Corinthia Hotel Budapest 2014 Yearbook

2014 Yearbook

CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST 2014 YEARBOOK

LUXURY BUDAPEST 2014

CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST

S H O P P I N G

D I N I N G

S I G H T S E E I N G

A R T S

N I G H T L I F E

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Welcome to Budapest, welcome to Corinthia When the Corinthia Group rescued the decaying Grand Hotel Royal and reopened it after the most extensive hotel restoration in Hungary’s history, it returned one of the capital’s true gems to the city of Budapest.

Opened in 1896 as the Grand Hotel Royal it was then the biggest hotel in Europe. It enjoyed a reputation as being the place to be, whether you were a distant traveller on a Grand Tour, or a Hungarian poet working on your next masterpiece.

The hotel that reopened in 2003 lives up to all of that heritage and more.

Whether it is the magnificent façade with its statues of the four seasons (our guardian spirits), the stunning Grand Ballroom, or the splendour of the Royal Spa, you will find yourself immersed in a different world, whisked back to a time of glamour, grandeur and service.

This is no trick of time travel, but the ‘Craftsmanship of Care’ philosophy that underscores and informs everything we do at the Corinthia Group.

So welcome to our world, to our yearbook, dedicated to what has been and what will be. Welcome to Budapest, the Pearl of the Danube. Most of all, welcome to the Corinthia Hotel Budapest, spiritual and actual heir to the Grand Hotel Royal.

Let me, on behalf of all my colleagues, wish you a pleasant and rewarding visit.

Enjoy all this magnificent city and our hotel has to offer. We are delighted to be at your service.

Thomas M. Fischer General Manager

Thomas M. Fischer

CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST 2014 YEARBOOK

Contents LUXURIOUS HISTORY A centenary of caring craftsmanship The Spirit of Corinthia, the craftsmanship of care

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LUXURY FEATURES The anatomy of a luxury hotel The hotel’s living history Palatial & Presidential Ballroom born again An event to remember Silver service, with a smile The freedom to be creative Royally in-spa-rational

9-32 10-13 14 15-17 18-21 22-24 26-28 29 30-32

LUXURY DEVELOPMENTS Bringing the terraces to life Making luxury greener Cornering an executive upgrade It’s in the blood

33-42 34-36 37 38-40 41

FASHION AND FILM Designer uniforms, both traditional and modern The world of film comes to the Corinthia Budapest Very Important People, a very special hotel

43-52 44-47 48-50 51-52

EVENTS AND AWARDS Anniversary gala marks rebirth of a legend Family festive fun Awards and recognition Learning from the Masters Making wishes come true

53-64 54 55 58-59 61 64

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Luxurious History

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A centenary of caring craftsmanship When the award-winning Corinthia Hotel Budapest opened its doors in April 2003, it wasn’t just the opening of a new five-star establishment, it was rather the latest chapter in the history of Budapest’s oldest luxury hotel.

The hotel first opened its doors as the Grand Hotel Royal back in 1896, hosting visitors to Budapest’s Millennium Exhibition celebrating the 1,000th

anniversary of the founding of the state. At the time Europe’s biggest hotel, it quickly became a regular gathering place for the local intelligentsia; indeed, the poet Endre Ady became a long-term resident.

The early years of the Grand’s life were peppered with firsts. The Lumière brothers played what was only the second moving picture shown across the whole of Continental Europe here. In 1909, ‘Libelle’, the first

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Hungarian airplane was exhibited in one of the hotel’s courtyards. In 1915 the ballroom became a permanent 1,000seat cinema, with the appropriately grand name of the Royal Apollo Movie Castle.

The latter half of the 20th century was less kind. In the aftermath of the 1956 Hungarian Uprising, the hotel was closed after fire destroyed the interior, and it only reopened in 1961.

International fame was briefly restored just a couple of years later. In 1939 Hungary’s answer to P. G. Woodhouse, Jenő Rejtő, had published a detective story called ‘Quarantine in the Grand Hotel’, set on an island near Bali. In 1963, in a bizarre case of life imitating art, a doctor mistook a rash on a housekeeper at the Grand Hotel Royal for smallpox. The hotel and all 800 guests trapped inside at the time were put under strict quarantine for a month.

Fearing the worst, but believing they might as well enjoy themselves while they could, the guests organised balls every night until the medical error was spotted and the quarantine lifted.

But the Grand was on a downward spiral until in 1991, tired and dilapidated, it closed its doors seemingly for good, although the cinema continued to stagger on until 1997. But the Maltese-based Corinthia Group bought the building and began a two-year multi-million dollar restoration project (the $125 million plus price tag made it the largest hotel refurbishment in Hungarian history). The façade was a protected monument and had to be preserved, though internally the structure was all but gutted; this was reconstruction from the ground up, no mere renovation.

The Royal Spa is actually even older than the hotel, having been founded in 1886, though it, too, has had a chequered past, so much so that it was abandoned after 1944, and then almost completely forgotten about. It was only rediscovered when plans were announced to convert the plot into a parking lot.

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The Spirit of Corinthia, the craftsmanship of care The Corinthia Group represents a collection of unique landmark hotels, and was founded by the Pisani family in Malta in 1962. Timeless family values have remained key to everything the company has done since then, and underpins what founder and chairman Alfred Pisani calls the ‘Spirit of Corinthia’, reflected in an exceptional level of hospitality he refers to as the ‘Craftsmanship of Care’.

That philosophy – based on four key values – understanding, precision, authenticity and passion – is revealed in everything from the way a guest is welcomed, to the comfort of the room they are offered, to the thoughtfulness of the people who serve them.

“Rather like the care that is invested in creating the finest wine or the most beautiful furniture, caring for guests as we do is hard to achieve and expensive to deliver,” says the Group Chairman. “But we hope that even with a brief stay in a Corinthia hotel, our guests will discover that craftsmanship can shape caring for people as beautifully as it can shape a precious stone.”

Since the opening of its first restaurant in 1962, the growth of the Corinthia Group has been seamless. In 1968 the first accommodation, the Corinthia Palace Hotel, opened in the grounds of that same restaurant. There followed further growth on Malta, with a second property, Corinthia Hotel St. George's Bay, opening in 1995. In a very short period of time after that, however, the group was expanding overseas.

Group Chairman Alfred Pisani

The near-derelict Grand Hotel Royal was acquired in 1997, and the following year the land for the Corinthia Hotel Tripoli was bought. In 2002 the Nevskij Palace Hotel was acquired in St. Petersburg, Russia, and the Corinthia Budapest was given its ‘soft’ opening. The official launch followed in 2003, the same year the Corinthia Tripoli opened. 2004 saw the re-opening of the refurbished Corinthia Hotel Lisbon, Portugal, and 2006 the inauguration of both the Royal Residence and the Royal Spa in Budapest. The laying of the foundation stone for the reconstruction and extension of the Corinthia Hotel in St. Petersburg came in 2007, and in 2008 the former Metropole Building in central London was acquired for redevelopment. In 2009 the Corinthia Hotel St. Petersburg re-opened, followed in 2011 by the Corinthia Hotel London

To provide hospitality as we do is a timeless craft – as old, challenging and inspirational as that of being a master stonemason, goldsmith, painter or musician.

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“To build and operate great hotels takes passion and ambition. To repeat this success, again and again requires authenticity and sincerity. To deliver caring services to our guests at the highest possible standards needs knowledge, experience, understanding and a fanatical attention to detail.

These are the qualities that distinguish a true craftsman from an apprentice.

To provide hospitality as we do is a timeless craft – as old, challenging and inspirational as that of being a master stonemason, goldsmith, painter or musician,” says the Chairman.

“In a world of mass produced experiences, we offer our guests the madeto-measure. We believe the attention to detail that elevates a craftsman can similarly elevate the experience of visiting one of our hotels. This sentiment is embedded in everything we do, and everything we say,” he explains.

“This is the ‘Spirit of Corinthia’. The way we value authenticity, the trouble we take on individual details, grounded with a style that's discreet rather than merely ostentatious. All of these are the little ways we try to make a big difference – just as craftsmen have always done through the ages.”

• • • • • • • • • •

CORINTHIA HOTELS Corinthia Hotel London Corinthia Hotel St. Petersburg Corinthia Hotel Budapest Corinthia Hotel Prague Corinthia Hotel Lisbon Corinthia Hotel Khartoum Corinthia Hotel Tripoli Corinthia Hotel St. George's Bay, Malta Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa, Malta Corinthia Golf & Spa Resort Taormina (under development)

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Luxury Features

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The anatomy of a luxury hotel

The Corinthia Hotel Budapest is, by even the most demanding standards, a landmark, deluxe property, originating in the grand architectural epoch of the late 19th century. The hotel was acquired as a vacant building in 1997, and the interior was gutted to make way for a 60,000 sqm (645,834 sqft) reconstruction that retained the historic façade and restored the 19th century classical ballroom (which had spent much of the 20th century as a cinema).

Today, the hotel consists of a total of 440 rooms (every bathroom of which features both a tub and a shower), as well as a multitude of support facilities. These include 2,695 sqm (29,000 sqft) of conference space with 31 breakout rooms; an exhibition centre, the fully restored ballroom, 26 luxury residences, a multi-storey garage with space for 250 cars and seven coaches, a spectacular 19th century spa, a nightclub, various restaurants and dining outlets. The hotel was officially opened in April 2003.

ROOMS AND SUITES The 414 rooms include a mix of 31 suites, all of which include complimentary Internet access and interactive flat screen TVs. The Junior Suites are 63 sqm (678 sqft), and each features a bedroom with a luxurious King-size bed, an expansive living area, a handsome view of the streets of Budapest, and all the luxuries you’d expect from a grand, five-star hotel.

These include glorious marble bathrooms, comfortable sofas, top-of-the-range Bose audio systems, satellite TVs, complimentary cable and Wi-Fi Internet access and tea and coffee making facilities. Deluxe Suites measure 69 sqm (742 sqft). For more on the Signature Suites and the opulent Presidential Suite, please see pages 15-17.

The 28 sqm (301 sqft) Superior King and Superior Twin rooms are furnished with luxurious beds and glorious marble bathrooms, offering exceptional comfort and tranquillity to every

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guest. Deluxe King rooms, at 34 sqm (365 sqft), boast King-size beds, marble bathrooms and a spacious seating area for unrivalled relaxation. Each room has a view of the striking atrium.

The 98 mahogany-decorated Executive King rooms are the same size, and provide a comfortable retreat at the end of a working day in the Hungarian capital, with views of the atrium or Budapest’s stately boulevards, and grant exclusive access to the Executive Club.

ROYAL RESIDENCE The 26 luxury serviced apartments in their separate building linked to main hotel come in a choice of four types of layout. All have a well-equipped kitchen and a dining table. (Of course, the hotel’s 24-hour in-room dining service is also available for all Residences, offering guests a variety of delicious, healthy meals and snacks as well as a wide range of hot and cold soft drinks, fine wines and alcoholic beverages.) Every Residence comes complete with all the luxuries you would expect, including LCD HD TVs with an infotainment system and extensive collection of international and local channels, DVD player and complimentary Wi-Fi access. In addition, each Residence also contains a

washing machine, and there is complimentary access to the Royal Spa. The elegantly furnished 60 sqm (645 sqft) Superior Residences are light and airy; each one-bedroom apartment is furnished with a comfortable King-sized bed.

Guests can also relax in a spacious living room, the perfect place to unwind after a long day.

The 80 sqm (861 sqft) Deluxe Residences offer a spacious and comfortable base for those enjoying a longer stay in Budapest. With two large bedrooms, and two bathrooms, guests are guaranteed the upmost in comfort and style. One bedroom is furnished with a King-size bed while the other contains a single, retractable bed, making the room multipurpose for use as an office and/or bedroom.

The similarly sized and equipped Grand Residences have the second bedroom set out as a twin room, offering families the ultimate in comfort.

Finally, the stylish 130 sqm (1,399 sqft) Signature Residences offer larger families a comfortable base. With three spacious bedrooms, two with Kingsized beds, the third furnished with a retractable bed, and two large bathrooms, each guest is guaranteed the ultimate in comfort.

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Today, the hotel consists of a total of 440 rooms (every bathroom of which features both a tub and a shower), as well as a multitude of support facilities.

DINING AND BARS

MEETINGS AND EVENTS

Dining at the Corinthia Hotel Budapest is an unparalleled experience. From authentic dishes from across the Orient at the Rickshaw Restaurant to more traditional Hungarian flavours, or even a selection of delicious Spanish tapas at the Bock Bistro, every palate is catered for. The Brasserie and Atrium restaurant was awarded the best hotel breakfast title in 2013, but also presents the ideal place for both casual and business meetings, or to enjoy a specialty coffee and a sumptuous cake from our trend-setting Pastry Kitchen, while cocktail connoisseurs can experience exquisite drinks at Le Bar. (For more on the hotel’s restaurants, please see pages 26-28.)

At the Corinthia Hotel Budapest, we understand that your event is an important investment. Whether you are planning a wedding, a conference or a business event, we can help you achieve your goals. And whatever the occasion, your dedicated Events Planner will be on hand to help you find the perfect venue and guide you through every aspect of it.

SPA AND WELLBEING The Royal Spa is quite simply one of the premier pampering facilities in the whole of Europe. While the centrepiece of this elegant Art Deco building is the 15-metre pool, originally opened in 1886, the extensive menu of 21st century treatments includes tropical rain showers and mud and seaweed baths, as well as a range of luxury therapeutic body, face and massage treatments. From February 2014 it has exclusively offered ESPA treatments and products. The spacious 1,000 sqm (10,763 sqft) facility also boasts a dedicated fitness room, saunas, steam bath and Jacuzzi, together with various relaxation areas. (For more on the Royal Spa, please see pages 30-32.)

The “crown jewel” of the Corinthia Budapest’s meetings and events venues is obviously the 430 sqm (4,628 sqft) Grand Ballroom, but the hotel has much more to offer beyond that. (For more on the ballroom, please see pages 18-21.)

Linked to the stately 19th century Grand Ballroom by a glass bridge, the Corinthia Exhibition Centre is a counterpoint showpiece of 21st century architecture and technology, offering more than 740 sqm (7,965 sqft) of superb event or display space.

The Valletta Conference Centre offers the largest, most flexible event space of all of Budapest’s hotels. The two centres can easily be linked to support a more imaginative, large-scale event. (For more on events at Corinthia Hotel Budapest, please see pages 22-24.)

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The hotel’s living history I have no children of my own. This is my ars poetica, to plant my knowledge learned from those masters and the love of the work you do in young people, so that they carry it on and in turn teach the next generation.

Tibor Meskál

“It is my baby, my home, my mother’s milk. That’s one of the reasons why I am still working here at this age.” Tibor Meskál, Senior Duty Manager, 71 in April, is talking about something very special: his relationship with the Corinthia Hotel Budapest.

reached its peak in the 1920s and ‘30s, says Tibor. “I was from a lucky generation, I got to learn from these masters of the trade,” he recalls. That passion for providing good service still drives him today, and he sees part of his role as passing on the knowledge gleaned from that previous generation.

Tibor is unique among staff at the hotel. “I am the only person working here now who was present at two launches of this hotel,” he says. In the aftermath of the Second World War and the 1956 Hungarian Uprising, money was finally ploughed into a major restoration of the hotel in 1958, and the Grand Hotel Royal, as it was, reopened to the public on 21 August 1961. Among the staff was an 18-year-old apprentice called Tibor.

And Tibor has plenty of lessons to pass on. In 1966, aged 23, he quit his job as room service manager at the hotel, fled the country illegally and headed for Italy. He had already spent time in East Germany, now his career would take him to Australia and the UK, and see him work on cruise ships; he served drinks to Queen Elisabeth II on three separate occasions, as well as the Shah of Persia, Frank Sinatra and Marlene Dietrich, amongst others.

For him it was a dream come true. The Royal was like a teaching institution he said, as evidenced by the number of people who went on to even bigger things all over the world. “You did a few months in each department, so you really got to learn everything, not just how to wait tables or run a bar, as you might in a small restaurant.” At the same time he was working through catering college, doing two days a week in school, and four in the hotel.

It was only at the age of 53, and 30 years after he left the country, that he felt the need to “stop being a vagabond and settle down”, as he puts it. He returned to Hungary and worked at Gundel Restaurant and then at one of Budapest’s five-star hotels, but when he heard the Corinthia was reopening, he quit, taking a pay cut and a drop in position to “return home” as room service manager. Thus he was here for the 30 April 2003 launch too.

The reputation of Hungarian hospitality was built on the period from the Millennium celebrations to the start of the Second World War, and probably

“I have no children of my own. This is my ars poetica, to plant my knowledge learned from those masters and the love of the work you do in young people, so that they carry it on and in turn teach the next generation.”

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Palatial & Presidential

People do sometimes hire the suite to watch the fireworks with their friends, if there is no one in occupation at the time, of course

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Even in a hotel with all the ‘royal’ connections that a place as grand as the Corinthia Hotel Budapest can boast, the most palatial of suites is known as the ‘Presidential’.

term as President of Portugal) all having stayed here. And there has been one rather famous former President, Mikhail Gorbachev, who was here in 2006.

And palatial is an apt description, as the Presidential Liszt Ferenc Suite, named for the famed Hungarian composer and pianist Franz Liszt (known to Hungarians, who reverse the naming order, as Liszt Ferenc), is the biggest hotel suite in Hungary at 240 sqm (around 2,580 sqft).

The Presidential suite runs across the entire width of the top floor of the middle section of the hotel. Look at the facade from outside and you will see this central ‘wing’ is bookended by a cupola at either side: each of these is a separate bedroom with luxurious super King-sized beds. Stretching across the frontage are nine large windows; coupled with high ceilings, they give the suite an incredibly airy feeling, and flood it with natural light.

It shares the fifth floor with two impressive Signature Suites, also named for famous Hungarian composers, the Bartók Béla Suite and the Kodály Zoltán Suite, each an apartment-swallowing 140 sqm (1,506 sqft).

Fittingly, the Presidential Liszt Ferenc Suite has indeed hosted serving Presidents, with the late Guido de Marco (then President of Malta), the late Ferenc Mádl (at the time President of Hungary), and Anibal Cavaco Silva (now into his second

Those windows also offer wonderful views of the grand boulevards below, and stretch out across the rooftops as far as the Citadella Fortress atop Gellért Hill and the Liberty Statue, waving her palm frond in the air. It makes a great viewing spot for the annual August 20 national day fireworks displays. “People do sometimes hire the suite to watch the fireworks with their friends, if there is

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no one in occupation at the time, of course,” says Senior Duty Manager Tibor Meskál. Even the doorways to the Liszt Ferenc Suite are different, featuring a single marble step, symbolising the rooms within really are a cut above. (The decision to place the steps there was a very deliberate one, but it provides the team with an interesting – and for this hotel unique – task; every time a service trolley has to go in or out, it requires two people to lift it up over or down the step!)

Back inside you will find an en suite Jacuzzi in one of two marble bathrooms, a living room, a fully equipped kitchen (though Tibor says guests invariably use the hotel’s chefs), a dining room, an office, and a walk-in wardrobe. This is comfortable, high-end luxury living, coupled with the feeling that you are, almost literally, on the top of the world.

And such attention to detail attracts a veritable 'Who’s Who' of the great and the good to relax and unwind amid its pampered luxury. Besides the Presidents

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mentioned earlier, other guests have included the then Prime Ministers of Luxemburg ( Jean-Claude Juncker), Malta (Dr. Lawrence Gonzi), and Kazakhstan (Danial Akhmatov), as well as the former Chancellor of Germany Gerhard Schroeder.

The world of music has been widely represented, with stars ranging all the way from Brazilian musician Sergio Mendes to Russian conductor Gennady Rozhdestvensky. José Carreras has stayed more than once, as has Andrew Lloyd Webber. Pop stars Ricky Martin and Alecia Moore (better known as the artist Pink) have also made themselves at home here.

Nor have the stars of stage and screen been absent. Actors Jonathan Price, Geoffrey Rush, Colin Firth, Richard Dreyfuss, Helen Mirren, Donald Sutherland, Jean Reno, and Gerard Depardieu have all slept in one of the suite’s beds.

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Ballroom born again The ballroom measures 31 metres (101 ft 8 in) in length, about the size of a fully grown bull Blue whale, is 13.9 metres (45 feet 7 inches) wide, and 10.7 metres (35 ft 1 in) high.

The magnificent marble Grand Ballroom, restored to its original beauty with rich, baroque-style decorated ceilings and walls, offers the ideal venue for a truly unforgettable event.

Louis Lumière used the room to give the first screening of a motion picture in Budapest (and only the second in Continental Europe), a development that was to have echoes in the future.

Little wonder, then, that Senior Duty Manager Tibor Meskál, the unofficial hotel historian who first worked here as an apprentice in 1961, describes the restoration of the ballroom as “the crowning jewel of the hotel”. (For an interview with Tibor see page 14).

According to reports from the time, Budapest high society, intrigued by the revolutionary idea of moving pictures, would dress up in its finest attire, have dinner, watch a movie and discuss it afterwards over a champagne supper in the hotel.

The ballroom measures 31 metres (101 ft 8 in) in length, about the size of a fully grown bull Blue whale, is 13.9 metres (45 feet 7 inches) wide, and 10.7 metres (35 ft 1 in) high.

By 1915, the second year of the First World War, society had taken on a different, darker mood. “People were no longer going to balls or having big weddings, there simply wasn’t the money,” says Tibor. Film going, however, was ever more popular. “The owners of the hotel decided to turn the ballroom into a cinema.”

It is steeped in history. Béla Bartók, the world famous Hungarian pianist who is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century, frequently conducted music here.

The very year the hotel opened, the fraternal French pioneers of early cinema Auguste and

Thus it became the 1,000-seater Royal Apollo Movie Castle, renamed the Red Star after the Second World War and put under separate

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management with its own entrance on Hársfa utca, the street behind the main building.

Indeed, it was the last part of the old hotel to close down, eventually shutting its doors in 1997, by which time, with the collapse of the Iron Curtain, its name had changed again, this time to the Apollo Cinema.

When the Corinthia Group began its renovations of the hotel complex, there was no question of the ballroom returning to its erstwhile status of a cinema. Instead, the space was to be returned to a function altogether more glamorous.

The 430 sqm (4,628 sqft) ballroom can seat 300 when set out in a gala configuration – 400 in a theatre or reception arrangement – but there is also a 115 sqm (1,237 sqft) gallery capable of taking an extra 40 in banquet setting – 60 in theatre, and 70 in reception modes – and a 190 sqm (2,045 sqft) foyer which can accommodate 180 people in a reception setting.

The Grand Ballroom has again become a regular venue on the Budapest social calendar, whether it is hosting the annual black tie and Highland dress Budapest Burns Supper (dedicated to the memory of Scotland’s favourite poet, Robert Burns, and which has raised millions of forints over the years for children’s hospitals in Hungary), or the four-yearly U.S. Presidential Election Party, one of the biggest such galas in Europe, among many other events each year.

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An event to remember If you are going to the trouble of putting on an event, be it a wedding party, a conference or a business seminar, it holds great importance for you, and ought to be done right. At the Corinthia Hotel Budapest, we understand that and make it our absolute priority to help you achieve your goals. That starts with your very own dedicated Events Planner, who will be on hand to help you find the perfect venue and guide you through every aspect of its organisation and execution.

Whatever it is you are planning, regardless of size or type, the hotel offers a bespoke, crafted service to truly make it an event to remember.

“We are a regular host for the events of the Big Four (Deloitte, EY, KPMG, and PwC) and many others from the finance and audit sector,” explains Business Development Manager Regina Papp. “As we deliver the highest level of service with the most technically developed equipment, including free WiFi all over the hotel, we are also the hosts of big IT and technology companies such as Microsoft, Linux/Ubuntu, Cisco, IBM, and Apple.”

Indeed, the hotel is a venue for events of all kinds. “During the period that Hungary held the rotating EU Presidency ( January-June 2011), we were the most used hosting venue for EU Commission and EU Parliament events,” Regina recalls.

From the food industry clients include the likes of Nestlé, Kraft Foods, and Mondelez International, while the Corinthia Budapest has welcomed fashion and beauty companies such as DIOR, Guerlain, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton.

“We also host big annual internal meetings of the largest pharmaceutical companies – Abbott, AbbVie, Novartis, GSK, Pfizer, and OPDC – as well as representatives of the political sector and many associations.” It was, for example, the setting for Hungary’s largest wine forum, VinCe, which attracted 1,200 people.

BUSINESS INVESTMENT For a business event, it is vital colleagues and guests can stay in touch. With that in mind, as Regina mentioned, the hotel provides free Wi-Fi in all meeting rooms, breakout spaces, guestrooms and public areas. There are countless technical solutions at hand, no matter the size involved. The hotel’s current record is a 32-metre (105-feet) wide screen, which was put up in the Grand Ballroom.

Human support does not go neglected either; we’ll ensure you have 24-hour access to our events team by providing you with a complimentary mobile phone pre-programmed with important telephone numbers.

We will also give you exposure on the World Wide Web, creating and customising a page especially for your meeting, allowing your delegates to book bedrooms direct. We can display maps, agendas, event details and more on your bespoke landing page.

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During the period that Hungary held the rotating EU Presidency (January-June 2011), we were the most used hosting venue for EU Commission and EU Parliament events.

The hotel is making a major investment in terms of money and space to create a new meeting lounge and expanded support facilities (please see separate story on this on pages 34-36). Until these new, state-of-the-art facilities are available, we offer an upgraded guestroom at no extra charge for the group organiser, with complimentary facilities including a Nespresso machine, in-room printer and fax services available on demand.

Naturally, all rooms are replenished daily with water, soft drinks and fresh fruit.

As you would expect from a luxury hotel, there is a Business Centre with support staff, and we can offer copying and printing services, as well as computer, mobile phone and fax machine rental.

UNIQUE MEETING SPACES The baroque-style Grand Ballroom was fully restored to its original opulence, with lush decorated ceilings and walls, and returned to its original function when the hotel reopened in 2003. It is a space steeped in history: France’s Lumiére brothers gave the first screening of a motion picture in Hungary (indeed, only the second in Continental Europe) in the ballroom. Classical concerts were held here, and world famous Hungarian composer Béla Bartók frequently conducted. With the growing popularity of ‘moving pictures’ the ballroom ceased to exist as a part of the hotel during the First World War and was reconstructed as the Royal Apollo cinema (after the Second World War it was renamed the Red Star and by 1959 had its own entrance on Hársfa utca, the street behind the hotel). Hire the Grand Ballroom and you hire a truly unique space. (For more on the ballroom, please see separate story on pages 18-21.)

Linked to the 19th century Grand Ballroom by a glass bridge, the Valletta Exhibition Centre is a showpiece of 21st century architecture and technology offering more than 740 square metres (7,965 square feet) of superb event or display space.

The Valletta Conference Centre can be partitioned to create up to 12 syndicate rooms, or opened to create large event spaces with breakout and refreshment areas.

The two centres can easily be linked to support a more imaginative, large-scale event.

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Silver service, with a smile Imagine a world where the table service is as discrete as it is warm and welcoming. Where attention to detail is evident in every element of the food on your plate. Where creativity and excellence go hand-in-hand. Where the feast serves all your senses at once. You are imagining the world of gastronomical craftsmanship brought to you by the Corinthia Hotel Budapest.

“Corinthia Hotels introduced its philosophy called ‘Craftsmanship of Care’ last year; the whole hotel is involved in this philosophy and the restaurants play an important part in it,” explains Executive Chef Péter Bolyki. “We maximise our gastronomic services to adapt to the customers’ needs and fully satisfy our guests’ expectations.

We are always changing our offer and trying to give that ‘little extra’ to our customers, to provide a special guest experience that makes us different from other luxury hotels.”

Quality service is vital to providing that special gastronomic experience, but great food also requires first class ingredients. “The daily connection to our suppliers is very important for us. The ideal purchasing system recognises that quality is non-negotiable, whilst also keeping the best value for money in mind. We always try to use local suppliers where it is possible,” the chef says.

Such a craftsman’s attention to detail is the bedrock on which great service is built, and with it great success. “In the last couple of years our restaurants have received a lot of recognition; for example we won the ‘best hotel breakfast’ award from Rauch and we are also permanent recipients in the ‘Best of Budapest’ awards,” Péter says.

The culinary staff numbers around 70 team members including the pastry and stewarding sections, and takes on 30 students every school year. Between them they cater for a range of

Chef Péter Bolyki

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eateries, in addition to providing 24-hour room service support. Truly there is not a taste, or an occasion, or a time that cannot be catered for.

recalling the fine dining splendour of the Royal Pálmakert (Palm Garden) restaurant that once stood here and attracted the cream of Budapest society every night.

Fancy some fine dining, Far Eastern style? Head for the award winning Rickshaw Restaurant for a truly unique dining experience. The Rickshaw serves authentic dishes from across the Orient in an atmosphere that complements the traditional arts and materials of the Far East. The restaurant’s signature dish is the traditional Peking duck with Chinese rice pancakes and condiments. This is prepared alongside Indonesian, Japanese, Thai and other Far Eastern delicacies with the utmost care to ensure nothing but the finest dining experience for visitors.

Looking for a sophisticated nightspot? The Orfeum Club captures the glamour and excitement of the famous orfeums of the 19th century when acrobats, singers, dancers and poets performed on a tiny stage in front of a tightly packed audience (not to mention recalling the stunning performance by the jazz singer, dancer and actress Josephine Baker here in 1928). Take a step back in time, sip a fine cocktail and enjoy a wide range of musical and theatrical performances. There is a direct entrance to the club from the hotel lobby, and admission is free for hotel guests.

Want to have breakfast in style, or enjoy an à la carte menu for lunch or dinner? Make your destination the Brasserie & Atrium Restaurant. Eat inside or in the Atrium,

In search of the perfect cocktail, shaken, not stirred? Head for Le Bar, an elegant and relaxing lounge bar where guests can meet for an aperitif, an

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after dinner drink or even a light snack. Sip a delicious cocktail, enjoy a fine wine or beer and relax to the sounds of the talented resident pianist.

Music lovers can also discover a fine selection of events hosted regularly at Le Bar. Two other venues are real stars in the world of Hungarian gastronomy: the Bock Bistró celebrates the wines of one of the countries finest vintners, József Bock, paired with the gastronomic creations of chef Lajos Bíró, while the Szamos Royal Marcipan Café showcases one of the biggest names in confectionery in the country, renowned in particular for its marzipan creations.

But the hotel also has an exceptional, groundbreaking pastry kitchen, with its own unique specialities (see interview with Pastry Chef Attila Menyhárt on page 28). “We provide perfect service to more than 300,000 customers a year;

they are having breakfast, taking lunch or dinner, participating at events and having coffee breaks, or dining in our Far Eastern Rickshaw Restaurant,” says the Executive Chef. “Every outlet has its own signature dish: I warmly recommend our Beijing duck in Rickshaw, the pork belly schnitzel in the Atrium or the sausage Benedict – one of our breakfast daily specials.”

No truly great kitchen can stand still, and that of the Corinthia Budapest is no different. “We have many creative ideas for the future, such as remodelling our Room Service breakfast, great events at Rickshaw, and a completely revamped approach to banqueting, to mention a few; the sky is the limit,” says Péter. “One of our most exciting plans is to introduce our newest project, Royal Catering, through which we will also be able to provide our five-star services outside of the hotel building.”

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The freedom to be creative Executive Pastry Chef Attila Menyhárt says running the pastry kitchen at the Corinthia Hotel Budapest is close to a dream come true. “I really do enjoy it because, for the first time, I can do what I want to do. There are absolutely no limits, I have free hands, which means I can free the mind and make any dessert, any pastry I want. For a creative person, this is the most important thing.”

The 37-year-old, who has also served on cruise ships in the past and lived in Ireland and the UK, joined the hotel in April 2013 as Executive Pastry Chef, and has already made his mark on the pastry kitchen, reorganising the way it works, getting in additional students to help with preparations, making almost everything by hand and in-house.

He has also given the hotel a unique approach in presenting time-honoured Hungarian desserts with a modern twist. Take Eszterházy torte, for example. “In one way I have gone back to the traditional Eszterházy cake, because it used to be made with almonds, but over time that was replaced with walnuts elsewhere (though not here) because they were less expensive. What we produce is a rich almond cake with different textures and creams, although the basic sponge is the same,” he explains.

“I wasn’t asked to do this, I just tried something and showed it to the Executive Chef. He really loved it and since then we do not go for the ‘old’ Eszterházy; the new version is getting ever more popular, people are looking out for it.”

The approach isn’t limited to the likes of Eszterházy or Dobos torte. Attila has also created a signature cake for the hotel itself, called the Royal (featuring gluten-free chocolate, raspberry and rosewater), inspired by the legendary Franco-American dancer, singer and actress Josephine Baker, who stayed at the hotel in 1928.

Attila and his team of 13 are responsible for all the desserts and pastries in the hotel’s own eateries (the Rickshaw, with its Far Eastern cuisine; Le Bar; and the Brasserie & Atrium) as well as all the event buffets the hotel caters for.

Chef Attila Menyhárt

I really do enjoy it because, for the first time, I can do what I want to do. There are absolutely no limits, I have free hands, which means I can free up the mind and make any dessert, any pastry I want. For a creative person, this is the most important thing.

“Rickshaw pastries can be particularly challenging; this week we have a Vietnamese promotion, for example. We research typical desserts, and use Asian ingredients, green tea powder, lots of fruits of course, like passion fruit, and prepare something exotic, with an Asian reflection.”

Other challenges can be more mundane. “For the Brasserie & Atrium we have a weekly dessert. Coming up with 52 different desserts each year can sometimes leave your brain reeling with the overload,” he jokes.

Quality is, and will remain, the key. “My goal is to create the best pastry kitchen in Hungary, including all the five-star hotels and all the fine restaurants, to make our sweets even more famous. The team is good, willing to change and to learn, and you can see they really want to achieve this too.”

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Royally in-spa-rational Although it actually predates the hotel by 10 years, the Royal Spa only re-opened in 2005, a couple of years after the Corinthia Hotel Budapest itself was relaunched.

Dedicated to vitality, tranquillity and well-being of both body and mind, it offers a rare but rewarding opportunity to relax and rejuvenate amid the grandest of La Belle Époque-style architecture.

The hotel’s owners recognised the potential it offered them, and by 1903 direct access had been created for the Grand Hotel Royal’s guests. The spa operated until 1944, when it closed. It never reopened after the Second World War, and the abandoned, obsolete bath seemed to slip from the city’s collective memory until 1983, when it was rediscovered and, in a cruel twist, a plan was hatched to replace it with a car park.

From the outset the Corinthia Group planned the development of the hotel complex in phases.

Not least of the challenges it faced with the spa was that it lies underneath the neighbouring building, which has separate ownership. But that was just the last twist in a story as complex and chequered as that of the hotel itself. The architect Vilmos Freund originally built the spa as a Turkish bath in 1886, with steam baths, wave and shower baths, electric baths, a pneumatic chamber and a medical room with cold water.

Thankfully, the man put in charge of the project rejected the idea, which might have put him in a difficult position had he not been backed by public opinion and the press. Brave decision or not, it paved the way for the Corinthia Group to bring back another of Budapest’s lost treasures in a €4 million renovation. Within the luxurious framework of its classical interiors, the Royal Spa has been meticulously redesigned over two stories to provide more than 1,000 sqm (10,765 sqft) of space.

Dedicated to vitality, tranquillity and well-being of both body and mind, the Royal Spa offers a rare but rewarding opportunity to relax and rejuvenate amid the grandest of La Belle Époque-style architecture.

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Its wide range of facilities include a 15-meter-long swimming pool, relaxation areas, saunas, steam bath, Jacuzzis, a fitness room, tropical rain showers, Niagara bathtubs, mud baths and seaweed baths, as well as a variety of therapeutic and massage treatments. There are six one-person treatment rooms plus one especially designed for couples.

Since the end of February 2014, the Royal Spa has exclusively offered ESPA treatments that combine the purest levels of the most potent natural ingredients with the latest age-defying technology. It brings together facial and full-body treatments to blend, in a completely unique way, the very best of luxury and the ultimate in effectiveness, using the most effective ingredients and techniques from around the world, and targeted specifically to the client’s individual needs.

A range of ESPA massages are available, from aromatherapy to hot stone, or traditional Swedish to deep muscle. All of these can be combined with a 25-minute salt and oil scrub, available either as a stand-alone treatment or as preparation for a massage. An exceptional skin softening body exfoliation, it combines sea salts with essential oils to leave your skin nourished, smooth and supple. For a lighter application, an Exfoliating Body Polish is applied instead of the Salt & Oil Scrub.

A series of ESPA face and body treatments have even been developed specifically for male guests, including a shoulder, neck and face massage, a back, face and scalp treatment, and a deep muscle massage.

Traditional Thai massage is also available, which follows the energy lines of the body and uses a combination of rhythmic massage, acupressure, gentle twists and stretches. It relaxes and relieves the joints, while stretching the muscles. By stimulating the lymphatic functions, this traditional form of massage contributes to the detoxification of the body, boosting of the immune system and helping improve overall flexibility, while also creating a harmonious balance between mind, body and soul.

A variation on this theme is the herbal steam Thai massage, in which a combination of medicinal herbs is wrapped in a cotton cloth and heated over a steamer or hot pot before being used to knead firmly over the aching and painful areas. It relieves any blockages, tension or stiffness in the most direct way possible.

The range of Ayurvedic massages includes: Abhyanga – herbal oil massage; marma massage; foot and leg reflex massage; chakra energy massage; and Vichy shower refreshing massage.

The Royal Spa is accessible directly through the hotel as well as from a separate entrance on Erzsébet Boulevard, and is open from 6.30 a.m.-10 p.m. every day.

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Luxury Developments

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Bringing the terraces to life

We want to create a more exclusive executive area, something more boutique, with offices, a lounge, open space, buffet areas; a whole multitude of meeting areas in one space.

Hotels, at their most fundamental level, are all about the rooms; the more rooms you have, the more potential revenue you can generate. The Corinthia Budapest is about to embark on a major project, and one that involves that most rare of things: a hotel giving up some of its rooms.

The hotel management has been looking to improve the already very flexible meeting space, and has decided to do so by putting the two internal terraces overlooking the Atriums to better use. Part of the plan also involves a remodelling of the bedrooms around the terraces to provide business support functions.

Giving up rooms doesn’t happen everyday, but is entirely logical: rooms may be fundamental to a hotel, but a useful executive business space is almost equally vital nowadays. “It is an unusual idea,” admits Executive Housekeeper Livia Bragyova.

“But it is also a clever idea. And the right idea.”

The team behind the changes is Goddard Littlefair Interior Architectural Design, also responsible for the corner suites redevelopment project (see pages 38-40).

“The aim with the terraces is to provide additional boardroom meeting space for smaller executive meetings, really to energise these terraces which for years have never been properly used, to open them up to become useful spaces that influence the whole meeting area,” explains Goddard Littlefair Director Martin Goddard. “We want to create a more exclusive executive area, something more boutique, with offices, a lounge, open space, buffet areas; a whole multitude of meeting areas in one space.”

According to the plans, one of the terraces will be transformed into a business lounge with a mixture of sofas and lounge level tables, plus a permanent buffet area close to

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the entrance. The surrounding rooms will become a business support area, with ‘touchdown’ workspaces, private offices, reception, and three boardrooms.

The other terrace will remain as an open space for functions, but the bedrooms around it will become toilets, meeting rooms, and a dedicated cloakroom for the ballroom.

Part of the challenge here is that these are public spaces within the hotel; whatever is done to and around the terraces must blend in with the rest of the hotel. “We are working with existing elements, retaining facades and doors. The end design has to work with the rest of the atrium: they have to be harmonised with one another, but we also need something fresh and new,” says Martin.

The Goddard Littlefair director describes the hotel group as a challenging but rewarding client. “Corinthia is a demanding customer. They have high expectations of the design quality required for their hotels. If you are prepared to work hard with creativity and deliver things on time they are very loyal; they have been very supportive of my business and helped build it. They are very definite about what they want, and will tell you exactly what they are thinking. That is something I really appreciate from a customer,” he explains.

“It also helps that they are owner-operators; you are not dealing with third parties all the time who have different agendas. You can move with more certainty and know that once something is signed off, that is it.”

The process of getting the project going has taken a handful of months, something Martin says is normal for a project of this scale. “We were appointed mid-autumn. The design and documentation has been through various commenting stages with Corinthia, but the basic turn around will be about four months and we expect completion in 2014.”

Unlike the suite redevelopment, where Martin’s team are able to produce a mock up in one set of rooms for final visual approval, there is no such luxury here. “The terraces are public areas, so we do not build a mock up. We just get as close as we can with the construction documentation and specifications, which were submitted last week. There are always comments at the end, so we tweak and change as we are going along. To minimise disruption, we will do one of the terraces this year, and the other one next year.”

CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST 2014 YEARBOOK

Making luxury greener With a building as large and sophisticated as the Corinthia Hotel Budapest, the role of a Chief Engineer is clearly a vital one. But for József Márton the challenge is not just keeping everything in working order; to better improve the guest experience, he is constantly looking at how the hotel’s unseen but essential technical background can be improved, and how its impact on the environment can be lessened.

József is part of the hotel’s ‘green team’ which is encouraging staff to treat the hotel as they would their home, switching off lights and PCs at night, shutting the double doors at the entrance to keep the cold air out, and the warm air in, looking at how air conditioning is used in the banqueting area. It is as much a mental switch (if you will pardon the pun) as anything else, he says.

“To modify mentality is very challenging, and not quick, but something you must work on day by day.” But he has faith in the team. “The best resource we have is our colleagues. The atmosphere of the hotel is really fantastic. It is a young team working here: this is very good for me, I do not like ‘standing water’!”

József is relatively new to the hotel, having been headhunted for his role about a year-and-a-half ago, but admits the grand structure itself was a big part of the attraction. “The building called to me,” he says.

