Street Art

After an initiative that saw short stories from contemporary Hungarian writers pop up at various public transport stops, advertising company JCDecaux has decided to move on to the visual arts, plastering close to 100 tram and bus stops with the artworks of internationally recognized contemporary Hungarian artists – including Márton Nemes, László Fehér, and Dóra Mauer. The organizers’ aim is to “highlight 20th century trends in painting, which can be abstract, figurative and post-digital” as well as “to focus on intra-generational dialogue”, allowing “both masters and students, middle-generation and young artists” to show themselves.

Airport Comfort

Following six months of arduous work, Liszt Ferenc International Airport’s new passenger pier was inaugurated on 16 January, replacing the so-called “container terminal” which had been called “an affront to human dignity” by head of PM’s Office Gergely Gulyás. The 5,500 square meters large, climate-controlled, light-structure building is serving the passengers of low-cost airlines, and is equipped with plenty of seats, restrooms, a smoking area, and vending machines. The second phase of the construction project will be finished by the summer, resulting in an 11,500 square meters large new low-cost terminal.

Low Cost Wonders

After the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara, Budapest is the second best value destination for Western tourists in 2020, according to world-renowned travel site and guide book publisher Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel list, preceding contenders like Buffalo, Athens, the whole of Serbia, and Madhya Pradesh, India. Some of the reasons why the Pearl of the Danube was highlighted are the city’s historic thermal baths, where visitors can wallow in warm waters for only a handful of dollars, its edgy and atmospheric ruin bars, free-to-enjoy (and highly Instagrammable) Art Nouveau wonders, and Budapest’s esteemed café culture.

Did you know that the country’s governmental seat wasn’t always situated in Buda? For the first two centuries of the Medieval Kingdom of Hungary, the Royal Palace was located in present-day Óbuda. It wasn’t until after the Mongol invasion of 1241-42 that King Béla IV decided to move his royal seat from Óbuda a few kilometers to the south, on top of the steep, much more easily defendable Castle Hill. The new, fortified castrum was settled by the German-speaking inhabitants of Pest, who comprised a majority of the population of Buda well into the 19th century.

With over 12 spas, and 120 thermal springs and wells within its borders, Budapest is the official city of baths, boasting more hot springs than any other large city on the planet. The first public baths were built by the Romans some 1,800 years ago: check out the Aquincum Museum or the ruins of Thermae Maiores in Óbuda to get an idea how they looked like. After a few centuries long hiatus from the fall of the Western Roman Empire to the start of the early modern period, spa culture was revived by the Ottoman Turks in the 16th century, and has been going strong ever since. Besides baths, other architectural remnants of the two ancient empires include the Hercules Villa, two amphitheaters, aqueducts, a fortress buried under Március 15. tér, an early Christian chapel, and Islam’s northernmost holy site, the Tomb of Gül Baba.

The number 96 has a distinguished role in Budapest’s history. Both the Parliament and St. Stephen’s Basilica are 96 meters tall, as to represent the equal importance of secular and religious powers. The M1 metro line (the first underground railway system in continental Europe) was opened in 1896, as part of the Millennium Celebrations, commemorating the arrival of the Hungarian tribes to the Carpathian Basin in 896. Up until a few months ago, it was an unspoken rule that no building should be higher than 96 meters. With the ongoing construction of the 120 meters tall MOL HQ, we can only hope that more and more high-rises will be built in the city – but only if they don’t interfere with the world-renowned 19th century skyline of the greater downtown area.

Besides a whopping number of hot springs, Budapest also features the world’s largest geothermal cave system under its streets and houses. With more than 200 caves and tunnels hidden beneath the surface, Budapest is a true caveman’s paradise! Caverns open to the public include the Szemlő-hegyi and Pál-völgyi caves, as well as the Hospital in the Rock in Buda Castle, the Cave Church at Gellért Hill, and the Kőbánya cellar system.

