Though Budapest is not somewhere Girlawhirl would have thought to include in her “Top 5 Vacation Spots,” she could not have been more enchanted by the city. A mixture of traditional European structures lining the Danube River – like the incredible and expansive Parliament House – to modern amenities like brand new (and extremely useful!) trams and outdoor cafés at nearly every turn, Budapest marries old and new in a very up and coming way.

But the newly native Budapesti explained to her that Buda and Pest were, at one time, actually two different cities on either bank of the Danube River, and locals still refer to each area as “the Buda”, or “the Pest” side. The Pest side is flat and considered the “city” side to Buda's traditional, lush mountainous side. So to see some of the city's oldest charms, her Super Pal took her to the Buda side and up the mountain to the Castle District.

Starting in the center of the district at Holy Trinity Square – featuring the Holy Trinity Statue, of course – Girlawhirl could see some of the district's greatest attractions all within steps, like the Old Town Hall and the House of Hungarian Wines. Matthias Church, also in the square, (though currently being restored) is really named the Church of Our Lady, but is commonly known as Matthias Church because a favored Hungarian King, Matthias Corvinus, or "Matthias the Just", held both of his weddings there. The outwardly gothic looking cathedral has history dating back 700 years. Inside though, the colorful painted walls have a more definitive Eastern feel, which made sense to Girlawhirl considering at one time it was occupied by invading Turks.

After stepping out of the cathedral, Girlawhirl's Super Pal led her only a few steps to the left (towards the river) to Fisherman's Bastian. The imposing terrace structure built into the cliff overlooking the Danube looks like it's right out of a fairy tale and feels as though it has been there for the whole of the Castle District's history. In reality though, the neo-Classic structure was built at the turn of the 20^th century as homage to the guild of medieval fishermen responsible for defending the area.

Walking back up the cobblestone roads, Girlawhirl's Super Pal offered a carriage ride around the district for quicker viewing. She declined, preferring to walk, but it was wonderful to hear the clip-clopping of the horse drawn buggies around the district all day. She felt it further added to the “old-world” feeling of the area.

Next, they walked towards the Royal Palace, with a not-so quick stopover at the outdoor market where the pair picked up some traditional Hungarian goods like embroidered lace and adorable dresses for nieces back home, hand carved wooden boxes with secret keys, hand-blown glass, native Hungarian Paprika and so much more.

Then they strolled over to the palace. Destroyed and rebuilt several times in Buda's history (it was the last defense of German troops in Budapest in WWII), today the palace is home to three museums: the Budapest History Museum, the Hungarian National Gallery and the Contemporary Art Museum (Ludwig Collection).

After hours exploring there, they headed back to the Pest side for dinner at one of the many outdoor cafés on the famous Andrÿa1ssy út (street), home to the State Opera House. The city cools off quickly when the sun goes down, so many of the cafés have outdoor heaters and fleece blankets draped over the chairs to ensure a pleasant, and cozy, dining experience. They sampled traditional wines from the Tokaji district of Hungary and Zwack Unicum, an herbal after-dinner drink.

Then, to work off dinner, it was back over to the Buda and up the stairs to the Citadella on top of Gellért Hill for some of the most breathtaking night views Girlawhirl has ever seen. The entire city is lit at night in a way that made Girlawhirl feel as though it couldn't possibly be a real city; it had to be some sort of modern attraction made to look old. Her Super Pal said the Citadella is just as beautiful to visit in daylight, with vendors selling traditional Hungarian goods.

And after all of their urban hiking, her Super Pal promised her a relaxing and rejuvenating day at one of Budapest's famous natural mineral baths at the Gellért Hotel… but that is an entirely different story.