Budapest is also included in the compilation of 50 tourist destinations entitled World's Greatest Places 2023 published on 16 March by the American magazine Time, reports MTI.

In its recommendation about Budapest, the American weekly newspaper, which has a worldwide readership of more than 50 million, reminds people that this year the Hungarian capital is celebrating the 150th anniversary of its unification with a series of events offering almost a hundred events. The article highlights that one of Budapest's symbols, the Chain Bridge, will open to pedestrians in the fall after two years of renovation and that in October, scores of spectators will cheer on the participants of the Budapest Marathon, who will run alongside and under the famous bridge.

House of Music Hungary in City Park (Photo: Balázs Both/pestbuda.hu)

The Guard House building in the Castle (Photo: Balázs Both/pestbuda.hu)

The Riding Hall and the Turkish Garden (Photo: Castle Headquarters)

Among the jubilee events, Time magazine highlights the open-air jubilee concert on Heroes' Square in September, the Cake of Budapest competition, and a new exhibit on the identity of Budapest at the Budapest History Museum. The recommender reminds us that the Museum of Ethnography and the House of Music Hungary have recently opened in Budapest, while the Hungarian State Opera House awaits the public again after a comprehensive renovation. Many attractions in the Buda Castle District, including the St. Stephen's Hall, the Guard House and the Karakash Pasha Tower, have also been restored to their original glory as part of the National Hauszmann Program.

Time magazine also draws attention to the new hotels opening soon in Budapest. The W Budapest is set to open directly across from the Opera House in July, the historic Klotild Palace will be converted into the St. Regis Hotel Budapest, and the Dorothea Hotel, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, will debut on Vörösmarty Square, the article reads.

The Klotild Palaces (Photo: Róbert Juharos/pestbuda.hu)

This year's list of Time magazine includes places such as Barcelona, Kyoto, Naples and its surroundings, Sharjah, Phuket, Yosemite National Park and the Tuamotu Islands in French Polynesia. From the Central European region, the editors selected only Vienna and Timișoara, one of this year's recipients of the European Capital of Culture title, among the world's top 50 tourist destinations.

The St. Stephen's Hall (Photo: Castle Headquarters)

The Castle Headquarters also reacted to the news, in their statement they wrote: "It is a great pleasure for us that the Buda Castle District is mentioned alongside places such as Barcelona, Jerusalem, Dijon or Vienna", stated Krisztina Sikota, Deputy General Director of Tourism, Culture and Communication of the Castle Headquarters. "In recent years, we have worked to make this part of the city a lively and attractive location again, and our efforts are confirmed by visitors every day. The current summary also clearly shows that the National Hauszmann Program is not only a development program but also a worthy restoration of the Buda Castle Palace District from a tourism point of view. We are very proud of the fact that the St. Stephen's Hall, which was opened a year and a half ago, is truly a world-famous sight, as it proved once at the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris," reminded the expert, who added that more than 130,000 people have already sought out the reborn wonder of the Buda Castle. "The fact that we have been included in such a ranking is a great achievement, but it is also a recognition of the Hungarian tourism industry," declared Krisztina Sikota.

Source: MTI, Castle Headquarters

Cover photo: Budapest cityscape (Photo: Balázs Both/pestbuda.hu)