Hello Peggy, there are several river cruises in Budapest on the Danube, I hope you will find what is the right cruise for you. The length of the cruises vary (1-2 hours or more).
For a one hour Budapest river tour with headset guide at a decent price, I would recommend the Mahart Passanave Danube Corso sightseeing tour. Cruises are daily (from April 1 to October 30), ships leave every hour, current cost is 2990 HUF per person.
No need to book in advance.
Details on http://www.mahartpassnave.hu/
Further river cruises in Budapest: http://topbudapest.org/tours/boat-tours-river-tours.

Hello Michael, sorry, I do not quite understand your question. What should you plan to see in Budapest? Above the comments you can see the Top 10 things to do, but there are of course a lot more Budapest attractions.
How long is the drive from Budapest, Hungary to Krakow, Poland is shown by ‘google maps directions’. The car drive estimates are: approx 6-7 hours. There are more options on major motorways, E77, or E60/E75 (and E75).
Have a nice trip!

Hello Ivan, the end of October in Budapest can be mostly cloudy, windy and rainy, with occasional sunny periods. The average temperature is about 11°C in Hungary in October based on the averages of past years. Although the weather is not so cold, most people would wear lighter or thicker coats, even hats at this time in Hungary. That being said, if you intend to use Budapest public transport, most vehicles, especially the metros are really warm, so it’s easy to catch a cold just by coming and going from warm to cool weather. I would recommend for the kids some layered garments that can be easily opened and done up (e.g. T-shirt, light zipped cardigans and a rainproof coat).
As for family / children programmes in general, see these options: Family friendly Budapest and some of the Fun activities here: Budapest Fun
In good weather you can go to the Buda Castle, Margaret Island, take a ride on the Children’s railway, etc. in bad weather indoor programmes can still make your children happy: the Palace of Wonders at Millenaris Park, Budapest Zoo (interior places), Budapest AquaWorld theme park, Budapest Labyrinth under the Castle Hill, ElevenPark funhouse (soft play area for under 10s), etc. Szechenyi Baths is great fun in bad weather too (for over 14s)
Hope this helps with planning your visit to Budapest.

Hello Ayla, probably the best places to go dancing in Budapest are here: http://topbudapest.org/bars-pubs
You can find the best restaurants in Budapest (although not the cheapest and the list is not totally comprehensive even though we are trying to keep uptodate): http://restaurants.topbudapest.org/

Hello Ivan, you can buy SIM cards in Hungary as a tourist. Check out the current rates to see which service provider you want to use: T Mobile and Vodafone are pretty much the market leaders. Here are the phone rates for the Hungarian T Mobile (Domino is the pay as you go) http://www.t-mobile.hu/english

Hello Jamie, Budapest baths are pretty much drop in places (you pay at the entrance), so there is no need to book your tickets in advance to have a bath, sauna etc. (massages on the other hand needs to be booked in advance).

Hi Sally, a warm coat (plus hat and gloves), cardigans and trousers, and a pair of relatively waterproof comfy shoes should do even if it snows in Budapest. Though let me add that some English tourists, much to the Hungarians’ surprise – can bear the cold pretty well in a sweater and donning a flip-flop. So the best would probably be to prepare with some flexible layered garments, which is also very helpful if you would like to use the public transportation in Budapest (vehicles are overheated). The average temperature is 1 °C in December, which does not say much in itself: the average weather in Budapest in December (and winter in general) can range from sunny, springlike days of 7-9 °C to windy, slushy, snowy and foggy days of -9°C.
Budapest Christmas Fair is very nice with various concerts and stage performances at the weekends and lots of food and mulled wine. :) The Xmas Fair is on Vorosmarty ter in the middle of the city (in district 5 – M1 metro station is the same name, i.e. Vörösmarty tér)

