Rather than simply smash up Budapest's Communist statues after the Fall of Communism, the ingenious solution was to round them all up and give them a new lease of life by creating a statue theme park in the outlying district XXII. The rather drab setting of the park just off a main road out of town seems to reflect something of the Communist era and gives the giant statues an air of poignancy. A nice ironic twist is the on-site souvenir shop selling Communist era memorabilia at capitalist prices.
To get there from Deak ter in the city centre take either a tram No 49 or a red-numbered bus no 7 to the bus station at Etele ter, then switch to a yellow Volanbusz leaving from stop No 7 or 8. There's also a direct shuttle bus from Deak ter
The bus from Deak Ter charges fairly capitalist prices too - and leaves you at the park longer than necessary (all the more time to spend money at the gift shop). I got the Volanbusz from Etele Ter, which is easy to get to. Two things to note once you're at Etele Ter - you need to buy your ticket from the bus office, not on the bus itself. Secondly, not all buses from stops 7 & 8 pass the park, as I found to my cost! It was only a kilometre or so from where I ended up, but I wasn't the only one to make the mistake, so check when boarding.
It's a devil to get to by public transport, so consider taking a taxi. The direct bus is very expensive and it´s certainly cheaper to taxi it there if there are two or more of you. City Taxi is one of the firms that have English-speaking operators and are reliable. (061) 2111 111. There are other good taxi firms, I´m sure, but I´ve never used them.
Volanbusz do not accept the Budapest city travelcard. Look for their well- signposted booking office at Etele Ter and buy a return ticket before boarding.Send your feedback or queries to been.there@guardian.co.uk
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