The cities of Buda and Pest became one in 1849 with the construction of the famous Szechenyi Chain Bridge, the first permanent bridge across the Danube River (pictured above). Despite centuries of European conflict dating back to the Middle Ages, multiple occupations by conquering forces, and decades of Communist rule, both sides are full of noteworthy buildings covering the gamut of that history. And while roads and bridges have eliminated the need for much water traffic, the Danube River remains a busy waterway for commercial shipping and pleasure traffic through the city.

We joined that traffic with a week-long Danube River cruise aboard the AmaMagna that departed from Budapest. We arrived the day before boarding the ship and spent the evening and following day enjoying the river views and exploring this historic city, particularly its wide-ranging architecture and countless works of modern and historic art.

Below are highlights from April 26th through 28th, 2024. Click any image for a larger view, or click the position to view the location on a map. And a map with our most recent log entries always is available at mvdirona.com/maps.

4/26/2024

Packing Position: 47°37.05’N, -122°20.57’W We’re flying out to Budapest tonight for a one-week cruise along the Danube River and have laid out all the clothes and gear we will be taking with us. With just carry-on luggage, it was a tight squeeze to fit everything into the two suitcases at bottom left and the carry-on bag at upper left, but we succeeded.

Delta Lounge Position: 47°26.55’N, -122°18.17’W Watching the airport activity from the Delta lounge in SeaTac airport. In the brief time we’ve been sitting here, three planes have come and gone from the gate directly in front of us.

Pushback Tractor Position: 47°26.54’N, -122°18.17’W We were wondering how the plane’s nose gear was rolled onto the pushback tractor, and learned the answer. A strap pulls the nose gear onto the cradle at the front of the pushback tractor.

Delta Suite Position: 49°32.07’N, -115°45.84’W On board our flight from Seattle to Amsterdam, where we will connect through to Budapest for our Danube River cruise. The Delta One Suites are very nice, but nothing can compare to the Qatar Airways QSuites. We are wearing sunglasses to minimize exposure to light as part of adjusting our circadian rhythm 9 hours ahead using the Timeshifter jet lag app.

4/27/2024

Schiphol Airport Position: 52°18.50’N, 4°45.91’E At the KLM lounge in Schipol Airport. This is our first time back in Amsterdam since we departed for Antwerp in February of 2020.

KLM Cityhopper to Budapest Position: 52°19.65’N, 4°46.41’E A surprisingly tasty cold dinner of shrimp with noodles on the KLM Cityhopper flight from Amsterdam to Budapest.

Budapest Position: 47°35.98’N, 18°48.36’E Budapest consists of two cities, Buda on the west side of the Danube (at right) and Pest on the east side. The cruise ship we’ll be taking, the AmaMagna, will be docking this side of the bridge at lower right, and the Budapest Marriott where we will be staying the night is between the two bridges roughly at the center of the screen. The rightmost of these two bridges is the famous Szechenyi Chain Bridge, the first permanent bridge across the Danube River when opened in 1849.

Welcome Taxi Position: 47°26.00’N, 19°15.74’E We’ve used Welcome Pickup a few times for airport pickups, but often have had to wait for late-arriving drivers. This time we tried a slightly higher-end service, Welcome Taxi, and and so far we’re much happier with it.

MVM Dome Position: 47°28.42’N, 19°6.24’E Passing the MVM Dome, the largest handball arena in Europe, en route from the Budapest airport to our hotel. The venue also hosts many concert and other entertainment events, and the Hungarian violinist Maga Zoltan is playing there tonight.

Groupama Arena, Budapest Position: 47°28.57’N, 19°5.87’E Groupama Arena in Budapest, completed in 2017, predominately is used for football matches, but also can be used for concerts or private events.

Budapest Marriott Position: 47°29.67’N, 19°2.95’E Enjoying a drink on the terrace at our hotel, the Budapest Marriot, overlooking the Danube River in the background.

Budapest Marriott View Position: 47°29.68’N, 19°2.96’E The view across the Danube River to Castle Hill from our room at the Budapest Marriott. We loved the view to the river, with its constant boat traffic.

