United in 1873 with Buda and Pest, Budapest is renowned as the location of one of the most beautiful cities of Central Europe. In 1987 Budapest was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List for the cultural and architectural significance of the Banks of the Danube, the Buda castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue.

Budapest actually consists of three cities:

• Óbuda (the oldest district) - with Celtic and Roman ruins,
• Buda in hills on the western bank - famous for its historic Castle Hill and beautiful residential area,
• and bustling Pest - with its shopping, government and commercial districts on the flat plain of the east bank.

The Hungarian cuisine and wine are excellent, cheap and in abundance and the nightlife is hot. Indeed, in recent years, Budapest has taken on the role of the region’s party town, especially in the warmer months when outdoor entertainment areas called kertek (literally ‘gardens’) heave with party makers.

The city is also famous for its one of Europe`s largest bath complexes, in fact there is no other capital city in the world with almost 100 thermal springs and 12 medicinal baths within its boundaries, where 19 million gallons of thermal water rise to the surface each day. The atmosphere of Roman bathing culture may be felt in its light, spacious pool halls, while Greek bathing culture is reflected in the tub baths, but traces of Nordic traditions may also be found in the heat chambers, saunas and dipping pools.

But Budapest does have also its scars. Since the Communist system expired in 1989,  this metropolis has experienced a new surge of dynamism. Luxury hotels and malls, restaurants, bars and clubs have all proliferated – as have crime and social inequalities. While the number of beggars and homeless people on the streets has risen inexorably, politicians and the media prefer moral posturing on other issues, such as toning down the sex industry that has earned Budapest the nickname of the "Bangkok of Europe", or cracking down on refugees and illegal immigrants among the new ethnic communities formed in the last decade. Though many Hungarians fear the erosion of their culture by foreign influences, others see a new golden age for Budapest, as the foremost world-city of Mitteleuropa.

Attraction in Budapest which you shouldn´t miss:

• Buda Castle district - a medieval little town with atmospheric streets, houses, beautiful monuments and gas lamps. The winding streets and narrow houses date back to the Middle Ages, occasionally decorated with valuable Gothic window and door frames.
• Buda castle (also called Royal Palace) - situated at the top of Castle Hill, erected in the 14th century and rebuilt in Baroque style 400 years later, was the residence of Hungarian kings for 700 years. Today it embraces the most visited museums and galleries in Budapest.
• Margaret island - 2.5 km long and 500 metres wide island  in the middle of the Danube in central Budapest. Its medieval ruins are reminders of its importance in the Middle Ages as a religious centre. 
• Dohány Street Synagogue - Europe's largest synagogue and the world's second largest after New York's Temple Emanu-El. Its excellent acoustics also make it suitable for concerts. The Jewish Museum, set up in its courtyard, has one of the most outstanding Judaic collections of Central Europe.
• Andrássy Avenue - both sides of the Boulvard are lined by eclectic 19th and 20th century mansions designed with artistic thoughtfulness, and one of the most beautiful Opera houses in the world.
• Matthias church - 700-year old church with its Gothic spire and multi-colored tiled roof is where the nation's kings were crowned. Now it is the site of organ and choir performances.