Golden Age Budapest

The glittering years of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy

The majority of Budapest’s most spectacular buildings were designed during the flourishing period of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Do you want to know why? This was the time when the city became an important hub of the Monarchy, with buildings to match. On this tour, we won’t only explore some of the most photographed landmarks of Budapest, but we will also give you the historical context that inspired them, and show you a few spots, which are unknown even for the locals! 

We kick off our tour in front of one of the largest parliament buildings in the world and learn the neo-gothic building’s fascinating story and why a contemporary writer compared it to a “Turkish Bath”. We move on to Szabadság (Liberty) Square, a charming, semi-hidden green square of downtown Budapest, which had been occupied by a huge military prison, and later became the first public park of the city. We explore 19th-century shopping habits at the gorgeous Hold Market Hall, checking out the art nouveau masterpiece former Postal Savings Bank, then admiring the Saint Stephen’s Cathedral. This massive church is one of the most well-known buildings in downtown, and home of Hungary’s first king’s right arm.  

We finish our tour at the recently renovated, magnificent art nouveau Paris Courtyard, which used to be a savings-bank, and now one of the most elegant hotels in Budapest. 

Immerse yourself in the glittering era, and explore some of the most spectacular spots in Budapest!