BLACKBOOK The hilltop
BLACKBOOK The hilltop Fisherman’s Bastion, and parliament beyond, as seen from the Hilton Budapest Salmon steak with roasted vegetables in white-wine butter sauce at Émile ON LOCATION Buda vs Pest Separated by the blue Danube, the two former rivals have been united since 1873, but they still maintain two distinct personalities. CLAUDIA ROELKE compares and contrasts the two sides BUDA STAY Set on the site of a 13th-century monastery, the Hilton Budapest (hilton.com) holds court just steps away from the city’s favourite lookout point: the white-turreted Fisherman’s Bastion on the eastern flank of Castle Hill. Classic, clean-lined and sleek in Traditional ceramics in the below-ground museum at Urban Betyár execution, the 41-yearold hostelry exudes an air of contemporary elegance, thanks in part to an ongoing refit by London design firm Goddard Littlefair. From its 322 immaculate rooms and suites – be sure to ask for one with a panoramic view of the Danube and Pest’s waterfront Parliament – to the faultless Hungarian fusion fare and superlative wine list at the Icon restaurant, it’s a place that befits the majestic backdrop. DRINK With a cool glass of Tokaj wine in hand, the hustle and bustle of Pest suddenly feels very, very far away. Epicurean wine bar Zona (zonabudapest.com) may be one of Buda’s most romantic, offering a substantial by-the-glass selection of handcrafted local wines and international vintages, a daily changing locavore menu and live piano music, all enjoyed in a design-savvy space lit up by dozens of glowing gold orbs and the lights of the Chain Bridge ahead. If you blink, it’d be easy to overlook the bijou Palack (palackborbar. hu), where a laidback, convivial mood is served up alongside an intoxicating chalkboard menu of wines from across Hungary. DO Thermal baths are a national pastime in Hungary, a practice which dates to the Roman and later the Ottoman rule. With its stoic marble columns, stained-glass windows and intricate mosaics, the Art Noveau Gellért (gellertbath.com) is the obvious choice, if only for its aesthetic appeal. Another stunner, Rudas (rudasbaths.com), was built by a Turkish Pasha in 1550 and has been thoroughly modernised. The main spa may be a bit too clinical for some, but its domed rooftop tub, which affords panoramic city views, is a stellar spot to soak up the city’s soothing waters, which, rich in calcium and sulphate, are said to alleviate all manner of medical conditions. EAT Before catching the nearby funicular up Castle Hill, feast on a lunch of sorrel-stuffed ravioli or saffron foie gras risotto, crowned by a dessert of poppy-seed tiramisu at the stylish Bárkert Bistro (barkert. hu) in the freshly restored Várkert Bazár garden complex. For an intimate meal away from it all, cab it to Émile (emile.hu), a fine-dining oasis set in a 1920s villa in the leafy neighbourhood of Pasarét. Have a seat on plush armchairs in the charming first and second floors (designed by Zoltán Varró of Aria Hotel fame) or relax on its cabana-lined terrace, perhaps the best place to savour chef Ágnes Tóth’s eloquent cuisine (such as fried brisket with duck liver or baked aubergine terrine with mangalica ham) not to mention delicate signature cakes (try the Émile 17 with white peach cream, cocoa bean crisp and pomegranate jelly). PEST STAY When it comes to bedding down, a pair of concept hotels steal the show. On buzzy Ferenciek Tere, the dark, brooding and undeniably sexy Buddha-Bar Hotel (buddhabarhotel.hu) boasts all the flamboyant drama of Puccini opera, thanks to its red-andblack, Asia-inflected interiors, a theme visible throughout its 102 rooms, Lebanese restaurant and the vibrant see-and-be-seen lounge. Not far away, music is the reigning leitmotif at the Aria Hotel (ariahotel budapest.com), a beauty of a bolthole festooned with eclectic artwork – CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: © HILTON BUDAPEST, GERGO KAPAS, BALINT JAKSA 30 DEPARTURES-INTERNATIONAL.COM
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: © RUDAS BATH, © DEAR BUDAPEST, © ONYX, © BUDDHA BAR HOTEL, © GOZSDU COURT inspired by everyone from Mozart to Michael Jackson – and plush furniture in eyepopping colours. Its 48 bright (and tech-savvy) rooms, an indulgent spa area as well as a swish rooftop bar ensure a harmonious experience that’s truly a note above the rest. DO Forego the crowds on Váci, Pest’s main shopping drag, and make a beeline for the Seventh District. The city’s Jewish neighbourhood has recently morphed into an adult’s playground stuffed to the gills with offbeat boutiques, contemporary art galleries and old-timey barbershops. Nosh on delicious street grub at the food-truck park Karaván, or head to Gozsdu Court (gozsduudvar. hu) where myriad rollicking bistro bars, an arcade and even a drop-in escape room await. Culture vultures will want to check out the Dohány Street Synagogue, Europe’s largest, as well as the Raoul Wallenberg Holocaust Memorial Park, dedicated to the Swedish diplomat who rescued tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews during World War Two. EAT For a midday snack, head for Dear Budapest (dearbudapest.hu), where each open-faced, Danish-style sandwich is a miniature masterpiece by local Michelin-starred toque Olivér Heiszler. Rye bread is a tasty base for an unlikely combination of ingredients – from duck liver with grape and mango mustard to sturgeon paired with peanut butter – that pack a serious flavour punch. Sample inventive renditions of Hungarian classics like the divine cream veal paprikás at Urban Betyár (urbanbetyar. com); afterwards, check out the basement folk museum. A certain French tyre company favours Onyx (onyxrestaurant.hu), where new-wave Magyar fare – on full display in the six-course Hungarian Evolution Menu – is complemented by a glamorous interior with imposing velvet curtains, cushioned walls and dipping chandeliers. DRINK So-called “ruin bars” – chaotic pubs set in derelict buildings – have for some time now topped off city-break itineraries in the city. Leading the pack is Szimpla (szimpla.hu), a three-storey space on Kazinczy utca overflowing with unusual curios, including an old Trabant. Alternatively, the creative cocktails at the Kempinski’s Blue Fox (bluefoxthebar.com) include cryptic creations – like the mescal-spiked Oblivion or the gin, lavender and Bergamot ash Immortality – which come in rock bowls, spiked tumblers and even bags. St Andrea (standreaborbar.hu), meanwhile, is a superlative rooftop perch for wines from Eger, handsome cocktails (try the tequila-infused La Mano de la Muerta) and excellent rations to accompany the drinks and the view. ♦ The 36°C rooftop soaking tub at the Rudas Baths The buzzy scene at Gozsdu Court The Buddha-Bar Hotel’s opulent interior Dear Budapest’s pint-sized sandwiches András Pető, Onyx’s sous-chef CONTACT PLATINUM CARD SERVICE FOR BOOKINGS DEPARTURES-INTERNATIONAL.COM 31
