Halászbástya

The wondrous porch overlooking the Danube and Pest is the neo-Romanesque Fishermen's Bastion, a merry cluster of white stone towers, arches, and columns above a modern bronze statue of St. Stephen, Hungary's first king. Although you must pay to wander over most of it during the day over much of the year (as has been the practice since 2000), the price is reasonable. Medieval fishwives once peddled their wares here, but now you see merchants selling souvenirs and crafts, musicians, and—less visible but always present—pickpockets. Buy your tickets at the tiny office beside the Tourinform by the adjacent park. Mar.–Oct. 600 HUF, Nov.–Feb. free. Daily 24 hrs. Metro: Várbusz (4th stop from M2: Széll Kálmán tér).