By Pasquale Gianni

Budapest, Hungary is a lovely and quite historic city with unique character. I would stop short of calling it breathtaking or jaw-dropping, but the views are really quite nice, the food is good, the beer is decent (and more importantly, cheap) and the architecture is definitely a highlight. The grandiose remnants of the magnificent, but short lived, Austro-Hungarian Empire serve as the city’s main draw for tourists. Surprisingly, the city has done very well to market itself as a modern European capital, despite its several decades of Communist rule. There are brand new shopping malls, fast-food and store chains and foreign banks everywhere. And where the Budapest’s ‘Eastern-Block’ past does show up, it is as a shining example of entrepreneurism.

The landmarks and buildings are more than numerous enough to keep one occupied for a long-weekend trip. The city, despite being separated by a river which once divided Buda from Pest, is very walkable. Among the must-sees is the chain bridge, which is long and decorated with magnificent lion statues, a spectacular link to what had long been considered a great crossroad between east and west of the city. Another gem of the city, St. Stephen’s Basilica, is an enormous Catholic church with an observatory deck that encapsulates incredible views of the entire cityscape. The Parliament building, however, is the main attraction. It is a grand spectacle perched upon a hill as a key focal point visible from anywhere in Budapest. Other attractions worth seeing are the Heroes’ Square and Castle District, which serve as a nod to the rich and ever-changing history of the country. Even the parks are pleasant, although unable to be enjoyed much during October because of the cold. Budapest is known for many things, but good weather is not one of them. Unfortunately, this trip did not include a stop at a famous Hungarian Bathhouse due to time constraints, but I had always heard of their uniqueness and enjoyability, so this alone is enough to warrant a return.

In honesty, this trip’s sightseeing excursions seemed to serve the purpose of filling time between meals. The food was heavy, but something different, and overall really good. The cuisine consists of lots of meats, sausages, soups and pastries.

At Hungukarium Bistro, a cozy informal restaurant serving Hungarian classics, I had goulash soup and baked pork knuckle with spicy potatoes. goulash soup is an absolute classic: a beefy broth with fresh vegetables and chunks of meat, a delicious winter stew indeed.

At the New York Cafe, the oldest cafe in Budapest, the incredible old-world ambiance and interior décor, featuring a gold and maroon room with chandeliers worth more than my college educaiton, outshined the food. The crispy half roasted duck was certainly worth it for the beauty of the restuarant. The street food was very good and served as a great afternoon snack to hold me over during the depressing lag time between lunches and dinners. More than anything, my waistline is suffering from the richness of the excellent pastries, strudels and chocolates that the country is famous for.

At night, there’s one way to do Budapest correctly: ruin bars. These swanky spots are often abandoned societ-era factories that are spray-painted and decorated with old art, industrial ruins and equipment. Most even have projections rolling old Hungarian film footage and dated video game machines that add to the vibes of a world left behind. The atmosphere and dynamic were unusual, but enjoyable. One of the main beers, Belle-Vue, was a sweet and tasty lager brewed with fresh seasonal Hungarian cherries, and I drank a lot of it. I even did some gambling just for the experience at the Las Vegas Casino. It was slightly underwhelming, but it was what one might expect from a casino in Eastern Europe.

I didn’t get to see everything in Budapest, but I liked what I saw. It was clean, historic, architecturally impressive and fun. I had always heard Budapest being spoken of as a “Paris of the East” or “the greatest city in Eastern Europe,” but that just wasn’t my take. Don’t get me wrong, I liked it a lot and absolutely hope to return. There is still much more to see for me in this charming Hungarian city. And of course, a good time and good food is always worth the trip.