Andrássy Avenue

Exploring Andrássy Avenue Section by Section

Andrássy Avenue runs for roughly two and a half kilometres from Deák Ferenc tér area near the inner city out to Heroes' Square and City Park. It was laid out in the 1870s as part of Budapest's ambitious modernisation, and its character changes noticeably as you walk outwards, so it helps to think of it in three stretches.

The inner stretch

Closest to the centre, the avenue is at its most urban. Here you will find the Hungarian State Opera House, one of the city's best-known neo-Renaissance buildings, and the nearby theatre district around Nagymező utca, often called Budapest's Broadway. This is also where most of the international fashion and luxury shops are concentrated, alongside long-established cafés.

The middle stretch

Around the Oktogon intersection, where the avenue crosses the Grand Boulevard, the street widens and becomes busier with traffic and trams. Further along, the House of Terror museum occupies a building with a dark twentieth-century history, and the Liszt Ferenc Square area offers a lively cluster of restaurants just off the avenue.

The outer stretch

Beyond Kodály körönd, a circus framed by four ornate mansions, the avenue turns leafy and residential, lined with villas and embassies. It ends at Heroes' Square, with the Millennium Monument, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Hall of Art, and beyond them City Park with Vajdahunyad Castle and the Széchenyi Baths.

Practical tips

• Use the M1 line: the yellow Millennium Underground runs directly beneath the avenue. Opened in 1896, it is one of the oldest metro lines in continental Europe and is part of the World Heritage listing.
• Walk one way, ride back: walking outwards and taking the M1 back saves energy for museums.
• Check ahead: opening times for the Opera House tours and museums vary, so confirm on their official websites before you go.

For more ideas around the city, browse our other places or read the guides section.