The Danube River is the second largest river in Europe. The 2,850 km long river crosses Europe as it originates in the Black Forest, in Germany and ends up in Romania at the Black Sea. During its winding way, the river crosses 10 countries including Austria, Slovakia, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. A lot of more and more beautiful settlements are emerging on both sides of the river, including four capitals: Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, and Belgrade.

Why is The Danube Bend Tours are so popular?

Thousands of tourists are visiting the area year by year thanks to its natural attractions and the cultural heritage represented by the surrounded settlements. The River Danube divides the Hungarian capital, Budapest, into Buda and Pest side and it also separates countries. In Párkány, the Mária Valéria Bridge over the River Danube connects the Hungarian and the Slovakian side but the River Danube functions as a natural border of Romania and Bulgaria also. The Danube, as it is usually called, is the pearl of European river shipping. There are a lot of shipping companies operating cruises with different distances along the Danube Canal. The cruises are usually departing from the German city, Passau and leaving towards the Hungarian capital, Budapest. As we go along the Danube River we can gain many beautiful experiences. Hungary’s most beautiful tourist region is only one hour from Budapest.

This area has a spectacular view of the Danube bend where the river flows between the Hills of Visegrád and the Hills of Börzsöny. At the Danube bend, you can see the former royal palace of Hungary, the citadel of Visegrád and so on. This place is picturesque and it is worth to go hiking or walking there.

Swallowing the foam of the Danube, we pass the Slovakian capital too, where the old castle of Bratislava rises high on the left bank of the Danube. This is a must-do visit because of its amazing location.

Right after the Danube bend, the River Danube heads towards the Hungarian capital

You can discover this vibrant city from the water on a boat tour along the banks of the Danube River. You will be amazed while you are slowly getting closer to the heart of the city as the Danube flows through it. The beautiful landscape and the fascinating buildings of Budapest will be right in front of you. There are a lot of famous buildings in Budapest that you must see, just to mention a few of them: the Buda Castle, the Citadel and the Fisherman’s Bastion on the left side of the river, the Hungarian Parliament, the domes of the St Stephen’s Cathedral and the Gresham Palace are standing on the right side of the River Danube. The historical and iconic bridges are also making a big impression with their wonderful sights. The most famous is the Chain Bridge but we have to mention the Liberty Bridge, the Elizabeth Bridge or the Margaret Bridge too. And once you visit Budapest, you will fall in love with all of them, for sure.

Visiting the Danube Delta at the Black Sea in Romania is also a frequent destination. There are many variations with different ports and durations of 4-16 days. Of course, there are opportunities for those who can’t afford long holidays on board. One of the most popular river cruise destinations is the Budapest-Vienna tour. This journey on the River Danube only takes 5 and a half hours but offers several attractions. Vienna is also a very popular tourist destination. The magic of this city is that it’s full of energy and perfectly combines old traditions with modern facilities. Vienna is a perfect mixture, from the water too. It’s recommended to book your tickets in advance if you don’t want to miss it!

The end of the old year and the beginning of a new one is an important day and it has been being celebrated for many centuries. It is a border and – like every border – this evening has a mystic feeling. Several superstitions and ’fortune magic’ are related to New Year’s Eve.

For many people, this anniversary has been connected to wild celebrating with loud music, shouting, flashy costumes, and blowing trumpets. This habit has its own tradition: in former ages, people hoped to frighten evil spirits far away with making as big noise as possible.

But what can you do if you prefer some more intimate ways of celebrating?

We know the solution! Choose our special Budapest NewYear‘s Eve cruise and won’t be upset. The Hungarian capital city is divided into two parts by the River Danube. Traveling on the waves of the second-longest river of Europe is a unique experience itself but we can still enhance this adventure. You can adore the floodlit buildings of Budapest while we provide extra programs besides the amazing panorama. The imposing historic buildings such as the Building of the Hungarian Parliament, bridges, and churches are wonderful daytime, too, but the lights of the night make them truly unforgettable.

Snow is a quite rare phenomenon but if you’re lucky, the bank of the river will be covered with snow which reflects the lights. If we have mentioned the Parliament former: at the stroke of midnight, our ship will stop there and we can greet the new year by clinking our glasses. Can anyone imagine a more ideal site? We think no! You’ll feel like the part of a perfect postcard because usually this view of the Parliament is eternalized on them.

What do we provide for your ticket?

