Goodbye Budapest, Hello AmaLyra

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Before we say goodbye to Budapest and board our home on the Danube, the MS AmaLyra, we had time to intensely explore the Castle District in Buda. After a city tour by bus, I can honestly say that I understand and appreciate the differences between Buda and Pest and what awaits on each bank of the Danube.

It is completely possible to see a great deal of the city in 2 days, but as Budapest is a city of amazing museums, art galleries, spa baths, and public parks, our suggestion for anyone coming here is to spend a bit of time at the fabulous website run by Budapest's Tourist Office: budapestinfo.hu is one of those rare travel sites that is easy to use, has all the info you can possible need, and is well laid out. Definitely use it as a resource when making travel plans for the city and how to spend your time. Franz Liszt's city is also a gem of concert halls and live performances - why not try to see one?

This is also a city that offers a comprehensive and valuable City Card program. More than a simply vanity card that some cities offer, the Budapest Card covers the extensive network of public transportation to allow you to easily move throughout the city and to both sides of the river, several museums, 2 tours, and discounts and rebates at hundreds of other sites. They offer 1,2 & 3 day cards which work on a 24 hour basis. The website can tell you more.

After yet another fantastic lunch at 21 , we walked every street and alleyway of the Castle District. We also found a very special restaurant we would like to return to next October - Halászbástya Èterem in the Fisherman's Bastion. This place looked amazing and has fantastic reviews; overlooking the river and the Parliament Building to the Pest side, we know it will be one of our highlights next year! We also want to visit the Gellért Spa and swim in the thermal baths!

As I love doors and balconies, the medieval flair of Buda kept my camera busy. I love to imagine what lies behind each door and the more ornate the better. We must have looked in every shop, courtyard and cafe in Buda and we came away thinking what an amazing place regardless of the time of year - but I think the crowds in the summer might make me a little uneasy. I look forward to coming back here next October for the Golden Fall when all the trees will be changing! One discovery we enjoyed very much was the Koller Gallery and Sculpture museum - the house had one of my favorite features, a secret garden!

So now we must say farewell to this beautiful city and head to the Sofitel where we'll meet our cruise hosts and fellow guests. We can't wait to see what the MS AmaLyra holds for us! Unfortunately, the Danube is very low and the ship can't reach us in Budapest. Ama contacted us to let us know that they arranged special transfers and that we should meet them in the Sofitel. It will be interesting to see how this all works out!

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