BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
Royal Palace
Thermal Baths & Spas
Sights
Shopping
Eating
Drinking & Nightlife
Entertainment
Information
Getting There & Away
Getting Around
Budapest, Hungary
Budapest is paradise for explorers. Architecturally, the city is a treasure trove, with enough baroque, neoclassical and art nouveau buildings to satisfy everyone. Amid these splendid edifices, history waits around every corner, with bullet holes and shrapnel pockmarks serving as poignant reminders of past conflicts. And to buoy the traveller on their explorations, the city generously supplies delicious Magyar cuisine (among an array of other top eats), excellent wines, rip-roaring nightlife and an abundance of hot springs to soak the day’s aches away.
Two Days in Budapest
Spend most of the first day on Castle Hill, taking in the views and visiting the Royal Palace and a museum or two. In the afternoon, make your way to the Gellért Baths via Clark Ádám tér. In the evening, head to Erzsébetváros and the Jewish Quarter. On the second day take a walk up Andrássy út, stopping off at the House of Terror. In the afternoon, take the waters at the Széchenyi Baths.
Four Days in Budapest
The next day, concentrate on the two icons of Hungarian nationhood and the places that house them: the Crown of St Stephen in Parliament and the saint-king’s mortal remains in the Basilica of St Stephen. In the evening, go for drinks at a ruin pub. On day four visit the Great Synagogue and in the afternoon cross over to idyllic Margaret Island. Spend the rest of the afternoon at Veli Bej Bath.
Waltz on to Vienna next, 2½ hours by train or 5½ to 6½ hours by boat.
Arriving in Budapest
Ferenc Liszt International Airport Minibuses, buses and trains to central Budapest run from 4am to midnight. A taxi will cost between 6000Ft and 7000Ft.
Keleti, Nyugati & Déli Train Stations All three are connected to metro lines of the same name; night buses call when the metro is closed.
Stadion & Népliget Bus Stations Both are on metro lines and are served by trams.
Where to Stay
Accommodation in Budapest runs the gamut from hostels in converted flats and private rooms in far-flung housing estates to luxury guesthouses in the Buda Hills and five-star properties charging upwards of €350 a night.
Because of the changing value of the forint, many midrange and top-end hotels quote their rates in euros.
TOP EXPERIENCE
Royal Palace
The enormous Royal Palace (Királyi Palota) has been razed and rebuilt six times over the past seven centuries. Today the palace contains two important museums, the national library and an abundance of statues and monuments. It is the focal point of Buda’s Castle Hill and the city’s most visited sight.
Great For…
yDon’t Miss
Late Gothic altarpieces, Gothic statues and heads, and the Renaissance door frame.
8Need to Know
map Google map; Királyi Palota; I Szent György tér; 
g16, 16A, 116
5Take a Break
If you need something hot and/or sweet after your visit, head for Ruszwurm Cukrászda (map Google map; 
%1-375 5284; www.ruszwurm.hu; I Szentháromság utca 7; 
h10am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 6pm Sat & Sun; g16, 16A, 116).
oTop Tip
Exiting through the museum’s back courtyard door will take you straight down to I Szarvas tér in the Tabán.
Hungarian National Gallery
The Hungarian National Gallery (map Google map; Magyar Nemzeti Galéria; %1-201 9082; www.mng.hu; I Szent György tér 2, Bldgs A-D; adult/concession 1800/900Ft, audio guide 800Ft; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun; g16, 16A, 116) boasts an overwhelming collection that traces Hungarian art from the 11th century to the present day. The largest collections include medieval and Renaissance stonework, Gothic wooden sculptures and panel paintings, late Gothic winged altars and late Renaissance and baroque art. The museum also has an important collection of Hungarian paintings and sculptures from the 19th and 20th centuries. Much of the gallery was closed for renovations at the time of writing, and by 2019 the collection is due to move to a purpose-built gallery in City Park.
