Budapest

The largest building in Hungary stretches along the Danube in a Gothic Revival style, with a great dome and hundreds of pinnacles. Guided tours visit the grand staircase, the domed hall where the Holy Crown of Hungary is displayed, and one of the old chambers.

TipTours sell out, so book online. For the best view of the building, cross to the Buda bank.

The largest church in Budapest, completed in 1905, is named after Hungary's first king, whose mummified right hand is kept in a chapel inside. Its dome is the same height as the Parliament's, ninety-six metres, and you can climb or take the lift to the panoramic terrace around it.

The royal palace on Castle Hill, rebuilt many times since the Middle Ages, now holds the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum. The terraces in front of the palace have wide views across the river to Pest.

TipTake the historic funicular from the Chain Bridge, or walk up the steps and paths, which are free and pleasant.

A fairy-tale terrace of white stone turrets, built around 1900 on Castle Hill, with one of the best views of the Parliament across the river. Beside it, Matthias Church has a roof of coloured tiles and an interior painted in rich patterns.

TipArrive early in the morning to have the terraces almost to yourself.

One of the largest bath complexes in Europe, built in 1913 in City Park, with outdoor pools of warm mineral water surrounded by yellow neo-baroque buildings. Bathing outdoors in winter as steam rises around you is unforgettable, and you may see locals playing chess in the water.

TipBring flip-flops and a towel, or rent them there; weekday mornings are the quietest time.

The Széchenyi Chain Bridge, opened in 1849, was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Budapest. Along the Pest embankment nearby, the Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial honours the Jews who were shot into the river during the Second World War.

The Dohány Street Synagogue, the largest in Europe, stands at the edge of the old Jewish district, with a museum and a memorial garden. The district's courtyards and crumbling buildings are now home to the famous ruin bars, which began in abandoned buildings, as well as cafés, street art and restaurants.

A vast nineteenth-century market hall with a roof of coloured tiles, at the Pest end of Liberty Bridge. The ground floor sells paprika, salami, vegetables and pastries, while the upper gallery has food stalls and souvenirs.

A steep, wooded hill rising straight above the Danube on the Buda side, crowned by the Liberty Statue, with what many consider the finest view of Budapest, across the bridges to the Parliament. Paths climb from the Liberty Bridge and the Elisabeth Bridge, and the Art Nouveau Gellért Baths stand at its foot.

TipClimb in the late afternoon and stay for sunset as the city's lights come on.

A grand tree-lined boulevard, lined with mansions and the Hungarian State Opera, runs from the centre to Heroes' Square and City Park. Beneath it runs Line 1 of the metro, opened in 1896, the oldest underground railway in continental Europe.

A long, car-free island in the middle of the Danube, with gardens, a running track, ruins of a medieval convent, and a musical fountain. It's where the city comes to relax on summer weekends.