9 Reasons You Need to Travel to Budapest

Budapest is known as the "City of Baths" for a reason. It's the only remaining capital city in the world with healing thermal waters. Szechenyi Bath (over 100 years old) is the city's largest and most popular natural hot spring bath with 18 indoor and outdoor geothermal pools.

The Chocolate Museum alone is worth the visit but Budapest also offers an interactive Pinball Museum and the House of Terror, a museum honoring the victims of the communist and Nazi regimes in Hungary who were tortured and killed in the same building.

The Hungarian Parliament Building (pictured here) is just one example of the notable structures around Budapest. The State Opera House, Royal Palace (or Buda Castle), and Fisherman's Bastion are also worth adding to your itinerary.

Budapest offers both day and night river cruises down the famous Danube. It's one of the best ways to sightsee and you can't visit Budapest without seeing the very body of water that divides the capital of Hungary. The Chain Bridge pictured connects hilly Buda from flat Pest.

Oenophiles and enthusiasts should take note of the Budapest Wine Festival (one of the largest wine festivals in the country) that takes place every September. There's also the annual Pálinka and Sausage Festival every October, the Sziget Festival (one of the largest music and cultural festivals in Europe), and much more.

The Dohány Street Synagogue, aka The Great Synagogue, is the second largest in the world. Aside from its breathtaking interior, it's also home to several buildings and courtyards within its grounds, including the Jewish Cemetery.

The famous Gothic-style Matthias Church is also one of the most well-known landmarks in Budapest.

As you might have already noticed, many of the city's most popular sites and attractions all trail back to its long history. The Castle Hill area in particular captures a part of Budapest's rich past with several historical landmarks worth seeing. The World Heritage Site features cobblestone streets, 18th-century Baroque houses, Matthias Church, and more.

Not only do the hotels from Budapest range from boutique and historical to modern and stunning, but you can also stay for reasonable rates. Even though the Four Seasons Gresham Palace (pictured) is about $460 per night — which still isn't too terrible for a five-star hotel — the average rate for hotels and hostels in Budapest is around $50.