Hollywood Budapest: Film Location Walking Tour

Tour stops

1. 1. Hungarian Parliament Building

   🏛️ Behold the majestic Parliament! Did you spot it in "Hollywood in Budapest"? It played a key role in several scenes, offering a stunning backdrop.

2. 2. Matthias Church (Mátyás-templom)

   ⛪ Matthias Church has stood on this spot in some form since the thirteenth century, and has been rebuilt often enough that little of that is visible. 🎨 The roof is the thing: diamond-patterned Zsolnay tiles, laid during the 1890s restoration. It was a mosque for a century and a half under Ottoman rule, and the interior painting reflects that history rather than hiding it. Two Habsburg coronations were held here.

3. 3. Fisherman's Bastion (Halászbástya)

   🏰 Fisherman's Bastion looks medieval and is not: it was built between 1895 and 1902 as a viewing terrace, in a fairy-tale Neo-Romanesque style. 🌉 The seven turrets stand for the seven Magyar chieftains who settled the Carpathian basin. The name comes from the guild of fishermen said to have defended this stretch of wall. The upper terraces charge admission; the lower ones are free and the view is nearly the same.

4. 4. Gellért Baths

   ♨️ Dive into the Art Nouveau splendor of Gellért Baths! "Hollywood in Budapest" used this location for its unique atmosphere. Remember that steamy scene? Now you can relax in the same waters!

5. 5. New York Café

   ☕ The New York Café opened in 1894 in the offices of an insurance company, and was the meeting place of literary Budapest. ✍️ The story is that the writer Ferenc Molnár threw the keys into the Danube so it could never close. It was a sports shop under communism and a warehouse after that; the restoration finished in 2006. Coffee costs several times what it does elsewhere. The ceiling is the reason.

6. 6. Heroes' Square (Hősök tere)

   🛡️ Stand in awe at Heroes' Square! This grand square made a powerful statement in "Hollywood in Budapest". Fans will recognize the imposing statues and vast open space.

7. 7. Széchenyi Thermal Bath (Széchenyi Gyógyfürdő és Uszoda)

   🏊‍♀️ Széchenyi opened in 1913 and is one of the largest bath complexes in Europe, fed by two thermal springs. ♨️ Eighteen pools, of which three are outdoors and open all year — which is why the photographs are always of men playing chess in the steam in winter. Bring your own towel and flip-flops or pay to hire them. Weekday mornings are calm; weekends are not.

Frequently asked questions