Hi Sara, yes, absinthe is legal in Hungary (just as in Europe in general, and in the US ands Switzerland too). There are several absinthe brands available in Budapest, Hungary. Here is a comprehensive list of the brands: http://abszint.com/abszintmarkak/ (brands highlighted in bordeaux), which shows that French absinthe liqueurs are prevalent in Hungary (in supermarkets, pubs, etc.) rather than the more noble and tastier real absinthes. In fact, the Hungarian ‘absinthe master’ who put the above page together recommends two other drinks to get a more absinthe-like experience than the liqueurs can give: either the Greek ouzo or the Turkish raki (Efe raki or Yeni raki) – at least, if you should happen to be a starter. Now I must admit I have never ever tasted absinthe, so I hope the above info will be helpful to your absinthe tour.
Anna

Hello Asteriea, I!m afraid there is nothing much going on next week regarding Budapest Deaf events. I have checked the official site of the Hungarian Deaf Society (sinosz.hu) and couldn’t find anything for next week. However, I would encourage you to contact them directly at info@sinosz.hu. They may have an idea or just be open to meet you and your group.
More precisely, I have found a deaf football match for Dec 3, Sunday. The rest of the programmes seem to be focusing on the Day of Santa Clause (who comes to Hungary on Dec 6) and Christmas.
Also, there is a very nice theatre programme for deaf people and hard of hearing people called 90decibel.hu. Recently they have had a couple of performances signed thus making it accessible to the deaf audience. Again, the problem is that their event guide does not show anything for the end of Nov. But it can never hurt to contact them too at info@90decibel.hu or directly Ervin Bonecz project manager at bonecz@90decibel.hu
Last but not least, there is a Jewish deaf association (in a building called ‘Balint Haz’ in Budapest) who regularly meet other Jewish deaf people from all over the world. Their email address is mhzse@ort.jcc.hu
Hope this helps.
Anna
ps: do not miss the Budapest Christmas Fair in the city centre, it is really beautiful. More info about the Xmas market in Budapest here.

Hello Paula,
sorry about the late reply. You can buy your tickets conveniently at either Nyugati train station or at Keleti train station as both of them are pretty much the same distance from you. You can reach Nyugati easily by the tram number 4 or 6 running on the grand boulevard (and the building of Nyugati is worth a visit (planned by the Eiffel office)) – approx 12 min from the hotel (or you can take the M3 blue metro line: walk to Kálvin tér and then get on the metro till Nyugati metro station) – approx 12 min too. Keleti railway station is another option (you could even walk there if you don’t mind the cold weather for a 25 min walk) – take the number 4 or 6 tram to Blaha square and then get on the M2 red metro to Keleti – approx 15 min.

Hi Suzy, Vaci street is pretty central and there are several restaurants (étterem in Hungarian) and cafes in this popular shopping street, but the first thing I would advise is to avoid them (most of them are tourist traps).
To have a nice cup of coffee I would go to Centrál Kávézó (Central Cafe): http://budapestblog.luxuryhotelsbudapest.com/cafe-central-central-kavehaz-in-budapest/ or to the cosy and nice cafe / restaurant Café Gerlóczy Restaurant – http://budapestblog.luxuryhotelsbudapest.com/cafe-gerloczy-restaurant-in-budapest-downtown/
or if you want to splurge a bit, you can go to Café Gerbeaud on Vorosmarty ter (2 min walk from your hotel in Vaci street Budapest) or the Cafe of Four Seasons Hotel at the Chain Bridge