Besides the view of the Hungarian capital city, we offer live piano music, a four-course meal, and the possibility of unlimited drinks.
Good drinks have a great role in almost every important anniversary but they have the main role on the last night of the year. We offer two options. Naturally, you can order from the drink menu whatever you want and you’ll pay it at the end of the night. Anyway, it’s worth trying our drink package. The „all you can drink” ticket is a little bit more expensive but it entitles you to consume beer, wine, champagne, or any other kinds of drinks unlimitedly. Regardless of the formerly mentioned options, we present you two glasses of champagne: one as a welcome drink and another one for clinking at midnight.

During the whole night, gentle live piano music will please our guests and they can enjoy the talent of our singer, too.

The courses of the delicious dinner are quite various so every kind guest can find the most suitable offer. We have also paid attention to satisfy several requirements such as the needs of visitors with food intolerance. At midnight, we serve some extra courses, according to the Hungarian national traditions: lentil soup and stuffed cabbage. The superstition says that eating lens is recommended because it brings good luck and great fortune. Pork in the cabbage also attracts luck, according to the folk’s belief.

If you’d like to bring your children to this Budapest NewYear’s Eve Cruise, you can book tickets for them at lower prices (for children between the age of 5 and 15).

Our tickets are available in a limited number so don’t hesitate and book your ticket today!

If you don’t like the ’traditional’ noisy and wild parties or just would like to try another way of celebrating this year, choose our New Year’s Eve Budapest Cruise. At the end of the year, many people make various oaths. Why don’t you make your own a little bit earlier and start with the common topic called ’spending more quality time with your family and/or friends’? Surprise your loved one(s) and spend a quiet, pleasant night with them on the board of our luxurious catamaran.

Moreover, we offer other spectacular programs such as Hungarian folklore and operetta or the romantic piano battle show. So our cruises can be ideal choices for every important anniversary or any other significant days!

Ancient or modern Hungarian superstitions! Are you afraid of them? What does an exact superstition mean to your daily life? What role does it play and how does it effect on you? Many people strongly believe that the superstition is a general prediction, only a prophecy that predicts positive or negative future events in certain everyday activities.

There are some superstitions that you laugh good at, but surely there are some beliefs that you really take seriously. Here below you will find some of the ancient Hungarian superstitions which, according to experience and surveys, have real base.

A quarrel is expected…

• if the salt spills.
• if someone has itchy nose.
• if a knife falls to the ground.

You have good luck…

• if a black cat crosses the road in front of you.
• if you first put on your left shoe.
• if you see a chimney sweep and turn your button.

An unexpected guest arrives, …

• if the door opens automatically.

Fast childbirth expected…

• if the water spills out towards the person who will have the child.
• if it suddenly rained on the day of the wedding.

Last, but not least, number 13 should be mentioned. Number 13 is for bad luck, but many people consider it’s the exact opposite, bringing lot of money and high luck, especially if the 13th of the month is on a Friday. That is why we are always saying keep any bad things on Friday the 13th.

What brings good or bad luck in the Hungarian culture based on Hungarian superstitions

Not only for Hungarians, but superstitions also have been present in human life since the ancient times. Have you ever experienced any of the lucky or bad superstitions?
Some well-known Hungarian superstitions are the followings:

• If you come across a wedding ceremony, you will be lucky in love and childbirth.
• If the wardrobe door opens automatically or your bag is onto the ground, you will lose your money.
• If any furniture is crunching, some family troubles are expected.
• If the door opens by itself or you bump the elbow, an unexpected guest will arrive soon.
• If a mirror breaks, you will not marry for so many years, or you will be lucky for 7 years.

Many Hungarian superstitions connected to Christmas and Hungarian cuisine as well.

Christmas has been one of the biggest celebrations for families for centuries. By today, the form of celebration and traditions have certainly changed. However, several significant habits remained like music, family meals, gifts, and the Christmas tree. Tablecloth is one of the most known Christmas superstition, meaning abundant for the family. Even cereals have also special role with which domestic animals were fed. Washing was forbidden during the holiday, bringing bad luck, illnesses or even death.

The New Year’s Eve superstitions suggest that the first day of the year will have strong effect on the whole year. If you want to have a successful year, you need to pay attention to your actions what you will do on January 1st, but avoid foods that could lead to bad luck. So, the two most important food we should not eat on New Year’s Eve:

Poultry
It is generally accepted that poultry should not be eaten on New Year’s Day. The chicken is able to scrape all luck out from the ground.
Fish
There is a tradition of eating fish. On the one hand, some superstitions say that it is forbidden to eat fish because it is able to swim with our luck. On the other hand, others mention that you can eat fish on the first day of the New Year, just start at the tail therefore you will not lose your luck.

