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Budapest & Prague, May 2019

By the time the Spring of 2019 came into bloom, I was ready to leave Budapest. After five incredible years here, I knew it was time for something new. Patrick and I had just got engaged in Jordan in March, and we were ready to start our life together in the UK.

I had seen and done it all in Budapest, but there was just one thing left to do — one memory left to make. I practically begged my family to visit me before I left Budapest. I was aching to be their tour guide and show them the city that had changed my life.

But life always seemed to get the way of our plans, and by the time May rolled around, I had nearly given up hope. Then suddenly, they booked their flights and set off for Europe! To this day, I still can’t describe how excited I was to see them all together at once in my favourite city.

We did so much and fully conquered Budapest and Prague during the trip, that it would be impossible to record the whole experience authentically. So, I’ve gathered a few of my favourite memories and photos from the Great Fellows Family trip of 2019.

St. Stephen’s Basilica

One of the reasons why I love travelling with my family is because no matter what, they are up for anything. No matter how tired they might be, or hungry or exhausted, they are unstoppable. Their flight from Atlanta, USA had been long and stressful, and they had endured it all without in-flight entertainment (never flying American Airlines again!). I asked them if they wanted to nap before going out, but they said absolutely not — they were ready to explore Budapest.

Our first stop was St. Stephen’s Basilica, just a few steps away from the airbnb I had booked them (regrettably it ended up being in the middle of renovation works, but staying in that old baroque building was an experience itself!).

I knew they would love the immensity and grandeur of the basilica, but I had no idea how much. I remember Dylan being completely stunned by the sheer enormity of great dome overhead, and Emily loved seeing the mysterious relic of St. Stephen’s boney hand. It was wonderful to see the basilica through the eyes of newcomers to Budapest. I had stopped in so many times before, but now I felt that I was seeing it for the very first time — the gold statues, marble pillars and the great dome overhead felt all the more powerful and imposing.

Parliament Square

Next, we headed to the number one sight-to-see in Budapest — Parliament! Arguably the most stunning building ever built, Parliament is honestly like the most perfect pearl you’ve ever seen, a jewel hidden in the middle of a concrete jungle. ‘Oh my god!’ my mom exclaimed as the ivory facade shot out from the street ahead. We remained there for hours, admiring the intricate details, the noble lions, and the surrounding faces of some of Hungary’s finest statesmen in history.

We also stopped in the 1956 Exhibition, an underground museum just outside the steps, documenting the horrific events of the Hungarian revolution against the Soviets. Although it was a sobering moment, I was glad we visited, as my father is such a history buff.

As evening fell, we walked back along the river, stopping at another important historical monument — the Shoes on the Danube. It’s one of the more moving memorials in the city, built in remembrance of the victims of the Holocaust and the Arrow Cross, the Hungarian Nazi party. We took the moment to talk about the history of Hungary and its role in WWII.

By this time, Golden Hour had fallen, and the lights were starting to turn on on the bridges and the banks of Buda across from us. As we hopped on the #2 tram that snakes along the riverbank, we took in the view of Buda and I could tell that they were falling in love with Budapest — just as I had five years ago.

Funicular to Buda Castle

One particularly beautiful day, we were blessed with sunshine and blue skies. We took advantage of the weather and walked along the riverbank of Pest from Ezserbét Bridge to the Chain Bridge — getting an unbeatable view of Budapest. From there, we took the famous funicular up to the Buda Hill and explored the Palace and Fisherman’s Bastion. I think this was my mom’s favourite moment of the trip — riding the victorian funicular truly is the best way to see the city from above.

After walking around Buda Castle and admiring the view from Fisherman’s Bastion, we stepped into the stunning interior of St. Matthias Church. The hand-painted walls reflected Hungarian folklore — ravens, flowers and colourful patterns seemed to come alive as the sun beamed through the stain-glass windows.

Good-for-the-soul goulash and beer

Having lived in both the roaring 7th district and a few steps away from the Deák Tér beehive, I knew just where to take my family to indulge in the best food and drink you can find in Budapest.

When they first arrived, we celebrated with some tall Czech beers at Czech-In — a new beer for these Americans! Then we had a delicious dinner at Hachapuri. Being from the great state of Georgia, I thought it would be fun to give my family a taste of a slightly different ‘Georgian’ cuisine.

Honestly though, watching them start to fall asleep at the table was one of my favourite memories of the trip! After a long flight, a day of sight-seeing and a few big bowls of Chashushuli, who could blame them!

On another night, we grabbed a few mid-day drinks in Szimpla, the original ruin pub, and tasted Pastel de Natas from Lisboa Bakery (which my mom loved!) in the heart of the 7th district.

For dinner one night, I had planned a special surprise — a night in Medieval Hungary! Sir Lancelot’s is Budapest’s answer to Medieval Times, and it makes for such a fun night. We sat at a long table in a candle-lit cellar, and ordered a feast of lamb, beef and chicken which we at with only our hands like true medieval kings. As we feasted, a jester and a belly dancer joined us, dancing, tumbling and breathing fire. We had the best time.

