My first New Year’s Eve apart from my daughter, I welcomed the new year with a fresh city — I flew to Budapest.
I’d made some reservations in advance, like a tour of the imposing Hungarian Parliament Building and an evening cruise on the Danube.
I even booked a ticket to see the operetta “Die Fledermaus,” in Hungarian, at the opera house. I didn’t speak Hungarian, but watching elegant opera patrons swirling about in gowns and furs felt like an adventure.
Here, it was also easy to sprinkle spontaneity into my trip — an impromptu nighttime photography tour and a local lunch of paprikash and cream cake at a restaurant recommended by an Uber driver.
In many ways, Budapest’s walkability made foreign solo travel less logistically overwhelming for me. The Buda and Pest sides of the city are joined by grand bridges with walkways, making it easy to cross on foot.
Although trams or taxis were readily available, I could count on my feet instead of trying to navigate car rentals or public transit. Plus, walking affords deeper exploration in a new city.
All in all, Budapest took my breath away.