The Corinthia Hotel Budapest doesn’t just have all those rooms, apartments, restaurants and function areas, of course; there is also the Royal Spa. It is a major operation, and requires major engineering support. “We have four 2.3 megawatt hot water boilers, for example, and two big steam boilers.” A back of an envelope calculation says that one 2.3 MW boiler would power roughly 600 homes, meaning the hotel has enough capacity for a large village, and all the complexity of a small town.

“If we can reduce energy consumption by for example 10%, it will make a big difference. We are installing a frequency converter into the big cooling system, moderating the heating system in the boiler house, building connections between the steam and hot water systems.” Reduced energy consumption gets us back to a greener operation, of course, as it also benefits the environment.

József’s department will certainly face some inspiring challenges this year with a major development project to create a meeting lounge in the events area. Hotels are not afforded the luxury of closing down to undertake such work, of course, which means ensuring the impact on guests is minimized. The end results will be worth it, however, and József, who has a background in industry and the army, although he has also worked for smaller five-star hotels, has planned a treat for his wife and him next year. “I’d like to take a month off and go on the pilgrimage route to Compostela.”

József Márton

To modify mentality is very challenging, and not quick, but something you must work on day by day.

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Cornering an executive upgrade

The hotel is giving its Deluxe Suites and the eight Corner Deluxe Suites – there are a two of the latter on each floor except for the fifth – a major makeover to bring a new level of luxury to the guest experience.

The final feel and look will be unique to the Corinthia Budapest, though it will recall something of the highly successful ambiance of the Corinthia Group’s new crown jewel, the Victorian-era Corinthia Hotel London.

“I have had a long standing relationship with the group since around 2000,” explains Martin Goddard, Director of Goddard Littlefair Interior Architectural Design, which specialises in the high-end residential and luxury hospitality markets, and is responsible for the Budapest work. “That relationship has developed over the years. They came to us and said they wanted us to look at the corner suites, which the General Manager had identified as an area that needed attention.”

The aim, says Martin, is to make an obvious distinction in terms of luxurious feel between the Deluxe Suites/Corner Deluxe Suites and the lower tariff Junior Suites. “In Budapest we are looking at creating truly executive suites, following on from the success of Corinthia’s London hotel, planning something of that functionality and look. The concept behind the suite is to create a fivestar international product where the hotel can generate more value.”

Those suites will be far more than a straight transfer from London, however.

Apart from anything else, they have to be in keeping with the Budapest hotel’s own style. “The look we are creating we have called ‘Luxurious Mid-century’. It is contemporary enough to give a finish that can link to the existing style, which is somewhat classical; the building itself has that Austro-Hungarian style. There are Deco influences coming through, also contemporary, but the emphasis is on luxurious contemporary rather than something more modern, say.”

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The challenge here has been that we are using existing elements, retaining facades and doors. In the guest rooms we are working around the existing bathrooms but also demolishing walls. Working to a budget is always a challenge, and we cannot do something out of character with the rest of the hotel. We have had to come up with something that feels different, so when you walk in you can see the level change.

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The process is an ongoing one of developing an idea from initial written brief to final product, the director explains. “We did a feasibility document and from that went into the concept: fabrics, furniture etc. In fact we just completed the documentation for submission last month. We will be involved all the way through to the end. We are not there day-to-day – people from the hotel are doing that – but we will be making regular site visits, visits to the furniture manufacturers and the like, and we will be there for the final fit out and installation and hand over.”

Even though the interior designer has been working with Corinthia for some time, each project presents its own challenges; some are recurring themes, others unique to a specific property or client wish list.

“The challenge here has been that we are using existing elements, retaining facades and doors. In the guest rooms we are working around the existing bathrooms but also demolishing walls. Working to a budget is always a challenge, and we cannot do something out of character with the rest of the hotel. We have had to come up with something that feels different, so when you walk in you can see the level change.”

With design approval in the bag, the next stage is to fit out a suite as a working model.

“We will make a mock up of the suite, Mr. Pisani will come round and give his view, and once everyone is happy, we will move forward with the rest. To minimise disruption, we will do half the suites this year, and the remainder by the end of next year.”

REGAL RENOVATIONS,

BY ROYAL APPOINTMENT Ever wondered what it feels like to sleep like Royalty? Well, once the Executive Room and Junior Suite renovations at the Corinthia Hotel Budapest are completed, you’ll have a much better idea. The new mattresses are being ordered from British company Hypnos (named for the Greek god of sleep), a firm whose proud motto is ‘The most comfortable beds in the world’. Hypnos is also the only supplier to the United Kingdom’s Royal Family and Royal Household, having provided bedding products to many of the Royal residences including Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, St. James Palace, Balmoral Castle, Sandringham House, The Palace of Holyroodhouse and Kensington Palace.

The room and suite renovations won’t be as extensive as those for the Corner Suites, but will still require a lot of work from the Housekeeping department.

“It started in March with a delivery of mattresses from England,” says Executive Housekeeper Livia Bragyova (for a fuller interview with Livia, see page 43).

“This is what we call a ‘soft refurbishment’. We will be changing the mattresses, the curtains and the like. Specialists will change the carpets and the wallpaper, rooms are being configured, there will be extensive work to the electrics. Once that is complete, we go in and do the rest. If Maintenance hand over a room in the morning, we will have it finished and ready to go back into service by the end of that day.”

The hotel must remain open during the process, meaning the rooms will be tackled in blocks; apart from anything else, space has to be found for the furniture so it can be moved out and new carpet laid. “The work has to be finished by the end of March, because from April on we have a lot of events and guests in the house continuously,” Livia explains.

In total some 96 rooms will be renovated: 90 Executive Rooms and six Junior Suites. (For more detail on the rooms, see pages 11-13.) Materials are being provided by companies from the Corinthia Group’s recommended suppliers’ list, with the selection criteria very much focussed on quality. “The duvets and pillows come from Germany. The mattresses from England, obviously, but the linens (pillow cases, sheets, duvet covers) are from Italy; again, very good quality products.”

Not everything will come with a carbon footprint, however; a Hungarian company is supplying the curtains. “We used them for the opening of the hotel and they proved then they were able to do everything we wanted at the highest level.”

CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST 2014 YEARBOOK

It’s in the blood When Executive Housekeeper Livia Bragyova says hotels are in her blood, she means it almost literally.

“My parents and grandparents worked in the hospitality industry,” she recalls.

“This was in the countryside. My father was director of the hotel, my mother worked for a casual company based at the hotel, my grandfather was the chief concierge at the hotel and my grandmother worked in the bar. I practically lived there,” she recalls.

Little wonder, then, that Livia has been in the industry for more than 20 years, having joined the Corinthia Hotel Budapest five years ago to take up the position she now holds.

This has been her first five-star experience, and this is a big hotel, and both were factors in her wanting to take on the job. So what are the differences when you step up to a five-star hotel? “First of all guest relations and connections,” Livia explains.

“In four-star hotels that is not usually part of the Housekeeper’s job. In a five-star hotel, we spend almost as much time ‘on stage’ as our Front of House colleagues!”

Getting your head around what it is required to run a 400-room hotel takes some doing when most of us struggle with four rooms. How many pillows are involved, for example? “The basic set is six pillows per room so that’s…” she does some quick mental arithmetic, “…2,400 pillows, but then there are spare pillows on top of that, so probably 2,600.” That’s a lot of pillows, but it is just one tiny aspect of her job.

As an Executive Housekeeper she is more involved in creative work like room decor or uniform design, coming up with ideas to improve the guest experience; indeed, expectations generally are much higher in a five-star hotel. “I need to be able to focus on projects and to be able to think long-term; obviously you can only manage that if you have good colleagues. I have a great team here in Budapest, and I think that is visible in the guest feedback on TripAdvisor and other sites.”

Livia says she knew from the moment she first walked through the doors that the Corinthia Hotel Budapest was the place for her. “What I saw here really amazed me; I knew I wanted to come to work here.” It is a feeling that hasn’t left her.

The building has its own rewarding personality. Work in a department like housekeeping and you get to know every nook and cranny of a building, but Livia says she was, somewhat strangely, able to do so much quicker at this grand hotel than at other, smaller buildings where she had worked earlier. Back then she would feel within a couple of years that it was time to move on from a hotel, that the challenge no longer intrigued her. Not so here. “It is home to me,” she says simply.

Lívia Bragyova

What I saw here really amazed me; I knew I wanted to come to work here.... It is home to me.

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At least one thing all statesmen agree on.

Vision accomplished. The new S-Class.

Redefining the limits of the possible is a natural obligation for the inventor of the automobile.

The new S-Class exceeds the most stringent demands of comfort, safety and style by blending technology and aesthetics into a mobile masterpiece. www.mercedes-benz.hu

Fuel consumption: 4,7–12 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 146–213 g/km. Figures do not relate to the specific emissions or fuel consumption of any individual vehicle, do not form part of any offer and are intended solely to aid comparison between different types of vehicle.

CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST 2014 YEARBOOK

Fashion and Film

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Designer uniforms, both traditional and modern

Boglárka Kertész, Executive Receptionist

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The message of the new staff uniforms […] is about the entwining of the values of old and new eras.

They authentically reflect the philosophy of Corinthia Hotel Budapest, combining tradition with innovation – planning for the future as an innovator while retaining traditional values.

One of the highlights of the hotel’s tenth anniversary celebrations in 2013 was the fashion show presentation of its new line of unique designer staff uniforms.

The elegant creations feature traditional Hungarian folklore elements, symbolising the combination of timeless values and modern sophistication, as the host for the evening, celebrity TV presenter Éva Novodomszky, explained.

“The message of the new staff uniforms […] is about the entwining of the values of old and new eras,” she told the audience.

“They authentically reflect the philosophy of Corinthia Hotel Budapest, combining tradition with innovation – planning for the future as an innovator while retaining traditional values.”

The Corinthia line is made from high quality wool fabric and natural cotton material, with modern cuts matching current trends set off by the hand embroidered, centuries old designs.

Tünde Hrivnák

The uniforms are the work of fashion designer Tünde Hrivnák, whose By Me label is known for incorporating hand-embroidered Hungarian motifs into elegant designs, “thus preserving the complex traditions and values of handicraft manufacture”, Novodomszky explained.

“The patterns featured on the one-off designed uniforms of Corinthia Hotel Budapest are unique symbols of our national culture – through them, foreign guests staying in the hotel come into direct contact with our traditions,” the TV presenter added.

Hrivnák herself said the idea of adding embroidered highlights came to her very quickly. “When the hotel management

contacted me and commissioned me to design the first one-off, hand-embroidered uniforms, my first thought concerning the ornamentation of the clothing was the old Kalocsa motifs,” she explained.

“The oldest patterns of our culture are characterised by single-colour embroideries. To display them on uniforms, I considered elegance to be the most important aspect. When people meet in person, our outfits are very important in creating a first impression and they relay a critical message. The Corinthia uniform collection I have created is characterised by restrained elegance and style, which harmonises with the elegant interior of the hotel itself.

The hand-embroidered, detailed piping ornamentation makes these uniforms with classical lines truly unique.”

The uniforms worn at the Corinthia Hotel Budapest are the very first from By Me in any five-star hotel in Hungary, making them even more special.

BY ME BY TÜNDE HRIVNÁK “The clean, clear use of materials and colour composition characterises my work,” says Tünde Hrivnák, whose mother and grandmother were both seamstresses. She was, she says, born into a world of clothes, colours and materials, and an appreciation of rural values. “The folk patterns represent values that are perfectly adapted to the modern and elegant style,” she says.

She believes that the consistency of a garment is created by the way its pieces are put together, a lesson learned from her family heritage. This tenet is still the guiding principle of her work, in which clean, straight lines and precise design radiates purity.

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Nikoletta Kovács, Front Office Manager

Endre Barok, Reception Supervisor

Brigitta Harmati, Waitress, Le Bar Hotel team members on the catwalk during the official presentation of the designer uniforms.

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Fruzsina Fekete, Waitress, Brasserie & Atrium

Csaba Pásztor, Waiter, Brasserie & Atrium

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The world of film comes to the Corinthia Budapest THE GRAND HOTEL BUDAPEST Directed by Wes Anderson (‘The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou’, 2004; ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’, 2001; ‘Rushmore’, 1998), ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ is a wistful drama comedy that tells the story of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous hotel in the fictional Eastern European Republic of Zubrowka, and his friendship with Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his friend and protégé.

The tale involves the theft and recovery of a priceless Renaissance painting, a battle for an enormous family fortune and the upheavals (at first slow but then gathering pace) that overwhelmed Europe during the first half of the 20th century.

The film stars Ralph Fiennes among many regular Anderson collaborators, and features a stellar ensemble cast including: Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel, Jude Law, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson, and Owen Wilson.

When news first began to surface about a new film by Wes Anderson, HotelChatter, a daily web magazine chronicling hotel stories worldwide, speculated the story might have been inspired by the Corinthia Hotel Budapest. Why? The film is called ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’, and the Corinthia used to be known as the Grand Hotel Royal. It seemed an obvious link.

“As it turns out, the film studio have since confirmed that the Corinthia wasn’t the actual inspiration, but it is hard to ignore the similarities,” explains Gábor Döry, the hotel’s Communications Director.

“The film is set in a fictional city in a fictional East European country, the hotel just happens to be called the Grand Budapest. But much of the film is set in the 1920s and ’30s, at which point the Grand Hotel Royal was the grand hotel in Budapest.”

The similarities don’t end there, though. The hotel in the film was built in the 1870s, the Corinthia Budapest in 1896. “The link is not direct, but if the film was set in Budapest at that time, it would have to be this hotel,” says Gábor.

From that first article on HotelChatter, word began to spread. “We started getting calls from all around the world, from journalists and potential guests, asking if we were the inspiration for the film, or the venue for its filming. We weren’t: it was an old department store in Germany. But it seemed the hotel and the film had found each other,” recalls Gábor.

‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ had its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival on 6 February. “We had the chance to attend the press screening on 7 February,” the Communication Director says.

Members of the cinematic press were then invited to visit the hotel, which they did on 3, 10 and 12 March, for a behind the scenes tour with Senior Duty Manager Tibor Meskál, who shared with them the history of the Royal and its movie-related aspects, such as the Lumière brothers screening, for only the second time in Europe, a film here, and the transformation of the original ballroom into the Apollo cinema. He also showed them the Presidential Suite, where many movie stars – from both sides of the camera – have stayed.

GUEST PACKAGES The hotel has created two packages for guests, themed around the film.

The first, the ‘Grand Hotel Budapest VIP Package’ ran from 20 March until 9 April. The three-night, two-person deal included airport transfer, and an evening’s sightseeing cruise on the Danube. But what really made it stand out were the movie-related elements. These included a walking tour around the areas of Budapest that have been used as sets for films such as ‘Evita’ (Madonna), ‘Munich’ (directed by Steven Spielberg), ‘A Good Day To Die Hard’ (Bruce Willis), and ‘World War Z’ (Brad Pitt). There was also a ‘Concierge Forum’ with the Corinthia Budapest’s very own Chief Concierge Tamás Ungár, contrasting the job in the 1930s with that of today in a 21st century luxury hotel. (The lead character in the film, played by Ralph Fiennes, is Gustave, the Concierge of the Grand Budapest Hotel.) Best of all, though, was a chance to see the film itself at the Arena Plaza in one of its five VIP screening rooms (separate lobby entrance, limited seating in leather chairs complete with footrests, and an as much as you can eat and drink buffet).

The second offering, the ‘Grand Hotel Budapest Behind The Scenes Package’, runs from April 10 to December 25. It is basically the same as the VIP package, but the film screening is an option (there is no guarantee for how long the movie will be showing in Budapest’s cinemas).

One more package was developed for international travel, fashion and lifestyle journalists, who stayed at the Corinthia Hotel Budapest on a four-day programme from March 17-22. It featured the ‘In the Footsteps of the Stars’ walking tour and the ‘Concierge Forum’. There was also a ‘Movies and Wine’ trip out to the Etyek vineyards and the stateof-the-art Korda Film Studios, a city sightseeing tour and visit to the Széchenyi Bath and Spa. Highlights of the trip included another of the VIP film screenings, to which local journalists and some of the hotel's partners were invited, and which included food and drinks provided by the hotel’s own Royal Catering service. There was also a grand dinner recalling the style of the 1920s, when the Atrium of the present hotel housed the Palm Garden Restaurant, the place to be seen and to see at the time.

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GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL GO ‘BEHIND THE SCENES’ OF BUDAPEST AND A GRAND HOTEL AND DISCOVER THE ROOTS OF THE HUNGARIAN FILM INDUSTRY Wes Anderson’s latest all-star film The Grand Budapest Hotel recounts the adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the two World Wars. But what hotel inspired this movie? If you look back through our hotel’s history, you will find many similarities between our old mantle, the Grand Hotel Royal, and the movie’s Grand Budapest Hotel. Did you know that the first movie screening in Hungary took place at our Grand Ballroom, which was then transformed in to the Royal Apollo cinema in 1915? Or how about which Hollywood legends resided at the Presidential Suite since 1896? Discover the secrets of our hotel’s history during the ‘Behind the Scenes’ tour and follow in the footsteps of the stars with a walking tour of Budapest to visit the city’s most famous film shoot locations. As an optional offer upon request and availability our Concierge helps you to organize a VIP screening of Grand Hotel Budapest movie with the atmosphere of exclusivity in our dedicated cinema.

See more at: http://www.corinthia.com/hotels/budapest/offers/experience/grand-budapest-hotel

A CINEMATIC THRILL AT A GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL EXPERIENCE WES ANDERSON’S LATEST MOVIE IN A REAL LUXURIOUS AMBIENCE AND RELIVE THE ADVENTURES OF THE GREATEST STARS. Enjoy this special story, starring Ralph Fiennes, Adrien Brody, Bill Murray and Edward Norton amongst others, with an atmosphere of exclusivity in our dedicated cinema’s VIP screening rooms. Furnished with sumptuous reclining leather seating modelled on the first class cabins of airliners and an all-you-can eat snack bar in the VIP lobby, this is the perfect space to really get drawn in to this delightful crime-comedy.

In connection with the movie, discover Budapest in a unique way by visiting the Hungarian capital’s favourite movie-shoot locations on a special walking tour. In addition enjoy our ‘Behind the scenes tour’ and learn more about the history of the Hungarian film industry, which actually originates in our Ballroom.

See more at: http://www.corinthia.com/offers/?destination=Budapest#sthash.Kz0UL73q.dpuf

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Very Important People, a very special hotel Ever since it reopened, the Corinthia Hotel Budapest has drawn the stars to wallow in the luxury of its palatial Ferenc Liszt Presidential Suite (see pages 15-17). But it was ever thus with this Grande Dame of a hotel. Almost from the moment it opened in 1886, it was attracting the most famous, most creative of Hungarians. Very soon afterwards, the great and the good of the world stage were making their way to the Grand Hotel Royal.

A trawl through the hotel’s guest book is like dipping into a ‘Who’s Who’ of music, movies, fashion and sport. There isn’t room to do them all justice here, so let us share with you just a tiny selection of some of the highlights.

Born in America, Josephine Baker went to Paris in 1925 where her comic ability and jazz dancing drew the attention of the director of the Folies Bergère, and she became a near instant hit. By the time she stayed at the Grand Hotel Royal in 1928, her exotic, sensual act (she often wore pearls, feathers, bananas and precious little else) had made her one of the bestknown entertainers in Europe.

Josephine Baker

Almost from the moment it opened in 1886, it was attracting the most famous, most creative of Hungarians.

Very soon afterwards, the great and the good of the world stage were making their way to the Grand Hotel Royal.

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Vilma Bánky (with Rudolph Valentino)

Vilma Bánky, the Hungarian-born great of Hollywood’s golden silent era, was, for a brief period, one of the biggest stars in the world. Known as the ‘Hungarian Rhapsody’ she is perhaps best remembered for a series of films with Ronald Coleman, and for playing opposite Rudolph Valentino in his last two films, ‘The Eagle’ and ‘Son of the Sheik’. In 1933, the year she stayed at the Royal, she retired to become a housewife and dedicate herself to golf.

New York City-born conductor Yehudi Menuhin, one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century, visited in 1964. The Yehudi Menuhin School he had established in London in 1963 transferred to Surrey in this year. A year later, he would receive an honorary Knighthood from the British monarchy.

In 1968, the year Ella Fitzgerald, ‘The First Lady of Song’, graced the Grand, she released two albums, ‘Misty Blue’ and ‘30 by Ella’. In a career of more than 50 years, she recorded 200 albums and around 2,000 songs, winning 13 Grammys and selling 40 million albums. She once said: “I sing like I feel.”

Kenneth More had been Britain’s most popular film star at the height of his fame in the 1950s, appearing in a string of box office hits. Television later made him a household name all over again and in 1974, the year he stayed at the Grand Hotel Royal, he was playing the title role in the TV series ‘Father Brown’.

And they kept on coming. Deep Purple stayed in 2003, Isabella Rossellini in 2004. The Real Madrid CF football team dropped by in 2005. Sean Connery was here in 2008, Liverpool FC in 2009. Catherine Deneuve came in 2012, Eros Ramazzotti and Jose Carreras in 2013. The list is endless, the attraction obvious.

Ella Fitzgerald

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Events and Awards

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Anniversary Gala marks rebirth of a legend

I speak with a sense of awe at the history of this wonderful property. It is a landmark with deep roots in this city and I am pleased that Corinthia managed to breathe a soul back into it.

2013 was a landmark year for the Corinthia Hotel Budapest, for it saw the 10th anniversary of its rebirth and reopening in 2003. Alfred Pisani, Corinthia Group Chairman and Founder marked the occasion by hosting a Gala dinner in the hotel’s magnificent ballroom in May 2013; guests of honour included the deputy mayor of Budapest Balázs Szeneczey, Malta’s minister for tourism Karmenu Vella, and Malta’s ambassador to Austria Colin Scicluna, among many others.

Welcoming his distinguished guests, Chairman Alfred Pisani said, “I speak with a sense of awe at the history of this wonderful property. It is a landmark with deep roots in this city and I am pleased that Corinthia managed to breathe a soul back into it.”

Originally opened as the ‘Grand Hotel Royal’ in 1896 to commemorate the Hungarian Millennium, the hotel’s history is as varied as it is long (for more on this see pages 4-6). As part of its anniversary celebrations, the hotel also inaugurated a permanent exhibition in the hotel’s grand lobby, featuring key elements from the hotel’s now 114-year-old history.

Launching the exhibition, hotel general manager Thomas M. Fischer said, “This exhibition is a suitable memorial to the unique building’s multi-faceted history. It offers an interesting insight not only for our hotel guests, but for all the people of Budapest, who continue to be inspired by this grand building and who are undoubtedly pleased that it has been restored to its former glory by Corinthia.”

The permanent exhibition was compiled by the Hungarian Museum of Trade and Tourism, partly through its own resources, as also from documents and artefacts donated by former and current employees of the hotel. The exhibition is open to the general public as well, of course, as the hotel’s guests.

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Family festive fun CHRISTMAS EVE BUFFET DINNER Set in the Brasserie and Atrium Restaurant, and accompanied by a jazz trio, truly this was a feast fit to welcome the birth of Christ: French and Irish oysters, pâté and terrine, Mangalica, duck confit, foie gras variations and selection of cheese house wine, beer, soft drinks, coffee or tea.

CHRISTMAS DAY BRUNCH Live piano and guitar music in the Brasserie and Atrium Restaurant from noon until 4 p.m. The menu included traditionally baked ham, local specialties and a chocolate fountain.

CHRISTMAS DAY BUFFET DINNER Suckling pig and beef carvery, homemade pastas and Christmas specialities in the Brasserie and Atrium Restaurant, with music from the Vonós trio.

LIVE KITCHEN BUFFET DINNER For all that the Corinthia Group is now an international chain, it also remains a family-inspired business. That, along with its defining 'Craftsmanship of Care' philosophy, is perhaps never more evident than during the festive season. That was certainly the case in the Corinthia Hotel Budapest in 2013. From the meticulous crafting of the menus and festivities to the genuine warmth of the welcome, the hotel’s caring nature shone through as bright as the lights of the Lobby Christmas tree. The Corinthia Hotel Budapest was the place to be to craft the ultimate Advent, Christmas and New Year experience. Here are just some of the highlights:

Boxing Day (26 December) in the Brasserie and Atrium Restaurant saw the hotel’s chefs prepare an assortment of top quality produce from the open grill kitchen, including a choice of grilled tender meats and fresh fish steaks, among many other delights.

CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING BRUNCH

NEW YEAR’S EVE

Christmas tree lighting in the main lobby on 1 December with a children’s choir, followed by brunch in the Brasserie and Atrium Restaurant, with live music.

For this special 10th anniversary New Year’s Eve, there was a choice of three very different options for guests and diners. The Gala Dinner in the Grand Ballroom started with a welcome cocktail in the Lobby, with entertainment including voice and guitar duo Myrtill and Tibor Pinter and a Sand animation show. The menu included goose liver terrine, black truffle, pan seared black cod and scallops, ‘Kadarka wine’ slow roasted prime beef medallion, Manjari Chocolate ganache and pistachio cremeaux and Grand Marnier ice-cream. There was even a ‘Royal Midnight Buffet’ with Hungarian lentil soup, sausages and bread rolls with special mustards and a cheese degustation platter.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE Everyday from 1-26 December guests in the Lobby Lounge were able to savour traditional delights, seasonal cookies, and exquisite beverages. A harpist added an extra, angelic dimension. There was also a chance to taste ‘Royal delicacies’ specially prepared to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the reopening of the Corinthia Hotel Budapest.

HOME COOKING From 4-21 December the Brasserie was given over every Wednesday and Saturday evening to become a cookery school, with guests joining Corinthia’s culinary team to create and enjoy some of the hotel’s specialties.

BRASSERIE BRUNCHES Throughout December, different musical accompaniment added a little seasonal extra to the brunches at the Brasserie and Atrium Restaurant with ‘Santa’s Quartet’ performing live on 8 December, a jazz trio and choral performance on 15 December and a theatrical “musical” performance on 22 December.

ARTS AND CRAFTS From 27 December until 4 January the hotel’s exclusive Mezzanine level was transformed into an arts and crafts exhibition everyday.

Guests were able to immerse themselves in the festive spirit, enjoying the enticing aromas of seasonal delights and mulled wine as they explored the exhibits.

In the Brasserie and Atrium Restaurant, meanwhile, the Csicsó band was playing Gypsy music, with guests enjoying a sumptuous buffet including Angus salmon, caviar, oysters, lobster and a chocolate ‘Fantasy buffet’.

For those in search of something a little more exotic, the destination was the Rickshaw Restaurant for a five-course Asian gala dinner featuring foie gras and duck Gyoza, steamed fish fillet with prawn tempura, Portobello mushrooms, baby bok choi and lobster fried rice, Champagne lychee sorbet, roasted venison fillet mignon in sesame oil, and Piña Colada exotic mousse with coconut sorbet, crispy banana spring roll and palm sugar caramel sauce.

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Awards and recognition Every year since it reopened in 2003, the Corinthia Hotel Budapest has proved how it lives up to the group’s ‘Craftsmanship of Care’ philosophy by winning numerous travel and hospitality awards, both from the trade and the voting public.

2013 proved no exception. Listed below are just a selection of the awards that came the hotel’s way during its 10th anniversary, testament to the efforts of the staff, and the trust placed in the hotel by its guests, and the reaction of General Manager, Thomas M. Fischer.

SELECTED FOR CONDÉ NAST TRAVELLER’S GOLD LIST HONOURING THE WORLD’S BEST PLACES TO STAY On 14 January 2013 Corinthia Hotel Budapest was enrolled on Condé Nast Traveller magazine’s Gold List 2013, also known as the register of the world’s finest places to stay and repeated the feat in 2014.

This award, selected by Condé Nast Traveller’s readers, writers and editors, recognizes the Corinthia Budapest as an outstanding hotel, distinguished for its high style, superb service and for offering guests a one-of-a-kind stay.

Every entry on this list has been rigorously tested and screened and the chosen hotels are considered the very best for service, location, cuisine, rooms, leisure facilities, and ambience and design.

Thomas M. Fischer: “Condé Nast Traveller’s Gold List is truly a global representation of genuine quality and Corinthia Hotel Budapest is extremely proud to have been selected for this title multiple times.”

CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST RECOGNIZED IN THE 2013 TRIPADVISOR TRAVELLERS’' CHOICE AWARDS On 22 January 2013 Corinthia Hotel Budapest was honoured in three different categories in the annual TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice awards, which honour the world’s best hotels, earning the distinction from those who know them best – real travellers. (The hotel was similarly rewarded in 2014.) Unlike other hotel tributes, the selection of TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice winners is based on millions of in-depth reviews and opinions from travellers around the world.

Corinthia Hotel Budapest was named a winner in the following categories: ‘Luxury Hotel’, ‘Best Service Hotel’ and ‘Top Hotel’ categories.

Thomas M. Fischer: “We are really proud of this title, which ranks us as a member of the world’s most outstanding hotels based on the opinions of travellers around the globe.

We are also proud that it is not the only time we have won the award; we have proven we can maintain standards and quality performance.”

CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST RECEIVES AWARD FROM EUROPEAN FINEST HOTELS On 12 March 2013, Corinthia Hotel Budapest was formally recognised as one of the best hotels in Europe by the European Finest Hotels organisation (EFH) for its unique and exceptional qualities and the high level of its offers and services.

Corinthia Hotel Budapest meets European criteria for 5-star rating with above average bedroom sizes, a state-of-the-art fitness centre, on-site spa services, great comfort, a fine-dining restaurant, along with friendly and professional team. In addition, the hotel meets a further 80 requirements laid out by the European Finest Hotels organisation: adherence to accessibility norms, air quality, culinary options for numerous different diets according to health, religious or other needs, a business centre with up-to-date technology and full business services, fine furnishings, electric adaptors, newspapers on demand, exceptional surroundings, originality in architecture and interior design.

European Finest Hotels is an independent organisation developed by European Consumers Choice, a non-profit organisation created to promote innovation, design and tourism in Europe. Out of nearly 230,000 hotels in Europe, only 70 have being given this award by EFH. Thomas M. Fischer: “It is our great honour to hold this title from European Finest Hotels. The criteria are wide-ranging and demanding, as proven by the very few hotels that have reached the levels required for recognition. To be one of those few is a matter of great pride for us all.”

CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST RECEIVES AWARD AT DOTCOMHOTEL HOSPITALITY CONFERENCE On 12 June 2013 Dotcomhotel Hospitality E-Commerce & Revenue Management Conference, in collaboration with TrustYou, presented the Best Hungarian Hotels awards as judged by consumers.

TrustYou analyses the online opinions of consumers around the world in more than 20 languages, and computes them into one single score. In the final analysis, 24 of Hungary’s best hotels in the 3-, 4- and 5-star categories were selected.

Corinthia Hotel Budapest was recognized as one of the best 5-star hotels in Hungary for its exceptional facilities and the high level of its services.

Thomas M. Fischer: “Guest reviews are essential for our hotel’s reputation, as they are testament to our commitment to customer service and excellence. This title pays tribute to our neverending efforts to live up to the expectation of our customers.”

CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST 2014 YEARBOOK

CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST RECEIVES THE 2013 SIGNUM VIRTUTIS, THE SEAL OF EXCELLENCE SEVEN STAR GLOBAL LUXURY AWARD ON 12 NOVEMBER 2013.

Corinthia Hotel Budapest is pleased to announce that has been named recipient of the Signum Virtutis, or Seal of Excellence, by the Luxury Panel Members of the 2013 Seven Star Global Luxury Award organization.

The winners of this prestigious award are chosen through a voting process open to the public and the trade. As noted by Khalil EL-Mouelhy, President and Founder of Seven Star Global Luxury Awards and Seven Star Magazine, “the Seven Star Global Luxury Award selects only the very best candidates in order to separate the exceptional from the very best. Winning this extremely exclusive award is an extraordinary achievement and signifies the property is in an elite class.”

The Seven Star Global Luxury Awards came into being in order to recognize and set apart extraordinary achievements in the hospitality and lifestyle sectors by bestowing upon them the Signum Virtutis – the seal of excellence.

Thomas M. Fischer: “This is a very exclusive club and we are very proud of this title.

The Seven Star Global Luxury Awards, by the bestowing of the Signum Virtutis, serves as a guarantee to the luxury consumer that the recipients are truly the best in the industry.”

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GLOBAL TRAVEL INDUSTRY ‘OSCAR’ On 18 December 2013 Corinthia Hotel Budapest was among the world’s travel elite to receive top honours at the ‘World Travel Awards (WTA) Grand Final Gala Ceremony 2013’ held in Doha, Qatar.

The hotel’s Royal Residences was voted ‘Hungary’s Leading Hotel Residences’.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary and known as ‘The Oscars of the Travel Industry’, the World Travel Awards are acknowledged as the ultimate travel accolade, and highlights and rewards those travel brands that have made the greatest contribution to the industry over the past year. VIPs, senior tourism figures and international media travelled from around the globe to attend the event.

Underlining the depth and quality of the travel and tourism sector across the globe, Graham E. Cooke, President and Founder, World Travel Awards said: “We are proud to have held these Awards in Doha, showing our continued support for innovative development of tourism in this region. The Grand Final is a very competitive evening for our World Travel Awards nominees from all over the world, and these particular winners continue to serve as an example of the most luxurious and innovative brands with unique hospitality products and services. Tonight’s recipients strive to set the highest possible bar to raise the standards of excellence in travel and tourism and they carry these accolades into 2014 with pride and passion.”

Thomas M. Fischer: “It is our great honour to hold this title from the most comprehensive, biggest and most prestigious awards programme in the travel industry worldwide.”

INVESTORS IN PEOPLE The Investors in People quality assurance system was launched in 1990 as an initiative of the British government. Now operating in 32 countries, according to its website the scheme has helped more than 20,000 businesses around the world boost working culture, increase employee engagement and encourage game-changing leadership. Everything connected with the scheme is informed by one principle: good people make a great business. People’s strengths, people’s ambitions and people’s ideas are the engine of success. IIP certification is awarded to organisations that devote particular attention to the development of their staff in order that employees enjoy their work environment, that they are capable of giving high performance value and that this ‘investment in employees’ contributes to attainment of organisational objectives. In its entirety the programme supports the culture of constant improvement of human resource practices.

Corinthia Hotel Budapest was the first hotel in Hungary to win the award, doing so in 2008. It was further awarded in 2011 and once again in 2014.

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FOOTBALL WORLD CUP

WHAT’S THE NEXT BEST THING TO WATCHING THE WORLD CUP LIVE IN BRAZIL? Watching the World Cup live in the Sky Bar on the roof-garden of Corinthia Hotel Budapest.

We are setting up a mega projector for the entire duration of the World Cup and a fabulous seating area where guests can relax, socialise, enjoy great food and drink, and watch the sport in ultimate comfort. Enjoy fabulous authentic Brazilian food, lively party music at the weekends and guest commentators for the big matches.

Don’t miss our taste of Brazil in Budapest – it’s going to be the World Cup venue in Hungary.

Location: Sky Bar on the roof garden Date: 12 June 2014. – 13 July 2014 17:00-00:00 For further information and bookings, please contact us on +36 1 479 4850 or cuisine.budapest@corinthia.com PROMOTION

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Learning from the Masters Chief Concierge Tamás Ungár is also one of the select few who worked at the Corinthia Hotel Budapest in its previous existence. “I was here from 1983 to 1991,” says the 51-year-old. “It was a much simpler hotel then, not so colourful or luxurious, but the staff were excellent; it was a kind of school for those that wanted to achieve something in the hospitality industry. I was very sad when I had to leave in ’91,” he recalls.

Eventually the Corinthia Group acquired the property, and while renovations were still ongoing, Tamás, then Chief Concierge at another five-star hotel, was contacted by the Front Office Manager and told his old position was available if he wanted it. “I did not think about it too much; the decision was made the same day,” he says. “I am still very happy with this decision, and proud of everything we have achieved in the last 11 years. I hope to stay for a long time yet!”

The path to becoming a Chief Concierge is neither easy nor short. Knowledge needs to be acquired, contacts made, and relationships built. Tamás says he was fortunate to study under two of best concierges in Hungary in the past 30 years, György Kalmar and András Gunst, men he described as “Masters”. “I watched them, saw their passion for the job, listened, learned and tried to take the best from both and combine it in me.” He did that so well he is now president of Les Clefs d’Or Hungary, the local branch of the international ‘Golden Keys’ concierges’ association.

“I like to manage something for a guest which is difficult to achieve, like getting tickets to an opera premier or a table in a fully booked fancy restaurant,” he says.

“You have to know everyone by name: when I call, they know they need to try to help me to help our guests.”

The request could be almost anything, such as when a pregnant guest needed some medical help. Tamás called the doctor, but there were serious problems with the pregnancy and it became clear the woman had to get back to England immediately.

Tamás Ungár

I like to manage something for a guest which is difficult to achieve, like getting tickets to an opera premier or a table in a fully booked fancy restaurant.

You have to know everyone by name: when I call, they know they need to try to help me to help our guests.

None of the commercial airlines were able to help, so she again turned to Tamás, asking him to find a private jet to London, the same day if possible.

“After several calls and emails a company could arrange a private jet. The guest was really surprised that I could manage it so fast. Late that afternoon she was able to return home. A month later she sent me a picture of a cute baby; finally everything ended well.”

On another occasion, Tamás was approached by a guest in his 40s who said he had no experience of how to propose to a lady and wanted some help. “I was happy to assist with a romantic restaurant, flowers, and a limousine; I called a fine jeweller, where he bought the ring. The special task was how to make the proposal. The guest asked that the ring and a red rose should somehow arrive unexpectedly.”

Tamás found a company that used alpine climbing equipment. “The final deal was that the couple were standing on a balcony with a glass of champagne when a man in a Batman mask arrived from the roof, sliding down a rope, bringing the ring and the rose. The surprise was big and they are now a happy couple with two children.” Such attention to detail, the determination to go the extra mile, typifies Corinthia’s 'Craftsmanship of Care' philosophy.

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Business Solutions

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Bar, dining room, lounge or event catering: Nespresso provides a customised solution which allows you to focus on your sole objective: pleasing your customers.

Discover Business Solutions and try our professional machines for free!

) Tel.: 0680 20 4711 @ www.nespresso.com/pro

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Business Solutions

HOW CAN NESPRESSO ENHANCE THE RESTAURANT AND HOTEL EXPERIENCE OF GUESTS?

Both Nespresso and top chefs seek the highest quality products to satisfy their guests’ discerning palates. Carefully selected Nespresso Grands Crus prolong the pleasure of an exquisite meal, leaving your guests with a lasting impression of excellence.

When it comes to pleasing your guests, attention to detail and the quality of your products is of the utmost importance.

We take pride in our partnership with over 700 of the world’s most prestigious restaurants who serve Nespresso Grands Crus to their guests.

Whether in the lobby, guest rooms, meeting rooms, restaurant, bar, at breakfast, lunch or dinner, you need a coffee solution perfectly adapted to its environment. The Nespresso system integrates effortlessly into every venue while delivering consistent quality, cup after cup.

Bar, dining room, lounge or event catering: Nespresso provides a customised solution which allows you to focus on your sole objective: pleasing your customers.

) Tel.: 0680 20 4711 @ www.nespresso.com/pro

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Making wishes come true

The Corinthia Hotel Budapest devoted 2013, its 10th year in operation, to sponsoring the activities of a charity also marking 10 years: the Csodalámpa (Magic Lantern) Wish Fulfilling Foundation, which is dedicated to making the hopes and dreams of seriously ill children become reality.

Throughout the year the partnership agreement meant that the five-star hotel hosted events that both promoted the work of the foundation and helped raise funds to make further dreams come true. One such example was the exhibition of a super-size mosaic entitled ‘Faces of the Future’, put together by the Magic Lantern Foundation from several thousand children’s pictures as well as fulfilled wishes.

– patients suffering from cancer, leukaemia or muscular atrophy and who spend many weeks or even months in hospital. By realising their dreams – sometimes mundane, sometimes outof-the-ordinary – the non-profit organisation brings joy to these children, giving them hope and the strength to overcome their disease. In the last decade the Magic Lantern Foundation has brought a smile to the faces of more than 2,000 kids.

There have been trips to Euro Disney, others have swum with dolphins, had the chance to meet celebrities or to drive a locomotive. Some want specialist equipment to help them with their schoolwork, others simply ask for a toy.

In another direct action, the hotel helped fulfil the dream of a six-year-old boy suffering from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), whose wish it was to spend a weekend at the hotel and enjoy the facilities of the Royal Spa (normally closed at certain times of the day to those under 16).

Corinthia Hotel Budapest has already been helping the foundation for many years, organising cookery classes for charity on several occasions, during which donations were put towards fulfilling wishes. Last year a collection box was set up at the hotel reception for guests to make donations.

The Magic Lantern Foundation endeavours to bring ease and happiness into the everyday lives of seriously ill children aged from three to 18

The hotel also used volunteers recruited from among the members of staff to help make more dreams come true.

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Marine Chronometer Manufacture Manufacture chronometer movement with Silicium technology. Self-winding. Water-resistant to 200 m.

18 ct rose gold case. Available also on rubber strap or. gold bracelet. Limited Edition to 350 pieces.

U LY S S E - N A R D I N . C O M

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BUDAPEST 2014

I have the pleasure to welcome you in 2014 to Budapest, a city with an abundance of natural beauty and a rich cultural heritage.

Along with the marvellous world heritage panorama, the sights evoking the ages of history, the large-scale cultural, arts and scientific programmes of international character, the popular sports and recreational facilities, it is also the residents’ hospitality that will makes your journey unforgettable.

