Budapest/Slovenia/Croatia

USEFUL INFO

230V - CEE 7/7 outlet adapter


Europe Emergencies: 112
from any mobile phone, landline, or payphone

Hungary

Ambulance: 104 / Police: 107 / Fire service: 105

English medical 24hr hotline: 06-1-2000-100

Embassy: 06 (1) 475-4400 within Hungary 

Croatia
Ambulance: 94 / Fire: 93 / Police: 92
Roadside Help (equivalent of the AA): 987
(00 385 1 987 from a foreign mobile phone)
Embassy: 0 (1) 661 2200 / 2400 within Croatia

Slovenia

Police: 113 

Embassy: 0 (1) 200 5595 / 5556 within Slovenia

Eu to US Consulate Services: 00 1 202-501-4444

TSA: Traveling with Children

BUDAPEST
Hungarian Forint
1000 HUF = $3.50 USD


Yellow (1) line is the oldest underground transportation line in continental Europe. 1,2,3 lines meet at Deák Ferenc Tér in central Pest. Trains run 4.45 AM - 11.45 PM. The most useful TRAM lines for tourists are 4 and 6.

24-hour group travel card, for max. 5 persons - recommended also for families: 3 300 HUF,: valid on all public transport vehicles, incl. D14 boat service, on boat services D11, D12, and D13 only on workdays for an unlimited number of trips from 0:00 to 24:00 of the day indicated on the ticket (you decide on the starting time).

Metro Ticket (for up to 3 stops): 300 HUF: valid for one uninterrupted trip without change on all 3 metro lines for 3 stops for 30 minutes.

Boat tickets (one-way): adults: 750 HUF, children up to 15 years of age: 550 HUF.

Bus 200E takes you from Terminal 2 to the M3 (blue) metro terminal called Kőbánya-Kispest Metro Station. The bus operates from 4.00 till 23.00 daily. The journey is about 30 minutes. From there you can travel on by metro.

In case of metro tickets you have to put the ticket in the ticket validation machine (orange coloured box on a metal pole) that’ll stamp a time and date on the ticket. A short musical tone confirms that the ticket has been validated. Once you validated the metro ticket you head for the escalator that’ll take you to the metro platform where you wait for the metro car. At the top of the escalator ticket inspectors will most likely stop you to check whether you’ve validated your ticket. On other vehicles (trams, buses, trolley) there’ s either the orange box similar to the ones in metro stations, or a smaller red box in which you insert the ticket then pull the black part on the top towards you to punch the ticket (a pattern of holes appear on the validated ticket).

Szechenyi Bath
9-11 Allatkerti korut Street, Budapest, District 14 (XIV)

6am - 7pm Indoor
6am - 10pm Outdoor
5000 HUF ($15/adult)
Website

Szechenyi Bath is the biggest and most popular of all the thermal baths in Budapest. What is more, it is one of the biggest natural hot spring spa baths in Europe too. Szechenyi Bath is 100 years old in 2013, and throughout its century old history, about a 100 millions of bathers have enjoyed the warm medicinal waters and the fun pools. 

The 18 pools in Szechenyi Bath is open every single day throughout the year, including national holidays, when its an especially popular place to visit. Besides the outdoor and indoor geothermal pools, you can get massagetreatments, enjoy thesaunas, the gym, relax by the pools with some beer, wine or even taste the natural waters that supply the pools from over 1000 meters below the surface.

Gellert Bath Indoor Palace
H-1118 Budapest, Kelenhegyi út 4. (Buda)

6am-8pm

5300HUF ($18/adult)
Website

As Gellert Bath is actually one building with the spa hotel named Gellert Hotel, you can enjoy a fascinating holiday in one of the best spa hotels in Budapest, or simply enjoy the bath facilities as a bath visitor (Gellert Bath is open to all, adults, children, mean, women, and all its areas are wheelchair accessible)

Fun: try the open air wave pool, and explore the labyrinth of the Art Nouveau palace revealing 8 artistic pools with naturally warm spring waters. Both Szechenyi Bath and Gellert Bath are a maze. We recommend getting your own Gellert Spa Map to aid your exploration.

Historical: the spring waters of Gellert Bath were discovered in the 15th century, by the 1920s hundreds of thousands of bathers were enjoying the natural healing powers of the geothermal waters. Explore the elegant palace and historical beauty of Gellert Bath.


