Specialty and third-wave coffee shops have exploded in popularity in Budapest, but they haven’t displaced the Hungarian capital’s historic coffeehouses and grand cafes. These timeless spaces – decked out in classic marble-topped tables, gold-accented mirrors, crystal chandeliers and curved wooden chairs – offer a flavor of old-world charm that’s unique to central Europe.
Once a hub for Hungarian writers, artists and revolutionaries, these cafes have an impressive history and thought-provoking atmosphere. You might just find inspiration for your own creative endeavors, or you can sit back and relax with a cup of coffee and a decadent cake and simply admire the beautiful surroundings.
The moment you stroll through the heavy glass doors flanked with torch-bearing gargoyles, it’s easy to see why New York Café ranks high on the list of the world’s most beautiful coffeehouses. With enough gold leaf, milk-white marble and red velvet to keep a Habsburg happy, this spectacular cafe doesn’t skimp on opulence. The prices may mirror its grand surroundings, but you’re not just having a coffee here – you’re languishing in a palace that was once a melting pot of artists and nobility. Newspapers were edited in its gallery, and urban legends permeate its marble halls.
What to know: If you arrive after the 8am opening, you’re likely to miss the crowds and get the upper part of the cafe almost to yourself.
Occupying a green baroque townhouse in the Castle District, Ruszwurm Cukrászda is the oldest cafe in Budapest: it has been baking delicious cakes since 1827. Compared to the city’s other classic confectioneries and coffeehouses, this family-run establishment is modest, with whitewashed walls and a 200-year-old cherry-wood counter.
Despite its spartan interior, Ruszwurm counted nobility among its loyal clientele, who frequented the cafe twice a week to indulge their sweet tooths.
What to know: Today it’s hard to get a seat on the weekend, but if you can snag a table, grab a coffee and a freshly baked cake, such as the Ruszwurm Cream Cake (made with vanilla egg cream and flaky pastry) or the Dobos Torte (a chocolate sponge cake topped with a caramel glaze).
More than just a grand old coffeehouse, Centrál Grand Cafe & Bar 1887 became a focal point of Budapest’s literary scene in the early 20th century. With stucco ceilings, marble tables and tan leather booths, the Centrál Grand Cafe encapsulates the coziness that drew in Hungary’s belle époque writers to the gallery above the main floor.
Under the 20th century communist regime, this famous cafe was closed for decades, but it triumphantly re-opened once the Iron Curtain came down in 1989. In 2022, it opened its doors again after renovation work. Although
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Few things in life are better than getting a great gift from someone you care about — especially when it's the gift of travel. Travel is a gift that keeps on giving and lasts way longer than expensive skin care products or kitchen gadgets that end up untouched in a random drawer. In fact, a recent survey from Hyatt found that 85% of consumers would rather receive a trip or vacation than a physical gift this holiday season.
All-business class airline La Compagnie is helping travelers get to Europe in comfort for less with its annual “Blue Friday” sale that has roundtrip flights for just $2,200.
There is little doubt that New York City is one of the most delightful places to visit during the holiday season, in part thanks to the NYC Christmas markets around every corner. Seasonal shows like New York City Ballet’s The Nutcracker and the Radio City Rockettes’ Christmas Spectacular, plus photo opps in front of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree or the decorated storefronts of Fifth Avenue are on many a visitor’s wishlist.
If you’ve experienced Utah's best skiing before and are in on the now not-so-secret handshake, you know that some of best skiing in the world is only 45 minutes away from Salt Lake City International Airport. (That means you can take a 7 a.m. flight from New York's JFK, land at 10:30-ish and be on the mountain by 1 p.m.) That and the state’s maxim—The Greatest Snow On Earth—broadcasted on every souvenir item possible isn’t overselling how preposterously light and fluffy the powder is here, or how much of it falls annually (up to 500 inches).
Frontier Airlines, a discount carrier based in Denver, recently announced 16 new routes spread across international and domestic destinations, including Antigua, Las Vegas, and Orlando. Best of all, the airline is celebrating the new routes by offering introductory fares as low as $19. The airline will begin weekly service to Antigua and Barbuda from San Juan, Puerto Rico on February 15, 2025.
It's one of our favorite Thanksgiving traditions: watching the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. The parade has been happening since 1924, and this year is the 98th edition. It'll occur Thursday, Nov. 28, from 8:30 a.m. to noon EST.
Ski season is officially underway with West Coast mountains already welcoming guests, and that means time is running out to score an unlimited Epic Pass.
After three straight years of breakneck growth across the Atlantic Ocean, JetBlue pumped the brakes on its expansion to Europe this winter. But it appears the carrier could soon announce its newest overseas destination.
Fun fact: Even though I've worked at TPG for 5 1/2 years and have a nice stash of points and miles saved up, I've never booked an international lie-flat business-class flight ... that is, until now.
For over a decade, I’ve intermittently checked sales listings for Frank Lloyd Wright homes with the hope of finding one for my very own. It's a pipe dream, as most are way beyond what I can afford and some are never even publicly listed—like Marc Jacobs’s Hoffman House in Rye, New York, which is presently featured in Vogue’s December 2024 issue, or the Goetsch-Winckler House in Okemos, Michigan, which was purchased in a private deal by a couple of young Wright enthusiasts in 2022.
Over 79 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles for the Thanksgiving Holiday Travel Period, and AAA Travel unveiled the top international and domestic destinations for 2024, as well as the best and worst times to drive.