Head to the Erzsébetváros or the 7th District to Feast Your Eyes on Some of The Best Street Art in Budapest.
Street art has become a prevalent fixture in many cities around the world. But no one does it quite as well as the Hungarians. Erzsébetváros or District 7, Budapest houses some of the most vibrant and incredible murals, which is a pretty big call on my part as I believe Melbourne has some of the finest. We stayed in the heart of the Jewish District in Budapest and we were constantly confronted with street art in almost every corner. But we wanted to get to know Budapest street art in greater depth and how it became an integral part of this once derelict area. So, in order to get to know some of the best murals, we asked Attila Höfle from Budapest Flow to take us on journey of colour and creativity and a Budapest walking tour well worth taking.
Once a walled-in ghetto towards the end of World War II, the Jewish District possesses a painful past. Post war, the area became dilapidated with buildings abandoned and left into ruins. A recent gentrification of the area has helped to revive the neighbourhood and it is now one of the coolest places to explore and the best area to stay in Budapest. As part of the movement to revitalise this pocket of Erzsébetváros, stark, old and rundown buildings are now adorned with contemporary graffiti wall art transforming the streets into a public gallery and one of the best museums in Budapest. Attila took us on a street art tour which we thoroughly enjoyed and here’s a street art map of Budapest.
TRAVEL TIPS YOU WILL FIND:
- #01 – RUBIK’S CUBE
- #02 – SEAMSTRESS / SEWING LOVE
- #03 – BUDAPEST AIN’T SMALL
- #04 – GREEN GROCER
- #05 – PLAYGROUND
- #06 – EVERYONE HAS A TOWN
- #07 – MAN OF THE YEAR
- #08 – MATCH OF THE CENTURY
- #09 – SZINES VAROS FESTIVAL
- #10 – EMPRESS ELISABETH
- #11 – MAP OF BARS
- #12 – REFUGEE
- BONUS TIP #1 – RELATED ARTICLES
- BONUS TIP #2 – WHERE TO STAY IN BUDAPEST
#01 – RUBIK’S CUBE
Unbeknown to me, the Rubik’s Cube was created by Hungarian Erno Rubik, an inventor and architecture professor. It’s only fitting that the Rubik’s Cube be honoured as it is the best-selling toy in the world, selling over 350 million units. As an interesting fact, the current world record for solving the Rubik’s Cube is an amazing 4.59 seconds!
On the bottom left hand corner of the mural is the number 43,252,003,274,489,856,000. This number denotes that there are 43 quintillion ways to scramble the Rubik’s Cube. I didn’t even know such a number existed! The Rubik’s Cube street art in Budapest is unique as you can only see the 3D effect through a camera lens as the naked eye is unable to process the clever illusion.
#02 – SEAMSTRESS / SEWING LOVE
Tailoring was the most popular Jewish profession and had a significant presence around Akácfa Utca and Kiraly Utca in the 19th century. According to Kinga Frojimovics, author of Jewish Budapest, they traded in second hand clothes of which they would buy used goods, alter or mend them and then sell them at flea markets for a decent profit. A census conducted in the mid-19th century reported the area having 422 Jewish masters and 607 apprentices. This mural is a dedication to a profession that helped to shape the 7th district of Budapest.
It was also at this mural that Attila chose to give us a quick linguistic lesson. At the bottom of the mural is the word “szabómesterek” which means master tailor. In Hungarian, ‘s’ is pronounced “sh” hence Budapest is actually “Bu-da-pesht”, of which I had been pronouncing incorrectly for years! The ‘sz’ sound however is pronounced “s” as per the English language.
Love that the word is also painted in embroidery font.
#03 – BUDAPEST AIN’T SMALL
This mural is a map of Budapest of which the red patch in the middle is also the shape of Budapest. It is meant to symbolise that Hungary is not just about Budapest and there is so much more to the country. The clouds around the map represent the surrounding areas one can visit in Hungary. Love that Budapest street art covers so many prevalent topics.

