48 HOURS IN BUDAPEST

BUDAPEST

47.4979° N, 19.0402° E

Budapest

The united towns of Buda, on the west bank of the Danube, and Pest, on the east side, have forged an identity as a vitally important capital city of medieval and gothic splendour

Budapest, the capital of Hungary, has a fascinatingly long and rich history. Archaeological finds have indicated that the town’s first settlement in its modern-day location was built by Celts, but a turning point in the town’s story came with the building of a Roman fort in what is now the district of Óbuda. From the 1st century BC to the 5th century AD, Western Hungary formed part of the Roman Empire, helping the province to flourish.

Then in the 5th century, through a series of fierce battles, Attila, King of the Huns, succeeded the Romans and ruled the area until he died in 453 AD. The country saw continued conflict and the rule of various empires until Budapest arose out of two Bulgarian military frontier fortresses Buda and Pest, situated on the two banks of the Danube. After the Bulgarian-Hungarian Wars, Buda and Pest began their development in the 12th century, and it was only in 1873 that the formerly separate towns were integrated into one city: Budapest.

This unification brought about unprecedented prosperity to the city and many public buildings were erected at that time, including the grandiose Budapest Parliament on the Pest bank of the Danube, the city’s largest church St. Stephen’s Basilica, and the Millennium Monument on Heroes’ Square.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO

This sophisticated capital, with the conservative Buda and cosmopolitan Pest, is home to some of the most magnificent architectural gems in Europe; from Baroque to art nouveau.

As well as the Parliament, St. Stephen’s and Heroes’ Square, you can visit Matthias Church dating back 500 years and the imposing and grand Hungarian State Opera.

Fishermen’s Bastion is a medieval and gothic construction reminiscent of mysterious fairytales and with some of the best views of the glittering skyline.

Budapest is littered with relics of its disturbed history. A city full of statues (for some of Lenin and Marx, only the plinths remain), and bullet holes and shrapnel pockmarks from the Second World War and the 1956 Hungarian Uprising, there are many poignant reminders of the past, notably the Shoes on the Danube memorial. Discover historic Castle Hill with a walking tour taking in some fantastic cityscapes, accessible by strolling across the iconic Chain Bridge and boarding the Sikló, a funicular railway built in 1870 that ascends from Clark Ádám tér to Szent György tér near the Royal Palace.

A trip to Budapest would not be complete without taking a dip and relaxing in one of Budapest’s baths and people-watching on one of the main pedestrian thoroughfares, Váci Utca.

WHERE TO SHOP

With a generation of booming young designers and a blossoming art scene, shopping in Budapest is a mix of vintage, luxury and unique underground style. If you are in the market for traditional artisanry, cutting-edge design or culinary delights, you are in for a treat.

Typical folk craft includes ceramics, embroidery, painted wooden toys, porcelain, and more. And traditional market stalls sit side by side with huge malls and smaller boutiques, offering plenty of diversity.

The Ecseri Piac and Fovam tér markets are particularly good and worth a wander: Ecseri is a sprawling flea market full of unusual antiques and ripe for haggling, while Fovam is a threestory home to 200 stallholders who peddle wares from farmreared chickens and home-grown vegetables to locally made arts and crafts.

WHERE TO DINE

From hole-in-the-wall eateries to Michelin-starred restaurants, you’ll be spoilt for choice for dining options in Budapest. Don’t miss the Great Market Hall or Fény Street Market for an intimate insight into local cuisine. Undoubtedly a favourite of locals is Lángos. A fried doughy flat bread served warm and slathered with grated cheese and sour cream or garlic butter – or all three! A trip to Hungary is not complete without sampling the national dish Gulyás (Goulash). This warming broth with beef chunks and vegetables is served with warm bread and optional hot paprika.

