Budapest

This feature was published in Royal Jordanian Airline's in-flight magazine, Royal Wings.

Staying over
Short stay guests craving the convenience of inner city life will find the deluxe, fashionable apartment suites at MaMaison Residence Izabella in close proximity to the classy Andrássy boulevard. If you desire fantastic views of the Danube, Hotel Victoria in quiet Buda will be more to your taste (higher floors recommended).

Eating out
The Jewish quarter is always a good place to start. Fülemüle has reasonably-priced, authentic Hungarian dishes, Café Bouchon offers international flavours in an informal setting (cash only) whilst Buena Vista boasts a café, pub and fine dining restaurant with a summer terrace.

What to do
Looking for an unusual excursion? The 1200m Castle Labyrinth should do the trick. Not for small children or claustrophobics (opt for the lamplight tour). To unwind, a dip at the Gellért Baths & Spa is the perfect relaxation antidote. Classic marble, mosaics, saunas, hot springs and outdoor pools for all.

Shopping
Király Street is the capital’s most promising area for boutique shopping and the best of the bunch is Latomas which specialises in edgy fashion for women (Hungarian designed). Budapest is also home to many delicious ‘cukraszdas’, or pastry shops, and Gresham Kávéház at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace Hotel is simply the most elegant.

What to Read
Experience the lighter side of the Soviet occupation with the bizarre One Minute Stories by István Örkény, a series of succinct, anecdotal novellas. Adversely, Imre Kertész's Fateless, winner of the 2002 Nobel prize for literature, is the tale of a young, Jewish Hungarian in Auschwitz.