Budapest 17th highest ranked European destination according to TripAdvisor

Budapest achieved a respectable 17^th  place in the latest TripAdvisor rankings for top European Destinations.

Top put into perspective this achievement, the Hungarian capital was ranked above other top destinations including Madeira, Berlin and St Petersburg.

Another less prestigious site, albeit not irrelevant, European Best Destination placed Budapest first as its most trending city.

But why does this matter? TripAdvisor is the largest tourism and restaurant review website in the world and it relies on user-generated content, meaning prestige is based upon the reviews provided by its users. Rankings are created on the feedback provided by visitors who actually have visited the city. Therefore the general consensus amongst tourists points to the fact that Budapest is a great city to experience.

The website offered the following description to lure potential visitors to the city:

“Budapest’s 118 springs and boreholes. The city of spas offers an astounding array of baths, from the sparkling Gellért Baths to the vast 1913 neo-baroque Széchenyi Spa to Rudas Spa, a dramatic 16th-century Turkish pool with original Ottoman architecture. The “Queen of the Danube” is also steeped in history, culture and natural beauty. Get your camera ready for the Roman ruins of the Aquincum Museum, Heroes’ Square and Statue Park, and the 300-foot dome of St. Stephen’s Basilica.”

The description clearly focuses on Budapest’s baths and springs.  However, according to the website, Budapest’s other ‘Don’t miss’ sites are Castle Hill (Várhegy), St Stephen’s Basilica and the Széchenyi Chain Bridge.

Other attractions TripAdvisor users have recommended include Margaret Island with its fountains and Vajdahunyad Castle in City Park. The latter was built to celebrate Hungary’s 1000 anniversary of conquering the Carpathian Basin and includes different architectural styles from different parts of the country that were used throughout the ages in Hungary.

Interestingly Aeropark, which is a museum of aeroplanes just outside Liszt Ferenc Airport, is also highly ranked. As TripAdvisor utilises user feedback to rank different sites, ones with few but positive reviews may be higher up the list than anticipated.

Budapest is increasingly  becoming more accessible as budget airlines are opening new routes and Liszt Ferenc Airport gaining recognition in the region. With the rising through the rankings, we might see it reach top 10 on in the next few years.

Source: tripadvisor.co.hu, europeanbestdestinations.com