Colourful cultural programmes from traditional theatrical plays, classical concerts, and operas to the most modern music events, festivals and alternative performances offer amusement to people of all ages and interests. You can taste the dishes and drinks from popular Hungarian and international cuisine in about a 1,000 restaurants, atmospheric coffeehouses and unique ruin pubs.

Budapest is the only capital in the world which has thermal baths; the historic and elegant spas provide a true one-of-a-kind experience.

Budapest, the Pearl of the Danube, awaits you with its 1,000 wonders in 2014!

István Tarlós Mayor of Budapest

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OFFICIAL WATCHMAKER CONFEDER AÇAO BR ASILEIR A DE FUTEBOL

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TONDA 1950 Rose gold Ultra-thin automatic movement Hermès alligator strap Made in Switzerland www.parmigiani.ch

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nted Pate

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Miklós Varga Hungarian goldsmithartist has been creating unique pieces of jewellery of silver, gold, platinum and Tahitian pearls for almost 40 years. All pieces manufactured is his workshop are handcrafted. His masterpieces made in the special “cobweb technique” are internationally patented.

The Hungarian master has been awarded outstanding prizes at international jewellery exhibitions several times and has become a supplier to a number of royal families around the world. The Varga Jewellery House is located in downtown Budapest at 6 Haris köz, opening from Váci utca.

Varga Design Jewelry-House 1052 Budapest, Haris köz 6.

Telephone: +36-1 318-4089 www.vargadesign.hu

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LUXURY BUDAPEST 2014 SHOPPING DINING SIGHTSEEING ARTS NIGHTLIFE

Contents HISTORY Facts about Hungary Higlights of Hungarian history Famous Hungarians

22 26 28

TOUR I. A historic sight in Buda The Buda Castle District

66

SIGHTSEEING Festivals Classical buildings Modern buildings Industrial projects Churches Romantic places Baths Must see Hungaricum evergreens

TOUR II. Favorite sites for outdoors Gellért Hill and its surroundings

78

32 34 36 38 42 44 46 52 54

TOUR III. Coffee on a terrace Kecskeméti street, Ráday street, Kálvin square

90

TOUR IV. The city of bridges Along the Danube by boat and tram

96

GASTRONOMY Markets Hungary: vine country Pálinka Hungaricum classics

TOUR V. The new face of the riverbank A cultural walk

108

56 58 62 89

TOUR VI. An Eden in Margaret Island Margitsziget

112

SHOPPING GUIDE Luxury in the city

128

TOUR VII. Boulevard of history and fashion Andrássy street and its surroundings

116

ARTS Contemporary art Art

157 158

TOUR VIII. Boating and ice-skating in the centre of the city Városliget

136

FINE DINING The new gourmet metropolis – Top restaurants Sunday brunch A real gourmet treasure Resturant guide

178 182 184 198

TOUR IX. If buildings could tell a story Non-stop meeting point

142

200

TOUR X. Path of Tram No 6 Lord of the ring

146

NIGHTLIFE Bustling nightlife

TOUR XI. Travelling in time Óbuda

150

TOUR XII. In the heart of the city Lipótváros

160

TOUR XIII. Tradition and glamour Váci street and the Great Market Hall

168

TOUR XIV. The heart of Buda Buda and the Rózsadomb

174

OUTSIDE OF BUDAPEST A day outside the city Sights in and outside of Budapest

206 208

SPORT Golf Baseball Polo

211 212 213

INFO Budapest map Essential numbers

214 215

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ROBERTOC OIN .C OM

P RIM AV ER A C OL L E C T I ON

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About Budapest JONATHAN KNOTT BRITISH AMBASSADOR “There’s a magic to Budapest. All visitors feel it, whether they’re here for the baths or the boardrooms. I’ve fallen in love with the city: the bustling narrow streets of old Pest and leafy, tranquil, picturesque Buda.

All my guests agree: it’s a difficult place to visit just once.”

ERIKA MIKLÓSA SOPRANO “What I like most about Budapest are the bridges, especially Szabadság bridge.

When, during my career, I moved up from the country, I lived next to the bottom of the bridge and was fascinated by the view. Again and again I’m bedazzled by Budapest’s vibrant nightlife, clubs, theatres and high-quality cultural programs.

Returning home from performances abroad I always fi nd that Budapest is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.”

ANDY VAJNA P RODUCER “When I fi rst saw Budapest it was dark and grey - it was just like that. I had the feeling that the inhabitants had long departed for a better place and that I was here by chance. The buildings were lifeless, the streets without light. But that was many, many years ago.”

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LUXURY WATCH AND JEWELLERY 1052 Budapest, Párizsi u. 3. Tel.: +36 1 318 2156 www.barakadiamond.hu

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FACTS

Facts about Hungary LOCATION Hun nga g r y is loca gar loca ocated te ted e mo ore re or o les ess ss i n the h cen ce tr tre r o re off E ope Eur p , i n the h Car Carpat p hia pa pat a n Basi s n. n. It It is bor border dered der ed by Austri Aus tr a from tr tri from th he west est,, Slov Slov ovak aki k a from om m th the e Nort Nort o h,, the Uk U rai r ne fro from the no no the nor t ast th ast,, Romania oma ma nia n fr from om m the e the ea ast and d S Se erbia, rbi biia, Cro Cro roati atia ati a a nd Slo S oven ven v ve enia fro from m the h south so outh uth..

TOURISM

ROAD TRAVEL

Hungary has a wealth of values that makes it a popular tourist destination world-wide. Its main tourist attractions are Budapest, Lake Balaton and its surroundings and the Danube Bend. The thermal water resources which are of internationally outstanding importance are one of the country’s most special features. After Iceland, Hungary has the second largest surface thermal water resources in the world. There are medicinal hot water springs in all regions of the country which feed numerous spas. Budapest is the only capital in the world to boast spas.

The largest part of Hungary’s passenger and freight transportation is done on public roads. Hungary has 1100 km of motorways. Toll charges must be paid in the form of motorway vignettes.

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS Budapest-Liszt Ferenc International Airport Debrecen International Airport Győr-Pér Airport Pécs-Pogány Airport Sármellék International Airport

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RAIL TRAVEL In Hungary, rail transport is the second most important transportation sector after road transport.

The Infrastructure Business Unit of the Hungarian State Railways Private Limited Company (MÁV Zrt.) manages a significant part of Hungary’s railway infrastructure, except for the suburban railways and most narrow gauge railways, which are operated by Budapest Transport Limited (BKV Zrt.).

The biggest railway stations are located in Budapest: the Western Railway Station, the Eastern Railway Station and the Southern Railway Station.

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LUXURY BUDAPEST

C ita Cap ital al For orr m of gove ov verrnm n nm ment nt n Offi O Of fficial cial ci a l lan an ng gua age g Fou n Founda Fou nda d ttio io o n of t h he e Hun H gar Hu arr ian i St ia State ate t Acc A ccess e ion io on to on to th the eE EU U T rit Te Ter ritory ory ry y Popula Pop u tio ul ula t n acco ccordi rdi d ng ng to t the he 2009 he 20 0 099 ce cen c nssus su u C rren Cur ren ncy y Major Maj or religi or rel igi rel gious gious us de d nom om ina i na in atio tiio ions ns Ti e zone Tim on ne ne Sum um m mer me e ((D DST ST) S T) Int ntte n ern rrne ett TLD T D Int n ern nt r na atiiona o l Vehi on eh cle Regis Re egis g tra tr ttio io on n Co od ode de Intternati Int Intern ern nati ationa at on ona n l call calll ing i ng co code e

23

Budap Bu B udap d apees dapest est st repub re public pub li H ng Hu nga g rria ian 3311 st De Decem embe bber er 10 1 00 0 0 or or 1 st JJaanua uary ryy 100 0011 00 1 sts M Maay 22004 00004 004 0 93 03 0 6 k m² m² 1100 0220 0 000 H nga Hu ngaria ngaria ri n fori o ntt (HU HU FF)) Roma omann C ath atholi ollilic, oli c, R Ref eefform orr med, med ed, Pr ed, Prote otesta ote stant sta ntt annd Je and Jewis w h CET CE T (U UTC TC+ T +11)) +1) C ST CE ST (UTC+2 (UT U C+2 UT C+2) .hhu H +36 +3 36

PHONE NUMBERS Ambulance .................................................................................................... 104 Police ............................................................................................................... 107 Fire service .................................................................................................... 105 General enquiries ........................................................................................ 197 Domestic directory enquiries .................................................................. 198 International directory enquiries ........................................................... 199 Tourist Police (0-24) ................................................................. +36 1 438 8080 24-hour pharmacy near Oktogon (Teréz krt 41.) ...................+36 1 311 4439

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

CLIMATE

1 st January 15th March

Hungary is between three climatic regions; its weather is affected by eastern humid continental, western oceanic and southern-southeastern Mediterranean influences.

Average temperature in the winter: -10 to -4 °C In the summer: +25 to +35 °C

Easter Monday 1 st May Whitsun Monday 20th August 23rd October 1 st November 25th-26th December

New Year’s Day Memorial Day of the 1848/49 Revolution and War of Independence against the Habsburg Monarchy Pentacost Monday Day of the Foundation of the Hungarian State and St. Stephen’s day Hungary commemorates the unsuccessful revolution against the Soviet communist regime in 1956 All Saints’ Day Christmas

Public transport services operate on a different schedule than on weekdays so timetables must be checked before your departure. Cafés, restaurants, smaller shops, and spas are open in places visited by tourists.

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MAJOR RIVERS Danube: Hungarian stretch 417 km.

Tisza: Hungarian stretch 584.9 km.

MAJOR LAKES Lake Balaton, Lake Tisza, Lake Fertő – a lake divided between Austria and Hungary, Hungarian part: 75 sq km - and Lake Velence.

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HISTORY

ATTIL LA, THE HU UN Att a wa Attila w s t he las la t a ndd mos m t p ow mo oowe w rful rfu fu l E mp mpee ror ro of the h Eu E ropp ean an Hu Huns. ns Inn We ns.

W sste ttee rn cul cu tur turee and and tra r dit ra d tion ion io oon At A til ilaa is i s stil ill l know k now nown ow w n a s “the “the h whip whh i p off w God od”” w od whos h e name hos n ame m ha h s b eco eccome me ent e ntwin w edd wit win w h bbar ba arbar r barism ism sm m annd c rue ru ltyy. T This h is moonnar his arch ch, h bo b oorn r n in rn in A.D A D. 406, 4 006, 6, ru ruled led edd on o e of the t hee lar arr ges gee st eempi mpires res of hi hs age gee fr from o 434 om 43 to to hi h iss deat d eath. eat att h. h . His H em empir p e stre pi pir sttreetch e tch tched h edd fr m Ce fro C e nt ntral ral al Eu Europ u rop ropee to t hee Bla l ack ck k Sea S an a ndd from om m the Da Danub nub ubb e to t he ube h e Bal B tic tiic ic Se Seaa. a. H Hee was a dre d ade d d de enee my m y off the thhe h e Ea E ste s rnn as a s wel w l a s t he h e Wes Wester ternn ter R an Empire Rom Emp mpire r . re

Highlights of Hungarian history

SAIN T STEPHEN I, FFO OUN OUN U NDE N DE DER ER OF O THE E HU NG HU NGAR ARIA ARIA AN ST TAT ATE K i ng (St Kin St.) Step St.) St. tephen ephhen eenn I, (o (orig rig igina ig iina naally calle caalled lle led Vajk Vajk aj ; apppr pppr prox ox. x 975 755, E Essz szt szt zterg z erg errggom om – 1 5 thth Au Augus guu t 1038 1038 038,, Szék Szék ék kesfehé esffehé héérvá vár ár orr Esz Eszter Es teerrgom gom om-Sz - Szzent entkir k ály ki kir ály)) was a th tthe he fi rst rsst Ch C h ris i tia istia i an ki g ooff Hung kin Hunggaaryy. He He subd subd b ued bd u th ue the Hung Hung u nggarii an an t ibes tri bes of of the thhe C arp a path ath thian h ian ann Ba B sin pa p rtl t y by tl by fforc or e orc and n pa p rtly rtlly with with it pe peaceeful full me metho t ds, tho th d s, and annd supp ppre ressed res sed eedd thh em the e erg e ging n ri r ots ots. t . Duurii ngg his i ru u le, he h unifi unn ifified thhe H the Huu nngaaria iaan trib ibes and ib and cr creeat eat a ed a C hhri rrii stian sti t aann Hun ungar un garian gar ian ann ssttatee ex expan xpan pa din di ng over v thhe w whol h e of ho hol of tthe he Ca pat Car athia h n B asi hia sin. n His la laws aws werre the h fir fi rstt inn the he he 1,0001,0 0 yea 00yearr h ist istory o of ory o Hu u nga garia r i n legi egisla slatio tioon. He org rgani gani anised s th sed thee H Hung ung n ari ng arii an Ch Chr h r ist sttian stian i Chhurch ia urc r h and e ly ea ear ly aca academ dem demic em m ic ic lif l if ifee in i n Hung u aryy iiss aallso un l soo att a tributa rib ibuta ut bl ble l to him him.. On 20 20thh Augus Auugus ust each acc ye y ar, arr Hu Hunga nggaria nga i anns ns ce ebr cel eb ate at thhe cano cano nooniz noniz i atiionn off Sai S nt Ste Sa tteephe p e n I.

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THE MAGYAR CONQUEST There are only a few written records available to remember the various steps of the conquest of the Carpathian Basin, making it rather difficult to reconstruct what really happened. Possibly as aresult, there are two completely diffe-rent theories about the Magyar Conquest. The most gene-rally accepted view is that the Hungarian (“Magyar”) tribes settled in the Carpathian Basin in one single step.

Research by László Gyula, however, provides evidence for the theory of “dual conquest”, according to which a Finno-Ugric group of people populated the area around 670 and later in the 9th century joined by another people mostly of Turkish origin led by Árpád. The two groups of people then mixed to form the Hungarian people as the historian explained.

MATTHIAS, THE JUST Matthias Hunyadi (Kolozsvár, 23rd February 1443 – Vienna, 6th April 1490) was king of Hungary. He was known as Matthias Corvinus, Matthias the Just, and officially Matthias I, though colloquially, he was simply referred to as King Matthias (Mátyás király in Hungarian). In Latin and German, his name was Matthias Corvinus, and his name was signed as Matthias Rex. He was the ruler of Hungary between 1458 and 1490, (counter-) king of the Czechs from 1469 and prince of Austria from 1486. He was traditionally considered one of the greatest Hungarian kings, and his character has been commemorated in many folk tales and legends. During his rule, his courts in Buda and in Visegrád became centres of European Renaissance. His world-famous library containing the “Corvinas” Corvinas boasted around 22-2,500 2,500 books.

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ELIZABETH, HUNGARIAN QUEEN – SISSI Elizabeth Amalie Eugenie, popularly called Sissi (Munich, 24 th December 1837 – Genf, 10th September 1898) was empress of Austria, queen of Hungary, and wife of Franz Joseph. She was one of the most beautiful women of the period. Thanks the her personality and her attachment to Hungarian people she made great efforts – applying diplomatic tools as well as her feminine charms – to grant favours to Hungarians at the court in Vienna. She is still one of the most popular historical fi gures in Hungary. Generally she is seen as a tragic character struggling for freedom. She is remembered in street names, names of institutions and works of art: novels, fi lms and plays.

Pesterzsébet – one of the districts of Budapest – was also named after her, with this choice of name also being approved by the royal family. The lookout tower standing on János Hill, the highest point of Budapest also bears Sisi’s name.

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HISTORY

DID YOU KNOW THAT THEY ARE FROM HUNGARY?

Famous Hungarians VICTOR VASARELY PAINTER P ÉCS, 9 APRIL 1908 - PARIS, 15 M ARCH 1997

Vasarely was born in Pécs in 1908 under the name Gyôzô Vásárhelyi. His childhood and youth were not spent in a manner at all customary for great painters. After completing secondary school, he turned toward medicine. However, under the influence of anatomy lessons, the creative compulsion in him was awakened, and he began private studies. Later he joined the Sándor Bortnyik-led creative group better known as Bauhaus. When he emigrated to France in 1930, he already knew nearly everything about the field of abstract art. During these years, he was a painter and graphic artist. Around 1950, he embarked on the path of optical and kinetic examinations.

Initially, he placed drawings prepared on various transparent materials on top of one another, followed by dual moving mechanisms prepared in white and black. He is considered the most significant representative of optical painting, otherwise known as “Op-art”.

FERENC PUSKÁS FOOTBALLER, COACH, CAPTAIN OF THE G OLDEN TEAM

BUDAPEST, 1 APRIL 1927 – B UDAPEST, 17 NOVEMBER 2006 Ferenc Puskás is considered the greatest Hungarian football player of all time. Numerous great figures of the sport, for example Cruyff, Beckenbauer, and Di Stéfano, held him in high esteem. Between 1945 and 1956 he played in 85 national team matches and scored 84 goals. He was a member and captain of the 1952 Olympic gold medal and 1954 World Championship silver medal Hungarian team. In 1956, he defected to Spain, and played successfully for the world-famous Real Madrid team over the course of an entire decade. He also played several times on for Spanish national team. On October 23, 1963 he also received a place in the Rest of the World team against England. He occupies a place among the greatest strikers not only in Hungary, but on an international level.

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ERNŐ RUBIK ARCHITECT, TOY DESIGNER, INVENTOR OF THE RUBIK’S C UBE BUDAPEST, 13 JULY 1944 -

Several logic games are associated with his name, above all, the Magic Cube, which abroad became known as the Rubik’s Cube. Since its appearance in 1975, it has achieved unrivalled international popularity.

The Magic Cube itself was actually designed as a tool suitable for the illustration of spatial movement. Later it also turned out to be highly amusing as a toy. Other well known toys of his include Magic Domino, Sudoku Cube, and Rubik’s Clock, as well as the Rubik sphere released in 2009 under the name Rubik’s 360.

ALBERT SZENT-GYÖRGYI NOBEL PRIZE WINNING PHYSICIAN AND BIOCHEMIST BUDAPEST, SEPTEMBER 16, 1893 – OCTOBER 22, 1986 A Nobel and Kossuth prize winning Hungarian physician and biochemist known for isolating vitamin C in the 1930s. He discovered that the vitamin found in the adrenal cortex can be reproduced from the seasoning paprika of Szeged and used to cure scorbute. He conducted successful research to uncover the protein chemical background of the mechanical muscle motion. He devoted the last two decades of his life to cancer research.

He was also a distinguished writer and his book entitled “Mad Monkey” (“Őrült majom” in Hungarian) is considered as one of the most significant pieces of antiwar work.

FERENC LISZT COMPOSER, PIANIST

DOBORJA, 22 OCTOBER 1811 – BAYREUTH, 31 JULY 1886 Born in 1811, Ferenc Liszt was an extraordinarily talented pianist, who by the age of nine performed publicly in Sopron and Bratislava. Soon after, with the support of generous patrons, he was able to continue his studies as a student of Czerny and Salieri. In 1822, he debuted in the Austrian capital where, among others, Beethoven noticed him.

This is where his first work appeared in print, and his career ascended continuously until his death in 1886.

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SIGHTSEEING

Festivals

NATIONAL GALLOP Have you ever heard of an event when the most beautiful and largest squares of a city are covered with sand to enable horse races and shows? In Budapest, even this could happen: the first such event was organised in 2008, and now there is one each summer. There is a race between villages and towns, and there is also a race in which Hungarian celebrities clash. Sometimes quite literally, but fortunately not during every celebrity race.

This three-day event is combined with a fair and various programmes for children every year.

A FESTIVAL OF MUSEUMS The May Festival of Museums, which brings the community of Hungarian museums together, was fi rst organised by the National Museum in 1996, with the intention of building a tradition. It is a festival held on a mid-May weekend at which Hungarian museums use the limelight to draw the public attention to the much-needed measures required to preserve national art treasures and cultural heritage. Of course, the May Festival combines both the values of past eras the modern spirit of creativity. The organisers of the festival would like to show that visiting museums and learning about cultural heritage is a form of entertainment fi rst and foremost. This wide-ranging festival, which is unique in Europe, now has a dedicated and regular audience.

In the National Museum’s garden, there are stage shows basically non-stop throughout the festival, and dozens of craftsmen offer their products. The organisers also present ‘Museum of the Year’ and ‘The Most Visitor-Friendly Museum of the Year’ awards.

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A “EUROPE-SIZED” CULTURAL FESTIVAL The Budapest Spring Festival, the biggest and most important cultural event of the year, is well-known around the world. It will be held this year in the last two weeks of March in 50 to 60 locations in Budapest.

The Festival will have around 200 programmes for domestic and foreign guests. In addition to classical and popular music performances, the festival will also offer theatre shows, fi lms, open-air programmes and other events. This fantastic series of events, which was limited to Budapest when the fi rst was held decades ago, has now become a nationwide festival and many Hungarian towns hold a Spring Festival of their own.

The Budapest Spring Festival was given the European Culture Award in 2005. In 2013, the festival had 40 locations in Budapest and offered various intriguing programmes. The organisers have promised that everyone will fi nd a programme to their taste as this large-scale festival will offer a perfect mixture of classic and modern art events.

THE “ISLAND” 2014 will be the 22 st year of the Sziget (Island) Festival, which is now one of the most important ‘all-styles’ popular music festivals in Europe. It was named after its location, the Óbuda Island in the Danube. Originally it was a gathering for students called the ‘Student Island’, but it has grown way beyond this now. In the fi rst year it had 43,000 visitors which by last year grown to almost 400,000, a third of whom were foreigners. It is scheduled for mid-August every year and it is in principle one week long. Due to the immense success, a Day 0 was added a few years ago and now it even has a Day -1. Both Hungarian stars and well-known international bands and performers love visiting the Island and playing there. There are additional side-projects to enhance the cultural profi le of the festival. The Island has a cinema, several theatres and art events, and there is also a so-called ‘Civil Sziget’ where NGOs can show the public what they do and the visitors can even get involved in their activities. The festival offers 1,000 programmes and 60 locations to students and young adults from Europe and beyond.

BUDA CASTLE WINE FESTIVAL Organised for the 23nd time, the annual Buda Castle Wine Festival is one of the most prestigious wine events in Central Europe where numerous professional and entertaining programmes are built around wine. Every year hundreds of thousands of visitors meet the latest products and the producers of our wine industry and, equally important, learn about the basics of civilised wine consumption. The Buda Castle Wine Festival regularly has a foreign guest of honour and this is also the event where the winners of the big wine competitions organised at the time of the festival are announced.

The well-known objective of the event is to present the best wines from Hungary and from various other parts of the world to the visitors. Consumers can personally meet winemakers to have a comparative basis for wine purchases and learn about new efforts and trends in the profession.

In addition to wine, the Buda Castle Wine Festival always offers a wide selection of music and delicious dishes.

Last year 200 viticulturists from 15 countries attended the event and close to 60 quality and entertaining cultural events guaranteed the right atmosphere. Guests could attend lectures of the ‘Wine University’ or learn the basics of wine criticism. In addition, a charity wine auction, a harvest procession and a photo exhibition awaited those who attended the festival.

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Classical buildings

MUSEUM OF APPLIED ARTS From an architectural point of view, the last decade of the 19th century was a great, if not the greatest periods of the development of Budapest. 1896 was a year when several magnificent buildings, even avenues were built, including the Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest. Established in 1872, this was Europe’s third applied arts museum after its sister institutions in London and Vienna. Ödön Lechner, the architect of this prominent Art Nouveau building, drew inspiration from Eastern, Western and Hungarian folk art. The ornamental ceramic tiles covering the exterior and interior of the building were manufactured by the world-famous Zsolnay plant. The Art Nouveau collection, contemporary Hungarian works, and the works of art from the treasury of the richest noble family, the Esterházys, are the highlights of the museum’s exhibitions.

NEW YORK IN BUDAPEST The New York Palace is one of the most characteristic and impressive buildings of Budapest’s Grand Boulevard. Even though around three million Hungarians immigrated to the USA at the time it was built, it was not named in honour of the great American city, but after the insurance company that commissioned it. The four-storey-high, eclectic palace was opened in 1894 along with its ground floor café, which became part of Hungarian cultural history owing to the literary and art tables and editorial offices that sprung up there in the early 1900s. As rumour has it, on the opening day, the keys of this truly pre-war Pest café were thrown into the river by a group of Bohemians to keep the café open day and night. The building was purchased by the Italian Boscolo group in 2001. It was turned into a luxury hotel, which, along with the café restored to its former glory, opened in 2006.

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VIGADÓ CONCERT HALL Although Pest and Buda were two seperate towns in terms of administration until 1872, technically they formed just one city. But even before the unification, Vigadó Concert Hall was considered the number one classical music facility and entertainment centre in the capital. Its predecessor was destroyed by the Austrian army’s cannon fi re during the revolution of 1848-49, because the building housed the fi rst independent House of Representatives. The new Vigadó, inaugurated in 1865, was built in the architectural style of Romanticism fused with unique Oriental motifs and caused quite a sensation at the time. It narrowly escaped destruction during World War I, and the restored Vigadó was fi nally reopened in 1980. It has a nearly 1,000-seat concert hall and a 220-seat theatre hall, and regularly hosts exhibitions and receptions.

THE OPERA HOUSE In addition to Vigadó and the National Museum, the Opera House, the temple of Hungarian opera, dating back exactly 333 years, is the most prominent 19th-century monument building in Budapest. The neoRenaissance building that blends Renaissance and Baroque motifs in perfect harmony was built in the style of French opera instead of in the then widespread popular German style.

The bulk of its frescos were painted by the great masters of history Károly Lotz, Bertalan Székely and Mór Than.

Although each storey in the horseshoeshaped, three-storey-high auditorium has a different design, the overall effect is perfect. The 1,200-seat auditorium is also used for organising gala nights and presentations, the stage, banquet halls and salons used for dinners and standing receptions.

LISZT ACADEMY Music and musicians are born in the Liszt Academy. This is a harbour to and from which ships carry musicians. The teaching of music – all areas of classical music, jazz, folk music, church music, composition, musicology and music teacher training – takes place here, in the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, while the nurturing stages are conducted in the Bartók Conservatory, the university's secondary school of teaching practice and preparatory institution.

The main building, with five concert halls, is the hub of concert life in the capital. Virtually every significant performer and ensemble of the 20th century has appeared on the stage of the Grand Hall, exhaling their art onto the invisible wavelengths of the incomparable acoustics of the chamber, merging it into the spellbound audience, an audience that surrounds the artist in the same way that a clapper is encompassed by the body of a bell. The most significant young talents introduce themselves in this unrivalled atmosphere, students of the academy can share in this as can those individuals yearning for music who make up the audience of the Liszt Academy.

Address: 52 Wesselényi Street, Budapest VII. Telephone: +36 1 462 4600 website: www.zeneakademia.hu/en

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SIGHTSEEING

Modern buildings THE TEMPLE OF THALIA With its entrance looming over an artificial pond, the National Theatre brings to mind a ship rocking gently on the waves. The interior of the theatre and its surroundings are also full of symbolic motifs.

The National Theatre is not just a building, but a complex dedicated to theatre in every detail, with the surrounding statue park and buildings all a homage to great figures of Hungarian theatre and fi lm. It extends beyond the boundaries of the traditional concept of theatrical architecture, where all other genres of art are represented.

PALACE OF ARTS Millennium City Centre is part of the Danube bank project that also features on the UNESCO World Heritage list. This is where one of Europe’s new cultural centres, the Palace of Arts is located. The spiritual predecessor of this mixedfunction complex is the Vigadó Concert Hall in Pest, built some 130 years earlier, because they both feature the most varied artistic genres imaginable in one place.

This architecturally extraordinary complex houses three facilities: the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, Ludwig Museum and Fesztivál Theatre. Its unique design and 21st century technology makes it an ideal venue for even the grandest high-standard performance, as demonstrated by the FIABCI Prix d’Excellence, also known as the Academy Award of architecture, which it won in 2006.

A 21ST CENTURY BANK HEADQUARTERS The headquarters of ING investment bank was built in 2004, next to Városliget and opposite the famous time wheel on the former Felvonulási tér.

It is certainly not your everyday office building. The headquarters, which became a tourist attraction overnight was designed by Dutch architect Erick Van Egeraat, earning him a Budapest Award. Because of its stone, steel and glass exterior, surrounded by chrome-plated strips, and its outward tilting, concave and fragmanted facade, it matches the surrounding villas both in design and proportion. As the architect put it, it recalls the richness and complexity of historic facades in Budapest in the context of deconstructionism. It is also a great sight at night, when the lights hidden in the walls lend a luminous halo to the building.

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MARGARET BRIDGE 1876 was an important year in the history of the city: it was the day when Margaret Bridge was opened. Some parts of this Bridge were quite similar to the Eiffel Tower in Paris. This is no coincidence as it was constructed on the basis of the plans of Ernest Goüin, a French architect. It was blown up by retreating German troops during the Second World War. A pontoon bridge was set up in its place after the war, which was fondly called “Manci” by the citizens of Budapest.

The bridge was rebuilt by 1948 and its renovation was completed a few months ago, during which street lighting was installed which is very similar in style to that used in 1876.

Industrial projects

LIBERTY BRIDGE, BUDAPEST AWARD-WINNING FLOODLIGHT

It was closed from traffic for 21 months, but it was worth the wait as the renovation also introduced some unique floodlighting that deserves worldwide fame. Few citizens of Budapest know that this bridge, which may be the most beautiful in the city, won a prestigious international award. The Auroralia Award is given each year to the city recently with the most beautiful and economical public lighting. And the 800 LED floodlights of the bridge are both spectacular and save energy (and EUR 100,000 per year for the city). The exquisite beauty of the bridge at night is just as amazing as that of the Chain Bridge. It is impossible to decide which offers the most spectacular nocturnal sight.

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In ndulge. Luxuriate.

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SIGHTSEEING

Churches SAINT STEPHEN’S BASIL LIC CA Inn 184 8 5, Hunggaary’s ryy’ss most fa famo m us mo us arc rchi hiite tect ct of thhe ct tiime m Józ ózse sf H se Hild Hi ld,, wa ld wass coomm mmis issi is sion ion oned edd to de desi signn si sign a hu huge g doom ge meed chhuurch rch to mat rc atch c Saaiintt Pet ch eter e ’s’s er Basilililca Ba Basi c in R Roomee or L Lees In Inva vaalil de dess in Parris is.. Si Six x yeear arss la l te ter, r, the he fou ound ndat dat atio ioon st ion s one onne wa wass la laid and n the h coons nstr truc tr u tiion of thhe ne uc n oo--cl clas assssiica call bu buili diing n thhaat H ld had Hi a env nvvissagged beg e ann. Thhe 9966 met etre talll do etr d mee of Bud udap appeesst’ t’ss laarg r esst chhurch urch ur ch can be se seen e fro en rom m almo al moost eveery r spo pott of of the h citty. y The he bui uild lding ld inng ho hous uses es es onee off the moos on o t im import porttannt re po reliics cs for o Huunnga g riian ans:s: the m th muumm mmifified ha handd of Ki K ng ng Saiintt Ste teph phhenn, thhe phen so-c so o-ccaallle led Ho led Hollyy Rig ight ight ht. t. Th The ch The chur u chh, whic whh ic ich w waas bbuuililtt ov buil over err 59 yyeear ars aft affte ter er star sttaarrti ting ngg in 18 184466, st 1846 stanndss stan on an ar on area ea of 86 86 × 55 me metrres e : it its in inne nerr di dime menns nsio sio ions ns ns have an im ha impr mpprres e sive siive v eff ffec eecct oonn vissit itor orrs - it its ts to tota tal al caapa p ci city ty is 8,55500 pe ty p op ople l . It le Its ts st stat atue at u s annd pa ue pain pain i ti ting nggs are ma ar mast ster st erpi er piec iec ecess of the the mo th mosst st emi mine nent nt Hun unga ggaariian arti ar tist ist sts ts off the h tim imee. e. The he topp of th thee Ba Basi silililica ca offfers ers er a br brea eaatthhtaaki king king ng vie iew w off the he cit ity. y. Tho hose se enj njoy oyin iinng a ch chal alle lle lengge ca leng cann re reac achh th ac the he loookou okoouut po ok poinnt by by cliim mbbinng 3644 st 36 stai airss; th ai the re r wa w rd is a 36 360° 0° vie iew w ooff thhee cit i y.

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DOHÁNY STREET EET SYNAGOGU UE Thhe buuilding T ng is th thee la larg rges rg estt sy es syna n googu na gue in Europpe (and ndd thee secondd larrge th gest stt worrld ldwi wide wi de).).. Built de uiltlt in a Rom ui mantic sttyl y e mixeed wi with thh Byz y an anti tine ti ne and nd Moo oori rish s ele sh lem ment me m ntss h s 1,49 ha 4 2 seat a s fo f r men meen annd 1, 1,472 472 for 47 foor woomeen. n.

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SIGHTSEEING

Romantic places THE KISSING HALL Even though millions of people visit Margitsziget, and enjoy the panorama from up high, not many people can boast of having seen the city and the bustle down below on the island from the top of water tower in Margitsziget, a truly unique perspective. Margitsziget is a favourite meeting spot and hideout for lovers. From early spring to late fall, people can enjoy the intoxicating atmosphere and walk the hidden paths and clearings formed by the surrounding flora. The water tower is just a couple of steps from here. The top level is called the Kissing Hall after stolen kisses exchanged here by lovers. According to some modern-age superstition, whoever kisses his or her sweetheart standing within the blue circle on the floor will have a lasting relationship. Of course there is no guarantee, but one thing is certain: the place does have a romantic appeal for couples.

ON TOP OF BUDAPEST At 527 metres, János Hill is the highest point in Budapest and was a favourite walking spot even back in the 19th century. The most famous person to visit this spot was Queen Elizabeth, wife of Emperor Franz Joseph, in 1882. The Queen was so popular among Hungarians that they named the look-out tower, inaguarated in 1910, after her. In sunny weather, a walk from Normafa to here offers a splendid view, and you can also enjoy the panorama from one of the many terraces of the still smart-looking tower.

From the 23.5 m high tower, renovated five years ago, you can even see the mountains that are some 77 kilometres away. Whether it’s an engagement ring or just a kiss, a bottle of Champagne in the tower top café can turn any rendezvous into an unforgettable memory for any woman.

FÜVÉSZKERT If it wasn’t for Ferenc Molnár’s famous novel, The Boys of Pál Street, which was even turned into a movie in the United States, not even the locals would know about Füvészkert, this gem hidden deep in the heart of the city. Like a small oasis, the Botanical Garden of Eötvös Lóránd University, located in the inner city, offers a romantic treat for couples. The garden, designed as an English park, has been registered as a national nature reserve since 1960. Hiding among the palm houses and rock gardens, under the centuries-old maidenhair trees and evergreen ornamental trees you can enjoy the sweet scent of flowers and an explosion of colours. In addition, the squirrel reservation in Orczy Garden is just a couple of minutes’ walk from here.

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SIGHTSEEING

Baths

RUDAS BATHS & SWIMMING POOL The development of this thermal bath dates back to before the reign of King Matthias Corvinus, although at that time there was only a hospital at the place. It was the Turks who started to build mosques and baths here after the capture of Buda in 1541. The construction of the Rudas Baths between 1566 and 1572 began under Pasha Sokoli Mustafa.

The idea behind the ‘ilija’ type of baths is that it is operated by utilising the water of thermal springs, with the central spot is occupied by an octagonal pool. The eight-column solution used in these baths is unique. Above the columns, there is a dome with lighting holes. The baths had a large entrance hall even in their original form where the guests could change, have some tea and smoke pipes. Before the modernisation of the building, some archaeological work was carried out and a large number of historical finds unearthed, including medieval items. The baths also have a steam cabin, a sauna, a swimming pool and offers various additional services of a high standard. The Rudas have three different types of drinkable medicinal water that can be used to treat various illnesses. The tradition of the ‘apron spa’ is still honoured, when only men may enter the baths. For this reason, Tuesdays are reserved for women and only the weekends are co-ed. One of the most popular programmes is the ‘night bathing’ between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

The thermal section of the pool has a water at 42°C.

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SZÉCHENYI BATHS The Széchenyi Baths is the largest bath complex in Europe and the fi rst medicinal bath of Pest. Its pool halls remind guests of the bathing culture of the Romans, its baths are Greek in style, while the plunge pools and saunas offer typical Scandinavian solutions.

The predecessor of the baths was the “Artézi Baths” in the City Park, established in 1881. The water was initially supplied from a well built by mining engineer Vilmos Zsigmondy. The Széchenyi Baths were opened in 1913. The second well named after Saint Stephen of Hungary provided 6,000 cubic metres of 77°C thermal water per day from a depth of 1,256 metres. Entering the eclectic building through the southern gate, visitors arrive in a large Baroque style dome hall decorated with a magnificent glass mosaic. The baths have ten saunas, 3 outdoor pools and 15 indoor pools for those looking for a cure or who simply want to relax. There are many services to make your enjoyment even more complete such as a neck massage device, a lazy river or chess that can be played in the pool. The drinking well’s water is medicinal, containing calcium, magnesium, hydrogen carbonate, chloride, sulphate, alkalis, and a significant amount of fluoride. The medicinal water is recommended for those suffering from degenerative diseases of the joints, and for supplementary treatment to chronic and semi-acute arthritis and for orthopaedic and accident treatments.

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SIGHTSEEING

THE GELLÉRT BATH The springs that burst to the surface at the foot of the Gellért Hill created muddy holes and basins, whose healing powers were considered legendary. In the 13th century, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary bathed the doomed lepers here but even in later centuries the spring was believed to cure papulous and atrophic diseases. The bath, with a muddy bed and no building, was aptly named “Sárosfürdő” (Muddy Baths). By the 1800s, a shabby-looking building had been erected

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and there were already a number of different pools. The construction of the Gellért Baths in their current form started in 1911. In 1918, it was opened under the name Saint Gellért Thermal Baths and Hotel. Those crossing the nearby bridge are often amazed by the late Secessionist Baroque dome of the building. The Gellért Baths are a favourite destination for tourists: monarchs, princes, counts and the cream of the intelligentsia. The complex offers complex medicinal bath treatments such as mud masks, hot-air baths, weight baths, sparkling baths, salt chamber, an inhalatorium and other services.

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LUKÁCS MEDICINAL BATH In the 12th century, the Order of Saint John had a hospital and bath at the current location of the Császár and Lukács Baths. However, during the Turkish occupation, the building was used as a gunpowder and grain mill because its hot bubbling water allowed it to be operated even during the winter. The remains of the gunpowder mill were used as the foundation of one of the modern pools. A period of reconstruction started in 1884. At the turn of the 19th century, hot and warm baths were available for those seeking cures.

The sections for men and women were separated by a plank-fence; now only the names of the pools reflect that they were once not co-ed. Tourists seeking cures

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visit the baths from all over the world; some of them had marble plaques placed on the walls of the baths’ courtyard as a token of their gratitude.

The services were modernised according to the demands of the guests, and the outdoor pools were renovated. The baths have been providing complex medicinal bath services since 1979, and its ‘sauna world’ and ‘sauna seance’ services are extremely popular. Just to name a few of those: salt crystals sauna, aromatherapy steam cabin, igloo, tepidarium and plunge pool with added crushed ice. To provide a more complete service to guests, a wellness section, a sauna world, a fitness centre and a playhouse have been built, and the Baths offer some truly unique services such as Turkish massage. There is also a drinking hall for those who like to consume medicinal water.

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ABOUT THE BRAND Nanushka is the childhood nickname of head designer Sandra Sandor. Born in Budapest, she graduated from the London College of Fashion, only to return to her hometown to establish the label.

Through her collection Sandra aims to combine playful cuts and lush fabrics with elegance and comfort to create collections that exude a harmony, which contrasts with the overwhelming noise of the big city experience. Nanushka is fashion for the urban nomad, for those who are on the move but always at home.

Though Sandra’s collections are fi nding new followers in every corner of the world and the brand is aggressively expanding into new markets, it is still based in Budapest, where it recently opened its flagship store. Its unique design received praise from more than 250 design blogs from Moscow to Rio and whether to shop or just admire, it has become a must-see tourist destination.

SPRING / SUMMER ’14 COLLECTION The inspiration for Nanushka’s spring/summer 2014 collection comes from two contrasting sources: the material, and the spiritual worlds. This season the custom prints, embroidery, and selection of fabrics that characterise the brand have been infused with deep symbolism.

In February 2013 designer Sandra Sandor came across Paul Jacoulet’s wood-cut etchings of the Micronesian peoples at an exhibition in Paris. The French painter, who had lived in Japan, had intimate knowledge of the neighbouring islands. In his works he reproduced the tribal tattoos that often cover the entire body of the native Micronesians. The tattoo and ocelot prints seen throughout the SS14 collection are inspired by their body art and tribal existence whilst the colour palette honours the sensual and mesmerizing atmosphere of Jacoulet’s works.

The rainbow print is used to bridge the story from the natural world to the transcendent. Sandra also uses themes inspired by the spiritual union of Orpheus and Eurydice. With his music, Orpheus was able to tame wild beasts, using the power of the artistic spirit to control both heaven and earth.

Sharp silhouettes symbolise the strong presence of the spiritual world, and embroidery evokes Orpheus’ harp.

As in the past, this collection creates a seamless harmony between a selection of widely varying elements and interesting contrasts. The traditionally sporty cuts are balanced out by rich prints and strong motifs. Soft and lush materials sit next to hightech coated fabrics, offering a range of styles that are feminine, fresh and mystical.

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THE BUDAPEST STORE In 2011 Nanushka opened its fi rst store in downtown Budapest. Our aim was to create a store that is in contrast with traditional retail spaces, one that is a reflection of the brand’s core values. An intimate, snug shelter that fi lters out the sometimes overwhelming racket of the urban experience.

This was achieved thanks to the work of an amazing team of talented young architects who turned an uninspiring retail space into a new home for Nanushka. The design team was selected by Sandra from a pool of candidates who responded to an ad posted throughout several universities.

