At the turn of the 20th century, between 1880 and 1914, Art Nouveau was the fashionable, cutting¬-edge aesthetic in architecture and applied arts throughout Europe. See the finest examples of this style in a tour of Budapest’s distinctive and elegant Art Nouveau constructions. The Art Nouveau style became so popular in Budapest that it is impossible to see all the representative buildings in a single day. This 3-hour introductory tour takes you to see some of the highlights in downtown Pest. Admire the 2 most important buildings, the Palace of the Royal Post and Gresham Palace. Fortunately, both buildings allow visitors into the entrance hall, so you can take in the wonderful details on the outside, and also enjoy a peek at the interior as your guide tells you about Art Nouveau design elements. Other stops on this walk include a flower shop with its original interior, a department store, several bank offices, and a small but exquisite Art Nouveau museum and coffee house. Examine a series of ceramics from the renowned Zsolnay factory in Pécs, a town in the south of Hungary. The extensive use of such ceramics on buildings is a characteristic feature of Hungarian Art Nouveau. Another typical Hungarian Art Nouveau feature is the use of Asian motifs and elements. This is in reference to the supposed eastern origins of the Hungarian nation, although you will also hear about the European¬-wide Orientalism that influenced Art Nouveau.