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AACREDITUNION.ORG | 23 home of the Royal Palace where current ten- ants — the Hungarian National Gallery, Buda- pest History Museum and the National Library — have long supplanted Hungarian royalty. For a woodsy escape, head to neighboring Gellért Hill, a favorite local hiking and picnicking spot. WALK & ROLL One of Europe's great strolling cities, Budapest invites independent exploring along its grand boulevards and old royal hills, people watching in its charming squares and riverfront rambles along the Danube River. For some narrated guidance, Absolute Tours offers the city's most established lineup of guided theme walks — ranging from a Classic Gastro Tour & Wine Tasting to an "All in One" 3 1/2-hour blitz covering Pest's greatest hits, including a ride on the Millennium Metro (the world's second oldest after London's) with land- mark stops at Heroes Square and St. Stephen's Basilica before crossing the iconic Chain Bridge into the cobblestoned streets of Buda's Castle District and Fisherman's Bastion. SAVOR, SIP, SNAG A PUB STOOL Paprika-spiked goulash has its rightful place on any Magyar menu, but that's just the appetizer these days in a palate-pleasing culinary capital featuring internationally renowned restaurants like Costes (a TripAdvisor "Best Restaurant in the World" shortlister), a revived local wine market (try the Tokaji, Hungary's famous sweet dessert wine) and one of Europe's best classic coffeehouse and boho pub scenes. For wallet-friendly, farm-fresh modern Hun- garian comfort dishes (e.g. pork cheek in paprika sauce) in a happening cellar space, Zeller Bistro draws the expected casually hip 'n' hungry crowds. Gerbeaud café and pastry shop Budapest city at blue hour with illuminated Chain Bridge and Hungarian Parliament on Danube River Gerbeaud cafe and pastry shop