#04 – GREEN GROCER
This is a 2 dimensional, multi storey painting depicting locals of the nearby Klauzál Square. The mural is an actual representation of the original façade and encompasses some of the residents. The green grocer is the real Aunt Zsuzsa who runs the Lumen Grocery next to the mural. Attila tells us that the black dog on the right was an actual dog that lived nearby and would stop to admire the progress of the mural every day during its daily walk. Over time the artist got to know the friendly black dog and thought to include it as one of the many local characters.
12 of the Best Street Art in Budapest, Hungary Click To Tweet#05 – PLAYGROUND
This is perhaps one of the more prettier murals. The art provides for an optical illusion that aligns with the natural surround of the actual playground and makes us feel as though it’s extended far beyond its small enclosure. The hot air balloon in the distance creates a fairy tale like image to lighten the harsh deterioration of the building itself.
#06 – EVERYONE HAS A TOWN
In this case, everyone has a side. There has been a long standing friendly rivalry between the two sides of this great city with the stereotypical jokes of those who live on the Buda side are snobs whilst those residing on the Pest side of the Danube are lazy, working class people. This mural depicts this division through the use of Hungarian folklore and symbols by creating colour on the Buda side whilst using a drab grey to represent the crumbling Pest side.
#07 – MAN OF THE YEAR
In 1957, Time Magazine’s Man of the Year was not a singular person but rather the all-encompassing Hungarian Freedom Fighter. The man pictured in the mural represented the civilian fighters and heroes of the Hungarian Revolution who fought in the struggle. In 2016, the mural was commission to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the publication.
The uprising of 1956 was a fight against Russian control which they were subjected to since 1945. Upon the death of Stalin in 1953, Hungarians were hopeful of freedom from Russian rule but was not to be. The oppressive situation worsened with fuel shortages, a bad harvest, poverty and a bitterly cold winter. On October 23rd, people took to the streets of Budapest to fight for their rights and their bravery is now forever immortalised. For me, this was a Budapest must see attraction. It is stunning.
#08 – MATCH OF THE CENTURY
Once the world’s number one ranked football team and Olympic champions, Hungary played an international football match on the 25th of November 1953, against England. As you can see in the mural, the final score of 6:3 in favour of Hungary is forever immortalised and was a great cause for celebration.
I enjoyed this mural not for its artistic prowess but Atilla’s insight into the self-deprecating Hungarian humour. Hungary is known to be the most depressed society in all of Europe and perhaps this has lent itself to resorting to pessimistic and sarcastic behaviours as a coping mechanism. The Match of the Century sparked Attila’s amusement that ever since this match, Hungarians haven’t been great at football. We couldn’t decide if the giant mural was a great reminder of a glorified past that provided hope and encouragement or an eyesore that only fuelled its depressing outlook.
#09 – SZINES VAROS FESTIVAL
The annual festival in the summer attracts talented local and international artists to adorn the walls with giant murals. The theme for 2017 was based on the topics of dichotomy and discourse, extracting inspiration from gastronomy and wine. Here are 4 of the murals, each painted in a courtyard on Kertész Street.

Left: Portrayal of a typical scene from a Budapest market.
Right: The creation of the popular Hungarian dish, pörkölt.
#10 – EMPRESS ELISABETH
Empress Elisabeth, the wife of Franz Joseph I, was Hungary’s favourite Queen. The mural has done well to show off her beauty and well maintained long hair. The mural is painted in shades of purple as it was the style of Erzsébetváro in the 1800s.
Franz Joseph fell head over heals for the Viennese Princess and they were married when she was not even 16 years of age. The wedding took place in 1854 and the young Austrian princess had to adapt to court life as an Empress very quickly. It has been documented that she was overwhelmed by her royal position and found life in court very difficult. A life she believed she was not born to live. She portrayed herself to be a fairy-tale Empress who loved to travel, had a deep love for people and culture and loved to write poetry. She was well known for being obsessed with her beauty and spent an inordinate amount of time in front of the mirror.
