Budapest Winter Invasion Campaign once again!

- 4 nights for the price of 3 in participating Budapest hotels !!!

Conducted for the first time last year under the name Budapest Winter Invasion (BWI), the campaign, which attracted a unique pool of 70 participating service providers, generated 25,500 extra guest nights for Budapest. The hotels that participated in the successful endeavour opted to continue, which prompted organizers to get down to uniting their forces and financial resources once more this year and to launch a campaign again using the same name, under identical terms and for the same period (December 1, 2007 - March 31, 2008).

The purpose has also remained the same: to promote Budapest, Budapest hotels and restaurants, Malév Hungarian Airlines and the turnover of guest at Budapest Airport in the winter period. Essentially, the sales action offers guests the 4 nights for the price of 3 in participating Budapest hotels.

"Come to Budapest for 3 nights and stay longer as there is so much to do. Participating hotels offer visitors one additional night’s stay free as a gift for every three they booked, thus allowing guests to fully enjoy what Budapest has to offer."- says the ad.

After 400 years of the Romans,

150 years of the Ottomans

and 45 years of the Soviets

You’ll be the first who’s welcome to

stay longer, so have an extra night on us!

The Hungarian National Tourist Office supplemented by the independent website of the campaign www.budapestwinterinvasion.com radiating its own unique image in six languages (English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian) and providing space for each participating partner to appear as well as detailed information on Budapest.

5 star hotels l 4 star hotels l 3 star Hotels

Budapest in picture! - Click on the image below!!!

Budapest winter visitor facts: Budapest is one of the world’s most beautiful capitals, with its unique atmosphere and its delightful panorama from the two banks of the Danube, which has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for good reason. The city is historical, romantic and modern, all in one. Hungary’s diverse history with many foreign peoples having spent time in the territory gives Budapest a special feel. Guests have the opportunity to visit the Roman city of Aquincum, to relax in a Turkish bath, to admire Hapsburg era architecture or to discover huge statues of the Soviet times all within the city limits!

Budapest is unique in the world in respect to the natural springs that can be found all over the city - there are more than one hundred thermal springs and the baths built upon them offer marvelous health and wellness programmes. And as with every great city there are interesting museums, art galleries, churches, monuments, parks, concert venues, restaurants, bars and cafés all easily accessible in this dynamic metropolis. Source: www.budapestwinterinvasion.com

Antiquity Shops and Flea Market in Budapest

If you have time to spend more time in Budapest you will see that almost in every corner of the downtown there is a small antiquity shop. Whatsoever there are "2 must to see" places. First of these because of the atmosphere ( flea market called "Ecseri piac"), the another one because of the quality of goods ( in the 5th District, close to Parliament: Falk Miksa utca").

The Ecseri Piac is in the ourskirts of Budapest and about a 30 minutes drive from the downtown ( any taxidriver knows the place, you should calculate 3-4000 HUF one way fare, but if you call or e-mail me I provide you personal guidance and after a good shopping I bring you back to the hotel with your luggage for only 5000HUF (roughly 19-20 EUR, or 30 USD). My pleasure! Contact details below...

Ecseri is worthy place to buy small antique souvenirs in the weekends (old iron, stamp, military things etc.) or even porcelain or small design furnitures before WW2. I especially recommend to look for natural textile product, like towels, skirts, tablecloths etc. frankly: you will find amazingly nice pieces!

The other must-to-see place is the Falk Miksa street where are about 30 antiquity shops next to each other. I especially recommend to look for (even if you dont purchase anything) paintings of Hungarian young artists from the 60-ies till now. You will be amazed how good are the contemporary Hungarian painters!

Any other information you need about shopping antiquity or drive your to Ecseri Market in Hungary I am glad to answer your questions. My e-mail: danubebendtour@gmail.com.


Thanks, Tamas - your guide in Hungary

What To Do at Summer in Budapest? To Swim of Course!

Budapest has plenty of public places to enjoy swimming. An excellent place can be found at the Margitsziget ("Margarit Island") called Alfred Hajós National Swimming Center. Besides this place is in the heart of the city it`s also the right place to swim and have a lazy sunbath on hot Summer days. In the evenings the place is popular for Hungarians to see great waterpolo matches and swimming competitions.

More on Alfred Hajós:
Hajós Alfréd

Ludwig: the Only Contemporary Art Museum in Hungary

If you are really interested in to learn more about Central European Contemporary Art or you are already well-versed guru of in its global aspects you should definitely visit the Ludwig Museum in Budapest, which not long ago has been removed to the new building of the Palace of Arts. The Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Art offers delightful and fresh collections from contemporary Hungarian and foreign artists. One of the most interesting exhibitions is right now is about Marcel Breuer Bauhaus designer and architect (with the help of the with Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein Germany.

