Locals report that getting around in Budapest is fairly easy as the city is structured in quite a logical manner. The easiest way to figure out where you are is by the placement of the bridges over the river. From North to South they are as follows: Arpad Bridge, Margaret Bridge, Chain Bridge, Elisabeth Bridge, Liberty Bridge, Petofi Bridge and Lagymanyosi Bridge. These will all be clearly visible on a map and as well as prominent landmarks they are an excellent way to orient yourself.

In comparison to the rest of Hungary, hotels and hostels are more expensive in Budapest. However, you will be pleased to learn that in comparison to most European tourist destinations, the prices compare very favourably.

As with all hotels, the best advice is to search around for the best deal online and to book as early as possible – this will ensure that you arrive in the city with a place to stay and for a good price. If, however, you are happy to ‘wing it’ and see what happens, you are likely to be greeted at the train station by a multitude of people offering you either a room in their house or a room and a free ride to a hostel. Obviously these offers should be carefully considered before you accept them as you may well end up staying in a dodgy end of town with some unsavoury characters.

The tourism industry in Budapest is expanding and more people are regarding it as one of the worlds most beautiful cities. You will find that it is quite affordable as a destination overall, but are advised to avoid eating at obvious tourist areas as you will find extra’s tagged on to your bill.

Unfortunately Budapest has a large problem with homelessness and you will often find a lot of people sleeping in doorways close to the stations. It is advised that you take extra care in these areas as they are generally considered a little more unsafe than the rest of the city.

Budapest is the capital city of Hungary with around 1,712,210 residents and is split by the Danube River. The two different cities; Buda on the west bank and Pest on the East were united on the 17th November 1873. Often people will talk about ‘Castle Hill’ which is a district of Buda and is the oldest part of the city; this is where the majority of tourists will be interested to visit.

The first settlement recorded on the site where Budapest now stands was Ak-Ink built by Celts sometime before 1 AD. This was later inhabited by Romans and became Aquincum, then Lower Pannonia in 106 AD. In 829 the city became a part of Bulgaria and the two Bulgarian military bases, Buda and Pest, became the basis of the city’s current name. It was only in the 10th Century that the Kingdom of Hungary was formed and them much later in 1361 when Buda became the capital of Hungary.

Budapest developed quickly until Austria-Hungary lost World War I in 1918 and Hungary declared itself as an independent republic. The Treaty of Trianon meant that Hungary lost 72% of its territory and 64% of its population. It expanded its borders later with the help of Nazi Germany, but this was quickly reversed with the Treaty of Paris in 1947.

In 1944 Budapest was badly damaged by air raids by the British and American sides and in 1945 the Battle of Budapest meant that the city suffered even more damage. It was during this conflict that over 38,000 civilians lost their lives and the German’s destroyed all of the bridges in the city. In 1949 Hungary became a communist state and the government completely gutted landmarks such as the Buda Castle to remove any symbols of the former regime.

The Hungarian Revolution began as a consequence of peaceful demonstrations within the city of Budapest in 1956. Mass demonstrations began late in the year and Soviet tanks, which were sent to crush the revolt, left more than 3,000 people dead less than a month later.

The Buda Castle was added to the list of World Heritage sites in 1987 and in 2002 Andrassay Avenue joined it. The population of the city peaked to around 2.1 million in the 1980’s but has since decreased leaving it feeling a bit quieter.