Let everyone else go to Prague. European travel specialist Rick Steves recommends Hungary’s capital, a cosmopolitan, complex city.
Most Americans choose Prague as their first foray into Eastern Europe, but the true powerhouse of the region is Budapest, capital of Hungary. Budapest can be challenging and complicated — but it’s a cosmopolitan place of unexpected elegance, fascinating and rewarding.
Sprawling across the banks of the Danube River, the city is really two towns in one. The west side is stately Buda, with its Castle Hill and remnants of Hungary’s glory days. On the flats across the river is Pest, with prickly-spired buildings and the commercial town center.