podtour
The Jewish Quarter: Synagogues, Ghetto and Rescuers
Three nearby synagogues tell different stories of Jewish life. Between them, trace the ghetto and the people who helped their neighbours survive.
Heroes' Square and Stalin's Boots: audio walk in Budapest
The far end of Andrássy Avenue and Budapest's most solemn square, told through who goes up and who comes down: the avenue once named after Stalin, the embassy where Imre Nagy took refuge in 1956, water at 74 degrees beneath the paving, the Habsburgs removed from the monument, a king who banned witch trials, the funeral of 1989 and the spot where the crowd brought Stalin down.
What this walk is about
You start at the end of an avenue that changed its name again and again, and was even called Stalin Avenue for a while. In the villa on the corner, the head of the government took refuge on the morning of 4 November 1956. Beneath the square there's a well almost a thousand metres deep, with water at 74 degrees, and above it a monument that took 34 years to finish, where kings were put up and taken down depending on who was in power. You look for the relief of the king who banned trials of witches "who do not exist", and you reach the exhibition hall where six coffins lay on the steps in 1989, one of them empty. Then you come to the old parade ground: here stood a statue of Stalin which, so the story goes, contained bronze from the statue of Andrássy, and which the crowd pulled down on the night of 23 October 1956, and a church that was blown up to clear the site.
- Start
- The Avenue Once Named After Stalin
- Finish
- The Church Blown Up for a Parade
- Who it is for
- A walk for anyone curious about Cold War and 1956 and monuments.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk is mostly level.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
The Avenue Once Named After Stalin
- 2
The Embassy on the Corner
- 3
Seventy-Four-Degree Water Beneath the Heroes
- 4
A Square Cleared for Crowds
- 5
Thirty-Four Years of Building and a Prize-Winning Angel
- 6
Kings Who Come and Go
- 7
The King Who Said Witches Do Not Exist
- 8
Six Coffins on the Steps
- 9
An Eighteen-Metre Statue Made from Other People's Bronze
- 10
The Night of 23 October and the Boots
- 11
The Church Blown Up for a Parade
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Budapest, before you go
A view can seem close while lying across a bridge. Keep each walk within a sensible area and save some energy for simply stopping beside the Danube.
More walks nearby
Andrássy Avenue: Palaces, Music and Cafés
Budapest's grand avenue began with big ambitions and difficult sums. Follow its palaces, cafés and stages to Liszt's home.
The Spanish Houses of Budapest
In 1944, certain Budapest doorways offered protection under the Spanish flag. Follow the houses and the people who sought refuge inside them.
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
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Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
Podtour manages your launch request with your consent. You can withdraw it and exercise your rights as explained in our privacy policy. Privacy details.
One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.