#11 – MAP OF BARS
The bar scene in Budapest is so popular that a mural of a map of all the best ruin pubs in the Jewish District was erected. The bars are listed in order, as per the streets on the map. Just in case you had your inebriated goggles on and needed a bigger version to get you from one ruin bar to another. And yes, the fact that its located at a playground was not lost on me. No wonder the party goers think its the best district in Budapest!

#12 – REFUGEE
I will always support a private walking guide when I’m in any city because there are just places that you would perhaps never discover had you been on your own. And one such occurrence was when Attila brought us to Gozsdu Udvar, a complex consisting of seven buildings and a passage formed by six interconnected courtyards.
Here, commissioned by the Regional Representation of the United Nations’ Refugee Agency for Central Europe, a firewall was transformed with a mural of a refugee. It represents a little Pakistani girl with the quote, “one family torn apart by war is too many”. Perhaps it was inspired by the famous image of the Afghan refugee that graced the cover of National Geographic’s 1985 with eyes that captivated the world.
Street art is still a fairly young project in this city, establishing credibility only about 8-10 years ago. Backed by the local government, I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that some depicted important historical Hungarian moments whilst others were created as part of the Színes Város project.
Street in the Jewish District of Budapest is colossal in size and artistic expression. Here's a comprehensive list street art you shouldn't miss! #streetart #familytravel #budapeststreetart Click To TweetAttila was a wealth of information and his love for his city is evident in his sheer enthusiasm and passion. This city tour of Budapest is highly suitable for families with kids of all ages and I have no doubt they would be fascinated by the different types of street art. I have only covered some of my favourite murals. There is a plethora of others to be discovered whilst the cityscape continues to change over time. It is therefore well worth engaging a local to show you the sights and help you link the old and the new.
As for the Jewish District, it is honestly the best place to stay in Budapest and coupled with the best street food in Budapest, it’s a great combination. I hope that street art will be part of your trip and if you need help in working out the best things to do in Budapest, this 4 days in Budapest itinerary is a comprehensive guide that will help you with your research. Enjoy this amazing city!
BONUS TIP #1 – RELATED ARTICLES
12 of the Most Instagrammable Street Art in the World
10 Zagreb Off The Beaten Path Things To Do
16 Things You Need to Know Before Going to Budapest
BONUS TIP #2 – WHERE TO STAY IN BUDAPEST
Luxury: Corintha Hotel Budapest
This hotel is “fit for a Queen” and has exceptional staff and amenities. The breakfast buffet is said to be one of the best whilst the rooms or spacious and luxurious. If you’re looking for a little opulence, you’ll certainly get that the moment you walk into Corintha Hotel.
Book Now Pay Later – Check Prices Here
Boutique: Hotel Moments Budapest
This stylish, comtemporary hotel with funky interiors is located on the iconic Andrássy Avenue of Budapest. Get a room with a balcony overlooking Andrassy Avenue so you can enjoy the buzz of Budapest. Rooms are beautiful and very comfortable and the staff are there to assist with anything you need.
Book Now Pay Later – Check Prices Here
Affordable: The Three Corners Hotel Anna
The rooms are really fresh, clean and spacious. The hotel is in an excellent location, close to public transport and sites but also quiet enough for a sound sleep. The breakfast buffet is great so be sure to include it in your room rate. The hotel is trendy and colourful with a welcoming reception area and super friendly reception staff.
Book Now Pay Later – Check Prices Here
Apartment: 7Seasons Apartments Budapest
Great location, value for money and spacious rooms. Good for families as you can get the 2 bedroom apartments. It has a washing machine and dishwasher. But more importantly, the apartment has a pick up and drop off service! How convenient is that?
Book Now Pay Later – Check Prices Here
Disclaimer: The Family Globetrotter’s website contains affiliate links which help us to maintain this blog and assists us with our travels. Family Globetrotters have also posted articles based on sponsored products and/or services but all opinions are our own, truthful and unbiased.
