This fascinating city will capture your heart as well as your imagination. By day winding cobblestone streets and grand tree-lined boulevards welcome you. By night the lights on the monuments and bridges gleam in the dark like jewels. Budapest may be the capital of a landlocked country, but it's far from dry. In fact, the city's most seductive element is water. It springs from underground wells, filling Ottoman, baroque and art-nouveau pools. It flows through the city in the broad and meandering Danube River, dividing Buda and Pest in yin-yang fashion. It even provides welcome relief after a bowl of hot-paprika-spiced goulash. Few visitors can resist Budapest's invitation to bathe, but the city's allure goes beyond its spa status. As a large urban center, it manages to strike a nice balance between nature and development. Hills, islands and parks coexist with theaters, cafes, monuments and other buildings in an eclectic array of architectural styles. delight your eyes and ears.