QUICK FACTS
Population
» 1.9 million
Time zone
» GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October)
Currency
» Hungarian Forint (HUF)
» 1,000 HUF ~ €4.00
» 1,000 HUF ~ $5.60
Electricity
» 220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin plugs are standard
Average January temperature
» 0°C (32°F)
Average July temperature
» 21.5°C (71°F)
Annual rainfall
» 635mm (25 inches)
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Although Budapest was trapped in a communist-era until almost 20 years ago, these days it is a city that is seriously going places. Communism is now history and the young people are eager to adopt Occidental values, while remaining in a deep relationship with the Hungarian fascinating past. The history and traditions of the Magyar people are still vitally important, as is the ubiquitous mobile phone, in a country that has been a European Union member since May 2004.
The modern city of Budapest was born in 1873, when Buda, Óbuda and Pest were joined officially. Today, the city is composed of 23 kerületek (districts), each designated by Roman numerals (I to XXIII) on maps, street signs and addresses (click here for Budapest districts map). Buda and Pest remain distinct however, creating an interesting west bank - east bank contrast. Hilly Buda is situated in the west, with narrow cobbled streets and mixture of neo-classical and medieval buildings almost totally reconstructed after WWII. Flat Pest lies to the east, having wide boulevards and art deco styles. The whole city is a mixture of Turkish, Venetian, Empire and art nouveau in a crazy mosaic of mismatching styles.
Budapest has a continental climate, with extreme temperature differences between the winter and summer months. Snowfall is frequent in winter and rain is quite common all year round. Almost two million people live in this cosmopolitan city (while roughly a quarter of the country’s population live in the enlarged metropolitan area), making Budapest the political, intellectual, commercial and cultural capital of Hungary.
EU membership and a flurry of new budget airline routes have made the streets more crowded in the past few years, as other Europeans discover the charms of a city that not only boasts beautiful architecture, but also offers visitors first rate attractions; these days booming Budapest is clearly a city on the move in both the realms of tourism and business. |
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