By Nicole Horvath
Are you looking for your next travel destination? Look no farther than Budapest! This eclectic city is often overlooked by study abroad students, but it shouldn’t be. Here are five reasons why Budapest should definitely be on your abroad bucket list.
- It’s Cheap (Beer and Food)
Instead of the Euro, Hungary is on the Forint, which is much weaker than the Euro. In 2015, Budapest was the cheapest destination to buy alcoholic drinks, as one beer sets you back about 1 euro. A night out in Budapest’s famous night life won’t be setting you back far!
This conversion rate works for Hungarian food, too, which shouldn’t be missed out on! Soup, stews and dumplings make up a large staple of a Hungarian diet, and a delicious meal can be purchased for as little as 5 euro.
- Thermal Baths and Bath Parties
Budapest isn’t called the “City of Baths” for no reason! The thermal baths in the city are Budapest’s most famous tourist attractions. Budapest is the only capital city in the world with thermal baths. You should try to visit the baths twice for two different experiences. During the day, the baths are a relaxing place to chill or nurse a hangover from the city’s ruin bars, with options to receive spa treatments.
On the weekends at night, the baths transform into Europe’s biggest pool party! Bars surround all the pools for easy access to drinks, and thousands of people dance in the baths to several DJs set up poolside. You definitely cannot miss this!
- Caving
Budapest’s thermal baths created large limestone caves underneath the entire city, which can be explored during day trips. Two of the most famous caves can be toured without any previous caving experience, and should definitely not be missed! You can either walk through the caves or choose to climb and crawl through the natural untouched state of the cave. Wind and twist your way through underground Budapest for three hours to try your hand at caving!
- Climbing Buda
The Danube River splits Budapest into two parts: Buda and Pest. The Buda side boasts a large hill that gives breathtaking views of the entire city. It’s free to climb to the top of Buda for amazing sights of Budapest’s famous Parliament building and entire cityscape. Watching a sunset from Buda is a must!
- The Nightlife
Budapest is also famous for its ruin bars, which are pubs that have been created in old abandoned buildings around the city. Inside, there is a mix of eclectic furniture and decorations for an extremely unique feel. Szimpla Kert is Budapest’s most famous ruin bar, and one of the most famous bars in all of Europe—ranked third best in the world by Lonely Planet!
