Along Andrássy Avenue (Andrássy út)

The elegant Andrásy Avenue is a one of Budapest's major cultural hubs with a range of museums, exhibitions halls and examples of fine architecture.

Due to its historic and cultural values Andrásy Avenue is a World Heritage Site since 2002.

The construction of the route started in 1872 as part of the rebirth of Pest-Buda that and preparations for the Millennium celebrations in 1896 (Hungary celebrated its foundation that roughly took place in AD 896.).

The avenue received its name after Count Gyula Andrássy Hungary's prime minister between (1867-1871) who supported the building of the road along with other major reconstructions in Pest at the time.

Part of the Millennium Underground (M1 metro), the first continental metro line in Europe (built between 1894-96), runs parallel with Andrássy út with stations at Heroes' Square, Bajza utca, Kodály körönd, Oktogon and the Opera. Some of the most spectacular buildings of Budapest adore Andrássy út including the Hungarian State Opera House, the Liszt Ferenc Music Academy, or the Ballet Institute. Apart from cultural buildings elegant neo-renaissance and neo-baroque villas and mansions dating from the 19th century line the street.

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Exploring Andrássy Avenue

Andrássy avenue begins opposite St Stephen's Basilica at Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út and the first section is at Oktogon where the avenue crosses the Grand Boulevard. The next section ends at Kodály körönd where the area is less loosely built-in with small palaces and villas. From Kodály körönd till City Park (Városliget) the avenue widens and the residential palaces tend to have gardens in the front.

TIP: If you want to see all the sights along the road I recommend walking towards Heroes' Square and explore the other side on the way back.

If you think the route is too long break it into two sections and do them on different days (e.g Heroes' Square-Oktogon on one day and Oktogon-St Stephen's Basilica on another day).

The buildings on both sides of Andrássy road boast artful reliefs, friezes, carved columns. Starting your walk from the Bajzsy-Zsilinszky road take a look the house at No.3 where the Postal Museum operates on the first floor. A fresco by Károly Lotz decorates the ceiling in the stairway.

In the Postal Museum you can also see what a 10-room bourgeois apartment looked liked in the 19th century.

The courtyard of the Krausz Palace at No. 12. has a nice fountain and scraffitos.

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The next attraction is the Hungarian State Opera House. The architectural masterpiece by Miklós Ybl is richly decorated both from outside and inside. Budapest's Opera House is on par with Opera Houses in Vienna or in Paris.

Opposite the Opera stands another magnificent building the former ballet Institue also known as Drechsler palace by the coffee house that used to operated on its ground floor. The renaissance building, designed by Ödön Lechner and Gyula Pártos, was built in 1884 and is planned to be turned into a 5-star luxury hotel.

This part of the street is great for window shopping too because a range of high-end shops like Louis Vuitton, Ermenegildo Zegna, Gucci, Burberry, and Roberto Cavalli.

Pesti Broadway - Nagymező Utca

The next street crossing Andrássy Avenue (Nagymező utca) is called the Pesti Broadway because its functions as the theatre quarter of Budapest.

The Budapest Operetta Theatre stages contemporary musicals as well as traditional operettas. The Thália Theatre stands opposite the exclusive nightclub the Moulin Rouge.

The Mikroszkóp Színpad features political cabarets and there1s the Vidám Színpad, Kolibri Theatre, Új Színpad to make Nagymező utca a small cultural center within Budapest. See other cultural venues in Budapest.

The former Arizóna club was home to the Mai Mano photographer and today it functions the House of Hungarian Photographers a place to intriguing photo exhibits.

The building at No. 8 is the Ernst Museum founded by a private collector Lajos Ernst in 1912 which became one of the most significant exhibitions centers of 20th-century Hungarian fine and applied arts. See other museums in Budapest.

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Liszt Ferenc Tér and Jókai Tér

Two small plazas flank the sides of Andrássy út, Liszt Ferenc Square which is in fact a lovely side street lined with restaurants, cafes and lots of green.

There are benches to sit down and enjoy the morning sunshine after breakfast in one of the terraced cafes. The Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music stands at the corner of Király utca built in 1907. The halls of the beautiful building are decorated with vivid frescoes by Aladár Kriesch Kőrösfői.

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The large octagonal shaped square called Oktogon marks where Andrássy road intersects the Grand Boulevard (Nagykörút).

Hotels Around Andrássy Avenue

There're some great hotels between the Oktogon-Erzsébet Square parts of Andrássy Avenue.

Hotel K+K Opera is a one of the best-rated hotels in Budapest. It's a nice 4-star hotel in a small side street just off Andrássy út near the Opera. A great choice if you wan to have accommodation in downtown Budapest close to all the important sights.

Carat Hotel in Király utca is another good-value hotel in the neighbourhood.

The Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal on Grand Boulevard (Erzsébet körút 43-49.) close to Andrássy út is one of the best luxury hotels in Budapest.

Apartments for rent abound along Andrássy út: see our guide to cheap apartments in Budapest and luxury Budapest apartments.

Restaurants Along Andrassy Avenue

The area offers lots of restaurants, both in the upscale category and cheaper eateries including fast-food places.

Belcanto is a first class restaurant next to the Opera house and Callas Cafe which offers a mixture of Hungarian, International and Japanese cuisine.

Arriba Taqueria at Oktogon offers delicious Mexican fast food: taco, burrito, and quesadilla and if you're pining for American tastes try TG Friday's also at Oktogon.

Callas is a trendy place next to the Opera with intimate atmosphere and an excellent rendezvous spot before or after an Opera performance. The terrace is perfect for people-watching while sipping a cup of cafe.

The Ultimate WineCafe is a mecca for wine and coffee snobs. I have to go and try yet their coffee to say a judgment but I do hope they make good coffee unlike other establishments in Budapest daring to use the term coffee house yet unable to make a decent espresso.

They offer a nice choice of breakfasts both menus and sweet snacks like muffins, croissants, buns, as well as sandwiches.

Cafe Művész was once one of the classic coffee houses of Budapest and it's a nice spot for contemplating life on Andrássy út:

Let's not forget about Liszt Ferenc Square which alone is a major restaurant and cafe hub in district VI.

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