Advantages: Easy to get around. Plenty to see. Luckily, most people in tourism speak English
Disadvantages: Unfathomable language

...were there 10 seconds after the Iron Curtain came down - I expect it's ruined now, all MacDonalds and KFC". Well Budapest isn't 'ruined' - yes of course it's got a MacDonalds; after all, with the exception of Barbados (and now Twickenham, wooo-hooo!) where Golden Arches had to close down through lack of interest, where hasn't? I dare say it's true that a lot of western money has poured into smarten the place up, but Hungary was looking west long before the final 'iron curtain'. Hungarians were holidaying in Austria and aspiring to imported cars well before the break up of the Soviet bloc. Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is really a pair of twin cities, i.e. Buda and Pest, lying on either side of the mighty Danube River, here known as the Duna, and which flows from North to South through the city. As a quick way to remember... Read review

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Advantages: Superb architecture, easy to find your way around
Disadvantages: Somewhat dour air around it

...Budapest is the capital of Hungary which was one of the first Eastern bloc countries to become more open in the late 1980s. As the capital city it is home to many of Hungary's government buildings and historically important venues. A city steeped in history it is a superb venue to visit for those with an interest in architecture - I found it one of the most fascinating cities I have visited. GETTING THERE By air: Budapest is situated in central Hungary and is served by an international airport which is approximately 10miles from the city centre. Flights from Britain to Hungary are by either Malev or British Airways. The airport is quite small considering its international status and is easy to find your way around with a few small duty free shops. There are a number of choices to get from the airport to the city... Read review

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Advantages: Great for adults, cheap, cultural
Disadvantages: Not much for Kids, the language.

...of the city has now been beautifully renovated including the Chain Bridge, and the Jewish quarter. Budapest used to have a larger Jewish population of around 450,000 before WW2 but the Germans managed to exterminate three-quarters of them in Auschwitz, Dachau etc., including Einstein's wife who wasn't even Jewish but had family connections. Only 100,000 remained in 1945. Budapest like many capitals, is the very soul of Hungary and to foreigners like me, other Hungarian towns simply don't exist. Who has heard of Debrecen for example, the second largest city, with a population nearly the size of Southampton and with a far more interesting history that goes back well before the year 1400? Hardly anyone outside of Hungary that's for sure but it's really there and the photographs look lovely. I spent a snowy week here in Budapest in 1989... Read review

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Advantages: Beautiful architecture, loads to do
Disadvantages: Prices rising steadily, fairly expensive accommodation

...With Easyjet now offering budget flights to Budapest, wht better way of celebrating Hungary's accession to the European Union than a visit to one of Europe's most fascinating and exotic cities? Budapest is often described as one of the "great European capitals" and mentioned in the same breath as Vienna or Paris. However, mention the city to most people and they will associate it with the Communist era rather than the "belle epoque". In September 2003 I was lucky enough to travel round central and eastern Europe by train taking in 5 countries, all of which were formerly under the Soviet sphere of influence, behind the Iron Curtain. I have to say that of all the places I saw, Budapest was most like the cities of western Europe and seemed to have that cosmopolitan air that the grand European cities possess... Read review

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Advantages: Inexpensive, Friendly Locals, Much to see.
Disadvantages: Lots of Hills!

...Budpest is a beautiful city shrowded with a violent and chequered past. Sitting astride the River Danube and the capital city of Hungary, Budapest is actually a city grown from a small settlement on one bank of the Danube, to a Roman stronghold and then developed on from the towns of Obuda, Buda and Pesti. Originally a Celtic settlement, the first and original town of 'Ak Ink' was later settled by the Roman Empire who used it as a strategic center for it's militry campaigns and capital of the it's province of 'Pannonia Inferior'. The River Danube was often the geograhic border of many warring factions and later, the Roman Empire lost their hold of the city during the rise of the Huns and the Goths. The romans were never to return. After the Hun empire fell, the area was to change hands many times until the appearance... Read review

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Advantages: Beatiful sights, lots to see
Disadvantages: Some of the shops were quite expensive, many of the shops were high street stores like what we have in the UK

