Easter in Hollókő

I was very lucky this Easter Monday because I could take my travellers to Hollókő, one of the cutest and most traditional Hungarian villages where people still cherish old traditions. Most of the village people are beautifully dressed up in locally designed costumes.  There is music, great food and drinks, plenty of locally crafted products.

One can also participate in the festivities. The most cherished Hungarian Easter tradition is the “watering”, young men tossing buckets of cold water on girls, to keep them fresh all year long. In exchange they are given hand painted and decorated Easter eggs. Visiting tourists might also get wet if they don’t avoid young men carrying buckets of water :).

Hollókő is a very special village all year around, it was a very special treat to be there and celebrate Easter with locals. Book a tour with me, so that I can tell you more about the village and its traditions!

 

Budapest Museums

My travellers often ask me to recommend some great museums to visit during their stay in Budapest. I’ve put together a list of the museums that I like and that I think would be a great addition to your Budapest experience.

History lovers:

Hungarian National Museum – all about Hungarian history from the ancient times to nowadays. the most significant item on display is the coronation robe of the Hungarian kings from 1000. The interior of the museum is just magnificent.

Hospital in the Rock – a museum in the cave system of the Buda Castle District that served as an underground hospital during WW2. Amazing stories from the war and a very detailed presentation.

Budapest History Museum – dedicated to the history of the Buda Castle complex and Budapest. You can visit the old parts of the castle as well as the newly renovated royal halls.

Memento Park – although it’s located outside the city centre, it’s worth a visit. The cemetery of the old statues of the communist era puts on display Hungarian history in the second half of the 20th century.

Glass House – former Swiss consul Carl Lutz saved the life of thousands of Hungarian Jews during WW2. The museum is dedicated to his amazing work and to all people who found peace and safety in the Glass House of Budapest.

Art lovers

Fine Art Museum – hundreds of thousands of pieces from all the different periods of European fine arts. Plan to spend a couple of hours to see them all.

National Gallery – an amazing collection of Hungarian art form the Middle Ages to nowadays. The museum is located in the Royal Palace of Buda and offers magnificent views over the city.

Ludwig Museum – the contemporary art museum started from a private collection and is expanding dynamically year by year. You can admire art from the late sixties to present time.

Don’t forget that most of the Budapest museums are closed on Mondays, always check the opening hours before your visit! Feel free to get in touch with me for further details and more information.

 

A Must-See: Rumbach Street Synagogue

The recently renovated Rumbach Street Synagogue is part of the synagogue triangle in the Jewish district of Budapest.

The building was designed by Austrian architect Otto Wagner and was built in the 1870’s. The Moorish Revival style of the synagogue is stunning, you can admire the combination of vivid colours (reds, blues, purples and golden), the craftsmanship and the richly ornate interior. The unique octagonal shape of the interior has eight sides, it was designed as an homage to the Dome of the Rock shrine in Jerusalem.

The synagogue belonged to a smaller local community before WW2 but unfortunately lost its function after the war was over, most of the community was killed in the Holocaust. The building became neglected and after decades of decoy became renovated and reopened in 2021.

Happy New Year from Beautiful Budapest

I would like to wish you all a very happy new year! These are my favourite pictures from 2022. I hope to meet you in Budapest in 2023!

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.

 

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