Roots Budapest

On the far end of Király utca, inside a former and prestigious video rental shop, Roots Budapest aims to revitalize the outer parts of the Grand Boulevard by serving as a cultural hotspot of the area, hosting exhibitions, concerts and parties, and playing what is possibly the most versatile collection of music during the day. Stepping inside Roots Budapest you’ll most likely find good vibes, a lot of tattooed people in snapbacks, sipping on Jamaican coffee or drinking a tall glass of craft beer, enjoying a quesadilla, or reading a book from the bar’s help-yourself bookshelf. On the gallery floor you can also find a tattoo shop, in case the guys downstairs persuade you to finally lose your ink virginity.

1077 Budapest, Király utca 77.

Szatyor Bár

Opened in 2010, Szatyor is one of the most renowned bars of the Buda side. It represents the very essence of Central Europe condensed into a single bohemian venue, whose interiors were designed by 18 young talents. The main hangout of local hipsters and arts types (of whom you’ll see plenty of drawing and painting on their iPads), Szatyor awaits visitors with a menu offering a flavourful combination of Hungarian and international tastes, colourful cultural programmes, art exhibitions, and live music events, making it the heart and soul of the lively Újbuda neighbourhood. If you’re looking for a unique, more sophisticated version of Pest’s ruin bars, drop by Szatyor!

1111 Budapest, Bartók Béla út 36.

Trapéz

Situated just a stone’s throw away from the Great Market Hall, nearby the campus of Corvinus University, Trapéz gives space to a cozy ground floor area, a spacious, well-lit loft on the upper floor, and a tranquil inner yard. With plenty of settings to choose from as the place of your lunch or coffee break, friendly outing, or date, Trapéz fits any need. As far as eating and drinking options go, the charmingly distasteful bar offers a whole slew of sandwiches, burgers, salads, and a decent drink list, featuring draft beers, spirits, and cocktails, with prices that match the size of your average university student’s wallet.

1093 Budapest, Imre utca 2.

FIRST Craft Beer & BBQ

Although one of the most promising names of the Hungarian craft beer scene, FIRST isn’t that very well known outside of a handful of brew buffs, the reason being is that their open brewery doesn’t exactly have a central location. Luck for us, the team didn’t hesitate for long, and opened their new wave brew bar in the heart of Budapest’s party district, offering on tap their uniquely flavoured ales, the products of international brands, and more than 200 types of bottled beers, as well as delicious meaty dishes, snacks, and salads. The price of a glass of beer starts at around 650 HUF, while the menu includes steaks, pulled pork sandwich, Angus burger, chili, and Chocolate souffle.

1074 Budapest, Dob utca 3.

Dzzs Bar

You don’t necessarily want to leave behind the busy Party District, but you also wouldn’t mind getting your buzz on at someplace less touristy and more genuine? Lucky for you, Dzzs Bar is just such a place. The Nagydiófa utca venue is capable of seating 50 people, perfect for hosting a small friendly get-together too. The atmosphere is super friendly and homely. The interior design shows traces of a bohemian retropical ruinbar, while the same influences can be observed on the drink list. Whether you opt for a rum drink (there are roughly 20 types in their assortment), a cocktail, the wormy mezcal, or a glass of craft beer, you won’t regret it. Dzzs Bar is the jewel box of downtown Budapest.

1072 Budapest, Nagydiófa utca 32.

Műhely Pub

 Located right next to the Budapest University of Technology, Műhely Pub is a car repair shop-turned-underground secret bar themed around the world of mechanics, attracting a colourful clientele of university students and Budapesters looking for something quite different than what they’d find in downtown ruin pubs. You can choose from six beers on tap and a large variety of bottled beers, a list of local wine, a wide range of high quality spirits, a number of classic and signature cocktails. Their bartenders know what they are talking about. Even though the pub closes its doors as early as 11PM, regularly the funky looking venue also gives home to free live music concerts and smaller-scale electro parties. It’s a place where the night starts, regardless of who you are with.

1111 Budapest, Budafoki út 29.