Budapest

Divided by the Danube, Budapest has two faces: Buda, the green hill with the air of old Europe, and Pest, livelier, more creative and animated. These are two cities in one, unified only in 1873, and it's precisely in this contrast that the magic happens. On one side, bastions, medieval alleys and Turkish baths inherited from the Ottoman Empire; on the other, wide Austro-Hungarian avenues, artists' cafés and lively alleyways. From a baroque palace to a street art fresco, from a century-old thermal bath to a bar in a plant-filled inner courtyard. Everything coexists, inviting you to explore and take your time.

🧖‍♀️ Start by doing what Budapest locals have been doing for centuries: go to the baths. Széchenyi, famous and lively. Gellért, art nouveau and sumptuous. Or those of Király, more discreet, almost secret. Here, hot water has been flowing naturally since Roman times and continues, day after day, to loosen tensions and soothe the spirit.

🎨 When it comes to culture, Budapest lacks nothing. The Museum of Fine Arts, the National Gallery, theOpera House, but also alternative venues such as Memento Park (monumental remains of the Communist era), or the contemporary art galleries of District VIII, a neighborhood in full renaissance. And for architecture buffs, Budapest abounds with neo-classical and neo-Gothic palaces inherited from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Art Nouveau buildings with colorful motifs inspired by Hungarian folklore, and brutalist structures in raw concrete bearing witness to the Soviet era.

🌿 Need some fresh air? Just climb up to the Fishermen's Bastion or to the top of Mount Gellért: panoramic views over the rooftops of Pest and the stretching Danube are guaranteed. And if you really want to get away from it all, there are plenty of hiking trails in the Buda hills, or take a sunset bike ride along the banks of the river.

🍽️ And at the table? Budapest has the art of blending tradition and creativity. A steaming goulash, crispy lángos from the market, homemade strudel, or a vegetarian brunch in a flower-filled courtyard. All accompanied by a glass of tokaji wine or homemade lemonade, on a lively terrace or in an old specialty café. Here, we eat slowly, generously and with style.

🚆 Accessible by night train from Zurich, Budapest is a capital to be experienced at your own pace, between discovery, slowness and gentleness. Even more beautiful out of season, when the city slows down, mists dance over the Danube and baths smoke in the morning chill.

So, are you ready to dive into the warm waters of Budapest... and let yourself be carried away? 💛