Castle Museum
The Castle Museum (map Google map; Vármúzeum; %1-487 8800; www.btm.hu; I Szent György tér 2, Bldg E; adult/concession 2400/1200Ft; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun Mar-Oct, to 4pm Tue-Sun Nov-Feb; g16, 16A, 116, 
j19, 41), part of the multibranched Budapest History Museum, explores the city’s 2000-year history over three floors. Restored palace rooms dating from the 15th century can be entered from the basement, where there are three vaulted halls. One of the halls features a magnificent Renaissance door frame in red marble, leading to the Gothic and Renaissance halls, the Royal Cellar and the vaulted Tower Chapel (1320) dedicated to St Stephen.
On the ground floor, exhibits showcase Budapest during the Middle Ages, with dozens of important Gothic statues, heads and fragments of courtiers, squires and saints, discovered during excavations in 1974.
A wonderful exhibit on the 1st floor called ‘1000 Years of a Capital’ traces the history of Budapest from the arrival of the Magyars and the Turkish occupation to modern times, taking an interesting look at housing, ethnic diversity, religion and other such issues over the centuries. The excellent audioguide is 1200Ft.
National Széchenyi Library
The National Széchenyi Library (map Google map; Országos Széchenyi Könyvtár, OSZK; %1-224 3700; www.oszk.hu; I Szent György tér 4-6, Bldg F; h9am-8pm Tue-Sat, stacks to 7pm Tue-Fri, to 5pm Sat; g16, 16A, 116) contains codices and manuscripts, a large collection of foreign newspapers and a copy of everything published in Hungary or the Hungarian language. It was founded in 1802 by Count Ferenc Széchenyi, father of the heroic István, who endowed it with 15,000 books and 2000 manuscripts.
TOP EXPERIENCE
Thermal Baths & Spas
Budapest sits on a crazy quilt of almost 125 thermal springs, and ‘taking the waters’ is very much a part of everyday life here. Some baths date from Turkish times, others are art nouveau marvels and still others are chic modern spas boasting all the mod cons.
Great For…
yDon’t Miss
The sight of locals playing chess on floating boards (regardless of the weather) at Széchenyi Baths.
8Need to Know
Budapest Spas and Hot Springs (www.spasbudapest.com) has excellent up-to-date information.
5Take a Break
With stunning views, the Rudas Restaurant & Bar (%06 20 538 2903; www.rudasrestaurant.hu; Döbrentei tér 9, Rudas Baths; mains 3790-6890Ft; h11am-10pm; g7, 86, j18, 19) is just the spot after a soak.
oTop Tip
Bring a towel, bathing suit and cap, or be prepared to rent or buy them at the pool.
History of a Spa City
The remains of two sets of baths found at Aquincum – both for the public and the garrisons – indicate that the Romans took advantage of Budapest’s thermal waters almost two millennia ago. But it wasn’t until the Turkish occupation of the 16th and 17th centuries that bathing became an integral part of everyday Budapest life. In the late 18th century, Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa ordered that Budapest’s mineral waters be analysed/recorded in a list at the Treasury’s expense. By the 1930s Budapest had become a fashionable spa resort.
Healing Waters
Of course, not everyone goes to the baths for fun and relaxation. The warm, mineral-rich waters are also meant to relieve a number of specific complaints, ranging from arthritis and muscle pain to poor blood circulation and post-traumatic stress. They are also a miracle cure for that most unpleasant of afflictions, the dreaded hangover.
Choosing a Bath
The choice of bathhouses today is legion, and which one you choose is a matter of taste and what exactly you’re looking for – be it fun, a hangover cure, or relief for something more serious.
Rudas Baths (map Google map; Rudas Gyógyfürdő; %1-356 1322; http://en.rudasfurdo.hu; I Döbrentei tér 9; incl cabin Mon-Fri/Sat & Sun 3500/4000Ft, morning/night ticket 2800/5100Ft; hmen 6am-8pm Mon & Wed-Fri, women 6am-8pm Tue, mixed 10pm-4am Fri, 6am-8pm & 10pm-4am Sat, 6am-8pm Sun; g7, 86, j18, 19) These renovated baths are the most Turkish of all in Budapest, built in 1566, with an octagonal pool, domed cupola and eight massive pillars. It’s mostly men only during the week, but turns into a real zoo on mixed weekend nights.
