What to do in Szobi

Hungarians call this palatial parliament building, lying resplendent on the banks of the Danube, the 'House of the Nation'. And it is certainly a grand house, fit for a country as proud of its democracy as Hungary is. A mass of white pinnacles, topped by a mountainous red-roofed dome, the Parliament Building is huge. At nearly 270 metres in length, 100 metres wide and 96 metres high, this century-old marvel is the tallest building in Budapest – and in fact the largest one in the country.

Széchenyi Thermal Bath is among the largest thermal spring spas in Europe. Its natural hot water is used for medicinal purposes to aid degenerative joint illnesses and inflammations. Admire the neo-Baroque style of the buildings and the pools that date back to the turn of the 20th century.

Heroes’ Square is the 'full stop' in the long and extravagant 'exclamation mark' of Andrássy Avenue – the famous boulevard linking central Pest to the parklands of the Városliget. Whereas Andrássy Avenue is full of the show and rich spectacle of 19th century Budapest, Heroes’ Square (or Hősök tere) marks the point where Hungarians pause to reflect. Its sombre, grey-flagged space is home to icons of what Hungarians consider make them great – the conquering Magyar tribal warriors of the 9th century, the famous line of medieval kings, and the Holy Crown of St Stephen.

There is much that is magical about Budapest's City Park, the famous 121 hectares of parkland in north-east Pest. But at the heart of it is the fantastical Vajdahunyad Castle, a busy forest of towers, spires, domes and turrets rearing up out of the park's lake. Made up of a brooding Gothic and Romanesque castle, nudging against elegant Renaissance and Baroque palaces, it looks like the rambling ancient home of a Hungarian noble.

Visible for miles around, the massive Esztergom Basilica defines the skyline of the city. Head to the top of the church’s cupola for panoramic vistas over Esztergom, venture into its eerie underground crypts and see its collection of ecclesiastical artifacts, which is among the finest in the country.