A sunny farewell to Budapest

My final day in Budapest began with something I always love doing in a new city: a free walking tour. Even though I’d already wandered through most of Pest on my own, it felt like a great way to wrap things up under the bright sunshine. ☀️

The tour wound its way through some familiar spots - Elizabeth Square, St. Stephen’s Basilica, Vorosmarty Square, the Little Princess Statue, the Chain Bridge, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Liberty Square, and of course, the majestic Hungarian Parliament Building. I’d seen them all before, but hearing the history and quirks behind each place was genuinely fascinating. Also, our guide pointed out a very Hungarian custom - instead of saying “cheers” when you drink, people often say “6-3” as a reference to Hungary’s famous 6-3 win over England in the 1950s. ⚽️🤣

After the tour, my feet staged a formal protest - so I listened. 😂 I headed back to my hotel for a much-needed rest, recharging for one last evening in this beautiful city.

As the sun started to dip, I found myself passing St. Stephen’s Basilica once more, the whole facade glowing golden in the sunset. From there, I jumped on the metro and headed across the river to Buda, to Fisherman’s Bastion, hoping to catch the final colours of the day. And somehow, perfectly, I made it just in time. The view was honestly spectacular - a real “pinch me” moment. 🤩🤩🤩 It felt like Budapest was giving me a proper send-off.

Not quite ready to call it a night, I took the metro further along the river to the Great Market Hall. The building itself was stunning (all ironwork and arches) but by the time I arrived, the sun had already slipped away, and most stalls were winding down. If I’m lucky with time tomorrow morning, I might dash back for a daylight look before I leave.

And that’s it - my last full day in Budapest. This city has been fantastic: grand, interesting, and surprising. Tomorrow, it’s on to country number seven of the trip and the third-last stop overall - Zagreb, Croatia. 🇭🇷Read more