A Must-See: House of Hungarian Music

A new museum opened in the City Park of Budapest, the museum of Hungarian Music. We had a private tour in the museum last week and were truly impressed by both the design of the building and the museum’s programmes and exhibitions.

The building was designed by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, to me it looks like an extremely ornate spaceship abandoned in the woods. For example I love the 12m high glass windows and panels and the hundreds of golden stylised leaves decorating both the interior and the outside. As a result it looks like a huge forest of gold, which is even more beautiful in the sunshine when the lights are nicely reflected on each and every gold leaf.

In the sound dome you can enjoy a unique audio-visual experience with sounds and music coming from all directions. I loved when all the sounds and music came together by the end of the show. It really felt like as if we witnessed a special chemistry experience in a musical laboratory. As an addition the permanent exhibition offers a musical journey in space and time. You must take some time to explore it, because you can easily spend hours in this underground musical maze. Music lovers should plan to spend some 2-3 hours in the building. Visitors can expect to get a better understanding of Hungarian music from the different periods of our musical history.

(On a personal note I have to add that I’m very much against all new constructions in the second largest public park of Budapest. The reason is that I think we should preserve and enlarge the green spaces in the city. However, I like the modern approach and the fact that the building is supposed to use sustainable and climate-friendly solutions.)

A Must-See: Wenckheim Palace

The home of the wealthy Wenckheim family, a jewellery box in the Palace Quarter of Budapest, the central building of the Budapest Metropolitan Library and an absolutely popular filming location: the Wenckheim Palace.

The palace is from 1889 and was built in Neo-Baroque style for the family of count Frigyes Wenckheim and his wife Krisztina Wenckheim (yes, they were first cousins). Count Wenckheim was a rich landowner and Member of the Parliament. The building has always been considered one of the most beautiful palaces of the 8th district of Budapest. Its dance hall is beautifully ornate and spacious, it could – and probably did – accommodate 500 guests at a time. The Wenckheim family was famous for their elegant and magnificent receptions and balls, even Emperor Franz Joseph was one of the illustrious guests.

The central building of the Budapest Metropolitan Library opened here in 1931 and it soon became a popular place for students, researchers and academics spending long hours in the historical halls.

Many Hollywood movies were also filmed in the Wenckheim Palace, including “𝑹𝒆𝒅 𝑺𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘”, “𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒕”, “𝑺𝒑𝒚” and “𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒐𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑶𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂”.

  • Wenckheim Palace Budapest
  • Wenckheim Palace Budapest
  • Wenckheim Palace Budapest
  • Wenckheim Palace Budapest
  • Wenckheim Palace Budapest
  • Wenckheim Palace Budapest

A Must-See: György Ráth Villa

I’m a huge admirer of the Hungarian Art Nouveau movement and I’m more than proud to show travellers around the magnificent Budapest Art Nouveau buildings. For me, the home of György Ráth, first director of the Budapest Museum of Applied Arts is a veritable jewellery box, both the building and the artworks and furnitures on display are unique.

The villa was originally Ráth’s family home and was furnished with pieces of his private collection, today it houses the permanent exhibition “Art Nouveau – a Hungarian Perspective”. Every room is different, the furnitures and pieces of art were selected and put on display with such a unique care and taste, it’s like visiting an elderly family member where every single item is authentic and they all tell you a different story.

When you visit the museum, don’t forget to take a walk along Városligeti fasor, where you can admire fascinating Art Nouveau villa buildings.

A Must-See: Museum of Fine Arts

With over 100.000 Hungarian and international artworks from as early as the ancient times to the 18th century, the Fine Art Museum is probably the largest and the most comprehensive art museum of Budapest.

The building of Classical Revival style is from 1906, from the outside it might remind you of a Greek temple, actually, the tympanum on the main facade is the exact replica of that of a Zeus temple in Olympia, Greece. The interior is just as magnificent as the artworks on display, the museum was closed for renovation works for almost 4 years and both the interior and the outside regained their original splendour. My personal favourite halls are the Romanesque and the Renaissance Halls, wondering around the building is like a real time travel for visitors.