One morning, the rain just didn’t stop. It was a constant deluge that fell in buckets and I knew my family needed a day of rest. Dylan had also come down with a flu, and we convinced him to take advantage of the bad weather to rest up — but promised to bring him back some treats from our day out.

To warm the rest of them up and keep the flu away, I took them to my all-time favourite place for authentic Hungarian food — Trombitas! Located behind Buda Hill, and set in a traditional, no-fuss restaurant, the food here is warm and hearty, and just what you want on a grey, rainy day. We shared two cauldrons of goulash between us. My mom, dad and sister all loved the red ceramic cauldrons filled to the brim with delicious gulyásleves (goulash soup), with each cauldron presented with a lit candle and ladle. I also loved teaching them a few Hungarian words and phrases for ordering food!

Strolling through time

One early morning, I took them deep into the heart of Budapest — the buzzing 7th district. As the old Jewish Quarter, this district makes Budapest the incredible city it is. The energy and creativity here is completely infectious.

I loved watching my family stare up in awe at the massive Dohány Street Synagogue, and excitedly point out the bright murals in this home of local artists. We loved just walking around, popping into shops and getting to know the different streets of Dohány, Wesselényi, Király and Dob.

On another rainy day, we walked down Andrássy út with umbrellas in hand. This beautiful long boulevard from Deák Ference Tér to Városliget (City Park) feels like a scene from a movie. My family loved the grand buildings and artsy cafes — there’s a unique art-deco vibe here that makes the boulevard all the more striking compared to the usual baroque buildings of Budapest. We stopped in Café Parisi, where we enjoyed coffee and traditional Hungarian and Austrian cakes beneath a glittering, painted ceiling. It’s places like this that make it easy to picture what Budapest would’ve looked like at the turn of the century.

Walking a bit further, we finally arrived at the magnificent Hungarian National Opera House. Although performances were cancelled due to ongoing renovation work, we were able to book a tour that featured a free mini-show on the red steps. I loved watching my mom excitedly point out all of the beautiful artwork and statues — and when the aria began, she couldn’t contain her excitement! We were all completely blown away by the performance and the unforgettable backdrop. My mom always used to play opera when we were young — Nessun Dorma was on repeat! — and I was so happy to be able to show her one of the most beautiful opera houses in Europe. Hopefully we’ll be able to see a full show when we’re all in Budapest again!

The train to Prague

After seeing all that Budapest had to offer, it was time for a change of scenery — off we went to nearby Prague. I honestly can’t remember a more enjoyable train ride in my life.

We set off early and met up at Nyugati station, a beautiful, historic train station that makes you feel like you’re stepping back in time. Our train was old-fashioned and cramped, but we were able to grab a cabin all to ourselves. We squeezed in, and I was worried that my family would find it too grimy, but they loved the retro vibe — plus a train ride is such a rare experience for us Americans, we’d be happy with anything!

Unfortunately we were all now a bit sick, having caught whatever flu Dylan had, but we made the most of it. We chatted the whole time and played a fun ‘story-time’ game in which we’d each say a word one at a time, until we had created a little story. The view was also fantastic, giving my family an opportunity see the Hungarian countryside and little villages.

Old Town Prague

Our airbnb was right in Old Town Square, and I couldn’t wait to see my family’s faces when they saw Old Town Prague. And I was right — their jaws dropped the moment they saw the gothic spires, bright colours and busy market squares that make up the winding streets of Old Town.

Seeing all of the main sights only took a few hours in this small square. We stopped in the famous Tyn Church, the Clementinum, and Old Town Hall. Joining the massive crowds of tourists, we waited to watch the 15th-century Astronomical Clock strike the hour. As we watched the little 12 Apostles parade across the clock face, we felt a little underwhelmed after the long wait — but you couldn’t deny the incredible artistry of the medieval mechanics.

We also popped in the Church of the Virgin Mary to see the infant baby Jesus — a statue that is said to performed miracles. The mystery and beauty of this place and Prague as a whole, is truly indescribable.

One of my favourite memories of Prague was stumbling into a beautiful garden courtyard. Two peacocks, glittering in iridescent emerald and sapphire, strutted in to check us out. They let us get pretty close and we followed them around for a while, taking in the beauty of the place.

From the bridge to the castle

The next day, we crossed the St. Charles Bridge to Prague Castle district. The bridge was absolutely packed with people, so it was a bit stressful, but seeing the many statues that guard the bridge was quite the experience.

We explored the castle, getting the perfect view of Prague from above. Then we relaxed with coffee and a little stroll through a local market, followed by a tasty tasting session of traditional Czech beer.

Dabbling in Alchemy

Prague is shrouded in medieval mystery, with roots in the occult — and alchemy. Under Emperor Rudolf II’s rule in the 16th century, alchemy and sorcery became the obsession of the time. The quest for the Philosopher’s Stone and the secret recipe for turning metals into gold consumed much of the city’s inhabitants. Evidence of home-grown laboratories can still be seen in the castle tunnels and museums of Prague today.

