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Travel diaries
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We are going to tell the story of our second trip to London. We are back after 16 years with much more experience and much better organisation.
IMPORTANT: From 2 April 2025, any citizen travelling to the UK without being a UK resident will be required to have an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). This document can only be applied for on the UK Government website via this link.
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12th February
The flight is scheduled to depart at 12.10 from Malaga. We arrive in good time at the airport’s long-stay car park, park and take the courtesy bus to the terminal.
We go through security and sit down for a coffee. At that moment I realise that we have left our lunch sandwiches in the car. We get off to a good start.
The flight leaves on time. It’s the first time we’ve flown British Airways and the first impression is good. Punctuality, comfortable seats and legroom. Plus, you get a complimentary biscuit.
At around 13.45 British time we land at Gatwick Airport. England greets us with cloudy skies (of course) and a light drizzle. And very cold.
We made our way to the airport train station and took the Thameslink to London Bridge station. The ticket cost us £13.80 (16.67€).
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There we took the Jubilee tube line to our hotel station: Canning Town.
The hotel we chose is the Ibis Canning Town. It is a bit far away but about 20 minutes by underground or DLR train from the centre. It is one of the best value for money hotels we saw and we looked at about 60 hotels in the city. Rooms small but not cramped, with an outside window. The price123€ per night.
The hotel is newly built and very modern. The reception is in the cafeteria and we mistook the receptionists for two young hotel guests who were sitting with their laptops. Very informal.
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We left our things at the hotel and with no time to lose we set off before nightfall. But we had a problem. We still hadn’t eaten and it was getting late.
And the sandwiches in the boot of the car, with their serrano ham and tomato…
Next to the hotel door there was a place of a famous fast food chain, but it was only for take-away. So we ate at the door standing up. At least it wasn’t expensive: £11.68 (14€) for the two of us.
We took the DLR train and headed for the centre. We get off at the Tower Gateway stop and walk to Aldgate Pump.
Aldgate Pump is an old drinking fountain located at the junction of Aldgate High Street with Fenchurch Street and Leadenhall Street in the City of London.
There was a well here as early as the 13th century, and it also appears on 16th and 17th century maps of the city.
It was supplied by one of London’s many underground streams. Its water was praised for being bright, sparkling and fresh, and pleasant tasting. It was later discovered that these qualities came from decaying organic matter from the surrounding cemeteries and the leaching of calcium from the bones of the dead.
In 1876 the New River Company changed the supply to tap water. It is no longer in use today.
From here we approach the nearby St Andrew Undershaft Church. This was the site of a former 12th century church. The present building dates from 1532.
The church survived the Great Fire of 1666. In 1992 its large stained glass windows were destroyed in the IRA bombing of the Baltic Exchange.
Directly opposite is a building that caught our attention. It was because it was both curious and ugly. It is Lloyd’s of London. It is a British insurance market and serves as a meeting place for financial and insurance companies.
We continue our walk and, by chance, we come across Leadenhall Market. It is a covered market located in Gracechurch Street.
Built in the 14th century, it is one of the oldest markets in London. Originally a meat, game and poultry market, it stands on what was once the centre of Roman London.
The Lamb Tavern, dating from 1780, is a traditional meeting place for insurance workers. Many of them work at Lloyd’s of London.
That night, the tavern was packed to the rafters with tinkers having a good pint.
The ornate roof structure, painted in green, maroon and cream, and the cobbled floors of the current structure, designed in 1881 by Sir Horace Jones, make Leadenhall Market a tourist attraction.
We continue on our way towards the Tower of London. Soon we arrive at All Hallows by the Tower. It is an early medieval Anglican church on Byward Street. It was formerly dedicated to All Saints (All Hallows) and the Virgin Mary.
It is said to be the oldest church in the City of London, founded in 675. Recent research has challenged these claims, however.
The church survived the Great Fire of London in 1666. But it was badly damaged during the bombing of World War II. After reconstruction, it was reopened in 1957.
Its proximity to the Tower of London meant that it acquired royal connections. Edward IV converted one of its chapels into a royal chapel. Decapitated victims of executions from the Tower were sent to be temporarily buried here.
The church has a museum in its crypt, which contains parts of a Roman pavement discovered beneath the church in 1926. Exhibits focus on the history of the church and the City of London.
Right next door is the famous Tower of London. Although officially Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Tower Fortress of London. It is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames.
It was founded in late 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest. The White Tower is the namesake of the entire castle. It was built by William the Conqueror in 1078 and was initially a resentful symbol of oppression inflicted on London by the new Norman ruling class.
It was also used as a prison from 1100 (Ranulf Flambard) until 1952. Although that was not its primary purpose.
The Tower is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat.
There were several phases of expansion, principally under Kings Richard I, Henry III and Edward I in the 12th and 13th centuries. The general layout established in the late 13th century remains despite later activity on the site.
As we visited it during our first trip in 2009, we were not going to visit it this time.
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We made a detour around the Tower site and headed across the beautiful Tower Bridge. It is a combination of a bascule, suspension and, until 1960, cantilever bridge. It was built between 1886 and 1894 by John Wolfe Barry with the help of Henry Marc Brunel. The design was by Horace Jones.
