City Park

Situated close to the city center, Városliget offers visitors a host of things to see and do. Completed in 1896, in time for a variety of celebrations marking 1,000 years of Hungarian history, this 1.2-square-km (302 acre) park has everything you need for an enjoyable day, from a pretty pond to a number of interesting historic sites.

The park's main entrance is through Heroes’ Square, one of Hungary’s World Heritage sites. At the square, you’ll find the Millennium Monument, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Palace of Art, all worth a visit. The latter is considered to be the finest exhibition hall in Hungary.

Kids will love visiting Budapest’s small but historic amusement park, Vidam Park. The park is home to a handful of very historic rides, including the 1906-built merry-go-round, the cave railway (1912), and the park’s most popular ride, the roller coaster. Built in 1922, it is one of only a few side-friction roller coasters remaining in the world.

Another centerpiece of Városliget is the rather bizarre Vajdahunyad Castle, originally built of cardboard and wood in honor of the millennium. The structure was built in a variety of architectural styles ranging from Romanesque to Gothic, intended to represent each century since the arrival of the Magyars. It was so popular that it was rebuilt in brick.

Visitors can also head to the Budapest Grand Circus, home to a variety of traveling circus shows; the beautiful Botanical Garden and the Municipal Zoological Garden; the Aviation Museum or Transport Museums of Budapest; and Széchenyi Medicinal Baths and Swimming Pool, one of Europe's greatest spa complexes. Here guests can relax and enjoy the curative powers of the water.

The City Park Pond is a great place to rent a row boat, but if you’re in Budapest in the winter, you can ice skate there instead. When it freezes over, it becomes the largest outdoor skating rink in Central Europe.

Art aficionados might enjoy the sculptures situated throughout the park, including those of both Winston Churchill and George Washington. Both, surprisingly, made it through the Cold War unscathed. The most famous statue however is the statue of a monk, sculpted in 1903 by Miklós Ligeti. Very little is known about this monk whose name is even unkown, so he is now referred to as Anonymus (latin for anonymous). This mysterious monk lived in the 12th century as the notary of King Béla III. He is credited as the writer of the first book of the history of the Hungarians, the 'Gesta Hungarorum'. Touching the monk's stylus is supposed to bring good luck with your studies.

If you need a bite to eat, head to the famous Gundel Restaurant, where you can try their signature dessert, the Gundel palacsinta, a pancake boasting a yummy filling made from rum, raisin, walnuts, and lemon rinds, served with a chocolate sauce.