News of the store’s unique interior made its way onto more than 300 international blogs. It has become a must-see tourist attraction for fashionistas and design-lovers visiting Budapest and has been mentioned in top international interior design polls.

Originally the store was an experiment, a popup space to be open for a few months only, hence its original name of the Nanushka BETA Store.

However, as the experiment was a wild success, we dropped the BETA, are here to stay and are very happy to call the Nanushka Store Budapest home.

MADE IN BUDAPEST As inspiration for the design Sandra and the team used elements from wedding tents and barn weddings and gathered raw materials such as cotton, linen, fi rewood and rusted steel.

They created a rigging system for the 250 square meter canvas that would drape the interior by pulling wires below the ceiling. Running from front to back they were able to hoist the canvas into the air and let it fall and flow in a way that wrapped the entire retail space from the inside.

The floor was created from logs of fi rewood sliced into 3 cm rings and laid out over the course of several days. Small display stands were built from logs of wood that sprouted from the ground.

Linen poufs and ballon lamps sharing the same cylinder shape enhanced the organic flow of the space, while the strict, geometric forms of the counter and fitting rooms, as well as the rusted steel racks created a firm counterpoint and a calm balance. Contrasts were also created with the choice of materials through the combination of rusty, rough, smooth and soft surfaces, all in soothing variations of tranquil, clean, quiet white.

For further information on the brand and to shop the collection online, please visit: http://nanushka.hu/en

Address

Fashion Street – Deak Ferenc utca 17.

Budapest, Hungary, 1052 Opening hours

Mon - Sat: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Sun: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Contact +36 1 202 1050 budapest@nanushka.hu

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SIGHTSEEING

Must See

MEMENTO PARK The socialist era ended two decades ago and although the political parties will, still insist on making references to the past, the man in the street - at least those who lived before 1989 - are beginning to forget. People do not visit the Statue Park located at the edge of Budapest for the pure pleasure of consternation, as is the case with the museum of Terror House museum, but rather with a “Wow, d’ya remember this one?” attitude. Since under these mostly communist statues collected from all around the city and put here, people used to play hide and seek in public parks in their childhood, or walked hand in hand with their love in their teenage years rather than looking upon them with fear. This “museum” is now a memento, but in 30 years’ time there won’t be a soul left to tell the reason for gathering them here. www.mementopark.hu

HOUSE OF TERROR MUSEUM The neo-Renaissance building located at Andrássy út 60 has housed a special exhibition designed to present the totalitarian regimes of the 20th century for more than ten years. The building is a standing memento to the nazi era and the communist state and relates the suffering of the victims of the system through original photos and fi lms. In the course of 12 years, between 1944 and 1956, hundreds of people perished here, which explains why the building has never been lived in since. Its walls are plastered with the portraits of the victims, and its sides are lined with burning candles.

Budapest, Andrássy út 60., www.terrorhaza.hu

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HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL CENTRE A combination of a museum and an exhibition, it featuring the most state-of-the-art interactive technology currently available. You can learn about the Hungarian and Romani Holocaust through the stories of individual families captured on fi lm. The museum was established mainly for educational purposes and to help cope with the past. Starting with the events of 1938, the exhibition gradually progresses through some of the bloodiest years of history, which knew nothing of human rights and dignity. It also addresses the questions of liberation and making the responsible people accountable for their crimes with the help of various documents.

1094 Budapest, Páva u. 39.

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A MOVING LOOKOUT Clark Ádám tér is a nice place on its own, with the lions of the Chain Bridge designed by Clark, the statue by Miklós Borsos standing in the middle of the square representing Hungary’s Zero kilometre stone (a reference point from which all road distances to Budapest are measured), and with the nice carriages of the Budapest Castle Hill Funicular climbing up the hill, but the sight when looking down from the funicular is itself simply gorgeous. When built in 1870 it was not meant as a viewing platform, but just a practical means of transport; nevertheless, this is now the shortest way to the Buda Palace. There were several plans to replace the funicular damaged during WWII, the craziest being in 1962 city planners wanted to build an escalator in its place. Finally, it was renovated in 1986. The steam engine was of course replaced by an electric one, and now a 95 m long railway with an inclination of 48 percent leads up to the Castle Distrct.

BUDAPEST ZOO The Budapest Zoo and Botanical Gardens, fi rst opened in 1866, is one of the oldest zoos in the world and it is the most popular cultural site in the country. The zoo hosts 8,000 specimens of a 1,000 species (from elephants through gorillas and penguins to tropical butterfl ies) and thousands of various plants, including some animals rarely seen in zoos in Europe such as echidnas, wombats and Komodo dragons. In the beginning, country aristocrats, noblemen and monarchs donated animals to the zoo, including, for instance, Franz Joseph and Elizabeth, who sent a few rare specimens to Budapest from their own zoo in Schönbrunn Palace. During World War II, the majority of the buildings were destroyed and the surviving animals ate each other to survive during the occupation of Budapest. The zoo was rebuilt in 1950 and has been constantly modernised ever since. The century-old buildings are protected monuments and are basically works of art. It is possible to feed some of the smaller animals. But beware, this program is extremely addictive. The zoo, located in the City Park, is open to the public on each day of the year. www.zoobudapest.hu

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SIGHTSEEING

Hungaricum Evergreens SPOOKY HISTORY CLASS Relatively few of the residents of Budapest know about the network of tunnels and cellars approximately. 10 km in length under the Castle Hill. For a while, it was even believed to be an urban legend that there had been a hospital under the Castle of Buda. The Hospital in the Rock was used as a bomb-shelter and a complex medical institution and even saw some military action. In 1956 the place was used as a hospital by the freedom fi ghters. Later it became a prison hospital and was listed as nuclear shelter during the Cold War. Most probably due to the underground environment, the exhibition at the Hospital in the Rock portraying some of the grim periods of the 20th century with contemporary objects and wax fi gures creates an unusually sad and spooky atmosphere.

VISITING THE COUNTRY IN THE CELLAR Wine and cellar: these two are inseparable in Hungarian gastronomy and viniculture because the optimum solution for aging wine in Hungary is to use cellars carved underground, often out of therocks. To Hungarians, “authentic” wine drinking often means consuming the alcohol while in the cellar. Not far from the centre of Budapest, near Heroes’ Square, there is Borkápolna, a 500 sqm wine tasting cellar remodelled from an old chapel. Here you can fi nd close to 1,100 different kinds of wine from all the regions of the country. For tourists, probably the most interesting section is a selection of 45 wine-growers from the Tokaj region.

IN OUR ANCESTORS’ STYLE Budapest has a number of places that offer the tranquility of parks and large green areas. However, the best spot for the classic parkland experience is Margaret Island because of its beauty and its special services. One of these services is the one-of-a-kind, romantic and funny “bringóhintó”. Even though it looks like it’s from the beginning of the 20th century, it has been operating only for 25 years. The name comes from the combination of the Hungarian words for bicycle and carriage, which also explains its intended use: families and smaller groups of people ride this vehicle because cars are excluded from the island. So you are all set to relax and have a good time. Even though some electric powered units are also available, this “bringóhintó” is rented without a driver so it also gives you the chance to get some light physical exercise.

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HERENDI PORCELAIN The foundations of Herendi porcelain’s well-deserved fame was laid by Mór Fischer with his products of flowery decoration. In 1842, it was given the title “porcelain workshop with the privilege of the Emperor and King” and earned the right to use the coat of arms of Hungary.

As Herendi won prizes at a number of exhibitions, it moved on from simple household products to higher quality products, i.e. replicas of the previous century’s works. Herendi focused on satisfying the demand of aristocrats who wanted to replace missing items from the sets they had inherited from their ancestors.

Customers included Count Károlyné Esterházy and also the Batthyány, Károlyi, Zichy and Széchenyi families. Herendi products were present at the 1851 Great Exhibition in London, where it enjoyed immense success and started to build its worldwide fame. That was when Queen Victoria ordered her famous set decorated with flowers and butterflies, which is still sold today under the name “Queen Victoria”. Most well-known rulers of the 19th and 20th centuries ordered Herendi products, but the celebrities and royalty of the 21st century still buy them or get them as gifts of recognition, for instance Prince William and Kate (for their wedding), Pope Benedict XVI, Emperor Akihito of Japan and F1 World ChampionLewis Hamilton.

ZSOLNAY PORCELAIN Zsolnay porcelain has a history of more than 150 years. It is a symbol of tradition, uniqueness and constant reinvention of both the technology and the artwork of the products.

Until the late 1880s, its decoration was predominantly Hungarian and Persian style, which made the porcelain famous and widely recognised both in Hungary and at an internationally. At the turn of the century, the image was changed and the focus of production shifted from ornamental pieces to architectural ceramics, which meant that in addition to the greatest artist of the era the best architects were also involved in the design work. The manufacturing of porcelain items for tableware only started after World War I. The character of porcelain is defined by its primary colour, ivory, and also the unique richness of colours no other material can provide. For the development of the porcelain glazing technology, Zsolnay was awarded the French Order of the Legion of Honour. Its most special product is the Zsolnay eosin, whose glazing technology is globally unique. The third most important product category is pyrogranite ceramics that were mainly used for the ornamentation of Secessionist buildings. In Budapest, pyrogranite ceramics were used on the: Matthias Church, Museum of Applied Arts, the Gellért Bath, Parliament and the Geological Institute.

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GASTRONOMY

Markets GOZSDU BAZAAR – GOUBA In 2013 Gozsdu Bazaar took place for the fourth year in a row at the most atmospheric house with a passageway in the city, Gozsdu udvar, which consists of seven buildings and six yards. Just like the street markets of other bustling cities, it creates a unique bazaar atmosphere in the heart of the city. Gouba is where Hungarian designers, craftsman, handcraft artists, and antique dealers offer their unique and valuable goods every Sunday between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. You can also buy fresh snacks including natural fl avour potato crisps, bio fruit juice, home-made marmalade, syrup drinks, cheese, pálinka and sweets like chimney cake or home-made bonbons. (From the end of March until the end of October.)

www.soosandrea.com

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SZIMPLA KERT MARKET Buying health food has long traditions in Szimpla kert. If you miss the market on Sunday, you can still encounter the innovative ideas of the pub all year round, such as the organic carrots, which are sold in the evening hours as a specialty. The primary producers’ market is open every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is worth a trip to try food, vegetables and fruit straight from the growers. The programme is complete with open-air steak houses featuring the specialties of the regions and culinary demonstrations. (Kazinczy utca) www.szimpla.hu

WAMP This is a real novelty of Budapest. Those who are receptive to unique items, art and youthful designs should not miss out on WAMP one Sunday a month. You can buy everything from earrings to redesigned jewellry, from kids’ clothes to designer pieces. The most creative interior decoration products as well as the best of food and drink are also available. Each month, you can fi nd the most illustrious fi gures of gastronomy here with home-made honey, Mangalitsa bacon, special muffi ns, organic wine and much more. The event always has a great ambience – it feels a bit like visiting a bustling art colony. Whatever you buy here, whether it’s a pendant made from the Enter key of a keyboard or an old badge of honour, you can be sure you will not encounter it anywhere else because it’s so unique. With its big, roomy space, marvellous food and beautiful pieces it’s an absolute must.

Millenáris Park www.wamp.hu

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Hungary: wine-country IN VINO VERITAS

In general, Hungary’s climate is dry and continental, although southern Hungary is characterised by Mediterranean features. On account of this diversity, the various wine regions deviate substantially from one another, even in the case of geographical proximity. In Hungary today there are 22 registered wine regions. Among these, three can be found in the Great Plain, 15 in Transdanubia, and four in northern Hungary. In terms of territory size, these regions vary tremendously. The two smallest, Mór and Somló are under 1,000 hectares whereas the largest, Kunság sprawls over 25,600 hectares. The size of most of the regions ranges on average from 1,000-5,000 hectares.

EZERFŰ – FÜRTIKE

BUDAI ZÖLD (BUDA GREEN)

FURMINT

True Hungarian variety. It gets its name from the old Buda hills, although these territories have since been occupied by the city. Presently associated with the Badacsony wine region.

CSABAGYÖNGYE

In Hungary found primarily in the wine regions of Tokaj-Hegyalja, Somló, Mecsekalja, and Balatonfüred-Csopak. Its aroma early on is reminiscent of ripe apple, and later of honey and walnut after maturation in wooden barrels. Rich in extract, fiery in character, sourly acidic. A wine that keeps well. In better vintages a wine of outstanding quality, called aszú.

Briskly fruity, discretely muscatel, soft wine with real grape flavours.

Moderate alcohol content.

HÁRSLEVELŰ

CSERSZEGI FŰSZERES A Hungarian wine variety created through the cross-breeding of Irsai Olivér and Red Traminer. Found in the wine regions of Csongrád, Hajos-Baja, Kunság, Etyek-Buda, Balatonfelvidék, and Balatonmelléke. Uniquely spicy bouquet, rich in alcohol and acid.

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A Hungarian wine variety born of the cross-breeding of Hárslevelű and Red Traminer. Straw yellow in colour, bearing traces of flower in its aroma. Rich in alcohol, a pleasant summer wine.

EZERJÓ – BUDAI FEHÉR (BUDA WHITE) A variety of Hungarian origin. Found in the wine regions of Mór, Kunság, and Ászár-Neszmély. Gives a not overly aromatic, greenish white wine. Dry, fi rm, and a bit acidic. A simple wine high in alcohol content with strong acids.

Unique and especially popular in the Mór wine region.

Found in the wine regions of Tokaj-Hegyalja, Mátraalja, Eger, and VillánySiklós. A variety of Hungarian origin. Greenish-yellow in colour, a full-bodied wine. Mildly spicy in flavour, its acids are elegant, its aftertaste a bit caustic. In the course of several years of maturation, it can reach outstanding quality.

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JUHFARK

HUNGARIAN WINE R EGIONS

A specialty of the Somló, Balatonfüred-Csopak, and Etyek-Buda wine regions. A manly wine. Straw yellow, with a unique, special aroma. Decisive in fl avour, special, and acidic. Fine capability for maturation.

KÉKNYELŰ Ancient variety of Hungarian origin, specialty of the Badacsony wine region.

A pale green, light coloured wine. Subtle, decisive aroma and fl avour.

KIRÁLYLEÁNYKA Hungaricum. Found in the wine regions of Etyek-Buda, Balatonboglár, Pannonhalma-Sokoróaljai, and Tolna. Aroma and fl avour reminiscent of mildly muscatel wines. Full-bodied, capable of mature, quality wine.

KADARKA Its best known production site is Szekszárd, but it can also be found in the wine regions of Hajós-Baja, Balatonfüred-Csopak, Kunság, as well as Congrád.

A red wine not rich in tannin, this is why its colour is paler, but its acids are robust.

EGRI BIKAVÉR Wine produced from the fi nest grape varieties in the Eger wine region, now subjected to serious quality control and prepared according to strict rules, has become a real Hungaricum. The dry bikavér, under the influence of several years of maturation in a barrel, has become a refi ned, elegant, and grandiose drink where exciting spicy tastes and fl avours characteristic of acids and blended wine varieties are mixed.

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Sopron Pannonhalmai-Sokoróalja Aszár-Neszmély Zala Balatonmellék Balatonfüred-Csopak Badacsony

Dél-balaton Tolnai Szekszárd Mecsekalja Villány Kunsági Hajós-Baja

Csongrádi Mátraalja Eger Bükkalja Tokaj-Hegyalja

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GASTRONOMY

Stylish wine bars In Hungary, we often say that “in wine there is the truth”. In the past, everybody used to know this saying, but two years ago wine and wine consumption were somewhat redefined in Budapest. Four or five years ago, the drinking and the culture of this heavenly drink made of grape suddenly became trendy. Wine tasting tours in the country and professional events were launched and a small group of fans started to follow where the world of winemakers was heading, and also what the novelties and technologies were in the industry. Restaurants started to have wine nights focusing on red and white wines, wineries presented the wines they had bottled during the previous autumn and what their new wine tasted like. Hotel after hotel hosted wine tasting and gourmet events where the main theme was the wine. And then, two years ago, the wine world really took off. The urban development schemes included a number of ideas, but the essence of the plans was that the square in front of St. Stephen’s Basilica should be turned into a real Italianstyle piazza or pedestrian street. And the common thing was wine.

DIVINO This place has become a legend. It is part of the common history of young winemakers. In Hungary, wine used to be made and bottled by serious and qualified men and winemaking required prudence, and wine tasting was an elegant and old-fashioned event. Back then, the children of famous Hungarian winemakers like Figula, Gere and Kamocsay used to run around the barrels, and some of them later learnt the profession in the best schools of France or California.

A new generation of winemakers emerged whose approach was fresher, bolder and cheekier than their fathers’. And these young men joined forces and started an association. They are known as “Juniborászok” (“Junior Winemakers”), their association is called Junibor Egyesület (“Young Wine Association”), so it is safe to say that they are the young generation. They followed the traditional path of visiting exhibition after exhibition and wine tasting after wine tasting, but they soon realized that they needed a place of their own. So they opened DiVino two years ago, where the common language is wine, opposite the Basilica, at the most beautiful spot in town.

Here, you can taste the latest and most successful wines of Junibor members in a magnificent environment, even while sitting on the edge of the fountain or walking around in the Christmas fair, which is also held near the Basilica. This is a meeting point for winemakers and wine lovers, and they have “consultation hours” every Wednesday. A lot of “fi rst” wines are presented here from a lot of wine regions, including Mór (the most popular one among junior winemakers), Mád and Villány. On the terrace of DiVino, you can discuss the affairs of the world while sipping a glass of Duzsi rosé wine, and tourists from various corners of the world can meet each other and test the products of the local wine culture. DiVino is the place in Budapest that made wine drinking truly trendy and a fashionable option for going out. The slogan here is: you can relax and take it easy here even in a suit! In front of the Basilica

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DOBLO “We taste all kinds of wines, some are tasty, some not so much. Sometimes we fi nd intriguing ones and we add them to our wine list or we invite young, not particularly wellknown winemakers who used to be marketing professionals but then escaped from the city, or winemakers from winemaker families with generations of tradition. Some of these winemakers will become our suppliers. It is not uncommon that some of the winemakers who we discover make it and become suppliers of larger wholesalers, and through them they are added to the wine list of the most prestigious restaurants and clubs.” That’s how this place, one of the Meccas of Hungarian winemakers, describes itself. It is a meeting point and a date venue, and it is a place where they really know the difference between a schiller and a rosé.

(For those who don’t, schiller is somewhere between a red wine and a rosé; it is full-bodied and harsh, but not as heavy as the Bikavér, for instance.) Dob utca 20.

INNIO After DiVino’s success, new bars focusing on wine sprang up all over Budapest. Innio also paid attention to its food selection in addition to its excellent offering of quality Hungarian wines. The interior design is very authentic, it feels as though you are in a spacious wine cellar. It is in Október 6. utca, a three-minute walk from the Basilica, and has weekly events, wine tasting parties and extraordinary DJs.

EGYKETTŐ FRÖCCSLIGET ÉS BORBISZTRÓ This place will celebrate its fi rst birthday this summer. It is located in the Ybl Palace, one of the most breathtaking buildings in Budapest, built in 1869 based on the designs of Miklós Ybl. It is ideal for romantic dates with some spitzer (a combination of wine and soda water, a favourite drink in Hungary), as the design of the place and the indoor fountain create a magnificent atmosphere for a great evening. Those who consider it important should know that dogs are allowed in both the restaurant section and the outdoor area. They are not just tolerated, they are warmly welcome. Károlyi Mihály utca 12.

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Pálinka Pálinka production in Hungary has been steadily growing for the past four years. Pálinka has become fashionable – in the good sense – as more and more people began to take an epicurean attitude to it.

Hungarians have come to appreciate it so much that pálinka now enjoys a higher status in the restaurant industry than whiskey.

Although many disapprove, since September 2010, it is legal to make pálinka at home (for 46 degrees proof spirit).

There are few things and no drink more typically Hungarian than pálinka. In 2002, the European Union also recognised Hungary’s exclusive right to call purely fruit-based distilled beverages pálinka. In other words, pálinka is now officially what the grappa is to the Italian or cognac or calvados to the French.

Comically (or tragicomically), we cannot demonstrate the superiority of our pálinkas, since we, as Hungarians, are the only ones who are allowed to make it. Nevertheless, at international spirit competitions, which do exist, Hungarian pálinka does very well. No wonder that the fi nest pálinkas – and let’s not forget that modern gourmet pálinka making is less than two decades old – are priced at more than 100 per litre.

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BUT WHAT IS PÁLINKA? According to the requirements of the Hungarian Food Codex, only a product made from fermented substances through distillation, using fruit or grape pomace as its base, can be called pálinka. It must be 100% fruit, in other words, no artificial fl avours or potable alcohol may be used for its production. In addition, it must be at least 37.5 degrees proof.

If you would like to taste a truly special pálinka, you should try one of the products listed below, which fall under protected designation of origin. They are made from the unique quality fruits of a given region, retain their scent and taste, and are produced using a Hungarian two-way distillation technique, also known as “kisüsti” distillation: Szatmári Plum Pálinka Kecskeméti Apricot pálinka Békési Plum pálinka (from red plums harvested in the valley of the Körös rivers) Szabolcsi Apple Pálinka Gönczi Apricot Pálinka Újfehértói Sour Cherry Pálinka (‘Újfehértói fürtös’ and ‘Debreceni bőtermő’ types) Göcseji Pear pálinka (from late fruiting pears) Pannonhalmi pomace pálinka (Irsai Olivér, zenit, rajnai rizling, cserszegi fűszeres)

A BIT OF THE PÁLINKA STORY The spread of pálinkas in Hungary is closely linked to the royal family in the 14th century. A similar drink called aqua vitae, or aqua vitae reginae Hungarie (the water of life of the Hungarian queen) was used to treat the arthritis of Queen Elizabeth, wife of King Charles Robert. Based on records from that era, the word ‘pálinka’ was fi rst used in writing around 1630. At that time, beer breweries and pálinka distilleries worked together. Distillation was a feudal privilege; therefore distillation by peasants was restricted. Pálinka distillation was subject to many regulations. It was prohibited to use corn for distilling or fi rewood for the process, or to distil pálinka at the time of church service. The small spirit, pálinka and liquor factories that sprang up beginning in 1799 led to the central regulation of pálinka distillation. In 1836, the feudal privilege of distilling pálinka was enacted. Next, a tax on pálinka was introduced, and beginning in 1850, making spirits became a state monopoly. In 1982, there were as many as 815 distilleries in the country.

Farmers doing hard physical work did not necessarily drink pálinka to induce intoxication. some 80 or 100 years ago, knocking back a shot of pálinka was a good way to get going in the morning. A bigger dose was in order for celebrations or consolation.

In the period following World War II, making pálinka at home was a common activity. During those days, pálinka was often made from poor quality raw materials, under uncontrolled circumstances and in an attempt to circumvent authorities. Today, we have state-of-the art pálinka distilleries in our fruit growing regions, producing premium quality pálinka.

The recently established Knights of the Hungarian Pálinka Order are responsible for organising the annual Pálinka Festival in Budapest.

We have come to learn to appreciate the fi nest brands of our national drink. Specialists are now trained at pálinka academies sponsored by producers. Even though pálinka is not particularly ideal for cocktails, today there are several pálinka cocktail mixingcontests. After all, if some of the fi nest cognacs can be used to make cocktails, why exclude pálinka? On top of that, several restaurants now offer pálinka dinners or tasting nights featuring quality pálinka.

Pálinka is not to be drunk chilled. It gradually releases its fruity fl avour when it’s around 18-20 ˚C. Serve it too cold, and the aromas get trapped. Too warm, and the scents disappear and the drink loses its bite.

A genuine pálinka glass is shaped like a tulip, letting the scents mill around in the bowl part. Of course, you need to have your glass only half full for that. Swirl around the pálinka in the glass with careful, circular movements.

Take it in tiny sips; that is when the pure fruity fl avour is released. After each swallow, take a deep breath to feel the fruity fl avour all the way down your gullet.

You can tell just from a whiff if it is genuine pálinka, or just an artificially fl avoured spirit. If you smell a fruity scent, that is a sure sign that it is real pálinka. Or, if you want to make absolutely sure, you can do a “dry test”: smell the empty glass. If you can still feel the fruity scent, you can be sure it’s pálinka, because artificial aroma escapes with the alcohol right away.

Good pálinka is homogenous and clear, though not always. The fruit bed in “ágyas” (pálinka matured on a fruit bed) and matured pálinkas can change the colour of the liquid. Matured pálinka can also have a pale yellow or even a dark yellow colour.

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THE BUDA CASTLE DISTRICT

TOUR I.

A Historic Sight in Buda Many attractions & a wonderful panoramic view in one place When strolling around one of the most beautiful parts of Budapest, forget historical sites for a minute, and just follow your nose. You can’t go wrong!

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THE BUDA CASTLE DISTRICT

TOUR I.

A Historic Sight in Buda Fabulous attractions and a stunning view all at the same place You can approach Buda Castle from various directions. The most spectacular way is from the Danube side. You pass through an ornamented gate to the palace, which once served as a royal residence, with the statue of a turul bird of ancient Hungarian myth over the gate, holding a sword of valour in its talons. You can then descend to the square in front of the main building via an ornate fl ight of steps. The palace buildings are used as a cultural centre today; they house the Hungarian National Gallery, which contains national art treasures. In front of the gallery you can see the bronze equestrian statue of a hero of a battle against the Turks in the 17th century.

The royal palace buildings also house the Budapest Historical Museum, with an exhibition of the history of the city. The National Széchenyi Library, which contains a collection of all Hungarian publications, including the famous Corvina Codex of King Matthias, was also relocated here from its original site in the National Museum. The Sándor Palace is the office of the President of the Republic of Hungary where foreign heads of state arriving in Hungary, are received. Behind all these historic scenes and settings, however, an active local lifestyle is enjoyed. Not only by year-round

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visitors attracted to the cultural centre, but also because the Buda Castle area is full of ancient meandering streets with historic residential buildings still inhabited today, as well as several public and scientific institutions. The place is therefore ideal to stroll around in, have a coffee or shop; you’ll bump into the must-see sights anyway! You can count on enjoying special events at weekends between spring and autumn.

The ’Street of Handicraft festival is held below the palace area on Hungary’s national holiday, 20 August. This is an event at which tents are put up by handicraft artists, from all corners of the country, to display and offer their products for sale. Naturally, you may also eat and drink there to your heart’s content! There is also a separate festival dedicated to the deservedly famous wines of Hungary. The festival is organised on the same site, and displays classical and new wines from all the Hungarian wine districts. Although not an easy task, it is well worth tasting all the wines. You cannot avoid the marvellous panoramic view which opens up before you from the Buda Castle area. You can also enjoy the view of the Danube and the Pest side of the river opposite, if you take a blue city bus to Dísz tér.

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THE BUDA CASTLE DISTRICT

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Statue of the founder of the state

Alternatively, you may want to take the funicular railway, near the Tunnel, up to the Buda Castle area. For a few minutes, while the car ascends, you will have a breathtaking view of Budapest. Sportier people walk up the gently rising meandering road and look back at the city behind and below them. The most popular lookout point in the Castle District is the Fishermen’s Bastion, built in the neo-Roman style, where people continually take pictures of each other, with Parliament in the background.

Matthias Church, where King Matthias’ wedding was held and which witnessed the coronation of Kings Charles Robert, Francis Joseph and Charles IV, acquired its neo-Gothic form in 1896. Its history is shown in a museum in the church. Due to its excellent acoustics, concerts are often take place there. The Hilton Hotel next to it, is an excellent example of how a modern building can be successfully fitted into an ancient district, creatively encompassing the remains of the old city wall.

You can continue your walk from Szentháromság tér (Holy Trinity Square) towards the medieval trading centre of the castle district, or towards the Baroque palace, built on the medieval foundations of the City Hall of Buda, opposite which you can find small shops and the Ruszwurm Café, with its Empire-style furniture and its famously delicious cakes. There is an interesting tradition concerning the equestrian statue of General András Hadik which stands close by; the noblest parts of the hero’s horse shine brightly, since students resident in the former University of Technology dormitory, housed in the castle,

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believed that by giving the manhood of the horse a massage they would pass their exams. The tradition lives on to this day, even though the engineering students make their pilgrimage from a distance, since the dormitory has been moved from the castle buildings.

No matter which street you take in this idyllic spot, you will find fascinating details, such as medieval stone seats set in niches in the courtyards of historic buildings built in Baroque and Copf styles. In Úri utca, in a wing of the many-times reconstructed building of what was originally the Clarisse cloister, and where later the sub-exchange of the first mechanical automatic telephone exchange was housed, the Telephonia Museum is to be found, with exhibits on the history of the telephone. Here you can also find Tivadar Puskás’s first, manually operated telephone exchange.

The locals like sitting on benches in Tóth Árpád sétány. At the end of this walk, a row of cannons appears. The Museum of Military History is located here, featuring an impressive collection of firearms, originating from before the Turkish wars up to the 20 th century.

The museum also contains uniform, flag, map and coin collections.

A separate exhibition portrays the events of the 1956 revolution.

Invisible from ground level, there is an enormous tunnel system that stretches to the palace. For more adventurous visitors, walks are organised through this underground maze, one section of which contains a wax museum.

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VATHY's corner – Downtown / Pest 1052 Budapest,Petőfi Sándor u. 14 Tel: +36 1 411 0637 Open: Monday-Saturday: 10-19 Sunday: 10-18

VATHY's corner-Hegyvidék Shopping Mall / Buda 1124 Budapest, Apor Vilmos tér 11-12 Tel: + 36 1 201 6217 Open: Monday-Saturday: 10-19 Sunday: 10-16

www.vathyscorner.hu

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TOUR II.

At the Buda end of Szabadság híd (Liberty Bridge), in an area replete with curative hot-water springs, baths were fi rst built during the Árpád Dynasty, as well as at the time of the Turkish occupation.

Today, the area houses the Rudas and a bit farther away in Fő utca, the Király fürdő.

Favourite site foroutdoor programmes A BREATHTAKING PANORAM A OPENS IN FRON T OF YOU R EYES

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TOUR II.

Favourite site for walks A BREATHTAKING PANORAMA OPENS IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES The renowned Gellért Hotel and Baths were constructed at the beginning of the 20th century, and its Art Nouveau effervescent bath has been the setting of numerous feature fi lms. Among the celebrities who have stayed at the hotel are Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, who honeymooned there, Richard Nixon, former President of the United States and Sviatoslav Richter, the world-famous pianist. The hill, a nature conservation area, rises in the centre of Buda and was named after Bishop Gellért (Gerald), who lived at the court of the fi rst Christian king of Hungary, St. Stephen I, and was tutor to his son.

St. Gellért fell victim to pagan rebels in 1046, and, according to legend, he was rolled down the hill in a spiked barrel. His statue, holding a cross over the city, is located among the cliffs opposite Erzsébet híd (Elizabeth Bridge). Opposite the Gellért Hotel, there is a chapel in a hollowed-out cavern in the hillside, built by monks of the Pauline Order. The chapel was restored after a decade’s closure and is now open again.

Other, later legends also surround the hill. In the 17th century, folklore had it that it was the chief meeting place of a witches’ coven, probably because the rites of heathen cults were once held in the area.

Gellért-hegy is a favourite site for outings among residents and tourists alike. You can reach the fl at ridge behind the Citadel, the fortress easily visible from the city, via a road that starts from the nowadays denselybuilt-up east-southeast side of the hill, where the 120 square metre commemorative park has been laid out, with a playground and page

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statues. Thus you can reach the hilltop by this route or by passing the openair swimming-pool at the side of the Gellért Hotel, and then trudging through an area of villas. In this way you can see a famous artists’ house which stands on the corner of Kelenhegyi utca and Mányoki utca. The house is a splendid example of Art Nouveau, successfully combining style with function. The studio fl ats inside were home to several generations of renowned painters, graphic artists and sculptors, József Rippl-Rónay (1861–1927) and Béla Czóbel (1883–1976) among others, and artists still live and work in the building today.

If you go in the direction of Sánc utca, you can see Budapest’s largest underground water reservoir (twice a week, for two hours, the public is admitted to the facility inside the hill). You can also pass Philosophers’ Park on the way, the spiritual tranquillity of which was created by Nándor Wagner (1922–1997). The group of statues, representing the world religions, include Abraham, Ekhnaton, Jesus Christ, Buddha and Lao-tse and are placed on five points of an arc, whereas the fi gures of St. Francis of Assisi, Bodhidharma and Gandhi are positioned on the sides of an equilateral triangle, adjacent to the circle.

According to Budapest folklore, the statue at the top of the hill was originally intended to commemorate the son of Miklós Horthy, one-time governor of Hungary (1868–1957), who died in a WWII plane crash.

The female fi gure was to have held a propeller, not a palm branch. However, this is refuted by the facts. Kisfaludy Stróbl (1884-1975) really did produce

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GELLÉRT GELL E ÉRT RT HILL AND ITS SUR SSURROUNDINGS URROUN UR RRO ROUN NDING NGSS

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a memorial to Horthy junior, which was altogether another work, and stands today over Stróbl’s grave. Successful under every political regime, Stróbl was asked to execute the statue of liberty by Marshal Voroshilov, Stalin’s righthand man. The legend probably reflects society’s rejection of any official Soviet monument. This feeling was further strengthened in June 1992 when Tamás Szentjóby, an avant-garde artist, covered the statue with a white sheet on the fi rst anniversary of the fi nal withdrawal of the Soviet army, so that the Statue of the Spirit of Liberty, rising over the city, would represent the ghost of communism floating away and disappearing for good.

The statue visible from most parts of the city, is a 14 metre high woman holding a palm branch above her head. The composition, erected as a memorial of the liberation of the country, was completed in 1947. The huge fi gure of a Soviet soldier holding a fl ag, however, which stood on the lower level of the monument, was removed after the change of regime and taken to the Tétény Statue Park, which features a collection of political statues from the Communist era.

The Citadel was built on the top of the hill, where an ancient Turkish fort once stood, on the orders of General Haynau, who, after suppressing the 1848 revolution, wanted to intimidate the city with cannons. The 220 metre long, 60 metre wide, four metre high construction, with its 60 cannons, did not, however, meet the requirements of warfare of the time. After reconciliation with the Habsburgs in 1867, the Hungarians demanded the Citadel be demolished, but the garrison troops remained in place until 1897, when the main gate was symbolically broken. Today, in an atmosphere of history, it functions as a tourist centre with a hotel, restaurant and café.

A waxwork museum is housed in an open three-floor World War II bunker and wartime events are featured in a photo exhibition. The so-called Monarchy court hosts handicraft fairs and various cultural programmes.

From a height of 140 metres, a breathtaking panorama opens before your eyes. In clear weather, almost the whole city is visible from this spot. The Danube lies at your feet, with its busy bridges, and with numerous and seemingly tiny church spires and roofs in the distance. One can spot landmarks which help identify the locations of earlier walks. Put aside the guide books, and let the experience speak for itself.

It’s not surprising, however, that sometimes one can’t even fi nd a niche, among all the tourists clicking their cameras, from where to take in this unique and breathtaking panorama.

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TOKAJ WINE “The wine of kings, the king of wines” – goes the saying. There is probably no place on earth where Tokaji aszú is unknown. This one-of-a-kind dessert wine is produced from the dry and normal grapes grown only under the climate of the Tokaj-Hegyalja region.

The wine is made using centuries-old technology with late harvesting of the grapes being the key step. Legend has it that this practice originates in the 17th century when the harvest was often postponed to November due to frequent wars. The dried (“aszú”) grapes are hand-picked and their quantity determines how many butt (“puttony”) the wine has. The real greatness of Tokaji aszú is that with (or despite of) its high sugar content it has high (and good quality) acidic and extract content so it can display the greatness and uniqueness of the terroir, yet it retains its fruity and fresh taste for years.

Hungaricum Classics THE PERFECT BITTERS The Zwack bitters were first produced in 1790 from a secret recipe of one of the family’s ancestors who worked as a physician to Emperor Joseph of Habsburg. The story goes that the drink was named Unicum because upon tasting it, the Emperor exclaimed: “Dist ein Unicum”.

Today Unicum is Hungary’s most popular distilled alcoholic beverage and is virtually available in any restaurant. In the 19th century, in recognition of the stomach healing power of the drink, the Red Cross permitted the family to use the international logo on the bottles.

That is from where the modern trademark, the golden cross on red background evolved. Unicum conquered Europe and is now expanding overseas: in 2010 a number of Internet ad campaigns appeared on U.S. websites.

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EMBROIDERY ART: THE MATYO The Matyo area is located in the Northern part of Hungary. The region consists of three settlements, Mezökövesd (the centre) and two villages.

The Matyo area is united and distinguished from the other settlements of the region by the colourful costumes, famous folklore art and lives tightly interwoven with traditions of the inhabitants. Mezökövesd earned its nationwide reputation based on its unique costumes and freehand embroidery style. The rich and colourful motives were designed and sketched by so-called "writing" (i.e. drawing) women, who wove the various flowers of their gardens into their clothing.

THE LACE OF HALAS Lace, as we know it today, began to conquer the world during the Italian Renaissance but only a few centuries later, in the fi rst quarter of the 20th century, Hungarian lace was already competing against those of Venice and Brussels. The works of art from Halas have won numerous awards worldwide. Prestigious and famous people were presented with Halas lace upon their visits to Hungary including King Umberto, Charles IV of Habsburg, Alice Roosevelt, Queen Julianne of the Netherlands, Pope John Paul II and Princess Hitachi of Japan. Halas lace has become an integral part of Hungarian applied art. Even today the workshop spends close to 5000 man-hours to create each unique cloth approx. 50–60 cm in diameter.

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TOUR III.

Coffee on the terrace Kecskeméti utca, Kálvin tér, Ráday utca Let’s start our walk at one of the oldest and at the same time busiest points of the city, Ferenciek square: we are at a traffic junction, the stops of the buses arriving in Pest from Elizabeth Bridge, those going towards Buda and the number 3 metro line all here.

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TOUR III.

Coffee on the Terrace

Kecskeméti utca, Kálvin tér, Ráday utca The fi rst thing that attracts our eyes on the corner of Petőfi Sándor utca is Párisi Court, the fivestorey palace covered in ceramic tiles, originally built for the Downtown Bank. The ceramic tiles of the eclectic secession style building combining Gothic, Byzantine and Arabesque elements were made by the Zsolnay factory.

Small shops operate in its glass covered passage.

The only royal rental palace of Budapest was opposite: renovations are under way in the interior spaces of the monumental historical block built for Franz Joseph and neglected for decades. In the hall we can see the old original etched door glass or the recently restored coloured glass insets made by the outstanding artist of the era, Miksa Róth. On the ground floor of the four storey house bank offices and smaller shops can be found.

In front of the baroque church of the Franciscans, built at the beginning of the 18th century, the classical statue of the Well of the Nereidas is one of the most popular meeting points in the city centre. Mostly students gather here, as not only the university library but several university faculties are in the neighborhood. This becomes instantly apparent judging by the traffic in the many cafés of Kecskeméti utca. As spring arrives, the pavement becomes full of tables and chairs, and a rich social life is present both day and night, and as we approach Kálvin tér (square) and then Ráday utca it gets even more intense.

Centrál Café is on the corner of Irányi utca and was one of the most famous representatives of café culture of the early 20th century. It is well known that newspapers were not only read in the cafés but written and edited there, and this has not changed. The room on the Károlyi Mihály utca side bears the name of the notable Nyugat (West) journal whose journalists regularly gathered here. Today their shadow images decorate the walls. Centrál is still frequented by many, and newspapers are still being edited here. The building on the corner is the recently renovated Ybl Palace, its cast iron structure, elegant stairs and inner

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court with a restaurant are well worth a look.

Walking along Károlyi Mihály utca we can fi nd the classical one-storey city palace of former Hungarian prime minister Count Mihály Károlyi’s family, with the family coat of arms on its façade. Currently it houses the collections, exhibitions and research rooms of the Petőfi Literary Museum, with a public restaurant and café in the garden and a bookshop on the street front. Behind it is the Károlyi garden: this precious green area downtown tries to somewhat compensate for the neighborhood’s need for nature with a playground and dog walking area.

In Egyetem tér next to the grand building of the University of Law is the two towered baroque university church built in the 18th century by the Paulans. Take a look at the soft curves and richly structured façade, the hand-carved oak gate wings and one of the most beautiful works of the Hungarian baroque: the pulpit and the carved cabinet of the vestry.

Leaving behind the eclectic, romantic buildings, small shops, and cafés of Kecskeméti utca and passing the ruins of the city wall from the middle ages, we get to a busy area again, Kálvin tér featuring the reformed church which gave its name to the square. Múzeum utca runs into the crowded square, and the Hungarian National Museum designed by Mihály Pollack is here. It is an outstanding work of Hungarian classicism with students traditionally hanging out on its stairs and in the garden.

The museum garden is a key spot in Ferenc Molnár’s world famous novel The Paul Street Boys. Several movie adaptations have been made of the story about the adolescent heroes of Józsefváros. Besides the Hungarian version there has been an American- Hungarian co-production and then recently an Italian adaptation which – due to the supposed taste of today’s viewers – considerably differs from the story it was based upon.

The neighbourhood of Múzeum utca considered as the street of secondhand bookshops has a youthful character. The shops

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and cafés at the beginning of Baross utca lead to the Szabó Ervin Library housed in the neobaroque Wenckheim Palace and cater for the needs of the 21 st century. Walking on, we get to Mikszáth tér, a popular place with the Budapest youth. In the neighbouring streets we may fi nd numerous venues of alternative culture: cafés, galleries, record shops.