It is one of five London bridges owned and maintained by the City Bridge Foundation, a charitable trust founded in 1282.
From the bridge we have good views of both banks of the river. You can also go inside and see how the bridge’s lifting system worked from its construction until 1976. First by means of a steam engine and later by an electronic system.
On the upper walkways we can also find photos of the most emblematic bridges in the world.
We finish crossing the bridge and head for one of London’s ‘secret’ places, the Horsleydown steps. They are stairs, a bit dangerous for clumsy people like me, that go down to the ‘beach’ of London.
It is the bank of the River Thames from where we have a different perspective of Tower Bridge.
We walk back up the stairs and take a stroll along the banks of the Thames. We quietly enjoy the views and the modern London architecture. Now, it’s getting cold enough to change your wig.
Nearby is The Old London City Hall, the former London Town Hall. It was the headquarters of the Greater London Authority between July 2002 and December 2021. The reason was the high cost of renting the building.
We also find here the HMS Belfast. She is a Town class light cruiser built for the Royal Navy. It is now permanently moored as a museum ship in the River Thames. It is managed by the Imperial War Museum.
A little further along is Hay’s Galleria, a mixed-use building housing offices, restaurants, shops and housing.
Originally a warehouse and associated wharf (Hay’s Wharf) for the Port of London, it was redeveloped in the 1980s.
We cross the gallery and make our way to Southwark Cathedral. Although its formal name is the Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie.
It is the mother church of the Diocese of Southwark. It has been a place of Christian worship for over 1,000 years. The church was not elevated to cathedral status until the creation of the Diocese of Southwark in 1905.
Between 1106 and 1538, it was the church of an Augustinian priory, Southwark Priory, dedicated in honour of the Virgin Mary. After the dissolution of the monasteries, it became a parish church.
The church belonged to the Diocese of Winchester until 1877, when the parish of St Saviour’s, along with other parishes in south London, was transferred to the Diocese of Rochester.
The present building retains the basic form of the Gothic structure built between 1220 and 1420. The nave, however, is a late 19th century reconstruction.
When we visited it, the bells began to ring. They could have gone on for about half an hour. The truth is that it was slightly overwhelming.
Just behind the cathedral is Borough Market, one of the largest and oldest food markets in London. There was a market here as early as the 11th century.
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The current buildings were built in the 1850s, and today the market mainly sells food specialities to the general public.
The bad news is that at the time we visited, except for the odd pub, the rest of the premises were closed.
We continued our walk to The Golden Hinde, a galleon captained by the corsair Francis Drake on his round-the-world voyage between 1577 and 1580. Originally named Pelican, it was renamed by Drake in 1578. It was in honour of his patron, Sir Christopher Hatton, whose coat of arms was a golden hind.
What we see on display today is a reproduction. It can be visited by means of an entertaining dramatised visit.
As we continued on our way we came across something we hadn’t expected. A place that I have not seen in guidebooks and I found it curious. It is the ruins of Winchester Palace.
This was a 12th century episcopal palace that served as the London residence of the bishops of Winchester.
Remains of the demolished palace survive on the site today, listed as a Grade II Historic Monument and in the care of English Heritage.
We continue our stroll along the banks of the Thames at leisure until we reach Shakespeare’s Globe. This was a theatre built in 1599 and associated with William Shakespeare. It was built by Shakespeare’s company, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men.
It was destroyed by fire on 29 June 1613. In June 1614 a second Globe Theatre was built on the same site, which remained open until the closure of London’s theatres in 1642.
The current building is a reproduction that opened in 1997. It is about 230 metres from the site of the original theatre.
Next to it is the Tate Modern art gallery. It is housed in the former Bankside Power Station built between 1947 and 1963 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott.
The power station closed in 1981 and was opened as a museum in 2000. Its current appearance is due to a renovation by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron.
To finish the day, as we were already quite tired, we crossed the Millennium Bridge, a pedestrian suspension bridge that crosses the Thames towards St. Paul’s Cathedral. We will talk about the cathedral a little later as we have tickets for the next day.
What we did note, however, is that very close by is a fountain that we found really beautiful. It is The St Lawrence and Mary Magdalene Drinking Fountain. It is a fountain located on the eastern side of Carter Lane Gardens. It was designed by the architect John Robinson and sculpted by Joseph Durham.
It was installed next to the church of St Lawrence the Jew in 1866. In the 1970s it was dismantled and stored in a vault in the City of London for fifteen years. The pieces were later moved to a barn on a farm in Epping.
The fountain was reassembled in its present location in 2010.
As it was getting a bit late, we decided to look for somewhere to buy something for dinner. We went to an Asian food chain called Itsu, which is located all over London. They have sushi, pokes and some takeaway food on trays, but you can also order hot dishes.
As it was 20 minutes before closing time, they told us that we could only take ready-made food from the fridge. In addition, because it was the last minute, everything was 50% off.
The whole dinner cost us 11.95£ (14.40€). We grabbed the food, some chopsticks and went back to the hotel for dinner.
A bit of relaxation after dinner, and then sleep, as the next day was going to be quite intense.
