Latest news with #MargaretIsland
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
European ‘pleasure island' with lido, flumes and wave pool gets new TUI flights from the UK
NEW TUI flights are launching to Budapest which is home to a cheap 'pleasure island' with a lido, wave pool and flumes. Margaret Island is a great family-friendly destination to escape the hustle and bustle of the capital. 6 6 And from next summer it will be easier to visit as TUI will be launching new flights between Birmingham and Budapest. The island - which one visitor has described "a huge pleasure Island in the Danube River" - stretches two-and-a-half kilometres is home to several sports facilities and 11 pools. Vehicles are banned on the island, where the thermal water - which is believed to have healing effects - has been gushing out since 1886. To reach the island, travellers can head there on foot or by tram. The most popular spot on the island is Palatinus Bath. This scenic leisure complex has a network of 11 pools and baths including thermal pools filled with the island's mineral-rich water, adventure pools featuring flumes and slides, long swimming pools, a children's pool and a wave pool. Visitors can even swim directly under a water fountain and a tannoy announces when the waves will occur in one of the pools. At the slides, once in the pool at the bottom, riders can look at a board that shows at what speed they reached zooming down the slide. There are also a number of destinations around the island and pools that serve up typical beach food, including burgers for as little as £3.52 and cocktails for £4.56. Tickets can be bought for either the day or a two-hour slot. New £4million lido to open in UK next year Adult admission costs from £4.97 and entry for a child costs from £4.76. If visitors have not had enough of the water, there is also a musical fountain on the island. Shows at the fountain occur five times a day and it is Budapest's version of the famous Bellagio Fountains in Las Vegas. Across the entire island, there are several walking routes through meadows and gardens too. Visitors can choose to either walk or hire a bike, and head past tree-lined avenues. Towering above the canopy of trees, the Margaret Island water tower overlooks the park. It is an octagonal Art-Nouveau-style structure and supplies water to the island. At the top, there are incredible views - from which visitors can see the Parliament Building and beyond. 6 6 The island is also home to a number of ruins - one of which is the Domincan Convent. This nunnery was originally founded in the 13th century and remained a working convent until the nuns left the island in the 16th century. The remnants can still be explored today. Opposite the baths, there is also a rose garden with hundreds of roses of myriad varieties. Additionally, there's a Japanese Garden on the island, which features dwarf trees, artificial waterfalls and ponds filled with exotic fish. TUI Airways will be launching it's new direct flight from Birmingham to Budapest for summer 2026 to support it's River Cruise programme. A first look at a huge new £200million indoor waterpark opening in the UK with aquadrome and adventure zone has also recently been revealed. Plus, the English island theme park that has revealed plans for huge expansion ahead of summer. 6 6
CNN
12-05-2025
- CNN
24 hours in Budapest: A guide to the city after sunset
As twilight envelops Budapest, new avenues for exploring the Hungarian capital emerge, with each one bringing the possibility of discovering something extraordinary. Perhaps nowhere captures the energy of Budapest after dark quite like Margaret Island—a lush green haven perched in the middle of the river. Loved by both locals and visitors alike, Margitsziget, as it is known, is 225 acres of tranquility, where sunsets spent lounging in landscaped gardens blend into evenings exploring food pop-ups and enjoying classical open-air concerts. Winding nature paths guide visitors past the island's manicured gardens and the ruins of a Dominican convent, which was once home to Margitsziget's namesake, Saint Margaret of Hungary. Passing the late-night joggers and couples relaxing on the grass, one final stop is essential—the legendary Margitsziget Musical Well, which performs a kaleidoscopic light and water show every hour, on the hour. Back on the mainland, night spas are a fantastic way to relax at the end of a busy day. The Veli Bej Bath—Budapest's oldest Turkish spa—is the perfect spot to unwind. Housed within an Ottoman-era bathhouse, its indoor and outdoor thermal pools host dedicated evening sessions, where guests can step into soothing, mineral-rich waters beneath the stars. As you sink deeper into relaxation, moonlit Danube cruises drift in and out of view, each one carrying visitors past landmarks like the Parliament Building and Buda Castle, both glowing gold against the night sky. Even as night falls, Budapest's cultural scene stays buzzing. Nowhere is this more evident than at the city's celebrated music venues, including the Hungarian State Opera House. A Neo-Renaissance masterpiece that has welcomed opera and ballet lovers for over 130 years, the Hungarian State Opera House stages world-renowned classics, such as The Nutcracker, as well as new works including a ballet reimagining of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire. And with the recent completion of a five-year renovation project, the building has been returned to its former glory, making the setting just as memorable as the performance. Steps away, the Recirquel Contemporary Circus at Müpa Budapest offers a unique experience that complements and contrasts the city's traditional cultural offerings. Their latest internationally acclaimed production, Paradisum, blends dance, acrobatics, and theater to push the boundaries of art and enchant audiences in the heart of Budapest. To end on a final, musical note, a short walk through Liget City Park brings you to one of Budapest's most exciting new cultural landmarks: House of Music Hungary. Outside, the striking glass structure, designed by celebrated Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, is born out of its natural surroundings, with sycamore trees growing through the building's sculpted roof. Inside, the venue pushes the boundaries of performance with a diverse program of live concerts—from jazz improvisations and folk revivals to contemporary pop and classical ensembles. Prev Next After an evening filled with culture, it's only fitting that Budapest continues to delight at the table. And on Andrássy Avenue, a UNESCO World Heritage site awaits, full of hidden bars, and high-concept gastronomy. The W Budapest, which repurposed the 1886 Drechsler Palace through the vision of architects Ödön Lechner and Gyula Pártos, typifies the city's blend of gastronomic heritage and modernity. Behind an ornate façade, Nightingale by Beefbar serves Japanese izakaya-style dishes with a contemporary Hungarian twist. The adjoining W Lounge channels the glamor of Budapest's old underground speakeasies, offering a menu of cutting-edge cocktails in a velvet-draped setting. Elsewhere, Budapest's culinary scene continues to take flight, with seven Michelin-starred restaurants, all headed up by local talent. At the two-starred Stand, chef duo Tamás Széll and Szabina Szulló are transforming humble Hungarian classics into exquisite, contemporary dishes. Meanwhile at the one-star Borkonyha, wine is king, with a menu designed to pair with an ever-growing list of Hungarian vintages. There is an undeniable magnetism about Budapest at night, where the city takes on a new electric rhythm. Just as exploring Budapest by day is an adventure, the evening enables visitors to peel back another layer of Hungary's historic capital. Whether it's your first visit or your tenth, Budapest under the stars has a way of capturing hearts and minds all over again. Find out more about making the most of Budapest at night here.