4/28/2024

Viking Modi Position: 47°29.68’N, 19°2.96’E The Viking Modi, one of a constant stream of riverboats plying the Danube, viewed from our room at the Budapest Marriot. The ship is about to pass under the famous Szechenyi Chain Bridge, the first permanent bridge across the Danube River when opened in 1849. In the background is centuries-old Matthias Church atop Castle Hill. We’ll be walking up there later today.

Royal Palace Position: 47°29.68’N, 19°2.96’E The view from our room at the Budapest Marriot to the former Royal Palace, now housing the Hungarian National Gallery, the Castle Museum, and the National Szechenyi Library. The first royal residence was established here in the 13th century and the palace has since been extended, razed and rebuilt many times.

Vigado Concert Hall Position: 47°29.74’N, 19°2.91’E The striking Vigado Concert Hall, completed in 1859, is the second largest in Hungary.

Little Princess Position: 47°29.76’N, 19°2.89’E The statue Little Princess by Hungarian sculptor Laszlo Marton, with the Royal Palace visible across the Danube. The work was inspired by his young daughter, who often dressed up as a princess in a bathrobe and crown made of newspaper.

Roskovics Position: 47°29.86’N, 19°2.84’E Monument to famous Hungarian painter Ignac Roskovics by Ukrainian-Hungarian artist Mihaly Kolodko, with the former Royal Palace in the background across the Danube.

Baron Joseph von Eotvos Position: 47°29.89’N, 19°2.84’E Bronze statue of Hungarian, statesman and writer Baron Joseph von Eotvos by 19th-century Hungarian sculptor Adolf Huszar.

Castle Hill Funicular Position: 47°29.87’N, 19°2.36’E Since 1870, the Castle Hill Funicular has carried passengers between the Royal Palace complex and the west shore of the Danube. We were planning to ride it up the hill, but the line-up was prohibitively long, so we instead took some of the myriad walking paths.

Szechenyi Chain Bridge Position: 47°29.86’N, 19°2.32’E View from partway up Castle Hill to the Szechenyi Chain Bridge, the first permanent bridge across the Danube River.

Fisherman’s Bastion Position: 47°30.11’N, 19°2.08’E Statue in Fisherman’s Bastion of Stephen I, the first King of Hungary from about 1000 to 1038. The bastion atop Castle Hill was completed in 1905 to celebrate Hungary’s millennial.

Danube River Position: 47°30.17’N, 19°2.06’E The sweeping view across the Danube River to Pest from Fisherman’s Bastion atop Castle Hill in Buda (click image for a larger view). The two cites Buda and Pest, on either sides of the Danube, together form Budapest.

Ministry of Finance Position: 47°30.12’N, 19°2.02’E The century-old neo-Gothic building that originally housed the Royal Hungarian Ministry of Finance is now one of the National Archive facilities. The building is being renovated and restored for the Ministry of Finance to move back in.

Tancsics Mihaly Position: 47°30.25’N, 19°1.93’E The view as we walk north from Castle Hill down the street Tancsics Mihaly, lined with several former palaces. In the distance at center is the century-old main building of the National Archives of Hungary. And on the left is the spire of the 1895 Lutheran Church of Budavar, the oldest Lutheran church in Buda. (The two cites Buda and Pest, on either sides of the Danube, together form Budapest.)

Vienna Gate Position: 47°30.29’N, 19°1.84’E Vienna Gate, historically connecting the Royal Palace complex with the road to Vienna, was an entry to the palace grounds since the Middle Ages. The gate was demolished in 1896, but restored in 1936 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the recapture of Buda that ended 150 years of Ottoman rule.

Castle Walls Position: 47°30.31’N, 19°1.84’E The defensive walls of the Royal Palace complex, viewed from just outside Vienna Gate.

Jogaila and Jadwiga Position: 47°30.31’N, 19°1.87’E Monument near Vienna Gate to Jogaila and Jadwiga, the daughter of the King of Hungary. Jadwiga became the first female King of Poland in 1384 and they ruled together after their marriage in 1386.