Buda Castle

Funicular (sikló: takes you up to the Castle Hill from Clark Adam Square) Tickets: 1 100 HUF/adult, (return ticket: 1 700 HUF) 600 for children (return ticket: 1 100 HUF), Operating hours: 7.30-22.00 every day.

Labyrinth (under Buda Castle) 10am-7pm; Adult: 2,000 HUF ($7)

The Labyrinth is situated in the complex of caves and cellars beneath Castle Hill. The underground labyrinth system served as a large shelter and hospital during World War II, but the Turks also used it back in the 16th century, mainly for military purposes. Remains dating back to the Turkish era confirm that part of the Labyrinth was also used as a harem. In the 15th century the Labyrinth gave home to a prison and it's most famous prisoner was Vlad Tepes, better known as Count Dracula, held in captivity by Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus. The underground labyrinth is about 6 miles long and the part, which can be visited, is one mile. Tours include 'Labyrinth with Lanterns', offered daily from 6 pm.

Chain Bridge



Central Market Hall (go early in the morning, check out basement pickles)
Thurs-Fri: 6.00-18.00


New York Cafe
9am - 12am



Fisherman's Bastion, next to Matthias Church

Ruin Pubs
About a decade ago, one of many abandoned buildings in Hungary’s capital was converted into a low-key club with little more than discarded furniture and artistic creativity, bringing about the first of Budapest’s so-called “ruin pubs”
Anker’t, the summertime sister of Anker Klub, is one of the largest garden bars in downtown Budapest. Housed within the enormous building of a former factory, it is characterized by a minimalist interior, and is made up of huge connecting courtyards. The first party area is home to a long bar suited for socializing and crowd-scanning, and also a separated dance floor. The other courtyards were made for chilling, chatting, and occasional special events. This isn’t the cheapest place to hang out, but the party scene happening here is generally worth the cost. Don’t miss out on the tasty grilled dishes and freshly fried potato chips!

Szimpla Kert
1075 Budapest, Kazinczy utca 14, Hungary (map, website)
Szimpla Kert has been labeled as one of the most popular ruin pubs in the city, it attracts both locals and international young travelers. Ruin pubs, pop-art galleries are huge parts of Budapest’s post-Communism culture. It’s a must-do during your visit to check out an exhibition, a photography or art show at a ruin pub such as this one. Culture, great drinks and awesomely cool people…you just can’t beat that!

TRAIN TO CROATIA

Budapest Keleti Train Station

There are two daily direct trains from Budapest to Zagreb every day. In the morning, the InterCity Agram leaves Budapest Deli at 06:00 arriving Zagreb 12:47. And in the afternoon the InterCity Rippl-Rónai leaves Budapest Keleti at 14:45 arriving Zagreb at 20:44.

You can buy a cheap €29 ticket online at the Hungarian Railways website www.mav-start.hu from €29. See tips for using mav-start.hu & how to collect your tickets.
€14 for child/baby?

https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Budapest/Zagreb


Glavni kolodvor - Zagreb's Main Railway Station
Take Taxi from the train station to the airport to pickup rental car:





SLOVENIA
Euro
1 EU = $1.09 USD

Buy a 1-week vignette €30 (class 2B) at the border or at a gas station or else there is a €300 fine.



Lake Bled
http://www.slovenia.info/en/sakralna-dediscina/Bled,-Island-The-Church-of-t.htm?sakralna_dediscina=6304&lng=2

1hr hike: http://www.slovenia-trips.com/eng/hiking-mountaineering/trip/878/Ojstrica-and-mala-osojnica

Glacial waters give Lake Bled a striking clarity reflecting the wooded hills that cradle it and Bled Castle looming high above. In the middle rests Bled Island, the only natural island in Slovenia, a jut of limestone that survived a receding Ice Age. Strong oarsmen row the Pletna boats out to the island’s base so that tourists can climb the ninety steps to the baroque Church of the Assumption.

The baroque Church of the Assumption dates from the 17th century, though there’s been a church here since the 9th century. Go inside to see some fresco fragments from the 14th century, a large gold altar and part of the apse of a pre-Romanesque chapel. The 15th-century belfry contains a 'wishing bell' you can ring to ask a special favour.

