Budapest, Hungary

I chose Budapest as an anniversary gift for my girlfriend and I to celebrate one year of being together; however, I didn’t get off to the best start. I went out the night before flying and completely forgot to pack, but luckily, I had my partner there to make sure everything was prepared, she didn’t take it too well.

We arrived at Stansted Airport via National Express. With some complications in our tickets, the staff at Stansted were very accommodating, which made the whole process stress-free.

Our Airbnb was a 26-minute drive from the airport. On the way to the Airbnb, Budapest is filled with beautiful architecture and antique buildings. I would describe Budapest as the city of history with aspects of modern Europe.

I booked an urban apartment with our host Gabor. I highly recommend this Airbnb; not only did we have a host willing to be only a call away, but the high-quality accommodation was only £152 for 4 days. The Airbnb was in a perfect location; a short walk from most coffee shops, bakeries, money exchangers, etc., especially for my frame & I.

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Getting around in a frame in Budapest, to my surprise, was a lot easier than in the UK. Pavements were wide and flat, allowing me to take in all the scenery; which is a nice change from being cautious of cracks and potholes in pavements in Cardiff. I like to walk to as many places as I can cause I feel you digest a lot more and feel less restricted than if you were driving. If you’re using a wheelchair, then it would be a dream.

With Budapest being one of the largest cities in Eastern Europe, having two sides, one Buda the other Pest; transportation was definitely an essential. I used the app, Bolt, similar to Uber but vastly cheaper, throughout my trip when needed. The Bolt drivers’ service in Budapest was beyond my expectations as they made no hassle with my frame. Unlike the taxi drivers in my own city, Cardiff, it’s a constant battle with them, claiming my walking aid damages their car hence cancelling my trip.

Here’s my promo code for Bolt to get your first ride free: JACOBWDJ

Things to do in Budapest:

• Szechenyi Thermal Spa: really good but don’t get scammed, bring your own towel and slippers. The package they offered us was primarily robe slippers and bottomless green tea, but they make you believe you have your own private tub but actually you’re in the same place as everyone else. It costs £45 each instead of less than £20; let’s say we learnt it the hard way. 

• Benefits of Szechenyi Thermal Spa: The water is highly beneficial; boosts circulation which was great for my legs, natural pain relief and it definitely helped reduce my stress after being ripped off. Assistance is available upon request, stair lift is available highly recommend using the resources. The locals helped me massively. The best time to go is between 1 – 3 pm.

• Hop-on-hop-off bus: very cheap, gets you around both sides, Buda & Pest. Great way to see the whole city, disabled access on every bus. It also includes a river cruise along the Dubarry River the day after.

• Instant nightclub: A huge complex converted from 2 houses, with theatrical decor, 6 bars, 3 main dance floors & 2 gardens. 

• Bouncers in both bars and restaurants helped me every time – moving people out the way – carried me at times – I didn’t even have to ask.

• Szimpla kert: A ruin bar. There were different bars on every side of the building; offering different beers, pales and wines. A cocktail bar that offered mojitos for £3.50. Keep in mind; it’s accepts cash so make sure to prepare money before going in. They also included a restaurant upstairs and a shisha bathtubs.

My recommended places to eat:

• Arán Bakery Budapest: Perfect for breakfast, homemade pastries and high quality coffee

• Stika Gastropub: High quality food and affordable, highly recommend going for breakfast or lunch, make sure to go early to avoid crowds.

• Tölto: A small shop selling gourmet hot-dogs which was only a walk away from our Airbnb. Make sure you try the wild boar hot-dog. Best for lunch. My girlfriend didn’t get it at first so we ended up having another hotdog to keep her happy. 

• Karavan Budapest: There are plenty of options available ranging from Hungarian street food, Mexican food, Hungarian delicacies and cocktails available in the market. It also caters for vegans, the mushroom burger was surprisingly really good. Can’t miss the evening atmosphere.

• Dubarry Restaurant: I recommend eating here while watching the sunset, this was overlooking the river and the Buda side. We didn’t expect the food to be unreal since we only went there for the sunset, but trust me. This honestly topped off our one-year anniversary dinner. It was a nice stroll down the river.

• Getto Gulyás: Make sure to book for the evenings to avoid waiting. A posh and romantic setting but quality Hungarian food for an afforable price.

All images shown in Gallery.