http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33663 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33663 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33002 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33002 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31386 This traditional 'vendeglo' or local, family-run eaterie, dates back to 1948 and has been renovated to keep all the original features such as the wine bar in the cellar where you can see the cave walls (Buda Hill is almost hollow and riddled with caves and passages).
Diners enjoy Hungarian home cooking on red checked tablecloths and, while munching, admire the Pest Buda carpets; vignettes of old Budapest life which have been scanned in and made into wallpaper.
One of the favourites on the menu is 'kenyer langos' (a kind of 'bread flamed doughnut') advertised as Hungarian pizza and a substantial lunch of oven baked dough with Magyar toppings of sausage and lecso (ratatouille), duck breast and spinach or tomato and tangy sheep's cheese.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31386 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31385 The name 'Rosa' is not for nothing: the scoops for the cornets are artfully fashioned to resemble a blooming rose!
It might seem a bit kitsch, but actually it is beautifully done and the ice cream flavours are imaginative with such gorgeous creations as poppyseed (a Hungarian dessert favourite), lemon and basil, an authentic banana (usually a tricky ice to get right), and rich, dark chocolate.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31385 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31384 It's connected to the fashionable Tigris restaurant and the class just oozes from every angle: from the sleek, chic, minimalist decor that lets full attention focus on the beautiful young things posing elegantly on low pinewood stools, to the endless list of wines and tasty, but pricey, nibbles, chalked up on the large blackboards above the bar.
The borbar (winebar) highlights 26 talented young Hungarian winemakers and a different winemaker is featured every week.
When I visited on opening night at the end of May, the winemaker to watch out for was Csaba Miklos and the coolest drink was a sparkling rose called Frici from the Gere vineyards. Refreshing, innovative and very, very hip. Just like DiVino.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31384 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30931 Tip 2: Book three weeks off work.
Tip 3: Use internet auction site to buy a cheap diesel estate.
Tip 4: Buy ferry crossing.
Tip 5: Pack car, include a tent.
Tip 6: Set off and plan where to go when you get on the ferry.
Tip 7: Don't make the first leg of your journey Leeds to Berlin - it's too far.
Tip 8: Head as far east as you can, if a country's not in the Euro then it will be cheaper.
Tip 9: Going to the various major cities along the danube is a good idea, Prague, Krakow and Budapest all have camp sites reasonably close to the city centre.
Tip 10: make sure you've got an extra couple of days off work when you get back, you'll need a break after the driving.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30931 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30187 During the warmer spring and summer months, the square is packed with beautiful people and tourists sitting in the bars, cafes and restaurants and filling the terrace areas. You can do this in winter too, as all the cafes have huge heaters. Every kind of cuisine, cocktail and coffee is served here from pizza at Pompeii to retro Magyar dishes at Menza to French style at Cafe Vian to Cuban at Buena Vista cafe. There's also an Incognito jazz cafe, Karma restaurant for good vibes and a late night drinking den at Mediterran.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30187 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30186 Budapest Airport has two main terminals: Terminal 1 (closer to the centre in an older, original building) serves all low-cost carriers.
Terminal 2 is further away from the city, in the village of Vecses, and divided into 2A, with flights to/from Schengen countries and 2B, serving all non-Schengen destinations, such as the USA.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30186 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30030 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30030 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30029 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30029 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30028 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30028 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30012 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30012 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30009 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30009 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30008 Named after Gyula Krúdy's book The Red Post Coach the whole restaurant oozes the turn-of-the-twentieth century atmosphere of the book.
The eclectic building was built in 1876 and housed a coffee house at one time. Since 1970 it has housed the Vörös Postakocsi where a mixture of authentic and modern Hungarian cuisine is served.
Traditionally heavy dishes are rendered light, courtesy of organic meat, dairy products and vegetables.
The menu offers several game and vegetarian options. The restaurant's wide selection of modern Hungarian wines is a treat for all. There is also an extensive range of pálinka.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30008 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30007 Great news!
This modern bazaar is located in the unique architectural gem, the Gozsdu udvar (courtyard passageway between Kiraly utca and Dob utca in the heart of Pest's Jewish quarter).
Unique antiques, gifts, gastronomy, performances. Try Hungarian palinka (fruit brandy) or fine local wines.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30007 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30005 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30005 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29792 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29792 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29654
The market is a three-storey structure, supported with slender metal columns. Even today the market is used by the people of the city for daily necessities such as vegetables, meat and fish. It is also a tourist mecca with lots of traditional salami and paprika on sale. The basement holds a supermarket for convenience shopping.

The sights and smells of this market are unforgettable, but it's setting is the cherry on the cake.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29654 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29144 The Gellert Baths though are revered by many and their grandeur means they are the most iconic in the city. The image that stands out for me though is not the still blue waters flagged by magnificent pillars, but that of the outdoor pool and it's wave machine.
The turbines that drive this gear up every hour and their force is one unrivaled in any "no bombing, no ducking" swimming pool. A classic example of their power was seen in Micheal Palin's New Europe series when he is standing in the shallows of the pool doing a piece to camera and he is literally floored by the wave that comes his way. You barely have enough time to stand up before the next wave comes crashing in. Great fun!
Where the Gellert Baths rule supreme though is in mid-August when thousands of people descend on Budapest to enjoy the Sziget Festival. This isn't a weekend affair, but a week of camping on Sziget Island in the middle of the Danube and enjoying music and entertainment on twenty stages. Festival-goers might be able to get away with not showering for a few days, but when you're camping for a week and the shower queues as they always are at festivals, the Gellert is the best way to spend your day before the bands start.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29144 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/28731 2) Hire a car and drive to Eger, for its history and wine making region and Debrecen for it's beautiful buildings and restaurants.
3) Towns around the Balaton, such as Heviz, have natural thermal outdoor baths. Well worth a visit.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/28731