A day out for the kids in Budapest
City breaks are great for a cultural and historic revitalizing holiday, but what about if you have kids? A museum or gallery would be fine in small doses, with the reward of a treat. So what about a whole day focusing on what your children like to do? Here are some suggestions to fill a morning or afternoon, or if you are adventurous, a whole day.
The Budapest Zoo and Botanic gardens (Fõvárosi Állat - és Növénykert)
The Budapest Zoo started out as a spectacular collection and exhibition of animals, one of the few in Europe at the late 19th century. Donations of money and animals were received from all over Europe, making the Zoo a famous and popular place in Hungary as well as on the whole continent. Barely avoiding bankruptcy during the early part of the 20th, the Zoo slowly recovered, and aims to become the very institute it founded on. Nowadays, the Zoo has a more animal-centered policy than ever before. Most of the income is spent on improving the conditions for the animals and the experience of the visitors. Lately, the Budapest Zoo managed to renovate and re-open the Palm House along with the Aquarium in the basement, and the Elephant House, attractions that no family should miss.
Designed by the Hungarian architects du jour circa in 1865, one of the more striking features at the zoo is the Art Nouveau building that is home to a few of the animals. The attractions include the Palm House (a rain-forest habitat for tropical animals), and the blue domed elephants' house. To help fund the breeding program for endangered species, you can adopt an animal.
To help entertain the kids there is the added attraction of a soft-play next door to the zoo, just in case the weather is less than clement.
Budapest Circus
Opened in 1891 the Budapest Circus was the first and only permanent circus in Europe. Even through many changes in ownership and years of turmoil, it managed to maintain its popularity. Although the splendour of the Budapest Circus is faded as entertainment technology improves, it still offers enjoyable, unique live shows of acrobatics and performances of foreign troupes. The Circus also tries to maintain the traditions of the Hungarian Circus. Many artists trained in the Budapest Circus are now famous all over the world as performers as well as inventors of new attractions.
This can be a great place to spend an evening, pop-corn, fizzy drinks, entertainment, it's not bad for adults either!
A Walk in Margit Sziget (Margaret Island)
Arguably the city’s most beautiful park is an island. If you are not looking at anything in particular, unquestionably, this is one of the best things to do in Budapest. It is always quiet and, oddly, there are not too many people around. (Or perhaps the Park is too big.) The air is refreshing here, unlike in most places in the city.
Access to the island is via the seven-buttress Margaret Bridge. Opened in 1876 and built to a French design this became Budapest’s second permanent crossing over the Danube. After the Mongol invasion it became home for several monastic orders; it was at that time known as the Island of Hares, and only later assumed its current name in honour of the daughter of King Béla IV. His Margaret joined the Dominican nuns in their new convent in 1252, and remained there until her death.
Amongst its imperial trees and grounds you can find the capital’s largest open-air leisure pool, an outdoor theatre, and two spa hotels and a mini zoo. A very popular way of getting around it is by hiring a “bringóhintó” family cycle car. Circling the island is a running track, a favourite place to go for a jog if you're in search of clean-air. The north end of the island is connected by Árpád Bridge to both Buda and Pest.
Definitely a place to relax, take in some fresh air and burn off a few of those cream cake calories.
Széchenyi baths
Surrounded by statues of dolphins and aquatic gods, the main three grand outdoor pools include one where jet propelled water swirls you around in a circle. There is a central, cooler swimming pool and the hottest one where regulars (season ticket holders) play chess around the sides of the pool. The naturally heated water makes this a venue for all seasons. Imagine being jet propelled around an outdoor whirlpool in the middle of winter, surrounded by a snow covered Neo Baroque palace. It's definitely different.
Located in the middle of the City Park, across from the zoo, Széchenyi Bath house is one of the largest and most well-known baths in Budapest. Although built in 1913, the vast domed bathhouse looks like some kind of aquatic palace, housing numerous pools as well as saunas and steam-baths. If you come to Budapest and want to enjoy the famous baths of the city, the Széchenyi Thermal Bath would be one of your choices. The other must see spa baths would be the Gellért Bath and the Rudas Bath.
The bath house is always full of people. In recent years, as the cost of the experience keeps escalating, there percentage of foreigners is also increasing. There is a complicated system where you buy a ticket and then receive back some of it, depending on how much time you spent in the baths. This makes tickets seem more costly than they actually are.
Skating (Korcsolya) or Boating in City Park (Városliget)
All year round the man made lake expanding from the Budapest Zoo right across to the Vajdahunyad castle is in use. In the summer you can row around with friends in a rented boat enjoying the sunshine. In the winter, part of the lake is turned into an ice rink where hundreds of Budapest locals go to skate, circling the night away. Especially popular at night, the biggest crowds amass here at the rink.
Maybe because of its size and age the ice rink in Városliget is the most famous for skating. For the past few years, however, they have been a few others popping up in other areas of the city. Now for example, there is one right in front of the Parliament - I'm sure there is a politician slip-up gag there somewhere! Another one is on a roof top by the Westend Shopping center.
The whole area around the city park is especially kid friendly. Surrounding the many small playgrounds are many temping stalls to buy treats and souvenirs. If you want to mix in a little education with the trip try the Museum of Agriculture found within the Castle Vajdahunyad. Covering many fields of history and development of Hungarian agriculture the exhibition includes plants, animals, forestry, fishing, the history of wine, amongst others.
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