Leaving Kálvin tér for Ráday utca, we can see it is a street of the arts and gastronomy, a real resting place. There are nice little shops here, offering works of fashion designers and jewellers. In the limited car traffi c we can discover the many tea houses, cafés and galleries and fi nd the one that best suits our mood. The cobble-stoned walking street entices us with its shop windows, colourful chairs, giant parasols and neon lights in the summer, and offers culinary adventures in the winter. We can fi nd Spanish restaurants, Italian trattorias, Parisian cafés real southernSlavic bistros, Persian cuisine with water pipes, an English tea house, a Danish sandwich place and classic Hungarian confectioneries.

However, those searching for that retro vibe may find the legacy of the happy 1970s with a “decadent” sputnik chandelier, factory clock from the GDR or a Carilbon Wurlitzer. We can find many shops to please our eyes: a form-oriented shop offering multifunctional design, a classic store selling wrought iron

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furniture, bold amateur shops and of course contemporary art galleries. Cultural events are frequent here in which the restaurants and cafés are also involved – housing exhibitions, events, book shows. Its atmosphere may remind you of the Mitte district in Berlin or the Marais district in Paris.

A few minutes’ walk from here and we are at Kultiplex, one of the most frequented alternative clubs. Walking on and crossing the ring road we arrive at yet another cultural zone. Another of the cultural institutions of Ferencváros can be found here: Trafó, the house of contemporary arts housed in the former building of a transformer house built in the industrial secession style. Within the building we can enjoy contemporary dance, theatre and music and it’s also an international meeting point. Tűzraktér, a cultural centre, has recently been awarded the Pro Urbe Budapest, is an independent cultural centre, the building of which used to be a factory producing medical equipment. It now stages, concerts and other artistic experiments.

Not far from here in Páva utca we can fi nd the Holocaust Memorial Centre which remembers the 600,000 Hungarian victims of the holocaust with permanent and seasonal exhibitions and programmes. Its exciting group of buildings includes an almost 100-year-old synagogue which is part of the exhibition space.

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Chrisand

Fur & Leather Kempinski Hotel Fashion Street side 1051, Budapest, Erzsébet tér 7-8. + 36-1-429-34-73 Four Season Hotel Gresham Palace 1051, Budapest, Széchenyi tér 5-6. +36-70-318-43-24 Open every day: 10-19. www.chrisand.hu

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TOUR IV.

The city of bridges Along the Danube by boat and tram Most of the spectacular sights of Budapest are to be seen from the banks of the Danube, or from the Danube itself. Let’s take off on a sightseeing tour – by tram! The ever-popular yellow trams have routes along both banks. Tram number 2 runs along the Pest side with its windows offering splendid views of the Buda side. Alternatively, if we board tram number 19 on the Buda side, we can enjoy the view of Pest.

One can board a boat on the Pest side at the Belgrád Rakpart (quay) below Vigadó tér (square) and the Hotel Intercontinental. It’s important to check schedules, however, since they vary from season to season.

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TOUR IV.

The city of bridges Along the Danube by boat and tram

Let’s start our tour in Pest by getting on tram 2 at the Jászai Mari tér terminal. We are at the Pest bridge end of Margit híd (Margaret bridge), at one end of Nagykörút (The Great Ring Road). Looking over at the Buda side we can see Rózsadomb (Hill of Roses), one of the city’s most exclusive residential areas, with the church towers of Buda Castle also visible above, to the left. The tram now turns away from the river for a moment to pass the eastern façade of the Parliament building. Then, returning to the riverside, we can see the lovely buildings in Batthyány tér with the Matthias Church high above, across the river.

The tram then inches its way under Széchenyi Lánchíd (the Chain Bridge), the city’s oldest stone bridge. On Count István Széchenyi’s initiative, and based on Tierney William Clark’s plans, it was built by Adam Clark. The difficulties of construction were not alleviated by the 1848 War of Independence, – it was even hit by a cannon ball but still managed to open for traffic in 1849.

A year later, the lion statues guarding each end of the bridge were installed and immediately provoked heated public debate: it appeared that the lions did not have tongues, and the builder was rumoured to have committed suicide. It later turned out they did have tongues but only visible from above, and that the builder lived on. One can still see people closely examining the lions to satisfy themselves of the truth of the matter.

The tram continues its journey along the Danube bank passing a row of hotels. It’s perhaps worth getting off here to sit for a while on the so-called Buchwald chairs on the promenade, reproduced as examples of the period.

There are also numerous eateries in the area, although in fi ne weather it’s hard to fi nd a table on the restaurant and café terraces. Across the river, Buda Castle and the National Gallery are at their most beautiful from here, as we watch the funicular railway climbing the steep hillside to reach them.

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Shine...

We’ll do the rest!

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Also here, by the promenade railings, is the famous statue of the Little Princess, by László Marton. Most visitors stand here to get their photos taken. Occasionally, the photographer also captures a shot of tram 2 in the background, the very tram we have just ridden.

In Vigadó tér, stands the Vigadó building (often translated as ‘Place of Merriment’), designed in the romantic style by Frigyes Feszl to replace the ‘Redout’, that used to stand here. In 1865, the year of its opening, the Hungarian composer, Liszt Ferenc (Franz Liszt) appeared here on the opening night of his oratorio, The Legend of Saint Elizabeth. The Vigadó is still a popular venue for concerts and other cultural events, and is home to a gallery, as well. The row of exclusive hotels ends at Március 15. tér. Here stands the Statue of Sándor Petőfi , the poet of the Revolution and War of Independence of 1848, with the Greek Orthodox Church behind him.

The Belvárosi Plébániatemplom (inner city Parish Church), the oldest building in Pest, built with stone from nearby Contra-Aquincum, stands opposite the Erzsébet híd (Elizabeth Bridge) pier. The original Romanesque church built on this spot was succeeded by a Gothic church that was partially destroyed in the period of Turkish rule. Nineteen of the old pews as well as the Gothic chancel may still be seen. It gained its present Baroque style in the fi rst half of the 18th century. Erzsébet híd, originally built in 1903,

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was, for 20 years, the longest spanning chain bridge in the world. It was paved with wooden blocks and those crossing had to pay a toll of 2 ‘krajcár’, the small change of the period. It was blown up, together with all the other bridges in Budapest, by retreating German forces during World War II. While the other bridges were rebuilt immediately after the war, the modern suspension bridge, designed to be the successor of Erzsébet híd, was not opened until the ‘60s.

Trams ran along the bridge until 1973.

On the Buda side you can now see the towers of Gellérthegy (Gellért Hill), but watch out because we need to get off at the next stop, Szabadság-híd (Liberty Bridge)! This bridge was originally named after the Habsburg emperor Franz Joseph, who attended the inauguration ceremony, and is said to have inserted a silver rivet bearing his initials with his own hands.

Before crossing the bridge, it really is worth popping into the Nagycsarnok (Great Market Hall) to do a spot of souvenir shopping, and perhaps sample the lunch counters in the gallery, the best deal in town! Walking across the bridge one arrives at the Gellért Medicinal Baths and Spa Hotel, in front of which you can take tram 19 going northbound, back along the river, to Batthyány tér. The tram passes the cliffs of Gellért Hill and the Rudas Medicinal Bath, with its architecture reminiscent of Turkish times. You can see the statue of Empress Sissi in

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the small park under the Elizabeth bridge. The large green area, only partially visible from the tram, used to be a district of vineyards, with little streets winding their way among small village houses and bars. Now a recreation area, romantic Tabán park is a popular venue for open-air concerts. The only square left from the old Tabán neighbourhood was named after a late Baroque building, the Szarvas-ház (Deer House), originally built in the 18th century and then rebuilt in the 19th century, after a fi re. The parish church of Saint Catherine used to stand here as well.

Now glance over to the other side of the Danube, where we can see the entire row of hotels and Vigadó tér. If we turn back quickly, we can see the beautiful but dilapidated Varkert (Castle Garden) Bazaar, neo Renaissance in style and designed by Miklós Ybl. Arriving at Széchenyi Lánchíd (the Chain Bridge), we look left at the Tunnel, carved into the hill, which connects the Viziváros area with Krisztinaváros.

There is a wide-spread belief that the tunnel was built so that the Chain Bridge could be slid into it in inclement weather! If we now look over to the Pest side at the end of the bridge, we can see Széchenyi tér with its impressive Academy of Sciences and the famous Jugend Stil (Art Nouveau) Gresham building.

The tram now passes the popular bicycle path, that runs along the Danube embankment.

If we can take our eyes off the river for a moment, to the left we can see the remarkable brick-built Calvinist church in a square which once served as a market in the Middle Ages.

The church was designed by Samu Pecz who designed the Market Hall in Fővám tér. Tram

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19 terminates at Batthány tér, where we can enjoy the architecture we saw at the start of our tram trips, at close quarters. From here, there is also a superb view of the Parliament buildings, designed in a unique Byzantine Gothic style.

Kossuth híd (Kossuth Bridge) was built in 1945 to substitute the bridges destroyed in the war, and to be a symbol of the reconstruction of Budapest.

The bridge, demolished in 1960, connected Batthyány tér, a busy junction since Roman times, to the Parliament building on the opposite bank of the Danube. Today one can only see a memorial plaque, located where the bridge met the Buda river bank. However, a temporary pontoon bridge was built at this location in 2003, to be a venue for cultural events celebrating Hungary’s accession to the European Union.

If you want to view Budapest by boat, they leave from the quay at Vigadó tér and it’s well worth booking a daytime as well as an evening trip.

During the day, the boat ride takes passengers between the two parts of the city, Pest and Buda amid numerous sights. Multi-lingual audio commentaries are available. Passing the great Parliament buildings, one can enjoy the panorama of Margitsziget (Margit Island) and the beauty of the Castle District, the Royal Palace, Matthias Church, the Fishermen’s Bastion and the Citadella. On the southbound part of the trip, you can see the National Theatre and the Palace of Arts appearing on the east bank. On the way back, one sees the universities, the Market Hall and some of Budapest’s luxury hotels. At night, the same route offers a totally different experience, with a splendid show of light presenting the city in all its unique beauty.

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A CULTURAL WALK

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TOUR V.

The new face of the riverbank A cultural walk

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The area between Petőfi híd (bridge) and II. Rákóczi Ferenc híd, in the southern part of Budapest is a rapidly developing zone. On the Buda side, the campus of the University of Technology and the University of Sciences has been created, and nearby lies the Info Park, where the head offices of several global information technology and telecommunications companies are located.

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A CULTURAL WALK

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On the Pest side, the fi rst units of a new cultural centre have been established, and in the surrounding area residential buildings and a new congress centre are being constructed.

Here, at the foot of II. Rákóczi Ferenc híd, stands the new National Theatre, built just a few years ago and one of the most debated buildings of the past few years. Its critics view the neo-Eclectic block, surrounded by a huge park, as post-modern trash resembling an ornamental ship. The path leading to the main entrance is lined with statues of actors and actresses, outstanding in the history of the National Theatre, with some depicted in their most famous roles. On the Danube side of the theatre, there is a stone pyramid, or ziggurat, an amalgam of the spirits of several ancient cultures. As one ascends the spiralling inner path, seven small rooms appear, suitable for exhibitions and theatrical events. Reaching the top, one fi nds oneself opposite the university campus, and one can view the other side of the river from an interesting, new angle.

Behind this is the recently completed National Palace of Arts, which houses three cultural institutions. One, the Ludwig Museum, moved here from Buda Castle, has a significant collection of contemporary art. Its functional, spacious, well-lit exhibition rooms overlook the Danube; on the third floor, you can see the permanent exhibition, whereas temporary exhibitions and events are organised on the fi rst floor. From spring to autumn, the museum’s café opens out onto a terrace overlooking the Danube.

At vernissages, the crowd swarms not only out onto the terrace but also onto the stairs leading to it. On an ordinary weekday, the visitor, after viewing the museum’s exhibits, can relax, looking out over the river again to see the Buda Hills, from a different angle.

The Bartók Béla National Concert Hall, a huge world-class venue, with excellent acoustics for Hungary’s very active concert scene, has with its rehearsal and service rooms, become the home of the National Philharmonic Orchestra, led by world-famous pianist and conductor, Zoltán Kocsis. Of course, guest orchestras and choirs perform here on a regular basis. The eastern part of the building houses the National Dance Theatre, where international dance performances, chamber operas, concerts, and jazz events are held.

One hundred years ago, there were several factories in the vicinity. Today, in these old industrial buildings, clubs and galleries have set up shop. These unique locations are also suitable for building open plan, atmospheric private apartments, known as ‘lofts’, very popular in Budapest over the past decade.

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TOUR VI.

An Eden in the heart of Margaret Island Margitsziget

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Almost no one goes to Margitsziget (Margaret Island) alone.

Some go with their families, some with their lovers, and some take the dog for a walk. If you see people on their own, they are probably jogging or running to the swimming pool, baths or tennis courts with their swim suits or tennis racquets in their bags. The island, with a length of 2.5 kilometres, is a favoured jogging, sporting and leisure area. It has been a spa since 1929, owing to its mineral springs. High quality wellness services are available at its elegant hotels.

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MARGARET ISLAND

TOUR VI.

An Eden in the heart of the City M ARGITSZIGET

The water tower, built in 1911, was the fi rst ferro-concrete structure in Hungary, and today is an industrial memorial used for exhibitions.

In 1938, the Outdoor Stage was erected here, the highest, warmest and most protected spot on the island, where musicals are performed in the summer season. The competition swimming pool, recently expanded for the European Swimming Championships, was built in 1930.

The facility was designed by Alfréd Hajós, architect, after whom the building complex was later named.

At the same time, Hajós was the Olympic swimming champion in the Athens Games of 1896, and the very fi rst Hungarian Olympic athlete. This sportsman, who also took an active part in Hungarian soccer, worked as an architect in the Ignác Alpár and Ödön Lechner studios and then continued his career on his own.

The designs of numerous sports centres all over the country are linked to his name. His most famous work is the Bauhaus building located on the corner of Andrássy út (boulevard) and Munkácsy Mihály utca (street) in central Pest.

The islands’s Palatinus lido offers seasonal entertainment. The pools and baths were built in 1921 and feature a 70,000 square metre lawn.

Crowds of children and adults, on extremely hot days, enjoy the coolness of the swimming baths, especially the wave pools, supplied from the thermal springs of Margitsziget.

The grand lawn is not only used for peaceful family picnics or impromptu badminton contests, but frequently hosts pop music concerts that attract the general public. The Nagyszálló (Grand Hotel), designed by Miklós Ybl, can be found nearby, its shady terrace dominated by a leisurely atmosphere in which simply every one has to have at least one ice-cream.

The neighbouring Thermal Hotel, built much later, provides a wide range of medicinal services. Apart from those demanding comfortable and high quality holidays, with a wide range of wellness services, in elegant surroundings, the hotel is also visited by those suffering from locomotive disorders who need the beneficial effects of mineral waters and the medical treatments related to them.

The great thing about Margitsziget is that it is a beautiful and quiet place located right in the heart of the city. Anyone needing a noisy atmosphere instead, can plunge into the pool of sparkling metropolitan city life within minutes!

RUNNING Running is quite a fashionable sport in Hungary.

In addition to frequent running competitions, marathons, half marathons and jogging along the river Danube are also popular. Margaret Island is what sports fans favour the most with its 4.5 km long running track around the island built to protect the knees. Czakó utca is very popular on the Buda side with a panoramic view of the city from the Castle District. Many run as well as ride their bicycles along the bank of the Danube.

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LUXURY BUDAPEST

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ANDRÁSSY ÚT AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

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Andrássy út (boulevard) has been called the “champs Elysée of Hungary”. A Budapest highlight, it features splendid palaces and a compelling variety of shops, coffee houses and eateries, so much so that property developers keep a weather eye open for special deals. Guess, Louis Vuitton, Nespresso and Ermenegildo Zegna all have shops here. Gucci and Burberry are also said to have set their sights on Andrássy út, soon to become italicise shopping street for luxury goods in Budapest and meeting point for prestigious companies.

TOUR VII.

Boulevard of history and fashion Andrássy út and its surroundings

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ANDRÁSSY STREET AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

TOUR VII.

Boulevard of history and fashion Andrássy út and its surroundings The layout of this imposing 2.5 kilometre avenue, which stretches from Deák tér (square) to City Park, is a good example of conscious late 19th century city planning.

Beneath it, the first electric underground railway in Europe was built in 1896. The cream colour and brown tiles decorating each station were manufactured by the Zsolnay Manufacturing Company. A few of the underground’s original carriages are on display at the Underground Museum, located in the Deák tér underpass. The permanent photo exhibitions in each station depict the history of former famous buildings located in the vicinity. Pieces of the largest collection of Tokaji

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Aszú in Hungary are on display (and on sale) in a shop in Anker köz.

The primarily neo-Renaissance buildings of Andrássy út reflect the essential architectural eclecticism and historicism that is Budapest.

They hide numerous exciting details. Number 3, housing the Postal Museum, for example, features frescos by Károly Lotz, and is well worth a visit. Taking a short walk up from Deák tér, on the left we fi nd the Opera House, designed by the leading architect of his age, Miklós Ybl. The building surely competes with its archeotypes in Paris and Vienna. Its interior frescos, sculptures and grandiose interiors provide a venue for the music that plays such an outstanding role in Budapest life. Countless world-famous artists have performed here - from Anja Silja to Nesterenko. Richter gave a concert here and the composer Gustave Mahler was its artistic director for many years. ‘Bluebeard’s Castle’, ‘The Wooden Prince’ and ‘The Miraculous Mandarin’, world famous masterpieces by Béla Bartók (1881–1945), premièred here, and have been performed regularly ever since.

Bartók’s masterpieces were not always so well received. The “Miraculous Mandarin” created a scandal after its fi rst performance in Cologne, and Konrad Adenauer, the mayor at that time, banned the ballet.

The Opera House’s dramatic interiors play host to the annual Opera Ball, at which Gina

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Callas Café & Restaurant On Budapest’s finest street, right next to the State Opera House. Art Déco style classic coffee house, designed by legendary architect David Collins.

Pre & after opera: international and Hungarian cuisine, wide assortment of home-made pastries, coffees and cocktails. Live salon music at dinner time 8 p.m. - midnight Tuesday-Sunday.

Address 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 20.

Phone e +36 1 354 0954 Web b www.callascafe.hu E-maill callascafe@gmail.com Facebook k www.facebook.com/callascafe

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Lollobrigida, Catherine Deneuve, and Ornella Muti have been among the traditionally-invited official guests. Classical musical instrument workshops and intimate coffee bars are situated in neighbouring Hajós utca, recently converted into a pedestrian precinct. Steven Spielberg shot the feature fi lm ‘Munich’ in the summer of 2005, in the immediate vicinity of the Opera House.’ The Drechsler Palace, opposite, used to be a coffeehouse, and will soon be turned into a luxury hotel. Its side street leads to the Új Színház (‘New Theatre’), a building originally designed in 1909 as a nightclub, featuring Béla Lajta’s art déco designs and only later becoming a theatre.

Moving up Andrássy út, coffeehouses abound: the Három Holló (‘The Three Crows’) was opened at a former hang-out of Endre Ady a poet who had a significant impact on Hungarian literary life, at the beginning of the 20th century; Művész (‘The Actor’), with its mirrored hall and the favourite meeting point of contemporary actors from neighbouring theatres, is located on the other side of the street.

Approaching Nagymező utca, in other words the ‘Broadway of Pest’, we can see how this street of theatres evolved from the former nightclub quarter. The still lively Moulin Rouge has endured from the music hall revue époque, typical of the beginning of the last century, and opposite there is a threestoried nightclub called Arizona, which prospered between the two World Wars.

A 1988 Italo-Hungarian fi lm, ‘Miss Arizona’ by Pál Sándor, starring Hanna Schygulla and Marcello Mastroianni, depicted the history of the club. Currently the building houses the Photographic Museum, with exhibits on show in the studio of Manó Mai, a former

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photographer. It is worth taking a little time to visit this museum. It is not only its particular atmosphere that fascinates, but also the world-famous Hungarian photographers’ works exhibited here (Kertész, Capa, Brassai etc.). The museum bookshop sells many exquisite collections of photographs. Facing the Arizona is the Operetta Theatre, successor to the famous Somossy Music Hall which brought such success to the Austro-Hungarian Imperial musical genre. The cast travelled the whole world to perform the iconic ‘Csárdás Queen’. Apart from the classic masterpieces of Ferenc Lehár and Imre Kálmán, more modern musicals still attract the audiences of today ‘Beauty and the Beast’, ‘Rudolph’, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ ‘Mozart’ and even the klezmer musical ‘Menyasszonytánc’ (‘Dance with the Bride’).

The Thália Theatre is located in this street, whilst at the other end the Radnóti and Tivoli Theatres are to be found. The Ernst Museum can also be found there, its black marble seats in a secessionist-style interior designed by Ödön Lechner. Continuing to walk up Andrássy út, and at the next corner on the left we fi nd the statue of Mór Jókai, the great novelist of the 19th century and also the square named after him.

On the right we can see Liszt Ferenc tér and the composer’s statue. On the corner, one of the best bookshops in the city used to house the Japán Café, frequented by famous writers and artists.

This is the city’s most fashionable and lively entertainment district and a favourite meeting point of Budapest youth and visitors, where restaurants and clubs are full all year round.

The hustle and bustle of the street may well remind one of Paris, with its hard-to-fi nd free tables placed along the square in the summer.

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ANDRÁSSY STREET AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

There is a generous variety of restaurants and cafés from traditional Hungarian, Italian and French to international fusion with a famous patisserie where you can select a scrumptious dessert. At Christmas time, small wooden kiosks join the array of restaurants to sell traditional handmade goods and gifts during the daytime.

The most famous building in the square is the Conservatory of Music, with its seated statue of Ferenc Liszt by Lajos Stróbl on the façade. The splendid auditorium inside this secession style building should not be missed. We now arrive at Oktogon where the Nagykörút (Great Ring Road) crosses our path. Oktogon is a popular and busy meeting point featuring a number of clubs and restaurants. The octagonal square pulsates at all times of the day. From here, Király and Paulay utca, running parallel to Andrássy út, offer a magical atmosphere of the early 20th century with different styles of busy cafés and restaurants.

The fi rst Israelian Cultural Institute of the world opened in 2010 in Paulay Ede utca. The Institute highlights each segment of the colourful mosaicculture and welcomes visitors with concerts, exhibitions and fi lms.

Next we fi nd the Old Music Conservatory, built in neo-Renaissance style, on the corner of Vörösmarty utca, followed by the Puppet Theatre and Academy of Fine Arts. The Lukács Confectionery Store, a relative of Gerbeaud and Művész, is located in the bank building opposite. From Kodály Körönd (circle), named after the composer and music educator who used to live here, the street becomes more and more a boulevard. Elegant mansion house embassies, museums (the East-Asian Museum) and restaurants. For example, in Kogart, on the ground floor of the journalists’ club, we can view contemporary works of art whilst dining in a splendid restaurant.

Reaching Hősök tere (Heroes’ Square), we fi nd the Hungarian Millenium Memorial, built in 1896.

The chiefs of the seven Hungarian tribes ride beneath the fi gure of archangel Gabriel who stands on a Corinthian column. The bronze equestrian fi gures of these great Hungarian kings are placed between crescent-shaped rows of columns, behind the sculpture. The square is bordered by the Szépművészeti Múzeum (Museum of Fine Arts) on the left, which exhibits important ancient artifacts as well as more modern European paintings and holds large-scale temporary exhibitions, and by the Műcsarnok (Art Gallery) on the right, which features contemporary art. Not far from these classical buildings stands one of the most significant and disputed new buildings of the past few years, the ING Bank headquarters, built to 21st century requirements and designed by the Dutch and star architect, Erick van Egeraat, with a team of Hungarian architects.

If we keep on walking, we arrive at Városliget (Central City Park).

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“WELCOME TO MY WORLD”

Thom Richard is one of the few pilots in the world to possess the talent, experience and courage required to compete in the final of the famous Reno Air Races – the world’s fastest motorsport. Less than ten champions are capable of vying with each other at speeds of almost 800 km/h, flying wing to wing at the risk of their lives, just a few feet off the ground. It is for these elite aviators that Breitling develops its chronographs: sturdy, functional and ultra high-performance instruments all equipped with movements chronometer-certified by the COSC – the highest official benchmark in terms of reliability and precision. Welcome to the Breitling world.

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CHRONOMAT 44

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Budapest Operetta and Musical Theatre ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: KERO®

A sitting statue of Emmerich Kálmán, Hungary’s most famous operetta composer faces the more than 100-year-old building designed by the famous Viennese architectural duo Fellner and Helmer.

Between 1999 and 2001 it was completely refurbished. The most modern European stage technology was insalled in and the beautiful original decoration was regained along with the balcony row. Today the theatre has 901 seats in an air-conditioned auditorium.

The former objects retained in the building - lamp statues and columns - are in perfect harmony with the new colourful glass windows, the mirrors, the period furniture of the buffet and the wooden floor.

The auditorium is lit by an 100-year-old old chandelier. The row of boxes, the golden stuccos, the walls dressed in velvet and the allegorical

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statuettes decorating the entrance elevate your theatre evening into a real feast.

With 600 annual shows and almost 500,000 spectators, this theatre is the most popular in Hungary today. "There are several music venues in each city where you can listen to good music, but operetta has only one address: Nagymező utca 17, Budapest," wrote the journal Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung about Hungarian operetta’s passionate and fiery temper, its virtuoso dances and enchanting visuals which are well-known and acknowledged throughout the world. The theatre's repertoire contains the most popular musical shows as well. Pieces by Emmerich Kálmán, Franz Lehár, Sylvester Lévay, ClaudeMichel Schönberg and several others are performed here.

The creative teams of the theatre plays a vital part in staging these works in co-production with the theatres of Saint Petersburg, Bucharest, Yekaterinburg, Prague, Salzburg and Erfurt and its company regularly presents shows in countries in Europe and Asia. The theatre won the exclusive rights to play the Disney musical Beauty and the Beast in Germany, Switzerland and Austria and to organise the Lehár and Lévay Singing Competi-tions and the Emmerich Kálmán International Operetta-Musical Conductor Competition.

The Budapest Operetta and Musical Theatre was granted Superbrand status in 2012 and 2013, and Hungary offi cially declared the Hungarian Operetta as a National Treasure and Hungaricum in 2013.

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Repertoire Shows are subtitled – operettas in German, musicals in English.

EMMERICH K ÁLMÁN: THE GYPSY P RINCESS

G ERARD P RESGURVIC: ROMEO AND JULIET

operetta

musical

EMMERICH K ÁLMÁN: THE CIRCUS P RINCESS

GERARD P RESGURVIC: G ONE WITH THE WIND

operetta

musical

EMMERICH K ÁLMÁN: C OUNTESS M ARITZA

A LAN M ENKEN: THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

operetta

musical

FRANZ L EHÁR: THE L AND OF SMILES

SYLVESTER L ÉVAY: R EBECCA

operetta

musical

PAUL Á BRAHÁM: VICTORIA AND HER HUSSAR

CLAUDE-M ICHEL SCHÖNBERG: M ISS SAIGON

operetta

musical

SZIRMAI ALBERT: M IKE THE M AGNATE

SYLVESTER L ÉVAY: ELISABETH

operetta

musical

JÁVORI FERENC FEGYA: WEDDING DANCE

DAVE STEWART-G LEN BALLARD -B RUCE JOEL RUBIN: G HOST

klezmer-operetta

TOLCSVAY LÁSZLÓ: JÓZSIÁS, THE DEVIL-SLAYER rock-operetta

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musical

Budapest Operetta and Musical Theatre 1065 Budapest, Nagymező utca 17.

Ticket sales: +36 1 312 4866 ticket@operett.hu www.operett.hu or ask your concierge

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LISZTACADEMY.HU

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Liszt Academy Both as university and concert centre, the Liszt Academy is an emblematic institution of Budapest. Its foundation coincided with the birth of the metropolis on the Danube. Its geographical location is at the very heart of the city and its intellectual and artistic influence is universal. The Liszt Academy is a medium for making Hungarian values global.

The Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, which was founded by the Hungarian master 138 years ago, and the music palace's concert halls that were opened 106 years ago – which in their interior design reflect one of the most perfect iconographic examples of Hungarian Art Nouveau – were combined into a new, single entity in October 2013.

The characteristics of the Grand Hall, with acoustics that project with crystal-clear clarity the tonality of symphonic orchestras as well as the most intimate vibrations of solo or chamber concerts, and the Solti Hall attracting full houses with increasingly popular opera performances and chamber operas, are acknowledged worldwide. This is another reason why the magnificent music palace will be hosting the four rounds of the 1st International Singing Competition in autumn 2014. The concert venue for the various rounds and the final of the competition named after world-famous soprano Éva Marton, professor emerita at the Liszt Academy, honorary member of the Vienna Staatsoper, is the very same place that the greatest artists of the past century, from Arturo Toscanini and Otto Klemperer to Sviatoslav Richter and Leonard Bernstein, all admired. Every concert at the Liszt Academy is an unforgettable experience! The jewel in the crown of Budapest must be seen at least once in a lifetime!

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SHOPPING GUIDE

Luxury and the city ANDRÁSSY SHOPPING GUIDE Adidas 1062 Budapest, Andrássy út 37. +36 1 239 1361 www.adidas.com M-Fr: 10:00-19:00 Sa-S: 12:00-17:00

Franck Müller 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 20. +36 1 301 4940 www.franckmuller.hu M-Fr: 10:00-19:00 Sa: 11:00-18:00

Louis Vuitton 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 24. +36 1 373 0487 www.louisvuitton.com M-Fr: 10:00-19:00 Sa: 11:00-18:00

Alberto Guardiani 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 34. +36 1 354 0054 www.albertoguardiani.com M-Fr: 10:00-19:00 Sat: 10:00-18:00

Frey Wille 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 43. +36 1 413 0175 www.frey-wille.com M-Fr: 10:00-19:00 Sa: 10:00-16:00

Marco Bicego 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 13. +36 1 328 0117 www.marcobicego.hu M-Fr: 10:00-19:00 Sa: 10:00-14:00

Sinéquanone 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 7. +36 30 227 1612 www. sinequanone.hu

Armani 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 9. +36 1 550 0300 www.fashioncompany.hu M-Sa: 10:30-19:30

Gas Jeans 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 14. +36 30 382 1782 www.gasjeans.hu M-Sa: 10:00-20:00 S: 10:00-19:00

Max Mara 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 21. +36 1 413 0717 www.mmbudapest.hu M-Fr: 10:00-19:00 Sa: 10:00-18:00

Stan Ahuja 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 38. +36 1 354 0195 www.stanahuja.com M-Fr: 10:00-19:00 Sa: 11:00-16:00

Boggi Milano 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 15. www.boggi.it M-Fr: 10:00-19:00 Sa: 10:00-18:00

Glamour Boutique 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 35. +36 1 322 1046 M-Fr: 10:00-20:00

Naracamicie 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 27. +36 20 298 1412 www.naracamicie.hu M-Sa: 10:00-20:00 S: 10:00-17:00

S.T. Dupont 1061 Budapest,Andrássy út 3. +36 1 7200 108 www.st-dupont.hu M-Fr: 10:00-19:00, Sa: 11:00-18:00, S: closed

Burberry 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 24. +36 1 302 0628 www.burberry.com M-Fr: 10:00-18:00 Sa: 11:00-18:00

Gold Store 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 33. +36 30 324 8004 M-Fr: 10:00-19:00 Sa: 11:00-19:00 S: 11:00-18:00 www.goldstore.hu

Nespresso 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 27. +36 1 322 0722 www.nespresso.com M-Fr: 10:00-19:00 Sa: 10:00-17:00

Tag Heuer 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 2. +36 1 269 4199 www. tagheuer.hu M-Fr: 10:00-18:00 Sa: 10:00-13:00

Gucci 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 23. +36 1 322 0971 www.gucci.com M-Fr: 10:00-19:00 Sa: 11:00-18:00

Omega 1065 Budapest, Andrássy út 18. +36 1 312 6449 www.omegaboutique.hu M-Fr: 10:00-18:00 Sa: 10:00-13:00

Vertu 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 31. +36 1 413 1096 www.vertu.com M-Fr: 10:00-19:00, Sa: 10:00-17:00

Guess 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 4. +36 1 354 0565 www.guess.com M-Sa: 10:00-20:00 S: 10:00-18:00

Pelote 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 15. +36 1 411 1615 www.pelote.hu M: 10:00-16:00, Tu-We: 10:00-19:00 Th: 10:00-20:00, Fr: 10:00-19:00, Sa: 10:00-17:00

Wolford 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 6. +36 1 342 1576 www.wolford.com M-Fr: 10:00-19:00 Sa: 10:00-17:00 Su: 10:00-15:00

Replay 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 11. www.replay.it

Zilli 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 13. +36 1 267 4448 www.zilli.fr M-Fr: 11:00-19:00 Sa: 11:00-16:00

Caprice 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 27. +36 (1) 321-2057 www.caprice.co.hu M-Fr: 10:00-19:00 Sa: 10:00-18:00 Capsula 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 9. +36 (1) 550-0600 www.capsula.hu Coccinelle 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 13. www.coccinelle.com

Herendi 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 16. +36 1 374 0006 www.herend.com M-Fr: 10:00-18:00, Sa: 10:00-14:00

D&G 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 33. +36 1 235 0504 www.dolcegabbana.com M-Fr: 10:00-19:00 Sa: 10:00-19:00 S: 11:00-18:00

Il Bacio de Stile (opening this year) 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 19. www.ilbaciodistile.hu

Ermenegildo Zegna 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 5. +36 1 266 1794 www.zegna.com M-Fr: 10:00-19:00 Sa: 10:00-17:00

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z LANGIOTTI VERTU z

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z FRANCK MÜLLER GUCCI z

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z GAS JEANS ZILLI z

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Sáfárik Luxury Salon 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 10. www.safarik.hu

Langiotti 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 26. +36 1 332 2197 www.langiotti.com

B j Bajcsy Zsilinszky út

Deák De eák Ferenc tér

Salamander 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 37. +36 1 434 5551 www.salamander.hu M-Wed and Fr: 10:00-18:00 Th: 10:00-19:00 Sa: 10:00-14:00

Király utca

Király utca

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1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 13. coccinelle.com

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SHOPPING GUIDE

VERTU Vertu is a pioneer and leading manufacturer of luxury mobile phones. Created to complement the discerning customer’s lifestyle, Vertu offers tailored, luxury services in combination with the fi nest in design, engineering and manufacture.

Vertu is famous for using innovations in manufacturing technology with traditional technology and craftsmanship, assembling each phone at the company’s headquarters in England. Vertu is available in more than 500 stores, including more than 70 Vertu boutiques in 66 countries worldwide.

Unlike mainstream products, Vertu handsets are renowned for using premium materials such as stainless steel, titanium, high-quality leather, relatively scratchresistant sapphire crystal screens, rendering their devices both highly tactile and extremely durable. The luxurious and handcrafted hardware is accompanied by a range of uniquely curated services just like Vertu Concierge, providing Vertu owners instant, personalized news, information and assistance wherever they may be in the world.

Vertu Boutique Budapest is situated in the heart of the Hungarian capital, on the breath-taking Andrássy út, where people not only can have access to the newest models and limited editions of the luxury handsets to buy or test, but full repair service is also provided. With a glass of champagne in hand, everyone can enjoy the luxury atmosphere and have their lives “beautifully arranged”.

Address 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 31.

Telephone number +36 1 413 1096 +36 30 863 0655

Opening hours Monday-Friday : 10:00-19:00 Saturday : 10:00-17:00 Sunday: closed

BREITLING Founded in 1884 by Leon Breitling in St. Imier in Switzerland, Breitling, as a specialist of technical watches, has played a crucial role in the development of wrist chronograph and is a leader in this field.

The fi rm has shared all the fi nest moments in the conquest of the skies thanks to its sturdy, reliable and high-performance instruments. The world’s only major watch brand to equip all its models with movements chronometer-certified by the COSC – the highest official benchmark in terms of reliability and precision – Breitling is also one of the rare companies to produce its own mechanical chronograph movement, entirely developed and manufactured in its own workshops.

Located in Budapest’s premier shopping avenue, Andrássy út 14, the 90 sqm Boutique is the third-largest Breitling store in Europe.

The modern and original style with artwork by the pop art artist Kevin T. Kelly highlights the fi rm’s aeronautical heritage. A tribute to aviation is also the pin up statue, which is inspired by the nose art painted on military aircrafts. Customers will discover a broad range of Breitling and Breitling for Bentley models in this distinctive Boutique – notably including chronographs equipped with Manufacture Breitling movements, along with “special boutique editions”.

Address 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 14.

Telephone number +36 1 952 1427 +36 30 438 2274

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Opening hours Monday-Friday : 10:00-19:00 Saturday : 11:00-18:00 Sunday: closed

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Address 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 16.

Telephone number +36 1 269 0148 +36 30 760 1453 Opening hours Monday-Friday: 10:00-19:00 Saturday: 11:00-18:00 Sunday: closed

HUBLOT Hublot was created in 1980. During this era, it was the fi rst, Swiss luxury watch brand to fuse precious metals with less conventional materials such as natural rubber. This creative concept, known as the “Art of Fusion”, combined with an original design in the shape of a porthole (“hublot” in French) led to a veritable revolution in the watchmaking industry.

When Jean-Claude Biver took over control of the brand in 2004, he gave it tremendous momentum, leading to impressive growth. With the launch of the Big Bang, the multiple award-winning chronograph with a contemporary and elegant design, the brand started achieving records, awards and success.

The Hublot Boutique Budapest opened its doors on Andrássy út in 2012 in the exclusive vicinity of already present luxury brands satisfying customer needs and discretion. The boutique offers the clients a wide range of assortment for men and women as well from the collections: Big Bang, Classic Fusion and King Power.

Also, watch collectors can fi nd real treasures amongst the unique, limited pieces available in the store. It’s worth mentioning the store’s extraordinary interior design which on one hand matches with the company’s philosophy and on the other hand gives everyone the possibility to have a good time, to get more familiar with the brand and to make a selection.

LA PERLA A fi ne jewellery box, like those that used to present the creations of Ada Masotti, the founder of LA PERLA, the boutique in the heart of Budapest serves as a real treasury for sophisticated women seeking luxurious and delicate lingerie.

Opened in 2012 next to the impressive Hungarian State Opera House as the fi rst salon dedicated to the taste of Italian sensitivity, the LA PERLA Boutique carries the innovative, worldwide leader’s lines.

The interior of the store reflects the same elegance and creativity as the exceptional garments – underwear, nightwear, beach-ware and hosiery – and provides a perfect environment for a veritable special treat.

Address 1065 Budapest, Hajós utca 7.

Telephone number +36 1 302 8882 +36 30 994 3452 Opening hours Monday-Friday : 10:00-19:00 Saturday : 11:00-18:00 Sunday: closed

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SHOPPING GUIDE

T he Weekend by Ma x Mara brand was born from the need to dress customers in ever y moment of their day with practical and functional garments.

A collection dedic ated to real, active and dynamic women w h o f o ll o w t h e f a s h i o n w i t h p e r s o n a li t y and discretion satisf ying their need for feminit y and st yle.

A Weekend by Ma x Mara márk a válaszként születet t arra a z igényre, hogy a vásárlók a nap minden percében prak tikus é s f u n k c i o n á li s r u h á t h o r d h a s s a n a k .

A kollekció olyan iga z án ak tív és dinamik us nőket céloz meg, akik egyedien és körültekintően követik a divatot, é s m i n d v é g i g i g y e k e z n e k n ő i e s e k é s s t í l u s o s a k m a r a d n i.

10 51 B u d a p e s t , D o r o t t y a u t c a 3 . | Te l . : (+3 6 1) 9 5 2 18 4 6 e-mail: info@weekendbudapest.hu Nyitva tartás / Opening Hours Hét fő / Monday — Szomb at / S at urday: 10.0 0 –19.0 0 V a s á r n a p / S u n d a y : 11.0 0 –18 .0 0

“I would love to give back something to the city, to the people, to create an atmosphere of a metropolis that is worthy of Budapest… I believe in natural beauty and that everyone can have beautiful hair.” (Péter Gábor Sáfárik)

Member of the Leading Salons of the Word Stern Palace: 10 Andrássy Avenue, 1061 Budapest Reservation recommended: +36 1 269 4444 Spoken languages: Hungarian, English, German, Italian www.safarik.hu

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Step into the internationally well – known hairstylist’s, Péter Gábor Sáfárik’s, – exclusive hair salon. Leave behind the big city’s buzz and indulge in magic for a couple of hours.

Sophisticated elegance signs the beautifully styled Parisian interior, which is the main idea in Péter Gábor Sáfárik’s professional credo.

On Andrássy Avenue, within Stern Palace’s tarnished and elegant walls, you will receive luxury services and special treatments. Besides regular and evening hairstyling, colouring and various beauty treatments, balayage colouring is also available; a unique technique that requires skill and precision, resulting in a wonderful sun-kissed effect.

Confidence and calm professionalism marks Péter Gábor Sáfárik’s character which will draw out the best in you.

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Pure tea — Japan sense High quality, deep savored tea types and unique desserts are the base pillar of Marumoto Japanese Tea Room. Driven by tradition and modern creativity, You can enjoy the Marumoto products in a sheer Japanese environment with the use of authentic tools.

Stop by for a morning energy-vitamin tea, or spend Your tea time at Marumoto Tearoom with pampering delicacies!

We await You near St.Stephen’s Basilica, from 10 a.m. to o 10 p.m.

Japanese Tea Room & Shop Hercegprímás u. 9., Budapest H-1051 Phone: 0036 1 269 2849 • www.marumoto.eu

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SHOPPING GUIDE

Top Women’s Fashion

Salvatore Ferragamo

Estee Lauder er Kaaran Donna Karan Giuseppe Zanot Zanotti

Burberry

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Nanushka

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Top Men’s Fashion Leice

Persol

Zenith St Dupont

Trussardi

AlexanderMcQueen

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VÁROSLIGET

TOUR VIII.

