Did you know that just under the Buda Castle Hill there’s a complex of caves and cellars that goes for miles? A good part of it is called the Buda Castle Labyrinth, and can be visited joining one of the guided tours provided by the cultural association looking after it, Budavári Labirintus.
The labyrinth is indeed a fascinating place, and the tours don’t really take away any of the magic, as many of them take place during the night, with lanterns provided to the visitors as the only lights available.
Many passages, corridors vaults and halls are visible, all with fascinating names like The Prehistoric Labyrinth, the Shaman Passage, the Path of the Magic Deer and more. The Labyrinth is such an unreal and magic location that has also been described as one of the 7 Underground Wonders of the World.
If you’re looking for even more excitement you can book a personal tour, where you’ll go down totally on your own and in pitch dark, while if it is romance that you’re after you can book the Labyrinth of Love tour. It take place only at night, with the woman and the man going into two different paths that will eventually meet in a space with very special atmosphere. Sounds like a great place to propose!
Are you into wine? Well then from September 9th to 13th Budapest is definitely the place to be. But in case you’re not there is so much going on at the Festival that your guaranteed to have a great time.
Let’s start from the location: the stunning Buda Castle, since 1987 a UNESCO world heritage site. In the Castle terraces there are also two stages, where you can enjoy musical performances, men’s choir, folk dancing, jazz music, and more. On top of that there are also other events in various locations; at the Skanzen Museum in Szentendre you can find events like grape harvest parade, churching champagne knights, grape hunting crowd, while in the Palace of Arts in Budapest there are charity wine auction and classical music concerts. Even children will be easily entertained by the puppet theatre, the medieval playhouse, and by the childcare, where qualified attendants have the to draw, listen to stories and have delicious grapes.
Gastronomy is course strictly related to wine, so at the Festival you can spoil yourself at the Corner grill, the Potluck Farm, and the Open Air Kitchen with Mediterranean and Hungarian delicacies, including fried and grilled meats, sausages, stuffed cabbage, but also lighter snacks like scones baked on site, töki pompos (a flat bread-like pastry baked in oven), and a wide selection of sheep, goat and cow cheeses.
When it comes to the main guest of the Festival, wine, there are 170 wine distributors from Hungarian and foreign wine regions. With the entrance ticket you also get your very own crystal tasting glass, and a convenient, easy to use glass holding bag. Before the whole event there is a two days Wine University, where you can learn about traditional wine making, wine market, historical and cultural wine issues.
Whether you’re a wine aficionado or not, the Wine and Champagne Festival in Budapest guarantees to have something for you.
Having a dog is definitely part of the Hungarian culture.
In the countryside most people have a dog, and even in Budapest you’ll be surprised by the high number of people you’ll see (especially in the morning or late at night) giving their dog one of the walks of the day. Although you’ll see dogs of all kinds and shapes, it is pretty easy to spot the Hungarian (or Magyar) Vizsla, thanks also to their coat color, defined as golden-rust or copper-brown.
We’re talking about a very special, and sometimes demanding dog here. Wikipedia describes the temperament as “very high energy, gentle-mannered, loyal, caring, and highly affectionate”. They are “natural hunters with an excellent ability to take training”. If you see a Vizsla inside a home you might think it’s a potato coach; but bring it outside and you’ll realize how this is a proper hunting dog, wishing to chase most of the moving objects in sight. It is said that normally a Magyar Vizsla needs 2 to 3 hours a day of outdoor activity. That’s enough to turn every Vizsla owner into a fit person!
One interesting definition for the Vizsla found online is “velcro” dog. Vizslas are extremely affectionate and tend to attach themselves physically to their owners; as a consequence they tend to suffer of separation anxiety if left alone for long period of times, not properly looked after or stimulated. In these cases they can become hyperactive or bored (and destructive as a consequence, usually chewing everything available).
Another curious story about them is that apparently they used to be symbols of aristocracy, and were smuggled out of the country and into Austria and other states, including America, when the Russians occupied Hungary after WW2. You can find this together with 9 other Vizsla’s facts on 10facts.com.
It must be something about the curious way they point those big ears to the source any noise, or the fact that they are so playful, but it’s difficult not to stop and have some interaction with a Vizsla when you see one on the streets, and being in Hungary, that happens very often!
We went to the Budapest Zoo last week with our two daughters. When the sun is shining there isn’t a much better way to spend an afternoon with kids in Budapest.
Part of what makes the Budapest zoo so great is how different it is from zoos back home in the USA. We are used to standing 30 feet away behind a 15 foot high fence, but at the Budapest Zoo you get up close and personal with the animals. Sometimes too close…the thin sheet of plexiglass between my 2 year old and a tiger was a little too scary for her. Some of the cages are a little small and run-down, but the zoo has really cleaned up since the first time I came two years ago. Restoration on the Zsolnay ceramic tiled Elephant House turned out especially well. Speaking of elephants, this was the highlight of the day for my daughter. She is still talking about when she got to feed the elephant an apple. Again, not too many zoos will let you feed the animals, and whether or not that is a good or bad thing, let’s just say the kids love it.
Other highlights include the petting zoo (where a goat chewed off my shoelace), the Giraffe House, and the flavored cotton candy. If you’re in Budapest with kids this is a must-see.
