Rejuvenated at a hot spring with a sauna in Budapest. July 2023【93】

A log of my trip to Bratislava and Budapest over 2 nights and 3 days.

Woke up at 4 in the morning and headed to London's Stansted Airport, and flew to Bratislava using Ryanair.

Arrived in about 2 hours.

Took a bus and tram from the airport to the accommodation.

Buying a ticket was a bit complicated, but you can use a card.

After dropping off the luggage at the accommodation, it was time for a meal.

Entered a Slovakian cuisine restaurant called Meštiansky pivovar near the old town.

The inside of the restaurant was spacious with a nice historical atmosphere.

Ordered various dishes to share among four of us, but the portions were large!

The bread in the center has garlic soup inside, a dish called Jurek.

Other dishes included Halušky similar to gnocchi, pierogi-like dumplings, a variety of meat dishes, and everything was delicious.

They also sell T-shirts with interesting designs.

With our stomachs full, we went for a walk around the city.

In Bratislava, there are many statues of various sizes scattered around the city, and it's fun to look for them.

There seemed to be a limited-time event that looked like an Italian festival.

Walking around the city and climbing a hill, we arrived at Bratislava Castle.

You can get a panoramic view of the city.

Walking downhill and east through the old town, we reached the Blue Church.

The church, designed in a pale blue, was beautifully adorned inside and provided a refreshing respite.

After taking a short rest at our accommodation, we headed out for dinner.

We had some light meals and desserts at a bar-like place called URBAN.

On our way back, we stopped by a supermarket to buy drinks and breakfast for the next day.

The snacks from the series called "JOJO" caught our eye, so we bought two packs.

They are affordable and tasty, making them a great choice for snacks or souvenirs.

And with that, our first day in Bratislava came to an end.

Morning of the second day.

We were staying on the second floor of this large building.

We took the tram to the station and waited for the train to Budapest.

The train was about 20 minutes late, but we managed to catch it and arrived in Budapest after about 3 hours.

We transferred to the subway and headed to our accommodation.

After dropping off our bags, we went for lunch!

At a Hungarian restaurant called Paprika Vendéglő, we had a meat platter, foie gras, and stew.

The lemonade at this restaurant was also exquisite.

After our meal, we walked for about 10 minutes to the Széchenyi Thermal Bath.

After buying a ticket, we changed into our swimsuits and sandals in the locker room.

Various hot springs of different sizes are prepared both outdoors and indoors, resembling pools.

There were several saunas, but personally, the underground Finnish-style sauna was the best.

The sauna was hot, and there was a cold plunge pool. It was my first proper sauna experience since coming to Europe.

After relaxing for about 4 hours, I returned to the hotel.

For dinner, I headed to the banks of the Danube river and entered a restaurant on a boat.

Watching the sunset, I enjoyed beer and pizza.

On the way back to the hotel, I had a dessert where gelato was placed on a baked sweet called Kürtskalács.

I was full from the alcohol and dessert and slept soundly.

The final day.

I took the tram to the market.

From early morning, there were many customers at the shops selling ingredients and souvenirs.

I ate a pastry called Strudel at this store.

I chose the one with apple inside, but there seemed to be other flavors like berry and cherry.

After leaving the market, I headed to the Fisherman's Bastion.

As you climb the hill, you can see a church.

Before sightseeing, I entered a cafe and cooled down with a lemonade.

I also tried a Hungarian sweet called Krémes. It was creamy, not as sweet as it looked, and was delicious.

From this spot, you can overlook Budapest, making it a recommended spot.

After exploring the area, I walked over to Buda Castle.

I was short on time, so I quickly admired its exterior and then headed down the hill to the next location.

Parliament

It's a magnificent parliament building. It seems you can take a tour inside if you buy a ticket.

Took a short break in a cafe before heading to the airport.

Budapest Airport has many shops after the baggage check, ensuring you won't get bored waiting for food or shopping.

Returned via Ryanair to London's Stansted Airport.

Compared to Hungary, it was still bright even nearing 9 PM, and the temperature was considerably colder, making me realize I was back in London.

Bratislava was generally quiet with fewer people.

There aren't too many tourist spots, so you can fully enjoy it in a day.

The old town isn't vast either, so you can see most of it in half a day.

Budapest's cityscape was simply stunning.

Compared to Bratislava, there are more tourist spots, and the city is larger, so you won't get bored even with a longer stay.

It's also one of the few countries where you can enjoy hot springs as a Japanese.

One common point about both Bratislava and Budapest is that the cost of living is low, so you can enjoy meals and drinks at a bargain.

Especially in Hungary, you can casually enjoy foie gras, so give it a try when you visit.

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