European destinations - Kris

Question of the week: weekend travel plans are an ever-more popular topic of conversation at the moment - do you have a favourite European destination?

"Another of my favourite places to go in Europe is Budapest. I've only been once, but I'm planning to go back soon! contrary to what the guide books we had told us, nearly everyone we met spoke English, at least well enough to interact with us and (with a little help from pointing and smiling) get us what we wanted out of the conversation (directions, food, train tickets, etc.). And lots of people spoke English very well, and were really interested in speaking with us (my husband James and me) just because they were friendly and interested in why we chose to come to Hungary, and how we liked Budapest. It was great.

All of the Hungarians we met were very friendly and helpful, and were really pleased that people were interested in visiting their country. For me, this is a great start for having a great trip! But Budapest itself is a beautiful city, split into two main parts by the Danube - Buda and Pest. The old city of Obuda is a littl way north, up the river - we didn't get there, but we want to when we go back! It's worth exploring both Buda and Pest - Buda's beautiful hills, Buda Castle and the Mattias Church are wonderful, and it's also worth visiting the museums and Parliament in Pest. The food we had was great - chicken paprikas and beef goulash (the standards) were wonderful, but try the traditional dish of a roast goose leg on a bed of beans - it's really fantastic and will keep you going for hours! Budapest also has a thriving student scene, so you won't be bored in the evenings once you've topped up on culture!

One thing that we tried in Budapest that we really enjoyed was going to the Thermal baths. The original Celtic settlement was founded near the hot springs, and the Romans wrote about the medicinal properties of the water in the area. There are a number of baths, all run by the city, where you can 'take the waters'. We went to the one in the Gellert Hotel, and it was amazing. The Gellert baths are Art Nouveau in style, but there are baths that date from the Ottoman Period (ca. 1550), if you want to go really old school... It was really relaxing when we went, like being in a giant hot tub! But remember to take your swim suit!

So, for something a little bit different, try Budapest - you won't be disappointed!"
- Kris

* Photo by Oooh.Oooh, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.