Like the blue Danube River that separates Castle Hill in Buda from the strollable boulevards of Pest, the Hungarian capital of Budapest has a sophisticated and hedonistic side. Old World grandeur, stunning architecture and a rich cultural heritage give Budapest its noble air. But the city also offers plenty of opportunities to cut loose, relax and overindulge on everything from opera and wine to nightlife and cool art.
WHERE TO STAY
A new crop of hotels in Budapest offer London-style luxury at similarly elevated prices. Luckily, not all hotels ask luxury prices. Below Buda Castle, the Art'otel (Bem Rakpart 16-19; 011-36-1-487-9487, www.artotel.de) offers stylish rooms, with artwork from American painter Donald Sultan, starting at 159euros, about $250
In the city's center, Hotel Pest (Paulay Ede u. 31; 011-36-1-343-1198; www.hotelpest.hu), has 22 large doubles near the ruins of the Rumbach Synagogue, starting at $205.
WHERE TO EAT
Budapest is home to one of Central Europe's most vibrant food scenes, with kitchens adding a modern flair to classic Hungarian dishes. A delicious example is Dio (Sas 4; 011-36-1-328-0360, www.diorestaurant.com), which takes a modern approach to traditional dishes. A breaded cutlet of mangalica (pork) with Asian-style ginger home fries and a tomato-cilantro salad is $25. And rustic Hungarian recipes have been turned into tapas (five ''bites'' with bread for $4.50). Prix fixe menus from $43.
For a low-key trattoria with a high-tech twist, head to Csalogany 26 (Csalogany 26, 011-36-1-201-7892; www.csalogany26.hu). The kitchen blends Hungarian and Continental cuisines, which you can see being prepared on a closed-circuit flat-screen monitor. Recent offerings included a cooling tomato gazpacho topped with crunchy roast walnuts and a crisp and tender breast of guinea hen with fresh spinach. Prix fixe menus, $34-$59.
WHAT TO DO
Budapest has been celebrated for its curative baths since Roman times. Among the most venerated are the Szechenyi baths (011-36-1-363-3210, www.spasbudapest.com), which occupy a sprawling, neo-Baroque complex from 1913 and sit atop a metro station (Szechenyi furdo) in the middle of City Park. Be sure to bring a swimsuit: unlike many segregated baths in town, Szechenyi is co-ed and has a G-rated family atmosphere.
There's no rush to get to Piaf Klub (Nagymezo 25, 011-36-1-312-3823; www.piafklub.hu), since this ultracool capital of Budapest nightlife doesn't peak until 3 a.m. But early birds are rewarded with a seat in the upstairs red-velvet lounge, where jazzy torch songs waft through the dark and moody space. By contrast, the disco downstairs plays up-tempo oldies and '80s tunes, keeping the crowd jumping until dawn.
More info: www.budapestinfo.hu/en.
-- EVAN RAIL, Travel Times