Some good restaurants in the neighbourhood are as follows:
Cyrano Restaurant Budapest – art and trendy http://budapestblog.luxuryhotelsbudapest.com/cyrano-restaurant-and-cafe-in-budapest-arty-trendy/
Mokka Cafe & Restaurant is very nice http://budapestblog.luxuryhotelsbudapest.com/mokka-cafe-and-restaurant-in-budapest-city-center/
Café Kor (Café Kör) restaurant is simple and nice http://budapestblog.luxuryhotelsbudapest.com/cafe-kor-cafe-kor-locals-travelers-favorite-restaurant-in-budapest/

if you love sea food, you may enjoy going to Ocean Bar and Grill Restaurant
Italian meals are great (and very atmospheric) at Trattoria Toscana Restaurant http://budapestblog.luxuryhotelsbudapest.com/trattoria-toscana-italian-restaurant-by-the-danube-bank-in-budapest/
If you like Indian food, Salaam Bombay Restaurant is one of the best in Budapest
etc. There are loads, see the top list here (needs some update): http://restaurants.topbudapest.org/top-50-restaurants
see the full version of our Budapest tourist map and thematic maps here: Budapest attractions, restaurants, cafes on a Budapest intractive map: http://map.topbudapest.org/
Budapest pubs and bars: http://map.topbudapest.org/pubs-bars

Hope this helps, have a nice New Year’s stay.
Oh, and I almost forgot, you will be staying very close to Vorosmarty ter where the annual Budapest Christmas Market is (that means lots of foods and drinks, warm meals too) :)
http://topbudapest.org/budapest-christmas-fair-november-december-2011

Cheers
Anna

Hi Yagiz, there are very few shops where you can find Turkish raki. I think this anise flavoured grape brandy is more and more popular in Budapest. That being said, it is not easy to find it. There are a couple of Turkish restaurants in Budapest, e.g. Szeráj Étterem is pretty popular and I assume they sell raki too (close to Nyugati train station, almost at the foot of the Margaret Bridge on Jaszai Mari tér, address: Szent István körút 13. ). In addition to Turkish eateries, there are a couple of webshops, like http://italshop.hu/termek/yeni_raki_45.html or http://www.italdepo.hu/index.php?a=itemd&item_id=2405&page= where you can order raki (I am not sure it would be easy to order as a foreigner though). The rest of the usual groceries is a big question mark, you need to try them at random. I would definitely ask the Turkish staff of a Turkish restaurant for a good reliable tip (some shops may sell the lower quality German type Raki)

Hi Clovis,
as for contemporary architecture you can see a list of some fine examples here: http://attractions.topbudapest.org/buildings/budapest-contemporary-architecture (check out the Artur.org website too, referred to at the bottom)
for a traditional Hungarian meal, you could try a cheap lunch at Mákosguba restaurant on the Buda side, or Kádár Étkezde on the Pest side (lunch is served usually between 12 and 2pm)
I think you may wish to look at some of the events in December and January in Budapest:
December – Budapest Christmas Fair is a nice place to visit
http://topbudapest.org/budapest-event-calendar-december-2011
January
http://topbudapest.org/budapest-event-calendar-january-2012
I would also recommend taking a look at the ‘Romantic Budapest’ article http://attractions.topbudapest.org/romantic
Hope this helps! Have a nice trip!

Hello Roxana, sorry about the late reply, I was trying to find out the latest (2012) Budapest public transport (BKV) prices for you, but the BKV site is a mess right now and there is no reply to my email.
As for the 3 day Budapest card-72 hrs: one pass is only for one adult and one kid (under 14), so for two adults and two kids it is still not covering all of you and for a big sum you will very likely not benefit from the two passes in a truly satisfactory way I’m afraid.
Instead, I would consider the following more economical and practical options:
most importantly the standard Budapest public transport tourist passes for

a, a family pass (sorry, couldn’t find out how many people can use it and under what age – but as far as I know, no aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces and grandparents are eligible, only parents and their children). Are you 7 altogether? Maybe 2 family passes of 2,200 HUF each will be a good option, but you need to check it with the cashier (hopefully he/she can speak good English). I think last year the family pass was suitable for 1 or 2 parents and 1-7 children (all under 14).
b, a weekly pass (suitable for all your stay Jan 5-1o) 4,600 HUF each, if the above scenario of Budapest family card (not ‘the Budapest card’ just the standard BKV transport card)

The touristy Budapest cards include a couple of nice things like free entrance to the zoo, 2 free tours, and some cheaper tickets to museums, etc. but all in all it may not be the best option. Unless you know exactly what you want to visit and run a quick cost benefit calculation for yourselves.

