What kind of souvenirs are you looking for during your travel? Actually, the appropriate question would be if any of you still pop in to the souvenir shops, since everything can be easily accessible via internet nowadays. When it comes to my preferences, I love to visit little art shops where I can find more personalized and beautifully designed items which portray the particular city. If I stay in some hostel, I always grab a little map or some flyers with recommendations. I wouldn’t say they are the most pretty items I could imagine, but if you wish to dig deep into the city life, you need to have a little support from somewhere. Sometimes I was thinking that it would be a great idea if somebody could bring a really well-designed and artful map which could not only be used to discover the hidden pearls of a city but it could be also handed over as a gift to someone who is planing a similar trip.

Looks like whatever I wish for, can be easily materialized! Aramis from Designliebe, which is a marketing think tank based in Budapest, just came up with the simple and realistic idea to create such a map, with an overall aim of  showing the best places to visit in our lovely city and also  giving  a unique opportunity to have a ready gift for your beloved ones. Some days ago we had a little chat in his studio about the whole concept and our endless love for this city!

thespoiledqueen

thespoiledqueen

What is the main idea behind “My little guide to Budapest” map?

I wanted to create a professionally printed product like a graceful and creative city map which gives a fast first orientation of the city,indicating all important sightseeing spots, buildings and also thermal baths which are a charm of the city life & culture. I also wanted to promote unique and beautiful spots in hidden streets of Budapest on both sides of the river and not only around the center. It was very important for me to come up with the selection of unique and exciting places to save tourists, precious time and avoid straying around. The idea was also to guide them to cool places selected by the aspects of (interior) design, art, friendly service & quality, atmosphere or originality.
I thought it could be really helpful for tourists to have a map and get valuable recommendations they can trust because all tips are verified by Designiebe (me) and following a concept. On the other hand I wanted to support small but original places, which are run by their passionate owners, as I think they represent the real character and current vibe of Budapest. In a way, its also the wish to preserve art, creativity, diversity and culture of the city.

What is unique about your map, compared to the other maps, which are easily available in Budapest?

I guess everyone likes to be surprised! My goal is to awake the play instinct in us! So I want the user to play and explore the area.
On the backside, I present a day route, called “My beautiful day!” Following the orange path/route in the map transfers the character of a treasure map. That’s why I skipped placing all streets like in a real city map. I want the user to interact with the locals and people on the street. But no worries, the places can be easily found because we added the names and addresses. The reader discovers the city being curious where to end up and at the same time he also gets some tips of places and hidden streets nearby! I think this orange route makes my map unique and covers many interesting places & provides enough diversity to make someone’s day & use the limited time in a perfect way.

thespoiledqueen

thespoiledqueen

If you could recommend only one spot in Budapest to any traveler, what would that be?

Hard question but I would recommend to go up the Gellért Hill, a green area in the city and the opportunity to get a breathtaking look at the wonderful city of Budapest from the Citadel. But I would rather suggest to climb it up from the Northern side. There is somehow a not well known part and an inspiring monument on the Gellért Hill, the “Garden of Philosophy” (Filozófusok Kertje) showing a group of statues, where among others, Jesus Christ, Lao Tse and Buddha meet for “A Better Understanding of Each Other”. There are less tourists & the sight of Budapest is just as breathtaking as you can see parts of the Buda Castle and Pest as well. If you follow the street upwards until its end, you need to look for a little path on your right. It will bring you to a little park. That is a real hidden gem and providing you another captivating view on the Margit bridge, island and up to the northern stream of the Danube. Just great!

Why you love this city so much?

Budapest is vibrant, cosmopolitan, has an impressive architecture with versatile cultural life and provides all sorts of activities for all seasons.
I love cycling in Budapest and exploring new districts on warm days. I love when the city lights illuminate the inner-city on both sides of the Danube and  to have a drink by the river. I can go for a hike in the Buda hills to get peace or relax in one of the parks or baths or have a run on the Margit Island to power out. I can visit endless places with live music for free or visit bigger concerts and festivals, have a wonderful ride along the river or take a coffee or tea in one of this countless tiny and lovely created coffee shops or tea houses. The nightlife is easy going and the gastronomy scene is just inexhaustible. And  last but not the least, there is this big river which connects many countries and comes from a black forest, my spiritual home.
I grow up on the river Rhine and for me, water means life, universal & cultural connection and permanent movement!

thespoiledqueen

thespoiledqueen

As new places in Budapest spring up like mushrooms, its good to know that we can expect 4 series of  “My little guide to Budapest” map.

Map will be adopted to the season, so in summer you can expect more spots with roof top bars, open air swimming pools or places with outdoor activities. While in autumn/winter you will find a lot of cozy coffee places or little gourmet stores.

At the moment you can purchase this map in following places:

Café Panini – Radnóti Miklós u. 45

Naspolya Nassolda – Káldy Gyula u. 7

Rododendron Art&Design Shop – Semmelweis utca 19

Paloma – Kossuth Lajos utca 14-16

Lollipop Factory – Magyar utca 18

thespoiledqueen

thespoiledqueen

Here is a small hint for all you guys out there! If you are planing to propose anytime soon, wouldn’t it be a great idea to give this map to your loved one, then taking her for a trip to Budapest and while following “the orange route” stopping somewhere to ask the fundamental question? I bet, even the most picky girl would love this idea! It’s just a tip so don’t blame me if she refuses to accept your ring :).

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