Have you ever filled your lungs with the fresh air of the first public park in the world? Have you ever tried to relax your body in the largest medicinal bath in Europe? Have you ever seen the magnificent lions in one of the oldest zoos in the world? City Park (Városliget) is waiting for you!
The second biggest public park of Budapest is also the most popular in the city. So don't miss out on it! What would you like? A little leisure? How about some sport exercises? Some culture? A delicious dinner before the party? Or just a nice stroll around Vajdahunyad Castle (Vajdahunyad Vára)?
photo: www.wikipedia.org
First, let's get you there. City Park (Városliget) is full of history just like Budapest itself. Even getting there is a time travel if you choose M1 metro, the second oldest underground railway line in the world. Don't forget to get off at Heroes' Square (Hősök tere) station. The first sight of City Park is the magnificent old Millenium Monume
nt – Heroes' Square itself. Before taking photos, feel free to have a drink or order a good flavoured water pipe (if you are a smoker) at Café Kara's terrace just in front of the square.
photo: www.koos.hu
What do you fancy? If you want to relax some more or swim around a little, Széchenyi Bath & Spa is a place for you. It has three outdoor and fifteen indoor pools. You'll find your favourite! Don't forget to check out the special occasions there: from the 7th of June until September you can be part of unique night-parties with great music every Saturday! Metro line M1 has a station here, of course.
photo: www.szechenyifurdo.hu
Certainly the chance for swimming is great at Széchenyi Bath & Spa, but that's not all. If you feel like running, you can jog around a bit wherever you'd like to: there are several intimate little paths or walkways for that. Or you can do your other exercises on the natural, soft lawn!
photo: www.budapest.varosom.hu
If you have eagerness for some culture, you can easily find permanent or periodic exhibitions at both sides of Heroes' Square: the Museum of Fine Arts (Szépművészeti Múzeum) or the Hall of Art (Műcsarnok). Not to mention the Transport Museum (Közlekedési Múzeum) at the North point of City Park, you can easily get there by the trolleybus number 70. Oh, and sometime you have to see a good show in the Grand Circus! How about the World Circus Day on the 19th of April? you can easily reach it by trolleybus numer 72!
photo: www.fnc.hu
Getting a little hungry? Let us suggest you one of the best-known and top class restaurants of the city, the famous old Gundel Restaurant. You have to try the signature of the restaurant. It's called Gundel palacsinta, a crepe with a filling made from rum, raisin, walnuts, and lemon zest, served with some chocolate sauce. You'll love it!
Don't forget to visit Robinson Restaurant either! A modern, elegant building standing in the lake like an island. You can find it on the Northwestern poin of the lake.
photo: www.nol.hu
Of course, this is just a little taste of the atmosphere, and just a few options. According to a government decision, a general renovating project is going to start this year. The plans are consisting the building of museums in a whole new cultural quarter, and the setting of a lot more green area. The new parking lot, and the plans of the new transport and traffic system is also an important substance of the project, not to mention other actions – like cleaning the water of the lake – raising the quality of the park. It will be completed in 2018. The park is yours, be part of the future!
