I went to pretty European city for first time – and one thing surprised me

I travelled to Budapest and was really surprised by the city – it wasn’t somewhere I’d always thought of going to but it turned out to be one of the best places I’ve been in Europe.

I spent around four nights in the city and there were lots of things to do.

One of the highlights for me was definitely visiting Fisherman’s Bastion – this incredible viewpoint is not only impressive for the views it offers, but it’s also a very pretty work of architecture.

The area around it is busy with lots of places to visit including traditional restaurants. It’s located in the Buda castle district which is absolutely worth the trip over the river to go and see.

I visited Budapest as part of an interrail trip and the city definitely stood out as one of the best amongst the others I visited.

If you’re planning on travelling to the area, you should try one of Hungary’s famous sweet treats – the chimney cake. This local desert is a sweet form of bread coated in cinnamon or sugar and it comes in a hollow spiral form. You can choose toppings to add to it – I chose chocolate sauce which is a common favourite!

Another place which stands out as a unique part of the city is Szimpla Kert bar. This ‘ruin’ bar is a very cool venue. It is located in an abandoned warehouse and you can wander around its huge structure which is filled with rooms, cosy and colourful lighting, graffiti and plants. I’ve not found anywhere else like this before so I really enjoyed the edgy and different experience it offers. 

One must-do activity is to walk along the river Danube. It’s a great way to see the city and there’s some big tourist attractions you can stop off and see along your walk such as the Hungarian Parliament building and the ‘Shoes on Danube Bank’ art sculptures. 

The Hungarian Parliament building is one of the largest in Europe so it’s worth taking a look at and every night, the building is lit up which highlights its incredible architecture. I took a night cruise on the Danube and the views of the structure from the river were great.

One of the best things about Budapest if you’re looking to travel on a budget is that it is very affordable. I wanted to buy some earrings and after seeing the price tag of 932.47 HUF I put them back thinking they were expensive but I realised this converts to just £1.95. I couldn’t believe how cheap things were there.

Budapest is a fascinating city with the best of everything. It has it all: culture, history, affordable prices, an exciting nightlife, beautiful scenery and incredible food.