Just visiting: Budapest

Itinerary: Friday 1pm Head straight for the Jewish quarter, one of the most interesting areas of Budapest, for lunch at the plant-filled conservatory-style restaurant, Mazel Tov (mazeltov.hu), a buzzy Jewish Mediterranean restaurant serving Ottolenghi-style sharing plates, including babaganoush with truffled cashews and roasted garlic labane with harissa oil. Cocktails are reasonably priced and inventive – the plum fizz is highly recommended.

2pm: Soak up the area Visit the Dohány Street Synagogue or Great Synagogue. It’s the largest in Europe and an architectural marvel blending eastern and western influences. Drop into a ruin bar for a craft beer – springing up in the early 2000s in abandoned buildings and old industrial workshops, these bars are a boho mix of vintage decor and salvaged furniture. Szimpla Café (szimpla.hu) is one of the best known.

4pm: Head for the hills Cross the Chain Bridge (Széchenyi Lánchíd), Budapest’s oldest suspension bridge which has linked Pest to Buda since 1840. Take the funicular or climb the winding cobbled streets up to Castle Hill where you can wander the turrets and terraces of Fisherman’s Bastion, a 19th-century fortification with panoramic views across the Danube.

5pm: Savour the street food Go to Szentháromság tér (Holy Trinity Square), just behind Fisherman’s Bastion before heading to the Hungarian National Gallery, located in Budapest Castle for a taste of Hungarian art in all its genres, particularly from the 19th and 20th century.

6pm: Go back to your hotel The Kozmo (kozmohotelbudapest.com) is an art nouveau gem and a serene spa retreat close to the historic Grand Boulevard. It’s a 50-minute walk or 15 minutes by cab from Buda Castle. Enjoy pre-supper downtime in its subterranean pool followed by a dry martini in the sleek hotel bar.

8pm: Time for supper Tati Farm to Table (tatibudapest.com) is a 15-minute walk away. Enjoy traditional Hungarian food with a modern twist including chicken paprika with buttery dumplings and sour cream. Their gin and blueberry liqueur cocktail is a must.

Saturday 9am: Start with a hearty breakfast at Kozmo. Take a 50-minute stroll through central Pest, passing landmarks like the Hungarian State Opera House and the Academy of Music. Wander through the grand rooms of Hungarian Museum of Fine Art in Heroes Square, home to Raphael's Esterházy Madonna and Velázquez's Peasants at the Table.

12am: Coffee and cake The grand New York Café (newyorkcafe.hu), a Habsburg riot of gold, marble and frescoes. Work off your breakfast with a 30-minute walk across the river to the mineral-rich thermal waters of the Gellert Baths; immerse yourself in the art nouveau splendour of the pillared indoor pool, along with steam rooms and three outdoor pools, too.

2pm: Stop for lunch Palack Borbar (palackborbar.hu), is two minutes away. Look out for superior Hungarian wine and tapas, including Transylvanian aubergine dip, Hungarian ham and cheese platter and baked Camembert.

3.30pm: Travel back in time Visit the atmospheric Memento Park. This fascinating outdoor space on the outskirts of town lays bare the propaganda of communist dictatorship through large-scale Soviet statues. A real highlight is their small cinema showing old spy training films produced by their Ministry of Interior Affairs, including how to hide bugs and search a suspect’s apartment.

5.30pm: Set sail Head back to the river to board a ‘Sip & Sail’ boat and cruise the Danube (proseccoboat.com) in style. Glide past iconic landmarks such as the Hungarian Parliament Building, Buda Castle and the Chain Bridge while sipping free-flowing Prosecco to a kitsch soundtrack track of 90s pop – sightseeing doesn’t get more fun..

7.30pm: Dine on hearty goulash The Rosenstein (rosenstein.hu) is a must for traditional Hungarian fare: mushroom pasta, beef goulash and blackberry pie with custard are highlights. For an alternative stay, switch it up with a night of luxe, at Kimpton BEM Budapest, an elegant 19th-century building across the river in Buda with a rooftop bar. Enjoy a final nightcap on their hidden rooftop bar with views across the fairytale spires of Fisherman’s Bastion.

Sunday morning Take a leisurely stroll across Árpád Bridge to Margaret Island, a lush oasis in the heart of the Danube. Rent a bike to explore its rose and Japanese gardens, as well as the ruins of former Dominican and Franciscan convents. Cool off at the Palatinus open-air thermal baths, a complex of al fresco pools built in 1919.

1pm: A farewell lunch At Stég Terasz (stegpub.hu), near Margaret Bridge, where you can relax on their leafy terrace and enjoy an artisanal burger or grilled cheese flatbread washed down with an ice-cold beer.

In brief:

Eat traditional Hungarian lángos – deep fried flat bread with cheese and sour cream – in Holy Trinity Square.

Stay at Kozmo Hotel Suites and Spa, an art nouveau gem in the heart of the city (kozmohotelbudapest.com).

See Memento Park, an outdoor collection of communist statues (mementopark.hu).

Photograph Getty Images