Bigot Pavilon exhibition at the Museum of Applied Arts

Bigot pavilonWe mostly recommend our next article to those who love to admire. We are talking about an exhibition at the beautiful and symbolic museum of Budapest, the Museum of Applied Arts. Visitors could see a part of the museum’s 2013 project of Art Nouveau with the title Bigot Pavilon.

Everything started in 1900 when they organized the “Art Nouveau World Expo” in Paris. The Museum of Applied Arts director was Radisics Jenő, who bought several beautiful pieces here. The bought things included Alexander Bigot’s several works, architectural specimens, like ashlars, fireplace frames, plastic decorated columns, consoles and friezes. The bought objects have been in the Museum of Decorative Art’s (Applied Arts) warehouse and in addition to the XX century’s audience in Paris nobody could see them – until now.

The museum decided to release Radasics’s best purchases; moreover they completed it with a drinking set what made in the Bigot’s ceramics factory around 1900. The drinking set’s form, incredibly beautiful gloss, demanding silver socket evoke luxury and wealth. Actually the museum could buy this piece with the government’s help in the end of 2012. Between the exhibited objects there are building ceramics, what you can see on secession buildings’ and palaces’ frontage in Paris today too.

If you spend some day in Budapest and you are fascinated by the Museum of Applied Arts building, feel free yourself and check this and the other exhibitions too!

Bigot Pavilon exhibition
Museum of Applied Arts
Until February 24th, 2014

Andrea Bocelli Budapest 2013

Attention, Ladies and Gentlemen, music lovers near and far! A real celebrity will arrive to the capital of Hungary, to Budapest, on 9 November 2013, to fill the Budapest Sportarena’s stage with love emotion and music. This man is no other, but the Italian romantic hero, Andrea Bocelli.

Andrea Bocelli Budapest 2013

Bocelli was born in 1958 in Italy. As most people surely know, the talented tenor is blind, caused by a hereditary disease. This tragedy didn’t ruin Bocelli’s plans to reach their desire. After several instruments he tried the God-given instrument in his throat, his voice and he found his own way. When he was young he could pay the singing master, because he played on piano in bars and he studied law studies in Pisa. Bocelli’s style originates from the master’s feeling about pop music and opera and the result is the mix of these two types. With this shake Bocelli became famous in classis and pop music circles either.

Bocelli’s last album released in the start of year 2013, January, the title is Passione and it is full with beautiful love songs. The Italian tenor worked together with famous stars like Jennifer Lopez or Nelly Furtado.
Hungary is very lucky, because Bocelli usually gives only a few concerts in a year and in 2013 Budapest will be one of the stations, so visitors could hear the old classics and the new miracles too in live on 9 November 2013 at the Papp László Sportarena. Have fun!

Andrea Bocelli Budapest concert

November 9th, 2013
Budapest Sportarena

Tickets: Viagogo

Top five Budapest attractions

Coming to Budapest and wonder what are the most important attractions to see when in town? We have created a list telling you what are the top five Budapest attractions.

The attractions on this list are things to see, which means that we have not included activities and programs. These are buildings and landmarks that you simple need to see, because they are stunning and because if you do not see them, you can not return home claiming to have seen the most important sights in Budapest. So here we go, our top five Budapest attractions.

Top five Budapest attractions

St. Stephens Basilica
We have always been big fans of the St. Stephens Basilica. It has a beautiful exterior and interior. From the square outside the church it is possible to make magnificent pictures, from the dome you can enjoy the best view available on the Pest side, and inside you can enjoy the mixture of prayer, organ music and beautiful paintings, sculptures and much more!

St. Stephens Basilica in Budapest
St. Stephens Basilica is in our eyes the most beautiful church in all of Budapest! Majestic both on the inside and the outside.

Parliament
The Hungarian Parliament might be the most impressive of all buildings in Budapest. It is located by the Danube and it reminds quite a lot about the Parliament in London. As you watch the building from the outside you will be extremely impressed, but do not make the mistake to think that you have seen it once your bus or taxi has driven next to it during daytime. It is when the lights are turned on in the evening it turns into one of the most beautiful buildings Europe has to offer.

