• Leonardo Floridia
  • Leonardo Floridia

🇭🇺 Hungary: Budapest 2024

Una breve pero excelente aventura de Leonardo Leer más
  • Inicio del viaje
    31 de octubre de 2024
  • 🍽️ The flavorful Jewish cuisine

    31 de octubre de 2024, Hungría ⋅ ☁️ 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.
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  • Szimpla Kert: the most famous ruin bar

    31 de octubre de 2024, Hungría ⋅ ☁️ 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.
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  • Studel, Glühwein and Krampus

    1 de noviembre de 2024, Hungría ⋅ ☀️ 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.
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  • The Danube and its bridges

    1 de noviembre de 2024, Hungría ⋅ ☀️ 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.
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  • Basilica of Saint Stephen

    1 de noviembre de 2024, Hungría ⋅ ☀️ 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.
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  • 🍽️ Langos: hungarian fried pizza

    1 de noviembre de 2024, Hungría ⋅ ☀️ 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.
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  • Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion

    1 de noviembre de 2024, Hungría ⋅ ☀️ 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.
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  • Budapest and its autumn foliage

    1 de noviembre de 2024, Hungría ⋅ ☀️ 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.Leer más

  • The Buda Castle and Matthias Fountain

    1 de noviembre de 2024, Hungría ⋅ 🌙 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.
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  • 🍽️ Princess Sissi's cake

    1 de noviembre de 2024, Hungría ⋅ 🌙 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.
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  • Medieval-style dinner show

    1 de noviembre de 2024, Hungría ⋅ 🌙 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!
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  • The Jewish Quarter of Budapest

    2 de noviembre de 2024, Hungría ⋅ ⛅ 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.
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  • Monument to the Soviet Union

    2 de noviembre de 2024, Hungría ⋅ ⛅ 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.
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  • Memorial for victims of the Nazism

    2 de noviembre de 2024, Hungría ⋅ ⛅ 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.
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  • The external wall of the Ghetto

    2 de noviembre de 2024, Hungría ⋅ ⛅ 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.
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  • Memorial to Carl Lutz

    2 de noviembre de 2024, Hungría ⋅ ⛅ 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.
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  • 🎨 Budapest street art!

    2 de noviembre de 2024, Hungría ⋅ ⛅ 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.
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