In the Spotlight: Budapest Art Nouveau Walking Tour

Discover Art Nouveau architecture in Beautiful Budapest

Budapest is a hidden gem for lovers of Art Nouveau architecture, with its stunning buildings and intricate designs scattered throughout the city. One of the best ways to explore this unique style is by wandering the streets of Budapest’s inner city, where you’ll find elegant façades adorned with flowing curves, floral motifs, and elaborate designs of ceramic tiles.

On a walking tour I take you to and tell you the fascinating stories of many different buildings. The Bedő House was designed by architect Emil Vidor and is a stunning example of Art Nouveau architecture in Budapest. Featuring exquisite wrought-iron balconies, floral motifs, and vibrant ceramic tiles, the building showcases the elegance and decorative beauty of the early 20th century. The Gresham Palace, now a luxury hotel, is one of the most iconic examples of Art Nouveau, showcasing the grandeur and beauty of the movement. Another must-see is the Ráth György Museum, which boasts a remarkable collection of Art Nouveau objects and architectural details.

The Art Nouveau villa buildings along Városligeti Fasor are a stunning showcase of the architectural style, with their ornate façades and fine details blending harmoniously with the surrounding green space. These charming villas, often adorned with floral motifs, curved lines, and decorative tile work, offer a glimpse into Budapest’s elegant early 20th-century design heritage.

As you walk through Budapest, you’ll notice how Art Nouveau seamlessly blends with the city’s more classical and Baroque architecture, creating a captivating fusion of old and new. Exploring Budapest’s Art Nouveau is not just about admiring beautiful buildings; it’s about stepping into a time when design was meant to evoke emotion and tell a story.

Contact me for more details or book a tour with me!

Beautiful Budapest – part 5

Beautiful Budapest Private Tours - some of the most magnificent sights and attractions of Budapest

Guiding tours around Beautiful Budapest, I cannot help but snap random moments that are catching my eye. From the vibrant street art to the hidden alleyways, there’s magic in every corner. Sometimes the best shots come when you’re not looking for them at all. This city is full of surprises, and I’m so grateful for every photo I get to capture along the way. Here’s to the joy of spontaneous exploration and the stories each photo tells! Spring is coming, days are getting longer and there is no greater joy than exploring this wonderful city.

Book a tour with me so that you can see some of these attractions and many more! All the private tours are fully customisable, based on your interests and preferences.

Look up! Some spectacular ceilings from Beautiful Budapest

Look up! Beautiful Budapest ceilings - Book Café

I keep saying that I really am a very fortunate person to spend most of my days out and about in my beautiful city. I am taking a lot of photographs and have just realised how many of those pictures capture the truly spectacular ceilings of buildings. I have a nice collection now and I decided to share a few of those photos with you. Unfortunately you cannot see all of these ceilings today, the Book Café has been closed for years for example, and there is no way that I would recommend to queue in front of New York Café for hours, but there are so many more great buildings with magnificent ceilings.

Being a tourist in a new place is not easy, you have to look in all directions all the time, but please, do not forget to look up! Feel free to send me your favourite photos! And I promise to keep adding more photos to the collection from time to time.

 

Sonnenberg House – Hungarian Art Nouveau

You might have noticed already how much I’m fascinated by the Art Nouveau movement of the late 19th and early 20th century. I love the design, the colours, the shapes and the fantastic symbolism, the stories the buildings and objects tell us. We were fortunate enough to discover this beautiful little gem of Art Nouveau in the 6th district of Budapest with my travellers who were looking for their family roots in Budapest earlier this year.

The house is from 1904, designed by the Hungarian architect genius Albert Kálmán Kőrössy for the Sonnenberg family. Like many other buildings from the same period of time this building was also in a very bad shape by the end of the 20th century. Some of the residents decided to restore it to its original beauty, and they have been doing an amazing job. It is a very long and expensive process, some of the stained glass windows were already restored, and they are just exquisite. I cannot wait to see the rest of the project.

Join me for an Art Nouveau walk to find out more about this super exciting time period and the symbolism of Hungarian Art Nouveau. Also, you’ll find more details about the Sonnenberg house and the restoration process here.

Festival of Folk Arts – 2023

Every year, at the end of August some of the great Hungarian folk artists have a special opportunity to put on display their talent and products: the folk art festival in the Buda Castle district. Visitors can watch and also participate in activities, such as sewing, lace or embroidery making, wood carving and many more. It’s a great occasion to meet local craftsmen and craftswomen, observe their techniques and tricks and also to buy local folk products. I loved the little old ladies teaching me sewing, trust me, they are very patient with visitors much less talented and experienced than they are.