More about the Ludwig Collection: http://www.ludwigmuseum.hu/2005/gyujtemeny/gyujtemeny_e.htm
How to reach the museum by public transport from the center of the city:
http://www.ludwigmuseum.hu/2005/info_e.htm
Other regulary updated programs, concerts of the Palace of Arts in English: http://www.mupa.hu/

More about Marcel Breuer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Breuer

Hungarian Railway Museum

The foundation-stone of the Hungarian Railway Museum was laid on 22 November 1999, on the site of the former Budapest North Depot of the Hungarian State Railways (MÁV). The first phase of the project was completed in less than eight months, funded by the Ministry of Transport and Waterways, MÁV and MÁV Nosztalgia Ltd, the heritage division of MÁV. After many months of effort, Europe's first interactive railway museum opened on 14 July 2000, displaying over a hundred railway vehicles and equipment of varying ages on a site of over 70,000 m2... Access to the Museum: RAILWAY MUSEUM Further details: MAIN PAGE RAILWAY MUSEUM

Budapest Opera

Hello, if you visit Budapest it is obligatory so visit the Opera, which is really in the middle of the town right on the Andrássy Street, between Deák Square and Oktogon Square (Address: VI. Andrássy út 22, Tel: 353 0170, Box office open: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm (or until the start of the programme on performance nights), M1 Metro Opera Station. As Budapest's principle venue for opera and ballet productions, Miklós Ybl's fine neo-Renaissance building has, over the years, played host to the likes of Ferenc Liszt and Gustav Mahler. The main season here runs from September to mid-June and includes over 50 major productions, many of which are familiar to opera lovers abroad. For tickets, it's advisable to book a couple of days in advance, though cheap seats are often available at the last minute.On the opera.hu website you should click on "Műsorkalendárium" to figure out what is the actual programme :) .

15, March Hungarian National Holiday

Each year 15, March is a National Holiday in Hungary. On this nice and colorful day Hungarian people remember to the outbreak of the 1848-9 Revolution. Since the end of the 17th century had been a Habsburg dominion, with a Habsburg on the royal Hungarian throne. Revolution broke out in many large European cities during the early months of 1848, creating conditions under which Hungary's aspirations for reform might be realized by lawful means. On the same day the March Youth, a small group of writers, poets and other intellectuals, took to the streets of Pest to read out their Twelve Points containing their main demands for the Hungarian nation. One of their leaders, the popular radical poet Sándor Petofi, recited a poem of his, "National Song". As bystanders joined them, they requisitioned a press to print the two pieces. Within hours there were tens of thousands processing through the streets. (Further exciting details in history books...)

Hungarian Military Museum in Buda Castle (unfortunately it is only available in Hungarian): www.hm-him.hu

Ladies' day in the Rudas Turkish Thermal Spa

Budapest, which is famous for its health and thermal spas, offers a unique opportunity for ladies to use the thermal pool of a Turkish bath, the Rudas Health Spa. Rudas Health Spa launches a Women-only day every Tuesday between 06:00 and 20:00 for ladies wishing to enjoy the experience of bathing without a bathing suit... This service, which is not provided anywhere else in Europe in an original, functioning Turkish bath, is accompanied by another important change: the days of the weekend have also been opened for women, so both sexes can enjoy Rudas in bathing outfits on Saturdays and Sundays.

Those who wish to combine bathing and entertainment will enjoy the great parties on Friday and Saturday nights! For further information, go to: budapestspas.hu

Budapest Spring Festival 2007

Tickets are already avaliable for the Budapest Spring Festival March 16th - April 1st, 2007. Tickets can be ordered on the festival's webpage, or purchased at tourist's offices. The Spring Festival is not thematic - it is characterised by variety and abundance, by the concentration and juxtaposition of highly promising concerts, stage productions and exhibitions. More info on the official website: festivalcity.hu

Painting: Springtime landscape / Béla, Iványi Grünwald / Hungarian National Gallery

Happy New Year! Boldog Új Évet!

I wish all of you a happier new year! I hope you will visit Hungary this year so your life indeed will be happier than the previous one! In this period of the year you can find pigs and chimney-sweepers on Hungarian postcards to invocate a wealthy and lucky year. Special greetings to Rachel in Spain!