...As many of you know, I have just returned from Budapest. It is one of my life's ambitions to visit all the capital cities of Europe so I was thrilled when my parents said we could go to Budapest. Budapest is the capital city of Hungary. Hungary is located in Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Croatia and Slovenia. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Hungary developed closer ties with Western Europe, and joined the European Union on May 1, 2004. Budapest is the seventh largest city in the European Union. Buda and Pest became united as Budapest in 1873. Buda and Pest are located on opposite banks of the River Danube, with Buda on the west and Pest on the East. The hotel I was staying in was located on the riverside of Pest. ~ Airport ~ There is only one airport... Read review

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Advantages: highdown force circuit, demanding track, probably cheaper than other Grand prix's
Disadvantages: track is bumpy, dusty, can be hot, boring - no overtaking

...It’s not every day you see the history books being opened and comparison’s being made against some of the World’s greatest racing drivers, well, on Sunday 19th August 2001 we saw exactly this happen. As on that sunny weekend racing driver Michael Schumacher won the Championship Title for the 4th time at The Hungaroring circuit in Hungary. This is without doubt an outstanding achievement and this opinion is dedicated to the events and History that unfolded at The Hungaroring. The Circuit ~ The Hungaroring circuit is situated north of Budapest in Hungary and has been hosting the Formula 1 Grand Prix’s since 1986. It comprises of 77 laps with many sharp twisting turns and sweeping curves, about 14 turns in all, so that’s a whole lot of gear changes! It is not a high-speed circuit. It is not the most... Read review

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Advantages: Lots of sights, plenty to do, something for everyone
Disadvantages: Expensive to stay near the River

...The capital city of Hungary was famously once two cities-Buda and Pest, divided by the River Danube. Indeed it still retains a feeling of being 2 separate places. Buda on the one hand has a very historical feel, with the presence of the Royal Palace on Castle Hill and the Freedom Monument adding to this impression. Pest, on the other hand, despite comprising mostly old buildings, feels much more the heart of modern day Budapest. This side of the Danube holds the business district, main train station, and the majority of the budget accommodation. On arrival in Budapest and checking into one of the hostels immediately surrounding the station, our first instinct was to get down to the river to get our bearings. The city is beautiful at night-the castle, freedom monument and parliament being among the illuminated highlights to be seen from... Read review

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Advantages: Cf review
Disadvantages: Cf review

...Silence. There it is, the 'Paris of Eastern Europe', lying in front of me, so majestic, pulsating and so peaceful from a distance. Sitting on the wall of the Royal Castle, situated on the hills of Buda, I look out over the illuminated city, and let my eyes slowly wander from one scene to the other; from the grandiose, gothic building of the Parliament, to the Dome, the sparkling bridges, the snake-like trails of lights made up of cars, to finally rest my eyes on the glorious Statue of Liberty, watching down on Budapest. The beauty of the view and the mild weather of the clear summer night fill me with energy and encourage me to explore Budapest more closely. It is almost midnight. I find myself in a small, picturesque American-style bar, named 'Oscar', near the castle district of Buda. The walls are randomly decorated with black... Read review

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Advantages: Dirt Cheap, awesome sightseeing, wonderful people
Disadvantages: Big and confusing for beginners.

...Hi there, this is your old pal Plissken here, speaking to you live from an Internet Cafe on Vaci Utca, what seems to be the main tourist drag in Budapest. Yet for all the Yank accents round here, they might aswell rename Vaci 'Little America'. Withnail himself, Richard E. Grant hated it here - he was filming the latter stages of the ultra-turkey 'Hudson Hawk' in and around the city. His vitriolic account in his memoirs 'With Nails' makes hilarious holiday-from-Hell reading, but that shouldn't deter anyone from giving Budapest a try. This is only my second day in Budapest, so this really is a first impressions kind of thing. Budapest is a sprawling and occasionally bewildering city. Comparisons with my beloved Prague are inevitable, but size-wise, Budapest to Prague is like London to Ipswich. Before I got here, I read in one... Read review

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