Saturday Oct 17 Budapest

 Itinerary

Mon Oct 12 -13 Toronto - Copenhagen - Vienna

Tue  Oct 13 - Vienna

Wed Oct 14 - Vienna

Thu Oct 15 - Vienna

Fri Oct 16 - Vienna to Budapest by train

Oct 17 - Budapest

Oct 18 - Budapest 

Saturday, October 17, 2026

Steps 16,000 Temperature 19-20 C

It was quite a morning. I was sitting there, typing away on my laptop, when John finally woke up. Without even a "good morning," he looked right at me and declared that we should skip Zagreb entirely.

Okay then..........

I readily agreed with him—mostly because I had suggested the exact same thing just yesterday!

It didn't make sense to spend 7 hours on a train, getting into Zagreb at 11PM, having one day and then flying out to Belgrade. Firstly we booked our flight from Budapest to Belgrade, extended this hotel stay, cancel Zagreb hotel, cancel train, cancel Zagreb flight to Belgrade. All done or in process at this point.

 Finally our day began at our hotel, where we fueled up for a busy day of exploring with a hearty, included breakfast.

Stepping outside, the autumn weather was absolutely spectacular as we turned around the corner from our hotel we are right at the iconic Hungarian State Opera House. Even just walking by, the building stopped us in our tracks. We couldn’t resist heading inside, where we were greeted by the sheer grandeur of vaulted ceilings, marble columns, and intricate gold detailing. 

We took this same photo in 2012.

Across the street The W Budapest occupies the historic Drechsler Palace (built between 1883 and 1886) on Andrássy Avenue.

Before becoming a luxury Marriott-branded hotel in July 2023, the building had several past identities and sat vacant for nearly 20 years:

• Hungarian State Ballet Academy / Institute: For decades after World War II, it served as the training ground for the country's ballet students and artists.

• Café and Social Hub: When originally built by architects Ödön Lechner and Gyula Pártos, it also featured a ground-floor café and served as a social gathering place.

Do you see the "gold" stones?

In Budapest, the term "stepping stones" usually refers to the Stolpersteine (often called stumbling stones or brass memorial plaques) embedded directly into the city's sidewalks.

Part of Europe's largest decentralized Holocaust memorial, these small, 4-inch brass-capped concrete cubes are placed directly in the pavement in front of the last known freely chosen residences or workplaces of victims of Nazi persecution.

• The Inscriptions: Each hand-engraved plaque begins with “Itt lakott” (Here lived) or “Itt dolgozott” (Here worked), followed by the individual's name, date of birth, and their tragic fate (such as deportation, forced labor, or murder).

• The Concept: Created by German artist Gunter Demnig, the physical concept relies on a quote from the Talmud: "A person is only forgotten when his or her name is forgotten." By placing them underfoot, passerby literally "stumble" upon the memory and are prompted to look down, momentarily bowing to read the name.

This grand, tree-lined boulevard with stunning Neo-Renaissance architecture and a dazzling array of luxury flagship boutiques like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Burberry, although I do not care for all of these boutique places.

Continuing our stroll past the luxury window displays, we let Andrássy Avenue guide us all the way down to its vibrant end at Elizabeth Square (Erzsébet tér). 

John was fascinated by this, waiting until the buses had pulled away to get a shot.

Anker Palace built 1908–1910 for the Viennese Anker Life and Pension Insurance Company.

We made a quick, practical stop to exchange some local Hungarian Forint (HUF). Cash in hand, with the autumn leaves swirling around the square and the massive Budapest Eye Ferris wheel turning above us, we felt fully immersed in the magic of the city.

As we stepped further into the lively energy of Elizabeth Square, we were greeted by the unexpected, upbeat sounds of an Oktoberfest band playing right there in the open air. 

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The Michael Jackson Memorial Tree exists because fans gathered around it during the pop star's visits in the 1990s, and they turned it into a permanent shrine after his death in June 2009.

Michael Jackson stayed at the nearby Kempinski Hotel Corvinus during his trips to Budapest, including his 1994 visits and his 1996 HIStory World Tour (where he performed a major concert at the Népstadion).

While staying in his suite, Jackson would often wave to the crowds of cheering fans gathered across the street.

