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Further Distractions

Margitsziget (Margaret Island)
Wedged in a loop of the River Danube and linked by Árpád híd and Margit híd to Buda and Pest, the two-kilometre (1.5-mile) Margaret Island is one of the calmest and greenest spots in Budapest. No cars are allowed or needed; the island from Margit híd to Árpád híd can be crossed on foot in 20 minutes. The island is named after the devout daughter of King BÉla IV who lived here in a Dominican convent in the thirteenth century. The ruins of her convent still stand on the east bank of the island near the remains of a Franciscan church. Other points of interest include a 100-year-old park, the 1930s reconstruction of a twelfth-century chapel, sculptures of Hungarian artists and writers, and an open-air theatre and UNESCO-listed water tower. There are also two hotels (Danubius Grand and Danubius Thermal) on the island. In summer, Margaret island is bursting with people heading for a swim at the Hajós AlfrÉd swimming pool or Palatinus pool fed by underground springs.

Transport: Bus 26; tram 4 or 6.
Admission: Free.

Szobor Park (Statue Park)
Just as Lenin Boulevard and Marx Square no longer exist in Budapest, so their statues and monuments were sent into exile to Statue Park. A thirty-minute trip leads to this eerie outdoor attraction.

XXII. Balatoni út, corner of Szabadkai út
Tel: (1) 227 7446.
Opening hours: Mid-Apr-Oct daily 0800-2000; Nov-mid-Apr Sat and Sun only 1000-dusk.



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