4+1 hidden spots in Budapest

If you have exhausted what the guidebooks have to offer, or if you want to know more about the local history of the city, why not visit some of the unknown wonders of Budapest? Wmn.hu has collected five hidden places in the Hungarian capital.

1. Monastery hidden inside the hotel

The Hilton Budapest in Buda Castle is not a typical tourist destination, but it is still worth venturing inside, if only for the restored remains of the Dominican monastery which are now incorporated into the hotel. The monastery is one of the earliest buildings of Buda, and has been in constant use until the Turkish occupation, after which its significance declined. The old walls and quiet atmosphere transport the visitor into another era, while the narrow windows offer a spectacular view of the city.

2. Secret terrace on top of the Buda Castle Tunnel

From the Castle, take a walk down the Király stairs, then climb back up on top of the Tunnel opposite Clark Ádám Square, where a hidden terrace is overlooking the city. The Tunnel itself used to house families; among others the caretaker of the Chain Bridge used to live there. The windows of these homes are still preserved in the structure. The terrace on top is a popular party spot in the evenings.

3. The “small synagogue”

The Rumbach Street Synagogue is in the city centre, in the historical old town of Pest, not far from the “big synagogue” in Dohány Street. The Moorish Revival-style building was designed by Otto Wagner, leading figure of Art Nouveau in Vienna. Both the exterior and the interior are in need of restoration, but the synagogue is a spectacular sight nevertheless. Its facade is framed by two minaret-like towers. Inside, the octagonal dome, which collapsed in 1979 and has since been stabilized, is supported by eight columns topped with Moorish Alhambra capitals. The dim, filtered light, and the design, dominated by a red-blue-gold colour scheme, astonish the visitor.