Would you like to know what’s up in the Hungarian capital city? Below we deliver the most recent actualities.
Sziget 2020
The first half of the lineup for Hungary’s biggest music festival was announced in the middle of February, a couple of months later than usual. The diverse list of performers (who will make an appearance on Budapest’s Óbudai Island between 5 and 11 August) includes the likes of Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa, Major Lazer, The Strokes, Foals, Foster The People, ASAP Rocky, Glass Animals, and Jon Hopkins, making sure that each festival-goer (of which there were around 530,000 last year) finds something suitable for their taste.
Same Station, New Name
Following the recent refurbishment of the northern section of metro line M3, the local government of District 13, together with BKK, the city’s public transport company, has decided to rename the line’s ‘Árpád Bridge’ station to ‘Árpád Göncz City Centre’ – a rather misleading designation, as Budapest’s proper city centre is found a good 4 kilometres to the south. Previously bearing the name of Árpád, grand prince of the Magyars, now the station carries the name of Hungary’s first president, who held the office from 1990 to 2000, and died in 2015.
Rail is the Way
In late January, Hungary’s government has created a new institution called Budapest Development Centre, with the aim to unite under one central policy workshop all matters of long-term urban development and transport investments in the capital and its larger metropolitan area. Headed by Dávid Vitézy, the former head of BKK, the centre’s mission will be to focus future projects around a clear concept, such as making rail a more integral part of the region’s public transport system, and transforming the suburban railways into mixed-purpose metro lines.
Restaurant of the Year
Every year, the international jury of the Volkswagen-Dining Guide Restaurant of the Year Gala votes for the top Hungarian culinary establishments, picking their favourite venues and food artisans in 12 categories. This year, the ‘Restaurant of the Year’ award went to Tamás Széll and Szabina Szulló’s Stand Restaurant, the ‘Chef of the Year’ title was awarded to Ádám Mészáros (from Onyx), while Anyukám Mondta has been voted as the ‘Best Countryside Restaurant’ of 2020. For the full list of awardees, visit the Dining Guide website.