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13th February
As we had gone to bed early and were very tired, we got up quite early. We had a cup of one of those dirty soluble coffees they leave in the room as a courtesy and we set off on our way. We have a ticket for St Paul’s Cathedral at 10am.
We take the DLR train to Bank station. On leaving the station we stop at a small supermarket to buy some breakfast and continue on our way.
We arrived at the cathedral, but as it was very early in the morning, we went for a walk around the cathedral.
To the north of the cathedral is Temple Bar London, the gateway to the City of London. It was commissioned by King Charles II from the architect Sir Christopher Wren. It was built between 1669 and 1672.
It was originally located at the west end of Fleet Street and was relocated to its present site in 2004.
On the other side of the gate is Paternoster Square. This is a historic old square, renamed from Newgate Market around 1872.
The area was formerly called Paternoster Row and was the centre of London’s publishing trade. It was devastated by air raids during World War II. It is now home to the London Stock Exchange, which moved there from Threadneedle Street in 2004.
At the centre of the square is Paternoster Square Column, designed by William Whitfield’s firm Whitfield Partners. It also serves as a ventilation shaft for a service road running under the square.
Now it’s 10am and we’re off to the front door of the cathedral.
St. Paul’s Cathedral, formerly the Cathedral Church of St. Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral, seat of the Bishopric of London. Its dedication in honour of the Apostle Paul dates back to the original church, founded in 604.
This former cathedral, in the Gothic style, was destroyed during the Great Fire of London in 1666. The present cathedral, completed in 1710, was designed in the English Baroque style by Sir Christopher Wren.
The cathedral is one of London’s most famous and recognisable landmarks. Its dome, surrounded by the spires of the Wren churches, was the tallest building in the city between 1710 and 1963. It is the second largest church in the UK after Liverpool.
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Services held at St Paul’s include the funerals of Admiral Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington, Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher. Also the peace services for the end of the First and Second World Wars or the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer.
The entrance fee was £26 (31.36€) and includes an audio guide. The visit lasts about 2 hours and we can visit the nave, go up to the dome and down to the crypt.
The central nave is enormous. It has many remarkable elements such as the beautiful mosaics in the lower part of the dome and the black and white frescoes in the upper part.
After touring the nave, we plucked up our courage (and desire) and climbed the 257 steps to the Whispering Gallery in the dome.
In this gallery, 30 metres high, there are spectacular acoustics. If you speak to the wall, the person on the other side hears you perfectly. The sound is so good that when I did the test, I looked to the side thinking that Sara was right next to me.
It’s similar to what happens in New York Central Station but it’s even clearer. If you want to know everything about New York, don’t forget to visit our link with complete information and travel diary.
By the way, it is strictly forbidden to take photos and videos.
Without thinking too much about it, we decided to climb the 119 steps that separated us from here to the terrace of the dome. From here we have spectacular 360º views of the city. The truth is that it is well worth the effort.
The views are wonderful, but it was very cold up there. So after turning around we decided to go down and not climb the 150 steps that separated us from the last terrace. This part was very narrow and with very high steps.
Once on the ship again, we went down a little further to the crypt. Some illustrious figures from British history are buried here. For example: Admiral Lord Nelson, Duke Lord Wellington or the discoverer of penicillin, Sir Alexander Fleming.
We took the opportunity to rest a bit in the cafeteria that was in the crypt, having a coffee. It is curious to have a hot coffee surrounded by tombs… The price of the coffee also left us dead: £4.20 (5€).
After a well-deserved rest, we left the cathedral and headed for the nearby Reflection Garden. This is a small garden whose main attraction is a central pond in which St Paul’s Cathedral is perfectly reflected.
As this visit did not keep us too long, we quickly set off for the next point. Another of the visits we had scheduled with tickets.
The venue in question is the London Mithraeum and we had tickets for 13.30. Also known as the Temple of Mithra is a Roman mithraeum which was discovered in Walbrook during the construction of a building in 1954.
It was originally thought to be an early church, but it was not. It was built in the mid-3rd century and dedicated to Mithras, a solar deity, guardian of contracts, order and friendship.
During excavations white marble images of Minerva, Mercury, Mithras and Serapis from the 3rd century were found.
The visit begins with a small light and sound show that lasts a few minutes. Afterwards, you are free to visit the place and take your own photos.
By the way, the visit is free, but you have to get a ticket.
As it was getting close to lunchtime, we started to consider various possibilities. In the end we decided on an Egyptian fast food place called Koshari Street. It was very, very tasty and not very expensive. Two courses, a starter and a drink, £26.65 (32€).
This was the small plate and the truth is that I ended up completely full.
We’ll leave it here for the moment. We don’t want the entry to be too long.
Almost 16 years later we are travelling to London again. It was in the summer of 2009 and it was the first destination outside our borders that we made as a couple. Between our inexperience in organising trips and other factors, it was a somewhat peculiar trip.
Now, with the experience of travelling halfway around the world, we are back to enjoy it properly. And we did.
Here you can read the diary of that trip divided into several entries.
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We continue our Central European tour with a visit to our last destination, Budapest. The capital of Hungary.