If you are interested in any superstitions or believe your life will be better by using popular beliefs, do that! No matter what others are thinking of you since everyone depends upon something. Someone believes in superstitions, someone in God or someone only in himself/herself.

Kazinczy street

This street in District No. VII is a significant part of the party zone, especially its phase which is between the Dob and Dohány streets. A brustling crowd spends the time there every Budapest night. The street has been renovated in the recent past, and it has been covered with pleasing and showy cobblestones. You can find here various pubs such as the famous Szimpla ruin bar or El Rapido which sells not only delicious Mexican dishes but also high-quality tequila. It offers 40 types of it so if you like this characteristic drink, don’t miss this place! We can also recommend KisParázs which provides food from the South-Eastern region of Asia. So if you would like to eat something before party time, the choice is quite copious! For visitors who like fashion-pubs, the Kék Ló (Blue Horse) may be a perfect place.

However, it’s worth knowing that Kazinczy street has an important role in the cultural life and education, too: daytime prospective teachers and psychologists learn here and the Electrotechnical Museum can also be found at this street.

Ruin bars

Probably you don’t understand what can be so attractive in an old building which contains similarly old, second- (or more) hand furniture and decorations. The items of the interior are usually from the 60s or 70s (or, at least, they imitate the styles of these decades). However, many people love these places so it’s worth trying at least one of them! They have a unique feeling of freedom and creativity. The king of this genre is Szimpla (Simple) which was opened at the very beginning of this century and immediately created a new fashion. According to a survey led by the Lonely Planet guidebook in 2011, this is the 3rd best bar in the whole world!
If you are interested especially in Budapest at night, visit Corvin Club, Instant, or Larm. These ruin bars provide the greatest party feeling! Instant has an extreme opening time: as it is open till 6:00 am, you can relax there after a too hard party. If you feel hungry after a long night, have a copious brunch at Most (Now). For fans of unique drinks, we propose Eleszto where guests can choose from various kinds of fine craft beer. However, if you are longing for something stronger, taste whiskey or rum in the Kisüzem (Small Plant) or firewater in MazelTov. It provides 17 types!
Besides drinks and food, ruin bars in Budapest usually offer interesting programs. The former-mentioned Szimpla organizes markets where you can buy craftwork products, while Schatzi Dress&Bar sells individually designed clothes, too. In Gólya (Stork), you can enjoy exhibitions, film nights or you can meet with writers. Music at these places varies in a wild palette: besides the actual and retro songs, guests can enjoy even jazz or folk music.

Gozsdu Courtyard

This is one of the most dynamic and improving centers of Budapest night life. It offers several programs thus annoys relaxation, party, gastronomy, and cultural programs. Not only youngsters can enjoy them: this region of the city attracts more than 900 thousand visitors every year, and it’s very popular among both tourists and Hungarians. The ancestor of the Courtyard was founded by a Romanian lawyer called Manó Gozsdu who paid all costs from his private wealth. He considered supporting and educating youngsters as his most important task. In the 20th century, it collected sad memories too, as it was the part of the Jewish ghetto. Now it’s the part of the World Heritage. Let’s see some from the exciting programs which you can try there nowadays. If you like Hungarian fashion and designers, visit fashion nights in the summer. Moreover, you can learn salsa or try Thai massage. There are usually street markets, and if you’re lucky, you can see how an artist creates his/her painting or sculpture. And, if you feel enough talent, you can try yourself too! At night, Gozsdu and the whole street offer a fascinating sight because they are floodlit.

History of the church

The church, which was founded after the Tatar invasion in the 16^th century, was originally built in Gothic style on a French model. In the Turkish period many parts were demolished, and after the liberation of Buddha it was given to the Jesuits, who completely remodeled the temple into Baroque style. The large rose window was walled in, the Gothic tower was demolished, and a Baroque roof was replaced. The facade of the church completely lost its original features. In the 1700s, unfortunately, a fire destroyed the church. Looking at the pictures taken in the 1800s, we could see a picture of a completely different temple compared to today. In 1867, after the compromise, Joseph and his wife Queen Elizabeth were crowned here. In 1873, the king ordered the removal of the Baroque character of the church and the restoration of its original state.

Between 1874-1896, under the lead of Frederick Schulek, a large rebuilding took place, forming the present image of the building. By demolishing some parts of the building, Schulek restores the original, distinct character of the church by reconstructing with original architectural solutions ands completely restoring the damaged parts.

Some practical information that needs to know if you would like to attend st. matthias’ church:

Address: H-1014 Budapest, Szentháromság square 2.

Opening hours: Monday – Friday: 9am – 5pm, Saturday 9am – 12pm, Sunday 13am – 5pm.