Boating & Ice-Skating in the centre of the city VÁROSLIGET

Visitors to Budapest often visit Hősök tere (Heroes Square), which lies on the edge of the largest city park.

This leafy green area was originally called Városerdő (City Forest). However, József Palatine (1776–1847) had the trees, originally planted here as a gesture to society, cut down to provide fire-wood for the poor, thus changing the landscape from a forest into a mere copse.

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Its current appearance was created during the Hungarian millennium celebrations in 1896.

Városliget was a favourite entertainment centre at the time. A direct road from the city centre was constructed (later called Andrássy út) and the park was expanded to house new facilities. Since then it has become a popular leisure area and offers playgrounds, tennis courts, walking and cycling routes and also plays host to some important cultural institutions.

The artificial lake offers boating in summer and becomes an ice rink in winter. The skating pavilion was designed by Ödön Lechner in eclectic style, whilst the bridge over the lake, fi nished for the millennium celebrations, was designed by Flóris Korb and Alajos Giergl. The Vajdahunyad vár (castle) complex was designed by Ignác Alpár and was constructed at the same time. The sculpture of the nameless chronicler of King Béla III, ‘Anonymous’, stands at the entrance. Strollers often take a short rest here for a cup of coffee, or a glass of good wine.

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An invitation was published on the occasion of the Hungarian millennium celebration to tender for the creation of a building complex that would depict the thousand year-long history of Hungarian architecture in three dimensions – an early theme park, in fact. The historical building complex, comprising of 21 mainly wooden sections, depicted all the various Hungarian styles of architecture up to that time. The most popular was the model of Vajdahunyad Castle in Transylvania, named after the original fortress.

To represent the Roman style, the Church of Ják was built, a precise replica of the 13th century Benedictine abbey at Ják, near the western border of the country. This spectacular complex, built to meet tender specifications, was so successful, that it was later made permanent in stone.

Today, it houses the Museum of Agriculture.

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VÁROSLIGET

TOUR VIII.

Boating & Ice-Skating in the centre of the City VÁROSLIGET

In 1913, 9113, 3 the h Szé zéch chennyii Meedddiic ch icciin inal al Bat athss, bu aths b ililtt iinn the ne the th neooo-Ba Baro roqu quue styl yle, le, wer eree op open ened en ned ed to th the ppuubl blic blic ic,, wate teer be bein inng suupp pplililied ed from on ed onee off the h hotttest test st nat atural atur ural sppri rinngs in Eur uroope. ope. Thee beaaut u if iful u lyy restooreed bu ul b ilildi diing ng iss, in its tsel elf, el f a sppeect f, ctaccul ctac ular laarr sig ight ht.. ht In 186 866, 6, the h first zooo in Hu he Hung ngarry wa wass oppen ened ned in Vááro roslslslig iggett, to tow whi hich c tthe he emp hee he em mpper eror or,,,Fe or Feere renc ncc Józ Jóózzse seff ((FFra ranz nz J se Jo sef) f) pre r se sent nttedd rar nted a e fa faunna fr from om m his own w col olle ol l ctio le cttioon at S hö Sc hönb nbru nb runn ru nnn. A de deca c dee lat ca ater err, it was a reconnsttru r ct cted ed to thee de th desisign g s off lea gn eadiingg arc rchi rchi hite t ct te cts, s, inc nclu luudi ding Kár árol olyy ol Kós.

Kó s. The s. h aviar viar vi ary, y, the dee eerr pa p rkk, th thee Palm Paalm lm House ouse ou se,, the th he Aq A uariium um, the thh larg largge and annd smal sm mall aalll roock-f ck--ffac ck aces es,, th es thee grot gr otto too cin inem e a an em andd tthhe mu musisisicc pavi paavviiliioonn were ere aaddde er dedd aatt the sam ame me ti time mee. In me.

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An intim An t mate ate cooffee at ffee ff e bar ar wass bui uililt int nto the thhe bu buil uilildi d ngg’ss di c esscent cr ceent nt-s -sha -s happeed ha ha hape h llll.. A mina miinare nare rett-sttyl yle to towe owe werr was re wa r coonnsstr truc ucte uc tedd a fe few ye year ear a s aggo ne next xtt to thhe wond wo n er nd erfu ful.l. Araabe besq sque sq uee ele leph leph p ant annt hoous u e,, fro rom m whh ic ich we we cann enj njoy oyy the he spe p ctac ctacul ular ar pan ar anor orram oram amaa off Várros osliliige get. t. The amu muse seme m nt me nt par ark, k, sit itua itua uate ateed near ne arrby arby by,, ha hadd be been enn in opper erat rat atio ion ssiincce 19 io 1909 0 . Th The he famo famo fa m uss Ősbbud udav avár av ár (An Anci cciien entt Bu Budda da Cas a tl tle) e),, la e) late ter demo de molililish shed sh e , waas co ed c ns nsid i er id ered edd itss pre rede deceess ssor or and feat fe atur at turred ed ind n iv i idduaal at attr t acctiion tr ons, s, ten s, e te t d booot oths hs,, a d st an stro rolllllliin ro ing ac ing acto toors tors r . Th T e atttr trac acti tion ion onss off the for orme meer Anngoolp lpark arrk (Eng ( Eng (E nglilish Par a k)) wer eree aalllso so cluustter ered ed i n ed thee same th saame me loc ocat atio at ionn.. Tim ion. imes es hav a e ch chan annge ged, d, how owev wev ever er, er er, andd it an it clo losed seed in in 201 0133 affter ter ye te yearrs of los ossss-ma maaki k ngg.

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VÁROSLIGET

exhibits from the 1896 Hungarian millennium Exhibition building which was destroyed in World War II. Of course, the parks and the promenades of this huge green area make it an attractive spot for family outings, walking the dog or feeding the ducks. It’s really worth going to any of the restaurants around the lake, particularly to prestigious Gundel’s, restored to its former glory, which has enhanced the reputation of Hungarian cuisine for one and a half centuries.

The former Industrial Hall, centre-piece of the Millennium Exhibition, with its promenade, garden and fountain, hosted important events after the Millennium celebrations, from motor-car to confectionery shows, and even a military aircraft exhibit, until it was burnt down in the Second World War. It was reconstructed soon after, and housed the Budapest International Fair, organised annually until moved from the park. Thereafter, the largest youth leisure centre in Budapest, the Petőfi Hall, was built in 1985, to host concerts, family and children’s events, exhibitions and conferences. The locals, however, prefer to visit the outdoor flea market here on Saturday and Sunday mornings, as the myriad of goods on sale, and the lively atmosphere, make it a pleasantly intriguing experience.

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NON STOP MEETING PLACE

Every big city has places that are always crowded and lively. Nyugati tér (square) is one of the city’s major meeting places. It is always crowded, in winter and in summer during the day and at night, particularly under the clock above the terraced area, which takes you from the underpass to street level. Aging gallants clutching flowers, teenagers ready to party, grandparents with grandchildren, in other words all kinds of people, mingle here. From this point, one may head up Nagykörút (Great Ring Road), Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út (Avenue) or Váci út (do not confuse it with Váci utca, a narrow shopping street parallel to, and not far from the Pest bank of the Danube). The terminals of buses going to Óbuda, Rózsadomb, and Margitsziget (Margaret Island) are also located here, and more distant destinations may be reached by trains departing from the railway station opposite.

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TOUR IX.

If buildings could tell a story NON-STOP MEETING PLACE

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NON STOP MEETING PLACE

TOUR IX.

If buildings could tell a story NON-STOP MEETING PLACE

The famous French engineers of the Eiffel company constructed Nyugati pályaudvar (Western Railway Station), in the Lipótváros district, still a spectacular building, with its grandiose and very elegant cast-iron and glass hall. This was the terminal of the very fi rst railway line in Hungary, built between Pest and Vác in 1846, at the same time as the gigantic Nagykörút construction programme. At that time, the famous hotel that stood nearby was demolished. One hundred years later, the name was inherited by a huge mall, the Westend City Centre, in Váci út. This building was designed to be the new downtown of Budapest. Visitors are greeted by a waterfall 20 metres high as they enter the ‘roofed city’. With trees, flowers and sculptures, the 7.4 acre roof garden assures the visitor a welcome place to rest. Half of the mall’s 400 stores are fashion shops, where nearly every famous brand is sold. The multiplex cinema comprises of 14 viewing theatres equipped

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with state-of-the-art technology. Shoppers can choose from more than 30 restaurants and coffee bars, from simple take-aways to very fashionable eateries. The designers intentionally named the various ‘streets’ and ‘squares’ of this Temple of Consumption after famous figures from Hungarian history and culture.

At the far end of the building, protruding out into Váci út, you will fi nd a curious and colourful building, one of the most exciting in the city – the reborn Lehel tér Market.

The stall holders and shoppers, who disliked the old ship-shaped building, prefer the new functional one. It’s no use denying that the 21 st century successor to the former, rather crude market area on the boundary of Újlipótváros, nowadays boasts grandiose offi ce buildings, and an ever-changing network of shops and has ceased to be a working-class district, but, with a positive shift in wealth, is now a middle-class one. The buildings recall post-

modern deconstruction blended with classic Soviet-Russian avant-garde features, done in the colours of the city’s tricolor fl ag – red, yellow and blue. Merchants and customers gradually moved into the dynamically-styled multi-storey building and slowly everything found its place, from pickles to fresh fruit.

A post offi ce and a Land Register branch offi ce are to be found in the gallery, near the various stores, and, more importantly, excellent coffee is served here!

The border of Lipótváros leads immediately to the Újlipótváros district, site of former flourmills, timber yards and small industrial factories. Large apartment blocks were built in the area in the 1910s such as the three Palatinus apartment blocks, on the banks of the Danube.

However, it was not until the end of the 1920s that the planned construction of this city district was carried out. It was designed to meet the needs of the middle classes, with good

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road connections to the adjacent downtown area. Szent István Park (St. Stephen’s Park), built to bring nature back to the area after it was eradicated by dense building development, was placed right next to existing eclectic houses. Reflecting folk secessionist elements, it became the district’s central square, designed in the spirit of classical modernism, inspired by the Bauhaus movement.

The best materials available were used in construction thus providing harmonious surroundings to the park. The 1–3-room apartments in the individually designed buildings, with covered stairways and diffused lighting were comfortable, and already enjoyed central heating by the 1930s. These economically planned, people-oriented and sometimes furnished apartments suggested a modern lifestyle very different to the generous but pointless empty spaces of the early period of the last century, mostly built for prestige

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purposes. In many cases, terraces, roof gardens and penthouses with direct views on to the River Danube and facing Margitsziget were erected on building tops. The new city district, pleasing from both the aesthetic and the practical points of view justly became fashionable again.

Apartment houses in the Újlipótváros district have enjoyed exclusivity ever since. The stores in the neighbourhood mainly serve the locals, but galleries and fashion boutiques have opened in neighbouring streets. Ever more top quality restaurants and coffee bars house hangers-out as well as serving passers-by. If one becomes exhausted strolling around Szent István Park, a trolley bus will take one along friendly Pozsonyi utca, at the end of which one fi nds the Pest-end of Margit híd.

In December 1949, the fi rst electric trolley bus, number 70, was introduced in Budapest to pay tribute to Stalin on his 70th birthday. That is why all trolley bus numbers start with the number 7!

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LORD OF THE RINGS

TOUR X.

Path of Tram № 6 L ORD OF THE RINGS

Several luxury hotels, fancy restaurants, museums and shopping malls can be found by the route of tram 4-6, so if you choose this sightseeing trip, it makes great sense to interrupt your journey and take a look around the tram stops.

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LORD OF THE RINGS

TOUR X.

Path of Tram № 6 L ORD OF THE RINGS

Tram № 6 is part of Budapest’s history. Even songs have been composed about it. The caterpillar-like vehicle with a length of 54 metres (that’s 70 yards!) is quite extraordinary, not only because of its looks, but because of its scheduled route. It travels around the entire multi-segment Nagykörút (Grand Ring Road), and takes you from one point of the River Danube to another one.

Long ago, a city moat stretched along the route of today’s Nagykörút. In the 19th century, the designers of Budapest (well on its way to becoming a large city) dreamed about excavating a canal along this route. They believed that steps being taken to channel and control the river after the great flood of 1838, provided an excellent opportunity to increase boat traffic, support trade, improve Pest’s climate (it was dusty and windy then) and beautify the city at the same time. A gigantic plan comprising 12 canal bridges and 48 ports was already at an advanced phase, and enthusiastic contractors had already prepared their calculations, when loud dissenting voices poured cold water on such ambitious dreams, out of touch with practical realities. Eventually, the project was thrown out, but not because of its unachievable aims but for fi nancial reasons.

As a consequence, we can’t board a boat on water here, but a boat on rails, the tram.

Nagykörút construction started in 1872 to connect the centre to the then suburban areas. It followed the pattern of the famous Ringstrasse in Vienna that symbolically evoked the atmosphere of the AustroHungarian Empire, at the turn of the last century.

A main sewer was dug underneath it, and handed over to the municipality in 1896.

In contrast with Andrássy út, with its elegant upper-middle class ambience, built in the same period, middle-class citizens tended to live in the blocks along the ringroad. At fi rst, undecorated houses, and ordinary and less prestigious shops met the needs of the locals. Each segment of the ringroad was named after Habsburg nobility.

Why not take a tram from the Pest-end of Petőfi híd, and see the slightly differing scenes of everyday life, along each segment?

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Where Ferenc körút starts, you will see the trades – modest craftsmen and merchants.

(Ráday utca, famous for its restaurants and galleries is close-by, incidentally.) In Ferencváros (Francis city district), large-scale construction is in progress behind the ringroad to create new and up-to-date housing.

In the next segment, József körút, which crosses Üllői út, we see the fabulous Zsolnay majolicacovered dome of the secessionist-style Museum of Applied Arts building, designed by Ödön Lechner. The former Maria Theresa block (later Kilián) was a military headquarters and lies opposite. It had a role in the 1956 revolution as significant as that of the Corvin köz, located on the other side of the cross roads, which was the most important headquarters of the armed forces. Today, the Corvin Cinema is situated in the crescent-shaped building complex that was used as a refuge during the street-fi ghting.

One of the most recent shopping centres of Budapest opened here. As the tram moves on, we pass the Rákóczi tér market hall and then arrive at the large crossroads of Blaha Lujza tér from where you can see the massive Keleti pályaudvar (Eastern Railway Station) to the right. The National Theatre stood here once, but was demolished in the 1960s. A clock, used

by Budapesters as a favourite meeting place, once stood here, as too.

Across the junction, the recently-restored and quite incredibly ornate New York Palace, now a luxury hotel owned by Italians, comes into view. On its ground floor, it houses the New York Café, one of the most famous and beautiful in Budapest, where famous composers and artists enjoyed a vivid life of culture and superb coffee for decades.

At this point, we head for Erzsébet körút, where shop signs and windows may be seen in every building. These are not the sophisticated portals of the shops in Andrássy út, but better quality shops are nevertheless to be found alongside restaurants, coffee bars, confectionery shops and one of the most popular theatres in the

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city, where the great musicals of the world are regularly performed.

At Király utca where the Teréz körút starts, you can disembark from the tram and stroll along Király utca, the main road of the old Jewish quarter, once a milieu of tiny old grocery stores, that has become the fashionable centre of home interior and design shops. The local council is making efforts to modernize the area but retain its old feel and historic atmosphere.

Thus the zigzagging backstreets and the buildings in Dob utca and Wesselényi utca still preserve the ancient atmosphere of the old Jewish quarter. There is an orthodox synagogue in Kazinczy utca, while the synagogue in Sebestyén Rumbach utca is being restored. The largest and perhaps most spectacular Moorish Revival synagogue in Europe is to be found in Dohány utca, the precursor of European synagogue design. It houses a Jewish Museum full of valuable ornamental religious vessels. This district of the city was used as a ghetto, where the vast majority of the city’s Jewish community was cooped up during the Holocaust.

Prior to the construction of the Madách Building, one of the most famous in this formerly Jewish district, the Orczy House stood, just around the corner of Király utca leading into Károly körút. The Orczy House was a fullscale town with its own quadrangles and coffee houses. Accounts of its pulsating and vivid life still exist today.

If we re-embark on the tram, we can head for Teréz körút and reach a crossroads at Andrássy út called Oktogon. Passing by the busy main entrance of Nyugati pályaudvar (Western Railway Station), a fabulously elegant iron and glass product of the French Eiffel studios, we move towards the last segment of the Grand Ringroad, Szent István körút. The Vígszínház (Comedy Theatre), built by the famous theatre design team of the imperial age, Fellner and Helmer, stands here. The backstreets lead to the particular atmosphere of Újlipótváros. We may now head in one of two directions at this fi nal tram stop – one way to the world of Miksa Falk utca with its galleries and art trade, the other to the residential area of Újlipótváros. The tram itself, however, keeps going to the middle of Margit híd (Margaret Bridge) and stops there.

You may therefore want to stay on, and take a walk on Margitsziget (Margaret Island).

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Travelling in time ÓBUDA You can explore one of the most interesting and colourful parts of the city by starting from the Buda-end of Margit híd (Margaret Bridge). Let’s start our walk at Frankel Leó utca, at the bottom of Rózsadomb (Hill of Roses), and make our way up the steep but romantic Mecset utca – the unique atmosphere is worth the effort. You can find the octagonally domed turbe (Turkish for tomb) of Gül Baba (Father of Roses) who arrived in Hungary with the Turkish Conquerors.

Although we are still not very high up, the view is wonderful!

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ÓBUDA

TOUR XI.

Travelling in time ÓBUDA

Amphitheater, Óbuda

Returning to the main road, you can see the Lukács fürdő (Baths) which uses the natural hot springs which surface in this part of the city. A yard full of plane trees leads to the old pool, mellowed with time, not only a paradise for those seeking recuperation, but also once frequented by Budapest’s intellectuals. The nearby building, Császár fürdő (Emperor’s Baths), does not reveal its Turkish origins today. Swimmers and water polo players (Hungary’s national Olympic-winning sport) regularly train in the neighbouring Komjáthy Swimming Baths. Óbuda, renowned for its cosy pubs, was once an independent town and its history goes back even further than that of historic Buda. In several public areas you may ponder over monuments and relics of this Pannonian outpost of the Roman Empire. In Zsigmond tér, you can walk among stones from the Roman period, and among the ruins of nearby Aquincum, you can see the remains of an entire ancient Roman city, and visit the fine collection of artefacts in its museum. There are other Roman remains such as a hippodrome and an amphitheatre that also bear witness to the incredibly developed civilization of the 1st and 2nd centuries. Don’t miss the Hercules villa, open to visitors, or the bath museum in the Flórián tér underpass. Óbuda was a royal seat much

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earlier than Buda. Later, it was considered the realm of queens, since the wives of Hungarian monarchs liked to live in the area. This was no accident, since the surroundings are abound in peaceful natural beauty, an ideal spot today to escape the asphalt jungle. At Újlak templom (church), a shopping district has formed around the reconstructed market place. You can buy food, enjoy the windows of numerous small shops, and take your ease in the cafés and restaurants, close by. You can find ‘Old’ Sipos restaurant, famous for fish, especially its fish soup, which has an excellent reputation. It is called ‘Old’ because another restaurant later opened here in Óbuda, with the same name, in Fő tér (Main Square). Incidentally, it is worth mentioning that having passed by the market place you might enjoy a rural trip: a path leads up to Fenyőgyöngye through the forest, and from here, there is another path to Hármashatár-hegy. From here, we go back to Óbuda and its 18th and 19th century village atmosphere, with beautifully restored one-storey houses. This was once a wine-growing area, hence its well-known local pub culture, and each house used to sell wine from its own vineyard. Many small houses have been demolished to make room for newer buildings, but some still exist, evoking this ancient yet multicultural world. In the first

half of the 18th century, the Zichy family, the local landowners, invited Catholic winemakers from south Germany to an area mainly inhabited by Hungarian Calvinists, and one of the largest Jewish communities in the country. After the settlement’s market town past, industrial plants invaded the area. The Gold berger textile factory, now an industrial monument, was already in operation by the 18th century, spinning silk, and the Óbuda Shipyard was established in 1840. The majority of the inhabitants were lower-middle class. When you get to the recently renovated Fő tér, you will fi nd Kassák Museum in the former Baroque palace of the Zichy family. It’s worth taking a look inside as Lajos Kassák was a leading member of the Hungarian avant-garde, and internationally acknowledged in the 20th century, both as a poet and artist. In the wing of the palace, you can also visit the museum of Hungarian-born Victor Vasarelly, the father of op-art. In the street which meanders behind the Városháza (City Hall), you can visit the permanent exhibition of Imre Varga, a famous sculptor. The statue of a man with an umbrella at the end of the street is his work.

Another of the buildings in the square houses Zsigmond Kun’s ethnographic collection. Fő tér also plays host to many events.

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Megyeri Bridge

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Don’t miss the nearby Kiscelli Museum, formed in the cloister of the Trinitarians, (a Catholic monastic order founded in 1198 by St John of Matha), who settled here in the fi rst half of the 18th century. The cloister and church, a popular place of pilgrimage, were later taken over by the state, functioning as an old soldiers’ home, a military hospital and a tool warehouse. In 1911, Miksa Schmidt, a Viennese furniture manufacturer with extensive connections to Budapest and owner of factories here, bought the building and an later left it to the capital in his will, with the stipulation that a museum be established in it.

The Baroque building complex on Kiscell hegy still houses the Metropolitan Gallery, Budapest’s collection of art. At fi rst relating to the history of the city, later, with a growing collection and more space, owing to the purchase of the neighbouring palace – it grew to become a remarkable collection of 19th and 20th century Hungarian art. In the exhibition area that spectacularly uses the former church’s interior, superb exhibitions are also occasionally held.

An unusual occurrence happened recently: an exhibition of works by Hermann Nitsch’s, an artist considered to be the naughty boy of contemporary Austrian art. The show featured provocative works, not uncommon for him, and in this, a formerly sacred space. It generated a hot debate in the media, and as a result of this public clash between the objecting ‘philistines’ and autonomous art-lovers (as well as the exhibition’s organisers) many more visitors attended the exhibition than previously expected.

For a fun time, Görzenál, Europe’s biggest roller-skating and recreational park is to be found in the greenbelt along the Danube, opposite Margitsziget. You can not only rollerskate, but also try various other sports from wall-climbing to street ball and BMX. There is a vantage point on top of the 12 metre high wall, climbable from all four sides, from which a ramp leads down to the other end of the park.

On the 4m x 2.5m trampoline, you can practice the acrobatic skills of snowboarding and mogul skiing. If you arrive with no roller-skates, do not worry, you can hire them in any size on the spot. If you have not tried roller-skating before, it is high time you started, and courses are offered for beginners. It would not be fair to leave out Hajógyári Sziget (Shipbuilding Island), whose enormous green sward hosts the Sziget Festival, organised every August for the past 21 years. The festival, evoking the traditions of Woodstock, with its international star performers and numerous cultural programmes, has become one of the most remarkable and largest events of its kind in Europe.

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Contemporary Art

KALMAN MAKLARY FINE ARTS The Kálmán Makláry Fine Arts gallery is dedicated to the artists of the post-war School of Paris, especially the Abstract and Surrealist movements with artists like Judit Reigl, Simon Hantai, François Fiedler and Alfred Reth. The gallery works with museums and art collectors and develops long-term relationships of trust.

Exhibitor: TEFAF - Maastricht, Biennale des Antiquaires, Art Paris, BRAFA, Salon du Collectionneur, Art Cologne Member: S.N.A. (Syndicat National des Antiquaires) Address 1055 Budapest, Falk Miksa u. 10. Telephone +36 1 374 0774 Website address www.kalmanmaklaryfi nearts.com

ERDÉSZ GALLERY The gallery was founded in 1992 by László Erdész and E. Ilosvai Magdolna as a family company in the heart of Szentendre. In this gallery built, art from 1920s avantgarde artists (László Moholy-Nagy, Lajos Kassák) across the European School (Lajos Vajda, Endre Bálint) and many photographers (André Kertész) up to contemporary artists (István Regős, László Taubert, Tamás Dobos) is traded.

On the ground floor the finest selection of Hungarian masters of jewellery design are on offer. The gallery regularly exhibits at art fairs like Art Cologne, Art Paris, Art Basel, Budapset Art fair and Art Market.

Address 2000 Szentendre, Bercsényi u. 4. Telephone number +36 26 317 925 E-mail address art@galleryerdesz.hu Website address www.galleryerdesz.hu Opening hours Tuesday–Sunday 10:00-18:00, or by appointment

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INDA GALLERY The Inda Gallery is a contemporary for-profit art gallery founded five years ago. Its scope of activities is defined by the young and middle-aged artists who depict the modern tendencies of representational art in their work.

Primarily, the artists are selected based on quality, and also their conceptual, thematic and technical connection with contemporary art tendencies.

Artists represented: AKA, Czene Márta, Csontó Lajos, Fáskerti Zsófia, Ferenczy Zsolt, Jovián György, Keller Diána, Koronczi Endre, Martin Henrik, Kamen Stoyanov, Kopasz Tamás, Sándor Krisztián, Somody Péter, Szabó Ábel, Szabó Ádám, Szemző Zsófia, Agnes von Uray (Szépfalvi Ágnes) Address 1061 Budapest, Király utca 34. II. 4. Telephone number +36 70 316 4472 +36 20 513 4093 E-mail address info@indagaleria.hu Website address www.indagaleria.hu Opening hours Tuesday– Friday: 14:00–18:00

KISTEREM GALLERY Kisterem Gallery started operating when the market within Hungary became more open to collecting all kinds of art forms, not only traditional ones, with the possibility of showing and selling various types of media works (e.g.: installation, videos), and not only by Hungarian, but also by international artists.

Alongside the gallery programme with very recent artworks by young artists, Kisterem occasionally shows surviving pieces of the Hungarian avant-garde underground art-scene of the ‘70s and the ‘80s that were hardly accessible at the time for a broader public.

Address 1053 Budapest, Képíró utca 5. Telephone number +36 1 267 0522 E-mail address kisterem@kisterem.hu Website address www.kisterem.hu Opening hours Tuesday-Friday 14:0018:00, or by appointment

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ARTS

Art It stands to reason that a visitor to Budapest is curious about local specialities, and anyone whose interest is piqued by world-famous Hungarian paprika and wines, may also find Hungarian art worth sampling. Having gained some insight into the various periods of Hungarian art upon viewing the treasures of the Hungarian National Gallery, it would surely be worthwhile getting an introduction to the world of contemporary Hungarian art. Why not visit the Várfok Gallery when descending from the Buda Castle District to Bécsikapu tér? It was one of the first privately established and successfully run galleries, and offers the works of contemporary Hungarian artists – András Koncz, Imre Bukta, László Fehér, Gábor Gerhes, Balázs Kicsiny, István Nádler, Gábor Roskó and János Szirtes among others.

Whilst exploring Andrássy út, and having spent time relaxing in one of the cafés in Liszt Ferenc tér, why not visit Deák Erika’s Gallery in Jókai tér, the square opposite, in which you will also find an up-to-date contemporary exhibition.

Alternatively, Vintage Gallery in Magyar utca, within easy reach of Kálvin tér, not only features significant Hungarian modern artists (Endre Bálint, Dezső Korniss, Lili Ország, József Jakovits) as well as important contemporary artists (Imre Bak, Balázs Beöthy, Péter Donáth, Ágnes Eperjesi, Gábor Gerhes), but also displays the works of leading Hungarian photographers.

Some museums have been dedicated to a few renowned 20th century Hungarian artists in their own lifetimes. For example, in the annex of Zichy Palace in Buda you can enjoy works by Victor Vasarelly, the father of op-art, presented by the artist himself. Indeed, one street away, you can also view the works of Imre Varga, a contemporary sculptor, still active today. One of the most important contemporary collections in Budapest is housed in the Ludwig Museum, in the National Palace of Arts, where, apart from the current temporary exhibition, there is a considerable Hungarian art collection on permanent display. In the art trade district, clustered around Falk Miksa utca, contemporary art has found its ideal niche. For instance, Pintér Sonja’s Contemporary Gallery was established with contributions from artists such as Albert Kováts, Károly Schmal or Péter Türk. Due to its incredibly picturesque environment, and the traditions of its art colony, Szentendre is well worth a visit, and is within easy reach of Budapest, by HÉV suburban train from Batthyány tér or by boat.

You can find genuine classics of 20th century Hungarian art here. A memorial museum has been dedicated to the artist couple Margit Anna and Imre Ámos.

Then there is the Jenô Barcsay Collection, the Béla Czóbel Museum, the Lajos Vajda Memorial Museum and the Margit Kovács Museum which features a famous ceramics artist. Szentendre is also home to the Erdész Gallery, which predominantly specialises in the work of classical modern artists such as Hugó Scheiber, Armand Schönberger and Lajos Tihanyi, but also actively deals with contemporary art (László Fehér, Menyhért Tóth, András Wahorn, and István Zámbó). One can also find pieces of applied art (jewellery, and glass) here. An outing to Gödöllő can also offer an out of the ordinary experience. It is not only worth visiting the Baroque Grassalkovich Palace, but also the museum that exhibits the works of the one-time Gödöllő art colony, considered to be a significant centre of Hungarian applied art. This group of artists was the only organised Hungarian community focusing on Art Nouveau at the beginning of the 20th century.

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CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERIES acb Kortárs Művészeti Galéria 1068 Budapest, Király utca 76. +36 1 413 7608, +36 1 413 7609 www.acbgaleria.hu Erdész Gallery 2000 Szentendre, Bercsényi út 4. +36 26 317 925 www.galleryerdesz.hu Deák Erika Galéria 1061 Budapest, Mozsár utca 1. +36 1 201 3740, +36 70 360 2253 www.deakgaleria.hu DOVIN 1052 Budapest, Galamb utca 6. +36 1 318 3659, +36 30 566 2754 www.dovin.hu Faur Zsófi Galéria 1114 Budapest, Bartók Béla út 25. +36 1 209 3635, +36 20 934 4727 www.raday-galeria.hu Inda Galéria 1061 Budapest, Király utca 34. II. 4. +36 70 316 4472, +36 20 513 4093 www.indagaleria.hu Kalman Maklary Fine Arts 1055 Budapest, Falk Miksa u. 10. +36 1 374 0774 www.kalmanmaklaryfi nearts.com kArton 1054 Budapest, Alkotmány u. 18. +36 1 472 0000 www.karton.hu Kisterem Galéria 1053 Budapest, Képíró utca 5. +36 1 267 0522 www.kisterem.hu Knoll Galéria 1061 Budapest, Liszt Ferenc tér 10. +36 1 267 3842 www.knollgaleria.hu MissionArt Galéria Budapest 1055 Budapest, Falk Miksa u. 30. +36 1 302 8587 www.missionart.hu Molnár Ani Galéria 1088 Budapest, Bródy Sándor u. 22. +36 1 327 0095 www.molnaranigaleria.hu Galeria Neon 1065 Budapest, Nagymező utca 47. +36 20 922 6437 www.galerianeon.hu Várfok Galéria 1012 Budapest, Várfok u. 11. +36 1 213 5155, +36 1 489 3920, +36 30 562 2772 www.varfok-galeria.hu VILTIN Galéria 1054 Budapest, Széchenyi u. 3. +36 1 787 5866 www.viltin.hu VINTAGE GALÉRIA 1053 Budapest, Magyar utca 26. +36 1 337 0584, +36 20 913 6291 www.vintage.hu

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LIPÓTVÁROS

TOUR XII.

In the heart of the city BELVÁROS-LIPÓTVÁROS

Budapest’s government, official and banking centre is located in the heart of the city and its name commemorates the reign of Emperor Lipót II. Despite the presence of many public institutions, it also acts as a residential area, and the sight of elegantly dressed young people rushing to business dinners is not uncommon.

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Occasionally, all at once, university students appear from time to time among the predominantly classical and romantic style buildings. Within the framework of the “Heart of Budapest” programme, the newest and perhaps the most beautiful pedestrian street of the Hungarian capital between Kálvin tér and Szabadság tér has been recently completed.

A majestic building on the corner of Nádor utca, designed by József Hild, has been refurbished with great ingenuity, becoming the seat of the Central European University (CEU), established by György Soros, the Hungarian entrepreneur who lives in the USA. It is worth popping into the lobby just to see how the well-thought through renovation of a protected historical building was successfully achieved. The new modern spaces clearly connect seamlessly with the original conception of the designer. The ideal starting point for this little tour is Deák tér (square), where a 20th century edifice, the former long-distance bus terminus (since relocated to an outer part of the city) houses the Design Terminal in the immediate vicinity of Akvárium. A youth entertainment centre that put on cultural events, now removed to the new Hungarian National Theatre site, was originally designed to be built here. The underground car park and the foundations of the intended theatre remain. The freed-up space, popularly known as ‘the national pit’, with its cultural centre and pleasant park is popular among the residents of Budapest. On summer evenings, the relaxing terrace conveys a friendly, Mediterranean atmosphere. In the adjacent park in Erzsébet tér (Elizabeth Square), apart from the playground, the Danubius Well, designed by Miklós Ybl, is to be found.

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The ornamental well, featuring Danubius at the top, and female fi gurines representing the rivers Tisza, Dráva and Száva below the water taps, has enjoyed an uncertain career. Originally it was meant to be erected in Ferenciek tér. However, after its completion, it was erected in Kálvin tér, from where it was slowly squeezed out by traffic and then badly damaged during World War II. One of its original fi gurines, which remained intact, can be seen in the courtyard of 9 Kálvin tér. Finally, the re-carved copy of the well was erected in 1959 in its current spot in Erzsébet tér, then named Engels tér.

Proceeding down Hercegprímás utca, one reaches the Basilica, Budapest’s largest church and Hungary’s second biggest, whose archetype was St Peter’s in Rome. Miklós Ybl, continuing the work of the designer József Hild, gave a neo-Renaissance feel to the building. The Sacred Right Hand, a relic of St Stephen, founding king of Hungary between 1000 and 1038, is kept here and is the centre-piece of a celebratory procession that takes place on Hungary’s national day, 20 August. The visitor is rewarded with spectacular views of the city from the dome. Under the attractive cathedral square, a new large-capacity underground car park seeks to alleviate parking problems.

On both sides of the square, and in the surrounding streets, numerous restaurants with excellent cuisines and elegant and cosy cafés await passers-by. It’s also worth going round the small galleries in the area to get a clear impression of contemporary Hungarian applied arts and design. You can even buy individual pieces made by goldsmiths, potters and glass makers. If you are curious to see the work of young Hungarian fashion designers, you can also fi nd their salons close by.

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LIPÓTVÁROS

TOUR XII.

In the heart of the city BELVÁROS-LIPÓTVÁROS

In the vicinity of the monumental structures of Szabadság tér (the late Exchange Palace was home to Hungarian national television until 2010), there is a small green area at the entrance to an underground car park in the centre of the square where you can fi nd a café with a pleasant ambience and a terrace in summertime.

Behind the square, in Hold utca, take a look at the Post Office Savings Bank, one of the most famous buildings in the Art Nouveau style, by Ödön Lechner. The window-ledges and majolica roof ornaments of this beautiful example of Hungarian Art Nouveau were made by Zsolnay. Legend has it that when his students asked Lechner why he took such meticulous care in decorating a roof that could not be seen from the street, the master replied, ‘Well, the birds can see it.’

The monumental neo-Gothic Parliament building in Kossuth tér, designed by Imre Steindl, was based on a model of proposed new parliament buildings for London. Interestingly,

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it was built with a Byzantine dome in contrast to the model, and furthermore it features broad ornamented stairs, again not characteristic of the Gothic style. The enormous fresco on the ceiling of the staircase is the work of Károly Lotz.

In the famous Munkácsy room, you can see a painting by the great Hungarian artist the room was named after; its subject is the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin.

The sacred Hungarian crown jewels are also kept here. The Hungarian Parliament meets in this stately building, and there is a library in one of the wings. In the 96 metre high building, constructed between 1885 and 1902, there are 10 courtyards, 29 staircases, and 27 gates. Europe’s fi rst central heating system was installed here. The Parliament building offers guided tours for visitor groups. Opposite Parliament, stands the Ministry of Agriculture, and next to that, on the site of a former manor house, the exhibitions of the Museum of Ethnography can be viewed.

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LIPÓTVÁROS

Hungarian Parliament

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Spend a little time in nearby Falk Miksa utca, but if you do, don’t be surprised if the whole day is over before you know it because you will certainly want to stop at every shop window! Here, there is a concentration of the Budapest art and antique trade. Galleries and antique shops alternate and while some offer enormous ranges of art, others specialise in one particular style of furniture.

The fun spreads into Balassi Bálint utca, which runs parallel, and even continues into Szent István körút (St Stephen’s Ring Road). It is not by chance that leading auctioneers also operate from this area.

As we leave Kossuth tér for Szent István körút, we can see how the 19th century noble multistorey buildings shape the current eclectic character of Falk Miksa utca. In the shadow of intricate iron gates and renaissance capitals we stumble upon antique and modern treasures.

As in many European cities, the innumerable auction houses, galleries and exhibition rooms all mount widely varied exhibitions. The range of objects is intimidating, be it furniture, paintings or sculptures.

Two auction houses in Falk Miksa utca are market leaders - the Kieselbach Gallery and the Mű-Terem Gallery. Tamás Kieselbach opened his gallery in 1994 while the Mű-Terem Gallery was established in 1997 moving to its current location in February 2001.

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VÁCI STREET AND THE GREAT MARKET HALL

TOUR XIII.

Tradition and glamour VÁCI UTCA AND THE GREAT M ARKET HALL Let us start our walk from a point that offers a superb panorama of the River Danube and Buda Castle, Roosevelt tér, a former dock at the foot of the bridge, where boats arriving in Pest were unloaded in the 19th century. The neo-Renaissance palace of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the centre of Hungarian scientific life since the middle of the 19th century, also stands here. The secessionist-style Gresham Palace, a luxury hotel today, was built in 1907 by a London-based insurance company of the same name. The corner block, which used to be a bank, is not much older, and is today called Tonet Palace.

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VÁCI STRET AND THE GREAT MARKET HALL

TOUR XIII.

Tradition and glamour VÁCI UTCA AND THE GREAT M ARKET HALL The Great Market Hall

Let us now attempt to turn our backs on the attractive Danube Promenade and start at Vörösmarty tér. There we fi nd ourselves trapped in a mire of serious temptation, for the famous Gerbaud confectioner’s is to be found here. Even people spending only one day in Budapest go in for a cup of coffee and a piece of delicious cake. If the weather is fi ne, let us fi rst gaze at the prestigious interior of the confectioner’s, select the most delicious piece of cake from the generous assortment under the counter, and take a seat on the terrace, from where – just as from a theatre seat – we may watch life pass by in this, one of the busiest squares in the city. Not just visitors but masses of Budapesters rush or stroll around here, since this is the place from which the Hungarian Millennium underground goes to Városliget (Central City Park).

The sculpture of Mihály Vörösmarty (1800– 1855), the famous 19 th Hungarian poet, made of Carrara marble, stands in the central green part of the square. City visitors take a well-earned rest on the monument’s steps in summer, whilst Budapest pigeons frequently pay tribute to the poet’s marble head. Various

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festivals and events take place in this square; a celebration of contemporary Hungarian literature, Book Week, is traditionally held here at the beginning of June, where the everincreasing number of local publishing houses set up their tents and booths. In addition, cultural events are frequently held on the temporary stage installed in front of the liondecorated well, and serpentine queues lead up to authors of the latest best sellers, who just keep on dedicating their books.

An international wine and champagne festival is held here, and the square turns into a Christmas fair in Advent: aromatic gingerbread and gifts and handicraft products are sold around a huge decorated Christmas tree. Where the fi rst portraitist offers to draw your likeness, Váci utca starts – a pedestrian zone all the way to Fővám tér, with Nagycsarnok (Great Market Hall) at the very end. (Do not confuse Váci utca with Váci út which lies some way away.)

Promenading goes back a long way, a fad that started at the beginning of the 18th century.

Elegant ladies in their richly decorated bonnets tripped along in front of spectacular shopwindows carrying bonbon boxes, and rapt

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www.massimodutti.com

Varga Design gentlemen, canes in hand, browsed through the novelties of the luxury stores. The custom of walking along the promenades of that time has today slightly changed due to the evolution of other social behaviours. Those who take their time today are usually visitors, the locals tend to make a beeline for their destinations. The fi rst section of Váci utca, stretching to Erzsébet híd (Elizabeth Bridge), is a shopping street, where world fashion brands mingle with small boutiques, coffee bars and restaurants, one after the another. If we turn into Kristóf tér, we can take a seat in any restaurant, or coffeehouse around the little Fishmonger Girl’s well. Szent Szervita tér is also worth a visit. Beyond the 18th century church with its statue of the Virgin Mary stands the House of Invalids (today the Metropolitan City Hall). Among the buildings around the square, the former Szénási House at number 2, with its glass and marble- covered façade, should be mentioned. Here, a multistorey fashion and clothing store was opened in 1908, a strong rival to the textile shops in the neighborhood. The former Török bank headquarters at number 3, was built in 1905.

The mosaic picture covering its façade was

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Goldsmith Miklós Varga has been creating unique pieces of jewellery in silver, gold, platinum and Tahitian pearls, for almost 40 years. All pieces manufactured in his workshop are handcrafted. His masterpieces, made in the special ‘cobweb technique’, are internationally patented. The Hungarian master has been awarded outstanding prizes at international jewellery exhibitions many times and has become supplier to a number of royal families around the world. The Varga Jewellery House is located in downtown Budapest at 6. Haris köz, opening onto Váci street.

Varga Design Jewellery 1052 Budapest, Haris köz 6.