Europa Liget Position: 47°30.31’N, 19°1.93’E The park Europa Liget, near the Vienna Gate, was opened in 1972 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the unification of Pest and Buda into Budapest. As part of the celebration, a congress of the 29 European capitals was held, where the leaders of each capital city planted a tree native to their country in Europa Liget. Limestone plaques in front of each tree identify the donating city.

Zoltan Kodaly Position: 47°30.31’N, 19°1.92’E Statue in the park Europa Liget of the Hungarian composer and music educator Zoltan Kodaly.

Lajos Fountain Position: 47°30.15’N, 19°2.30’E Lajos Fountain in Corvin Square is a memorial to Buda soda-water-maker Lajos Millacher, who left his fortune to the town 1898.

Parliament Position: 47°30.10’N, 19°2.41’E The striking Hungarian Parliament Building, the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary. Completed in 1904, the design is similar to that of the Houses of Parliament in the UK, a country Hungary hoped to emulate politically.

Tom George Osteria Position: 47°30.03’N, 19°3.05’E A delicious pizza street-side at Tom George Osteria in Pest. (The two cites Buda and Pest, on either sides of the Danube, together form Budapest.) In the background in the distance is the Bascila of St. Stephen.

BudaxxxxPest Position: 47°30.03’N, 19°3.05’E We got a giggle out of this garbage can on the opposite side of the street from Tom George Osteria where we had lunch.

Bascila of St. Stephen Position: 47°30.04’N, 19°3.13’E The Bascila of St. Stephen is Hungary’s most sacred Catholic Church. It is named after Stephen, the first King of Hungary, whose mummified hand is displayed inside.

Vorosmarty Square Position: 47°29.80’N, 19°3.00’E Vorosmarty Square is the start of Budapest’s famous shopping street Vaci utca. The square is named for Hungarian poet Mihaly Vorosmarty, a marble statue of whom stands beyond the trees on the left.

Mihaly Vorosmarty Position: 47°29.79’N, 19°3.03’E Marble statue of Hungarian poet and lyricist Mihaly Vorosmarty, erected in Vorosmarty Square in 1908. Beneath the seated Vorosmarty are figures representing various societal classes in Hungary at the time, such as a farmer, a student and a laborer.

Archduke Josef Anton Position: 47°29.89’N, 19°3.01’E Monument to Archduke Josef Anton in Budapest, erected in 1860 in Vorosmarty Square.

Erzsebet Bridge Position: 47°29.52’N, 19°3.13’E Crossing Erzsebet Bridge by taxi en route to our ship, the AmaMagna. Directly ahead is a statue of St. Gerard Sagredo Statue, a Hungarian bishop from 1030 until his death in 1046. The castle-like structure rising above the trees on the right is the private villa Schoch-Hegedus.

AmaMagna Sun Deck Position: 47°31.39’N, 19°3.13’E Looking down the double-wide sundeck of the AmaMagna, our home for the next week. Launched in 2019 and purpose-built for the Danube, the ship is the largest on the river with roughly twice the beam of most other Danube river boats. But rather than increasing passenger capacity, the ship instead has roomier accommodations and extensive public spaces, including four restaurants.

Al Fresco Position: 47°31.40’N, 19°3.14’E Dinner in sun-drenched Al Fresco at the bow of the AmaMagna.

AmaMagna Position: 47°31.40’N, 19°3.17’E We don’t sail until later in the evening, so we took a short walk around the area after dinner. The restaurant where we had dinner, Al Fresco, is visible directly above the boat name on the bow.

Evening Drink Position: 47°31.37’N, 19°3.14’E Enjoying an evening drink on the balcony of our cabin aboard the AmaManga.

Budapest from AmaMagna Position: 47°31.34’N, 19°3.09’E The view to Budapest from the AmaMagna, moored along the Danube. Crossing the river is Szechenyi Chain Bridge, the first bridge across the Danube, and beyond is the tower of Matthias Church in the atop Castle Hill.

Click the travel log icon on the left to see these locations on a map. And a map of our most recent log entries always is available at mvdirona.com/maps.