Budapest is one of the most enchanting cities in Europe. Unlike many European cities, it is quite cheap and offers good value for money. I recently spent a day in the Hungarian capital, and when I arrived at the central station, I could see that it was different than most European central train stations. Not to offend any Hungarians on the efficiency of their transport system but the outlook seemed as if it was a station in Karachi or Lahore in my own country. It got even better when we walked in the city searching for our hostel; old buses and vehicles and the night time scenery of the city, for me, made it the most Pakistani city of Europe. After traveling to so many other cities of Europe, this was a sight to behold. It was like home away from home. Only after checking in at our hostel and watching Hungarians and other foreigners dance the night away in a nearby club, I realized that we were indeed in a city as European as any other.
I wasn’t too thrilled about visiting Hungary simply because there isn’t much said and heard about Hungary being a popular tourist destination. So, for me, it was just a transit stopover en route to other powerhouse European tourist destinations and may be this is the reason I was pleasantly surprised. The following day we walked our way towards the Castle hills crossing the famous chain bridge (build in 1849 and regarded as an engineering wonder at the time) which connects Buda and Pest across the river Danube. Right at the peak of the Castle hill, one can treat themselves to the most fantastic view of a city from far off. There is nothing like sitting and spending time at the top and enjoying the view in its serene atmosphere.
There is much more to this gem of a city than we as young backpackers explored since we were short on time. But, for all those who have a taste for history and architecture and want to party with the Europeans, Budapest is a must visit.
Insightful!
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