Budapest Guide, Author at Budapest Guide

The History of Hungary in the New Age

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Budapest Guide

The history of Hungary contains lots of excitements from the starts until the Regime. For the visitors, they could be a tourist, or somebody who moved out, but born in Hungary, or somebody who has Hungarian family but born in foreign lands, it is always an exciting program to know more about this little country’s history.

In Budapest, at one of the most beautiful and most famous museums, the National Museum, there are great permanent exhibitions which show the Hungarian history to the visitors in an interesting way. From the ninth room to the twentieth room in the museum, people can see fantastic relics, treasures and other interesting things to know more about the Hungarian history from the Rakoczi-revolution’s age until the Regime in 1990. The history class in school maybe wasn’t interesting to everyone, but it is sure, at an exciting exhibition studying is easy and unobserved, because it is not just dates, places or names, but interesting things which make learning funny.

It could be a great weekend program also to a foreigner and a local resident too, to visit the National Museum, which is in a beautiful place in Budapest. This institute located in a wonderful place in the downtown, in the Museum Garden, so after the exhibition you can walk around the park, have a lovely picnic, or just sit on the museum’s stairs and enjoy the afternoon sunshine.

The History of Hungary in the New Age
Permanent exhibition
Hungarian National museum

Hungary from prehistory to AD 804

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Budapest Guide

We especially recommend the exhibition, which shows the history of Hungary between the Prehistory and the Conquest for those, who are really like history. This permanent exhibition gives a detailed description of the Hungarian history in the Paleolithic, the Neolithic, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age and the Roman age, moreover it gives more knowledge about the life, habits and history of the Avars, the Huns and the Germans.

The exhibition which is in from the first to the eights room of the museum, people could see interesting archeological objects. For example an instrument from the Paleolithic, whose voice can be heard. If you are really interested in archeological objects, or the history of Hungary, or you just like to visit museums, this is your place in the National Museum.

Just imagine, you and your family, your friends or your partner spend a few lovely days in Budapest, visit the most famous attractions, like Statue of Liberty, Citadel, Chain Bridge or Parliament, and after that you visit one of the most famous museums in Budapest, where you can see interesting things. Moreover, the museum located in a lovely place, in the Museum Garden, so after or before the exhibition you have the choice to walk around the park and have a picnic, or just sit on the stairs in front of the museum and enjoy the afternoon sunshine. Have a great time!

Hungary from prehistory to AD 804
Hungarian National Museum
Permanent exhibition

More about the history of Hungary and Budapest museums

Great spring hotels in Budapest

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Budapest Guide

Budapest is one of the most amazing cities in the world to visit during spring. The sun is shining, the view is stunning and the people smile and enjoy that the winter has finally left them. One important thing when preparing for such a travel is to find a good hotel and here we have some recommendations for you.

When you look for a hotel in Budapest you should absolutely go for a hotel with a central location. A good location makes everything easier and you do not have to spend lots of time getting to the shopping street and central areas. A good price is important as well, so here we will recommend you three hotels in Budapest with great prices and fantastic location at the moment.

Recommended spring hotels in Budapest
Sofitel ChainBridge (*****)
Estilo Fashion Hotel (****)
Hotel Central Basilica (***)

History of Hungary from the statehood to the Middle Ages

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Budapest Guide

Certainly you are interested in this small, but very strong and beautiful country’s history. Well, Hungary’s history contains lot of turns, vicissitudes, fights and happiness, and because of that we are sure, everybody finds an interesting program visit to National Museum in the capital of Hungary, Budapest.

The history of Hungary includes the seven leaders, the Conquest, Prince Arpad and King Steven. The National Museum’s amazing exhibitions shows the whole history of this country from the Arpad-age to nowadays to visitors. From the first to the eighth room of the museum visitors can see the starts, relics of kings from the Arpad-age, treasures of Anjou royals and expensive clothes from Turkish occupation, but moreover there are several tools, clothes, visitors can read more about history and legends, and of course there are several rarities too from different ages.

Let’s know more about the history of Hungary in one of the most beautiful museums of the capital. Imagine that after the wonderful exhibition, you walk around the Museum Garden, drink a coffee with a delicious cake in the Museum Café and go inside a lovely old book store, where you can find interesting books in foreign languages too. You have all the chance for it, if you visit National Museum while you are in Budapest.

