How to Time Your Trip to Budapest

Hungary's capital city was formed when the old capital, Buda, and the commercial capital, Pest, united in 1873 to create Budapest, one city spanning the Danube River. Although Budapest suffered at the hands of Soviet Russia in 1945 and 1956, recent prosperity has re-established Budapest as one of Europe's most vibrant and majestic capitals.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Luggage Sets
• Travel Clothes
• Walking Shoes
• Foreign Language Phrase Books
• Local Guidebooks To Budapest
• Maps
• Airline Tickets
• Travel Services
• Cameras
• Film
• Maps
• Cameras

General Considerations

1. All four seasons are distinct in Budapest's climate: spring and fall are nicest, while summer is often hot. Average amounts of precipitation fall year-round, turning to snow during winter. The average January low is 26 degrees F and the average July high is 82 degrees F.

2. Check out what festivals, attractions and live performances are happening.

3. Take care of your flight, transportation and accommodations (see Related eHows).

4. Check the weather forecast for Budapest shortly before leaving, and pack accordingly.

Attractions and Seasonal Events

5. Wander down cobblestone streets past the medieval buildings of palatial Buda, the historic capital of Magyar. Be sure to visit the Royal Palace, which contains both the National Gallery - featuring Hungarian fine arts - and the Historical Museum of Budapest, with artifacts and archaeological remains from the old city.

6. Don't miss Matthias Church, with its 13th-century foundation and dazzling multicolored roof. Then walk up Gellert Hill to see the Citadella fortress and the Fisherman's Bastion, which has a panoramic view of this beautiful city and its surroundings.

7. Explore the Pest side of the Danube, where you'll find the Hungarian National Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Parliament, and Hungary's oldest church, the Belvarosi Templom. Other must-sees include the glamorous Vaci Utca (Vaci Street) and Heroes Square, where life-sized bronze statues portray 1,000 years of Hungarian history.

8. Be entertained by talent and hawkers at the Danube Carnival, held the second week in June.

9. Work up a sweat - vicariously - at the Pentathlon World Championships, held the third week in July.

10. Witness grace and beauty at the Budapest Summer Opera and Ballet Festive. It runs for 12 days in early- to mid-August. If you're too macho to listen to opera, the Formula One Grand Prix is also in August; don't forget your earplugs!

11. Celebrate Hungary's most important national holiday, St. Istvan's (St. Stephen's) Day, on August 20th. St. Istvan was crowned Hungary's first king in 1001; today he is commemorated with concerts, ceremonies and fireworks.

12. Sample the great wines Hungary produces at the Budapest Wine Festival in September. Then eat, drink and be merry during the wide range of cultural events during the Budapest Autumn Festival, mid-October until early November.

13. Dance and celebrate the New Year in style. On December 30th you can attend a festival and concert by the 100-member Gypsy Band, and on the 31st you can attend a masked ball at the Opera House.

14. Explored enough of the city? Relax and rest your weary feet in one of Budapest's 90-plus hot springs.

Tips & Warnings

• Like most European capitals, Budapest is full of tourists every summer.