July 21st
After picking up our things at the hotel in Vienna, we headed for the Wien Meidling train station.
At around 16.30, almost half an hour late, our train arrived. The platform was packed to the rafters. So we were the last fool.
The train was very crowded and unnumbered, but we found two seats next to each other and sat down. We took off our shoes and I fell slightly asleep.
About half an hour later, I was woken up by a girl, we were in her seat. WTF?! if they are unnumbered… well, no. There was a (more expensive) option of numbered seats and we had sat in one of the reserved carriages. So, off we went, to pick up the beach bar, and to another carriage. We got a seat, but one at each end of the carriage.
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Almost 3 hours after leaving Vienna, we arrived at Budapest-Keleti station. It was very beautiful, opened in 1884 and built in an eclectic architectural style.
There we decided to exchange a few euros for guilders. We didn’t have any, just in case. Now, as always, changing money in stations-airports is a pain in the ass, so we changed just enough.
It was about a 15 minute walk to the hotel. We chose the Novotel Budapest Centrum, a nice 4 star hotel for 58€ a night.
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We took a short walk and went back to the hotel to eat what we had left over from lunch and rest to get up early the next day.
July 22nd
We got up early and first went to look for a place to buy some breakfast. We bought a coffee to take away and some pastries in a bakery near the hotel.
The next thing we did was to exchange more euros for guilders. We did this at a place on Rákóczi Avenue itself, at number 10, where we got a very good exchange rate.
With fresh guilders we went to the metro. There we got a 72-hour metro pass for 4,150 guilders (about 11€). To use it, all you had to do was show it to some guards on the escalators, who looked at the pass without really paying much attention to it.
We got on line 2 (Red) to the Deák Ferenc tér stop. From there we walked about 5 minutes to Szent István Bazilika, St. Stephen’s Basilica.
St. Stephen’s Basilica is the co-cathedral of the Archdiocese of Esztergom-Budapest. It was built between 1851 and 1906 in neo-Renaissance style. It is named after the Hungarian founding king, St. Stephen, whose right hand, the Holy Right, is preserved here as a relic.
With a height of 96 metres, the building is one of the tallest in the country.
Admission is ‘free’, but there is a suggested donation of 200 guilders (€0.56) or, if you prefer to leave it in euros, €2. Such fantastic change is often found all over the city, for example in the souvenir shop at the opera.
After visiting the basilica, we strolled around the area until we reached the spectacular Hungarian Parliament building (Országház). We visited it from the outside as we had a 16.00 entrance.
We went for an early lunch so that we could be at the Parliament on time. We ate at a place I had found on the net called Frici Papa kifőzdéje. A very cheap place with homemade food (and with a menu in Spanish). We were really surprised.
Highly recommended. We ate for less than 10€ for both of us. We would eat lunch or dinner there almost every day. It’s cheap but be sure to bring cash because they don’t accept credit cards.
With our bellies full we went back to the Parliament to visit it.
The Hungarian Parliament (Országház) is one of the most famous public buildings in Budapest. It is the seat of the Hungarian Parliament and some of its institutions (such as the Library of Parliament).
Built between 1885 and 1904 in neo-gothic and eclectic styles, its design is completely symmetrical. The building was constructed for a bicameral parliament. The north wing houses the upper chamber and the south wing the lower chamber. The two chambers are an exact reflection of each other.
Today, the lower chamber hall is used for parliamentary sessions.
The upper chamber hall is open to tourists and hosts factional meetings, conferences and receptions.
Interestingly, the carpet in the lower chamber hall was red and in the upper chamber it was blue, as the members of the upper chamber were traditionally nobles, and were thought to have blue blood.
Tickets cost 2,000 guilders (€5.70) and are best bought online at least a month in advance. It’s packed to the rafters and the ticket office area is packed to the rafters.
Tours are guided and you can choose from a multitude of languages, including Spanish.
The visit is a must-do in Budapest and you won’t regret it. The outside of the building is spectacular, but the inside takes your breath away. Straight away.
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After visiting the Parliament, we went up to the top of Buda for a visit I was really looking forward to: Budavári Labirintus, the castle labyrinth.
The Buda Castle Labyrinth was created by the action of hot spring water on the limestone rock of the castle hill. It consists of caves, cellars, cells and springs stretching over a length of more than 1,200 metres.
It contains exhibitions from the time when Transylvania was part of Hungary and a specific section on Vlad Tepes, Count Dracula. From 18.00 onwards, the lights go out. With a small lantern you can walk through the labyrinth in a gloomy atmosphere, with fog and a kind of funeral melody.
I’m not at all afraid, but the truth is that they create a gloomy atmosphere that makes you feel quite creepy. I loved it.
The entrance costs 2,000 guilders (5.70€).
When we left the labyrinth, a bit tired, we went to look for a place to have dinner. We went to a place just opposite the hotel, a restaurant called Montenegroi Gurman. A Montenegrin restaurant that was very tasty and quite cheap. About 10€ for two courses and two drinks.
After dinner we went to rest.
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July 23rd
We got up early and went straight to the central market (Központi Vásárcsarnok) to visit it and have breakfast there.