From the festive energy of the Ferris wheel, we wandered into the nearby Jewish District (Erzsébetváros). 

Visiting on a Saturday gave the neighborhood a unique, contrasting atmosphere. Because it was Shabbat, the grand synagogues—including the magnificent Dohány Street Synagogue—were closed to tourists for the Sabbath. Far from ruining the experience, it made the historic streets feel peacefully authentic from the outside. We had visited it on a previous trip, a truly momentous moment.

We walked along the perimeter of the great brick complexes, admiring the stunning architecture and reading about the district's poignant history. 

Strolling, I was surprised to see bustling spots like this on a Saturday.

However, the peacefulness of the historic side quickly shifted into absolute energy as we stumbled upon the neighborhood's legendary ruin bars and hidden courtyards. The entire district was buzzing with life, proving that the neighborhood is just as much the cultural heartbeat of modern Budapest as it is a monument to its past.

Imagine my excitement (that's me!) when we stumbled upon a ruin bar! This was on my bucket list for Budapest!!!!

Ruin bars are eclectic, uniquely Budapest nightlife venues built inside abandoned, decaying pre-war buildings and factories that were left empty after World War II and the Soviet era.

The trend started in 2002 when a group of friends converted a dilapidated building in the Old Jewish Quarter (District VII) into Szimpla Kert, the city's very first ruin bar. Instead of renovating it, they left the peeling paint, exposed brick, and crumbling walls intact.

They are famously styled with flea market furniture, retro mismatched chairs, vintage electronics, and surreal local art [1]. You might find yourself drinking a local craft beer or a glass of Fröccs (wine spritzer) while sitting inside a cut-up old Soviet Trabant car or an old bathtub!

Szimpla Kert: The ultimate pioneer that started the entire craze. It is a massive, chaotic maze of mismatched rooms, street art, and an open-air central courtyard.

Back on the street.

Needing a rest after all the walking, we dipped into the Puli & Juhász Biergarten, a fantastic open-air oasis tucked right into the energetic streets of the neighborhood. 

We ordered a couple of ice-cold, freshly tapped local beers and treated ourselves to their platter of homemade dips and spreads, which came served with warm, rustic sourdough bread. Scooping up the traditional körözött (a savory, spiced Hungarian cottage cheese spread) and rich eggplant cream while relaxing in the lively garden was pure heaven. 

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It gave us the perfect, laid-back moment to toast to an unforgettable autumn day in Budapest.

On the way to the bathroom.

Leaving, 

Rather than a historical folklore legend, the name and theme of the venue are inspired by the traditional relationship between a Hungarian shepherd (juhász) and his loyal herding dog (puli).
 In old Hungarian countryside traditions, the juhász (shepherd) represents calm, hospitality, and guidance, while the puli (the famous Hungarian shaggy, mop-like herding dog) represents high energy, absolute loyalty, and playfulness. 

With our batteries recharged, we set off again with no planned agenda.

Andrew, for you. We had made reservations for last night but then cancelled.

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This large street mural commemorates the historic "Match of the Century" (Az évszázad mérkőzése).

The legendary football match played on November 25, 1953, at Wembley Stadium, where the historic Hungarian Golden Team (Aranycsapat) defeated England 6–3.

The mural depicts action shots from the game alongside a giant replica of the front page of the Népsport newspaper announcing the famous score.

The "Nostalgic Budapest" mural featuring a vintage-style portrait of Empress Elisabeth ("Sisi") on the side of a building in the historic Jewish Quarter.

Walking back, taking the back streets we found ourselves back where we started.

There's always an Irish pub!

We made our way toward the reflective waters of the Danube River. We wanted to see the Shoes again.

Just a short walk up the riverbank, the magnificent Hungarian Parliament Building came into view, its sprawling Gothic Revival facade looking absolutely breath-taking against the crisp autumn sky.

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We made one last stop. We found a terrace directly in front of the grandeur of St. Stephen’s Basilica, where we sat down for a well-deserved, ice-cold beer. We walked back to the hotel to put our feet up and relaxed after an unforgettable journey through Budapest.

At 8 we walked out of the hotel and into a local restaurant that was packed but he found us a table right beside the music!

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Pork knuckle and beef cheeks.

Complimentary shot.

And so ends a perfect day.