Budapest

Budapest

I spent 5 days in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. The name originates from two cities that were united in the 1870s - Buda, on the western side of the Danube, and Pest on the eastern side. With many neighborhoods to explore, I took three walking tours to learn more about the city's history. The architecture was very impressive, especially at night when buildings were lit up. The nightlife consisted of unique spots known as ruin bars - neglected pre-war buildings in the old Jewish Quarter turned into bars. Overall, I had an amazing time here!

The food in Budapest was probably my favorite in all of central Europe. The dishes were very comforting, from chicken paprikash, Hungary's signature chicken stew, to lángos, a tasty fried bread covered in various toppings. The pastries were also really good, with chimney cakes being the local favorite. I also got to try various cakes like krémes (vanilla custard between puff pastry), flódni (cake layered with plum jam, apples, walnuts, and poppy seeds), and Dobos torte (sponge cake layered with chocolate buttercream).