Budapest's Jewish Quarter tells layered stories. We visit Dohány Street Synagogue—Europe's largest, seating 3,000, built in Moorish Revival style with striped brickwork and twin onion domes. Behind it, the Raoul Wallenberg Holocaust Memorial Park honours the Swedish diplomat who saved thousands during World War II. Security permitting, we explore courtyards where Jewish life once thrived, was devastated, and now cautiously rebuilds.
Architecture shifts dramatically as we step into a classic "ruin pub"—Budapest's innovative answer to urban decay. These spaces occupy abandoned buildings and courtyards, transforming them into design-forward bars where mismatched furniture, street art, and whimsy reign. What began as underground counterculture in the early 2000s now defines Budapest's identity for a generation of travellers. After a break for lunch, we continue to the Great Market Hall, a three-level cathedral of commerce built in 1897. The ground floor bursts with paprika varieties, salami, cheeses, and seasonal produce; upper levels house embroidered linens and folk crafts.
The afternoon invites independent exploration: a Danube promenade walk at golden hour when Parliament glows against deepening blue, or claiming a café terrace to watch the city's rhythm.
Overnight in Budapest
 
Included Meal(s): Breakfast