Budapest Things to Do

Situated at the foot of the beautiful Chain Bridge, Roosevelt Square (named in honor of the former American president in 1947, and recently renamed in honor of Széchenyi István) offers some of the best views of Castle Hill in Pest. Located about the square are statues of the former Hungarian minister Ferenc Deák, as well as a statue of two children (one Magyar, one Osztrák) who are holding hands in symbolic harmony. Also worth visiting are the art nouveau Gresham Palace (now a Four Seasons hotel) on the eastern edge of the square, and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences to the north. Before leaving, be sure to stroll out to the middle of the bridge and drink in the beauty of the Danube.

Hungary’s capital city is world renowned as a destination blessed with a profusion of restorative spas. Whether it’s the famous Gellért or Széchenyi baths that draw you to Budapest, or public baths at Margaret Island (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), or any of the dozens of other aquatic options, you won’t be disappointed.

As is well known, the Hungarian capital city is the convergence of two formerly separate cities on the east and west banks of the River Danube. To get at the georgraphical and figurative heart of both banks (Buda and Pest) simultaneously, the obvious choice is Margaret Island (Margit-sziget).