people, genuine hospitality, public safety. You will simply feel comfortable here. Budapest With its population of over 2 million, Budapest is the capital of Hungary. It was not until 1873 that the twin cities BUDA and PEST united with a third, Óbuda to finally be named Budapest. However its history goes back to the Roman times when in the 1st century AD, the land was a province of the powerful Roman Empire, and Aquincum (on the site of present-day Óbuda) was its capital. The Danube River formed an important natural boundary for the empire. With the Hungarian conquest before 1000 AD and the founding of the state, Buda Castle soon became the residence of the Hungarian kings. The city survived the attacks and invasions of the Mongols in the 12th century, the occupation by the Turks and the bombings during World War II. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries the growing metropolis gained its present image. The charming hills of Buda with their old and elegant residential districts, the beautiful waterfronts of the majestic Danube together with the flat side, Pest, the dynamic administrative and business centre lend an unsurpassable location to the ”Pearl of the Danube”. Located at the cross-roads of East and West, the city has gained in importance with the collapse of the communist regime. Cultural events (Spring Festival, the opera and concert season) compete with attractive shopping (china, crystal, embroideries, art objects, refined food and spirits). The city has retained the inimitable folksy flavour of old Budapest. Beside the central market halls each district has similar farmers’ markets, street markets on the weekends. The extensive flea market of Budapest at the edge of the city is a real treasure throve for ‘scavengers’ and for antiquity collectors. The twin cities of Buda and Pest, divided by the Danube, contain homogenous parts of different building periods such as vestiges of the Roman oc-
cupation, the prestigious Castle District preserved in Romanesque and Gothic style, the rigour of the Habsburg Citadel, the eclecticism of the turnof-the-century buildings boasting the richness of the new citizens. From the Romanesque lookout tower, the Fishermen’s Bastion there is a superb view over the city and the Danube. The 13th century coronation church, Matthias Church stands nearby. From here stroll towards the buildings of the ancient Royal Palace, now home of various museums and libraries. From the Castle Hill, ride up to Gellért Hill which also offers a marvellous view of the whole capital. On top, walk around the Habsburg Citadel before continuing to Pest, the bustling downtown with its imposing hotels along the banks of the Danube. This area was rebuilt after the B u da p e s t BudaPest World War II bombardments. Banquet ships, “water buses” make the riverside more colourful. Drive past St. Stephen’s Basilica, Budapest’s largest church, dating back to 1845 and decorated by the most famous artists of the century, the Parliament building with a strong resemblance to the British Parliament; Heroes’ Square, the finest open space of the capital, with monuments that commemorate the millennium of the conquest of Hungary. The country’s history is presented here. A little further on, on the side of the City Park Lake you glimpse the romantic Vajdahunyad Castle complex. Budapest’s up there among the world’s most romantic, entertaining capitals. Not nicknamed the “Paris of the East” for nothing, it boasts broad boulevards and green parks, grand Art-Nouveau mansions and vibrantly painted churches, lively cafés and world-class music venues. The city is divided into two parts by the meandering Danube, iconically spanned by several stunning bridges. Hilly Buda falls on the western side of the river. Wander among the sights of its cobbled Castle District B u da p e s t BudaPest, a truLY caPItaL cItY perched atop Castle Hill, after a ride on the funicular railway or a winding hillside walk, and have your breath taken away by views at the top.
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