Gellért Baths (map Google map; Gellért Gyógyfürdő; %06 30 849 9514, 1-466 6166; www.gellertbath.hu; XI Kelenhegyi út 4, Danubius Hotel Gellért; incl locker/cabin Mon-Fri 5600/6000Ft, Sat & Sun 5800/6200Ft; h6am-8pm; g7, 86, 
mM4 Szent Gellért tér, j18, 19, 47, 49) Soaking in these art nouveau baths, now open to both men and women at all times, has been likened to taking a bath in a cathedral.
Széchenyi Baths (Széchenyi Gyógyfürdő; %1-363 3210, 06 30 462 8236; www.szechenyibath.hu; XIV Állatkerti körút 9-11; tickets incl locker/cabin Mon-Fri 5200/5700Ft, Sat & Sun 5400/5900Ft; h6am-10pm; mM1 Széchenyi fürdő) The gigantic ‘wedding-cake’ building in City Park houses these baths, which are unusual for three reasons: their immensity (a dozen thermal baths and three outdoor swimming pools); the bright, clean atmosphere; and the high temperature of the water (up to 40°C).
Veli Bej Baths (Veli Bej Fürdője; %1-438 8587; www.irgalmasrend.hu/site/velibej/sprachen/en; II Árpád fejedelem útja 7; 6am-noon 2240Ft, 3-7pm 2800Ft, after 7pm 2240Ft; h6am-noon & 3-9pm; g9, 109, j4, 6, 17, 19) This venerable (1575) Turkish bath in Buda has got a new lease of life after having been forgotten for centuries.
1Sights
Budapest’s most important museums are found on Castle Hill, in City Park, along Andrássy út in Erzsébetváros and in Southern Pest. The area surrounding the Parliament is home to the splendid Parliament building, as well as Budapest’s most iconic church, the Basilica of St Stephen. Both Parliament and its surrounds and Belváros feature some of the city’s best art nouveau architecture. Margaret Island and City Park are the city’s most appealing green spaces, while the Buda Hills is a veritable playground for hikers, cavers and bikers. Óbuda is home to extensive Roman ruins and quirky museums, and Gellért Hill gives you some of the best views of the city.
Great SynagogueSynagogue
(map Google map; Nagy Zsinagóga; %1-413 5584, 1-413 1515; www.greatsynagogue.hu/gallery_syn.html; VII Dohány utca 2; adult/concession/family incl museum 4000/3000/9000Ft; h10am-7.30pm Sun-Thu, to 3.30pm Fri May-Sep, 10am-5.30pm Sun-Thu, to 3.30pm Fri Mar, Apr & Oct, 10am-3.30pm Sun-Thu, to 1.30pm Fri Nov-Feb; mM2 Astoria, j47, 49)
Budapest’s stunning Great Synagogue is the world’s largest Jewish house of worship outside New York City. Built in 1859, the synagogue has both Romantic and Moorish architectural elements. Inside, the Hungarian Jewish Museum & Archives (map Google map; Magyar Zsidó Múzeum és Levéltár; %1-413 5500; www.milev.hu; ) contains objects relating to both religious and everyday life. On the synagogue’s north side, the Holocaust Tree of Life Memorial (map Google map; Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Park, opp VII Wesselényi utca 6) presides over the mass graves of those murdered by the Nazis.
House of TerrorMuseum
(map Google map; Terror Háza; %1-374 2600; www.terrorhaza.hu; VI Andrássy út 60; adult/concession 3000/1500Ft, audio guide 1500Ft; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun; mM1 Vörösmarty utca, j4, 6)
The headquarters of the dreaded ÁVH secret police houses the disturbing House of Terror, focusing on the crimes and atrocities of Hungary’s fascist and Stalinist regimes in a permanent exhibition called Double Occupation. The years after WWII leading up to the 1956 Uprising get the lion’s share of the exhibition space (almost three-dozen spaces on three levels). The reconstructed prison cells in the basement and the Perpetrators’ Gallery on the staircase, featuring photographs of the turncoats, spies and torturers, are chilling.
