Hungary: 30 Years of Travel and Roots

Par Gabriel Goldberg 13 April 2026 4 min read

There are countries you visit, and others that live within you — sometimes despite yourself. My first encounter with Hungary dates back to the late 90s. At the time, the country still bore the vestiges of a bygone era, wrapped in a raw, almost melancholic poetry. Today, more than 30 years later, as a new, deeply European spring breeze seems to sweep across the country, it is time to look back. This is not a simple travel journal. It is a clear-eyed look at a land to which my family is bound by history — a history of roots, but also of wounds. It is also a sincere tribute to a nation that reinvented itself before my eyes, and to my Hungarian friends whose loyalty and human warmth defy time. 1. Budapest: The Metamorphosis of the Pearl of the Danube I have seen Budapest shed its skin. In the late 90s, history-blackened facades hid treasures known only to the initiated. Today, the capital radiates. The majestic neo-Gothic Parliament, lining the Danube, has never looked so proud. Heroes' Square ( Hősök tere ) and the Museum of Fine Arts continue to stand guard over Andrássy Avenue, but with a new energy. The Hungarian Parliament, majestic symbol of Budapest Heroes' Square (Hősök tere), guardian of national memory The Museum of Fine Arts, watching over Andrássy Avenue Yet, the soul of Budapest remains intact. It is found in the mystic steam of the Gellért Baths, under that Art Nouveau glass roof and those sculpted columns where time stands still. It is found in those little cafés…