Tibor Zelenka our Hungarian friend who we met in Alaska and is now working in the UK very kindly provided us with a suggested tourist guide for our visit to Budapest, his home town. He recommended a visit to the Buda Hills provided that we had nice weather and we certainly did.
On another beautiful sunny, cloud free morning we jumped on the ‘green’ Metro 4 line and headed south-west to Moricz Zsigmond Korter where we were supposed to use Street Car #61. However there was a problem with the line so instead we caught a bus to a terminus where local residents kindly guided us to our desired destination namely Varosmajor Station. This entailed a fifteen minute walk adjacent to a large park area. Budapest seems to have parkland areas, gardens and avenues where ever you look.
This station is the lower terminus for the cog-railway (ABT) to the Szechenyi Hegi (hill). We couldn’t find a ticket office so we alighted the three carriage train and proceeded up the steep hill. The cog railway was built in 1874 and the 3.4 km of track passes wealthy suburban homes surrounded by many tall trees including large elms, beech, conifers and maples.
Cog Railway train, Buda Hills, Budapest
At the three quarter mark we were asked to get off the train as there was a problem with the line and a bus would now take us the remaining distance to the top.
At the top of Szechenyi Hegi we wandered along the hillcrest to the Children’s Railway Station. This narrow gauge railway line was built in 1951 by Pioneers (Socialist Scouts) and the railway is now operated and staffed entirely by school children aged 12 – 14 except for the train drivers. The children run the ticket offices, act as guards on the train and operate the line signals and flags for the eleven kilometre train journey that includes eight stations along the way.
Guard, Children's Railway train, Szechenyi -hegy, Buda Hills
Children's Railway train, Szechenyi-hegy, Buda Hills
We left the train at Janos Hegy station, the fourth stop on the line and then walked two kilometres up a steep pathway to the hilltop where we climbed the Erzsebet Lookout Tower to the highest point in the Buda Hills at 527m. The 24m tall lookout tower with 101 steps offers a fantastic panoramic view of Budapest and its surrounds.
Walking from Children's Railway train to Janos Hegy, Buda Hills
After a well earned beer we bought tickets and descended towards the city on the Libego(Chairlift) which terminated at Zugleget.
Erzsebet Kilato lookout, Buda Hills, Budapest
View of Budapest from chairlift 002, Buda Hills
A long and meandering bus ride then had us back in the city at Nyugati Metro Station on the Grand Boulevard.
We then returned to our Hotel via the Aldi Supermarket where we purchased tonic water and lemons to dilute our duty-free gin. Tonight we are to be joined by our friends from South Australia, Chris and Diana Penhall who will accompany us on our further journey into the Balkans.
In the mid to late afternoon we climbed the pathway to the Cave Church which is on the Citadel Hill just across the road from our hotel. The church was closed due to Mass being held so we started the slow long climb up Gallert Hill to the fortress which never saw battle.
Szabadsag (Liberty) Bridge from Cave Church, Budapest
VIew from Liberty Monument, Budapest
The fortress was built by the Habsburgs after the 1848-49 War of Independence to defend the city from further insurrection. The Citadella within the fortress is a U shaped structure around a central courtyard which is presently closed to the general public. Beyond the walls of the fortress is a broad walkway giving visitors elevated (231m) views across the city in both directions up and down the Danube. Our late afternoon visit meant the city was lit by a soft evening sunlight making the spectre below crystal clear and quite enchanting. On a high plinth near the fortress wall is a 14m high sculpture of a woman holding a palm frond in her outstretched arms proclaiming freedom throughout the city and the land. This so called Liberation Monument was erected in 1947 in tribute to the Soviet soldiers who died liberating Budapest from the Nazis in 1945. The names of the soldiers and some other smaller statues were subsequently removed in 1992.
Sometime after our return to the hotel we met up with Chris and Diana and after some celebratory drinks we walked around to a nearby restaurant for an evening meal. We all had a serving of the famous Halaszle (Hungarian Fishermen’s) soup which was generally well liked.
Drinks in our room at Danibius Hotel Gellert, Budapest
This has been a day of steep climbing to gain access to incredible views and despite the labours involved we all thoroughly enjoyed the travails.
After our two full days of tourist travel in and around Budapest our impression of this city is still one entailing many superlatives. Without question this is a spectacular city and we as visitors have been made to feel very welcome where ever we go!