Liberty MonumentMonument
(map Google map; Szabadság-szobor; g27)
The Liberty Monument, the lovely lady with the palm frond in her outstretched arms, proclaiming freedom throughout the city, is southeast of the Citadella. Standing 14m high, she was raised in 1947 in tribute to the Soviet soldiers who died liberating Budapest in 1945. The victims’ names in Cyrillic letters on the plinth and the soldiers’ statues were removed in 1992 and sent to Memento Park. The inscription reads: ‘To those who gave up their lives for Hungary’s independence, freedom and prosperity.’
Memento ParkHistoric Site
(%1-424 7500; www.mementopark.hu; XXII Balatoni út & Szabadkai utca; adult/student 1500/1200Ft; h10am-dusk; g101B, 101E, 150)
Home to more than 40 statues, busts and plaques of Lenin, Marx, Béla Kun and others whose likenesses have ended up on trash heaps elsewhere, Memento Park, 10km southwest of the city centre, is truly a mind-blowing place to visit. Ogle the socialist realism and try to imagine that some of these relics were erected as recently as the late 1980s.
Basilica of St StephenCathedral
(map Google map; Szent István Bazilika; %1-338 2151, 06 30 703 6599; www.basilica.hu; V Szent István tér; requested donation 200Ft; h9am-7pm Mon-Sat, 7.45am-7pm Sun; mM3 Arany János utca) 
F
Budapest’s neoclassical cathedral is the most sacred Catholic church in all of Hungary and contains its most revered relic: the mummified right hand of the church’s patron, King St Stephen. It was built over half a century to 1905. Much of the interruption during construction had to do with a fiasco in 1868 when the dome collapsed during a storm, and the structure had to be demolished and then rebuilt from the ground up. The view from the dome (Panoráma kilátó; %1-269 1849; adult/child 600/400Ft; h10am-6pm Jun-Sep, to 5.30pm Apr, May & Oct, to 4.30pm Nov-Mar; mM3 Arany János utca) is phenomenal.
Hungarian State Opera HouseNotable Building
(map Google map; Magyar Állami Operaház; %06 30 279 5677, 1-332 8197; www.operavisit.hu; VI Andrássy út 22; adult/concession 2490/2200Ft; htours in English 2pm, 3pm & 4pm; mM1 Opera)
The neo-Renaissance Hungarian State Opera House was designed by Miklós Ybl in 1884 and is among the most beautiful buildings in Budapest. Its facade is decorated with statues of muses and opera greats such as Puccini, Mozart, Liszt and Verdi, while its interior dazzles with marble columns, gilded vaulted ceilings, chandeliers and near-perfect acoustics. If you cannot attend a performance, join one of the three 45-minute daily tours. Tickets are available from a desk in the lobby.
ParliamentHistoric Building
(map Google map; Országház; %1-441 4904, 1-441 4415; http://latogatokozpont.parlament.hu/en; V Kossuth Lajos tér 1-3; adult/student EU citizen 2400/1200Ft, non-EU citizen 6000/3100Ft; h8am-6pm Apr-Oct, to 4pm Nov-Mar; mM2 Kossuth Lajos tér, j2)
The Eclectic-style Parliament, designed by Imre Steindl and completed in 1902, has 691 sumptuously decorated rooms. You’ll get to see several of these and other features on a guided tour of the North Wing: the Golden Staircase; the Dome Hall, where the Crown of St Stephen, the nation’s most important national icon, is on display; the Grand Staircase and its wonderful landing; Loge Hall; and Congress Hall, where the House of Lords of the one-time bicameral assembly sat until 1944.
Royal Postal Savings BankNotable Building
(map Google map; V Hold utca 4; g15)
East of Szabadság tér, the former Royal Postal Savings Bank is a Secessionist extravaganza of colourful tiles and folk motifs, built by Ödön Lechner in 1901. One of the most beautiful buildings in Pest, it is now part of the National Bank of Hungary.
Hungarian National MuseumMuseum
(map Google map; Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum; %1-327 7773, 1-338 2122; www.hnm.hu; VIII Múzeum körút 14-16; adult/concession/family 1600/800/3600Ft; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun; mM3/4 Kálvin tér, j47, 49)
The Hungarian National Museum houses the nation’s most important collection of historical relics in an impressive neoclassical building, purpose built in 1847. Exhibits on the 1st floor trace the history of the Carpathian Basin from earliest times to the arrival of the Magyars in the 9th century; the ongoing story of the Magyar people resumes on the 2nd floor, from the conquest of the basin to the end of communism.
