Budapest
Budapest is a highlight of any Danube cruise, named “Queen of the Danube,” in part because of the way the city hugs the banks of the river, Budapest is an enchanting city that vibrantly mixes East and West, medieval and modern. Made up of two parts—Buda (the hills) and Pest (the flatlands)—and divided by the Danube, and the Chain Bridge linking Buda and Pest. Budapest is Eastern Europe’s liveliest and most cosmopolitan city.
Numerous foreign powers have ruled here and this is reflected in the city’s eclectic architectural mix, including Roman ruins and Turkish baths recalling the days of the Ottoman Empire, but the greatest influence on its architecture was Hungary’s union with Austria in 1867, which initiated a period of huge growth continuing up to the First World War. This resulted in some sensational buildings in a range of styles, including the elegant Art Nouveau Gellert Hotel and its sumptuous thermal baths, resplendent with gleaming majolica tiles and colourful mosaics.
There is just so much to see, why not add on a hotel stay before or after your river cruise to really explore this amazing city.