Budapest

Budapest is a city of two halves divided by the mighty River Danube and sewn together by a collection of beautiful, elegant bridges. The most famous is the Szechenyi Chain Bridge, the first permanent crossing to link the two halves of the city. The two parts of the city are very different; the flatter, lively region of Pest looks across the water to its older, historical neighbour, the hilly Buda that rises up away from the banks of the river.

Pest is the busy, modern part of the city, with excellent shopping, trendy bars and modern restaurants. Buda has a distinctly medieval atmosphere, with beautiful old buildings and cobbled streets. Budapest was once the joint capital of the Austro-Hungarian Habsburg Empire. The city and its buildings have been restored to their very best in what is now one of Europe's finest, grandest and most picturesque cities. Budapest is known for its baths - the hot bath water is said to flow from a hundred streams. Home to the city's famous bathing chess players, the Széchenyi Bath is Budapest's most famous outdoor baths, which was built in New Baroque style and is open all year round.