It was built in 1897 according to the plans of architect Samu Pecz, a professor at the Technical University.
It is one of the most beautiful works of brick architecture of Hungarian historicism. The stone entrance doors have neo-Gothic characteristics. The roof is covered with coloured ceramics from the Zsolnay factory in Pécs.
Apart from the beautiful façade, there is nothing else of note. There are a lot of tourist-oriented food stalls on the upper floor, which are really expensive. Not expensive in comparison with the restaurants in the city, no, they are really expensive.
We left the touristy central market by the Freedom Bridge (Szabadság híd). It was built between 1894 and 1896 in the name of Franz Joseph I. It was destroyed by the Germans on the 16th.
It was destroyed by the Germans on 16 January 1945 during World War II. But it was rebuilt within a year and a half and reopened in August 1946 under its present name.
Cross the bridge and take tram 19 to the Clark Ádam tér stop. Nearby is the funicular railway that takes us up to Buda Castle.
The funicular was inaugurated in 1870, being the second funicular in Europe. It was destroyed during the Second World War but was rebuilt true to the original model and reopened in 1986.
The ticket costs 1,100 guilders (€3) and from the cabin you have a beautiful view of the Pest side of the city.
The views as you get off the funicular are quite spectacular. A few photos and we went to the castle.
Buda Castle (Budai Vár), built in Gothic style between the mid-14th and 15th centuries. It was the Royal Palace of Hungary.
From 1541, during the Turkish occupation, the condition of the palace began to deteriorate. During the siege and recovery of 1686, very serious damage was caused to the castle and the buildings of the Castle District.
Today, the castle houses the Széchényi National Library (since 1985), as well as the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum.
A 15-minute walk away we find, first, the Church of St. Matthias (Mátyás Templom), which we will visit later. And one of the highlights of Budapest: the Fisherman’s Bastion (Halászbástya).
The Fisherman’s Bastion is one of Budapest’s most famous landmarks. Located in the grounds of Buda Castle, it stretches 140 metres along the Danube.
Its 7 neo-Romanesque turrets offer incredible views of the Danube and the Pest side. Although it may not look like it, it is a fairly recent construction dating back to 1895.
After admiring the incredible views we decided to visit the Church of St. Matthias (Mátyás Templom). Its official name is the Church of the Assumption in Buda. It is a neo-gothic catholic church founded by St. Stephen in 1015, but there are no surviving texts that indicate this. There are texts indicating that it was founded in 1255.
During the siege of Budapest during World War II, the building was severely damaged. The building was rebuilt between 1950 and 1970, and in 1984 the reconstruction of the great organ was completed.
Admission costs 1,200 guilders (€3.40) and can be purchased at a ticket office in front of the church.
The interior of the church is spectacular and is one of the must-see sights in Budapest.
After a leisurely visit to the temple, we took another stroll through the citadel. We strolled down to the banks of the Danube.
We had lunch at the Frici Papa kifőzdéje and then we went to enjoy the best thing Budapest has to offer: the thermal baths.
We chose the most famous baths, Széchenyi Gyógyfürdő és Uszoda. Opened in 1913, it is the largest public bath in Budapest.
It is built in neo-baroque style and the truth is that the complex is beautiful and very stately. It has 3 outdoor pools and 15 indoor pools with water of different temperatures.
The entrance fee is 4,100 guilders (11.40€). You can also rent a swimming costume and towels in case you don’t have one. We rented towels and they cost 700 guilders (2€). They also have different massage services that can be hired separately.
The truth is that it is wonderful and leaves your body feeling like new. I really want to go back but in winter. Being in those outdoor pools while it snows has to be spectacular.
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After relaxing, we took a short walk through the park and sat down on a little terrace to have a drink. The drink was a palinka, a traditional liqueur made from various fruits such as plum, pear, apricot or peach.
I chose peach, and as the waiter said, you don’t drink it on its own, it has to be accompanied by a good mug of beer. So, I ordered both.
I don’t know how hard the palinka is, but between the shot and the mug of beer, I had a cake that doubled in size.
Being a bit drunk, we went for a light dinner to sober me up and went to bed to rest.
July 24th
We got up early for a change and hit the streets for breakfast on our way to the Budapest Opera House.
The Hungarian National Opera (Magyar Állami Operaház) is one of the most important 19th century monuments in Budapest. It was built in neo-Renaissance style according to the plans of Miklós Ybl between 1875 and 1884.
Fortunately, the building was not seriously damaged during World War II, so it was quickly repaired.
The interior of the opera house can be visited by guided tours in several languages, including Spanish. The Spanish tours are at 15.00 and 16.00 and last about an hour and a half.
We bought our tickets for 2,800 guilders (7.95€) for 16.00 and went with the music elsewhere.
As it was early, we decided to visit the House of Terror (Terror Háza). Despite the name, it is not a fairground attraction. It is a museum containing exhibitions related to the fascist and communist dictatorial regimes in Hungary in the 20th century. It is also a memorial to their victims, including those detained, interrogated, tortured or executed in this building.
The entrance fee is 2,000 guilders (5.70€) plus 1,500 guilders for the audio guide (4.30€). With it you can visit both the permanent and temporary exhibitions, although the temporary exhibition is free of charge.