Castle HillHill
(map Google map; Várhegy; g16, 16A, 116, mM2 Batthyány tér, Széll Kálmán tér;, j19, 41;)
Castle Hill is a kilometre-long limestone plateau towering 170m above the Danube. It contains some of Budapest’s most important medieval monuments and museums and is a Unesco World Heritage Site. Below it is a 28km-long network of caves formed by thermal springs.
The walled area consists of two distinct parts: the Old Town to the north, where commoners once lived, and the Royal Palace to the south, the original site of the castle built by Béla IV in the 13th century and reserved for the nobility.
AquincumArchaeological Site
(%1-430 1081; www.aquincum.hu; III Szentendrei út 135; adult/concession museum & archaeological park Apr-Oct 1600/800Ft, Nov-Mar 1000/500Ft, archaeological park only Apr-Oct 1000/500Ft; hmuseum 10am-6pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct, to 4pm Nov-Mar, archaeological park 9am-6pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct; g34, 106, 
d(HÉV) H5 Aquincum)
The most complete Roman civilian town in Hungary was built around 100 AD and became the seat of the Roman province of Pannonia Inferior in AD 106. Visitors can explore its houses, baths, courtyards, fountains and sophisticated underfloor heating systems, as well as a recreation of a Roman painter’s dwelling and Symphorus Mithraeum.
The purpose-built Aquincum Museum, just inside the entrance, puts the ruins in perspective, with a vast collection of Roman daily life objects and wall paintings.
Margaret Island
Situated in the middle of the Danube, leafy Margaret Island is neither Buda nor Pest, but its shaded walkways, large swimming complexes, thermal spa and gardens offer refuge to the denizens of both sides of the river. The island was always the domain of one religious order or another until the Turks turned it into a harem, and it remains studded with picturesque ruins.
The island is bigger than you think, so rent a bicycle or other wheeled equipment from Bringóhintó (%1-329 2073; www.bringohinto.hu; XIII Margit-sziget; per 30/60min/day mountain bikes 720/990/2800Ft, pedal coaches for 4 people 2680/3980Ft; h8am-dusk; g26, 226) at the refreshment stand near the Japanese Garden in the northern part of the island, then work your way south.
7Shopping
NagycsarnokMarket
(map Google map; Great Market Hall; %1-366 3300; www.piaconline.hu; IX Vámház körút 1-3; h6am-5pm Mon, to 6pm Tue-Fri, to 3pm Sat; mM4 Fővám tér, j47, 49)
Completed in 1897, this is Budapest’s biggest market, though it has become a tourist magnet since its renovation for the millecentenary celebrations in 1996. Still, plenty of locals come here for fruit, vegetables, deli items, fish and meat. Head up to the 1st floor for Hungarian folk costumes, dolls, painted eggs, embroidered tablecloths, carved hunting knives and other souvenirs.
Madison PerfumeryPerfume
(map Google map; %06 30 386 9973, 06 30 971 0933; www.madisonperfumery.com; VI Andrássy út 26; h10am-8pm Mon-Fri, to 7pm Sat, noon-6pm Sun; g105, mM1 Opera)
There are three reasons why you should visit this shop: (1) it is Budapest’s finest perfumery and even does a Tokaji Aszú scent; (2) it is housed in an early 20th-century pharmacy that is museum quality; (3) it serves the best roasted coffee in town made with a coveted Kees van der Westen espresso machine.
Rózsavölgyi CsokoládéChocolate
(map Google map; %06 30 504 4294; www.rozsavolgyi.com; V Királyi Pál utca 6; h10.30am-1pm & 1.30-6.30pm Mon-Fri, noon-6pm Sat; mM3/4 Kálvin tér)
Tiny, low-lit boutique selling delicious and artfully packaged, award-winning bean-to-bar chocolate made in nearby Budafok. The range of handmade chocolates includes such interesting flavours as coffee and balsamic vinegar, and star anise with red peppercorn.