Phone: + 36/1 / 488-7716

Admission is free in the following cases:- Children under 6 years- For prayers – Pilgrims – For institutions e.g. for schools and kindergartens with a pilgrimage ticket- For groups of institutions providing tourism – For the disabled The Matthias church is open for tourists with a visitor ticket.

The closest stations to Matthias Church are the followings:Szentháromság square is 82 meters away, 2 min walk.Donáti Street is 275 meters away, 4 min walk.Dísz square is 408 meters away, 6 min walk.Which Metro stops around the Matthias Church?M2.Which rail stops Around the Matthias Church?H5.Which buses stop around Matthias Church?116, 16, 16A. Inside mathias church, a religious store is located between St. Imre’s Chapel and the Choir Stairs, where visitors can purchase some religious items, souvenirs, private label products and publications, books during the church’s tourist opening hours. Flash photography is not allowed at some scenes. Guests are kindly asked to behave nicely according to the following regulations: – No smoking, food, drinks,- Dogs and other animals are not allowed in the temple- The temple can only be visited in appropriate clothing (covering shoulders and thighs). – Guests should remove their headgear- Please, do not use mobile phones- Everyone is expected to have a quiet, church-like attitude- Guests who refused the entry rules will be asked by our staff to leave the temple Exploring the magnificent Matthias churchst matthias church is the most famous Hungarian one visited by thousands of people each year. It is absolutely the largest and most wonderful ornament of the Buda Castle, the most popular church in Budapest, covered with snow-white, lacy-like towers and covered with colorful Zsolnay tiles. Thanks to a complete renovation of 7 years completed in 2013, the temple has managed to become untarnished.

The neo-gothic church, made of snow-white limestone and covered with its colorful Zsolnay tiles, is without a doubt the most spectacular building in the Buda Castle District. The temple is completely walkable so you have the opportunity to amaze the northern chapel line, the upper part of the great tower, interior paintings, wall frescoes and colored glass windows.

It is a positive fact that Budapest is one of the best destinations in Europe, not only for the Hungarian eye, but also for the tourists who come here every year from all over the world. District I and the Castle District do play a major role in this. Many times, in our country, we do not know the value of the sights, the tourist attractions that are almost at our hand.

Budapest, the pearl of the Danube, is rich in historical sites such as Buda Castle , Heroes’ Square etc. and last but not least, the Fisherman’s Bastion. It is located near Matthias Church in the Castle District in Buda.

It is primarily well-known for the wonderful panoramic views it provides of the city. It is regarded as a must-see building by foreign tourists visiting the Hungarian capital. Many do not understand how it could be so decorative rather than defensive as other bastions?

To find it out, let’s check some details about the background and purpose of Halászbástya.

History of Fisherman’s Bastion

The Castle Hill served as lodging and fortification at the time of the kings of Árpád dynasty. As a result of urban development, King Béla IV urged to construct more buildings here. Despite his intentions, the Castle District had become dominant in the era of King Matthias. Fisherman Bastion was erected between 1895 and 1902 as a historical monument for the millennial Hungary. The architectural style of the Bastion is Neo-Romanesque which was typical in the early medieval times. Furthermore, it possesses seven towers, each one symbolizing one of the seven Magyar tribes that came and settled down in Hungary in 895. Besides you can find the Statue of St. Stephen, the first Hungarian king who founded the Hungarian state.

It was made by Alajos Stróbl, a sculptor, who started in 1898 and completed in 1903.
The purpose of the T-shaped Fisherman Bastion arrangement was to embrace the church and highlight its beauty; moreover, to make a connection between the Castle hilltop with the former Fishtown aka Watertown on the Danube side. It functioned as a communal panorama terrace to recall the old times of fights. While walking up the wide stairs to the Bastion a magnificent sight appears in front of our eyes, both on the attractions of the Castle Hill and the sights of the Pest side. There are other historical statues on the stairway from the bottom to the top: the Statue of John Hunyadi, which is a Neo-Gothic limestone foundation, the statue of St George Piercing the Dragon and the soldiers of the 10th century guarding the gate.

Frigyes Schulek, the famous architect, designed the Fisherman’s Bastion (he restored and redesigned the Matthias Church too). After getting seriously damaged during World War II the building was restored by the son of the architect, János Schulek. The total construction cost was 1,165,000 USD. Later on, around the 1990s the medieval underground of St Michael Chapel was also revealed by the Castle District Municipality. Therefore, tourists could descend into the beautiful Chapel too.