The collection of the museum has six departments: Egyptian Antiquities, Classical Antiquities, Old Master Paintings, Sculptures, Prints and Drawings, Old Hungarian Collection. For more information on the museum and opening hours, you can visit the museum’s official website.

A Must-See: Buda Castle Funicular

The cute little cable car has been transporting millions of passengers from the Chain Bridge to the top of the Castle hill (or the other way) since its opening in 1870. You might have seen it appearing in Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, too.

Originally it was operated by steam and was destroyed in WW2. Since its reconstruction it’s been an electric cable car.

My insider tip: if you want to avoid long lines, don’t take it to go to the top but take it to descend to the Chain Bridge from the Royal Palace.

  • Buda Castle Funicular
  • Buda Castle Funicular

A Must-See: Shoe Memorial

The most poignant Holocaust memorial in Budapest is at the Pest side of the Danube River near the Parliament. That’s where thousands of people were killed in 1944 and 1945 by the militiamen of the nazi Hungarian Arrow Cross party. Before these people were shot and their bodies were carried away by the Danube River they had been ordered to take of their shoes.

Must-See: The Upper Castle of Visegrád

The Danube Bend tour is one of my most popular tours, as it includes three very different little villages along the Danube river.

Visegrád is one to the towns we visit, it’s famous for the Royal Palace and the Upper Castle, both belonged to the amazing complex of fortification built after the invasion of the Mongols in the 13th century.

The castle was originally built as a heaven for nuns and was paid for by the wife of the Hungarian king Béla IV. Today you can still see the remains of the massive fortification walls and the panoramic view over the Danube Bend.

  • The Upper Castle of Visegrád
  • The Upper Castle of Visegrád
  • The Upper Castle of Visegrád
  • The Upper Castle of Visegrád
  • The Upper Castle of Visegrád
  • The Upper Castle of Visegrád

Must-See: Vajdahunyad castle in the City Park

The castle was originally built temporarily for the 1896 millennium exhibit to showcase all the different architectural sites of Hungary in one complex of buildings. The project was so successful that the building needed to be rebuilt in a permanent form when the exhibit was over.

Ever since it’s one of the most visited attractions of Budapest, hidden in the beautiful City Park. It serves as an important movie set, too, so don’t be surprised when you see these buildings in Hollywood movies.

The visit of the castle is included in most of my Budapest walking or driving tours, please contact me for further details!

  • City Park of Budapest
  • City Park of Budapest
  • City Park of Budapest
  • City Park of Budapest

A Must-See: Fisherman’s Bastion

The fairytale castle-like lookout terrace built to replace the medieval town walls of Buda overlooks the Pest side and the Parliament building in particular. Famous of its panoramic views and the 7, richly ornate towers symbolizing the seven Hungarian tribes who conquered the actual territories of Hungary in 896.

Named after the Fishermen of Buda, who had the task to protect this segment of the town walls in the Middle Ages, it really is one of the most beautiful highlights of any Budapest driving or walking tour.

A Must-See: the Margaret Island

It doesn’t belong neither to Buda nor to Pest, still, it’s one of the locals’ favorite hangout places in the heart of the city.

Named after St. Margaret, daughter of our great king Bela IV, Margaret Island is like our own Central Park, the green oasis of Budapest.

You can hire a special bike for up to 6 people or a small electric car to see the beautiful parks, botanical gardens, the small zoo or the ruins of the monastery where our princess lived and helped the poor and the sick throughout her life in the 13th century.

Don’t miss the musical fountain in the summer months, it’s such a cool experience! The islan is accessible from both the Margaret and Arpad bridges and I’d be happy to include the visit in our city tours or walking tours!

  • Budapest Margaret Island
  • Budapest Margaret Island
  • Budapest Margaret Island
  • Budapest Margaret Island
  • Budapest Margaret Island
  • Budapest Margaret Island
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