The Corso
The riverside promenade that was the city's most fashionable social space.
Thaler — CC BY-SA 3.0 · FOTO:Fortepan — ID 82122: Adományozó/Donor: Budapest Főváros Levéltára. — Public domain · FOTO:Fortepan — ID 82137: Adományozó/Donor: Budapest Főváros Levéltára. — Public domain · FOTO:Fortepan — ID 82141: Adományozó/Donor: Budapest Főváros Levéltára. — Public domain
A square on the Danube bank on the Pest side, along the Corso — the riverside promenade that in the early twentieth century was Budapest's most fashionable social space. It is dominated by the Vigadó, the historic concert hall built in the 1860s with a facade in a distinctive Hungarian romantic style. Liszt, Brahms, Wagner and Mahler all performed here, and it is among the most important concert halls in the city's history. It was destroyed in the Second World War and rebuilt, then restored again and reopened in 2014. The square itself is among the best vantage points on Buda: the Danube directly in front, and Castle Hill, the Royal Palace and the Matthias Church on the opposite bank behind it. Many river boat trips leave from here, and tram line 2, which runs the length of the bank and is regarded as one of Europe's finest tram rides, passes through the square. Practical point: the square is free and always open. Vigadó concerts are ticketed, and parts of the building can be entered at set times.
The riverside promenade that was the city's most fashionable social space.
It runs the length of the bank and is among Europe's finest tram rides.
Buda, its palace and the Matthias Church across the river.
The Danube Corso, Pest side, Budapest
A tram running along the Danube on the Pest side, passing the Parliament, the Chain Bridge, Vigadó Square and the Market Hall. It is regularly ranked among the world's finest tram rides because its whole route hugs the river with a continuous view of Buda. An ordinary transit ticket covers it, and riding end to end is the cheapest sightseeing in Budapest.
Yes, particularly in the evening. Budapest is among the finest European cities from the water because its major sights — the Parliament, Castle Hill, the Chain Bridge — all sit directly on the banks. Evening trips after the buildings are lit are the best. Short, reasonably priced cruises exist alongside much more expensive dinner cruises.
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