Shortly after the birth of the Austro-Hungarian empire in 1867, Pest, Obuda and Buda were unified into the city we know today: Budapest. An explosion of culture followed during the opulent last decades of the 19th century – dubbed the Belle Époque – when Budapest developed a deeply decadent aesthetic. Vienna and Paris exerted a huge influence on the newly-formed city, and structures were built and rebuilt to emulate their splendour.
Even after two wars and years of Communism, many remain, and a wave of new bars and restaurants in these ornate buildings means the best way to enjoy the “Paris of the East” is to eat and drink your way through it. From historic cafés to eclectic bars in deserted…
This article was originally published by Telegraph.co.uk. Read the original article here.