If you've done the Budapest basics, you should absolutely take an afternoon and visit Bela Bartok's house museum in the Buda Hills. This is a hymn of praise not only to the conductor, but his passion for Hungarian folk culture.

Among the highlights: his oversized, primitive recording device which he dragged all over historic Hungary, having local residents sing their songs into it, and his furniture, most of which is handmade from various parts of Transylvania. The ladies who staff the museum can give you a tour in English and are very nice and accommodating.

While you are there, make sure you walk through the Napraforgo ut. housing estate, built in 1931 to house refugees from areas cut off from Hungary by the Treaty of Trianon. Architecture fans will delight in the display of creativity there, from Bauhaus to Arts and Crafts. Unfortunately, rich Buda residents are now buying all of them out and restoring them according to their own tastes, so the results of that could harm the ensemble, but you should go there anyway.

This is a great doubleheader excursion well off the well-trodden tourist paths.

It's best to go to Ferenciek Tere (metro blue line), look for restaurant Karpatia and wait for bus #5 just outside there. You go to the end of the line, i.e. Pasareti Ter, and look for the signs. The way to both is actually marked.

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This website is about the real Budapest, and gives very interesting background details about the history, culture and architecture of this beautiful capital which is slowly losing some of its unique features (old presszo bars, neon signs, dingy borozos) as it changes into a modern European metropolis. Written by a Hungarian speaker, the articles featured go behind the facade and into much more detail than a guide book could manage.
It has a wealth of information for people who really love Budapest and want to know the city better.
Check out the recent story on the Trabants - really interesting!

disappearingbudapest.blogspot.com

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A huge and elaborately decorated church in the centre of the city. Worth going for the views from the dome - there is a lift, ticket office just opposite as you go in.

You can also see the mummified hand of St Stephen and illuminate it by putting a 100 forint coin in the handy slot.

www.basilica.hu/

V. Szent István tér 33
Metro Arany Janos utca

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If you're bathing in Budapest, it doesn't get any better than the beautiful bath house at Szechenyi Furdo. Exquisite baroque architecture, wonderful selection of hot and cold pools, steam rooms and a well stocked cafe for those who fancy a beer and a game of chess.

Worth a visit anytime of the year. Were it not for corpulent 50-something Hungarians wearing nothing but Speedos, this could possibly be my favourite place in the whole world.

A five minute walk from Szechenyi Furdo on the Budapest underground

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