Budapest, Hungary

Budapest is the largest city and the capital of Hungary and the Danube cuts it in two. The present city was created in 1873 by the merger of Buda, Pest and Obuda. It is often called the Pearl of the Danube and is considered one of the most beautiful European cities with the district of Buda Castle, the Andrassy Avenue and the Millenarian Metropolitan which are world heritage of UNESCO. It is a city with several theaters, cinemas, museums, many of which are in historical buildings such as the Museum of Decorative Arts in a Secession building or the Hungarian National Gallery or the Historical Museum from Budapest who are at Buda Castle. There is also the House of Terror located in the old premises of the Gestapo. Among the legacies of the Viennese influence, Budapest has several restaurants, cafes, tea rooms and pastry shops, some located on the boats at the river dock. Budapest is also recognized as a spa town with baths frequented by tourists and several places offer pools and rooms for medical treatment (rheumatism, arthritis). To see: the Chain Bridge, the Monastery of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Holy Trinity Square; Varosliget (large park with several attractions in like a zoo and a botanical garden); the St. Anthony of Padua Church, the Budapest Historical Museum; the troglodyte church of Our Lady of Hungarians, among others.

Tips

There is a funicular that joins the Vár (castle) and the old town of Buda.

If you are there on a Sunday morning, take the opportunity to visit the peasant market that takes place in the walls of Szimpla Kert.

If you like flea markets, you can visit Ecseri which is in the southern outskirts of the capital. This is well known because you can find relics of the Third Reich or objects of Soviet propaganda among other traditional Hungarian items.

August 20th is commemorated the foundation of the Hungarian state and on this occasion there is a medieval market at Buda Castle.

To cross the Danube, you will find river shuttles.

Canterbury, Kent, England

Canterbury is a small city in Kent, one of the country’s oldest cities, in the southeastern of England, on the river Stour. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Kent. In 597 the city became the seat of the Archbishop Primate of England. The nine first archbishops have been canonized there. It is well known due to its Cathedral, which has seen a large part of English history; residence of the head of the Anglican religion, the Archbishop of Canterbury; which attracts thousands of tourists. There are still walls (2nd and 3rd century) that surround the city; they have been strengthened during the middle ages and they are relatively well preserved. High Street is the real economic and tourist point of the city; located at the west end of the famous High Street, and marking the end of the pedestrian city center, the Westgate Tower is one of the main monuments of Canterbury. See also: the ruins of the main building of the Castle (11th century), Dane John Gardens, the ancient Royal Museum and the library, The old Buttermarket, the small canals, among others. Canterbury is also considered a college town.

Tips

If you don’t have time to stay in Canterbury but you’re in London several days, you could dedicate a day to this small town given the short distance that separates them (about 60 km). You can visit it in a day and even enjoy its beautiful gardens for a picnic if the weather is good or relax in one of its cafes, bars, restaurants particularly in the pedestrian city centre if the rain is with you because it rains quite often in the region.
If you like shopping, High Street will be your favorite street with a lot of shops: used bookstores, big department stores likeMarks & Spencers, minimarkets, shops for clothes, etc, you will find everything there.
If you have several days in the city, enjoy and visit the interior of the Cathedral in a sunny day because you’ll see better its decorations but you especially will have the chance to see the stained glass windows in full color, it’s worth it!
And if you like chocolate, make you a present and go to Hotel Chocolat, a few steps away from the Cathedral, at the corner of Parade Street and the St Margaret’s Street. Here you will find an extraordinary selection of chocolates of all kinds: pots for fondue in white, black, hazelnut chocolate, whole decorated chocolate tablets, ballotins firmly packed, etc., it will make your happiness for sure…

Rialto Theatre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

The Rialto Theatre is a theater in the Mile End neighborhood in Montreal which was inaugurated in 1924. It is considered a national historic site of Canada. The hall is well known for its magnificent interior decoration, made by Emmanuel Briffa. Its neo-baroque style, richly decorated, has lots of marble, wood paneling, wall hangings, etc. The construction (1923-1924) is due to the Montreal architect Raoul Gariépy and he had designed it as a neighborhood cinema. Rialto featured films, musical performances and plays. The place has a capacity of 770 seats in the stalls and 600 in the balcony. The building that houses the theater also has other facilities such as a ballroom, a bowling alley, a roof garden and shops on the ground floor. It was sold around 1990 and Rialto had lost its cultural role after the sale but it was sold again and since 2010, the new owner has given it back its original role.

Tips

You can know about the different presentations on their website. The theater has an intimate atmosphere and if you are on the ground floor, you’ll still have more like that feeling. There is a bar and sometimes, you’ll also be able to have dinner during the show. The address is 5723 Av du Parc, Montreal, QC H2V 4G9.

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