Visited in November 2024, fifteen years-plus since the first visit.

I love how impressive examples of Art Nouveau and Art Deco are found on practically every block in Central Pest. Each one is different from others, creating a wide range between "unique" and "disjointed" depending on your particular perception of architecture. To my eyes, it is delightful to discover one after another. 

The problem, of course, is that most of those are in the buffer zone rather than the core zone of the WHS. Andrassy Avenue is a lovely boulevard, but somewhat more uniform, which for me equates to somewhat underwhelming. The Banks of the Danube offer as great perspectives as any wide river quays would, but the architecture directly on the riverbanks is not too rich in highlights, between some modern and some not really remarkable buildings. The Castle Hill district is home to a few veritable major sights but can hardly be called outstanding in its own right. 

The overall impression, though, feels greater than the sum of its parts, hence four stars. If you only take in the major sites - such as the Castle, the Matthias Church, the Fisherman's Bastion, the Parliament, the Chain Bridge, the Liberty Bridge, the Heroes Square - you may already conclude that Budapest has a lot to offer. If you add a museum or two (both the National Gallery in the castle and the Fine Arts Museum on the Heroes Square have pretty good collections), a quirky attraction or two (e.g., the Cave Church), a dip in the hot spring baths (Széchenyi is the most popular choice, but Gellért is not as crowded and happens to be inside the core zone), and look for the aforementioned architectural delights in the buffer zone in Pest, you may agree with my contention that Budapest can definitely hold its own in any comparison with the other greatest cities of Europe.