Weather: chilly, cold weather with occasional rains, about 2-5 degrees Celsius by day and around zero at night: http://www.meteoblue.com/en_GB/weather/forecast/tab/budapest_hu_3616/b/54

You will be very close to the heart of the city, you can find Deák tér (Deak square) about 5 min walk from you where all metro lines meet, or you can use Astoria square as your basis (M2 metro line, bus number 7, etc.)

Winter programmes: http://topbudapest.org/budapest-event-calendar-january-2012
Hope you find something good for the whole family: I would recommend to go to a bath, but if your kids are under 14 it is not a good option. Other options: the Budapest ZOO, ice skating on the rink, a ride on the Children’s railway plus eating strudels at Normafa, Budapest Museum of Transport, Palace of Wonders at Millenaris Park, Margaret Island, etc. More Budapest family ideas: http://familyfriendly.topbudapest.org/

Have a nice trip, let us know how you managed to best save on the current Budapest public transport fees.

Hi Pam, Budapest is quite spread out when it comes to attractions and shopping, but I think most people in Budapest would agree that the shopping area is on the Pest side of the city (e.g. Vaci street or in Hungarian Váci utca is a shopping street, and there are many shops around Deák tér, the city centre, in Andrássy avenue between Deak square and Oktogon square, in Kossuth utca, Rákóczi út and in Teréz and Erzsébet körút.
So if shopping and markets are your main interests I would try to get a good hotel room close to the city centre (Deák tér) and just walk down to the river or have coffee / lunch / dinner by the river Danube to enjoy the views. Hotel Victoria is otherwise very nice and one of the most affordable ones with river views in its own category. But not really ideal for tourists with a shopping agenda.
You will see that Budapest has a very well woven and frequent public transport system, so you will be able to quickly get from one part of the city of Budapest to another by using the 3 metro lines wherever your accommodation will be.
Have a nice trip and happy New Year!
Anna

Hi Kenny,
here are a couple of downloadable Budapest maps. I don’t know how detailed you need, hope this helps:
downloadable full Budapest map by BKV (Budapest Public Transport company) (2o1o) (9.7MB!) http://www.bkv.hu/ftp/terkepek/volanosvonal20100101.jpg
(it contains all the public transport routes and vehicle numbers too)
printable Budapest city centre map http://www.orangesmile.com/destinations/img/budapest-map-big.jpg
downloadable and detailed Budapest bike map (2oo8) http://stipistop.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/bringaterkep_bp_2008.zip

Hi Gary,
For Hungarian cuisine, that is good value for money (both in terms of quantity and quality) I would advise going to Menza, which is near Oktogon (you can get there either by the 4-6 tram or by the millenium underground). It is a good retro restaurant, I go there every time I go back to Budapest (I am from there). To get an even wider array of desserts to go with it, go to Dunapark cafe house, which is at the Pest side of the Margit bridge (Jaszai Mari ter/square stop of the 4-6 tram), and about 8-10 min walk on Pozsonyi ut.

As for currency, the Forint has just taken yet another nose dive, so going from pound to forint, I guess you will get a good price. I would say though to get your currency in the UK still, as exchange rates do vary a lot in Budapest, and once you are there, you are less likely to spend the time searching for the best rate.

Dear Leeloong, we are very sorry that we were unable to help in such short notice. We hope you had a great time in Budapest and found something truly nice for your wife.