Phone: +36 1 318 4089 www.vargadesign.hu Made in Hungary

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VÁCI STREET AND THE GREAT MARKET HALL

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Chrisand Fur & leather

produced by Miksa Róth, the most famous glass painter of his age, and depicts the ‘Apotheosis of Hungária’. Rózsavölgyi House at number 5 was designed by Béla Lajta, and triumphantly mixes modern functionality with national style; coloured and geometric majolica stripes run along the white enamel of the brick-panelled façade above the huge windows of the lower storey.

The book and music shop on the ground floor has been active since 1911. Before we go back to the crowds in Váci utca, through the Régiposta utca (Old Post Office Street), let us take a look at the shop on the corner of Szent Szervita tér.

The ‘Brammer’, named after the former owner, is one of the city’s most popular luxury textile shops, and the protected antique interior has been fully preserved. Among these classical historic buildings, we should pause for a minute in front of Thonet House at number 11. Decorated with beautiful majolica motifs, it is a masterpiece of early secession style, and designed by Ödön Lechner. Do take a look at the Philanthia flower shop, active here for more then 100 years, and see its original secessionist interior.

Today, a modern office block stands on the spot of the former Kedves espresso bar. At the beginning of the 1950s, Budapesters used to sit on the terrace and listen to the virtuoso performances of György Cziffra (1921–1994), a world-famous Hungarian pianist who later moved to France.

We could take a cup of coffee in the coffee bar of the hotel that fortunately fits in with the scene, despite its postmodern building front, before we continue on towards Erzsébet híd (Elizabeth Bridge). In the underpass, we walk past the blowup photos of György Klösz that depict Budapest

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at the end of the 19th century, and then continue on our way to the southern part of Váci utca.

Those interested in the masterpieces of Hungarian craftsmen and fashion designers will certainly slow down a bit at this point.

While walking past the antique shops, fashion boutiques, galleries and restaurants, don’t forget to take a look at the New City Hall, another masterpiece of Imre Steindl, designer of the Parliament Building. The interiors have been restored with the utmost care. The decorated stairway and session hall are spectacular.

Turning in the direction of Szerb utca, at the end of this street, we may view the Serbian church, standing in an idyllic and romantic garden, just around the corner of Veres Pálné utca. The church retains the memories of the Serbian community which settled here long ago, and has been active ever since.

Finally, we arrive at Fővám tér, where the Nagycsarnok (Great Market Hall), located in the heart of downtown Pest is the great attraction (apart, of course, from the panorama of the River Danube beyond Szabadság híd (Liberty Bridge). The iron-structured hall was designed

by Samu Petz, and reflects the work of the Parisbased Eiffel studios, who designed the fabulous Nyugati pályaudvar (Western Railway Station).

The architecture of the Great Market Hall is not the be all and end all of the building. A huge selection of typical Hungarian food and drink is sold here among the paprika and strings of garlic. Famous foreign guests shop here, as well as all the locals. After buying small gifts to take home, why not visit the stand-up lunch counters in the gallery – the best cheap lunch in town!

CHRISAND Fur Salons on Fashion Street and in the Gresham Palace.

The CHRISAND Fur Salons feature selected unique fur clothing created by designers popular all over Europe. The salon opened in the heart of Budapest in 2005. If you're looking for noble furs such as mink, trimmed mink, persian, or fox, this is the place to go. And if it's further elegance and luxury you seek, you won't be disappointed. Slip into a chinchilla fur coat to experience the most sensual delight, since chinchilla is the softest and finest fur ever. The royal lynx gives its wearer radiant effeminacy and joy, which words cannot describe. The sable fur, which is also a status symbol, represents pure and sleek elegance.

The collection features subtle and extravagant models and colors alike, from the classic lines to the latest trends – all available in different sizes and lengths, according to your taste and needs.

But the salon is not only for ladies – gentlemen will also find a wide selection of mink, nutria, pelt and leather coats. If you need accessories only, such as fur hats, stoles, and collars, the only place to go is CHRISAND – because you deserve it.

Fur & leather Kempinski Hotel Fashion Street side 1051, Budapest, Erzsébet tér 7-8. + 36-1-429-34-73 Four Season Hotel Gresham Palace 1051, Budapest, Széchenyi tér 5-6. +36-70-318-43-24 Open every day: 10-19. www.chrisand.hu

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BUDA AND THE RÓZSADOMB

TOUR XIV.

The heart of Buda BUDA AND THE RÓZSADOMB

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Tram number 6 terminates at Széll Kálmán tér, the biggest and most crowded traffic junction in Buda. Here, there is a superb new entertainment and shopping complex with a cultural centre laid out on the site of the former Ganz Electricity Works. This exhibition and event centre and its surrounding park, accessible through four entrances, were created by retaining the old building complex and then remodelling it. In the park, young landscape gardeners have created a place in which to relax, and to encourage creativity. There are broad green areas, trees, a pond, an open-air stage and a fairy-tale playground for the little ones. Theatrical performances are held in these new spaces and the Teátrum is one of the main viewing and event venues for the traditional Hungarian Film Festival, which takes place at the beginning of every year.

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BUDA AND THE RÓZSADOMB

TOUR XIV.

The heart of Buda BUDA AND THE RÓZSADOMB

A few steps away, you can spot the twin buildings of Mammut Plaza, where, apart from dozens of restaurants and cafés, you can fi nd bank branches, fashion shops, bookshops and two multiplex cinemas. The shopping mall buildings were designed to form one unit with the modernised two-storey Fény utca market, one of the most popular in Buda.

Walking as far as Margit körút (ring road), especially on the odd numbered side, you can catch sight of residential buildings built in the Bauhaus style. They are among the most successful pieces of 20th century architecture. One such is the Átrium cinema, a protected building awaiting refurbishment, which, when fi nished in the mid1930s, represented the most modern architecture of the time, with cutting-edge projection equipment and technology.

Mechwart liget (alley) makes a nice change from the busy street. Continuing further, a Franciscan church and monastery interrupt the almost continuous row of buildings, and at the corner of Rómer Flóris utca you can again study an interesting piece of architecture. The house at number 15-17 was originally built as the offices

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of the Weiss Manfréd Works Pension Fund.

Its rounded, streamlined shapes and elliptical staircase make it one of the most modern works of art of the period.

Residential Bauhaus buildings, in the classically modern style of the era between the two world wars, are concentrated in a few areas such as Szent István Park in Újlipótváros, the streets behind Kossuth utca in Lipótváros, Nyáry Pál utca in the inner city, some of the buildings in Fejér György utca, some of the villas along Pasaréti út – and, of course there are, a few scattered throughout the city.

Now, instead of taking Török utca and Frankel Leó utca – part of our Óbuda tour – we go along the southern side of Frankel Leó utca towards Margit híd (Margaret Bridge), and continue our walk along Fô utca (Main street). Here, we can see Király Fürdő, one of the most beautiful examples of historic buildings from Turkish times. The light passing through the coloured windows adds to the special atmosphere of the steam baths, which still operate today. The most beautiful part of the building, completed with parts in Baroque and Classical styles, is the domed hall which features

an octagonal pool. Batthyány tér is a few minutes’ walk along Fő utca. In the old days, it was the site of national fairs, a hugely busy port and the terminus of post chaises, but today it is just another traffic junction. Buses start from here to Óbuda and the exclusive Rózsadomb area. The fi rst Métro station on the Buda side is here, and you can catch the suburban train (HÉV) from another part of the station, which takes you via Óbuda, Római Fürdô (Roman Baths), and Pomáz to Szentendre, one of the most beautiful and romantic small towns in the Danube Bend area, famous for its lively art life. Batthyány tér is distinguished by the stunning view of the Danube and Parliament buildings across the river on one hand, and by its own old buildings on the other. Hikisch House, built in the Copf style, stands below today’s street level and “putti”, representing the four seasons, can be seen on its façade. The Fehér Kereszt Inn was built in the Rococo style. Allegedly, Casanova himself stayed here which is why the current nightclub is named after him. It is true to say that Emperor Joseph II was a guest of the house, several times.

The square also features St Anna’s church, an 1805 masterpiece of Hungarian Baroque architecture.

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FINE DINING

The Gourmet Metropolis BUDAPEST’S BEST FINE DINING RESTAURANTS

Alabárdos

Bock Bistro Pest

Csalogány 26

Address of restaurant: 1014 Budapest, Országház u. 2.

Telephone number: +36 1 356 0851 Telephone number for reservations: +36 1 356 0851 E-mail address: alabardos@t-online.hu Website address: www.alabardos.hu Name of manager: Andrusch Péter Name of chef: Bicsár Attila Opening hours: Monday–Friday: 19:00–23:00 Saturday: 12:00–15:00, 19:00–23:00 Type of cuisine: Hungarian Number of seating places: 45 + 25 Year of Establishment: 1964

Address of restaurant: 1073 Budapest, Erzsébet krt. 43–49.

Telephone number: +36 1 321 0340 Telephone number for reservations: +36 1 321 0340 E-mail address: info@bockbisztro.hu Website address: www.bockbisztro.hu, facebook.com/bockbisztro Name of manager: Erki János Name of chef: Danó Zoltán Name of Sous chef: Szalkai Pál, Juhász Tamás, Szalkai Mátyás Opening hours: Monday–Saturday: 12:00–24:00, Closed on Sundays and Holidays Number of seating places: 40–50 Year of Establishment: 2004

Address of restaurant: 1015 Budapest, Csalogány utca 26.

Telephone number: +36 1 201 7892 Telephone number for reservations: +36 1 201 7892 E-mail address: info@csalogany26.hu Website address: www.csalogany26.hu Name of chef: Pethő Baláz Opening hours: Tuesday – Saturday: 12:00–15:00 and 19:00–22:00 Monday, Sunday: closed Number of seating places: 38 Year of Establishment: 2007

The most famous restaurant of the Buda Castle district and, according to the Hungarian and international trade press, one of Hungary’s leading restaurants. We use exclusively Hungarian ingredients, and our dishes, prepared according to the bourgeois recipes of the past century, place new Hungarian cuisine in another dimension. We are ready to welcome our demanding customers with a constantly updated wine list enabling us to contribute to wine culture through our superior selection of wines. We select the best wines at wine competitions and wine tastings, thus we are constantly able to rejuvenate our quality selection.

Every night, soft live guitar music accompanies candlelight dinners.

‘‘No one has gone broke just because he tried to please his guests.” The most important principles of hospitality are today the same as they have always been; to produce excellent dishes at high quality, serve them with style and temper.

Greetings from our corporate chef: Lajos Bíró, executive chef: Viktor Varju and head chefs: Richard Domján & Zoltan Danó.

Simple neighbourhood restaurant with a homely, bistro style. A passionate father and son team offer two daily changing menus; go for either 4 or 8 courses, or choose your dishes from the à la carte. The cooking is full of flavour and presented in a modern style; service is knowledgeable and helpful.

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21 Restaurant 21 The Hungarian Kitchen Hungarian cuisine as it used to be in the “good old days”, updated to the 21st century: while maintaining the original real taste in a concentrated way, our dishes are lighter than the old fashioned Hungarian cuisine. In order to do this we use the very best available ingredients and use the latest techniques and technologies. Based on our Hungarian concept we only carry Hungarian wines and only those with a distinctive character. We have strived to create a “traditional” Hungarian restaurant that we have been missing since the World War, but in an original new way passing over the typical Hungarian restaurant clichés in the cuisine and in the design.

Address of restaurant: 1014 Budapest, Fortuna utca 21.

Telephone number: +36 1 202 2113 Telephone number for reservations: +36 1 202 2113 E-mail address: info@21restaurant.hu Website address: www.21restaurant.hu Name of manager: Bihari Balázs Name of chef: Rácz Krisztián, Litauszki Zsolt Opening hours: Monday–Sunday: 12:00-24:00 Number of seating places: 60+40 Year of Establishment: 2008

Baltazár Baltazár is a family owned “institution”, a gastronomic hub with its warm, friendly, understated atmosphere. Grill, bar, wine bar and smart luxury hotel located in the Buda Castle. Honest and authentic ingredients prepared to perfection in our handmade Josper charcoal grill by one of the country’s most decisive chefs, Mr. Zsolt Litauszki. Gourmet street food, food for sharing, serious meats, great vegetarian options. Simple, yet creative dishes. The most notable wines of mostly the Carpathian Basin area: we carry around 300 titles of the most authentic wines in our Winebar and Terra Hungarica Wine store. While the Bar offers a selection of the best gins the word has to offer.

Address of restaurant: 1014 Budapest, Országház utca 31.

Telephone number: +36 (1) 300-7050 E-mail address: hello@baltazarbudapest.com Website address: www.baltazarbudapest.com Name of manager: Kassai Kálmán, Váradi Zsolt Name of Chef: Litauszki Zsolt Opening hours: Monday–Sunday 07:30–24:00 Number of seating places: 50 + 40 Year of Establishment: 2013

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FINE DINING

Fausto’s

KNRDY

Onyx

Address of restaurant: 1072 Budapest, Dohány utca 3.

Telephone number: +36 30 589 1813 Telephone number for reservations: +36 30 589 1813 E-mail address: faustos@fausto.hu Website address: www.fausto.hu Name of manager: Maul Gergely Name of chef: Giorgio Chavicchiolo Name of executive chef: Fausto Di Vora Opening hours: Monday–Friday: 12:00–15:00, 19:00–23:00, Saturday: 18:00–23:00 Sunday: closed Number of seating places: 50 Year of establishment: 1997

Address of restaurant: 1051 Budapest, Október 6. utca 15.

Telephone number: +36 1 788 1685 Telephone number for reservations: +36 1 788 1685 E-mail address: info@knrdy.com Website address: www.knrdy.com Name of manager: Hermann Ágnes Name of sous-chef: Calum Mcfadzean Name of executive chef: Mark Turton Opening hours: Monday- Sunday: 8:00–01:00 Number of seating places: 40 Type of cuisine: American Steakhouse Year of establishment: 2012

Address of restaurant: 1051 Budapest, Vörösmarty tér 7-8.

Telephone number: +36 30 508 0622 Telephone number for reservations: +36 30 508 0622 E-mail address: onyx@onyxrestaurant.hu, Website address: www.onyxrestaurant.hu Name of owner: Pintér Katalin, Hamvas Zoltán Name of manager: Csahók Ibolya, Sallya Balázs Name of chef: Széll Tamás Name of executive chef: Szulló Szabina Opening hours: Tuesday–Friday: 12:00–14:30, 18:30–23:00, Saturday: 18:30–23:00 Number of seating places: 58 Year of establishment: 2007

Restaurant Fausto’s welcomes guests with special Mediterranean and international dishes and a wide selection of Italian wines. The preparation and serving of a set of dishes is the result of group work. Our secret is love and respect for our work.

We would like to convey good taste, harmony and sensation through our dishes. Our kitchen works only with the highest quality and carefully selected fresh ingredients to make Italian meals. Content and care are the two principles you can fi nd in every single dish we prepare and serve.

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Those who have never tried rib eye at KNRDY restaurant do not know what good meat is. The standard and quality that we can experience abroad is now available in Budapest, in the city. KNRDY American Steakhouse and Bar brings New York to Budapest. We can choose from the world’s best steaks, which are prepared the way a real steak ought to be prepared. The restaurant’s wine and cocktail selection is also unrivalled. The kitchen’s international staff and the owner, Zoltán Konrády guarantee the best quality and the highest level of service. It is good to know the meats on the menu are available in Hungary’s fi rst luxury butchers, Konrády Foods, which is situated at Mom Park.

A rendezvous with tradition and evolution in the heart of Budapest. Since its opening in 2007, the Onyx Restaurant has been committed to quality and progress. At our Hungarian owned restaurant where we work with a house-trained team, the emphasis is on quality domestic ingredients and the appropriate Hungarian wine selection.

The chef couple Szabina Szulló and Tamás Széll offer a gastronomic journey which showcases international fl avours and the renewed Hungarian cuisine. Proof that we are on the right track is the acknowledgement of the GaultMillau restaurant guide and being awarded a Michelin Star in 2011.

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Pest-Buda Bistro A fresh Hungarian bistro, Grandma’s home style kitchen using the best ingredients with love and care. At Pest-Buda we feature a simple kitchen, like our grandma did. Artisanal flamed pie, home-made Tokaji sausage and beef stew – in a friendly and casual atmosphere that is both traditional and fresh. Being one of the oldest restaurants in Hungary, Pest-Buda was reopened in 2011 and was redesigned from kitchen to interior. We only carry Hungarian wines with a true character and like to select those special volumes that are reserved for the true wine lovers.

Address of restaurant: 1014 Budapest, Fortuna utca 3.

Telephone number: +36 1 225 0377 Telephone number for reservations: +36 1 225 0377 E-mail address: info@pestbudabistro.hu Website address: www.pestbudabistro.hu Name of manager: Kassai Kálmán, Dobos Zoltán Name of chef: Lutz Lajos, Litauszki Zsolt Opening hours: Monday–Sunday: 12:00-24:00 Number of seating places: 50+25 Year of Establishment: 2011

Pierrot Cuisine of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy modernised: we strive on using only products historically found in the Carpathian Basin. Our kitchen represents the specialities of the region and our devotion to excellent gastronomy. Pierrot is a refi ned yet comfortable and relaxed, friendly restaurant located in a 13th century old bakery house with a georgeous secret garden, and has been here for more than three decades.

At Pierrot we are focusing on Hungarian wines with special character. Our constantly changing wine list is limited in volume and have been selected with great detail. A few of the wines are limited that cannot be bought anywhere else.

Featured in Michelin Guide since 2005.

Address of restaurant: 1014 Budapest, Fortuna utca 14.

Telephone number: +36 1 375 6971 Telephone number for reservations: +36 1 375 6971 E-mail address: info@pierrot.hu Website address: www.pierrot.hu Name of owner: Horváth Krisztián, Bihari Balázs Name of chef: Litauszki Zsolt Opening hours: Monday-Sunday 12:00-24:00 Number of seating places: 60+30 Year of Establishment: 1982

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FINE DINING

Budapest’s favorable weekend treat S B UNDAY

RUNCH

Brasserie and Atrium Restaurants

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Corso Restaurants

Address: 1073 Budapest, Erzsébet krt. 43–49.

Telephone number for reservations: +36 1 479 4850 Website address: www.corinthia.com/budapest Name of chef: Joel Khalil Number of seating places: 170 + 56 Sunday Brunch timing: Every Sunday from 12:00–16:00

Address: 1052 Budapest, Apáczai Csere János u. 12–14.

Telephone number for reservations: +36 1 327 6392 Website address: www.budapest.intercontinental.com Name of chef: Ulf Burbach Number of seating places: 250 Sunday Brunch timing: Every Sunday 12:00–16:00

The price includes the following beverages Sparkling wine, house wine, beer, Kids corner with toys and different activities Special kids corner with handcraft activities, games, child supervision, diverse programs.

Cuisine: International

The price includes the following beverages Champagne, beer, wine, mineral water, juices Kids corner with toys and different activities Yes Cuisine: Very rich self-service buffet

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LUXURY BUDAPEST

Le Bourbon

Address: 1051 Budapest, Deák Ferenc utca 12-14.

Telephone number for reservations: +36 1 429 3990 Website address: www.esbistro.hu Name of chef: Vajna Tamás Number of seating places: 120 Sunday Brunch timing: Between noon ÉS 3 pm

Address: 1051 Budapest, Erzsébet tér 9–10.

Telephone number for reservations: +36 1 429 5770 Website address: www.lebourbonrestaurant.com Name of chef: Laurent Vandenameele Number of seating places: 60+60 Sunday Brunch timing Every Sunday 12:00–15:00, with live jazz music

Address: 1052 Budapest, Apáczai Csere János utca 4.

Telephone number for reservations: + 36 1 737 7377 Website address: www.peppers.hu Number of seating places: 200 Sunday Brunch timing: Every Sunday 12:00–15:00

The price includes the following beverages Sparkling wine, red & white wine, water, coffee and tea Kids corner with toys and different activities Children's favourite kids' corner with supervision Cuisine: Austro-Hungarian

The price includes the following beverages Beer and house wine, sparkling wine Kids corner with toys and different activities Kids’ corner with supervision Cuisine: Mediterranean

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Peppers!

ÉS Bisztró

The price includes the following beverages Appetizers, Tafelspitz, main courses, desserts, wines, lemonades, beverages ÉS coffe Kids corner with toys and different activities Creative playground ÉS entertaining courses for kids Cuisine: Austro-Hungarian

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Mediterranean Grill

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FINE DINING

A real gourmet treasure TROVE RIGHT HERE IN BUDAPEST!

Budapest has become the capital of dining: In the past few years, the city has undergone a complete gastronomical transformation. You can fi nd everything from the best restaurants to the smallest eateries and főzelek bars. If all you need are a few slices of prosciutto, you can buy it on the go in Arany Janos utca next to the Pomo D’oro restaurant, or in Hajos utca in a store called Deli, where they will even prepare your olive pate sandwich. In the MOM Park shopping mall in Buda, you can buy excellent high-quality Hungarian salami in the Konrady butcher shop.

In these places, you can also shop for gifts, as everything from handmade pasta to onion chutney, a very sought-after item nowadays, is available. Budapest also offers an abundance of choice for those with a sweet tooth, to enjoy as you walk. The Transylvanian speciality kurtoskalacs can be sampled on virtually any corner in the city centre. Real gourmets, however, should defi nitely visit the Szamos confectioner’s or Gerbeaud. Both are located on Vorosmarty ter and offer everything to taste from bonbons to the famous chocolate-drowned creamy sponge cake, Somloi galuska.Szamos is a family-owned business headed by a renowned marzipan maker,

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and thus features these desserts. And Gerbeaud itself is a cake made of nuts, jam and chocolate which you should defi nitely try.

In the summer heat, you will of course want ice cream. There are special varieties of this, too.

Just walk to the Basilica, which is always cool, as churches typically are. Come out of the building and take a left on the fi rst corner: You’ll fi nd an ice cream parlour in about 20 metres! You’ll know it when you see it from the long, snaking line of people queueing up in the evenings, as it is a well-known spot thereabouts. This is because their ice cream is not just delicious, it is also shaped like roses, resulting in a combined sight and taste experience.

The city is strong on street food, so here are a few more tips for the hungry. A recent hit is the Bors gastro bar in Kazinczy utca; located next to Szimpla kert, it was opened by two young entrepreneurs. In Bors, you can eat gourmet soups and sandwiches, while the place itself also has a magical ambiance. Leves, on the other hand, sells soups as is indicated by its name, the direct Hungarian-language translation for “soup.” Lines are long here during lunch breaks, as customers flock from nearby offices and grab their daily dose

in paper cups. The basil tomato soup is especially worth a try. We recommend this after a tour of the Vasarcsarnok market hall, just a minute or two on foot from there at Vám tér.

Also of note is the new hamburger trend in Budapest. An astonishing variety of hamburgers is on offer across the city. We can recommend Good bar in Kecskemeti utca, where you can order it made from whatever meat you like, done just how you want. These are real “hands on” burgers, so head there in the knowledge that you may drop some on your suit! Speaking of food stains, the uniquely Hungarian langos is at its best in Szentendre and at the Feny utca market.

You should always order it with cheese and sour cream, and resign yourself to the fact that it is not a sterile street food, either. If you get a hankering for one whilst walking in the city centre, you can fi nd an excellent place in Akacfa utca. Note: It will be oily, dribbly and superb! For lovers of Jewish cuisine, we recommend Macesz Huszar.

The cholent is mandatory, and the smoked goose leg is fabulous. The restaurant is in Dob utca, a fiveminute walk from the Synagogue. In short, one thing is for sure: You shouldn’t come to Budapest when you are on a diet!

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Gundel Restaurant Discover Hungary by its unique taste of food invented by a Bavarian-born genius Károly Gundel who tamed the Hungarian cuisine at the end of the 19th century and put Hungary on the world map of gastronomy.

The New York Times wrote that Gundel did more for Hungary’s popularity than a shipload of tourist brochures. Gundel’s menu recalls flavours, memories and traditions. Just like our great composers, Kodály and Bartók collected Hungarian folk music within the borders of historical Hungary, so did our restaurant collect Hungarian food specialties. Gundel is the place where you can find traditional Hungarian dishes based on original recipes, served on the world famous china of Zsolnay or Herend. The Bar is ready to please you with coffee, cocktails, snacks or our famous Gundel crépe. Winel-overs are encouraged to taste the Gundel selection served by our award-winning sommelier while enjoying the live music of the Gundel Band every night. All this is made perfect with the immaculate service of Gundel’s professional staff.

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Address of restaurant: 1046 Budapest, Gundel Károly út 4.

Telephone number: +36 1 889 8100 Telephone number for reservations: +36 1 889 8100, +36 30 603 2480 E-mail address: info@gundel.hu / Website address: www.gundel.hu Name of manager: Tádé ALFÖLDY / Name of Executive Chef: Gábor MERCZI Name of Sous-Chef: János KOVÁCS / Name of Sommelier: Mihály FABÓK Opening hours: Monday-Sunday: 09:00–24:00, Sunday Brunch: 11:30-15:00 Type of cuisine: Hungarian and international Number of seating places: 176 + 400-1000 / Year of Establishment: 1894

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Costes Restaurant The Chef of Costes Restaurant, Miguel Rocha Vieira, is forever inspired by several international and Hungarian recognisable effects. Using only the best ingredients available, he and his team make sure that the guests enjoy only the fi nest food compositions. The atmosphere is elegant, yet free and easy. A fi ne dining restaurant with stylish design, great service and an extensive wine list.

Address of restaurant: 1092 Budapest, Ráday u. 4.

Telephone number: +36 1 219 0696 Telephone number for reservations: +36 1 219 0696 E-mail address: info@costes.hu Website address: www.costes.hu Name of owner: Gerendai Károly Name of chef: Miguel Rocha Vieira Opening hours: Wednesday–Sunday: 18:30-24:00 Number of seating places: 40 Year of Establishment: 2008

17

18

17

2011

2012

2013

Le Bourbon Le Bourbon restaurant is undoubtedly one of the signatures of Le Meridien hotel, a Michelin recommended restaurant. Come in for a Sunday Brunch and try the amazing selection of the buffet, then chose a Royal Chocolate cake at the end, a unique gastronomical experience. Let us also recommend for you to discover our weekly bistro lunch between Monday and Friday.

A highlight of the weekends is our themed event the Hungarian Night, where the local delicacies, gypsy music and Hungarian folklore dance show offer an unforgettable evening especially for foreign guests.

Please visit www.lebourbonrestaurant.com to fi nd the menus.

Address of restaurant 1051 Budapest, Erzsébet tér 9-10.

Telephone number +36 1 429 5770 E-mail address robert.boros@lemeridien.com Website address www.lebourbonrestaurant.com Opening hours Monday–Sunday 6:30–22:30, Number of seating places 60 + 60

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A brand new

FUJI!

Executive chef Usuda Masato Address of restaurant 1025 Budapest, Csatárka u. 54.

Telephone number +36 1 325 7111, +36 30 393 3000 Telephone number for reservations +36 1 325 7111 E-mail address restaurant@fujirestaurant.hu Website address www.fujirestaurant.hu Opening hours Monday–Sunday 12:00–23:00 Number of seating places: 75

187

Awards 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013: Best of Budapest award 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012: In the top 50 Hungarian restaurant 2011: The Best Top Asian Restaurant award in Hungary 2011 | 2012 | 2013 (2. place): Dining City Restaurant Week Winner 2013: Gault And Milau 12 points recommended restaurant

Fuji is a Traditional Japanese Restaurant and has been operating since 1991.

It has recently undergone a substantial transformation and recovery process that will no doubt benefit its customers.

The recently renewed architectural elements and interior furniture has become fastidious providing high standards and quality.

Besides regular tatami rooms, customers can now enjoy some teppanyaki and sushi in an open kitchen environment.

The menu was renewed in the summer of 2013 and contains 200 types of special meals. Customers can choose from a variety of fresh seafood, organic and seasonal special food such as: Sushi, Sashimi, Tempura, Nabe, Bentos, Sukiyaki, Sabu-Sabu, Wagyu-Kobe beef. Under the chef’s guidance, the restaurant is representing the Japanese gastronomy in Hungary better and better.

The restaurant has a longstanding reputation, as its principal view will always be the customers’ opinion and their satisfaction, which will always pave their way to success.

Additionally, as newness, an application has been launched to facilitate information gathering for reservations and deliveries.

As Mount Fuji became a world heritage location this year, the restaurant celebrates this by trying to reach out to as many customers as possible and spread its world famous quality and healthy cuisine. www.fujirestaurant.hu

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Nobu Restaurant “You can tell how much fun a city is going to be if Nobu has a restaurant in it.” (Madonna) Nobu Budapest is the fi rst Central-European member of Nobu’s worldwide dining empire conveniently located in the very heart of Budapest. Enjoy and explore Nobuyuki Matsuhisa’s new style Japanese cuisine where our executive chef, Gábor Schreiner, combines the Japanese-Peruvian taste with Hungarian ingredients as well. The Nobu restaurants are well worth to visit if you are keen on tasting Nobu’s world famous and special signature dishes, like Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeno, Tuna Sashimi Salad with Matsuhisa Dressing and the Black Cod Den Miso. Nobu Budapest welcomes guests with 80 seats including a private room and the sushi bar, while the Nobu Lounge Bar accommodates guests with separate menu card and a wide Nobu Signature Cocktail selection.

Address of restaurant: 1051 Budapest, Erzsébet tér 7–8.

Telephone number: +36 1 429 4242 Telephone number for reservations: +36 1 429 4242 E-mail address: reservation@noburestaurant.hu Website address: www.noburestaurants.com Name of manager: Halász György Name of Sous-Chef: Pósa Géza Name Name of Sushi Chef: Yoshiyuki Sone Name of Executive chef: Schreiner Gábor Opening hours: Monday-Sunday: Restaurant: 12:00–01:00 Lunch: 12:00–15:30, Dinner: 18:00–23:45, Lounge: 12:00–01:00 Type of cuisine: New Style Japanese cuisine redefi ned

by South American flavours Number of seating places: 80 + 50 Year of Establishment: 2010

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Spíler Bistro-Pub Spíler is a favorite of downtown locals, and with good reason – quality street food is offered here in a laid-back scene with a cool bar serving Hungary’s best microbrews and wines. Excellent DJ music on weekends to speed up your night. “Spíler is one of those places that reminds people what fantastic things are happening in the former Eastern Bloc countries of Europe, and reinvigorates even the most dormant travel bug.

Downtown Budapest is where the action is at in this case – a microbrewery bistropub (that’s last year’s gastropub, keep up) with so much going for it, that it might justify a budget airline flight on its own merits alone.” (We Heart magazine) Located in the Gozsdu district, Spíler is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, party or just for a chat every day between 8 a.m. and 2 a.m.

Address of restaurant: 1075 Budapest, Király utca 13.

Telephone number: +36 1 878 1320 Telephone number for reservations: +36 1 878 1320 E-mail address: hello@spilerbp.hu Website address: www.spilerbp.hu Name of owner: Hartai Róbert Name of chef: Baranyai Péter, Lutz Lajos Opening hours: Sunday-Wednesday 08:00-24:00, Thursday-Sunday 08:00 - 02:00 Number of seating places: 300 Year of Establishment: 2012

Tokio Tokio is on the Pest-side of Chain bridge, Széchenyi István square (formerly Roosevelt) and its environs are the heart of the business district, which transformes into a popular entertainment and clubbing quarter at night. Tokio offers a culinary experience in an exciting enterior designed by talented young Hungarian designers. Tokio still presents excellent and upmarked food, but the selection has been extended the perfectly constructed coctails, and dj’s entertain after dark. The kitchen is run by Luczy Krisztián who works with authentic Thai chefs to serve up the most exciting flavours intha capital. Japanese specialities, great atmosphere, and the coctail creations by the head of bartender Dános Tamás guarantee a perfect bar experience.

Address of restaurant: 1051 Budapest, Széchenyi István tér 7-8.

Telephone number: +36 1 801 9862 Telephone number for reservations: +36 70 333 2176 E-mail address: info@tokiobudapest.com Website address: www.tokiobudapest.com Name of owner: Csizmadia Örs, Demján Ferenc, Sarusi Ferenc Name of chef: Luczy Krisztián Opening hours: Sunday-Wednesday 12:00-24:00, Thursday-Saturday 12:00-03:00 Number of seating places: 80 + 15 Year of Establishment: 2007

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Arany Kaviár Restaurant

The maze of rooms oozes homely warmth and ornate elegance.

It is the perfect spot for romantic dinners sheltered from the outside world, for important business lunches in a discreet, relaxed atmosphere and for spending undisturbed quality time with friends & family. Arany Kaviár offers three degustation menus, laying emphasis on marine and freshwater fishes as traditional Russian dishes. The wine list is often broadened with reserve items and Hungarian artisan wine specialities. In summer the enchanting inner garden awaits guests with an exclusive Champagne terrace.

It’s recommended for all gastronomy fans who wish to indulge in culinary delights in an intimate ambience.

Address of restaurant: 1015 Budapest, Ostrom utca 19.

Telephone number: +36 1 201 6737 Telephone number for reservations: +36 30 685 6000, or +36 1 201 6737 E-mail address: reservation@aranykaviar.hu Website address: www.aranykaviar.hu Name of Owner-Manager: Attila Molnár Name of Owner-Executive Chef: Szása Nyíri / Name of Chef: Árpád Györffy Opening hours: every day: 12:00–15:00 and 18:00-24:00 Type of cuisine: international cuisine Number of seating places: 48 (additional 32 can be seated on the terrace in spring&summer season) Year of Establishment: 1990

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Columbus Restaurant Boat on the Danube The cosy restaurant and the Irish pub running on the Columbus Boat are waiting its guests with Hungarian and international dishes and a spectacular view every day. The ambitious chef, Róbert Tobai – renowned from his cooking books and gastronomic TV shows – prepares imaginative courses for us.

From the terraces – open from spring to autumn – you can enjoy a fantastic view to the Buda Castle, the Citadel and the Chain Bridge.

The Columbus Boat offers much more than just culinary pleasures: there is live music every evening, and from Thursday to Saturday the Columbus Club welcomes well-known Hungarian and international musicians from the world of jazz, pop, blues, soul etc.

Address of restaurant: 1051 Budapest, Vigadó tér 4. számú kikötő Telephone number: +36 1 266 9013 / Telephone number for reservations: +36 1 266 9013 E-mail address: sales@colombuspub.hu / Website address: www.colombuspub.hu Name of manager: Máté János, Turgyán Attila / Name of Chef: Tobai Róbert Opening hour: Monday-Sunday: 12:00–24:00 / Type of cuisine: Hungarian and International Number of seating places: 250 / Year of Establishment: 2001

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Spoon Cafe & Lounge Restaurant The Spoon is a restaurant boat located in the central spot of Budapest-Hungary. This 75m engineless fi ne dining event and restaurant place is able to provide it’s services 365 days in the year.

On the top it has two huge terraces and an additional one with glass sided walls, the winter garden. On the middle level there are two different designed restaurants, we call them the “Cafe” which is more like a real fi ne dining hall and the “Lounge”, which is a luxurious relaxing eating area. As an additional service we provide a night club on the bottom level, with direct access from the Lounge. It’s design is based on the Arabian fantasy, called “The Oriental”. On each level we have a full kitchen, that makes the Spoon capable of serving every type of event and customer at different times and every season of the year. Our goal is to give high quality service to the corporate events, private parties and of course as the location of the Spoon is right on the most wanted spot of Budapest, we are a must see restaurant.

Address of restaurant: 1052 Budapest, Vígadó tér 3-as kikötő Telephone number: +36 1 411 0933, +36 1 411 0935 Telephone number for reservations: +36 1 411 0933 E-mail address: spoon@spooncafe.hu Website address: www.spooncafe.hu Name of manager: Szlancsik Péter, Németh Gergely Executive Chef of the Spoon restaurants: Pillók Attila Name of Executive Chef: Szűcs Róbert Opening hours: Monday-Sundayt: 11:00–24:00 Type of cuisine: Contemporary Hungarian and International Number of seating places: 500 Year of Establishment: 2003

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Spoon Lodge Restaurant Welcome home!

Continuing the unbroken success of the Spoon Cafe & Lounge in Budapest, the Spoon Lodge restaurant opened his gates in Balatonakarattya in 2013. The Balinese atmosphere greetings back everywhere. When we step into the garden feels like we are in a hidden paradise with authentic statues, purling fountains, chirping birds and exotic plants. Live grill kitchen, cozy atmosphere.

The cuisine is Balinese mixed with a touch of Hungarian flavors, keeping the nova day’s gastronomic trends.

In the garden of the restaurant can be found the Little Spoon children’s playground, which helps keeps all the families relaxed while they enjoy the unique cuisine.

Address of restaurant: 8172 Balatonakarattya, Rákóczy út 44.

Telephone number: +36 88 656 470 Telephone number for reservations: +36 88 656470, +36 30 754 2211 E-mail address: sales@spoonlodge.hu Website address: www.spoonlodge.hu Name of manager: Szlancsik Péter, Bezdán Sándor Executive Chef of the Spoon restaurants Pillók Attila Name of Executive Chef: Pintér Károly Opening hours: Monday-Sundayt: 11:00–24:00 Type of cuisine: Balinese and contemporary Hungarian Number of seating places: 100 Year of Establishment: 2013

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Mátyás Pince Restaurant

A place where past and present meet: historical interior with modern cuisine technology!

One of the richest history in Budapest belongs to Mátyás Pince Restaurant, the 110-year-old restaurant, which has rejuvenated according to the expectations of the 21st century, while maintaining the historical values of culinary delights awaiting its lovers.

Wednesdays and Thursdays there is folklore dance show and Fridays operetta show welcomes our customers with no extra charge. Every evening – and on weekends in lunch time too – Lakatos Vilmos and his gypsy orchestra entertain our guests.

Our cuisine stands for the Hungarian tastes using high quality ingredients and technologies meeting the visitor’s and the era’s requirements but respecting the traditions. Our range of drinks includes a wide assortment of excellent Hungarian wines and specialities of the spirit manufacture of Gyula.

Address of restaurant: 1056 Budapest, Március 15. tér 7.

Telephone number: +36 1 266 8008 Telephone number for reservations: +36 1 266 8008 E-mail address: info@matyaspince.hu Website address: www.matyaspince.eu Name of manager: Vitárius Csaba Name of Chef: Szepesi János Opening hours: Monday-Sunday: 11:00–24:00 Type of cuisine: Hungarian and International Number of seating places: 280 Year of Establishment: 1904

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Halászbástya Restaurant

Halászbástya Restaurant with its elegantly arranged rooms, charming viewed terraces and high-standard services is an excellent venue for intimate dinners and wine tasting. A live gypsy music provides an unforgettable experience every day.

The gastronomic style of the restaurant is based on traditions of the Hungarian cuisine, however it is an innovative kitchen. The envisioned courses meet with the best wines of the Hungarian wine regions and some wine of renowned foreign wineries.

The Halászbástya Restaurant is not just a restaurant, but an atmosphere, an expression of feeling which is much more complicated to describe than to try out and become a part of the miracle.

Address of restaurant: 1014 Budapest, Budai Vár, Halászbástya-Északi Híradástorony Telephone number: +36 1 201 6935 Telephone number for reservations: +36 1 201 6935 E-mail address: info@halaszbastya.eu Website address: www.halaszbastya.eu Name of manager: Lenkei Péter, Kiskovács Péter Name of Chef: Szabó Barna, Majzinger János Opening hours: Monday-Sunday: 12:00–24:00 Type of cuisine: Hungarian and International Number of seating places: 120 Year of Establishment: 2010

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Restaurant Guide A

B

C

D

A38 Hajó 1113 Budapest, at the foot of Petőfi bridge, Buda side Alabárdos Étterem 1014 Budapest, Országház u. 2.

Arany Kaviár Restaurant 1015 Budapest, Ostrom u. 15.

Aranyszarvas Bistro 1013 Budapest, Szarvas tér 1.

Araz Restaurant 1074 Budapest, Dohány utca 42-44.

Arcade Bistro 1126 Budapest, Kiss J. alt. u. 38.

Baldaszti's Kitchen 1013 Budapest, Lánchíd utca 7-9.

Baltazár 1014 Budapest, Országház utca 31.

Baraka Restaurant & Lounge 1062 Budapest, Andrássy út 111.

Biarritz Restaurant & Café 1055 Budapest, Kossuth tér 18.

Bock Bistro 1073 Budapest, Erzsébet krt. 43-49.

Bock Bistro Buda 1125 Budapest, Szarvas Gábor utca 8.

Boom and Brass Bar & Restaurant 1054 Budapest, Vigadó u. 4-6.

Boscolo – New York Café 1073 Budapest, Erzsébet krt. 9-11.

Brasserie and Atrium Restaurants 1073 Budapest, Erzsébet krt. 43-49.

Bruno & Bruno Restaurant 1124 Budapest, Apor Vilmos tér 11-12.

Café 57 Restaurant 1025 Budapest, Pusztaszeri út 57.

Café Kör 1051 Budapest, Sas u. 17.

Café Pierrot 1014 Budapest, Fortuna u. 14.

Callas Café & Restaurant 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 20.

Chez Daniel Restaurant 1063 Budapest, Szív u. 32.

Columbus Restaurant 1051 Budapest, Vigadó tér, pier No. 4.

Corso Restaurant 1052 Budapest, Apáczai Csere János u. 12–14.

Costes Restaurant 1092 Budapest, Ráday u. 4.

Cyrano Restaurant & Café 1052 Budapest, Kristóf tér 7-8.

Déryné Bistro 1013 Budapest, Krisztina tér 3.

