Excursions:

Budapest is rich in UNESCO World Heritage sites: the view of the Danube embankments, the Buda Castle District, Andrássy Avenue with Heroes’ Square and the Millennium Underground Railway are now internationally protected areas of the Hungarian capital. The Buda Castle is one of the most famous and most visited sights of Budapest, and the area offers interesting attractions, museums, evocative streets, squares, restaurants and shops.

Budapest was awarded the title “City of Spas” in 1934, but the bath culture already flourished 1600 years ago when the Romans built the first baths. Today, richly decorated, atmospheric bathhouses, aquaparks, swimming pools and four-five star spa hotels abound. Budapest’s outdoor water parks and aquaparks are open from May through October. The city is extremely rich in thermal water: there are 118 natural springs unearthed so far, with temperatures between 70-172 F.

From morning till night the parks (particularly the Margaret Island) are full of joggers. There are popular cycle paths springing up across the city. The little lake in City Park is a lovely place in summer for a rowboat ride; in the winter it is the province of ice skaters. In the winter there is also sledding and skiing at Sváb Hill.