The Hungarian Parliament
One of the nicest Parliament buildings in the world can be found in Budapest

Heroes Square
If you want an introduction to the history of Hungary, bring a guide book or a guide with you to the Heroes Square. The square is beautiful both during daytime and nighttime, but be aware of the fact that in the hottest months it is hard to be out on the square for more than 5-10 minutes. The monuments and the statues at the square are delightful, and the two wonderful museums at both sides of the square just gives a plus to it all.

Heroes Square in Budapest
The best place to get an introduction to the history of Hungary, the Heroes Square

Chain Bridge
If you buy a postcard from Budapest, it is very possible that the Chain Bridge is the landmark you will see on it. The bridge is first of all a favorite object to photograph when it is illuminated in the evening, and it is also the oldest bridge connecting Pest with Buda. Beautiful, and almost impossible to miss out on when in Budapest.

Top Five Budapest attractions
The Chain Bridge is one of the most beautiful attractions in Budapest

Castle Hill
The fifth and last attraction on our list of the Top five Budapest attractions is the Castle Hill. We realize that the Castle Hill in fact is a hill and not one attraction, so it is kind of tricky. However, as we write the Castle Hill as an attraction it includes the castle building itself, but also the Matthias Church and the Fishermens Bastion.

Matthias Church in Budapest
The Matthias Church is beautiful, and its location next to the Fishermens Bastion is perfect.

The best route to see these five attractions

If you decide to see all these five attraction on one and the same little trip on your own, then we recommend the following route.

  • Start your tour at the Heroes Square
  • Take the yellow metro or walk your way down the Andrassy avenue to the St. Stephens Basilica
  • Continue towards the Chain Bridge and walk across it
  • Walk on foot or use the funicular to get to the Castle Hill
  • Walk from the Castle towards the Trinity square (Szentharomsag ter)
  • Enjoy the view of the Matthias Church and the Fishermens Bastion
  • Walk to the top of one of the viewing points at the Fishermens Bastion and see the beautiful Parliament from there.

Enjoy your trip and if you have further thoughts and advices, just write a comment!

Festival of Folk Arts 2013

The end of summer is almost here, but there are still some lovely surprise besides the heat. We have some great news to those who plan to spend their time in Budapest in the coming period! The annual Festival of Folk Arts at the Buda Castle welcomes visitors until 20 August 2013 with great programs.

Everybody could find the perfect fun at the Festival of Folk Art, and those programs are all tied to the Hungarian culture. The visitors can taste the local specialties; we can call it “more than goulash soup program”. There are traditional dance, music and anything, what you want at the festival. Moreover there are loads of craftsmen, who do fantastic and special things, which are often made by their own hand. Of course you can buy these objects and later you can show them, the peculiarities of this Eastern European country at home. For a foreign family only the Buda Castle is a one day trip, but with the Festival of Folk Arts you won’t want to go home! The last day of the festival is no other, but the Hungarian National Day, 20th August, the day of the first Hungarian king, Saint Stephen I.

Do not miss the Festival of Folk Arts. Know more about the Hungarian countryside’s culture in the capital! Have fun!

Festival of Folk Arts

Festival of Folk Arts
August 17th-20th
Caste of Buda

Beach-night in Budapest at August 2nd

The extreme heat has left Budapest, but it is still warm and more than 30 degrees in the sun, so a visit to the beach is recommend. That is why you should consider to go to the beach on August 2nd if you are in town.

Budapest has no traditional beaches, but there are other kind of beaches in town which will be open for a longer time on Friday August 2nd in 2013. That means there will be special programs and opening times until 22.00, while the entrance fees remain the same.

If this sounds cool and you stay in Budapest, visit one of the following “beaches” which have joined in on this cool party!

Participants in beach-night (Strandok éjszakája) in Budapest

  • Aquaworld
  • Dagaly

Dagaly Furdo beach night
There are loads of other beach complexes outside Budapest also participating, but these are the two located in Budapest. Be aware of the fact that Aquaworld is really cool, but really on the border of Budapest, so to get to this place you should prepare to pay a taxi driver quite a bit!

Bubble festival in Budapest (Buborék Fesztivál)

This weekend a Bubble festival (Buborék Fesztivál) is arranged in Budapest at the Elisabeth square, next to the popular club Akvarium.