Do not miss to know more about the exciting history of Hungary with plenty of adventures! It would be a fantastic program to small and big too! Have a great time!

History of Hungary from the statehood in the Middle Ages
Permanent exhibition
Hungarian National museum

Will it cause any problems if I only bring big notes to Hungary?

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Budapest Guide

I will be travelling to Budapest this week and I exchanged some HUF in my country. The only banknotes the bank provided me were are of 10.000 HUF and 2.000 HUF. Will I be facing problems when paying with this money?

Thank you for your excellent question. It is well known that smaller shops and at stands in the Great Market Hall the sellers do not enjoy big notes. The biggest note in Hungary is the 20,000 HUF, then comes the 10,000 HUF note, followed by the 5,000 HUF, the 2000HUF, the 1000HUF and the 500HUF. If you got a mixture of 10,000HUF and 2000HUF notes you have been very lucky because both work very well at most places. Lots of other people only get 20,000HUF notes and those are too big for many smaller stores, taxi drivers and similar. But, in your case you should not need to worry at all!

More about the currency in Hungary.

Ask your Budapest question!

Roman lapidary – Hungarian National Museum

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Budapest Guide

When somebody wants to spend some days in Hungary, usually the firs destination is the capital, the wonderful Budapest. There are lauds of museums, galleries and other interesting attractions here. It is a must see program visit to the Buda Castle, the Parliament, the Heroes Square and some museums, like the Hungarian National Museum.

The National Museum is always waiting for the visitors with interesting exhibitions. Those, who visit here, could learn a lot about the Hungarian history, because there are several permanent exhibitions which show the whole story of this country from the prehistory Hungary trough the Conquest until the Regime with lots of interesting relics, treasures and other wonderful things.

One worldwide famous exhibition in the National Museum is the Lapidarium or Roman Lapidary. The exhibition shows the most typical stone monuments, for example urn keeper stoneware, tombstones, sarcophaguses, little, church shaped tomb’s (aediculas) elements, votive altars offered to gods and epigraphs which tell constructions. Because there are just few useful relics from the age of the Roman Empire, historians could know more about this era, when Hungary was a part of the Roman Empire and it called Pannonia, after these stone monuments.

If you are interested in the history, do not miss the National Museum’s amazing exhibition of the Roman relics while you are in Budapest, because it would be an unforgettable experience! Have a great time!

Lapidarium – Roman lapidary
Permanent exhibition
Hungarian National Museum

“The Way we are” – Cartoons and Prints of József Faragó in the National Gallery

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Budapest Guide

Maybe not everybody interests about the typical exhibitions, where the exhibited painting, sculptures and other objects could be incomprehensible, or the exhibited objects from the different historical ages are boring. Well, we have a good news for those, who come to the capital of Hungary, Budapest, because in the most famous gallery of the city, in the National Gallery, a wonderful and funny exhibition waits for the visitors from the work of the Hungarian caricaturist, József Faragó.

József Farago lived between 1866 and 1906. József Faragó was an influential, known and respected caricaturist of his age, who renovated the art of the Hungarian political cartoon. As an employee of the Borsszem Jankó, and after the Kakas Márton, he became famous in the whole country. His biting, but always direct hit parodies showed the daily political life in a funny but hard way through his cartoons, which were cannot waited to subscribers in every week.

The exhibition in the National Gallery waits for the visitors from 12 October 2012 until 2 June 2013. Mainly we offer this funny exhibition for those, who like this type of humor, the caricatures and jokes. It isn’t a problem, if you don’t know much about the Hungarian political life of this age, because the drawings are understandable and funny for everyone.

Do not miss this side-splitting exhibition. Make the museum trips more enjoyable and with it, know more about the Hungarian history through a curved mirror! Have a great time!

“The Way we are” – Cartoons and Prints of József Faragó
Hungarian National Gallery
October 12th, 2012 – June 2nd, 2013

Budapest museums

Coronation Mantle – Exhibition in the National Museum

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Budapest Guide

Those who travel to Hungary, could have amazing experience in the whole year. The required programs are to see the Parliament, the Buda Castle, the River Danube with all of the bridges, especially the most famous, the Chain Bridge and naturally any of the museums, particularly the National Museum.

