After being so charmed by Krakow, I tried to lower my expectations in preparation for our trip to Budapest to avoid disappointment, but there was no need. Walking down the street of the Hungarian capital, Gui declared that it truly was “the Paris of the East,” prompting teasing on my end about which slogan-wielding travel site he read to prepare for our visit. Moving past the cliché, however, I would have to agree with the sentiment. Budapest has a certain kind of magic, of sparkle, of romance, that pervades the city, with a distinctive Eastern European flair. Even if we hadn’t been there celebrating Valentine’s Day, and even if the weather hadn’t been so bright and sunny, I think I still would have been enamored. Here’s how Budapest captured my heart:

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