72 comments
Great list you put together! I was planning on visiting Hungary this Summer (seems like it will be postponed) but I can’t wait to explore the streets and find some of these!
Sigh….. so much has changed. Well, Hungary will always be there so next time. If it’s your first time in Budapest, check out my post to help you navigate the city well: https://familyglobetrotters.com/things-you-need-to-know-before-going-to-budapest/
I love Budapest! It is one of my favorite European cities! Also, all of this street art is so cool! I need to go back and see it. 🙂
Yeah, I’d love to go back again and do it all again!
I had no idea there was so much great street art in Budapest. I have even more reason to visit Budapest now. The Green Grocer piece is incredible, I thought it was a real shop at first! Thanks for the inspiration.
You’re welcome Sophie! Best part is, they are all located in one area. Makes for a great day out.
Loving this! You should see the street art in Beirut; wrote a post about it on my blog.
Oh I’d LOVE that! Would be amazing.
I loved Budapest and the street art there, so I haven’t seen all of these pieces! I didn’t even know that the Rubik’s Cube one looked like that through a lens!
I don’t think I would have known that either if we didn’t have a guide! It was way cool!
Who knew Budapest had so much awesome street art! Map of Bars is my favourite haha
I am dying to visit Budapest, even more so after seeing how much cool street art there is! Awesome post, thanks so much for sharing!
Well I was like that too before I went and oh my…. it was sooooo worth the wait! Make sure you also check out this post before you go to Budapest: https://familyglobetrotters.com/things-you-need-to-know-before-going-to-budapest/
I appreciate this guide; it is constructive when planning a trip to Budapest. I like walking the streets, photographing both architecture and street photography. That’s why I like the combination of these streets. Sewing Love looks excellent with its mural. Green Grocer seems perfect for street photos. The courtyard on Kertész Street with these murals is terrific, too. I need at least a week in Budapest.
Thanks Agnes! The street art in the Jewish quarter is out of this world. Every piece I photographed had meaning and significance and it was a great way to spruce up those derelict buildings. Loved that each mural taught me a little more about Budapest.
[…] (Via Mr. Foster kalandozásai Budapesten, Family Globetrotters) […]
An amazing post about something so different. You quite rightly said about street art becoming such a big thing around the world. I saw some great work in Reykjavik and then recently in Athens. I was in Budapest 2 years ago and missed this big sadly Wish I had read about this before going. Live the lady on the machine and the rubix cube. Thanks for sharing s great post.
wow! I loved it. I have been to budapest so many times. But, I have never realised that it has so much else to see… will see these next time for sure.
Thanks Neha! You’re not the first person to stay that!The murals are stunning and they make such a big difference to the Jewish District. Can’t believe how it has rejuvenated his whole area of Budapest.
That green grocer mural is SO COOL! Would love to get back to Budapest to see it in person.
Its sure is! We loved that too! These artists are sooo talented!
I am Hungarian but never seen any of these murals. I moved away 3 years ago to live in London, but I will definitely check them out next time I am back in Budapest! So glad I came across this! Love being a tourist in my on country! 🙂
I think some of these murals probably weren’t even there 3 years ago (assuming you haven’t been back this whole time!). These are all in the Jewish District so easy to walk around and have a look. Enjoy it!
Gosh, I love seeing a city through someone else’s eyes and interests. Thanks so much for sharing the street art photos. I really loved them, especially the grocer – wow. I mean, to begin with I thought the balcony above was real and then I realised it was part of the mural too.
Thanks Cassie! Yeah the green grocer mural is incredible. Its like 3-4 storeys high. When our guide took us there we were mesmerised. its is soooo real! I still don’t understand how they did it! Amazing work.
The rubix cube is incredible and who knew how many different ways it could go! I like the Klauzal square mural. I think it is great to incorporate what is around you into the piece and they did just that with the dog! We are starting to appreciate and seek out street art on more of our trips. We saw some while in Kansas City last year and really enjoyed it.
