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Paris may once have been the ultimate place for Europhiles looking for classic Old World magic, and for lovebirds looking for the perfect honeymoon decor, but if you’ve been paying attention lately, the City of Light doesn’t quite shine the way it used to.
Between the spike in pickpocketing, hotel prices that seem borderline criminal, and the rat situation spiraling out of control—and we’re not talking about cute little Ratatouille Remy—Paris has certainly lost a bit of its luster.
Tan piss.
Because the “Paris of the East”, which comes at about half the pricehas not lost an ounce of its charm.
In any case, it’s still as safe as ever, with beautiful imperial-era architecture, immaculate parks, a zero-tolerance approach to street crime and, best of all: it will soon host non-stop flights from America.
Fly non-stop to Budapest this summer
Budapest is really having a moment lately.
Whether you happened to be following the latest Hungarian elections after seeing them all over social media, or were immediately hit with FOMO when your favorite travel blogger posted a perfect sunset photo of Fisherman’s Bastion, chances are the Hungarian capital has appeared on your feed more than once in recent weeks.
Well, you’ll see it a lot more often in the coming months American Airlines will launch the only non-stop US flights to Budapest since 2022.
Launching on May 21, 2026, they will directly connect the major east coast city of Philadelphia (PHL) to the Hungarian capital (BUD), with expected daily service throughout the summer season:
- Route: Philadelphia (PHL) → Budapest (BUD)
- Start date: May 21, 2026
- Frequency: Daily
- Aircraft: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
- Cabins: Flagship Business, Premium Economy, Main Cabin Economy
- Average price: $850 – $1,050
No other US-based airline or US airport currently offers nonstop service to Budapest.
Why trade Paris for Budapest this summer
Let’s put it this way: if you were impressed by Paris’ Haussmann-style boulevards and perfectly ordered streets, Budapest will completely blow you away with its grand Habsburg-era palaces and over-the-top architecture.
Best part? None of Paris’s insane street crime rates, nor dodgy woman harassers or wallet snatchers running amok in train stations and city parks.
Of course, Budapest remains a sprawling cosmopolis with the usual big-city problems. There’s always going to be the odd rugged area, so it’s not exactly risk-free, but ask any traveler who’s been there recently, and chances are they’ll tell you they felt much safer in Hungary than in Paris.
Us Safety index for travelers Budapest currently ranks at 87/100. Been recently? Help other travelers by voting below:
Going abroad this summer?
Don’t forget to check for local security updates and travel alerts at your destination, wherever they are, via the Travel Advisory Checker.
Is this one of the most beautiful cities on the old continent?
Back to Budapest, this is one of those cities where you really feel small standing among these huge, insanely decorated buildings. And they are everywhere.
From the red-domed Hungarian Parliament Building that sits right on the banks of the Danube, to the regal Buda Castle that towers over the city with its lush gardens and sweeping views, to the towering St. Stephen’s Basilica that dominates the skyline below, everything feels grand, elegant and unapologetically European.
By the way, before you go anywhere in Europe this summer, make sure you check the entry requirements beforehand these travel rules have changed quickly.
For example, you now have to provide fingerprints and undergo a biometric scan when entering the continent, with only a handful of exceptions.
At the same time, Budapest is not your average sleepy open-air museum with not much to do socially. It happens to be one of Europe’s best city breaks when it comes to nightlife, cheap eats and casual weekends away that won’t break the bank.
How cheap is Budapest really?
The downtown neighborhoods are littered with so-called “ruin bars,” dilapidated establishments known for their edgy decor, filthy music, and dirt-cheap drinks, with beer costing as little as $3 at quiet, locally frequented spots like Füge Udvar.
Speaking of prices, Budapest may not be as cheap as it once was (don’t trust the internet time capsule blogs that haven’t been updated since 2018), but it’s still excellent value for money compared to most Western European hubs, and Paris in particular.
An overnight stay in trendy, centrally located areas like District VII will take you back again $75-90 per nightand we’re talking the kind of spacious, cozy, well-equipped three-star accommodation that would easily cost you a few hundred dollars in the suburbs of Paris.
Food is also remarkably cheap… if you know where to go.
Now, of course, you can’t really complain about things being too expensive and touristy if you’re dead set on the daylight robbery at the New York Café. It’s certainly beautiful, but you can drop $50 worth of coffee and cake there without even trying.
Go to Szimpla Kert, a courtyard with food stalls, and grab yourself a $5 languagesthe iconic fried Hungarian street snack made from dough and garlic sour cream, or stop by a traditional kifőzde bar in the laid-back Újbuda neighborhood, where a 50-year-old waiter speaks barely any English, there are perhaps five main courses on the menu, and each one is hearty, unmistakably Hungarian, and less than $12.
How to do the Hungarian summer right
You’ve probably heard that Budapest has a legendary thermal bath scene, with household names like the Széchenyi Thermal Bath, a grand yellow-washed complex with swirling pools and outdoor chess tables, or the Gellért Baths, an indoor Art Nouveau spa that almost looks like a Wes Anderson set and dominates the conversation.
The last thing you want to do in Budapest in the summer is lock yourself in a 104-degree steam room when it’s already sweltering outside.
Trust us: Central European summers make Italy and Greece feel like the North Pole.
If you really want to experience the Hungarian summer like the locals do, take one 2 hour train out from Budapest to one of the picturesque holiday resorts on Lake Balaton, a huge body of water of 370 square kilometers, so vast that they call it the ‘Hungarian Sea’.
Absolute euro summer happiness, minus the hefty price tags.
Read more about Lake Balaton here.