5Eating
Budavári RétesvárHungarian€
(map Google map; Strudel Castle; %06 70 408 8696; www.budavariretesvar.hu; I Balta köz 4; strudel 350Ft; h8am-8pm; g16, 16A, 116)
Strudel in all its permutations – from poppyseed with sour cherry to dill with cheese and cabbage – is available at this hole-in-the wall dispensary in a narrow alley of the Castle District.
OlimpiaHungarian€€
(%1-321 0680; www.olimpiavendeglo.com; VII Alpár utca 5; 2-/3-course lunches 3050/3190Ft, 4-/5-/6-/7-course dinners 8500/9600/10,500/10,990Ft; hnoon-3pm Tue-Fri, 7-10pm Tue-Sat; 
W; g20E, 30, mM2 Keleti pályaudvar, gtrolleybus 75, 79)
Traditional Hungarian with a twist is on offer at this brilliant restaurant that offers a table d’hôte set-lunch menu of two or three courses and a dinner menu of up to seven; the set lunches are a steal. Book ahead.
KőlevesJewish€€
(map Google map; %1-322 1011, 06 20 213 5999; www.kolevesvendeglo.hu; VII Kazinczy utca 41; mains 2180-5080Ft; h8am-midnight Mon-Thu, 8am-1am Fri, 9am-1am Sat, 9am-midnight Sun; W
v; mM1/2/3 Deák Ferenc tér)
Always buzzy and lots of fun, the ‘Stone Soup’ attracts a young crowd with its Jewish-inspired (but not kosher) menu, lively decor, great service and reasonable prices. Good vegetarian choices. Breakfast (760Ft to 920Ft) is served from 8 to 11am (11.30am on the weekend). The daily lunch is just 1350Ft (1200Ft for the vegetarian version).
ESCA StudioHungarian€€
(map Google map; %06 30 752 1509; http://escastudiorestaurant.hu; VII Dohány utca 29; 2-/3-/6-course menu 4500/8500/12,000Ft, with wine pairing 7500/13,500/19,000Ft; hnoon-3pm & 6-11pm; gtrolleybus 74, mM2 Blaha Lujza tér, j4, 6)
One of the best new modern Hungarian bistros, this place offers both excellent cooking and superb value. With internationally trained chef/owner Gábor Fehér at the helm, expect such ‘oddities that work’ as tomato soup with blueberry and red currants and seared calves’ feet with smoked mayonnaise. The place is small so be sure you book ahead – lunch is only available if you have a reservation.
Pesti Disznó BisztróHungarian€€
(map Google map; %1-951 4061; www.pestidiszno.hu; VI Nagymező utca 19; mains 2790-6690Ft; h9am-midnight; mM1 Oktogon)
Punters would be forgiven for thinking that the ‘Pest Pig’ was all about pork. In fact, of the 10 or so main courses more than half are beef, poultry, fish or vegetarian. It’s a wonderful space, loft-like almost, with high tables and charming, informed service. The wine card is very, very good and most wines are available by the glass, too.
KispiacHungarian€€
(map Google map; %1-269 4231, 06 30 430 0142; www.kispiac.eu; V Hold utca 13; mains 2450-4450Ft; hnoon-10pm Mon-Sat; mM3 Arany János utca)
This small retro-style restaurant – an absolute favourite – serves seriously Hungarian things like stuffed csülök (pig’s trotter – and way better than it sounds, 2950Ft), roast malac (piglet, 3250Ft) and the ever-popular wild-boar spare ribs (3950Ft), as well as an infinite variety of savanyúság (pickled vegetables). Perfectly selected wine list and a warm welcome.
BorkonyhaHungarian€€€
(map Google map; Wine Kitchen; %1-266 0835; www.borkonyha.hu; V Sas utca 3; mains 3450-7950Ft; hnoon-4pm & 6pm-midnight Mon-Sat; g15, 115, mM1 Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út)
Chef Ákos Sárközi’s approach to Hungarian cuisine at this Michelin-starred restaurant is contemporary, and the menu changes every week or two. Go for the signature foie gras appetiser with apple and celeriac and a glass of sweet Tokaji Aszú wine. If mangalica (a special type of Hungarian pork) is on the menu, try it with a glass of dry Furmint.
