Your Own Budapest. Modern-Day City Life

it, how luxurious the architecture, the cuisine, the museums are, or how rich and fascinating the history may be, we always ask ourselves: How do people live here now? How are the people of Budapest similar to us? How are they different? And why? What views do they hold? What concerns do they have? How engaged are they in the life of their city or country? Are they open to other cultures? What about the rights of women or minorities? What about the environment? How good is the education here, and is it affordable? How do they like to celebrate holidays and spend their free time? What makes everyday life special for Hungarians? And most importantly — how do young people live here? Because, after all, the city's and country's future will depend on them. This is what our tour of Budapest will be all about.

Not only will we see beautiful architecture, but also luxurious interiors. It's simply unavoidable in Hungary's capital! But most interestingly, we'll visit places overlooked by tourists but loved by locals and expats. These places include galleries, multi-format and ruin bars, a very distinct bookstore, a secret café, and a few adorable vintage shops and courtyards. We'll discover the street art of Budapest. And we'll talk about what it's like to be a Budapest resident in the 21st century.

Today, we won't be learning about a history book version of Budapest. Instead, we'll learn about the vibrant, controversial, and utterly charming city. And it's unbelievably entertaining! Together we'll "capture" two of the most modern and trendy districts — the university district (District VIII) and Erzsebetvaros (District VII), world-famous for its ruin bars. We'll visit the university and the breathtakingly beautiful library. We will see one of the city's most interesting buildings, the Unger House, the National Museum, the magnificent Synagogue on Rumbach Street, and the Great Synagogue on Dohány Street. Not only is this Great Synagogue the largest in Europe, but it's also perfectly integrated into the modern-day diaspora and city life.

We'll find out where liberal arts students gather for their never-ending conversations about Shakespeare over a glass of Fröccs (by the way, what's that?) Or where the urban bohemians meet to have a few euros' worth of lunch, and where do the locals spend their evenings? (spoiler: not in ruin bars). We will visit uniquely special bookstores, vintage stores, cafés, cocktail bars, hostels, and courtyards. Let's stroll through the trendy Gozsdu Passage. We'll find the most exciting murals. We will figure out where to drink proper craft beer, where to sample and buy wine, and where to go for the evening. And, of course, throughout all this, we will be telling you about this city, which never ceases to amaze and delight you and make you love it forever. Come and visit!