Crossing over the Danube river in Budapest, Hungary // Ph: Tyler Bryce
Travel With stunning historical sites, cheap food and a vibrant city life, Budapest's tourism industry has been growing for years. Could it become the next "go-to" student city in Europe?
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Tyler Bryce
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When you contemplate going on holiday to Europe, you may think of Paris or Rome for a cultural excursion, or possibly Prague or Amsterdam for relatively cheap student holidays, however, you have overseen one of the most beautiful cities in Europe (and one of the cheapest), Budapest; a vibrant yet underappreciated city, ideal for students and tourists, alike. |
View of Budapest from Gellert Hill // Ph: Tyler Bryce
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You’re instantly engrossed into the culture and history of Budapest as soon as you arrive; you’re towered over by neo-Renaissance architecture - reminiscent of a Venetian metropolis. Both the Hungarian National Opera House and St. Stephen’s Basilica are peaceful and cultured tourist spots and a short walk along the banks of the River Danube gives an ideal tour of some of Budapest’s more famous landmarks, such as The Chain Bridge, the Citadel, Buda Castle, Margaret Island and the Parliament Building. |
Roof of the National Opera House // Ph: Tyler Bryce
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Despite a significant role in the lead up to the end of World War II, the only memorial I could find was the “Shoes on the Danube Bank” feature – iron cast shoes on the promenade, signifying the murder of Jews by Arrow Cross militiamen during the war. A subtle yet moving monument, reminding me that this city wasn’t always as beautiful in its nature as it now is. |
Shoes on the Danube bank // Ph: Tyler Bryce
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According to interrail.eu, Budapest is the sixth cheapest city in Europe, and this is evident as soon as you arrive; food and drink in the Hungarian capital were almost ridiculously cheap, with the exchange rate being, at the time of writing, 1 GBP: 338 HUF (Hungarian Forint) which means that I could buy an ice cream for £0.45 and a three-course meal for £8! A must-try is the Goulash – a Hungarian beef stew – and for a liquid refreshment, the smörgåsbord of “Ruin bars” available is the stand-out nightlife of the city, ideal for pub crawls and all open late. Also, the Budapest Central Market is a wonderful place where the public and tourists merge as one large chaotic, bustling crowd to buy everything and anything you can imagine! |
Budapest central market // Ph: Tyler Bryce
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Budapest, I think, will be the next ‘go-to’ student city. The most expensive part of the whole holiday will be the flights, which are less than £150 per person for a return flight from Manchester. The food and drink are delicious and cheap and all the sites of Budapest are all accessible by walking. There are plenty of opportunities to explore the history of Budapest and immerse yourself in the warm, English-speaking environment of the city. “Köszönöm” (kurr-sir-nurm), meaning “thank you”, is the only word to learn to survive. Tourists are very welcome here, in the Pearl of the Danube. TMM |