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🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024
  • Leonardo Floridia
  • Leonardo Floridia

🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024

A short but fine adventure by Leonardo Read more
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  • Trip start
    October 31, 2024
  • Leonardo Floridia🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024Leonardo Floridia

    🍽️ The flavorful Jewish cuisine

    October 31, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Given the large number of Jews who have lived and still live in Hungary, there are many places that serve both kosher and non-kosher Jewish food. Some of them are even Gutte Kosher and, consequently, serve only either meat-based or dairy-based food to avoid mixing them.

    Among the various dishes we tried, the best was definitely Cholent, a tasty stew made with meat, beans, potatoes, egg, and barley, traditionally prepared for Shabbat (the Jewish holiday). We had it at Spinoza Biszto, accompanied by live Jewish music played by a pianist.

    A really nice Jewish experience, in the center of Europe.

    Mazel Tov is a more fancy and Jewish/Arab/Mediterranean restaurant, that have different plates such as humus, falafel, etc.    Read more

  • Leonardo Floridia🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024Leonardo Floridia

    Szimpla Kert: the most famous ruin bar

    October 31, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Szimpla Kert, located in the Jewish Ghetto of Budapes and opened in 2002, is the first and oldest ruin pub of the city.

    Created inside an abandoned building, it is decorated in an eclectic style.
    The walls are covered with graffiti and messages left by tourists from all over the world, while the furniture and chairs are made from recycled materials such as pallets and old tables.

    Inside, you can enjoy cheap alcoholic drinks, including Soproni beer, the most popular beer in Hungary.

    The decadent atmosphere and the large number of tourists make this place truly unique.    Read more

  • Leonardo Floridia🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024Leonardo Floridia

    Studel, Glühwein and Krampus

    November 1, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Along the river, we were drawn in by the smell of strudel and the strong smell of Glühwein (also known as Vin Brulè in Italy or vin chaud in France).
    In the area around the castle, there was also a puppet symbolizing the Krampus, the legendary creature that visits children at the beginning of December.

    The Krampus, the Glühwein, and the strudel remind us of the historical connection between Hungary and Austria, which, until the end of World War I, were two entities of a single state.    Read more

  • Leonardo Floridia🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024Leonardo Floridia

    The Danube and its bridges

    November 1, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    After admiring it at sunset in Belgrade in April 2024, we return to see the Danube in another European capital. It is the second-longest river in Europe after the Volga.

    The river also separates Buda from Pest, and it is crossed by several bridges. The two most beautiful are probably the Chain Bridge and the Margaret Island Bridge.

    The one in the picture is the Chain Bridge, characterized by two majestic sculpted lions. The bridge was commissioned and funded by a Greek merchant who was interested in better connecting the two sides of the city. It was built in parts in England and then assembled in Budapest. During the Nazi retreat, it was blown up and was rebuilt after the war.    Read more

  • Leonardo Floridia🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024Leonardo Floridia

    Basilica of Saint Stephen

    November 1, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    The beautiful Basilica of Saint Stephen was built in the late 1800s and completed in 1905, when Hungary was still part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

    The church, designed in Neoclassical style, has the shape of a Greek cross, with a dome at the center.

    It is dedicated to Stephen I of Hungary, the first King of Hungary, who reigned around the year 1000.    Read more

  • Leonardo Floridia🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024Leonardo Floridia

    🍽️ Langos: hungarian fried pizza

    November 1, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Lángos is a sort of Hungarian "fried pizza".
    A disc of leavened dough is thrown into hot oil until it becomes golden and crispy.

    Various toppings can be added, such as garlic, sour cream, onion, chicken, and other ingredients of choice.
    A very tasty and good local street food.

    We tried at Retro Lángos, where the version with chicken costs more or less 13 euros.    Read more

  • Leonardo Floridia🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024Leonardo Floridia

    Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion

    November 1, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Matthias Church is located in Buda Castle, near the Fisherman's Bastion. It is famous for its colorful tiled roof and breathtaking Gothic style.
    It was the coronation site of several Hungarian kings, including Franz Joseph I and Sissi.

    During WWII the area of the church was a battleground during the Siege of Budapest and the church, used as a kitchen by the Nazis, was damaged by the Allies.

    The Fisherman's Bastion is named so because fish used to be sold in this area.
    From the bastion, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the river and the Parliament.

    The bastion is made up of seven towers, representing the seven tribes that founded Hungary.    Read more

  • Leonardo Floridia🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024Leonardo Floridia

    Budapest and its autumn foliage

    November 1, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    The Buda Castle area is incredible, but the sunset lights and the dry leaves on the ground make the view and the experience even more beautiful.

    An interesting fact is that by law, all houses in the castle district cannot be sold and can only be inherited. If there are no heirs, the State becomes the owner of these beautiful and historic houses.Read more

  • Leonardo Floridia🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024Leonardo Floridia

    The Buda Castle and Matthias Fountain

    November 1, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    The Buda Castle is one of Budapest's most significant and historic landmarks. It is located on Buda hill and it has been the residence of Hungarian kings for centuries.

