Danubius Hotel Helia

The Heroes’ square is one of the most visited sights of the Hungarian capital, is situated in front of the City Park, at the end of the Andrássy Avenue, one of the most important streets of Budapest, a World Heritage site.

The Museum of Fine Arts is the most important and comprehensive art collection in Budapest and one of the largest galleries with works by world famous old masters. While the National Gallery presents Hungarian fine art in the first place, this Museum is dedicated to the collection and presentation of universal masterpieces of art. Its extensive collection of Italian, Spanish and Dutch paintings enjoys an international reputation.

The Hungarian Parliament Building is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, one of Europe's oldest legislative buildings, a notable landmark of Hungary and a popular tourist destination of Budapest. It lies in Lajos Kossuth Square, on the bank of the Danube. It is currently the largest building in Hungary and still the tallest building in Budapest.

Located on a 2,5 km-long central Island on the Danube, the historical Margaret Island is a special landmark of Budapest. It was a wise decision from the city fathers of Budapest to ban all motorized traffic on this island (except for a single bus line and police cars), as it is the primary place of recreation in Budapest. Complete with an outdoor summer thermal spa, and a professional swimming pool where the Olympic champion water polo team trains tirelessly, the island also features a small wildlife park, the ruins of a 13th century Dominican cloister, a Japanese garden with sunbathing turtles, an 5 km-long professional jogging circle along the sides of the island, several nice restaurants and a rose garden.

You’ll walk along the lovely, tree-lined paths of the island passing pockets of picnickers and lovers lounging in the full, green grass. These ruins are the remains of a 13th century Dominican convent and tell the story of St. Margaret of Hungary, who the island is named after. The story goes that in 1242 the fearsome Mongol horde was ravaging through the Hungarian heartland.

It is the largest church in Budapest, the 96-metre dome of which can be seen from virtually all parts of the city. The Basilica’s construction begun in 1851, before being taken over by Miklós Ybl, one of the leading architects of the time in 1867 and completed by József Kauser in 1905. The Classicist-style building houses Hungary’s most sacred relic: the Holy Right, which is the mummified right hand of St. Stephen, after whom the Basilica was named. Famous masterpieces in the church include statues by Alajos Stróbl and a painting of St. Stephen offering his country to the Virgin Mary by Gyula Benczúr.

Andrássy Avenue is a 2,310-metre boulevard lined with buildings in uniform architecture and linking the City Centre with the City Park. Andrássy Avenue, including the Millennium Underground Railway, running beneath the surface, as well as Heroes’ Square, located at is end, was recognised as a World Heritage Site in 2002. It accommodates the crème de la crème of Eclectic-style buildings in Budapest, among them a wealth of residential houses with wonderful and intimate inner courts, statues and foundations as well as the Opera House, built on the plans of Miklós Ybl.

The biggest museum of agriculture in Europe can be found in the Castle of Vajdahunyad on the Széchenyi-island in Városliget, Budapest in outstanding building. Its designer Ignác Alpár merged different architectural styles, made use of different elements, details of well-known buildings of historical Hungary. Citizens of Budapest named this group of buildings "Vajdahunyad castle" on the basis of the part of palace to be seen from the lake.

The Hungarian State Opera House (Magyar Állami Operaház) is one of Europe's most breathtaking opera houses as regards the interior design. The theatre performs traditional opera and ballet. The Opera also has plays at Thália Theatre.

The size of the building, which was inaugurated in 1659, reflects the significance of the Jewish population in the capital in that period. The synagogue was built in four years based on the plans with a Moorish style drawn up by a German architect, Ludwig Förster, who was a teacher at the academy of Vienna. Tivadar Herzl, who was a writer, journalist and a promoter of the creation of a Jewish state, was born in 1860 in the adjacent corner building, which has been pulled down since then (the Jewish Museum stands there nowadays).

The Hungarian National Gallery (Magyar Nemzeti Galéria) is housed in the main wing of Buda Castle facing the Danube. A wide cross-section of Hungarian painting and sculpture is on display, ranging from the time of the Magyar invasion through the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods to the richly productive 19th and 20th centuries.

We take you to the picturesque Artist’s Village, called Szentendre. We wander around the baroque settlement, built on medieval ruins and walk along the narrrow streets. We invite you for a Lángos (fried Hungarian flat bread)*. Then you will have the opportunity to go shopping or to visit the Margit Kovács Ceramic Museum or the Confectionery Museum (marzipan figures). During the summer (between 1 May and 30 September) we return to Budapest on the Danube by boat. In case of low water and during winter time we return to Budapest by bus.The tour ends in the city centre. Duration: 4,5 hours Available languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian

The Danube Bend – an excursion into Hungary’s history. This is an unforgettable tour along the "Blue Danube" with stops in Visegrád, Esztergom and Szentendre. Visegrád: we walk on the 750 year-old stones of the formal Royal Residence (entrance fee included), learn about life in the middle ages and enjoy the fascinating panorama on the Danube valley. Esztergom: the Northern gate of Budapest – the centre of the Catholic Church. We visit the largest cathedral of Hungary (also burial place of famous cardinals of Hungary, like Primate József Mindszenty). Afterwards, we glance across the river and enjoy the view over to Slovakia. Szentendre: On the way back we stop in the artist's village of Szentendre. It is a small baroque city at the gate of the Danube Bend, at the meeting place of the river Danube and the Pilis mountains, in a beautiful natural environment. We walk around the baroque settlement, built on medieval ruins and go up the narrow streets to the panorama point to see the Danube. We then simply enjoy the special atmosphere of this village. You can also take the opportunity to visit the museums (for example the world-famous Margit Kovács Ceramic Museum, the Confectionery Museum-with buildings and people made of marzipan), or you can choose to visit the shops of the village. During the summer (between the 1st of May and the 30th of September) we return to Budapest on the Danube by boat. The tour ends at the pier / city centre. During the tour we stop for lunch (optional, not incl.). Duration: 8,5 hours Available languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian

The Hungaroring is a motor-racing circuit in Mogyoród, Hungary where the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix is held. In 1986, it became the location of the first Formula One Grand Prix behind the Iron Curtain. Bernie Ecclestone wanted a race in the USSR, but a Hungarian friend recommended Budapest. They wanted a street circuit similar to the Circuit de Monaco to be built in the Népliget – Budapest's largest park – but the government decided to build a new circuit just outside the city near a major highway.