Budapest was the final stop on our Christmas Markets trip through Central Europe, and somehow it ended up being the city we were most reluctant to leave.
We arrived by train from Bratislava and spent three nights at the Matild Palace on the Pest side of the city. Even before exploring Budapest itself, the hotel made an impression. Between the historic architecture, the views, and the location, it remains one of our favorite hotel stays from that trip.
Most of our time was spent doing what first-time visitors to Budapest tend to do: trying to see as much as possible in a short amount of time. We explored Buda Castle, Fisherman's Bastion, and the Hospital in the Rock Museum on the Buda side, then crossed over to see St. Stephen's Basilica, the Hungarian Parliament Building, Heroes' Square, and the Dohány Street Synagogue.
Of course, visiting in December meant the Christmas markets became a major part of the experience. We spent plenty of time wandering through the markets at Vörösmarty Square and St. Stephen's Basilica, warming up with food and browsing the stalls while the city glowed with holiday lights.
What stood out most about Budapest was the feeling that we were only scratching the surface. Some cities feel like you've seen the highlights after a few days. Budapest felt like the opposite. Every neighborhood seemed to have another beautiful building, another café, another historic site, or another place we wished we'd had time to explore.
Looking back, Budapest was probably the biggest surprise of the entire Christmas Markets trip. Prague had the most magical market atmosphere, but Budapest was the city that left us wanting to return.
That's usually a good sign.
From Budapest, we caught a Ryanair flight to London to spend Christmas with my family.