This was right up my family’s alley, so we chose to visit the Museum of Alchemists and Magicians of Old Prague. The tour began in a pitch-black room depicting a sorcerer being swallowed by the universe — or the devil himself — above a floor engraved with magical runes. Yes, this was a little cheesy, but certainly an apt introduction to the wild world of alchemy.

Next, our wonderfully geeky guide enthusiastically took us through two floors of alchemy history and artefacts. We saw the tower where Edward Kelley, sorcerer to the Emperor, reportedly lived and worked on his spells and inventions. The exhibit was overflowing with alchemy equipment, creepy mannequins and medieval imagery — but the real sight to see was the house and tower itself. With winding staircases and a particularly spooky attic, it was enough to make you feel like you had unwittingly stepped into a sorcerer’s dungeon.

Clearly this tour had stirred something within us, because that night, we somehow found ourselves stumbling upon The Alchemy Bar in Old Town. A cocktail bar, the place was dimly lit, and as we sat in our luxurious leather and velvet chairs, I knew we were in for a memorable night.

The cocktail menu alone was like a spell-book — Death by Penicillin, Chaos after Osiris, Black Sun and the The High Priest all looked as delicious and mysterious as they sounded. The most intriguing of all though, was Choose Your Fate. We couldn’t resist, and we let fate decide our drinks for the night.

As we sat and talked, with Dylan and I opposite Emily and Patrick, I had the fright of my life when a ghoul dressed as a plague doctor crept from behind Patrick’s chair! Slowly, he approached in a heavy cloud of fog and with gnarled fingers he revealed a wooden box. Open it and choose your fate, he whispered. Inside was a set of cards. We each chose one, revealing our drink for the night. With our fate sealed, the sorcerer crept back into his hiding place. It made for a legendary night that I’ll never forget.

A lazy river cruise

On our final day in Prague, we spent it by the Vlatava River. For the past 1000 years, the Vlatava has cut through the heart of the city, acting as both its lifeline and centre of development. Walking along its banks on either side is relaxing, and a great way to get a view of the castle and surrounding bridges.

Since I couldn’t take my family on a river cruise on the Danube, due to the tragic Hableány Disaster that had occurred just a couple weeks before, I wanted to make sure we booked a cruise down the Vlatava.

Our boat drifted down beneath the Charles Bridge, up river to parts of the city we hadn’t had a chance to see. It was the perfect way to end our weekend in Prague.

Saying goodbye to Budapest together

After a magical weekend in Prague, we headed back to Budapest for one last night together in Europe.

We spent the morning walking along the river and stopping in shops to grab souvenirs. Emily and Dylan loved the Magyar Shop, where they bought traditional Hungarian knives and jewellery.

In the afternoon, we met up with Patrick’s parents, Helen and Kyran, who had just flown in from the UK! My mom and Helen hit it off right away, and I was so happy to watch them walk and chat like old friends as we strolled across Szabadság Híd (Liberty Bridge). Seeing our families come together in the city where we had met and fallen in love was truly special.

From Liberty Bridge, we hiked up Gellért Hill. At the top of the world, or so it felt up there, they got the best view of Budapest — in all its glory on a beautiful spring day. There’s nothing quite like that view of Liberty Bridge and the shimmering Danube.

Then, we ventured into the Cave Church, also known as Saint Ivan’s Cave. It is said that Ivan carved out a home for himself in the cave and used the natural thermal springs to heal the ailments of the original settlers of Budapest. The spring water now fills the elaborate pools of Gellért Baths.

With the sun high and day growing hotter, we took shelter in Pontoon, the best little riverside pub in Budapest. This is one of my favourite places, and I loved showing my family the spectacular view of the Chain Bridge and Castle Hill from the sandy river ‘beach’. We sipped our drinks on the cool top deck, before hopping on the tram to our last destination of the day.

As we arrived at Heroes’ Square, my family was blown away by the monumental statues of the heroes of Hungarian history. From the Seven Chieftains of the Magyar Clans to King Saint Stephen I, and all the mighty leaders who followed, my family found themselves immersed in the trials and triumphs of Hungarian history.

From there, we wandered into the romantic alleyways of Vajdahunyad Castle in City Park. Romanesque and Gothic buildings peek out from treelined avenues, bringing the history of Hungary to life. As we walked up to the spooky Anonymous Statue, an ode to the unknown chronicler of King Bela III, our journey was complete and our time together in Budapest was coming to end.

We spent out last dinner together feasting on traditional goulash and humming along to live gypsy music.

When I finally had to put them in their taxi and say goodbye, I cried my eyes out. We had had such a fantastic time together over the past 10 days. Even now, I don’t think they realise how much the trip meant to me. I can’t wait for the next Fellows trip in Europe — perhaps in the UK!