The truth is that the name of the museum does it justice, as what you can learn here is truly horrifying. Human beings can be very cruel and we never learn. By the way, you can’t take pictures inside, so I don’t have any to post.
After the museum visit, we went for lunch at the nearby Frici Papa kifőzdéje (of course) and from here we went to the Hungarian National Opera for the tour.
The interior of the opera house is truly spectacular, with nothing to envy to its sister in Vienna, although it is much smaller.
After leaving the opera, we got on the metro and went to Heroes’ Square (Hősök tere). It is located at the end of Andrássy Avenue and is the most important square in the city.
The square was opened in 1896 to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the founding of the country. It is the site of the millennium monument with statues of the seven Magyar kings who founded the city and, in the centre, the Archangel Gabriel.
In 1929, the memorial to the fallen soldiers of World War I was installed, and from 1932, it was renamed Heroes’ Square.
The square is flanked by two monumental buildings, the Museum of Fine Arts (Szépművészeti Múzeum) and the Mücsarnok Art Gallery.
The Museum of Fine Arts (Szépművészeti Múzeum) was built between 1900 and 1906 in the Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Classical style according to the plans of Albert Schickedanz and Ferenc Herzog Fülöp.
The Mücsarnok Art Gallery was built between 1895 and 1896 in neoclassical style by the same architects as the Museum of Fine Arts, Albert Schickedanz and Ferenc Herzog Fülöp. It is the largest exhibition hall in Budapest.
The ensemble of the square and the two museums were proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002.
From Heroes’ Square we approach the Vajdahunyad Castle (Vajdahunyad vára). It was built between 1904 and 1908 in Renaissance and Baroque styles. It is a replica of Hunyad Castle in Hunedoara (Romania). Today it houses the Hungarian Agricultural Museum.
The castle is located in the Városliget park, where the Széchenyi baths we visited the day before are located. This time we went to see the spectacular main façade (we entered the baths from the back).
After a nice walk through the park we returned to the metro at Heroes’ Square. We went to the banks of the Danube River for a pleasant evening stroll admiring the imposing Parliament building and the gigantic flocks of bats flying around it.
From the banks of the Pest side, you can see incredible images of the illuminated Buda monuments. It’s a great sight.
After this, we had a light dinner and rested until the next day.
July 25th
Of course, we got up early to make the most of our last day in Budapest. We went on our way to the cathedral to contemplate the outside quietly, as it was raining the first day and it was quite uncomfortable.
From here we went for a walk to the Great Synagogue (Dohány utcai Zsinagóga). It was built between 1854 and 1859 in Moorish style by the architect Ludwig Förster and is the largest synagogue in Europe and the second largest in the world (after the one in Jerusalem).
Between 1929 and 1932, the entire area around the synagogue was renovated and the present-day Jewish Museum (Magyar Zsidó Múzeum és Levéltár) and the Church of Heroes, which preserves the memory of the Jewish heroes of World War I, were erected.
During World War II, the Nazis turned the area around the synagogue into a Jewish ghetto, which later became a concentration camp. Thousands of Jews were sent from here to extermination camps.
More than 2,000 people died here and were buried in the gardens of the Great Synagogue. Many graves are still preserved today.
In 1991, a monument in the form of a weeping willow tree known as the Tree of Life was installed, with the name of a Jewish person killed during the Holocaust on each leaf.
To enter, you have to go through a very strict security check. Men are provided with a kippah, which is obligatory, and women are required to cover their shoulders and legs. My partner was given a scarf for his shoulders, as he was wearing his shoulders uncovered.
The entrance fee is 2,600 guilders (7.40€) and it is one of the must-see sights of Budapest.
The free visit can take about an hour.
After this visit, we took the tram to Szent Gellért tér station, on the other side of the river. We were going to visit one of the most curious churches we have ever seen: the Rupestrian Church.
The Cave Church (Gellérthegyi Barlang) is part of a network of caves inside the Gellért hill. The cave is also known as ‘St. Ivan’s Cave’ (Szent Iván-barlang), after a hermit who lived there and is believed to have used the natural thermal water from a muddy lake next to the cave to cure the sick.
After its consecration in 1926, it served as a chapel and monastery until 1951. During this time, it also served as a field hospital for the Nazi German army during World War II.
After the liberation of the country by the Soviet army, the church continued its religious activities until 1951, when the country’s government decided to close it in a crusade against religious beliefs. The monks were imprisoned and the superior sentenced to death.
After the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, the church was reopened and restored in 1992. Today the monks continue to perform religious functions, but the cave has also become a tourist attraction.
The entrance fee is 500 guilders (1.40€) and it is a very, very interesting visit. At the exit there is a statue of King St. Stephen and a good view of the Szabadsag Bridge.
After leaving the Rock Church, we went for a nice walk along the riverbank to the Chain Bridge (Széchenyi Lánchíd).
The Chain Bridge was designed by the English engineer William Tierney Clark and built by the Scottish engineer Adam Clark. It was the first permanent bridge over the Danube in Hungary and was opened in 1849.
We cross the bridge and set off in the direction of the Parliament.
