Often described as the "Little Paris of Middle Europe"!

The capital of Hungary with a city view that took my breath away instantly.

The local currency is Hungarian Florint hence you have to change to euros before

changing to florint in Budapest itself.

Put on a pair of comfortable shoes and they will take you to the city full of wonders.

First stop, the bridge that separate Buda & Pest. Chain Bridge is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is the number one and most used symbol of Budapest. At the time of its construction, the Chain Bridge was the suspension bridge with the second-largest span in the world.

I was amazed by the history of the stone lion statue and read up on it that the sculptor had killed himself due to the rumours that the lion statue has no tongue.

Crossing over to the Buda side. Buda sits on rolling hills while pest expands into wide boulevards.
Walking uphill and i came to this famous landmark in the district known as Matthias Church, which is one of the finest churches in Budapest, and the most unique churches in Europe founded by the first Hungarian king.

Its exterior is added with a Gothic style that differentiates it from other church.
While it has a breathtaking interior with colours inspired by orientalist and romantic historicist.
The graceful architecture embracing wall paintings of the majestic building leave me speechless & enjoying every part of this church.

Including in the tickets is climbing the Gothic tower just right beside the church. 78m high with 200 steps up to 48m for the paranomic view magnificent views across the Danube was worth it.

 

Well-known for the wonderful panoramic views it provides of the city of Budapest, the castle-like Fisherman's Bastion was built in 1905, mainly for decorative purposes. The bastion is located right behind the Matthias Church in the Castle District. It has one of the most instagrama-able lookout terrace and balconies.

The bastion is made up of seven towers - each one symbolizing one of the seven Magyar tribes that, in 896, settled in the area now known as Hungary. The structure looks straight out of some fairy-tale and conjures up thoughts of Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty. Still, it seems to be in sync with the style of the Church of Our Lady and nicely complements the church, which was the intention of the architect. A monumental double stairway, decorated with reliefs of coats-of-arms and various motifs, connects the bastion with the streets below.

Walking back towards the Buda Castle just right in front of the Chain Bridge.

The imposing Buda Castle overlooks the city from its elevated position atop Várhegy (Castle Hill), rising 48m above the Danube. The castle has had a tumultuous history that reflects the ups and downs of Hungary's fortunes.

I did not enter into the museum, just hanging outside as there are many different lookout points at the top that give different vantage points where you can see Parliament and St. Stephan's Basilica, as well as nice views of the city.

Back at Pest Side

Located just on the left near the danude river bank of the Chain bridge after walking back from the buda side, its not hard to spot this site and the crowd there.

Budapest has a lot of history and many historical sites to see, and this is one of them.

The Shoes on the Danube Bank is a memorial in Budapest, Hungary. It is to honor the people (mainly Budapest Jews) who were killed by fascist Arrow Cross militiamen in Budapest during WW II. They were ordered to take off their shoes, force to strip naked facing the river and were shot at the edge of the water so that their bodies fell into the river and were carried away. It represents their shoes left behind on the bank.

Hence, these 60 pairs of rusted period shoes cast out of iron. Different sizes and styles reflect how nobody was spared from the brutality of the Arrow Cross militia (the shoes depict children, women, businessmen, sportsmen etc)

During a visit to the shoes memorial you may see relatives lay flowers, wreathes or light candles to honour the fallen who have given their lives; whilst at night under the ethereal glow of flickering candles and the moon the sculpture presents a very different image of solitude. Take a moment to stop by these shoes and reflect on how fortunate we all are.

Took a boat ride down the danude river and the night view was really gorgeous. It was super windy and cold hence the hiding inside the cabin itself. But i promise i will be back again for this view.