Pletna boat ride to the island €12
30min on the island, church and bell entrance extra





Bled Castle (8am - 9pm)
9eu + parking fee, or walk up
Restaurant open 11am - 10pm
Website

Bled Castle is the oldest castle in Slovenia. In 1011 Henry II signed another deed of donation to include the castle. The buildings are arranged around two courtyards which are connected with a staircase. In the past the outbuildings were arranged at the lower courtyard and the residential buildings around the upper courtyard.
At the upper courtyard there is also a chapel dating back to the 16th century. It is dedicated to the bishops St Albuin and St Ingenuin and painted with illusionist frescoes. The altar is adorned with paintings of the German king Henry II and his wife Kunigunde. The castle walls are Romanesque, and other castle buildings are Renaissance in origin.

Bell

Around 1500 AD the administrator of the Bled Castle was Hartman Kreigh, who was not a kind master. Farmers complained about the encroachment on their rights and brutal oppression to the bishop and the king. One day Kreigh disappeared without a trace. There were rumours that he had been killed by robbers. For all we know, farmers may have taken the justice into their own hands, but nothing was ever proven. In short, Kreigh was never to be seen again. His wife Poliksena, who also ruled with a firm hand, squeezing the last dime from her subordinates, grieved for him deeply.

In her grief, she collected all the gold and silver she had stored in her chests. From the gold, he had a bell cast for the chapel on the Bled Island. When the boatmen were taking the bell to the island, a storm broke out, sinking the boat, the boatmen and the bell. But occasionally, the bell sunk in the mud can be heard ringing from the depths of the lake. Devastated, Poliksena left the castle and went to a convent in Rome. When the Pope heard her sad story, he had a new bell made and sent it to the island.

Bohinj Lake


Nihalka Cablecar (7:30am - 7pm) €13.50 RT
Trails: http://www.vogel.si/summer/vogel/hiking-trails


Ljubljana


Vršič Pass (1 hour drive from Bled)
4hr hike: http://www.slovenia-trips.com/eng/hiking-mountaineering/trip/985/Slemenova-spica

Soca River 

Bled Cream Layer Cake

Burek
Thin flaky filo pastry is layered with fillings—cheese (sirni) is the most common vegetarian filling, or cheese and spinach.

Štruklji
Traditional dish known all over Slovenia made of thin layers of dough rolled with different fillings both sweet and savoury. At Bled Castle restaurant the štruklji we ate were made with cottage cheese and served with roasted vegetables and mashed squash on the side.

Prekmurska gibanica
Slovenia’s national cake with layers of strudel dough, poppy seeds, cottage cheese, nuts and apples.

CROATIA
Croatian Kruna
100 HRK = $14 USD

Tolls can be paid with kuna, euro or credit card
ie. $20/174 HRK Zagreb to Dubrovnik (400mi)









Plitvice Lakes, Croatia (180 HRK / $26pp, 7am-8pm)

Within the boundaries of this heavily forested national park, 16 crystalline lakes tumble into each other via a series of waterfalls and cascades. The mineral-rich waters carve through the rock, depositing tufa in continually changing formations. Clouds of butterflies drift above the 18km of wooden footbridges and pathways which snake around the edges and under and across the rumbling water. It takes upwards of six hours to explore the lakes on foot, or you can slice two hours off by taking advantage of the park's free boats and buses (departing every 30 minutes from April to October). From Entrance 2, catch the bus to the top of the upper lakes and wander back down to the shore of Kozjak , the park's largest lake (about 4km in length). A boat will whisk you from here to the lower lakes, where the circuit culminates in the aptly named Veliki Slap , the tallest waterfall in Croatia (78m). The path then climbs steeply (offering great views and photo opportunities) to a bus stop, where you can grab a lift back to Entrance 2.

Note: swimming is not permitted in any of the lakes.

A common most-of-day trip is the H route. The H route starts at Entrance 2 where you take the bus at St2 to St4. From St4, you walk down and around the upper lakes, arrive at P2, take the boat to P3, then walk around the lower lakes before returning to St2 (either by the bus from St1 or walking back).

Entrance 1 is starting point for program A, B, C, G2 and K (which is the largest tour).
C (4-6h) Walking, bus to upper parts of national park and sailing on lake Kozjak

Entrance 2 is starting point for program E, H, F, GI, and K.
H (4-6h) Like C tour. Only different starting point


Dubrovnik
Parking will be about 280HRK/day ($40) outside the city walls, on Iza Grada.
Cruise Schedule to avoid crowds

Walls 8am-7pm, 100 HRK/adult

Stradun


Filming location of GOT King's Landing

Buza Bar

No visit to Dubrovnik would be complete without a walk around the spectacular city walls, the finest in the world and the city's main claim to fame. From the top, the view over the old town and the shimmering Adriatic is sublime. You can get a good handle on the extent of the shelling damage in the 1990s by gazing over the rooftops: those sporting bright new terracotta suffered damage and had to be replaced.

