Buda or Pest?

There is ongoing debate among the locals as to which side of the Danube is better, Buda or Pest? Until 1849 they were two separate cities on each side of the Danube and there wasn’t even a bridge that connected them. The opening of chain bridge in 1849 united the two cities Buda and Pest into one, Budapest.
So what is the difference between these two ancient cities? If you would like to mingle with the crowds and tourists, then Pest is definitely for you as Pest being the commercial center of the city has more restaurants, cafes and entertainment options than Buda. On the other hand if you are into more green and lush surroundings, want to walk among ancient sites and want to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life, then Buda is for you.
“Pest is frankly where it all happens“ said Mark Simpson in an article in the Daily Mail. In another article in the Daily Mail Victor Sebestyen said “Party in Buda and Sleep it Off in Pest.”
Even the locals also add to this debate. Many locals prefer to live on the Buda side and commute to Pest for work. Whereas some Pest citizens swear by their city. Honestly, this debate will go on as both sides have many things to offer.
Both sides are home to several UNESCO World Heritage sites. Pest has the Andrassy Avenue, Heroes’ Square, the Millenium underground, and the Parliament. Buda has the Castle Hill, the Matthias Church, Royal Palace, Fisherman’s Bastion, Gellert Hill and the Roman city of Aquincum. Shared by both are the Danube embankment from Gellert Hill to the Aquincum and the chain bridge. So there is clearly no easy winner.
What many visitorss don’t realize is that Budapest is not such a large city and the convenient public transportation system makes these two cities literally minutes from each other. Even on foot, you can walk from the Pest City Center to the Buda Castle in under 30 minutes.

Our choice due to our apartment’s location is Buda.