Hello Terry, you seem to have chosen a relaxing family friendly hotel at Ramada Aquaworld Budapest then, and at the same time you have decided to stay away from the busy city centre, which means you may not have time to get back to the hotel easily for a midday rest or to get changed, etc. so you may wish to organize your Budapest downtown programmes for a whole day. You may combine some of the family friendly events / venues in Budapest: http://familyfriendly.topbudapest.org/ I would also recommend taking a look at Budapest January events (just a taster, there is a lot more going on, so hopefully the concierge at Ramada hotel will give you more personalized tips): http://topbudapest.org/budapest-event-calendar-january-2012.
As for shopping, if you have some market halls (foods, souvenirs) in mind, you will find Vasarcsarnok (Central Market Hall) interesting: http://attractions.topbudapest.org/markets/central-market-hall) – there are market tours (gastro tours) available too http://topbudapest.org/tours/market-tours-in-budapest. To visit various shops you can walk through the main shopping street of Budapest called Váci utca (pedestrian only, running along the river Danube), or go to one of the inner city shopping malls (West End City, Mammut, etc.).
Zsolnay porcelain shops: Zsolnay brand shops can be found e.g. in the 2nd district on the Buda side (address: 1027 Budapest, Margit krt. 24.), here is a full list http://www.zsolnay.hu/markaboltok/budapest.php#05
Have fun in Budapest, Hungary!

Hi Michelle, it sounds like you have been given lots of great ideas from Sat to Tue to have a great birthday trip to Budapest. :) As for the weather, I would recommend scheduling your river Danube embankment walk (including the Shoes) for Monday, as Sunday will be very windy, especially by the river (both days may be rainy – about 25% chance).
So if you are into the baths and relaxation, Sunday might be a very good choice for staying indoors or rather in warm spa waters (Szechenyi, Gellert or Rudas spa baths are the most popular, and they all have strikingly different characters, interiors http://baths.topbudapest.org/ (unfortunately Rac Spa Bath is still not open, although it could have been an excellent choice).
Now, if I am not mistaken, it seems that you enjoy luxurious meals (and accommodation), so I will try to tune my tips into the high end register:

1, along the Danube on the Pest side: once going for a stroll along the Danube to see the Shoes Holocaust memorial, the Castle Hill and the Hungarian Parliament etc. (UNESCO World Heritage sites), and potentially doing some shopping in nearby Vaci street (Váci utca), Budapest’s main shopping street, running from Vorosmarty square (Vörösmarty tér) up to the Central Market Food Hall (also selling souvenirs), you may have a nice lunch / dinner in Onyx Restaurant (http://restaurants.topbudapest.org/michelin), one of the very best restaurants in Budapest according to the Michelin guide. Spoon is of course another option on this route, but one third of the guests rated it average-poor-terrible (on TripAdvisor travel forum) so you may not enjoy the best culinary experience (but you can see the river Danube in exchange).

2, near Corinthia Grand Hotel Budapest: Bock Bistro is a really nice bistro / wine restaurant where you can try local cuisine, great Hungarian wines (Bock family is one of the top rated wine maker in Hungary).

3, If you are foodies, I would also recommend trying a gastronomic tour (can be personalized for your needs as a couple if there are any free hours left) in Budapest offered by the author of the culinary guidebook ‘Food Wine Budapest’, Carolyn Banfalvi. The website is called Taste Hungary, and their gastro tours are highly praised by foreigners: http://www.tastehungary.com/

4, Nobu at the five star Kempinski Hotel Budapest is mostly considered an excellent / very good restaurant. Some of the downsides seem to be the loud rock pop music, tiny portions for high prices, bistro size tables, and occasional bland tastes of certain meals. That being said, some guests rave about the fantastic palatal experiences, and of course Nobu is a high end Japanese franchise restaurant with its own reputation. Probably the best Japanese food you can get in Budapest, Hungary (a less expensive option could be Momotaro Ramen – Chinese – and Japanese – restaurant). This is not to deter you from Nobu, just to see what others have experienced.

As for shopping, I have mentioned two frequently recommended destinations: Vaci street, a pedestrian only street (utca) running along the river, and the Grand Market Hall.

