A business trip got me back to Budapest for the last eleven days.

This being my sixth visit of town, there was no real stress for me … the key attractions I had already seen and done. I ended up using my evenings (after work) and the weekend having extended walks around town and essentially soaking in the atmosphere of the different quarters. I also ended up doing some of the less known ‘attractions’ (i.e. those that the normal Budapest visitor will simply not have the time for), including a trip in the cog-wheel tram up into the Buda hills, a visit to the Fiume Road cemetery (which houses the mausoleums of many of the country’s heroes, and also has some other interesting monuments, including one – now neglected – to the heroes of communism), plus a few exhibitions. Of course, I also revisited some of the main attractions.

I was lucky, as my arrival day coincided Hungary’s Independence Day; the highlight of the day being massive fireworks over the Danube with literally millions of people flocking the banks of the river and watching. I got in just before that started and made my way down to the river – and have to say, these were some of the best fireworks, I have ever seen (well – that Buda castle on the hill in the backdrop and the nicely lit bridges certainly add here).

Below some more impressions of town … feel free to compare to those shared from previous visits.