 0375), where most dishes contain paprika and you will be serenaded by a pianist who looks, and sings, like a corpse. Even so, it is fun and friendly. Three courses with wine cost from Ft8,000 (£22).

SUNDAY MORNING: GO TO CHURCH

The huge Basilica of St Stephen contains the mummified hand of Hungary's patron saint in a box that lights up if you make a donation. It is open 9am-5pm Monday-Saturday, and 1-5pm Sunday, when there are services throughout the day. The Central Synagogue in the heart of the Jewish quarter is the largest in Europe. You can visit from 10am-2pm on Sundays.

A WALK IN THE PARK

Margaret Island is a green haven amid the grey city, and was where thousands of East Germans camped out in 1989 en route for a new life in Austria, precipitating the collapse of Communism. In the middle sits a 13th-century Dominican church.

TAKE A RIDE

... on the rickety funicular railway that climbs Castle Hill. Ride in the lower car for the best sight lines. The two wooden carriages clank up the slope and offer a fabulous, if fleeting, view of Pest. The ride up costs Ft600 (£1.70), with a discount for the descent at only Ft500 (£1.40).

WRITE A POSTCARD

... from one of the city's fabled coffee shops. The best-known is Gerbeaud (00 36 1 429 9000) on Vorosmarty ter, while Lukacs at 70 Andrassy utca (00 36 1 302 8747) was once a favourite haunt of the AVO, the Communists' terrifying secret police. Szalai at 7 Balassi Balint utca (00 36 1 269 3210) serves good pastries.

THE ICING ON THE CAKE

Hungary gave the world Franz Liszt and Bela Bartok, and the best place to hear their music is the neo-Renaissance Opera House at 22 Andrassy utca (00 36 1 353 0170). And with tickets starting from Ft300 (85p), you can afford to go every night.

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