Budapest seemed like a mysterious place to me. The Soviet bloc countries were dark and foreboding on newscasts back in the day. So when I had a chance to visit Budapest, I did some homework first.

Flying into Ferenc Liszt International Airport put my new-found knowledge to the test. As the plane broke through the clouds, green hills rose up to greet us. The hills rolled on for miles until the city came into view. The broad Danube River sliced through the hills of Buda on the West and the plains of Pest on the East. The two distinct areas were laced together by several formidable bridges.

View of the Chain Bridge, crossing the Danube from Castle Hill.

That was not always the case. It began as a Celtic settlement, and became a Roman capital city, not an unusual story. Hungarians arrived in the 9th century, but it was ruled at times by the Mongols and the Ottomans. It became a world city in 1873 when Buda and Pest united and since then has seen two world wars, Soviet domination and uprisings. It now boasts 1.75 million city inhabitants with a total of 3.3 million in the metro area. Budapest is a beautiful city with rich traditions, old world charm and a modern outlook. I would go back again!

We were staying in the large Budapest Marriott Hotel fronting the Danube. It had an imposing look of functionality, but with river views from every room. The rooms were beautifully modern with a great view across to the Royal Castle, an outstanding location to base our adventure. The breakfast buffet was excellent, representing foods of many cultures, a tasty way to start a day of Hungarian exploration.

The skies were overcast when we headed out, walking through a riverside promenade with a trolley-line, restaurants and bars, bronze sculptures and lots of people. Adding about 4.4 million tourists annually to the population makes for a busy city.

We crossed the Danube on the Chain Bridge, an imposing suspension bridge with large iron chains as the support system, When we emerged on the Buda side of the river it was like being in a different city. We were at the foot of the Castle Hill, a park with steps and trails leading up to the Royal Castle and Old Buda. There was also a funicular which carried the non-trekkers up to the top of the hill. The walk was beautiful and serene. The city noise and traffic disappeared for a bit,

Matthias Fountain at Royal Castle.  Sculpture by Alajos Stróbl-1904. — Matthias Fountain at Royal Castle. Sculpture by Alajos Stróbl-1904.

When we reached the summit, the Royal Castle, a sprawling building, took center stage. It now houses the National Gallery and Budapest History Museum (closed on Mondays). No royals live there, but the garden terraces and small cafe overlooking the Danube made me feel privileged to be there. The castle was surrounded by gardens, a cafe and a distinctive fountain. Mátyás (Matthias) Fountain depicts a hunting scene with dogs and a deer. The view of the Danube from the Royal Castle is vast. It's a great place to get the "lay of the land" that is Budapest.

As we meandered toward the old town of Buda, also located on top of Castle Hill, we saw ruins of parts of the original castle, as well as a government offices in the Sándor Palace. The old town was busy, but quaint, with cobblestone streets and stone buildings

Mátyås Church on Castle Hill, old town Budapest.

Prominent on the apex of the hill is Mátyás Catholic Church. First erected in 1015, it has a history that mimics that of Budapest. Destroyed by the Mongols, rebuilt in the 13th Century, remodeled several times, used as a camp by German and Soviet forces during WWII, refurbished in the 1970's and again in the 2000's, now stands as a beauty of architecture and decor. The brightly colored diamond pattern tile roof is a modern upgrade. It is flanked by the Fisherman's Bastion, built in the 1890's. A rather romantic terrace with 7 turrets overlooking the river, it looks like a wedding photo destination.

The Castle District is home to historical intrigue also. We sought out and found the Labirintus, a deep underground tangle of dimly lit tunnels. It is rumored to have contained the holding cell of Vlad the Impaler (the inspiration for Dracula) for about 10 years. But no worries here, I visited his grave in Romania about 10 days later, so I think he's dead.

With that it's off to lunch, a stop in a coffeehouse and I'll catch up with you in 2.rész (part 2 in Hungarian).