From my photos at Flickr Produced by Kayakman Media

Café Alibi is quickly becoming a favorite place ... and that's saying something considering that Budapest is known for its great cafés. Small tables, cozy nooks, and soft lighting create a relaxing and intimate atmosphere that encourages you to unwind, talk long, and enjoy. And unlike some cafés, Alibi has the menu to match. From the milkshake with fresh fruit to the coffees to the main courses, everything we sampled was superb. It's easy to see why the café boasts that "there are so many satisfied and faithful customers, who can really feel that the Café Alibi is their haunt."

This rather new place (it opened in 2000) is on Egyetem Tér which is between Váci utca and Kalvin Tér so even its outdoor seating has a great neighborhood feel to it. Check out their website for a glimpse at their menu, but sign up for their newsletter for a heads-up on the weekly specials--plus you get a free coffee.

For more information visit the official website: Café Alibi

From my photos at Flickr Produced by Kayakman Media

When a Hungarian once told me that the best sausage comes from Hungary, I thought it was just national pride talking. After all, I had tasted some fabulous sausages and they hadn't been Hungarian. Now I know better.

Kolbász is the Hungarian word for sausage and is generally made of ground pork, salt, garlic, pepper, and paprika. (Don't confuse it with kielbasa, the Polish sausage as it lacks that most excellent ingredient: paprika). Of course the ingredients may vary a bit depending upon each manufacturer's "trade secret blend." The friss (fresh, i.e. unsmoked) kolbász is delicious when cooked with sauerkraut and served with mashed potatoes. Personally I lean more towards the smoked kolbász because of its spiciness and how great it tastes during an outdoor adventure.

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The best known and most popular version of this type is Csabai. It is typically spicy, and tastes of paprika. Csabai kolbász is distinct not because of the place it is made (Békéscsaba), but rather the way it has been made, its ingredients, and the use of spices. In 100kg of the finished sausage, there's 1200-1800g of spices (including sweet and spicy paprika) that have matured in flavor during the smoking process. The dominant flavors of the medium-degree spicy Gyulai kolbász are aromatic Hungarian red paprika, pepper, garlic and caraway, complemented by the savory effects of traditional smoking. A combination that won it the gold dipoloma at the World Exhibition of Food in Brussels and has helped it maintain its popularity to the present day.

And of course, there's the famous, and exportable, Pick Szeged brand. It has been around since 1869 and notes that the cool air of the Tisza River ensures the best climate for producing their award-winning salami and kolbász.

I am still taste-testing my way through all the different options and levels of spice. But the majority of butchers I asked about their favorites said the Temesvari (made in Domaszek) because it is usually more spicy. So that's next on my list--and it's a long list thanks to the numerous varieties, brands, and smokiness vs. spiciness combinations. And there's the numerous ways to enjoy it ... in a snack size while out on the trail; sliced and served with bread or cheese at a party; on top of a magyaros pizza; or cooked in a family dinner of potatoes, green peppers, and cheese, ... Oh, so many wonderful options!

And while in Hungary you can pick up kolbasz at your local market, I'd hit the Central Market first just to see how many great options you have to choose from.

From my photos at Flickr Produced by Kayakman Media

The Astoria Hotel's Mirror Café & Restaurant boasts of its "unique blend of antique and fresh, traditional and modern," and rightfully so. Unlike many of Budapest's other elegant cafés, the Mirror survived the wars and communist regime fairly unscathed. Yet this is not its only source of pride, for the true blend of the traditional and modern comes from the kitchen in its fusion of Hungarian and international delicacies. The duck was a favorite amongst our group. Visit the café's website, to view its menu (both the site and menu are available in Hungarian, English, and Deutsch.) And while such delicious foods and sophisticated ambiance do not come cheap, the café's coffee and dessert menu is comparable to Centrál Café and cheaper than many of the tourist-geared coffeehouses (kávéház) on the nearby shopping street Váci utca.

So if you're near the Astoria stop on the piros metro (Red M2), the newspapers and magazines in Cafe Mirror beckon you to come and relax with a cappuccino or hot chocolate and torte. If it's around meal time, why not try one of the fusion dishes and experience this delightful blend of traditions.

For more information visit their website: Astoria Café Mirror

From my photos at Flickr Produced by Kayakman Media

Don't wear uncomfortable shoes. A stroll on Széchenyi-island in Városliget, Budapest could be short, but why when you can walk wide tree-lined paths. Play catch in its park. Stop on the foot bridge over a narrow part of the lake (yes, it's man-made, but so what, it's nice) and enjoy the feeling that you're not really in the middle of a large, busy city. You can even rent a row-boat in the summer if you'd like. Or ice-skate in the winter.

Of course, one of the main attractions is the Vajdahunyad Castle. It's not a genuine castle, but rather a complex of buildings that incorporate architectural styles from the Middle Ages to the Baroque period. Ignác Alpár designed it as part of the millenarian celebrations in 1896 (It had been 1,000 years since the Magyars had migrated to Hungary)

Originally intended as temporary exhibition pavilions, the castle proved to be so popular with the public that between 1904-6, it was rebuilt using bricks to create a permanent structure. The architectural styles follow each other chronologically, so that Romanesque is followed by Gothic, then Renaissance, and then Baroque; yet the individual styles are masterfully linked together to give the impression of a single cohesive design. Even still, the architectural student will note that authentic details from twenty renowned buildings of historical Hungary are present. Budapestens named the entire complex after the main Renaissance replica (the Hungarian castle in Vajdahunyad, Transylvania) which is seen prominently from across the lake.

While the Castle and grounds are themselves worth the stroll, especially when accompanied by an ice cream (available at several of the entrances), there's other treasures to be found. In front of the castle is a statue of Alpár depicted wearing the robes of a master architect from the Middle Ages. Possibly better known is the statue in honor of the unknown author of Hungary's first history books, /*Gesta Hungarorum*/. Superstition says that if you touch the pen that the statue Anonymous, also called Magister P, holds you'll receive good luck. Also part of this picturesque retreat is the Museum of Agriculture, which has been housed here since 1897 and is the largest in Europe, and Ják Templom (look for more on this quaint church later.)

From my photos at Flickr Produced by Kayakman Media

Budapest's famous Vaci Utca is home to the popular Anna Café. In fact there are two locations. One bookends the shopping street with a location right across from the Central Market, but the larger--and original--café is just a few blocks away from another tourist hot-spot, Café Gerbeaud. Both Anna locations have terraces with great scenery, though the insides are inviting as well.

Originally a coffeehouse, Anna Café became an espresso café after WWII. Today it creates original coffee creations which you can pair with a decent selection of desserts. Or if you need something more substantial there's also salads and sandwiches. Be forewarned however. Anna Café caters to the tourist; so you'll find few traditional Hungarian foods here, the desserts are tasty but mostly European in style, and its a bit pricey when compared to other quality cafés, like Centrál Café, that are slightly off the main path.

For more information visit their website: Anna Café