![PEARL OF THE DANUBE](https://cdn.magzter.com/Outlook Traveller/1718084037/articles/PP4nDYqbs1718093070069/PEARL-OF-THE-DANUBE.jpg)
BUDAPEST IS HUNGARY'S CAPITAL AND crown jewel. Its architecture is an amazing mélange of Romanesque chapels, Gothic cathedrals, and Baroque palaces.
Buffeted by the vast winds of change which brought it under the sway of the Austro-Hungarian empire, followed by the Nazi occupation of WWII and captured as part of the Soviet Communist empire until its liberation in 1991, this beautiful city has only just begun to reclaim its rightful place as the "Pearl of the Danube."
Once, there were two cities, Buda and Pest, on either side of the Danube linked only by a single Chain Link Bridge, and it was not till 1873 that they were united. Both their geographical and cultural characteristics set them apart. Buda is the more sedate, residential side with a clutch of palaces and churches built on a series of hills, while Pest is flat as a pancake, where all the tourist action is, with happening bars, restaurants and cafés.
Since my wife and I are staying on the Pest side, we decide to take the free walking tour (guruwalk.com), which starts at 11 am from the plaza in front of St. Stephen's Basilica and comes highly recommended. There, we find our guide, Pisti, a dead ringer for Conan O'Brien with the same sharp features and fasttalking style, waiting under his trademark green umbrella.
Our group gathers under the towering shadow of the Basilica, which is dedicated to the holy king St. Stephen, the founder of Hungary. It has the most ornate interiors, with beautiful altars and chapels made of jasper and marble and walls covered by glorious frescoes.
Pisti quickly shepherds us to the Liberty Square, which has several controversial monuments, including the German Occupation memorial and the Soviet War memorial, two successive regimes that oppressed the Hungarian people until their liberation in 1991. Pisti is a great storyteller with an ironic sense of humour, which enlivens Hungary's recent history.
Denne historien er fra June - July 2024-utgaven av Outlook Traveller.
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Denne historien er fra June - July 2024-utgaven av Outlook Traveller.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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![Chutneys For Every Season](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/245/1787368/vj9JoL1bg1724136463856/crp_CHUTNEYS-FOR-EVERY-SEASON.jpg)
Chutneys For Every Season
GROWING UP IN JHARKHAND, I've always been enchanted by the state's culinary landscape. Here, the local cuisine never fails to surprise with its depth and variety.
![BADGE OF HONOUR](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/245/1787368/ERqTQQI4t1724139942096/BADGE-OF-HONOUR.jpg)
BADGE OF HONOUR
IN THE DYNAMIC LANDSCAPE of tourism, where greenwashing often taints sustainability, certifications can help distinguish between genuine efforts and marketing gimmicks. Green certification systems encourage businesses to enhance their environmental credentials.
![WHEELS OF TIME](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/245/1787368/eiw5EtKXP1724139742977/WHEELS-OF-TIME.jpg)
WHEELS OF TIME
IN 1947, TRAINS CARRYING REFUGEES ACROSS THE BORDER WERE SYMBOLIC OF THE TUMULT OF THE PARTITION.
![RAILS OF THE Raj](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/245/1787368/FYiuP3agY1724139628595/RAILS-OF-THE-RAJ.jpg)
RAILS OF THE Raj
FROM ITS CONCEPTION TO ITS ROLE IN THE NATION'S HISTORY, THE BRITISH INDIAN RAILWAYS IS A PHENOMENON MARKED AS MUCH BY MARVEL AS AVARICE
![THE RHYTHM OF BOLLYWOOD](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/245/1787368/M9m6VctHC1724139458614/THE-RHYTHM-OF-BOLLYWOOD.jpg)
THE RHYTHM OF BOLLYWOOD
FROM THE RAILROAD THRILLER MISS FRONTIER MAIL 1936) TO SHAH RUKH KHAN DANCING ON A TRAIN IN DIL SE' 1998), TRAINS HAVE GIVEN UNFORGETTABLE SONG SEQUENCES TO MANY HINDI FILMS
![MEMORY'S OASIS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/245/1787368/lUzCkJebY1724139369528/MEMORYS-OASIS.jpg)
MEMORY'S OASIS
REMEMBRANCES OF GROWING UP IN SEALDAH RAILWAY OFFICERS COLONY IN KOLKATA
![A FAREWELL × TO FLAVOURS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/245/1787368/pQF50VF8a1724139266408/A-FAREWELL-TO-FLAVOURS.jpg)
A FAREWELL × TO FLAVOURS
FROM CUTLETS AND RAILWAY MUTTON CURRY IN DINING CARS TO THE UNREMARKABLE FARE AVAILABLE TODAY, THE JOURNEY OF FOOD ON THE INDIAN RAILWAY IS FASCINATING
![HERITAGE ON THE TRACKS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/245/1787368/A1fhBK0sS1724138802301/HERITAGE-ON-THE-TRACKS.jpg)
HERITAGE ON THE TRACKS
THE ICONIC DARJEELING HIMALAYAN RAILWAY, FONDLY CALLED THE TOY TRAIN,' HAS HELD ITS UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE STATUS SINCE 1999
![HIDDEN LIVES](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/245/1787368/nEmYqHIYK1724138328106/HIDDEN-LIVES.jpg)
HIDDEN LIVES
SPANNING 65,000 KILOMETRES THROUGH DENSELY POPULATED INDIA, THE RAILWAYS ARE A BACKDROP TO COUNTLESS STORIES. 'THE UNRESERVED' BY FILMMAKER SAMARTH MAHAJAN CAPTURES A FEW
![JOURNEYS WITHIN AND WITHOUT](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/245/1787368/RiANNPFqp1724138035237/JOURNEYS-WITHIN-AND-WITHOUT.jpg)
JOURNEYS WITHIN AND WITHOUT
FOR IMTIAZ ALI, TRAIN JOURNEYS ARE TRANSFORMATIVE, OFFERING GLIMPSES OF INDIA'S DIVERSE SOCIETY AND ITS MANY CULTURES AND RELIGIONS