Now, cuteness – the word itself, and that maybe a bit too much image of pink fluff that pops into your head – it's a real divider, isn't it? Some people dislike it, while others absolutely love it and actively go looking for anything that fits the bill. When it comes to cuteness, those two extremes seem to be the most common, and we tend to fall into the latter camp. We appreciate a bit of charm, which is why we're happy to see Budapest through rose-tinted glasses. Here are five of our favourite examples.
Colourful houses of Cserei köz
You know when you wander through a neighbourhood and it feels like you're strolling past oversized toy houses? Well, residential Zugló's tiny Cserei köz is just like that. It's simply a short dead-end street with a handful of houses tucked away from the busy Hungária körút. Back between the wars, they planned English-style terraces here, but things got in the way, mainly money and the Second World War. In the end, only a few neighbouring houses were finished, each with its own unique shape, colour, and vibe, but together they genuinely look like cute little houses in a miniature world. It's a real treat to wander through, and they're rather photogenic too.
Budapest's narrowest house
This building by the Danube, near the castle, is Budapest's narrowest house: from the embankment, it's just 6 metres and 20 centimetres wide. But it's not just how thin it is that makes you look; it's got other curiosities too, like the brick front and the pointy arched windows. It's almost as if a wizard's dwelling, a bit like Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place squeezed and stretched, got wedged between two ordinary buildings. This place, protected since 1960, was built in 1897 and it got its name from the textile merchant family who asked for it to be built: the Mandl House.
Tom Thumb in Városmajor Park
The little Tom Thumb statue is a proper fairy tale hero with a bit of an adventure of its own. Originally a fountain idea for playgrounds in the 20s, sculptor Ede Telcs redesigned his award-winning Tom Thumb for local favourite Buda park Városmajor in 1932. Damaged in the Second World War, it moved around a bit, even getting nicked by metal thieves before a plaster copy returned in 2007. You can now find the little chap hiding amongst the trees near the open-air theatre entrance.
Charles, the rabbit in Károlyi Garden
Károlyi Garden is already pretty charming, but it got even cuter in the late 90s when a Flemish giant rabbit kit, named Charles (Károly), was found. He lived in the garden for seven years in a comfy hutch, delighting kids. Old Charles hopped off in '05, and in his place, a sweet little bunny statue was erected on a mini-hill. But don't worry, real bunnies still hang out in the park – they just have a bigger, two-story pad for the sunny months.
The Chess players
You see folks playing chess in parks, but Budapest's really got its own thing with the chess players at Széchenyi Baths and the domino players at Bambi Eszpresszó. You can watch them, but don't butt in! If you're at Széchenyi for a sauna or Bambi for coffee, take a look at these legends – they're part of what makes those places special and, dare we say, even a bit cute.
(Cover photo: Kőrösi Tamás - We Love Budapest)