I was fascinated by the stats on the Rubik’s Cube too. I have seen so many record breaking videos over the years and amazing how one cube can do so much. Perhaps Banksy’s anonymous status all those years helped to escalate the profile of street art murals:)
I’m intrigued by street art! I love reading street art posts from different countries! We don’t have nearly enough street art where I’m from – I love all 12!
Thanks Ashley! Glad you enjoyed all of them. Yeah I love street art too and we saw a lot in Zagreb too when we were there prior to Budapest but they certainly don’t do it as well as the Hungarians!
This is fascinating. I stayed in this part of Budapest when I visited almost eight years ago and major street art projects weren’t yet a big thing. Very cool to see how it’s changed. I especially like how the artwork is steeped in the neighborhood’s history and culture, with the mural of the grocery store and the black dog or the one honoring the tailors.
Hey Carrie….. yes this is all relative new and really taking off in the last 2-3 years. They have an organised festival every year where they invite artists from all around the world to participate. Paying homage to the past is certainly a great way to bring history to life.
Wow, these are stunning artworks. I love the ones of the shop window, Hitchhiker’s guide and Eat Me. Brilliant!
Yeah I love the Hitchiker’s and Eat Me. Very cleaver take on the gastronomy theme. And they are known worldwide so its has greater meaning for anyone visiting the area.
Ooooo I like the shopfront one! I’ve been to see both the Melbourne and Valparaiso street art, and when I told my Melbournian friend I thought the latter place had better ones, he nearly stopped speaking to me! Haha
Oh Teja…… I just might do that too! LOL! Actually they are quite different. Melbourne street art is very grundgy. And its always changing. The Budapest ones are literally large pieces of art on derelict buildings and firewalls. They are all very cool!
Beautiful street art. Loved it. I think street arts are the best form to express oneself.thanks for sharing the pics
Yeah I love tsreet art too and for it to be supprted by the government makes it even better. These artists truly are something else! So talented and creative.
Budapest is high on my travel list! I have read many posts about this destination but not about the street murals! How incredible – it looks fantastic! I’ll definitely need to find some of these when I do make my trip someday!
Thanks Jenny! Budapest was super fun and we all had a great time:) Their street art is something else and all the ones I showed are all within a few blocks from each other in the Jewish District. We stumbled across most of these whist we stayed there. I hope you’ll get there some day!
The last picture of the girl is absolutely amazing! I’m glad the Government backs this.
Oh I agree. I have to say when I saw it I had goose bumps! And in was in an area where you need to know where to look for it so when we saw it, it took us by surprise. It is a beautiful mural.
Love hunting for street art wherever I go! These are some detailed, it makes me wonder how long they take to finish. Love the Time Magazine mural as well as the the take on the Alice in Wonderland scene.
In Budapest they have a festival every year where they invite artists from all over the world and every year there is a theme. So I’m not sure how long they take but I wouldn’t think too long if its to be ready for the festival in summer every year. They are so amazing aren’t they?
Great post and wonderful street art. I did a street art tour in Buenos Aires, Austin Texas and of course Jersey city and New York (where I live). I will definitely have to check out the Budapest scene. Have you shared any of this with @streetartchat? They share a lot on insta and facebook and have guest posts.
Hey Sue! Thank you for that. No I haven’t and thank you for the heads up! I am definitely going to check it out:)
I think my favorite one was the Green Grocer. I couldn’t tell at first what was real or fake haha. Great post! Love street art.
Its so cool right? Did you spot what was real in the mural?
Wow, love these murals! As you say, many cities now actively encourage street art but it looks like Budapest really does take the lead given the large size, intricate detail and sheer variety of the murals around the city. I love the Rubik’s Cube one and that Time Out cover but all of them are fascinating,
Its hard to pick a favorite. Some of them a gigantic! You have to really step back a fair bit just so you can admire the whole mural from top to bottom. Yeah, the Rubik’s Cube and the Time Magazine one seems to be on a lot of everyone’s favourite. they are simply so cool!
