World City Guide

Further Distractions

Margitsziget (Margaret Island)
Wedged in a loop of the River Danube and linked by Árpád híd and Margit híd to Buda and Pest, the 2-km (1.5-mile) Margaret Island is one of the calmest and greenest spots in Budapest. No cars are allowed or needed – the island from Margit híd to Árpád híd can be crossed on foot in 20 minutes. The island is named after the devout daughter of King Béla IV, who lived here in a Dominican convent in the 13th century. The ruins of her convent still stand on the east bank, near the remains of a Franciscan church. Other points of interest include a 100-year-old park, the 1930s reconstruction of a 12th-century chapel, sculptures of Hungarian artists and writers, an open-air theatre and UNESCO-listed water tower. There are also two hotels (Danubius Grand and Danubius Thermal) on the island. In summer, Margaret island is bursting with people heading for a swim at the Hajós Alfréd swimming pool or Palatinus pool, which are fed by underground springs.

Margaret Island
Website: www.budapestinfo.hu/en/sights/margitsziget.html
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Admission: Free.

Szobor Park (Statue Park)
Just as Lenin Boulevard and Marx Square no longer exist in Budapest, so their statues and monuments have been sent into exile to Statue Park. A 30-minute trip leads to this eerie and increasingly popular outdoor attraction.

XXII Balatoni útca, corner of Szabadkai útca
Tel: (01) 424 7500.
Website: www.szoborpark.hu
Opening hours: Daily 1000-sunset.
Admission charge.

House of Terror Museum
For an insight into Hungary’s turbulent recent history, pay a visit to the House of Terror Museum. Featuring the grim decades of Nazi and Communist repression, this new museum is housed in the former headquarters for the secret police of both the Nazi and Communist governments, an address that filled the heart of the average Hungarian with dread for the best part of 50 years. The museum has many memorable exhibits, and the atrium features a Soviet tank and a huge wall covered with portraits of the victims of this building. The stylish, high-tech exhibit is designed for Hungarians, but the English audio guide gives tourists the same powerful experience. This is the most expensive admission in Hungary, but it's still cheap by Western standards, and the experience is priceless for anyone with an affinity for Eastern Europe’s struggle for freedom under these brutal regimes.

Andrassy útca 60
Tel: 374 2600.
Website: www.terrorhaza.hu
Opening hours: 1000 to 1800 Tues to Fri. Opend until 1930 on Sat and Sun. Closed Mon.
Admission charge.