At present

Nowadays you can enjoy the breath-taking views of the Danube, one of Budapest’s World Heritage Sites, along with the Parliament  the Chain Bridge  and the Fisherman Bastion. You can come here for a romantic getaway on the top turrets, or take a selfie on its balcony free of charge or hide in the arcades from snowfall or rain, or just simply sit on its benches and rake over the ashes of the past. An interesting factor: the building was featured as a Pit Stop on the sixth season of the American TV show The Amazing Race.

And of course, you would definitely ask where the name came from. Well, there are a few theories. The most likely explanation behind it is that fishermen used to live below the walls of the Fisherman’s Bastion in Watertown (Viziváros) who also protected the walls during wars.
In sum, no matter how long you are staying in Budapest, devote some time to visit this fascinating building in the Buda Castle District. I am sure after a short guided tour you can even learn its original name, Halászbástya (hol-larse-baash-tia).

Everyone, attending the capital of Hungary at least once, will completely visit heroes’ square Budapest to discover its hidden treasures, to get some knowledge of Hungarian history and culture or explore the beautiful place in order to take part in some actual programs organized.

What should you know about the wondrous Hero’s square budapest as a guest?

One of the main basic emblems of the capital city and the most well-known and most visited square, the so-called ‘crown decoration’ of Andrássy avenue is Heroes square budapest. This one is placed in the 14th district of Budapest as probably Hungary’s most famous and most attended square.

As we stand on the square, we could amaze how many young people enjoy skateboarding or roller skating to the City Park next to the square, or we could visit the Museum of Fine Arts on the square, and of course, we can also take advantage of the space doing many programs organized by seasons. So, if Budapest hero’s square and its attractions were not enough, we could visit some great events near there such as the Budapest International Half Marathon, the SPAR Budapest International Marathon and Running Festival or the Vienna-Budapest Super marathon and destination. The National Galloping venue or the Parade Square are waiting for the entire country, hosting presentation of masterpieces of contemporary art, the so-called ARC Exhibition and organizing one of Europe’s largest free concerts.

What is about the surroundings and an excursion in the City Park?

Therefore, whether it’s winter or summer, weekends or weekdays, Heroes’ Square is always offering something, providing its wonderful atmosphere, its significant historical statues which are worth visiting here, having the possibility to relax and feel the buzz of Budapest.
Many tourists, as well as local people from Budapest, prefer to visit the City Park in order to get some pleasure in the Heroes’ Square or just take a stroll in the shade of the millennial trees of the park, being equal with the nature, gaining spiritual wealth from the environment in the middle of the busy city. There are so many activities and entertaining facilities to do here in addition to the sights: in summer, boating on the city park lake is a perfect romantic or family program; in winter the ice rink and ice-skating and its surroundings provide wonderful views. The romantic atmosphere of the ice-skating rink and its cozy restaurant will surely impress you in the cold winter times, too, and it is worth a visit during your journey.

Some details and data about the square you need to know are the followings:

The history of the square dates back to the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. At the center of the 85-meter-wide and 25-meter-deep semicircular column hall there is a 36-meter-high Corinthian column. This statue of Archangel Gabriel can be amazed in the 36-meter-high statue in the centre because King Stephen is said to have crowned himself and taken up the Christianity since he had a dream with angel Gabriel who requested him to act. So, the crown and the cross in the hands of the statue could indicate this dream – having a five-meter-high statue of the Hungarian royal crown.

Furthermore, there is a 4.7-foot-tall statue of seven conquering leaders. A bronze statue symbolizes war and peace inside, work and prosperity on the outside, and knowledge and glory. Between the columns, a 2.8-meter-high statue of 7-7 famous personalities of Hungarian history was placed on both wings on the right and the left side, too. The statues of leaders and its creators in Hungarian words are the followings: on the left peristyle Szent István – Senyei Károly, Szent László – Telcs Ede, Könyves Kálmán – Füredi Richárd, II. András – Senyei Károly, IV. Béla – Köllő Miklós, Károly Róbert – Kiss György, Nagy Lajos – Zala György and on the right peristyle Hunyadi János – Margó Ede, Mátyás – Zala György, Bocskai István – Holló Barnabás, Bethlen Gábor – ifj. Vastagh György, Thököly Imre – Grantner Jenő, II. Rákóczi Ferenc – Kisfaludi Srobl Zsigmond and Kossuth Lajos – Kisfaludi Srobl Zsigmond.

Heroes’ Square… some thinks of a place as the City Park, some knows Budapest has some large statues somewhere in a square, others will visit at once while staying in the city. Undoubtedly, it is the most spacious area dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries and nowadays, popularly photographed and visited one as the venue of so many events.