This is the view you get when you climb the stairs up to the top of the Buda Castle in Budapest. I found this spot to be a beautiful place to gaze over the city and spent several hours here doing just that. 

I arrived in the late afternoon, hoping to photograph this view with an amazing sunset, but it was not to be. The sky was clear and the sun simply disappeared without providing any color. I knew, however, that there would be another photo opportunity as the city transitioned into night. 

As the sky darkened, the lights slowly took turns illuminating their subjects. First the Chain Bridge, then the river promenade, followed by St. Stevens Cathedral and finally the Parliament building. It was a much more interesting & colorful show than the sunset.

Budapest is more beautiful than I expected. This was one of the first images I captured here and I look forward to sharing several more images from my visit in future weeks.