Budapest
21st – 25th September 2026
Budapest is full of surprises – a vibrant city set against the spectacular natural landscape of the Buda Hills and curve of the River Danube. Buda and Pest were not united until 1873 and still retain their own distinct character; age-old elegance is found in Buda, whereas the city’s golden age during the late 19th century filled Pest with the exciting energy of Art Nouveau. Hungarian culture abounds with excellent opera, a lively coffee house scene, good Magyar cooking and of course, the baths. During our trip we hope to sample all.
The hotel will be a smart combination of traditional and contemporary and is in a fantastic area, surrounded by coffee houses, boutique shops and restaurants. Nicholas Ross and Edward Aspinall will lead the tour.
Itinerary
Monday 21st September
After arriving at the hotel, we will head out to the Gresham Hotel, one of Pest’s finest Art Nouveau buildings, for a light lunch. This will set the scene for an afternoon exploring the history of Budapest and other great ‘Szecesszio’ buildings – the Hungarian Art Nouveau movement – including the Postal Savings Bank by Hungary’s most prolific architect, ÖdönLechner. If we have the time, and the inclination, we may stop for tea at Gerbeaud, since 1858 the leading cávéház in the town, taking in the exteriors of some wonderful buildings on our way back to the hotel.
Tuesday 22nd September
We will start by visiting another of Lechner’s truly astonishing buildings, designed for the Geological Institute in 1896 and completed three years later. From there, we will visit an equally unexpected art nouveau masterpiece, the Kazinczy Street Synagogue of 1913. After lunch at the Central Kávéház there will be two options. One of the highpoints of Budapest are undoubtedly the thermal baths, and we propose a visit to one of the most spectacular, the Gellert, another art nouveau masterpiece. Alternatively, you may wish to take in some other sites, which could include a couple of Pest’s older churches, the remarkable Central Market Hall or the Museum of Applied Arts, another of Lechner’s designs. We will have dinner at Borssó, where the atmosphere is relaxed and the food superb.
Wednesday 23rd September
This morning, we will visit the Parliament Building, before walking along the embankments of the Danube and across the Chain Bridge, taking this opportunity to discuss the development of both engineering and politics in the 19th & 20thcenturies. We will head up the ‘sikló’ or funicular to visit St Matthias, coronation church of the Kings of Hungary, before a lunch overlooking the city. In the afternoon, we will look at the best of Hungary’s 19th and early 20th-century painting in the National Gallery. Presently, the programme for the famous and beautiful Opera House in Budapest is not publicised, however, we hope that on one evening we will be able to go and then enjoy a fun post opera supper. We will keep you informed.
Thursday 24th September
We will spend the morning at the Hungarian National Museum, taking the chance to think about Hungary’s fascinating history. Hungary has a unique geographical place in the history of our continent; it once stood as a frontier city between the Christian and Muslim worlds, a bridging point on the Danube, the centre of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and on the doorstep of Russia. The Hungarian Museum is a very successful display of these complexities. We will have lunch at the nearby Carne de Halle before a free afternoon of exploration or shopping. Tutors will be on hand with suggestions. Supper at a good place near the hotel.
Friday 25th September
After a relaxed start, on the way to the airport, we will stop at Memento Park. This is one of the more extraordinary museums and sculpture parks of the trip. Rather than destroying the Communist sculpture that adorned the city, the new authorities, after the fall of USSR, decided to keep these monumental works and display them in a park. They are varied and magnificent and will provide a fascinating end to our trip.
Further Details
Tuition – Nicholas Ross and Edward Aspinall will lead the trip. This will be our fourth trip to Budapest and we look forward to building on the success of previous trips by showing you their new and exciting discoveries.
Hotels – We will stay in the W Budapest Hotel, housed in the beautifully renovated Drechsler Palace on the Andrássy Avenue (a UNESCO heritage site) and opposite the State Opera House. It captures the spirit of the Belle Époque with lovely communal areas and a great bar.
Flights – We do not book the flights thus allowing you to travel to suit your budget, use airmiles, travel between different airports or on different dates. Flights for September 2026 have not yet been published. We will let you know as soon as they are.
Transport – There will be a private coach for the airport transfer to meet the recommended flights. We will take a variety of public transport in Budapest.
Concerts – The programme for 2026 is not yet out, but we hope there will be a performance from the Hungarian State Opera at the Erkel Theatre. We will let you know as soon as we hear.
Lunches and Dinners – Lunches are a set menu of two courses to include drinks. Dinner is by no means compulsory, but we book a table for the group each night at different restaurants and divide the bill equally between everyone. Sometimes these may also need to be a set menu but we try our best to avoid this. We will adjust the bill for those not drinking alcohol.
Ability – There will be quite a lot of walking on this trip, as well as uneven cobbles. You will be able to take a taxi for the longer stretches, should you need to. As is the case for all our courses, there is a lot of standing while we discuss the works we are looking at.
Cost – The fees are £2100 which includes accommodation and breakfast, all lunches, transfers for the recommended flight, transport when connected with teaching, entrance fees, a visit to the baths, tuition, reading lists and local advice. The single room supplement is £220 (double room for single use). Please state on the form if you would be happy to share. Not included are the flights, all suppers, concert, travel insurance. The group will not exceed 16 people and we will divide into two smaller groups wherever possible.
To register – Please complete the online registration form, having read our terms and conditions, and pay a deposit of £600 via bank transfer. Your place is not confirmed until we have received the deposit.
If you have any queries, please email [email protected] or call 01379 871800 (302)
NB you must buy your own flights.
