Budapest help needed please

mb3006

My brothers, sister and I are sending my parents to Budapest for 5 nights in the middle of April to celebrate both their 65th birthdays this year. They are both fit and active and like to walk.

Can anyone suggest excursions/places to go and see/good places to eat please as I have never been there before and haven't got a clue.

Thanks in advance.

loobyloo2

Love this city, lots to do, and reasonably priced too.
They can buy a Budacard at the airport which enables you to travel on the buses trains and trams, and discounted entry to most things.
What to do there, well, the thermal pools are a must. The Gelert Hotel has some of the best pools to visit, as are the pools next to the zoo (I forget the name), the zoo is lovely, labyrinths and Gelert hill, there are some great caves just ouside the centre which you can take a bus to, Communist park, another bus ride out of town, with all the old statues from the communist days. Margeret Island is lovely for a stroll and a rest in a cafe. A boat trip down the Danube, you can go to Bratislava or even Vienna on them. It is a lovely friendly city with alot of history, I'm sure they will really enjoy it.

mb3006

Thanks very much Loobyloo, that is really helpful. Is there anywhere you could recommend that is good (and not too expensive/fussy...they aren't real foodies and nouvelle cuisine would be lost on Dad!) to eat?

loobyloo2

Must admit my first 2 trips were for dental treatment, so I only managed to eat in the hotel, though both hotels did amazing buffet breakfasts that if you filled up on, you wouldn't need any lunch.
Subsequent visits I stayed in an apartment, so just ate snacks out, then cooked for myself in the evening.
There is a lovely indoor market, just over the chain bridge from the Gellert hotel, worth a visit as it has such beautiful stalls, and there are cafes upstairs which are always very busy, sausages and paprika seem to play a big part of their local menus.
There are lots of restaurants around with boards displaying the prices, and from what I recall, not overly expensive.
Goulash soup is lovely if you have to waste an hour in the airport restaurant.
Coffees by the river tend to be very expensive, so be warned.
Sorry I can't give much more help re food, but they will have alot of choice over there, and it is an 'easy' city to stay in.

xinran

We went to Budapest for the first time last year. I cannot recommend these free walking tours highly enough: http://www.triptobudapest.hu/
We started our trip with the 10:30 morning tour - a moderately active 2 1/2 hour tour of the city, led by two locals, who gave us a candid, honest and very entertaining introduction to the city.
They also suggested what to do during the remainder of our stay, where to shop and eat, and most importantly how to avoid the tourist traps. They were very happy to answer questions and seemed genuinely interested in the people in the group.
Although the guides rely on tips, there is no pressure to give anything – it is only mentioned at the end, and is very gratefully received.
As your parents are fit and active and like to walk, I think it's an ideal way to get their bearings at the start of their trip.
Have a look at the no1 "Things to do in Budapest" on Tripadvisor: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g274887-d1566303-Reviews-Free_Budapest_Walking_Tours-Budapest.html

mb3006

Thanks Xinran, that is a great help