Budapest, Hungary's two-million inhabitant capital, is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Europe by the visitors who come bere from all over the world. Two underlying aspects of its beauty are its natural amphitheatr-like setting: on the one hand, the Pest basin and on the other, the embrace of the Buda peaks, which encircle the Castle Hill (Várhegy) in a horseshoe-shaped formation. The curve of the horseshoe begins at the Three Border Hill (Hármashatárhegy), attaining its highest point at John Hill (János hegy), 529 m and, bending backwards, ends with the Gellért Hill. Differing but uniquely beguiling views of Budapest may be obtained from all three hills, set against the tranquil image of the winding Danube. And in keeping with the Danube's flow and breadth bridges of rare technical ingenuity cross its span.

While the Danube is broad enough to define this cityscape, it is not so wide as to intrude upon the organic entity of the Pest- and Buda-sides. This inherent synergy is aided also by the fact that the river flows through the city in a gentle bend and is, in addition, enbanced by an island featuring a 96-hectare ancient park. Castle Hill emerges from the middle of the "amphi- theater" on the Buda-side with its compound of buildings which have been designated as one of the World Cultural Heritage sites of UNESCO. These buildings are successfully balanced by the presence of another man-made wonder: the massive and fairytale-like Parliament houses on the Pest-side.

The following landmarks are included on general sightseeing bus routes: the Millenary Monument (it's worth getting off the bus for the fine view of the city) in Heroes’ Square (Hősök tere), as well as the facades of the Museum of Fine Arts (Szépművészeti Múzeum) and an impressive building created to house temporary exhibitions, the Műcsarnok, or Exhibition Hall. In the City Park (Városliget) beyond the square the traveller will also glimse Gundel, one of the most famous restaurants in Europe, renowned for its period elegance. Further along stand the imposing elephant gates of the Zoo, which faces the City Pak (Vidámpark), the Circus, the 100-year old Széchenyi Baths with their excellent therapeutic waters and finally, Vajdahunyad Castle which incorporates the finest architectural elements ot Hungarian historical buildings and today also houses the Agricultural Museum. Buses continue their route on Andrássy Avenue, which was constructed after the manner of thc Boulevard Champs Elysé in Paris. Under this road runs the first underground rail system of continental Europe. Also on Andrássy is the Opera House (Operaház).

The next stop is at the Basilica, the largest eclesiastical building of the city, and to offer an opportuniity for a close-up visit.

Just a little further along it's possible to see the magnificent Hungarian Television  headquarters, the Parliament buildings and, across from the latter in Kossuth Square, the Ethnography Museum. Moving along to the Margaret Bridge (Margithíd) we can observe as we cross the Royal Baths (Király-fürdő), Saint Anne's Church and at the entrance of the Tunnel the kilometer stone marked "0" which denotes the point from which all of the nation's main arteries have traditionally been measured.

Buses stop in the Castle, where during a walk-around, guides are available to show the Mathias Church (Mátyás templom), the Fisherman’s Bastion (Halászbástya) and the superb vista of the city from the hilltop lookout.

Visitors are taken from bere by bus to Gellért Hill (Gellért hegy) whith its vertical cliff and a virtually unequalled view of the Danube with its bridges and the spreading city-scape which can be enjoyed from the summit. Descending from the hilll we pass near Saint Gellért's statue and the Rudas Baths and finally rnove to cross back over to Pest via the Elisabeth Bridge (Erzsébet-híd), named after the much loved Empress 'Sisi', the wife of the Habsburg Emporer Franz Joseph. By the bridgehead in Pest we find the ancient medieval inner-city church and afterwards pass along Pest's busiest route, the Rákóczy Street. Along the way we can catch a glimpse of the Baroque-style Franciscan church, the Rókus Chapel and the also imposing Eastern Railway Station (Keleti Pályaudvar).

No. 2 tram proceerds along the riverbank on the Pest-side, between the water and the    Danube Korzó. By this means we can reach the Parliarnent buildings, the Museum of Ethnographic Arts and Margaret Island (Margit-sziget) in the quickest and most scenic manner. At the end of the line we can change over to the No. 26 bus, in order to visit the places of interest on Margaret Island. Cars are restricted on the island.

Margit Bridge (Margit híd) was designed by the French architect, Ernest Gouin, winner of an international competition, and was also built by a French company between 1872-1876. The statues atop the pillars were fashioned by the frenchman Thabart. After World War Il this bridge also needed to be reconstructed. An interesting feature of the bridge is that the two wings from the two riverbanks meet at an angle of 150 degrees at the entrance to Margaret Island. Here a third section connects with the island.

Margaret lsland is 2,5 km long and 500 meters wide and is spindle-shaped at its center. It is the most attractive park in Budapest. 

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