Budapest is beguiling. Like this Hungarian capital left us all pining for more. Our group led by Helen Hao, GSA of Trafalgar Tours in the Philippines and vice president of Pan Pacific Travel, cruised at night down the breathtaking Danube River. It was cold and the freezing temperature on the deck of the cruise ship proved to be a welcome respite for most of us who had braved the cold to get the best views. North of where it divides Buda from Pest, the wide Danube twists through the narrow valley that many consider the loveliest stretch of the river’s entire 1,770-mile course from the Black Forest to the Black Sea.

Here, the Hungarian kings set up an imposing showpiece residence they called home for seven years. It now houses museums including the Hungarian National Gallery, Museum of Military History, Golden Eagle Pharmacy Museum, Medieval Jewish Prayer House, Museum of Telephones, and Museum of Music History, as well as the Labyrinth. The Fisherman’s Bastion, on the other hand, is a fascinating place where you can have a scintillating view of the city of Budapest. Hungarian architect Frigyes Schulek built one of the most peculiar buildings of Budapest, the Fisherman’s Bastion, in neo-Romanesque style between 1895 and 1902 as part of the ancient castle wall behind Matthias Church. Its lookout towers, terraces, and passages resembling the cross corridors of cloisters create a unique atmosphere.

Meanwhile, as we walked along Erzsébet körút on Grand Boulevard, our eyes were caught by the soaring building of Amantara New York Palace Budapest. While in Budapest, we also had the chance to sample the delectable Hungarian goulash and chocolate cake at Gundel, a Michelin-recommended restaurant at the city center. We were told that Gundel is so popular that heads of state and religious leaders make a stop at the restaurant whenever they are in the Hungarian capital. Budapest will enthrall you and arrest your senses with a sweet and gentle kiss that will impress you long after you have left your heart in this beguiling paradise