It was one of those warm October days in Budapest when you can still feel a bit of summer, but the air already smells like autumn. The sky was bright blue, and the trees around City Park had started to turn yellow and orange. I was there with two of my friends from Germany who had come to visit me for the weekend.
We started our walk near Heroes’ Square and crossed a small bridge that led into the park. That’s when I took the first photo. The water below the bridge was calm and clear, reflecting the trees and the light. Everything was quiet for a moment I remember thinking how peaceful it felt, and how different this place was compared to the busy streets in the city center.
Living in Budapest has been exciting, but also a bit overwhelming. The city is big and full of people and noise, and sometimes it’s hard to feel at home. So that day with my friends, I felt something I hadn’t felt in a while a kind of calm and connection.
After crossing the bridge we came to this beautiful old building with statues on the roof and a big dome. It looked almost like a palace. The sun was shining perfectly on it, and the walls were glowing in a warm color. I took another photo there . I didn’t even know what the building was at first, but later I found out it’s part of the Széchenyi Thermal Bath.
We sat on the grass nearby, talking. One of my friends said that autumn always feels like change not in a bad way, but more like a reminder that nothing stays the same forever. I guess that’s true. Since moving here, a lot has changed for me. I’ve had to get used to a new language, new people and a lot of other horrible circumstances.
Later, we walked a bit further and came to another building that looked straight out of a fairy tale it was the the Vajdahunyad Castle. The light was soft, and the trees around the castle were half green, half golden. It felt like standing inside a postcard.
We stayed there for a while, just walking around and enjoying the view. There were families, couples, and tourists everywhere, but it still felt peaceful. Maybe because of the season everyone seemed slower, calmer, like they were also taking a moment to breathe before winter came.
When we left the park, the sun was already going down and the air was getting colder. I remember thinking how nice it was to see Budapest in this light… softer, more quiet, more human.
That evening, when we got home, I looked through the photos again reminding me of that day the laughter with my friends, the golden trees, the mix of excitement and peace I felt. It was such a simple day, but it made me realize how moments like this can change how you see a place.
For me, autumn in Budapest isn’t just about the weather or the colors. It’s about small changes… in nature, in people, and in myself.
So when I called this series “Turning Autumn,” I didn’t only mean the leaves turning. I also meant how we, too, turn and change, often quietly, without even noticing it. Just like the city, we’re always in motion learning, growing, and slowly becoming part of the place we’re in.