About halfway across the bridge, we come to a striking monument, the Shoes on the Bank of the Danube (Cipők a Duna-parton). It was unveiled in 2005 and was created to honour the memory of Jews who were murdered by fascist militiamen of the Arrow Cross party during World War II.
They were ordered to take off their shoes and shot at the water’s edge so that their bodies fell into the river and were taken away. It depicts their shoes left on the shore.
From here, we took a look at the monumental Buda bank of the Danube and took lots of pictures.
It was already lunchtime, so this time we went to a local fried chicken chain for a change.
After lunch we went back to the banks of the Danube for a sightseeing cruise.
The cruise cost us 5,980 guilders in total (17€) for two passengers and two audio guides (in English).
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The cruise takes you on a fairly long tour while telling you about the history of the city and the river. Very interesting.
At the end of the tour, we decided to go up to admire the sunset views from the Fisherman’s Bastion for the last time.
We prolonged the walk as long as possible, sad that we would have to return to Spain the following morning.
We went back to dinner… guess where… Award! to Frici Papa kifőzdéje.
July 26th
We got up around 6.30 am and went to the metro station, we got on line 2 to Deák Ferenc tér station. We transferred to line 3 to Kőbánya-Kispest station and then took bus 200E to the airport. The whole journey took just under an hour.
At the airport, Ryanair flights depart from terminal 2B. Our surprise was that, when we were called to board, they made us go outside the terminal to a kind of hut with an uralite roof where we had to queue in terrible heat without air conditioning. We imagine it will be freezing cold there in winter.
Around 10.30 the relatively punctual flight left for Barajas airport, where we arrived around 14.00.
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Catalonia or Catalunya is one of the 17 Autonomous Communities that make up Spain and is made up of four provinces. These are Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona. Its capital and most populated city is Barcelona.
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Barcelona
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Visiting Barcelona and not sure where to start? Don’t worry. Here are some things to see and do in the capital of Catalonia.
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01. Sagrada Familia
The Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família is a Catholic church in the Catalan modernist neo-Gothic style. Construction began in 1882 and is still unfinished.
Its architect was Antoni Gaudí, who supervised the work until his death in 1926. Gaudí was buried in the chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the crypt.
It was declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to the city on 7 November 2010. It is the most visited monument in Spain with almost 5 million visitors in 2023.
How to get there: Sagrada Familia metro station, lines 2 and 5.
Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 20:00 // Saturdays from 9:00 to 18:00 // Sundays from 10:30 to 20:00.
Price: Basilica €26 // Basilica and towers: €36 // Basilica guided tour: €30 // Basilica and guided towers: €40.
More information on the official website.
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02. Parc Güell
Park Güell is a garden with architectural elements in the Catalan Art Nouveau style designed by Antoni Gaudí.
It was built between 1900 and 1914 and inaugurated in 1926 as a public park. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.
How to get there: Lesseps metro station, line 3 and walk for 15 minutes // Travessera de Dalt stop, lines H6 and D40. Walk for about 10 minutes.
Opening times: daily from 9.30am to 7.30pm.
Price: general admission: €10 // Children 7-12 and over 65s: €7 // Under 6s: free.
More information on the official website.
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03. Passeig de Gràcia
Passeig de Gràcia is one of Barcelona’s main avenues and one of its most important shopping areas.
Here you will find some of the most outstanding Catalan modernist buildings in the city. Such as La Pedrera and Casa Batlló.
It was a rural road flanked by orchards and was the main route from Barcelona to the town of Gracia. In 1821 it was decided to urbanise the road and it was inaugurated in 1827. It soon became a favourite strolling spot for Barcelona’s aristocracy.
Today it is Barcelona’s golden mile, where we can find some of the shops of international luxury brands.
04. La Pedrera – Casa Milà
Casa Milà, also known as La Pedrera, is a modernist building designed by Antoni Gaudí. It is located on the corner of Passeig de Gràcia and Carrer de Provença and was built between 1906 and 1912.
In 1984 it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and since 2013 it has been the headquarters of the Catalunya-La Pedrera Foundation.
How to get there: Diagonal metro station, lines 3 and 5.
Opening times: during the day: 9am-6.30pm // at night: 7pm-11pm.
Price: general 28€ // 12 to 17 years old: 12,50€ // Under 12s: free // Over 65s, disabled and students: 19€ // Tickets at the ticket office cost 2€ extra.
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05. Casa Batlló
This is another modernista building located on Passeig de Gràcia. It was commissioned by the textile businessman Josep Batlló i Casanovas from the architect Antoni Gaudí.
It was built between 1904 and 1907 and was declared a World Heritage Site in 2005.
Since 2002 it has been possible to visit its interior, where you can contemplate its exquisite interior. All except the upper floors are inhabited or occupied by the offices of the company that runs it.
How to get there: Passeig de Gràcia metro station, lines 3 and 4.
Opening times: daily from 9am to 10pm (last admission at 9.15pm // ticket office until 9pm).
Price: general: 29€ // from 13 to 17 years old: 23€ // children under 12: free // over 65: 26€ // Residents in Spain 2×1.
More information on the official website.
