Budapest, also known as the “Pearl of the Danube,” is the capital of Hungary. This city straddles the Danube River and is famous for a variety of things such as striking architecture, its storied past as a former empire, thermal springs, and rich cultural heritage. Budapest used to be two different places, which was Buda and Pest. The unification of the two took place in the 1870s. Fast-forward to today, this vibrant metropolis is now a popular tourist destination with plenty to offer tourists.
It’s possible to do a day trip from Vienna or stay for just two days. However, I stayed under a week in Budapest, but I felt like I only scratched the surface. The city is also one of Hungary’s transportation hubs. I was able to do a few day trips because of the convenient train and bus connections to other cities and towns.
Getting a visa
Hungary is part of the Schengen area, meaning getting one visa from any member country grants you entry into all of them. I included Hungary in my itinerary when I got my visa through the Austrian Embassy.
If you plan on getting a Schengen visa through the Hungarian Embassy, you can apply through VFS.
It’s upon the discretion of the embassy if they’ll grant you a single-, double-, or multiple-entry visa.
Entering the country
Hungary shares land borders with several countries such as Slovakia, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, and Ukraine. The cheapest way to reach Budapest is by bus or train as part of a long trip around Europe. There are also numerous flights from other European cities to Hungary’s capital. If Hungary is your first