Further ideas:
romantic Castle on the hilly Buda side: if you have not been to the Castle on the Buda side, up the Castle Hill, it is a nice 2-4 hour programme (walking, panoramic photos, wine tasting, etc.).
19th century grandeur and world Heritage site, Andrássy út: another option is to take a walk on Andrassy Avenue (a few minutes walk or tram trip from your hotel): if you are interested in history (and Holocaust), you may find the House of Terror museum a unique experience, Parizsi Nagy Udvar has a huge bookshop and cafe, while Lukács cukrászda is one of the best confectionaries in Budapest. Andrássy is a long avenue leading up to the Heroes square and its attractions, but you can take a ride on the nostalgic underground, which runs under the avenue.

Hope this helps. Enjoy and relax in Budapest!

Hi Gabriella,
I think most importantly you should have fun in Budapest, right?
See our short list of some fun things to do in Budapest, Hungary here: http://attractions.topbudapest.org/fun
and some of the best bars and clubs here: http://topbudapest.org/bars-pubs
As two weeks is ample time to have fun you can also mix in some visits to attractions: http://attractions.topbudapest.org/

Prices may change until October pretty much looking at the current economic climate and currency changes, so I would rather not go into details about them in January if you travel in October. If still interested, I would recommend checking back to the site in Aug or Sep.
Meal prices can widely differ, from 2-3 USD to 2o-3o USD depending on where and what you eat (from cheap eateries to luxury restaurants). Bath entrance fees are around 1o-2o USD currently (again, depending on where you go).
I think I would calculate with about 4o-6o USD per day on an average budget for food and admission fees (but you can get a really really budget version of about 2o usd too if you want) – mind you public transport pass is not included, neither accommodation

Miscellaneous:

weather in Hungary in October: Budapest seems to be very similar to Ohio regarding average temperatures in October (can be really friendly and sunny Indian summer or can be rainy windy and unwelcoming)
Budapest – between 46 – 61 F
http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/HUXX0002
Ohio between 42 – 64 F
http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USOH0724

legal drinking age is 18 in Hungary

Good planning and have fun in Budapest!

Hi Andrea, sorry, I do not know much about Hungarian ice hockey, so I was trying to find out about hockey matches in Budapest visiting the official Hungarian ice hockey website. Based on the league match tables I saw, I’m afraid there may not be hockey matches organized in Budapest in the time frame you have given, instead they are either in Dunaújváros or Székesfehérvár, two towns not so far from Budapest. Mind you, I am not sure I browsed the website (http://www.icehockey.hu and the English version is http://www.icehockey.hu/index.php?lang=en) perfectly although I tried to be as thorough as I could. I think you’d better contact them at info@icehockey.hu. Good luck!
PS: if you like ice skating, there is a very nice open air artificial ice rink in Budapest, close to the city centre at Varosliget, the City Park (by Vajdahunyad Castle)

Hi Tdd, where would you like to cruise to? Anyway, there is a Budapest Vienna hydrofoil line run by Mahart Passnave http://www.mahartpassnave.hu/webset32.cgi?MAHART@@EN@@38@@1062469929
and there are further competitors in the market with similar tours to Vienna (if that is your destination)
a 4 night Budapest Vienna river cruise http://eurorivercruises.com/AVL/Taste%20of%20the%20Danube%20WBV.html
some more googling gives more results – longer Danube cruises to the north and west as well as to the south: http://www.cruisingholidays.co.uk/river/blacksea/index.htm
We don’t have too much feedback about such river cruises yet, so please let us know how your Budapest river tour went. Have a nice cruise!

