Christmas in Vienna

Christmas markets in Europe are all very popular, some of my favourite markets are in Vienna. In the capital of Austria there are some 10 different markets in the heart of the city and more all around greater Vienna. In some 2 or 3 hours you can have hot punch or mulled wine at several markets and can enjoy the local atmosphere.

If you happen to be in Vienna during the Advent season, I’d recommend to explore as many different markets as you can. The big and famous ones are the one at the Rathaus (City Hall) and the one at Maria Theresien square in between the Art History and Natural History museums. You’ll find more information and a lot of tips and recommendations on the website of the Vienna Tourist Board.

We happened to be in Vienna on a tour last weekend and were truly amazed by the lights, the smells, the flavours and the atmosphere. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with me if you’re looking for Christmas Market tours in Budapest, Vienna or Bratislava!

Chain Bridge reopens for public transportation and taxis

The historic Chain Bridge has been under structural renovation for a year and a half. The bridge reopens later this week for public transportation and cabs. It will be fully reopened for pedestrian traffic in late summer 2023.

The oldest bridge of Budapest was opened in 1849 and has been the favourite bridge of locals and travellers ever since. The renovation was very much needed and was completed in a relatively short period of time, however, every day when we cannot cross the river on the Chain Bridge is considered a sad day. We’ve been missing you Chain Bridge and can’t wait to see you again very soon!

Greetings from Bratislava

Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia, it’s a 2-2,5 hours drive from Budapest. It’s one of the four capitals along the Danube river. A charming town with Bratislava castle from the Middle Ages and the Baroque style city centre with colourful buildings, cobblestoned streets, little cafés, art galleries and great atmosphere.

I’d highly recommend a tour when you are in Vienna or Budapest, you won’t be disappointed. These are the pictures from our last tour, we were lucky with beautiful weather and clear blue skies.

 

A Must-See: Kazinczy Street Synagogue

The Orthodox synagogue in Kazinczy street was bulit in Art Nouveau architecture in the early 1900’s. The Art Nouveau characteristics are truly magnificent: the rose window on top of the facade, the various building materials including raw brick and colourful stone pieces, the floral ornaments, the stained-glass windows. The building is a masterpiece of the architects, Sándor and Béla Löffler.

The synagogue was badly damaged during WW2 and the building was restored after the war. It’s part of a complex where there are apartments, two kosher restaurants, a little design shop, a kosher grocery store and offices of the Orthodox community. The visit of the synagogue can be included in the Budapest Jewish district tour.

The Gödöllő Palace

I would like to share with you this little video I took last weekend when we visited the Gödöllő Palace. This beautiful Baroque palace from the 18th century is included in my Gödöllő and Hollókő tour and the visit is always a special experience. I very much love being lost in the past, in history, it’s a real time travel and history comes to life.

 

Eger wines – tradition, history and culture

I keep posting about Eger wines and wine tasting tours, and it seems to me that wine tours are becoming more and more popular. My personal opinion is that exploring local food and wine is a defining part of our travel experience. I’m so happy to realise how much my travellers enjoy the local wines and traditions.

Eger is a very cute Hungarian little town with a lot of history and culture and with amazing red wines. Let me know if you’re interested in a tour, so that I can send you more details. We can include as many different wineries as you wish, we can do wine tasting, we can walk around the wine cellars, it is the best way to explore local food and local wine.

Here are some pictures of our last tour to give you more ideas.

 

Szimpla Ruin Pub

The ruin pubs in the Jewish quarter of Budapest are very popular, I encourage my travellers to visit one or two during their stay in Budapest, it’s always a special experience. The biggest ruin pub is Szimpla in Kazinczy street, it isn’t just a bar, it’s also a great community. There is a farmers’ market every Sunday with some live music, great food and great drinks. Szimpla is open  from 3.00 PM on weekdays, 12.00 PM on Saturday and 9.00 AM on Sunday.

Szimpla Ruin Pub Budapest

Photos from my Instagram account

I’m taking a lot of pictures on my tours in Budapest and around Hungary, however, I always forget to post on my Instagram. Especially during high season it’s difficult to post on Facebook, Instagram or my own blog, but believe me, I’m trying hard. Here are some pictures I’ve posted recently.

 

Special musical performance at the Parliament

We were on a tour near Parliament when we heard some music from in front of the building. When we walked closer we noticed that a military band was playing and were surprised to recognise the song they were playing: Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode.  Budapest really is a musical city, you can hear street musicians at the most popular tourist spots and sometimes you’re just lucky to be at a special performance.

Musical Budapest

Some of the recent reviews

Thank you so much for sharing your reviews, it’s always a pleasure to see how much you enjoyed your tours in my Beautiful Budapest. I’m grateful for all the reviews shared on Google, TripAdvisor or on my website.

Here are a few ones of the most recent reviews:

My wife and I have been using private tour guides for many years as we have traveled the world. We consider it the absolute best way to experience, as fully as possible a new city, region or culture. Julia is one of the best private tour guides that it has ever been our pleasure to work with. Charming, witty, knowledgeable, professional, thorough and kind are just a few of her positive attributes. She greatly helped bring the Budapest area to life for us. We recommend her most highly.

We had a wonderful time with Julia. She is proud of her city and happily took us around to see it. She is knowledgeable, happy and very experienced. I would not hesitate to use her again. Recommended!

Julia is an outstanding tour guide! She is extremely knowledgeable, and very accommodating and flexible. We would highly recommend her tours if you are planning a trip to Hungary!

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