Walking tour of Castle Hill (Old Town — Buda)
Stroll across Szechenyi lanchid (Chain Bridge) to Clark Adam Square and board the funicular railway (Siklo) to the summit of Castle Hill. See the Castle first. After the visit, keeping the Castle on your left, walk past an impressive yellow building marked Varszinhaz — the National Theater which began as a Carmelite Monastery. A left turn takes you into Disz ter. From the cobbled Disz ter (square), enter Tarnok utea (#18 houses the fascinating Pharmaceutical museum). Walk toward Szentharomsag ter. At #7 is the famed Ruszwurm Coffee House (try something here). Pass to the right of St Matthias Church. The Church is visited frequently because of its reflection in the mirror-glass of the hotel next door (take a picture). Visit the church and proceed into courtyards with the Halaszabastya (Fisherman’s Bastion) in front of you. Climb the towers for a spectacular view of the Danube and Pest.
Return via the north side of St Matthias Church with the Hilton on your right. Back on the Szentharaomsag ter, turn right onto Hess Andras ter, then bear left and walk down Fortuna utea (perhaps the most pictuesque street on Castle Hill). Pass the Cafe Pierrot and enter Becsikapa ter, dominated by the Gothic edifice of the National Archives. Walk up Petermann Bira utea to the tower and ruins of the medieval Mary Magdalene Church.
Return to Szentharomsag ter. Turn left by the statue of Hadik Andras to Toth Arpad setany for distant views of the Buda hills. Turn back, then right onto Uri utea. At #9 is the entrance to the Catacombs or Labyrinth (worth a visit if time permits). Walk down into Disz ter. Return via funicular to the Chain Bridge.
Walking Tour of Pest
Before crossing the Chain Bridge into Pest, stroll left along the Buda side of the Danube to get a good view of the Parliament complex from across the river. Retrace back to the bridge.
Cross the Bridge and turn right from Roosevelt ter onto Apaczai Csere to Vorosmarty ter. After checking out the buildings on the square, walk down Vaci utca being sure to stop at #9 (Pest Theater — check out the striking Art Nouveau interior. #11
(Thonet House) is recognizable by its facade of decorative Zsolnay tiles. Check out the Hermes Fountain with its elegant statue. Turn right onto Barnabas utca where the Szazeves (the oldest restaurant in Pest) serves good game dishes and wines. Back on Vaci utca, take a left onto Haris koz. You may enter the Parizsi Udvar (Paris shopping arcade). Back on Haris koz, it becomes Pilvax koz and emerges into Kamermayer Karoly (square). Turn left and enter Varoshaz utca which is dominated by the massive Town Hall.