Clockwise,

from left: The centrepiece tree outside St. Stephen’s Basilica and surrounding Budapest Christmas Market, Hungary; food stalls in the market; fresh cut lavender and wreaths; traditional Hungarian goulash

VIENNESE HOT CHOCOLATE

INGREDIENTS: 3 cups low fat milk, divided 200g premium dark chocolate, grated 1 tbsp sugar 1 cup heavy cream, chilled ½ tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp confectioners’ sugar

GARNISH: Cocoa powder or chocolate shavings

1 Place 1 cup of the milk and chocolate in a small saucepan over medium low; reduce to low and simmer until chocolate has melted, about 4 minutes.

2 Place granulated sugar and remaining milk in another saucepan over medium low, whisking until sugar dissolves.

3 Pour chocolate mixture into milk, whisking to combine, and simmer on low.

4 Combine cream and vanilla together in a large bowl; add confectioners’ sugar and beat until peaks form.

5 Pour chocolate into cups and top with a generous dollop of whipped cream and pinch of cocoa or chocolate shavings.

SERVES 4

GLÜHWEIN

INGREDIENTS: 3 (750 ml) bottles dry red wine (zinfandel, pinot or Burgundy) 1 cup sugar 12 whole cloves 2 pinches allspice 2 pinches mace 473 ml brandy 946 ml dry white wine 1 orange, cut into wedges 1 lemon, cut into wedges

GARNISH: 2 medium oranges, sliced 12 cinnamon sticks

1 Pour red wine into a 12-litre pot (or larger) and heat gently; add sugar and spices, stirring until sugar dissolves.

2 Add remaining ingredients and steep for 1 hour over low heat.

3 To serve, remove fruit wedges and strain out cloves, garnishing with orange slices and a cinnamon stick.

Serves 12

STOLLEN

INGREDIENTS: 2 tsp active dry yeast 2⁄3 cup milk, warm (45°C) 1 egg ¼ cup plus 2 tbsp fine granulated sugar 1½ tsp salt 1⁄3 cup unsalted butter, softened 2¾ cup bread flour, plus flour for dusting 1⁄3 cup currants 1⁄3 cup raisins 1⁄3 cup red glacé cherries, quartered ¾ cup mixed candied citrus peel, diced 1 cup marzipan

GARNISH: 1 T tbsp confectioners’ sugar ½ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ cup sliced

1 Sprinkle yeast over milk and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and add egg, sugar, butter and 2 cups of flour, stirring well to combine. Add remaining flour a little at a time, stirring well after each addition.

2 When dough begins to pull together, turn out onto a flour-dusted surface and knead in currants, raisins, cherries and citrus peel. Continue kneading until smooth, about 8 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

3 Lightly grease a baking tray. Punch down dough; turn onto a flour-dusted surface. Roll marzipan into a rope and place in centre of dough; fold over to cover; pinch to seal. Place loaf seam side down on baking tray, cover with clean, damp kitchen towel and let rise to double in volume, about 40 minutes.

4 Preheat oven to 180°C. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 150°C and bake another 30-40 minutes until golden brown.

5 Cool on a wire rack, then dust with confectioners’ sugar and sprinkle with cinnamon and almond flakes.

Serves 8-12

TRUFFLE AU CHOCOLAT

INGREDIENTS: 454 g Valrhona or Scharffen Berger semisweet or dark chocolate 1 cup heavy cream ½ tsp black currant extract

GARNISH: ½ cup Valrhona or Scharffen Berger unsweetened cocoa powder*

1 Line a baking sheet with waxed paper; set aside.

2 In a food processor, pulse chocolate into small pieces.

3 Heat cream in a small heavy saucepan over medium low until bubbles begin to appear around pan edges and cream begins to steam. Pour cream over chocolate in food processor. Let stand 10 minutes, then blend until smooth. Add extract; pulsing to blend. Pour into a shallow bowl, cover and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours.

4 Using a spoon, scoop out mixture and quickly roll into rough balls. Place on baking sheet; if very soft, refrigerate another 30 minutes.

5 Place cocoa powder in a shallow bowl; roll balls in cocoa to coat. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 weeks. Serve at room temperature.

Makes 2 dozen