There are several amazing exhibition in the Hungarian National Museum, which show the whole Hungarian History from the Prehistory, trough the Conquest, until the end of the regime in 1990. There is a very special historical relic here, the Coronation mantle, which was the property of the first king of the Hungarians, Saint Steve I. The beautifully designed robe was presented by Saint Steve I.’s wife, who was the first queen of Hungarians, Queen Giselle to the St. Mary’s Church in Székesfehérvár in 1031. The robe was made from a bell shaped, closed vestment, and it represents Jesus Christ, King Steve, Queen Giselle and Prince Imre in beautiful way. It is a beautiful and very old treasure, what is the pride of the Hungarian nation, so when somebody visit to this small but very nice country and especially to the capital, Budapest, it worth to go to the National Museum and see the Coronation robe.

The National Museum located in a very beautiful place, in the Museum Garden, so it gives a great opportunity to those, who want to eat their lunch under the sky before or after the exhibition. Have fun!

Coronation Mantle

Hungarian National Museum
Permanent exhibition

Breakfast in Fruccola

Posted on March 25, 2013November 27, 2013 by Budapest Guide

Before visiting Fruccola to eat breakfast there we had only heard of the place as a healthy place with good breakfasts and lunches. There are currently two Fruccola’s in Budapest, one located at Kristof tér (just by Vaci Utca) and the other one in Arany Janos utca 32. Fruccola also have a slogan saying: „Fruccola makes us happy. Happy is good”

: English breakfast in Fruccola at Kristof square

Based on this I had quite high expectations as I went together with my wife to Fruccola to eat breakfast there. It is useful to know that Fruccola at Kristof tér normally opens at 7.00 in the morning and it is open until 20.00 from Monday – Saturday. Fruccola in Arany Janos utca is open from 7.00-19.00 from Monday – Friday.

Fruccola has a nice feeling to it and once you walk inside and look at what they have to offer you might get hungry in a minute (if you weren’t hungry already). The cheapest you can get in Fruccola is a croissant costing 240. We decided to go for something a bit more expensive, so we ordered an omelette with salmon, cream cheese and chives and besides that an English breakfast with baked beans (we skipped those though), grilled mushroom, tomato, bacon, eggs and sausage. To drink we had some fruit juice which was really tasty.

To the breakfast we got an okay portion of bread, though not the typical white bread, but tasty, fresh and maybe we can even call it healthy bread. Once the omelette and the English breakfast arrived we soon understood that if we eat all of this, we will not be eager to eat a lunch at 12.00. It was a lot, and especially the omelette had an extreme size. As far as I noticed the others in Fruccola who asked for other kinds of omelettes got something in the same size, so be prepared for large portions if you decide to eat an omelette in Fruccola. Personally I did not enjoy the cream cheese in my omelette that much, but since I ordered an omelette with salmon and cream cheese, I do not really have the right to complain.

: Fruccola omelette with salmon and cream cheese

The fruit juice was delicious so if you ever visit Fruccola to eat a breakfast, you should try drink one or more of the fruit juices on the menu. Except from my little thing with the cream cheese everything was perfect, and we can warmly recommend locals and foreigners a breakfast in Frucciola. The price of our breakfast was about 3000 HUF, which is an average price for a breakfast in Budapest.

For more advices and thoughts, read our article named Breakfast in Budapest.

Watch Turkey – Hungary online for free on March 26th

Posted on March 25, 2013February 5, 2025 by Budapest Guide

If you are one of the many fans who want Hungary to be there in the World Cup in 2014, then you better cheer for the Hungarian players as they face a very difficult opponent in Turkey tomorrow. After a disappointing draw against Romania on Friday the Hungarians will aim for three points in this match. This is how you can see the match for free online!

If you live in Hungary you can simply watch it on M1, the national TV channel in the nation. If you live outside Hungary you can still watch it online, but you need to get a Hungarian IP address to do so. If you want to check your current IP address you can do so in the IP Address Guide.

Once you have gotten hold of your Hungarian IP address, you can just visit the homepage of MTV in Hungary, find the live stream and go ahead and watch the World Cup qualifier match between Turkey and Hungary live online, for free.

In the article about how to get a Hungarian IP address, you will read about a VPN tool named NordVPN. It works easily and is very easy and quick to install and setup. But, it can get quite busy at the Hungarian server, so if you are not satisfied with the result you get, you can always ask for a refund for the service (the offer 30-day payback guarantee if you are not satisfied).

The live stream from M1 in Hungary can normally be found here. Sometimes they use another stream during larger sports events, but if they do so, visit hirado.hu and you should be able to find the live stream there.