Aquincum: situated in Obuda, the third city to join Buda and Pest in establishing the capital, this 2,000-year-old town used to be the capital of the Pannonia under the Romans. Today numerous structures date back to that era when up to 40,000 people lived in the city and highlights include a crumbling Roman amphitheatre. Great Market Hall: shopping doesn’t get much more fun and typically Eastern European than this. Housed inside an attractive old, stone building in the 9th district, the market is the largest of its kind in Budapest and serves as a good place to track down caviar and Hungarian wine. Parliament Building: right on the banks of the Danube, the Budapest Parliament building is one of the oldest of its kind in Europe and as big an icon in the Hungarian capital as Westminster is in London. The structure itself is a neo-Gothic building of huge proportions topped off with a giant red dome and dozens of needle spires. The Parliament also houses the crown and sceptre of St Stephen, important artefacts that date back to the origins of the Hungarian state. Royal Palace: exquisite architecture and grandeur on an opulent Hungarian scale, the Royal Palace is numerous attractions rolled into one. Here, you’ll find the National Gallery as well as the Fisherman’s Bastion with its stunning views across the Danube, and Mattias Church, a neo-Gothic number that has recently undergone reconstruction. This UNESCO protected treasure is the highlight of any sightseeing trip in the Hungarian capital. Sashegy: meaning ‘Eagle Hill’ in English, Sashegy is the largest nature reserve in Budapest and a perfect spot for walking and getting great views of the city. Head to Tajek avenue to get here. St Stephen’s Basilica: built a century ago in honour of the father of the Hungarian state, this is the most important ecclesiastical building in Budapest and one of the tallest constructions in the city at nearly 100 metres. Inside, the church houses the mummified fist of St Stephen, one of the grisly reminders of the first king dotted around the city. | 
