Budapest Opera House

The Neo-Renaissance opera house on Andrássy út is one of the city’s most beautiful buildings, and is worth a look even if you’re not taking in a performance. Designed by Miklós Ybl and opened in 1884, it has a façade that features sturdy columns and statues of lauded composers like Mozart and Beethoven. Pride of place either side of the entrance goes to images of the Hungarian greats Ferenc Liszt and Ferenc Erkel – Erkel conducted the inaugural performance here and is known as ‘the father of Hungarian opera’. Inside you’ll find a sweeping staircase, frescoes by the country’s leading 19th-century artists, and an enormous chandelier that hangs over the heads of the audience. There are guided tours each afternoon.