Located 477 meters high in the Buda Hills, Normafa is a huge forest in the city, one of the most popular green spots of Budapest. Fresh air and the panoramic view make Normafa an attractive place for jogging, family outings, romantic walks and downhill biking.
For decades Trabant used to be the most common vehicle in East Germany and many countries of the communist bloc, but today it became a trendy symbol of all things communist and nostalgic past.
The average lifespan of Trabant was 28 years, and you definitely won’t want to have this dinosaur in your hands today. But why not try to drive it or go on Trabi tour in Budapest?
Budapest is blessed with excellent climate and streets wide enough to accommodate open-air terraces. From May to October many restaurants, cafes and bars offer outdoor eating and drinking for their guests.
There is Duna Corso with posh restaurants and great view of the Danube and Buda, there is Liszt Ferenc square with many tables in the shadow of old plane trees, there is more budget Ráday street with over twenty terraces.
Budapest is also famous for its kerts (Hungarian for “garden”). Usually, these are located in the courtyards of abandoned buildings in the downtown and known for their laid-back atmosphere, arty crowd and reasonable prices.
Here we offer you a selection of Budapest outdoor bars and kerts to visit this summer:
In 1241 king Béla IV was trying to escape Mongol hordes and took an oath that he would offer up his yet to be born daughter to God if his family and country were saved from the enemies.
Thus, Princess Margaret born next year become a nun and in 1251 the king built a cloister and a church for the order she belonged to on the Island of Hares.
Today, this island is known as Margaret Island or Margit-sziget in Hungarian. It is a 2.5 km long and 500 meters wide island and recreational park in the middle of Danube and Budapest. In fact, it used to be three separate islands, but in the end of the 19th century they were connected and raised to control the flow of the Danube and flooding.
Mangalica is an indigenous to Hungary pig breed distinguished by its rich and curly coat. Its breeding has been revived in recent years, and today its meat is becoming increasingly available and popular in Hungary.
This year the second Mangalica Festival will be held from 6th to 8th February in Vajdahunyad Castle in Budapest’s City Park (Városliget).
The festival will feature more than 30 breeders of Mangalica and distributors of products made of Mangalica meat that is delicious and healthy due to low cholesterol content.
The word "hallo": The legend has it that "hallo" was first used over the telephone by Tivadar Puskás, Hungarian-born inventor of the first telephone exchange. In the first long-distance telephone call he used the word "hallom" – Hungarian for "I hear you", and it was misinterpreted as a greeting.
The carburetor: The device that mixes air and fuel for an internal combustion engine was invented by Hungarian engineers János Csonka and Donát Bánki in 1893. Some sources say that Bánki got the idea while walking home from Budapest Technical University, when he saw a flower-girl who was sprinkling her flowers by blowing water spray from her mouth onto them.
Chain Bridge (Széchenyi lánchíd) was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Budapest built owing to Count István Széchenyi, the very remarkable figure in Hungarian history.
This symbol of Budapest reproduced on many souvenirs and postcards, opened in 1849, though it was year 1820 when Count István Széchenyi vowed to himself that he would have the bridge built. This vow he made when he received the news that his father died in Vienna. It was cold December, and pontoon bridge across the Danube was put out of use by ice-floes. Széchenyi got stuck in the Pest riverbank for a few days before he could dash to Vienna.
Christmas Fair on Vörösmarty Square is one of the most attractive Christmas destinations in Budapest. This is a place for you to choose some special gifts among many handcrafted items – from teddy bears to brooms, to warm up with the hot wine, to enjoy the air of festivity.
Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden located in Budapest city park Városliget (XIV. Állatkerti krt. 6-12) boasts vast collection of animal and plant species.
It is a neat and pleasant park with a petting zoo, and it's animals are groomed and seem to be happy.
Prices are 1 700 HUF/child and 2 400 HUF/adult.
The cave was discovered in 1904 during quarrying works, and today more than 19 kilometers of the cave have been revealed. Pál-völgyi Cave is the second longest cave in Hungary.