The first set of walls to enclose the city was built in the 9th century. In the middle of the 14th century the 1.5m-thick defences were fortified with 15 square forts. The threat of attacks from the Turks in the 15th century prompted the city to strengthen the existing forts and add new ones, so that the entire old town was contained within a stone barrier 2km long and up to 25m high. The walls are thicker on the land side – up to 6m – and range from 1.5m to 3m on the sea side.

The round Minčeta Tower protects the northern edge of the city from land invasion, while the western end is protected from land and sea invasion by the detached Lovrjenac Fort . Pile Gate is protected by the Bokar Tower , and the Revelin Fort guards the eastern entrance.

There are entrances to the walls from near the Pile Gate, the Ploče Gate and the Maritime Museum. The Pile Gate entrance tends to be the busiest, and entering from the Ploče side has the added advantage of getting the steepest climbs out of the way first (you're required to walk in an anticlockwise direction). Don't underestimate how strenuous the wall walk can be, especially on a hot day. There's very little shelter and the few vendors selling water on the route tend to be overpriced.


Mount Srd Cable Car
RT ticket 108 HRK ($16)


Sveti Jakov Beach

Lokrum Island (It takes about 15 minutes to get there by the taxi-boats that run from the old harbor every half hour from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The price of 35 HRK / 6.30€ includes entrance to the island which is a Nature Reserve)

Mrtvo more (dead sea) on Lokrum Island

Split



Riva - waterfront walkway


Vestibule


Diocletian's Palace, Peristil Square

Facing the harbour, Diocletian’s Palace is one of the most imposing Roman ruins in existence and where you’ll spend most of your time while in Split. Don’t expect a palace though, nor a museum – this is the city's living heart, its labyrinthine streets packed with people, bars, shops and restaurants. A military fortress, imperial residence and fortified town, the palace measures 215m from east to west and is 181m wide at the southernmost point, altogether covering 31,000 sq metres.

Although the original structure was modified in the Middle Ages, the alterations have only served to increase the allure of this fascinating site. The palace was built from lustrous white stone from the island of Brač, and construction lasted 10 years. Diocletian spared no expense, importing marble from Italy and Greece, and columns and sphinxes from Egypt.

Each wall has a gate named after a metal: at the northern end is the Golden Gate, while the southern end has the Bronze Gate. The eastern gate is the Silver Gate and to the west is the Iron Gate. Between the eastern and western gates there’s a straight road (Krešimirova; also known as Decumanus), which separates the imperial residence on the southern side, with its state rooms and temples, from the northern side, once used by soldiers and servants. The Bronze Gate, in the southern wall, led from the living quarters to the sea. Just beyond the palace walls are two city landmarks made by sculptor Ivan Meštrović; the medieval bishop Grgur Ninski guards the Golden Gate and the literary scholar Marko Marulić watches over Trg Braće Radić (Voćni Trg) just off Riva.

There are 220 buildings within the palace boundaries, home to about 3000 people. The narrow streets hide passageways and courtyards, some deserted and eerie, others thumping with music from bars and cafes, while the local residents hang out their washing overhead, kids play football amid the ancient walls, and grannies sit in their windows watching the action below. Each street has small signs at its beginning and end marking what you’ll find upon it: bars, cafes, restaurants, shops, museums. It makes moving around much easier, though one of the best things you can do is get lost in the palace – it’s small enough that you’ll always find your way out easily.



OTHER

Trogir

Mostar, Bosnia
1 BAM = $.55


The historic town of Mostar, spanning a deep valley of the Neretva River, developed in the 15th and 16th centuries as an Ottoman frontier town and during the Austro-Hungarian period in the 19th and 20th centuries. Mostar has long been known for its old Turkish houses and Old Bridge, Stari Most, after which it is named. In the 1990s conflict, however, most of the historic town and the Old Bridge, designed by the renowned architect Sinan, was destroyed. The Old Bridge was recently rebuilt and many of the edifices in the Old Town have been restored or rebuilt with the contribution of an international scientific committee established by UNESCO. The Old Bridge area, with its pre-Ottoman, eastern Ottoman, Mediterranean and western European architectural features, is an outstanding example of a multicultural urban settlement. The reconstructed Old Bridge and Old City of Mostar is a symbol of reconciliation, international co-operation and of the coexistence of diverse cultural, ethnic and religious communities.