4 Hidden Gems of Budapest
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Gergely Garaami
Gergely Garami is a Budapest airport shuttle driver for Shuttle Direct. They provide pre-booked shuttles to major destinations all over Europe. Wherever you travel, Shuttle Direct can make sure that you don’t miss your car on your holiday abroad. By Gergely Garaami
Published on 19th September, 2009
As a Budapest airport shuttle driver, I know the city like the back of my hands - from the hidden back routes to the more interesting places, that tourists never fail to ask me about on their Budapest airport transfers back home Here are 4 of my favourite attractions that should not be missed when visiting Budapest
As a Budapest airport shuttle driver, I know the city like the back of my hands - from the hidden back routes to the more interesting places, that tourists never fail to ask me about on their Budapest airport transfers back home. Here are 4 of my favourite attractions that should not be missed when visiting Budapest.
The Latin Quarter
Budapest airport shuttle drivers rarely get to visit the Raday Utca, or the Latin Quarter as it also known, this is because the street has been partially turned into a pedestrian only street. Even so, if my passengers are looking for somewhere a little more interesting to visit whilst on their holiday then I’ll usually point them in this direction. The street was the former main street of the historical Ferencvaros District and buzzes with a mixture of cafes, bookstores and snack bars.
Although the city may be known by tourists for its trendy European nightclubs, the Latin Quarter is where the locals head out for unusual nightclubs and popular restaurants. The Berliner, located in a cavernous underground room, is one of Budapest’s hidden gems, serving up large platefuls of food - this restaurant is a “must visit” whilst in Budapest.
Shoes on the Danube
On my Budapest airport shuttle runs I am often asked by visitors to explain the significance of the 60 pairs of metal shoes, set into concrete along the Danube. The shoes symbolise the killing of Hungarian Jews between 1944-45 by the Arrow Cross militiamen. Tourists in my Budapest airport shuttle are often understandably shocked when I explain how the victims were lined up alongside the embankment of the Danube and simply shot, falling into the water. The memorial is simple, yet very moving and serves as an effective reminder of the harrowing past that the city once endured.
Nyugati Railway Station
I often pick up young people from the Nyugati Railway Station on my Budapest airport transfers who tell me that they recognise the station but simply can’t place it. My trick is to then start humming a Gwen Stefani song and then instantly they get it. The song appeared in Gwen Stefani’s ‘Early Winter’ video in 2007. However, this isn’t the station’s biggest claim to fame. The large iron structure was built in 1877 by the Eiffel Company of Paris, which would later become famous, following the completion of the Eiffel Tower in 1889. I recommend that people take their Budapest airport transport to this stop if they enjoy shopping, as in 1999 the largest commercial mall in Europe was built next to the train station. The mall boasts over 400 shops, which should be more than enough to keep you entertained for at least a morning on your Budapest holiday.
Marxim Restaurant
History and food is combined in an unusual manner at the Marxim Restaurant and, if I have a history buff in my Budapest airport shuttle, then I usually recommend that they visit the Marxim Restaurant at some point whilst in Budapest. The restaurant is based in a large derelict factory and the entrance is marked by a Communist star. It is well known for the numerous law suits against it. Hungarian law bans all symbols of oppression but, to date, all have been unsuccessful and, as a result, the cellar space is a mixture of barbed wire and Communist propaganda. Although the food takes a back seat at this unusual restaurant I often recommend passengers on my Budapest airport transfers to try the Lenin Pizza or the KGB Pasta before they head back home.
The Latin Quarter
Budapest airport shuttle drivers rarely get to visit the Raday Utca, or the Latin Quarter as it also known, this is because the street has been partially turned into a pedestrian only street. Even so, if my passengers are looking for somewhere a little more interesting to visit whilst on their holiday then I’ll usually point them in this direction. The street was the former main street of the historical Ferencvaros District and buzzes with a mixture of cafes, bookstores and snack bars.
Although the city may be known by tourists for its trendy European nightclubs, the Latin Quarter is where the locals head out for unusual nightclubs and popular restaurants. The Berliner, located in a cavernous underground room, is one of Budapest’s hidden gems, serving up large platefuls of food - this restaurant is a “must visit” whilst in Budapest.
Shoes on the Danube
On my Budapest airport shuttle runs I am often asked by visitors to explain the significance of the 60 pairs of metal shoes, set into concrete along the Danube. The shoes symbolise the killing of Hungarian Jews between 1944-45 by the Arrow Cross militiamen. Tourists in my Budapest airport shuttle are often understandably shocked when I explain how the victims were lined up alongside the embankment of the Danube and simply shot, falling into the water. The memorial is simple, yet very moving and serves as an effective reminder of the harrowing past that the city once endured.
Nyugati Railway Station
I often pick up young people from the Nyugati Railway Station on my Budapest airport transfers who tell me that they recognise the station but simply can’t place it. My trick is to then start humming a Gwen Stefani song and then instantly they get it. The song appeared in Gwen Stefani’s ‘Early Winter’ video in 2007. However, this isn’t the station’s biggest claim to fame. The large iron structure was built in 1877 by the Eiffel Company of Paris, which would later become famous, following the completion of the Eiffel Tower in 1889. I recommend that people take their Budapest airport transport to this stop if they enjoy shopping, as in 1999 the largest commercial mall in Europe was built next to the train station. The mall boasts over 400 shops, which should be more than enough to keep you entertained for at least a morning on your Budapest holiday.
Marxim Restaurant
History and food is combined in an unusual manner at the Marxim Restaurant and, if I have a history buff in my Budapest airport shuttle, then I usually recommend that they visit the Marxim Restaurant at some point whilst in Budapest. The restaurant is based in a large derelict factory and the entrance is marked by a Communist star. It is well known for the numerous law suits against it. Hungarian law bans all symbols of oppression but, to date, all have been unsuccessful and, as a result, the cellar space is a mixture of barbed wire and Communist propaganda. Although the food takes a back seat at this unusual restaurant I often recommend passengers on my Budapest airport transfers to try the Lenin Pizza or the KGB Pasta before they head back home.