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International

+36 1 464 3946

Hungarian

+36 1 356 0851

Russian

+36 1 201 6737

International

+36 1 375 6451

International

+36 1 815 1100

International

+36 1 225 1969

International

+36 30 422 5981

Grill Restaurant +36 1 300 7050 International

+36 1 483 1355

International

+36 1 311 4413

Hungarian

+36 1 321 0340

Hungarian

+36 1 376 6044

International

+36 1 877 7788

International

+36 1 886 6111

International

+36 1 479 4850

Hungarian

+36 20 243 1565

International

+36 1 325 6078

International

+36 1 311 0053

Hungarian

+36 1 375 6971

International

+36 1 354 0954

French

+36 1 302 4039

Hungarian

+36 1 266 9013

International

+36 1 327 6392

International

+36 1 219 0696

International

+36 1 266 4747

International

+36 1 225 1407

Every day 11am-12pm closed on Sunday Monday-Friday 7pm-11pm Saturday 12pm-3 pm, 7 pm-11pm Every day 12am-3pm, 6pm-0am

restaurant@a38.hu www.a38.hu alabardos@t-online.hu www.alabardos.hu reservation@aranykaviar.hu www.aranykaviar.hu Every day 12am-11pm bisztro@aranyszarvas.hu www.aranyszarvas.hu Every day 7am-11pm, araz@araz.hu www.araz.hu Monday-Saturday 12am-3.30pm, arcadebistro@arcadebistro.hu Dinner: 6.30am-11pm, Sunday closed www.arcadebistro.hu Tuesday-Wednesday 12am-00am bistro@baldasztis.com Kitchen 12am-3pm, 6:30pm-10:30pm www.baldasztis.com Thursday-Saturday 12am-02am hello@zonabudapest.com Kitchen 12am-3pm, 6:30pm-10:30pm Monday-Saturday hello@baltazarbudapest.com Every day 7.30am-12:00pm www.baltazarbudapest.com Monday-Saturday info@barakarestaurant.hu 12am-3pm, 6pm-11pm www.barakarestaurant.hu Monday-Friday 9am -8pm etterem@biarritz.hu Saturday-Sunday 10am-10pm www.biarritz.hu Monday-Saturday 12am-00am, info@bockbisztro.hu closed on Sunday www.bockbisztro.hu Wednesday-Sunday 12am-11pm info@bockbisztrobuda.hu www.bockbisztrobuda.hu Every day 11am-1am info@boombrass.hu www.boombrass.com Every day 9am-12pm info@newyorkpalace.hu www.newyorkpalace.hu Every day 6.30am-11pm cuisine.budapest@corinthia.com www.corinthia.com Monday-Sunday 12am-11pm info@brunobruno.hu Saturday 12am-7pm www.brunobruno.hu Every day 8am-12pm cafe57@cafe57.hu www.cafe57.hu Monday–Saturday 10am–10pm cafekor@hotmail.com www.cafekor.com Every day 11am-12pm info@pierrot.hu www.pierrot.hu Every day 10am-12pm callascafe@gmail.com www.callascafe.hu Every day 12am–3pm and 7pm–11pm restaurant@chezdaniel.hu www.chezdaniel.hu Every day 12am–00am res@columbuspub.hu www.columbuspub.hu Every day 6:30am–11pm corso.restaurant@ihg.com www.budapest. intercontinental.com Wednesday-Sunday 6:30pm-0am, info@costes.hu 6:30 pm-12pm, Monday-Tuesday Closed www.costes.hu Every day 8am-0am cyrano@citynet.hu www.cyranorestaurant.info Monday-Thursday 7:30am-0:00am, foglalas@cafederyne.hu Friday 7:30am-1am, www.cafederyne.hu Saturday 9am-1am, Derynegroups@gmail.com Sunday 9am-23:30pm

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Fausto’s Restaurant 1064 Budapest, Székely Mihály u. 2.

Fuji 1025 Budapest, Csatárka utca 54.

Gerlóczy Café & Restaurant 1052 Budapest, Gerlóczy u. 1.

Gundel 1146 Budapest, Gundel Károly út 4.

Halászbástya 1014 Budapest, Budai Vár, Halászbástya Kéhli Restaurant 1036 Budapest, Mókus u. 22.

Kogart Café & Restaurant 1062 Budapest, Andrássy út 112.

Klassz 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 41.

KNRDY 1051 Budapest, Október 6. utca 15.

Le Bourbon 1051 Budapest, Erzsébet tér 9-10.

Macesz Huszár 1072 Budapest, Dob utca 26.

Italian Japanese International Hungarian Hungarian Hungarian International International International French Jewish Bistro

Mák bistro Hungarian 1051 Budapest, Vigyázó Ferenc u. 4.

Mátyás Pince Hungarian 1056 Budapest, Március 15. tér 7.

Mini Bistro & Bar International 1013 Budapest, Krisztina tér 3.

Náncsi Néni’s Restaurant Hungarian 1029 Budapest, Ördögárok út 80.

Nobu Restaurant Asian 1051 Budapest, Erzsébet tér 7-8.

Onyx Restaurant International 1051 Budapest, Vörösmarty tér 7-8. (entrance: Harmincad utca) Pampas Argentinian Steakhouse Argentinian 1056 Budapest, Vámház krt. 6.

Paris-Budapest Café, Sofitel International 1051 Budapest, Roosevelt tér 2.

Pata Negra Spanish 1091 Budapest, Kálvin tér 8.

Pastrami Restaurant & Café International 1036 Budapest, Lajos utca 93-99.

Peppers! Mediterranean Grill Mediterranean 1052 Budapest, Apáczai-Csere János u. 4.

Porcellino Grasso Italian 1024 Budapest, Ady Endre u. 19.

Restaurant Philippe Le Belge Belgian 1136 Budapest, Balzac u. 35.

Rickshaw Asian 1073 Budapest, Erzsébet krt. 43-49.

Ristorante Giardino International 1051 Budapest, Erzsébet tér 7-8.

Robinson International 1146 Budapest, Városligeti-tó, island Rosenstein Hungarian 1087 Budapest, Mosonyi utca 3.

Spíler Bistro Pub 1075 Budapest, Király utca 13. (Godzsu courtyard) Spoon Café & Lounge International 1052 Budapest, Vigadó tér 3. (on the riverside) Symbol – Italian Fusion Restaurant Italian 1036 Budapest, Bécsi út 56.

Trattoria Pomo D’Oro Italian 1051 Budapest, Arany János u. 9.

Zóna Wine Bistro

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+36 1 877 6210 +36 30 589 1813 +36 1 325 7111 or +36 30 393 3000 +36 1 501 4000

Monday-Friday 12am-3pm, 7pm–11pm, info@fausto.hu Saturday 6pm-11pm, closed on Sunday www.fausto.hu Monday-Sunday 12am-23pm restaurant@fujirestaurant.hu www.fujirestaurant.hu Every day 7am-11pm info@gerloczy.hu www.gerloczy,hu +36 1 468 4040 or Monday-Sunday 12am-0am info@gundel.hu +36 30 603 2480 Sunday brunch 11:30am-3pm www.gundel.hu +36 1 201 6935 Monday-Sunday 12am-0am info@halaszbastya.eu www.halaszbastya.eu +36 1 250 4241 or Every day 12am-12pm postmaster@kehli.t-online.hu +36 1 368 0613 www.kehli.hu +36 1 354 3830 Working days 10am-6pm etterem@kogart.hu www.kogart.hu No reservation Monday-Saturday 11:30am-11pm www.klasszetterem.hu via phone Sunday 11.30am-11pm www.klassz.eu +36 1 788 1685 Monday-Friday 11:30am-01:00am info@kndry.hu www.kndry.com + 36 1 429 5770 Every day 6.30am-10.30pm www.lebourbonrestaurant.com Sunday Brunch 12am-3pm concierge.budapest@lemeridien.com +36 1 787 6164 Monday-Wednesday 12am-11.30pm solet@maceszhuszar.hu +36 30 499 5585 Thursday-Saturday 12am-0.30am www.maceszhuszar.hu Sunday 12am-11.30pm +36 30 723 9383 Tuesday-Saturday 12am-3pm info@makbistro.hu 6pm-0am www.makbistro.hu +36 1 266 8008 Every day 11.00am-24am info@matyaspince.hu www.matyaspince.eu +36 1 225 3794 Monday-Sunday 12am-3am foglalas@cafederyne.hu www.theminibar.hu +36 1 397 2742 Monday-Sunday12am-11pm, asztalfoglalas@nancsineni.hu www.nancsineni.hu +36 1 429 4242 Restaurant: 12am-3pm, 6pm-11:45pm reservation@noburestaurant.hu Lounge Bar: 12am-1am www.noburestaurants.com +36 30 508 0622 Tuesday-Friday 12am-2:30pm, onyx@onyxrestaurant.hu 6:30pm-11pm, Saturday 6:30pm-11pm www.onyxrestaurant.hu +36 1 411 1750 Every day 12am-0.30am info@steak.hu www.steak.hu +36 1 235 5600/797 Every day Bar 8am-12pm info@parisbudapestcafe.hu Restaurant 12am-11pm www.parisbudapestcafe.hu +36 1 215 5616 Monday–Sunday: 11am–12pm, patanegra@patanegra.hu www.patanegra.hu +36 1 430 1731 Every day 8am–11pm pastrami@pastrami.hu www.pastrami.hu +36 1 737 7377 Every day 6:30am-11pm reservations@peppers www.peppers.hu +36 1 886 7880 Every day 12am-12pm porcellino@porcellino.hu www.porcellino.hu +36 30 944 6173 Tuesday-Sunday 12am-3pm info@philippe.hu and 6pm-10pm, closed on Monday www.philippe.hu +36 1 479 4855 Tuesday-Saturday 6pm-11pm cuisine.budapest@corinthia.com www.corinthia.hu +36 1 429 3990 Every day 6pm-11:30pm concierge.corvinus@kempinski.com www.kempinski-budapest.com +36 1 422 0222 Every day 11:00am-17:00pm, robinson@t-online.hu +36 30 663 6871 18:00pm-23:00pm www.robinsonrestaurant.hu +36 1 333 3492 Monday-Saturday 12am-11pm, rosenstein@t-email.hu closed on Sundays www.rosenstein.hu +36 1 878 1320 Monday-Wednesday 11:30am-01:00am, hello@spilerbp.hu Thursday - Saturday 11:30am-02:00am, Sunday -00:00am www.spilerbp.hu +36 1 411 0933 Every day 12am-12pm spoon@spooncafe.hu www.spooncafe.hu +36 1 333 5656 Monday-Friday 7.30am-12pm info@symbolbudapest.hu Saturday-Sunday 11:30am-12pm www.symbolbudapest.hu +36 1 302 6473 Every day 12am-12pm pomodoro@tvnet.hu www.pomodorobudapest.com +36 30 422 5981 Thuesday–Saturday 12pm–2am hello@zonabudapest.com www.zonabudapest.com

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NIGHTLIFE

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Bustling nightlife ‘Budapest nightlife’ and the ‘Pest cabaret’ are legendary forms of entertainment: For a hundred years they have been the showcase of the daily life and mood of a nation that likes to have fun and of people that can smile whenever they want and are big-hearted (sometimes to an unhealthy degree).

During the fi rst half of the 20th century, a large part of the masterpieces of Hungarian literature were created in the cafes of Budapest and during the 1920s and 30s Budapest clubs and variety shows were thought to be as superb as those of Paris.

Twenty years after the fall of communism the once-sparkling Budapest nightlife is starting to “recover”. The citizens of Budapest love to go out during the weekend, sometimes even during the week. It is easy to fi nd a good place among the wide selection of cool jazz clubs, open-air music clubs and elegant cafes. The city has no dedicated entertainment quarter, but there are two areas with a high density of entertainment units: Liszt Ferenc ter is elegant while the places in Raday utca are perhaps a bit more casual. There are places for you even if you want to have fun until dawn, as in general

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there are no restrictions on the opening hours for music venues. This means that the majority of clubs, bars and discos are open until late, sometimes even right through to morning.

Nightlife in Budapest is colourful, friendly and caters for all tastes. For instance, the elderly can enjoy a night out in operetta and musical theatres and around these places. Those enjoying “alternative” culture can spend time in the so-called “ruin pubs”, a unique creation of Budapest; these are established in the yards of old and soon-to-be-demolished blocks of flats and are usually run for a year or two before the building is actually torn down.

Also of note are the increasing number of gay-friendly entertainment units, typically bars and discos. Some of them have regular “open days” when non-gay couples are welcome.

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Orfeum SMOKY NIGHTS AT ORFEUM At Orfeum, a world long forgotten, a world where fi lm noir becomes real-ity, where it is still in style to party, do serious business or fall in love, has been resurrected. Orfeum is like travelling back in time to the cabaret world of the 1920s and 30s, when pin-striped suits were in fashion, and we could even see Marilyn Monroe wearing a fur coat.

This is the place where the celebrities of the literary and theatre world go, where it's no surprise if they sing a chanson or dance an unforgettable dance. Its soft armchairs, coffee and drink specialties bring back the atmosphere of the old cafes, while its stage reminds us of the cabarets of the past. Orfeum has a magnificent interior design and offers varied food, unique programs, theatre and music nights, club concerts and variety shows: all in all, a unique atmosphere. And also singers with the smokiest voices in Hungary.

1073 Budapest, Erzsébet krt. 43-49. www.orfeumclub.hu

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La Bodeguita Del Medio PASSIONATE ATMOSPHERE AT LA BODEGUITA DEL MEDIO Looking for a piece of Cuba in downtown Budapest? Genuine Caribbean atmosphere awaits those who love dancing, partying and a vivid nightlife in La Bodeguita del Medio in Budapest’s District 7. The Cuban restaurant turns into a club after 10pm, with live music, beautiful salsa dancers, Caribbean dishes and colorful cocktails, guaranteeing a memorable night out. In addition to the special dishes, they also serve mojitos made of original ingredients; legend has it that mojitos were indeed fi rst mixed in La Bodeguita Del Medio in Havana. It is no surprise that is was the favourite place of Ernest Hemingway and Brigitte Bardot. In the garden, there is a 20-metre long bar and a barbecue place, all signs of a good time during the summer. You can leave the city without actually leaving it.

1074 Budapest, Dob utca 57. Fészek Klub

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Discover the beauty of Budapest and the Danube bend on board Mahart’s boats The wide selection of sailing options provided by MAHART PassNave Ltd. offer the perfect opportunity for Hungarian and foreign tourists ready to recharge themselves on the River Danube. With a number of programmes in the capital and the rides to discover the beauties of the Danube Bend, MAHART guarantees perfect relaxation for passengers trying to get some rest.

If you only have a few hours to spend riding a boat on the Danube, our evening cruise with music and dance is an excellent way to enjoy the breathtaking lights of Budapest by night. Live music and buffet catering creates an atmosphere to serve as the foundation for an unforgettable evening. Tasty Hungarian meals, fi ne wines and pleasant music awakens the desire in guests to enjoy the beauties and atmosphere of our capital a little longer and, if an opportunity presents itself, return to a place which they'll never forget. During its pleasant and comfortable one-hour ride, our Duna Corso sightseeing cruise guides you from Margaret Bridge to Rakoczi Bridge and in 11 languages introduces you to the sights of the city along the river bank.

The unique feature of the ride is that it covers this distance 10-13 times a day, so it is really a perfect opportunity for those who would like to see the lights of Budapest by night. Those ready to embark on longer voyages, MAHART PassNave has a range of boats to show you the exceptionally beautiful regions of Hungary. Pleasure trips by river boats and hydrofoils can take you to the beautiful Danube Bend, to the popular tourist destinations: Szentendre, Vac, Visegrad and Esztergom.

The hydrofoil rides between Budapest and Vienna are quite popular among passengers and offer a unique experience for all who wish to discover these cities in an unusual manner. The Solyom class hydrofoils that resemble aircraft on water were refurbished in the spring of 2010 to provide 21st-century comfort for passengers in a climate controlled, nonsmoking environment with a modern audio system, an exclusive bar in the back section and a five-person VIP cabin equipped with a minibar. The route can be monitored via LCD monitors and GPS navigation systems, and passengers receive visual and audio information about the sights along the river in Hungarian, English and German.

Boat rentals of so-called charter boats represent an important part of passenger traffic of MAHART PassNave Ltd. All vessels of the fleet (event boats, pleasure trip boats and hydrofoils) may be rented to accommodate the needs of passengers to the maximum and the employees of our company offer all possible help to ensure that our guests indeed return home with pleasant and once-in-a-lifetime memories.

VIGADÓ SQUARE SHIP STATION Address 1052 Budapest, Vigadó tér Telephone number +36 1 318 1223 +36 1 484 4013 Email address sales@mahartpassnave.hu Website address www.mahart.info

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Wherever you go in the World, your first-class mobility partner is Sixt.

(You can enjoy our discounted rates in Hungary if you book your car at www.sixt.hu/AbsolutMedia)

The picture is only illustration.

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OUTSIDE OF BUDAPEST

A day outside the city Have you found an empty day in your schedule? Has your meeting been cancelled? Or perhaps you have the time to be able to stay in Budapest for the weekend. Then head for the nearest car rental, as there is nothing better than roaming around Hungary. We would like to recommend a few places you shouldn't miss when you have the time.

In a mini-trip, your fi rst and most important stop could be Lake Balaton. Hungary's largest lake is simply not to be missed! There are hardly any sights more beautiful, that is for sure. This is a huge lake, make no mistake about that. There are yachts on the water, splashing children by the banks and mouthwatering dishes on offer in the lakeside restaurants. It only takes an hour of driving, really not far to travel at all, before you glimpse the rippling waves. From magical little villages to towns with the most attractive harbours, you can fi nd it all here. In Balatonfured, you can watch the yachts, take a walk among the former villas of the turn of the 20th century, or simply sunbathe on the beach. At the Balaton, you can fi nd many nice museums, bird sanctuaries, the famous Bergmann confectioner's and, in many places, divine fish soup. If you are only visiting for a short while, taste the hake with a slice of white bread and a pickled cucumber. If you are not the one driving, why not wash it down with a good rose spritzer? As the Balaton is typically divided into the north and south shores, both sides offer their own characteristic possibilities. Those who hunger for even fi ner culinary experiences should drive to Balatonboglar and visit the Kistucsok restaurant. Fine dining provincial style, with Little Sister's apple pie. The host, Balazs Csapody, welcomes all guests with the same cordiality, and the fame of his restaurant reaches far and wide. As there are lots of vineyards around the Balaton, you can also visit winemakers. After a lunch at the Kistucsok, we recommend dropping in at the Legli family wine cellars. They also make ceramics, so you can give handicraft a try while you're there.

For those who are looking to party, we recommend Siofok at the near end of the lake. This is the summer capital of Hungary. It is full of clubs, cocktail bars and young people.

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Take care, it isn't a relaxed environment: The city is buzzing, especially after nine in the evening when the night life begins. Those who prefer tranquility and the arts should instead opt for the northern shore. And, if time permits, make a visit to the Kali basin. This tiny area is basically a handful of villages just north of the Balaton. Many years ago, a group of artists moved to the area and have since created a very special ambience which simply charms visitors. It takes two hours of driving to get there. Whether in Koveskal or Szentbekalla, you'll fi nd wine cellars, the untouched ancient Balaton, beautiful stones and a fabulous panorama, together with many high-quality guesthouses and small restaurants. It is a truly peaceful world, so you should not miss it. Here you can buy fruit, or even superb white wine or elderberry syrup, straight from the farmer.

Our other proposed programme is a bit wilder. In just half an hour of driving from Budapest, you can fi nd something really special: a bear park in Veresegyhaza. Yes, you read that right. This is basically a zoo with wolves and bears in it. It is really unique; there are very few similar places in Europe. The founders saved old, retired circus bears and now keep them in the conditions they deserve. You can take an interesting walk there, feeding honey to bear cubs and even adults from wooden spoons. And once you have gotten to know everybody, you can enjoy a splash in the Veresegyhaz spa. It has wonderful water, so be sure to pack your swimming suit before you set out!

As my mother used to say. Yes she did. This is another offer. It is also worth the drive. It is a restaurant called ‘As my mother used to say' in Encs. Those who have already been there sing the praises of its culinary pleasures, as though Italy were mixed with refi ned French taste but also with devilishly good Hungarian cuisine. The ingredients are sourced locally if possible, service is friendly, bread is baked on-site, and even the mixed pickles somehow have a piece of the owners' hearts in them. They make sausage in the winter, syrup in the summer, and jam in the autumn. Go there and taste it all!

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SPAS, SPAS, SPAS In this book, we have said many times that Hungary is a spa superpower. But the waters shouldn't just be taken in Budapest. There is Sarvar, Heviz, Zalakaros, Gyula, just to name a few. Before you go, check what ailments the local medicinal water are said to cure. There are waters excellent for gynaecological problems, while others help with ailments of the limbs.

And if you want something really special, go to a place like Egerszalok. You can splash around in a beautiful environment there, as there is a view of a salt mound from the steaming openair pool. Speaking of Egerszalok, you could also visit the city of Eger on the way back. And if you are looking for a regional speciality, you should visit the wine cellars of the Szepasszony valley.

There are 20 to 30 cellars here, all with their own selection of wines, ready to be accompanied by bread and dripping, freshly roasted meat and homemade cakes. One thing is for sure: the waters of the spas may heal you, but it is only proper to fi ll your stomach afterward, too.

Into battle! Finally, for those interested in military history, we'd like to add a special offer just for you. Just half an hour from Budapest, the Military History Park in Pakozd could offer a good programme for military buffs. It is a modern, open-air museum with tanks, loads of information on various battles, and all kinds of memorabilia from Hungarian history. Of course, you don't have to fi ght, but those who can bear drills won't regret it. And, by the way, the same region also offers a breathtaking view of Lake Velence.

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OUTSIDE OF BUDAPEST

Sights in and out of Budapest

Although a tourist can easily spend weeks enjoying the sights and programs the capital city alone offers, it is absolutely worth visiting some of the smaller towns around Budapest.“Etyekwood” and the Royal Palace Gödöllő are only half an hour away from the city.

G ÖDÖLLŐ Not only the largest Baroque palace in Hungary, but the second-largest collection of agricultural machinery and the fi rst “World Peace Gong” of Europe are also located in Gödöllő. It is quite relaxing to take a walk in the phenomenal parks and gardens of the town or to visit the statues of saints or the “World Tree”. The events organised by the town focus on key events of town history; for instance, the “Baroque Weekend” commemorates Maria Theresa's royal visit to the town. There are various thematic walks and paths set in accordance with the interests of tourists as well.

Since 2011 the Royal Waiting Hall at the Gödöllő railway station has been opened showing its original look.

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ETYEK This small community now has worldwide fame ever since movie producer Andrew G. Vajna and businessman Sandor Demjan established Korda Studios here. Both Angelina Jolie and her husband, Brad Pitt shot fi lms in “Etyekwood”, while the majority of fi lming on The Pillars of the Earth (adapted from Ken Follett’s book of the same name) was also done here. It is recommended to take a walk in Etyek as there are some age-old houses with porches very similar to those our ancestors used. It is also a great idea to relax in the wineries after the long walk in the village and try a glass of their savoury wine. Theme wine and gastro tours are also worth trying. The hillsides are full of vineyards, surrounded by some 30 wine cellars and old adobe houses give an unforgettable experience. The village which has earned the name ‘vineyard of Budapest’ is only a 15-minute drive from the capital city.

L ÁZÁR EQUESTRIAN PARK The estate of the Lazar Brothers is in the vicinity of Godollő Castle. The two brothers are worldfamous for carriage driving, and their estate effectively combines the atmosphere of Hungarian villages and the equestrian environment. (Domonyvolgy is so breathtaking that it is worth taking a few hours’ walk, perhaps around the lake, to check it out.) In addition to the equestrian exhibition that brings alive the traditions of horse riding in Hungary, there are also some truly special programs such as a real carriage driving race or the entertaining “Puszta” Olympic Games.

The place also attracts the fans of equestrianism, as there are horses available for sale. www.lazarlovaspark.hu

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Rokusfalvy Cellar and Wine Terrace can seat up to 150 people who can enjoy the breathtaking panorama while tasting quality wines. It is an ideal venue for wine tasting and any other event. A private chauffeur service is also offered for preferential fares for a safe and relaxing journey home. pince.rokusfalvypince.hu

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OUTSIDE OF BUDAPEST

Szentendre

Even though Szentendre, the jewel of the Danube Band, is situated just a few kilometres from Budapest, it feels like a completely different world.

The tiny, colourful houses, winding back alleys with nooks, crannies and mysterious little streets that open onto the Danube exude a Mediterranean atmosphere, which explains why the city has become a hotspot of art. Those who dislike crowded tourist attractions will find the romantic feel of the city an unforgettable experience.

The Serbs who settled in the 17th century left a lasting impression on the history and culture of the place, though it took on its fi nal appearance in the 19th century. Szentendre is the city of arts and museums: With 14 protected historical monuments, 17 museums, galleries, many little shops and restaurants offering the specialties of the city’s mixed population, Szentendre is a real magnet for visitors. The Serbian church and museum housing artifacts from the history of the Orthodox Church is one of the city’s most interesting attractions. The Margit Kovacs Ceramic Museum features the life’s work of the ceramic artist. The Szanto Memorial House commemorates the victims of the Holocaust of the city and is also the smallest Jewish prayer house in the world. To this day, the city continues to be an important art colony with many contemporary art exhibitions.

There are also a number of special museums like the one exclusively showcasing Christmas decorations or sweets. Tourists from within Hungary also visit the place, mostly for the delicious ice cream or langos (flat, round pancakes from bread dough) sold here. If you try langos, be sure to have lots of cheese and sour cream and top and take a lot of paper napkins with it. It is an oily but unforgettable delicacy.

SKANZEN The aim of founding the Szentendre Open Air Museum was to present folk architecture, interior decoration, farming and way of life in the Hungarian-language area from the 2nd half of the 18th century to the 1st half of the 20th century, through original and authentic objects, relocated houses arranged in old settlement patters. Within the units, buildings are fitted into the traditional system of peasant households, supplemented by sacred, communal and outbuildings which were once integral parts of traditional villages. Dwellings and farm buildings represent the typical houses and outbuildings having evolved historically in each region. The village museum has the longest museum railway in Europe at more than 2 kilometres in length. www.skanzen.hu

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Playing Golf

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18-HOLE GOLF COURSES BIRDLAND GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB 9740 Bükfürdő, Golf u. 4.

Telephone: +36 94 815 787 E-mail: golf@greenfieldhotel.net Website: www.birdland-resort.com BOYA EAGLES GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB 4287 Vámospércs, Boya Dőlő 17.

Telephone: +36 30 408 7271 E-mail: info@boya-eagles-golf.hu Website: www.boya-eagles-golf.hu EUROPEAN LAKES GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB 7532 Hencse, Kossuth L. u. 1–3.

Telephone: +36 82 481 245 Fax: +36 82 481 248 E-mail: info@europeanlakes.com Website: www.europeanlakes.com OLD LAKE GOLF CLUB 2890 Tata, Remeteségpuszta Pf. 127.

Telephone: +36 34 587 620 Fax: +36 34 587 621 E-mail: club@oldlakegolf.com Website: www.oldlakegolf.com

The premiere of golf in Hungary was organised by International Olympic Committee (MOB) member Count Geza Andrassy, at the racecourse, in 1902. The fi rst golf course was built in Tatralomnic (1908–1909), and the fi rst tournament took place there in 1909. The course’s builder was Dezső Lauber, a construction engineer and a well-known Hungarian allround sportsman. Lauber was the secretary of MOB between 1906 and 1915, and he was the Hungarian golf champion multiple times. The Budapest Golf Club was founded in 1910, and was later renamed the Hungarian Golf Club.

Unfortunately, golf too became the subject of political discrimination in Hungary, being considered an undesirable sport between 1952 and 1970. Agricultural engineer Dr Ferenc Gati tried to accomplish the almost impossible after returning from a project abroad in 1974 in fostering the rebirth of Hungarian golf. In 1979, he founded the Blue Danube Golf Club, and started to build a course at Kisoroszi. Between 1982 and 1989, golf was a division of the Field Hockey Association!

Conditions were right for founding the Hungarian Golf Association by 1989. Since then, the fi rst indoor Golfissimo Indoor Golf centre of Budapest opened after a number of other golf clubs with outdoor golf courses.

The Junior National Team was formed in 2003. Team members have justified their

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training at international competitions, and 15-year-old Benjamin Palanszki participated in the Austrian BC-CA Open, a stage of the European Tour, as an amateur.

The Senior Golfers’ Association, formed in 1995, plays an important role in Hungarian golf. Apart from collecting Hungarian golfers together, and organizing tournaments and championships, it participates in surrounding countries’ tournaments and organizes and participates in the German-Hungarian inter-country Team Championship as well as in the Monarchy Cup. The Association is a member of the European Senior Union, and is a regular participant in the European Senior Championship, and in the Masters’ Championship for the over-seventies. The courses – recognizing the importance of teaching – employ highlytrained professionals from abroad. They teach talented young golfers, and help introduce golf to more people. The Professional Hungarian Golf Association – founded in 2003, and integrated into the Country Association – produces the teachers and the professional golfers of the future.

It was vitally important to the development of Hungarian golf that a stage of the Ladies’ European Tour series be organized, at the Old Lake Golf Club course in Tata in July 2004. The OTP Bank Ladies’ Central European Open is the leading professional ladies’ competition in Central and Eastern Europe.

PANNONIA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB 8087 Alcsútdoboz-Máriavölgy Telephone: +36 22 594 200 Fax: +36 22 594 205 E-mail: info@golfclub.hu Website: www.pannonia-golf.hu PÓLUS PALACE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB 2132 Göd, Kádár u. 49.

Telephone: +36 27 332 864 Fax: +36 27 332 864 E-mail: golf@poluspalace.hu Website: www.poluspalace.hu ROYAL BALATON GOLF & YACHT CLUB 8242 Balatonudvari Telephone: +36 87 549 200 Fax: +36 87 449 024 E-mail: royal@balatongolf.hu Website: www.balatongolf.hu

HUNGARIAN GOLF FEDERATION 2024 Kisoroszi, Golfút 1.

Telephone: +36 26 592 020 Fax: +36 26 592 019 E-mail: recepcio@magyargolfclub.hu Website: www.magyargolfclub.hu

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SPORT

Baseball in Hungary The United States’ national pastime is played daily in over 120 countries by nearly 100 million official players. It is also immensely popular with children around the world, who play it in empty spaces between blocks or simple soccer fields with cheap gear. The Hungarian Baseball and Softball Federation was founded twenty years ago. Today, the adult championship is played in three leagues with more than 20 teams. From 2012, the kid’s championship will be arranged in close cooperation with Little League Baseball in three age groups. As part of a largescale project, the Federation is planning to expand its network of contacts to both expatriates residing in Hungary and Hungarian communities in the USA in 2012. Their mission is to get as many children as possible involved in the sport and to provide them with opportunities to participate in high school and college study programs and training camps.

More information: www.baseball.hu Chairman of the Federation: dr. Attila Vámos +36 20 943 4678 attila.vamos@baseball.hu attila.v

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Polo in Hungary Although polo was invented over 2,000 years ago by nomad warriors, only recently has it become really popular all over the world. In Hungary, polo was introduced by Count Geza Andrassy in the 1880s. Memorable wins by the Hungarian national team include a gold-medal victory in the 1936 Berlin Olympics where the home team, considered to be Europe’s best,

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was defeated 16-6. Furthermore, the team of the most successful officers’ club, Honved Polo Club, won the European championship in 1938. At the time, outstanding players included Count Istvan Bethlen and Miklos Horthy Jr. Today, there are several polo clubs in Hungary.

The popularity of the sport is partly due to the events associated with the games.

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BUDAPEST MAP

SHOPPING M ALLS IN BUDAPEST

LUXURY BUDAPEST

THE AQUINCUM HOTEL

1 ARÉNA PLAZA Website www.arenaplaza.hu Telephone +36 1 880 7010

7 MOM PARK Website www.mompark.hu Telephone +36 1 487 5500

2 ÁRKÁD BUDAPEST Website www.arkadbudapest.hu Telephone +36 (30) 246 0820

8 RÓZSAKERT BEVÁSÁRLÓKÖZPONT Website www.rozsakert.hu Telephone +36 1 391 5998

3 DUNA PLAZA Website www.dunaplaza.hu Telephone +36 1 456 1666

9 VÁCI 1 Website www.vaci1.hu Telephone +36 1 880 7200

4 HEGYVIDÉK KÖZPONT Website www.hegyvidekkozpont.hu Telephone +36 1 951 0578

10 WESTEND CITY CENTER Website www.westend.hu Telephone +36 1 238 7777

5 IL BACIO DI STILE Website www.ilbaciodistile.hu Address Andrássy út 19.

Telephone +36 1 211 1000

11 ANDRÁSSY ÚT Avenue of Luxury Fashion boutiques

6 MAMMUT Website www.mammut.hu Telephone +36 1 345 8000

12 FASHION STREET Website www.fashionstreet.hu Telephone +36 1 235 2070

3

8

HILTON WESTEND MAMAISON ANDRÁSSY

10 6 ST. GEORGE RESIDENCE

HOTEL PRESIDENT HILTON BUDAPEST

IBEROSTAR GRAND HOTEL

CORINTHIA HOTEL

11 SOFITEL CHAIN BRIDGE INTERCONTINENTAL BUDAPEST BUDAPEST MARRIOTT

4

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9 12

1

QUEEN'S COURT HOTEL LE MERIDIEN BUDAPEST KEMPINSKI HOTEL CORVINUS

2 BOSCOLO NEW YORK PALACE

BUDDHA-BAR HOTEL

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Essential Numbers EMERGENCY NUMBERS Ambulance Break-down service (Automobile club) Central emergency number Fire service Police

104 188 112 105 107

TRAVELLING Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport Terminals +36 1 296 9696 Flight information +36 1 296 7000 Information +36 1 296 7000 Lost and found +36 1 296 5966 Airportshuttle(minibus service) +36 1 296 8555 Parking +36 1 296 5353 Seat reservations +36 1 577 6284 Railway stations Déli pályaudvar +36 1 371 9449 Keleti pályaudvar +36 (40) 949 949 Nyugati pályaudvar +36 1 349 8503 International information +36 1 444 4499 Car rental Autorent +36 (70) 550 9588 Avis +36 1 318 4240 Budget +36 1 214 0420 Ciao +36 (30) 729 0099 Europcar +36 1 421 8333 Fox Auto +36 1 382 9000 Hertz +36 1 296 0999 Titan +36 (20) 992 2137 World Wide +36 1 302 0431 Taxi A-taxi +36 20 934 4267 Budapest Taxi +36 1 433 3333 City Taxi +36 1 211 111 Főtaxi +36 1 222 2222 Rádió Taxi +36 1 777 7777 +36 1 200 0000 Taxi 2000 Taxi4 +36 1 444 4444 Taxi Plus +36 1 888 8000 Tele5 Taxi +36 1 855 5555 +36 1 266 6666 6x6 Taxi Sightseeing Cityrama +36 1 302 4382 EUrama +36 1 327 6690 Program Centrum +36 1 317 7767 Limousines Limo Center Budapest +36 (20) 319 3138 Limousine Service Hungary +36 1 220 6120, +36 1 273 0076 Limo-King Magyarország +36 1 788 0138, +36 (20) 398 9880, +36 (70) 539 1180 StarLimo Hungary +36 (20) 433 8042 MEDICAL SERVICES Medical attendance (24 hours) Falck SOS Hungary Dentist (24 hours) SOS Dental Service Chemists on night duty Déli Gyógyszertár, XII., Alkotás u. 1/B. Teréz Patika, VI., Teréz krt. 41.

CULTURE Theatre ticket offices Ticket Express Customer service Ticket Portal

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+36 1 240 0475 +36 (30) 383 3333 +36 1 355 4691 +36 1 311 4439

+36 (30) 303 0999 +36 (30) 533 9933

FINANCIAL SERVICES Lost/stolen credit cards Amex Visa BANKS AXA Budapest Bank CIB Bank Citibank Credigen Deutsche Bank Erste Bank FHB Bank ING Bank KDB Bank K&H Bank MKB Bank OTP Bank Raiffeisen Bank UniCredit Bank Sberbank bureaux Exclusive Change Western Union

+36 1 235 4349 +36 (40) 333 666 +36 (40) 303 030 +36 1 477 7777 +36 (40) 242 242 +36 (40) 248 424 +36 1 453 5111 +36 1 301 3700 +36 (40) 222 222 +36 (40) 344 344 +36 (40) 464 464 +36 (40) 532 532 +36 1 328 9000 +36 1 327 8600 +36 (40) 366 666 +36 (40) 484 848 +36 (40) 504 050 +36 (40) 414 243 +36 1 260 0593 +36 (80) 463 676

EMBASSIES Australia 1126 Budapest, Királyhágó tér 8–9. +36 1 457 9777 Austria 1068 Budapest, Benczúr u. 16. +36 1 479 7010 Arab Republic of Egypt 1125 Budapest, Istenhegyi út 7/b. +36 1 225 2150 Belgium 1027 Budapest, Kapás u. 11–15. +36 1 457 9960 Bulgaria 1062 Budapest, Andrássy út 115. +36 1 322 0836 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1026 Budapest, Verseghy ferenc u. 4. +36 1 212 0106 China 1068 Budapest, Városligeti fasor 20. +36 1 413 2401 Canada 1027 Budapest, Ganz utca 12-14. +36 1 392 3360 Croatia 1065 Budapest, Munkácsy Mihály utca 15. +36 1 269 5884 Cyprus 1051 Budapest, Dorottya u. 3./II. em. 2-3. +36 1 266 1330 Czech Republic 1064 Budapest, Rózsa u. 61. +36 1 462 2511 Denmark 1122 Budapest, Határőr út 37. +36 1 354 2570 Estonia 1025 Budapest, Áldás u. 3. +36 1 354 2570 Finland 1118 Budapest, Kelenhegyi út 16/A +36 1 279 2500 France 1062 Budapest, Lendvay u. 27. +36 1 374 1100 Federal Republic of Germany 1014 Budapest, Úri utca 64–66. +36 1 488 3500 Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1051 Budapest, Harmincad u. 6. +36 1 266 2888 Greece 1063 Budapest, Szegfű u. 3. +36 1 413 2600 India 1025 Budapest, Búzavirág u. 14. +36 1 325 7742 Ireland 1944 Budapest, Szabadság tér 7. +36 1 301 4960 Italy 1143 Budapest, Stefánia út 95. +36 1 460 6200 Japan 1125 Budapest, Zalai út 7. +36 1 398 3100 Korea 1062 Budapest, Andrássy út 109. +36 1 462 3080 Lithuania 1121 Budapest, Hóvirág út 44. +36 1 224 7910 Malta 1062 Budapest, Andrássy út 100. +36 1 354 3613 Poland 1068 Budapest, Városligeti fasor 16. +36 1 413 8200 Portugal 1126 Budapest, Alkotás u. 53. +36 1 201 7617 Romania 1146 Budapest, Thököly út 72. +36 1 384 0271 Russian Federation 1062 Budapest, Bajza u. 35. +36 1 332 4748 Serbia and Montenegro 1068 Budapest, Dózsa György út 92/b. +36 1 322 9838 Slovakia 1143 Budapest, Stefánia út 22–24. +36 1 460 9011 Slovenia 1025 Budapest, Cseppkő u. 68. +36 1 438 5600 South Africa 1026 Budapest, Gárdonyi G. utca 17. +36 1 392 0999 Spain 1027 Budapest,Kapás u. 11/b. +36 1 202 4006 Sweden 1027 Budapest, Kapás utca 6–12. +36 1 460 6020 Switzerland 1143 Budapest, Stefánia út 107. +36 1 460 7040 The Netherlands 1022 Budapest, Füge utca 5–7. +36 1 336 6300 Kingdom of Norway 1051 Budapest, Ostrom u. 13. +36 1 325 3300 Tunisia 1126 Budapest, Nárcisz u. 36. +36 1 336 1616 Turkey 1062 Budapest, Andrássy út 123. +36 1 344 5025 Ukraine 1125 Budapest, Istenhegyi út 84/b. +36 1 422 4120 United States 1054 Budapest, Szabadság tér 12. +36 1 475 4400

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LUXURY CITIES 2014 SHOPPING DINING SIGHTSEEING ARTS NIGHTLIFE

Publisher Thomas Botka, Luxury Cities Media FZ LLC CEO Balázs Román Advertising Ágnes Mihály, Tamás Gossányi / Nuance Agency, Krisztina Egri Editor Patrícia Szabó Design & Layout Absolut Design Studio

Group Art director Attila Dubniczki, Míra Judit Szántó Photo Production by Absolut Media Editor Robin Marshall, David Landry Print Production Absolut Print Kft. Circulation 10 000 copies

International Publisher Luxury Cities Media FZ LLC Middle East.

CEO & Managing Director Thomas Botka For international inquiries please contact publisher@luxury-cities.com

Luxury Budapest 2013 is a registered trademark. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, in whole or in part, without the express prior written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility to any party for the content of any advertisement in this publication, including any errors and omissions there in. By placing an order for an advertisement, the advertiser agrees to indemnify the publisher against any claims relating to the advertisement. All content in this publication is the property of Absolut Media Zrt. and its suppliers or licensors or contributors and is protected by the Hungary and International copyright laws. © Absolut Media Zrt. All rights reserved.

ISSN 2060-940X All photos used in this publication are by Absolut Media, Árpád Pintér, Attila Dubniczki, Balázs Herceg, Éva Hajdu, Míra Judit Szántó, Zsolt Szigetváry, Vexton Kft., Shutterstock unless otherwise credited.

P UBLISHED BY A BSOLUT M EDIA Z RT. 1075 Budapest, Madách Imre út 13–14. Hungary Phone + 36 1 398 0344 www.amedia.hu

WHERE LUXURY MEETS LIFESTYLE

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2014 Yearbook

CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST 2014 YEARBOOK

LUXURY BUDAPEST 2014

CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST

S H O P P I N G

D I N I N G

S I G H T S E E I N G

A R T S

N I G H T L I F E