Mercure's travel guides

History resounds in Budapest's streets: the Castle District, River Danube embankments and the whole of Andrássy Avenue form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On any visitor's cultural checklist should be: the Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum (Hungarian National Museum), Magyar Nemzeti Galéria (Hungarian National Gallery) in Buda Palace and Hõsök Tere (Heroes' Square) at the end of Andrássy Avenue. Margaret Island, a pedestrianized space in the centre of the Danube, offers fine views of the Buda and Pest embankments, along with beautiful flower-filled parks, a musical water fountain, art nouveau water tower, open-air theater and huge Palatinus water park.

Gellért Thermal Bath

Kelenhegyi út 4, Budapest, 1118
36-1-466-6166
http://www.gellertbath.com

Description:

Budapest is built upon a number of thermal springs. Plumbing into these springs are thermal baths scattered across the city; Gellért is one of the more famous. Annexed to a luxurious four-star hotel, the facility offers a total of eight hot effervescent baths. Bathing in the spring water, heavy in magnesium, calcium and fluoride ions, is said to ease all manner of ailments, including skin conditions and joint pains. Whether this is true or not, simply wallowing in the wonderfully warm spring water and perhaps indulging in a massage from one of the bath's therapists will equate to a relaxing day. One thing to note: as with many of the thermal baths in the city, there are single-sex areas, though these are all clearly marked.
Daily 6am-8pm
Visa, MasterCard

Budavári Labirintus

Úri utca 9, Budapest, 1014
36-1-212-0207
http://www.labirintus.com

Description:

The Castle District is Budapest's pocket of history, where the streets are cobbled and the buildings traditional. But it's not just above-ground that you get a sense of the history behind this district – there are areas to explore underground, too. Situated below those cobbled streets is this, a 1200m long labyrinth of tunnels and small caves. This underground network was used as an air-raid shelter in World War II; now it houses some quirky pieces of art work, including the sunken "crowned head" sculpture and the "ivy grotto", where a fountain coated in ivy spouts red wine instead of water. Short films are shown in English, Hungarian and German, from 10am-7pm, and the "night-time labyrinth" lets you explore the caves with oil lamps.
Daily 9:30am-9:30pm
Visa, MasterCard

Mátyás-templom

Szentháromság tér 2, Budapest
36-1-355-5657
http://www.matyas-templom.hu

Description:

Matthias Church sits proudly in the Castle District, overlooking the flat landscape of Pest and nestling next to Fishermen's Bastion. The striking structure is actually a composite of architecture following the sieges, wars and conflicts since it was first established in the 15th century – it even had structural work in 2006. Its colourful peaks are a vibrant spot on the Buda skyline but it's inside that you'll be treated to the sight of the awe-inspiring Frigyes Schulek-designed stained-glass windows.
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; Sat 9am-Noon; Sun 1pm-5pm