For many years nobody knew where an iron gate in the Buda castle lead to, today it’s a new museum where visitors can see exhibits about the history of this underground military hospital. The opening hours of the museum are from Monday to Sunday 10:00 – 20:00, with the last entry at 19:00. Guided tours depart on the hour, read on for a brief intro about this unique and fascinating attraction.
Some local businessmen started the project right before the second World War in order to create a safe storage for their goods. To reduce the cost, they used the caves inside the hill. The ongoing project was then taken over by the Government of Budapest. It established an emergency surgery center there by changing the original plans.
As for the construction, the caves were connected to one another, and they added a door to the tunnel system that leads to the Lovas Street. The hospital was located 15-30 m from the ground on different levels. It was serving 200 people at the same time towards the end of 1943. Its length is approximately 2 km.
During the World War, this place used to be served as shelter and as well as a hospital. At the end of the war, in February 1945) ca. , 600-650 people were treated since it was the only protected hospital during the battle for Budapest.
It had been working for a while after the war, but then they closed it down eventually. After the revolution in 1956, the hospital got reconstructed and they even set up a nuclear filter system in the caves.
Take timeout from your conference and let delegates see Budapest from ground level to really appreciate all that the city has to offer.
Insightful, fun-filled and informative walks about history, society, architecture and what Hungarians are actually like. Walks are focused around the best sights Buda and Pest have to offer. The goal of this walking tour is to discover and experience our city through the eyes of the insiders, to bring to life streets, bridges and statues and of course to have fun. Tour ends at the Fisherman Bastion area with useful orientation about thermal baths, museums, places to go out, places to eat out, and how to avoid the tourist traps in Budapest.
Tour leaves from the Vörösmarty square (tér). Meeting point is at the lion fountain. (last stop of M1 yellow line) Walk lasts 2.5 hours and covers about two and a half miles (i.e. about 3.5 kilometres if you think metrically). It is an easy walk with the exception of the 8 minutes long uphill walk to the Castle District. Tour goes at a gentle pace. It is possible to use the funicular or the public bus instead of the uphill walk. In this case guests are accompanied by our staff.
Groups more than 12 persons must pre-register.
For those unable to make the morning walk, there is an alternative, easy going afternoon walk .This walk covers the basic sights of Pest and Buda, updates you on what’s happening and what’s a must regarding Budapest nightlife and daytime activities. Lots of insider information, plus great exercise on the Castle Hill.
Walk lasts 2.5 hours and covers about two and a half miles. Once again, it is possible to use the funicular or the public bus instead of the uphill walk. In this case guests are accompanied by our staff.
As of November 2013, low-cost carrier Jet2.com is to launch a new flight to the heart of the Midlands, East Midlands airport. The flight will be operated twice a week, on Monday and Friday, connecting Budapest and the largest airport of the Midlands region with easy access to three big cities: Nottingham, Derby, and Leicester. This important destination has been missing from the route network of Budapest Airport for a long time.
It is good news primarily for those who work abroad that from the autumn onwards the Midlands will be directly accessible from Budapest. Low-cost carrier Jet2.com launches a flight to connect the Hungarian capital with East Midlands airport twice a week from 8 November. Ideally for long-weekend trips, the flight is scheduled to depart from Budapest at 18:40 on Friday and will arrive at East Midlands at 21:35, and on the return leg it will depart at 15:00 to arrive in Budapest at 17:55. According to the plans, Jet2.com will use a 148-seat Boeing 737-300 aircraft on this route.
CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays Steve Heapy highlighted “We are excited about the launch of this new flight, as Jet2.com will be the only carrier to offer a direct link between Budapest – quite a popular destination with passengers – and the Midlands region.” He added, “The new route is to be launched to meet the express demand of our passengers, and therefore we are positive that it will become successful in spite of a winter launch.”
“We are pleased with the decision of Jet2.com to launch a flight from one of the fast-growing airports of the Midlands to Budapest,” said Budapest Airport aviation director Kam Jandu, adding that “The new flight may not only have a positive effect on the economy of the region but it will also provide a much closer link for Budapest with the Midlands.”
The East Midlands is one of the nine regions of the United Kingdom, featuring both countryside and urban environments with picturesque traditional villages and cities, homes of the aristocracy, and industrial areas. The airport of East Midlands is located in the western corner of the region, in the heart of England. Interestingly, it is connected to three major cities in the vicinity: it is situated in the county of Leicester (the city just south of it), its postal address and phone numbers are listed by the city of Derby to the north-west, while IATA links it with Nottingham. Out of the three cities, Nottingham may be the best known, mainly due to the legend of Robin Hood. As the story goes, Robin Hood lived with his buddies in Sherwood Forest nearby, fighting against their chief enemy, the Judge of Nottingham.
Leeds-based low-cost carrier Jet2.com launched its first flight between the Hungarian capital and Manchester back in 2004, initially with three flights per week. In the summer of 2010, flight frequency was up to 5 per week, and subsequently the city of Edinburgh was also added to the Budapest network. For some time, a Leeds flight was also operated to and from Budapest. The fleet of Jet2.com consists of thirty-five Boeing 737 and eleven Boeing 757 aircraft.
To add a traditional Hungarian experience when your conference breaks in the evening you could always add a trip to the thermal baths.
