Luxury Hotels Group Blog » Budapest http://blog.luxuryhotelsgroup.com Fri, 29 Jun 2018 07:24:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.7.3 Not to be missed in Budapest http://blog.luxuryhotelsgroup.com/not-to-be-missed-in-budapest/ http://blog.luxuryhotelsgroup.com/not-to-be-missed-in-budapest/#comments Fri, 14 Aug 2015 18:17:19 +0000 http://blog.luxuryhotelsgroup.com/?p=2470 Budapest has many great attractions - and whether you are in the city for just a long weekend or a fortnight, there are some things that are not be missed.The Matthias Fountain is definitely one of them. It is located in Buda and overlooks the courtyard of the royal palace. It is not only a fine waterwork in itself, but is surrounded by statues and ornaments, most notably that of King Matthias and the beautiful Ilonka.Legend has it that the king and his hunting party went out incognito one day and that was when he met Ilonka. Not knowing who he was, she fell in love. Only when she responded to his invite to visit him in Buda did she learn he was the king. Convinced she was of too low a class to marry him, she returned home and died of a broken heart.St Stephen's Basilica is the biggest church in Hungary, a neoclassical cathedral so large 8,500 people can get in all at once. Overlooking the spacious St Stephen's Square with its fine pavement cafes, this vast and beautiful cathedral contains several fascinating sights. These include the mummified hand of the saint himself! There are also musical performances at various times of the year and visitors can climb the highest tower - called the Cupola - to enjoy a panoramic view of the city.Heroes' Square is located in the heart of the city, on the edge of Budapest Park and close to the city's zoo. Completed in 1896 to mark a thousand years since Hungary was founded, its features include the Museum of Fine Arts and the Kunsthalle (Hall of Art). It is also adjacent to Andrassy Avenue and its opening coincided with that of continental Europe's first underground rail system.The Millennium Monument stands in the heart of the square, but five statues of Austro-Hungarian emperors were replaced after the Second World War by Hungarian freedom fighters.Finally, don't miss the iconic Chain Bridge. This beautiful stone suspension bridge was the first to connect Buda and Pest when it was inaugurated in 1849, with construction beginning ten years earlier. It is to Budapest what Tower Bridge is to London.

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]]> http://blog.luxuryhotelsgroup.com/not-to-be-missed-in-budapest/feed/ 0 Subterranean surprises in Budapest http://blog.luxuryhotelsgroup.com/subterranean-surprises-in-budapest/ http://blog.luxuryhotelsgroup.com/subterranean-surprises-in-budapest/#comments Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:50:08 +0000 http://blog.luxuryhotelsgroup.com/?p=2010 Budapest has the second oldest underground rail system in the world, but people have been going underground in the area for much longer than that.While the Metro came into being in 1896, the Budapest caves date back into the mists of time and visitors to the city can enjoy some fascinating subterranean adventures.The city is built on a large bed of limestone that is home to a huge cave system. Indeed, it is through this that the warm thermal springs for which the Hungarian capital is famous rise up. This cave and spa system, believed to be 120 km long, is set to become the latest part of Budapest to attain UNESCO World Heritage status.Visitors can get to the cave entrance in the Pal-Volgyi area of the city, where Pal-Volgyi Cave is actually marked down as the name of the bus stop.  There are several options for visitors, ranging from the two accessible showcaves to potholing expeditions that require some previous caving experience. The Szemlo-Hegyi cave has a concrete path that is lit by artificial light and has a concrete path along the floor that is wheelchair-friendly. Guided tours here take 35 minutes. The Pal-Volgyi cave can be explored by a 45-minute guided tour, again with artificial light.A second option at Pal-Volgyi is the adventurous climbing and crawling tour, which will last for between two-and-a-half and three hours. This will be led by an experienced caving guide, who will lead the adventure. It involves some significant scrambling, crawling and climbing. Those who suffer from claustrophobia should give this a miss, but for others this will be a fantastic adventure.This tour does not require previous caving experience and the necessary clothing and equipment will be provided as part of the tour.Caving trips can be provided as part of special occasions, such as birthdays. Indeed, what better birthday party than a few hours crawling underground and then enjoying cake in a cavern underground? For parents, this is a chance to give their youngster a party they will never forget.So for a real Budapest treat, look underground.

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