The opening day of the festival was yesterday and it will last until tomorrow, so if you have the chance, drop by the square to see what this cool festival has to offer. The program is going on at the square from 14.00 until 02.00 and at the square there will be concerts, DJ and lots of bubbles to drink. Because after all, bubbles is what the festival is about, bubbles in drinks.

That again means that at the festival which has free entrance you can taste champagne, sparking wine, prosecco and lots of other tasty and famous drinks. As the sun goes down, the party starts, so this might be one of the best places if you want to party and dance before and after midnight!

The Buborek fesztival is arranged for the second time this year, first time was in 2012. Hopefully that means that it was a success in 2012 and that it is a festival that we can count on in the years to come!

Bubble festival 2013 (Buborék fesztivál 2013)

July 26th-28th
Erzsebet square

Bubble festival in Budapest (Buborék Fesztivál)

Going to be real hot this weekend!

In June we had some days with extreme heat in Budapest, and in the coming days it is coming back again, and it might get even warmer.

The National Weather company has reported that temperatures are expected to rise to more than 35 Celsius, maybe even to 40 Celsius in some places. Here you can see what temperatures are expected the next seven days, according to Met.hu.

Weather in Budapest
Temperatures expected in Budapest until July 31st

In such warm weather it is important to drink enough, find some shade and then relax some more. A popular place to visit on such days is the St. Stephens Basilica and the beach at the Margaret Island. Do not forget to use sun lotion, and if possible, stay away from the sun between 11.00 and 15.00.

Read more about the climate in Budapest and Budapest average temperatures.

Barbecue and spriccer festival – pictures

This weekend visitors to the Kopaszi Dike can enjoy the barbecue and spriccer festival. If you are in town at the moment, visit the festival this evening and enjoy the great atmosphere.

Here you can see some pictures from the festival to see what you will miss if you do not visit the festival.

Barbecue and spriccer festival pictures

Ancient burial masks at the National Museum

Have you ever thought about that what do you want to do in 2013 summer? Unfortunately at lots of places the weather is not suitable to beach, so we recommend you the beautiful and special cities’ discover firstly.

Burial masksThere are so many interesting attractions in a foreign country’s capital or other cities, but when the temperature reaches the 30 or more degrees, people would like to spend their free time at the beach or in a spa, but not in a museum. But here comes the time, and the capital of Hungary, Budapest knows it!

In the center city, exactly at the Hungarian National Museum at the Múzeum Boulevard there are lots of incredibly interesting exhibition in this year. One of them is the best temporary exhibition, the Ancient burial masks exhibition, which is available between 22 June and 13 September 2013. At the exhibition visitors could know more about the conquistador Hungarians’ funerary customs. It is known, that the Hungarians lubricated the dead people faces’ with a special material, what harden during the years and became a mask. Unfortunately, today there are only ten masks, and those, who visit the National Museum for this fantastic exhibition, could see photos about these.

Spend some lovely day in the capital of Hungary, Budapest and meet with the Hungarians’ habits and culture! Have a great time!

Ancient burial masks
Hungarian National Museum
June 22th – September 13th

Manu Chao concert in Budapest 2013

Manu Chao BudapestAnother famous star will visit our country on 7 September 2013, Manu Chao! His music is very colorful; he sings in French, Spanish, Arab, Portugal, English and Wolof language, he frequently changes the language in one song.

In his lyrics the topics include love, life in a ghetto and immigration. He openly undertakes his political views in his art too. He uses lots of music style, for example Rock and Roll, French chanson, salsa, reggae, ska and Algerian raï. These influences reached him with the French immigrates, the Spanish contacts, but mostly when he traveled to Middle-America after the band Mano Negra broke up. Manu Chao is well known member of the alternative music community in Paris, however he is not famous in the whole world.

José-Manuel Thomas Arthur Chao or Manu Chao was born in 21 June 1961 in Paris. However, his parents are Spanish; Manu was already born in Paris, because the family fled from the home country because of Franco’s dictatorship. His career started in Paris too. He was the member of several popular French alternative band before the foundation of Mano Negra.

He played in Hungary 5 years ago, and who knows when will be the next time, so do not think about it twice, if you are a real music fan too. The atmosphere will be revolutionary. So do not miss Manu Chao on 7 September 2013 on the Budapest Park’s stage! Have fun!

Manu Chao Budapest 2013
September 7th
Park Budapest