Budapest Art Nouveau Walking Tour with Historian Guide

Budapest Art Nouveau Walking Tour with Historian Guide

In the company of a historian, discover Budapest’s most beautiful art nouveau landmarks on this 3-hour, small-group walking tour. Popular from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, the art nouveau aesthetic is distinctive for its colorful, highly decorative, nature-inspired designs. Today, Budapest offers some of the best examples of art nouveau buildings and landmarks in the world.

On this small-group, 3-hour walking tour, head to the Hungarian Parliament Building before setting off to explore Budapest's elegant streets. Your tour guide, who doubles as a historian, will point out the city's key art nouveau landmarks while providing background information about the style. Both morning and afternoon tours are available, beginning at 10am and 2pm, respectively.

For the uninitiated, art nouveau was an aesthetic movement in both architecture and the visual arts that dates from the turn of the 20th century. In Hungary, art nouveau was popularized by influential architect Odon Lechner.

On this tour, you’ll see some of Lechner’s colorful and whimsical buildings — it’s no accident that he’s known as “the Gaudi of Hungary” — including the Royal Postal Savings Bank, distinctive for its green, tiled roof. The Gresham Palace, which was constructed in 1906, and which overlooks the Danube, is another highlight. You’ll also visit an art nouveau flower shop, a small but exquisite art nouveau museum, and will learn about the colorful Zsolnay tiles that decorate many of the city’s art nouveau buildings.

The tour will conclude at the centrally located Kazinczy Street Synagogue.