06. Plaça Catalunya
It was built in 1889 to connect the Eixample with the old part of Barcelona. It was a place full of cafés and restaurants, an important meeting point for literary and political debates.
Today it hosts public events, concerts and various civic gatherings.
07. Rambla de Barcelona
La Rambla is an emblematic promenade in Barcelona that runs between Plaça de Catalunya and Port Vell. Here you will find many interesting spots such as its classic newsagents and flower stalls.
08. La Boqueria Market
The Mercat de Sant Josep (Saint Joseph’s Market), currently the market of La Boqueria, is the second largest market in Catalonia with more than 300 stalls.
It has its origins in the open-air market that used to be held on the esplanade in front of the Boqueria portal.
In 1586, the Discalced Carmelites founded a convent on the Rambla. On St. James’ Day in 1835, it was burnt down during a demonstration, along with the rest of those on the Rambla.
A square with large columns surrounded by porches was built on the site to temporarily move the market there. It was finally decided to leave it permanently and in 1840 the roof was built.
How to get there: Liceu metro station, line 3.
Opening times: Monday to Saturday from 8:00 to 20:30. Closed on Sunday.
09. Gran Teatre del Liceu
The Gran Teatre del Liceu, popularly known as the Liceu, is an opera house located on the Rambla in Barcelona. It was inaugurated in 1847 and for the next 100 years it was the largest in Europe.
The architect in charge was Miquel Garriga i Roca and its inauguration consisted of a mixed programme that included music, theatre, song and dance.
The Liceu originally occupied the site of the former convent of the Trinitarians on the corner of La Rambla and Carrer de Sant Pau.
How to get there: Liceu metro station, line 3.
10. Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter)
The Barri Gòtic is one of the four neighbourhoods that make up the Ciutat Vella district and is the oldest area of Barcelona.
In turn, it is made up of seven historic quarters, those that were inside the Roman wall and those on the outside.
11. Pont del Bisbe
This is probably one of the best-known elements of the Barri Gòtic. Although we might think it is very old, it is actually an addition from 1928. It was designed by the architect Joan Rubió i Bellver, a disciple of Antoni Gaudí.
One of the elements that arouses most curiosity is the skull pierced by a dagger on its roof. It is the subject of a curious legend. It says that if one day someone were to remove the dagger, all the buildings in Barcelona would collapse.
It is also said that if you pass under the bridge and make a wish while looking at the skull, it will be granted.
12. Plaça de la Seu
This is the largest square in the Barri Gòtic. Here we can find several remarkable elements, such as the Cathedral and the Casa del Arcediano (Archdeacon’s House).
A small section of the Roman Aqueduct, dating from the 1st century BC, can also be found here. This transported water from the springs of Moncada to the colony of Barcino.
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13. Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia
The Cathedral of Santa Creu i Santa Eulàlia is a Gothic basilica, the seat of the archbishopric of Barcelona. It is one of the few churches in the world (and one of the oldest) dedicated to the Holy Cross, dating back to the 7th century.
A Paleochristian church from the 4th century was already here. The remains of its baptistery have been preserved. This church was remodelled before the 9th century and destroyed in 985 by the Al-Mansur raid.
A new Romanesque cathedral was consecrated in the 11th century, thanks to Bishop Guislabert. The Gothic cathedral was built from 1298 during the reign of James II of Aragon, the Just. This work lasted 150 years, no more and no less.
The neo-Gothic façade is the work of the architect Joan Martorell and was built between 1887 and 1890.
How to get there: Jaume I metro station, line 4.
Opening times: Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 6.30pm // Saturdays and eves of public holidays from 9.30am to 5.15pm // Sundays and public holidays from 2pm to 5pm.
Price: general admission €14 // Children from 3 to 12 years old €6 // Children under 3 years old free.
More information on the official website.
14. Plaça Sant Jaume
Plaça Sant Jaume is the administrative heart of Barcelona. Here we find the seat of the Government of Catalonia and the Barcelona City Council.
During the Second Republic it was officially called Plaça de la República.
The Palau de la Generalitat, formerly the Casa de la Diputació, is the seat of the Catalan government. The original building was part of Barcelona’s Jewish quarter. In reality, however, it consisted of an impractical jumble of buildings.
In the 15th century, the architect Marc Safont was commissioned to completely remodel the building. These were carried out between 1410 and 1425 to give shape to the Gothic palace that still exists today.
Between 1531 and 1537, further extension work was undertaken. The western part was built in Renaissance style, including the Golden Chamber.
At the end of the 16th century, the extension towards Plaça Sant Jaume was approved, demolishing several houses.
The Barcelona City Hall building dates back to 1369. Although, like the Generalitat building, it has undergone many renovations and extensions.
15. Montjuic Castle
Montjuic Castle was a military fortress built in 1641. Its current appearance is due to a reconstruction by the military engineer Juan Martín Cermeño in the 18th century.
At the end of the 14th century it became a military prison. This use lasted until 1960, when it was ceded to the city of Barcelona. In 1963 the Military Museum was opened here, which closed its doors in 2009.
If you have a little more time, take a look at our diary Barcelona: a walk around Montjuic (only in spanish, at the moment).
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