“Choo choo, all aboard!”. All the trains of Hungary at the Fusti Railway Park. The Fusti Railway Park: inaugurated in the summer of 2000 and unique of its kind in Europe, it is an unforgettable experience for children as it is not just a static museum: young visitors, appropriately accompanied, can even try to drive the locomotives and are also awarded an “honorary train driver” certificate.
The theme park tells the history of the train in Hungary from various aspects and it is possible to admire over 100 examples of these extraordinary and ancient locomotives, perfectly restored and working.
Moving a bit, the visit could continue at the Budapest Zoo, one of the oldest in the world (it was inaugurated in 1866) which welcomes a million visitors each year, both children and adults.
In an area of 11 hectares with characteristic Art Nouveau style buildings richly decorated, here the little visitors can admire up close native and exotic animals, including the young animals which, docile and tame, willingly lend themselves to cuddles, games, and pets. Inside the Zoo, it is also possible to enjoy the services of a 600 sqm playroom extraordinarily “furnished” with an artificial pond, a giant tree to climb, and many other attractions.
Next to the Zoo, here is the Lunapark, open year-round and also equipped with antique rides, such as wooden roller coasters.
Still in the same area, there are the Grand Budapest Circus and the Transport Museum which exhibits a rich collection of railway, nautical, and aeronautical models, as well as vintage cars, motorcycles, and bicycles.
To end the Pest tour in complete relaxation, the best advice is to visit the Széchenyi Thermal Baths which, among the largest in Europe, are real fun made of coolness, play, relaxation.
Together with the Fusti Railway Park in Pest, an absolutely original attraction that will surely make children happy is the Children’s Train in the Buda area; the main attraction is that on these trains the service, under constant and careful adult supervision, is operated by young people aged between 10 and 14.
During the journey, made on open carriages that allow enjoying the view, the most beautiful spots of the hills surrounding Buda are touched: János Hill, the highest point of the city (527 m); the Erzsébet Belvedere, named in honor of Queen Sissi; near the Szépjuhászné stop, the ruins of the ancient Pauline monastery from the medieval era. At the Hüvösvölgy terminus is the Children’s Railway museum, where objects and images of the railway history are displayed.
We could then move to the Millennium Park, an excellent example of the recovery of a disused industrial area (the historic Ganz factory was located here), now transformed into an elegant and quiet green area in the heart of Buda.
Next to industrial archaeology monuments, extensive reclamation work led to the creation of a large green park, with special micro-areas set up to represent the different landscapes of Hungarian regions. In permanent support of this endeavor, over 400 trees and a 3,000 sqm pond, together with unexpected—but definitely original—typical crops, such as a small vineyard, a wheat field, apple trees instead of the usual purely decorative plants.
In the park is also the Palace of Wonders, a unique park for interactive scientific games, with about a hundred spectacular games. It is one of the most important scientific and interactive museums in Central Europe: equipped with interactive games, demonstration exhibits, large screens, optical puzzles, and labyrinths, it is the best place to teach children and young people (from 3 years old up) how interesting the world and nature are.
But Buda is not only here, because it also extends underground, a place full of charm and mystery for children.
An ancient network of caves and underground tunnels, about 16 meters deep, is the Castle District Labyrinth which visitors can explore equipped with lanterns. To reach the entrance one can choose a characteristic means of transport, namely the funicular: it is almost 100 meters long and has a 48% incline.
Finally, another place worth a visit is the Tropicarium, a true indoor animal paradise, the only one in Hungary, dedicated to those who love the world of water and jungles. The main attraction is the shark aquarium, while every half hour there is a spectacular reproduction (lasting 2 minutes) of tropical rain.