    During World War II, part of the Buda Castle was bombed and completely destroyed. There are ongoing plans to reconstruct the missing wing while preserving the historical Baroque style.

    Near the Castle there is the Matthias Fountain whose Baroque style, although on a much smaller scale, evokes the grandeur of the Trevi Fountain.    Read more

  • Leonardo Floridia🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024Leonardo Floridia

    🍽️ Princess Sissi's cake

    November 1, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    This cake, known as "Sissi's cake" or "Sissi torta", is a traditional Hungarian dessert named after Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Sissi).

    Very similar to italian "mille foglie" it’s a thick layer of cream between two layers of puff pastry.

    We tried it at the princess’s favorite café called "Ruszwurm Cukrászda" and located in Buda in the Castle District.    Read more

  • Leonardo Floridia🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024Leonardo Floridia

    Medieval-style dinner show

    November 1, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ 🌙 9 °C

    We booked a medieval-themed dinner in a restaurant decorated like an old medieval tavern.

    They served us a soup inside a large bread bowl with the soft interior removed, a big platter of mixed meats, and desserts.
    During the dinner, there were performances by magicians, fire-eaters, dancers, and actors who staged a sword fight.

    The place is named Sir Lancelot. Quite expensive (almost €45) and very touristy, but definitely a great experience if you are looking for a different kind of dinner!    Read more

  • Leonardo Floridia🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024Leonardo Floridia

    7 Days: a must of our trips

    November 2, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    7 Days croissant and Soviet cars: a must of our trips in the Balkans and Eastern Europe in general.

    Memories of when I bought it in a rest stop on the border between Macedonia and Serbia to spend the last cash in local currency.

    In the background a Trabant 601 (I think!), produced in the DDR (East Socialist Germany) between 1960 and 1990.    Read more

  • Leonardo Floridia🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024Leonardo Floridia

    The Jewish Quarter of Budapest

    November 2, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    The Jewish Quarter of Budapest is the liveliest area of the city, full of bars, restaurants, and a popular spot for nightlife, especially on weekends.

    But it is also a place rich in history, which we explored through a free walking tour.

    Within the district, you can see many Hebrew inscriptions, Jewish people walking around wearing traditional head coverings and sidelocks, and several kosher restaurants.    Read more

  • Leonardo Floridia🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024Leonardo Floridia

    Monument to the Soviet Union

    November 2, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    The Monument to the Soviet Soldiers is located in Liberty Square and commemorates the Russian soldiers who fell during the liberation of Budapest from Nazism. The monument is a white obelisk with a golden star on top.

    This is one of the last Soviet monuments remaining in Budapest after the fall of the USSR and Hungary's exit from the Soviet bloc.    Read more

  • Leonardo Floridia🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024Leonardo Floridia

    Memorial for victims of the Nazism

    November 2, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    At Liberty Square, near the Soviet Monument, there is also a monument to the victims of the Nazi occupation. The monument symbolizes Archangel Gabriel holding the symbol of Hungary, which is about to be seized by an eagle, representing the Nazis.

    This monument has been highly criticized by the Hungarian Jewish community because it is seen as downplaying the responsibility of many Hungarians, who were often complicit in the atrocities. The portrayal of Hungary as a victim rather than acknowledging the role of certain Hungarian groups in collaboration with the Nazis has sparked significant controversy.    Read more

  • Leonardo Floridia🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024Leonardo Floridia

    The external wall of the Ghetto

    November 2, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    In November 1944, the Budapest Ghetto was created and 100,000 Jews were confined there under extreme conditions. The ghetto was liberated over a year later, in January 1945, when the Soviet forces freed Budapest from Nazi control.

    The perimeter wall was demolished in 2006, and only a small section of it remains today, still open for visitors. This site serves as a reminder of the suffering endured by the Jewish community during the Holocaust and the resilience of those who survived.    Read more

  • Leonardo Floridia🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024Leonardo Floridia

    Memorial to Carl Lutz

    November 2, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    This statue depicts a person falling and clinging to a sheet. The falling figure represents the Hungarian Jews, while the figure of the savior symbolizes Carl Lutz, a Jewish diplomat. Lutz issued thousands of protection letters, enabling approximately 60,000 Jews (about half of the Hungarian survivors) to emigrate during World War II.

    His courageous actions saved many lives, and this monument honors his legacy as one of the "Righteous Among the Nations" who risked their lives to protect Jews from the Holocaust.    Read more

  • Leonardo Floridia🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024Leonardo Floridia

    🎨 Budapest street art!

    November 2, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    In the city center, there are some very beautiful murals.

    The first one commemorates Hungary's victory over England (3-6) in 1953 at Wembley, a match that went down in history as the "Match of the Century." It is also a tribute to Ferenc Puskás, a legendary Hungarian national football player and one of the greatest players in football history.

    The other mural, even though painted on a flat wall, creates an optical illusion of a 3D cube.    Read more

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