When you think of the most romantic capitals of Europe places like Vienna, Paris and even Rome come to mind. We want to add one under-discovered capital of love….Budapest, Hungary. Straddling the blue Danube, this former eastern bloc country offers lovers wonderful vistas, inviting hospitality and delectable cuisine. Budapest is often called the Paris of the east. We would agree! Here is our list for lovers:
Love locks
Our first stop in our quest for all things romantic in Budapest is making a love lock. The Couples declare their love with inscribed love locks. Simply write your names on the lock and walk hand in hand across the Danube and toss the key into the river…then seal the ceremony with a kiss. Love Lock Park is located at Erzsebet Square not far from the Chain Bridge along the Danube. According to tradition, a love that is locked in Budapest will never fade! So far so good!
Budapest Love Locks
Budapest’s Thermal Baths
Lets heat things up a little! Dotted across the entire city of Budapest are wonderful geothermal hot springs. Budapest’s spas and baths are truly world class. One of the Fighting Couple’s favorites is the Szechenyi Baths Budapest. It is the largest medicinal bath in all of Europe. The prices are responsible. They allow both sexes to bathe together( not all baths allow this…). Szechenyi offers a wide selection of different pools for your choosing. Each has a different mineral content as well as temperature. The baths offer a wonderful dessert after hiking the hills of Budapest all day. Sitting in the outdoor pools sneak a quick kiss in the wafting steam.
Szechenyi Bath
Fisherman’s Bastion
Located just across the Danube from the parliament, the Fisherman’s Bastion offers romantic views of the Danube. Built in the 19th century, the wonderful castle like structure has 7 turrets representing the seven tribes that founded modern day Hungary. Yes, it does resemble the castle of Walt Disneyland. The entire area is well lit and is open to visitors year round day and night. An evening stroll…hand in hand… along the bastions ramparts is the perfect setting for capturing a kiss.
Fisherman’s Bastion
Four Seasons Budapest
Even if you don’t have the cash to stay the night, grab dessert at the Four Seasons Budapest. Perched at the end of the chain bridge, this historic hotel’s vantage point of the Danube and the castle are impressive. We would recommend the national dessert of Hungary: Poppy Seed Apple Cake. The hotel is a perfect place to watch the sun set over the Buda hills.
Stroll down a Parisian lane
A little known secret of Budapest is that is has a Parisian flair. The tree lined boulevards almost make you forget where you are! The streets of Budapest are very walkable. Small pastry and coffee shops call out to star-crossed lovers. Hand holding with your loved one along one of these thoroughfares is nothing short of magical.
Looking for advice on Three Days in Budapest?
Budapest’s Opera House
How about stealing a kiss during intermission at one of the most historic opera houses in Eastern Europe? Housed in the neo-Renaissance style masterpiece, the Hungarian Opera is one of the finest in the world. According to the results of testing done in the mid 1970s by a group of international engineers the opera house has the 3rd best acoustics in Europe after La Scala in Milan, Italy and the Grand Palais Garnier in Paris! Impressive! The opera offers a mix of contemporary and classical offerings. An evening at the Budapest Opera is not to be missed.
View from the Fisherman’s Bastion
Danube cruise
We have saved the best for last. Take a candle light dinner cruise along the Danube River. How can you top that? There are a handful of operators that can arrange for your cruise. Some offer high end 7 course meals. Others have more a party atmosphere with live music and dancing. The choice is yours. As you boat past the city line of Budapest, you will agree, this is one of the most romantic cities in the world.
How did we do? Would you add any romantic locations to our list? Budapest is truly the best place to kiss!
We are Mike and Luci.
Cute :) I love the old world charm!
so true. We loved old Budapest.
Those look like some nice places to kiss. The architecture is beautiful. I hope I can visit Budapest soon.
Suki-You will absolutely love it. Such a great city to explore.