I'm slightly ashamed to say that Budapest is the farthest east I've been in Europe, but after the school trip I went on in April, I really want to go farther. Budapest was such an amazing mix of gritty, decaying buildings and pre-war splendor. It's not like the cookie-cutter beauty of Prague or the thoroughly rebuilt, puzzle-piece feel of Berlin. Rather, it combines the best bits of both Berlin with Prague in its own, unique way. 

Of course this was a school trip, so my free time was limited. However, I did get to see a number of cool places and ate at a few nice restaurants that I'd like to share. I really did enjoy my time in Budapest, and I hope that I get the chance to return one day so that I can expand my list of recommendations.