Budapest

This proud, unique union of two great towns over a gorgeously clear river is among the most significant of Eastern Europe’s many treasures. Fabled in literature over the centuries, Budapest has hosted many brilliant Hungarian composers – Bartók, Ligeti, and Kurtág, to name a few – during their studies at the great music academy named for Franz (Ferenc) Liszt. With literally dozens of theaters, Budapest presents an astounding range of cultural entertainment every day and evening. It would be unthinkable to experience Budapest without treating the soul and the senses to a concert of klezmer, classical, or folk music – whether in a luminous palace, a futuristic theater, or in one of the most beautiful opera houses in the world.