Budapest’s Best Flea Markets
Jostling with locals shopping for bargains at Ecseri Piac (Ecseri Market; www.piaconline.hu; XIX Nagykőrösi út 156; h8am-4pm Mon-Fri, 5am-3pm Sat, 8am-1pm Sun; g54, 84E, 89E 94E), one of Central Europe’s largest flea markets, is a fabulous way to spend a Saturday morning. Lose yourself amid a cornucopia of gramophones, rocking horses, uniforms, violins and even suits of armour.
6Drinking & Nightlife
DobloWine Bar
(map Google map; %06 20 398 8863; www.budapestwine.com; VII Dob utca 20; h2pm-2am Sun-Wed, to 4am Thu-Sat; mM1/2/3 Deák Ferenc tér)
Brick-lined and candlelit, Doblo is where you go to taste Hungarian wines, with scores available by the 1.5cL (15mL) glass for 900Ft to 2150Ft. There’s food such as meat and cheese platters and live music nightly at 9pm.
Boutiq’ BarCocktail Bar
(map Google map; %06 30 554 2323; www.boutiqbar.hu; V Paulay Ede utca 5; h6pm-1am Tue-Thu, to 2am Fri & Sat; mM1 Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca)
A low-lit ‘speakeasy’ serving expertly mixed cocktails (1950Ft to 5950Ft) using fresh juices and an educated selection of craft spirits. For something specifically Hungarian, try a creation that includes Unicum like Die Kaiser, or plum pálinka (fruit brandy) such as Positive Drinking. The gin-based Budapest BBQ is something else. Informed, charming service; reservations are advised.
LéhűtőBar
(map Google map; Loafer; %06 30 731 0430; www.facebook.com/lehuto.kezmuvessorozo; VII Holló utca 12-14; h4pm-midnight Sun-Tue, to 2am Wed & Thu, to 4am Fri & Sat; W; mM1/2/3 Deák Ferenc tér)
Drop into this basement bar if you fancy a craft beer, of which it stocks a large range of Hungarian and international labels. Friendly staff are on hand to advise and let you taste before you buy. There’s also above-ground seating amid an often-buzzing crowd that gathers at this crossroads on warm nights. Tapas (690Ft to 1690Ft) available as blotter.
High Note Roof BarRooftop Bar
(map Google map; %06 20 438 8648; www.highnoteskybar.hu/en; V Hercegprímás utca 5; hnoon-midnight; g15, 115, mM1 Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út)
If you need to impress someone – even yourself – lead them up to this rooftop bar above the Aria Hotel . With your noses stuck into the dome of the basilica and virtually every landmark in Budapest within your grasp, you’ll only be able to utter ‘Wow!’. Great cocktails and friendly staff. What’s not to love? Book ahead.
InstantClub
(map Google map; %06 70 638 5040; www.instant.co.hu; VII Akácfa utca 51; h4pm-6am; gtrolleybus 70, 74, 78, j4, 6)
Many still love this ‘ruin bar’ even in its new location as part of the Fogas (map Google map; %06 70 638 5040; www.fogashaz.hu; VII Akácfa utca 49; h4pm-6am; W; gtrolleybus 70, 74, 78, j4, 6) stable, and so do all our friends. It has a couple of dozen rooms to get lost in, seven bars, seven stages and two gardens with underground DJs and dance parties. It’s always heaving.
Szatyor Bár és GalériaBar
(Carrier Bag Bar & Gallery; %1-279 0290; www.szatyorbar.com; XIII Bartók Béla út 36-38; hnoon-1am; mM4 Móricz Zsigmond körtér, j18, 19, 47, 49)
Sharing the same building as the Hadik Kávéház (%1-279 0290; www.hadikkavehaz.com; XIII Bartók Béla út 36; hnoon-midnight; mM4 Móricz Zsigmond körtér, j18, 19, 47, 49) and separated by just a door, the Szatyor is the funkier of the twins, with cocktails, street art on the walls and a Lada driven by the poet Endre Ady. Cool or what? There’s food here, too (mains 1990Ft to 2990Ft).
