About cold war budapest

Welcome to Cold War Budapest. We offer possibly the most authentic Cold War walking tour in Budapest, based on our very own and yet unpublished research.

Apart from digging deep in the once top secret files in Hungarian State Security Archives and the National Archives near Washington, we have also conducted numerous interviews with eyewitnesses and survivors - including U.S. diplomats serving here during the Cold War.

We also have a huge collection of exclusive photographs taken by the diplomats themselves, and also surveillance photos of the Communist secret police to show in each location.

Inspiring walk through beautiful landmarks

Yes, you will see beautiful landmarks and amazing view of the city, but you will experience Budapest’s dark Cold War history from a totally unique perspective. Our focus will be the overt and covert struggle between Western diplomats and the Hungarian State Security (ÁVO) from 1945 until the violent uprising in 1956. 

secret locations

You will get to see where it all happened: secret and not so secret locations where spies, agents and diplomats lived, met and conspired, fighting the Cold War in their own way. 

forgotten stories

You will hear about real people, flesh and blood, with a name, with their own flaws and virtues, caught up in history.