Budapest, At Night

Budapest became one city in 1873 when Buda, Pest and Obuda joined together on the banks of the Danube river. These days it is famous for its numerous natural hot springs, which is why people call it the "City of Spas". The city also mixes old castles, colorful Art Nouveau houses and many other grand buildings, giving the city a unique and memorable look. All this I want to see with my own eyes.

Early in the morning I had to catch the train, which delivered me to Budapest only in 7 hours.

Budapest Nyugati is one of the three main train stations in Budapest and one of the most beautiful. It was designed in the late 1800s by the Eiffel Company - the same firm behind the Eiffel Tower - so the building has a striking iron-and-glass facade. Nyugati is a major hub for domestic and international trains, and it is also right next to a busy shopping area and the WestEnd City Center mall.

My apartment is located just in 7 minutes of walking from the Nyugati station. Very convenient!

Unfortunately, after such a long trip and early waking up I felt dramatically tired, so I decided to have a power nap, and only after that to get out to observe the surroundings.

At first glance the night city looked majestic, but a bit scary. Still, my first destination point is the restaurant, which I found in the recommendations from my host. 

Goulash, some Hungarian specialties, one glass of wine and water. All in all I paid around 35 euro. To my surprise, the tips were automatically added. But the service was very friendly and I loved the vibe of the place. 

The weather is a bit warmer than in Prague. So, it was comfortable to walk along the night streets.

First of all, I wanted to see was the famous Chain Bridge. I do not know why, but the pictures with this bridge always came to my mind when I was imagining Budapest.

In fact, The Chain Bridge was the first permanent bridge connecting Buda and Pest, opened in 1849. Its massive iron chains were considered an engineering marvel at the time, and the bridge was designed by the Scottish engineer William Tierney Clark. At night, the bridge is beautifully illuminated, and its stone lions at each end have become iconic guardians of the city.

Moreover, there is a nice view on the building of Parliament from the bridge.

Now I am on the other river bank. And I decided to continue my walking to another significant spot. It is Castle Hill, where located the Buda Castle, which was once the residence of Hungarian kings.

The castle sits roughly 70–80 metres above the river level. And across the water, you would see the Hungarian Parliament Building, which dominates the skyline with its ornate neo-Gothic design.

It was a quite long night strolling, but it is absolutely worth seeing Budapest at night, when all landmarks are magically illuminated and the city feels calm and easy to explore. The riverfront, bridges and squares look especially clear and impressive under the lights.

But tomorrow I want to see the city at daylight and maybe I will visit some spa places as well.

Bad Schandau

I love saunas and everything which is connected with water. And if it is mineral water from hot springs, it may really help to relax and somehow heal the body and soul. In Czechia (and far behind Czechia) we all know about Karlovy vary, but I have been there so many times already. So, I want to experience something new...

In Germany they have Baden-Baden, and one day I would love to try this resort as well, but it is quite far away with several changes by train from Prague. However, a few times I have occasionally met on the Internet some information about Bad Schandau, a spa resort, also located in Germany. And it is only 2 hours by train. Why not to give it a try?!

I booked the direct train from Prague to Bad Schandau and decided to spend some hours in the German resort.

The train was delaying already for more than one hour. I was very disappointed with Cesky Drahy, literally I was so furious at that moment. But the right decision was to find another route to my desired destination point. So, two trains with a stop in Delcin. To my surprise, the transfer was very smooth and fast. Moreover, the second train, which is kind of a local train, was very comfortable and with huge windows, through which I could enjoy the picturesque landscapes on my way through "Bohemian-Saxon Switzerland".

Finally, I am in Bad Schandau railway station. Unfortunately, the city centre is quite far. And there are three ways to get there - ferry, bus and on foot. Of course, I decided to walk (it is about 3 kilometres), because I could make some pictures on my way and also to observe the surroundings. Still, I expect that ferry trip could be also a nice experience.

Bad Schandau was first mentioned in documents in the 14th century, and it developed as a trading point along the Elbe. Its rise as a spa town began in the 18th and 19th centuries, when mineral springs and early wellness facilities were established. For sure, it is much smaller than Karlovy Vary, but here they can offer view on the hills, a nice 1km promenade along the river, beautiful villas and peaceful atmosphere.

A notable landmark in Bad Schandau is the steel elevator to Ostrau, opened in 1904, which leads up to the hilltop district above the river. Definitely, I should try it when visiting the town next time. But today I am heading to another remarkable place.

I came to Bad Schandau primarily because of Toskana Therme, a large thermal bath and wellness complex located right by the river.

Toskana Therme has about 1830 m2 of bath area, including indoor and outdoor pools, a current channel, whirlpools and of course a children’s pool. The spa also includes a rich sauna world (with laconium, herb saunas and panoramic sauna) and wellness park with different therapeutic treatments.

The 4 hours entrance cost me 29 euro. And I think it is a fair price for such facilities. I also had to rent the towel for 7 euro (plus 10 euro returnable deposit), but it is also allowed to have your own towel (and most people bring it with them).

What could be my conclusion about this short spa trip? Definitely, I want to repeat it, and not only because of the Therme. I would love to observe more of the town and its neighborhood, and of course to go hiking. And in summer, I believe, it will be fantastic. Not sure, if I would like to stay here for a night, but coming early in the morning and leaving late at the evening is the perfect plan.