I never knew there was so much amazing street art in Budapest. If I had to pick one of the ones you’ve written about I think my favourite has to be the Green Grocers. It looks so realistic!! I’m the sort of idiot who would try to walk in there by accident as well!
Oh Nicole, trust me, we nearly did! Even close up, it was so realistic. Its an incredible mural and its like 4 storeys high so when you stand back and look at it, its even more amazing! I had no idea street art was so big there either until we got there. what a nice surprise it was!
These were some stunning street murals. I found some amazing ones in Iceland and Canada. Would definitely love to visit Budapest.
Yes I’ve heard Iceland has some incredible street art! I didn’t picture that country as being big on it. Where in Canada?
I have been to Budapest twice but sadly missed all of these murals! How beautiful, I especially love the Rubix cube, Time magazine and the shop. Grrrr I will have to back to Budapest again now :)!
Oh no! Yup, time to go back the third time! Maybe choose a different season for a different experience. Maybe some of these weren’t there when you were there as some of them are quite new. They reckon that some of them won’t exist soon either as buildings are being built. But new ones will continue to come up.
Great article. I will make a second trip to Budapest this year so will be making the effort to seek out these street arts. It is one of my favourite things to do. Thanks a lot for sharing
Thanks Katie! How cool you’ll be going back and yeah, if you’re around the Jewish District you’ll stumbling across these quite by accident. They are pretty hard to miss. Feel free to refer back to this post for the stories behind them.
A great article with really unrealistic examples of street art. A couple of years ago I was in Budapest. I’ll go back to Budapest to see everything myself.
Yes! If you can go back to Budapest you really should! Some of the street art may not be available in time to come as buildings get built around the open spaces. so there are always new things to find and see.
Amazing post. I don’t know much about Budapest in the first place but a neat invite into the city and country. Love the Rubik’s cube. That would be so interesting to see in person.
the Rubik’s Cube was very cool. Because when you look at the wall, you don’t actually see the 3D effect. Its a 2D painting. When you look at it through your camera though, it comes to life. So talented! How did they do that?
Number 4 Green grocer is stunning, it adds so much to the little store below it. I have never been to Budapest but would love to go one day! Your right about Melbourne having some fine art and this compares nicely. Great post.
Yup! Melbourne street are is very cool but Melbourne is more grundgy and rather than commissioning artists as it painters, they commission actual graffiti artists. The murals in Budapest however is like a painting. It really is something else when you see it for yourself.
This is an incredible post! I never realised there was so much vibrant street art in Budapest. I love the grocer mural and the Time magazine cover. Both are so detailed, I can’t believe the talent of the artist. Would love to see these for myself!
Thank you! Yeah, the talent in these murals are incredible and they really are so talented. I can’t understand how they can paint a small part and still keep the perspective of the whole mural. Like, wouldn’t you have to constantly step back to make sure its all proportionate? The time Magazine cover is amazing. I have seen the actual cover and its like for like.
Whoa! That’s pretty cool right there!
That storefront graffiti looked so realistic it took me a while to notice it was street art! Good compilation of some unique things to look out for in Budapest
Oh yeah even up front I had to double back and look twice. It really does look real and the mural is actually 3-4 storeys high! I love that it incorporates real people that live in the neighbourhood.
I love street art and murals and might be in Budapest soon so this is super helpful. The last mural of the little refugee girl is amazing!
Oh excellent! Yeah the street art there is amazing. You might actually walk past them all if you’re in the Jewish District. Can always refer back to this post for explanations. Hope you do get there! Such a fun city.
I visited Budapest last year, but missed this spot. Your post brings back some beautiful memories
Thanks for sharing this, wonderful pictures as well
Thanks Mayuri! Sounds like you enjoyed Budapest. Its such a great city isn’t it? I could do it again. So much to see and do and I didn’t get to see the Hungarian countryside. That would have been lovely I reckon.