WHERE TO
EXPLORE
Széchenyi Chain Bridge and Hungarian Parliament
In Budapest , the popular architectural
landmarks are easy to find, because they
are, well, big. Gaze up at the magnificent
neo-Renaissance dome within the iconic
St. Stephen’s Basilica and see the intricate,
turreted façade of the Hungarian Parliament
building from across the Danube. Hear the
famous story of the Széchenyi Chain Bridge
construction, marvel at the massive Baroque
Buda Castle complex and don’t skip the
obligatory visit to the fairytale terrace of
Fisherman’s Bastion — or Halászbástya —
to soak up Budapest’s most breathtaking
panoramic views.
The city boasts plenty of big tourist sites to
visit, but it isn’t all castles and cathedrals, either.
There are many other underground wonders
lurking just below the surface, literally. Beneath
Buda’s hilly landscape is a network of secret
labyrinths, hidden bunkers around 200 caves
and caverns, the longest network of caves in all
of Hungary. Ambitious spelunkers can explore
the full Pálvölgy Cave system, discovering
subterranean wonders including the remnants
of an underground harem and a chapel 30 feet
beneath the surface. Alternatively, many of the
main attractions are easily accessible from the
ground level, like the intriguing Hospital in
the Rock museum. This nuclear bunker was
equipped with generators, X-ray machines
and state-of-the-art surgical equipment
and operated as a fully staffed underground
hospital near the end of WWII.
For fantasy aficionados, descend into
Panoptikum, the labyrinth of caverns beneath
Castle Hill where Vlad Tepes — better known
as Count Dracula — was imprisoned in the
1400s, or see a church carved directly into the
rock at Gellért Hill Cave and hear the legend of
the wizard who allegedly lived there.
CO N TAC T US TO DAY TO R E CEIVE YO U R FR EE VI P AM EN I T I E S | 7