Gellert may be the most famous thermal bath in Budapest, but Rudas is the most historic. The building dates from the 16th century, when the occupying Turks were constructing bathing facilities to make the most of the city’s 80 geothermal springs. The Ottoman influence can still be seen in the octagonal pool, covered by a huge dome and supported by eight pillars, and the six steam pools. Try an underwater massage at 3am (the bath is open until 4am on Fridays and Saturdays). Note that it’s men-only during the week, except on Tuesdays when it’s women-only; weekends are for mixed bathing.
• From around £4 for a morning ticket to £10 for night bathing, and from £8 for massages; rudasbaths.com
Thanks to the increase in incoming tourism, Prague will welcome several new hotels this year. Nowadays there are five hotel facilities under construction – e.g. 3-star Motel One belonging to the Penta Investments or hotel NH Senovážné belonging to the Spanish group NH Hotels. In September 2013, the hotel chain Pentahotels, belonging to the Hong Kong´s New World Group, will open new 4-star hotel in Prague. The company bought the Quinn Group Karlin building and is now transforming it into the style of the brand in the total investment of 25 million Euros.
Sana Hotels has opened a new 5* property, the Epic Sana located in the centre of Lisbon. This has the largest conference space in a hotel in Lisbon. There are 14 meeting rooms on floors 1 and -1 and the biggest room can take 870 people theatre-style. There are 311 bedrooms: 114 deluxe twin rooms, 177 deluxe double rooms and 20 suites. There is high speed wireless internet throughout the
hotel, which is free in the public areas and bedrooms.
The Epic Sana has two restaurants and two bars, one of which is on the rooftop with views over the city. There is a Spa with treatment rooms, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi, fitness centre and indoor swimming pool.
The nearest Underground station is Marquês de Pombal or transfer to Lisbon Airport is about 15 minutes by car.
Investments in sustainability and eco-meeting consulting services and support are drawing green-certified events to the imperial Hofburg.
Green thinking is in the ascendancy throughout the conference and meetings industry. The Hofburg Vienna is constantly investing in sustainability projects. Measures include the exclusive use of environmentally friendly hydroelectricity, a proactive approach to sorting waste and room-by-room air conditioning. “Around a third of all lighting systems have already been changed over to energy-saving carbon LED bulbs. Work on a centrally monitored PC power supply system is ongoing,” explained Hofburg Vienna Managing Director Renate Danler.
The Hofburg conference centre has been focusing intensively on promoting sustainable meetings. The “How to Make a Green Event” guide and support from green meeting partners such as the Vienna Convention Bureau help organisers look at some of the different ways they can make their events more eco-friendly. In 2012 six larger-scale green-certified events were held at the Hofburg Vienna, including the Green World Forum and the first European conference on the use, operation and conservation of historically important buildings. “We are particularly proud of the fact that two high ranking political conferences – the UNIDO Global South-South Development Expo and the IIASA Conference – were both held as certified green meetings for the first time,” said Mrs Danler. This year a further two green meetings have already confirmed their slots at the Hofburg Vienna.
The newly opened Sans Souci Wien celebrates urban lifestyle with a mixture of elegant design and decent luxury.
The exclusive lifestyle hotel Sans Souci Wien combines yoo’s distinctive design with a perfect location in Vienna’s artistic quarter “Spittelberg”, in the middle of Vienna’s cultural centre. Troughout the 63 individual rooms and suites, one can feel a relaxed atmosphere of decent luxury. The hotel’s highlight is a collection of modern art, which is being displayed in the rooms and public areas and includes original artwork by Roy Lichtenstein, Allen Jones or Steve Kaufman.
The unique Sans Souci charm can also be felt at the restaurant “La Véranda”, offering authentic cuisine, which is mostly prepared with regional products. In the hotel bar, guests are being spoiled with 60 different kinds of champagne, a variety of cocktails and a separate Gin menu.
The generous Sans Souci Spa Club offers wellness, fitness (along with a 20 metre sports pool), as well as beauty on 450 m² and can also be used as day spa. A perfect retreat, right in the city centre.
Austrian Airlines is converting its entire long-haul fleet and installing a new modern cabin.
All ten long-haul aircraft of the types Boeing 777 and 767 are to be given new, modern Economy Class seats, an improved in-flight entertainment system, and innovative seats in Business Class which can be transformed into full-flat beds. The entire interior design of the aircraft is also being given a new visual, as Austrian Airlines reworks the colour concept of its cabins.
The impressive new high-tech seat provides a lot of free space on all sides and a fully horizontal flat bed of approximately two metres in length. The innovative air cushion system allows passengers to individually adjust the degree of hardness of the seat from soft to firm. This makes being on board as relaxing as being at home. The system remembers the settings throughout the entire flight. The in-built massaging function provides complete relaxation. Passengers can activate this feature individually according to their needs.
A new Palais hotel in the heart of Vienna, a place of History, Culture and European Elegance.
Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna – originally built as a hotel for the World Exhibition in 1873 – combines great history with contemporary design and architecture in luxurious style. It’s modern, innovative and timeless at the same time relaxing and unconventional.
It is a glamorous hot spot with 152 elegantly designed rooms and suites and where one can enjoy a unique culinary experience in the two restaurants and bars.
The Palais Hansen offers 7 Meeting rooms and a contemporary ballroom for up to 300 persons.
Whether you wish to hold a small-scale board meeting or a large shareholders’ meeting, whether it’s a matter of a product presentation or a field sales conference followed by a banquet – our large selection of different meeting rooms offers the perfect setting for every event.