3Entertainment
Hungarian State Opera HouseOpera
(map Google map; Magyar Állami Operaház; %1-814 7100, box office 1-332 7914; www.opera.hu; VI Andrássy út 22; hbox office 10am-5pm Mon-Fri; mM1 Opera)
The gorgeous neo-Renaissance opera house is worth a visit as much to admire the incredibly rich decoration inside as to view a performance and hear the perfect acoustics. Tours are still departing while the opera house undergoes massive renovations (due to be completed in 2020) but most of the operas and musicals are being staged in the Erkel Theatre (Erkel Színház; %1-332 6150; www.opera.hu; VIII II János Pál pápa tér 30; hbox office 10am-8pm; g7, mM2 Keleti pályaudvar), Budapest’s ‘other’ opera house.
Liszt Music AcademyClassical Music
(map Google map; Liszt Zeneakadémia; %1-462 4600, box office 1-321 0690; www.zeneakademia.hu; VI Liszt Ferenc tér 8; 1400-19,800Ft; hbox office 10am-6pm; mM1 Oktogon, j4, 6)
Performances at Budapest’s most important concert hall are usually booked up at least a week in advance, but more expensive (though still affordable) last-minute ones can sometimes be available. It’s always worth checking.
8INFORMATION
Budapest Info (%1-576 1401; www.budapestinfo.hu; V Sütő utca 2; h8am-8pm; mM1/2/3 Deák Ferenc tér, j47, 49) is the main tourist office; there is another branch (%1-576 1404; www.budapestinfo.hu; XIV Olof Palme sétány 5; h9am-7pm; mM1 Hősök tere) in City Park and info desks in the arrivals sections of Ferenc Liszt International Airport’s Terminals 2A and 2B.
8GETTING THERE & AWAY
AIR
Budapest’s Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD; %1-296 7000; www.bud.hu/en) has two modern terminals side by side 24km southeast of the city centre.
TRAIN
Keleti Train Station (Keleti pályaudvar; %06 40 494 949; www.mavcsoport.hu; VIII Kerepesi út 2-6; mM2/M4 Keleti pályaudvar) Most international trains (and domestic traffic to/from the north and northeast) arrive here.
MÁV (Magyar Államvasutak, Hungarian State Railways; %1-349 4949; www.mavcsoport.hu) links up with the European rail network in all directions.
Nyugati Train Station (Western Train Station; %1-349 4949; VI Nyugati tér) Trains from some international destinations (eg Romania) and from the Danube Bend and Great Plain.
Déli Train Station (Déli pályaudvar; %1-349 4949; I Krisztina körút 37; mM2 Déli pályaudvar) Trains from some destinations in the south, eg Osijek in Croatia and Sarajevo in Bosnia, as well as some trains from Vienna.
Ruin Pubs
Romkocsmák (ruin pubs) began to appear in the city from the early 2000s, when entrepreneurial free thinkers took over abandoned buildings and turned them into pop-up bars. At first a very word-of-mouth scene, the ruin bars’ popularity grew exponentially and many have transformed from ramshackle, temporary sites full of flea-market furniture to more slick, year-round fixtures with covered areas to protect patrons from the winter elements. Budapest’s first romkocsmá, Szimpla Kert (map Google map; %06 20 261 8669; http://en.szimpla.hu/szimpla-garden; VII Kazinczy utca 14; hnoon-4am Mon-Fri, 9am-4am Sat & Sun; mM2 Astoria) is firmly on the drinking tourists’ trail, but remains a landmark place for a beverage.
8GETTING AROUND
Travel passes valid for one day to one month are valid on all trams, buses, trolleybuses, HÉV suburban trains (within the city limits) and metro lines.
Metro The quickest but least scenic way to get around. Runs 4.30am to about 11.50pm.
Bus Extensive network of regular buses runs from around 4.30am to between 9pm and 11.50pm; from 11.50pm to 4.30am a network of 40 night buses (three digits beginning with ‘9’ – 901 to 999) kicks in.
Tram Faster and more pleasant for sightseeing than buses. Tram 6 on the Big Ring Road runs overnight.
Trolleybus Mostly useful for getting to and around City Park in Pest.