Hi Robert, stag party guys may start with a lightweight pub crawling to warm up. Here are some nice pubs and clubs (general, not stag party focused):
http://topbudapest.org/bars-pubs (Corvin teto, Szimpla, Pótkulcs, etc. are quite cool places, although the beers are not excellent, just standard)
Then you might be interested in a place called Studio Club on an island within Budapest, called Hajógyári Sziget (literally the Shipyard Island, and this is the venue the internationally acclaimed Sziget Festival, an idea for your next Budapest trip), i.e. Studio Club Hajogyari Sziget
There are some firms specializing in Budapest stag parties, you can take a look at the website to get some more ideas, ask for a free quote etc. (we are not affiliated in any way, we do not know them or their service quality. Shortly, we are not embracing them, but this is a relevant google search result).
Further companies and websites (sorry we are just a general Budapest tourist guide site) from the search results pages:
http://www.yourtime.hu/en/programs/partys_and_night/stag_and_hen_party
http://www.budapeststagweekend.co.uk/
http://www.chillisauce.co.uk/stag-weekends/budapest/
http://www.lastnightoffreedom.co.uk/stag-weekends/budapest/
http://www.pissup.com/budapest
and just google for some more stag party tours if you want to compare more quotes.
Whatever your stag night will include, you can try to relax after the big farewell party at a cool thermal spa bath in Budapest: Szechenyi Bath is an excellent choice to get over the hangover and exhaustion. :)
And finally a black list of Budapest bars and clubs to avoid:
http://topbudapest.org/dosanddonts/black-list-bars-night-clubs-budapest-hungary
and a list of fun things to do (of the more innocent type): http://attractions.topbudapest.org/fun

Have fun!

Hello Benny,
there were 2 Christmas Markets in Budapest last year, 2011: the Christmas Market on Vorosmarty ter (the older, more traditional and well-known, and highly popular on Xmas Market top lists) and the other one by St Stephen’s Basilica (launched in 2o11).
Let’s start with more ideas for chilly winter times:
There is a good chance of snowing, but it is not a promise, of course. :) Anyway, you can check out the open air artificial ice rink in the City Park (by Vajdahunyad Castle) in Budapest – you can hire skates on the spot. If it snows, I would recommend taking a bus up to Normafa hill, have a strudel, enjoy a nice hike etc. if you are into nature too.
There are several New Year’s concerts in Budapest, the one at the Palace of Arts Budapest and at St Stephen’s Basilica are warmly recommended.
And taking a relaxing warm bath at Szechenyi Bath is not to be missed (open air baths with nice warm thermal water covered by a thick and dancing steam – fantastic experience)
In addition to the winter themed attractions above, you may wish to take a look at the top attractions in Budapest: http://attractions.topbudapest.org/
and depending on the age of your daughter you may be interested in Budapest family friendly programmes: http://familyfriendly.topbudapest.org/
and / or the Fun activities in Budapest ideas: http://familyfriendly.topbudapest.org/

Hi David, we are really sorry about missing the chance to reply your questions. Hope you had a nice time in Budapest and found some great bars with the help of the Sofitel concierge. Sorry again.
Anna

Hello Wendy, the average weather in Budapest in May is actually very nice spring days scattered with rainy, breezy days. Almost half of the days in May are wet (averaging around 13 wet days per year). The temperature is not very hot, ranging from 8 degrees Celsius (mornings, evenings) with a peak time of 19-23 degrees (or in Fahrenheit: early morning low temperatures from 46 go up to 66-75 degrees F during the day). Depending on how you can put up with chillier mornings and evenings, I would recommend a cardigan / sweater and a waterproof coat to be on the safe side. Waterproof shoes (but comfortable for lots of walking, and breathable for warmer days) are also warmly recommended. Don’t be surprised if you are donning T-shirts all day and sun tan lotion: May can bring very sunny, summery days too.
Art’otel Budapest is very close to the city centre, but the river is separating it from the ‘happening side’ of Pest. That being said, you can take a very short walk to the M2 red line metro station on Batthyany square and will be in the city centre in no time (5-1o min by metro). Plus Art’otel is quite close to the Castle District and Hill which is in itself a one day programme: http://attractions.topbudapest.org/buildings/castle-hill there will be a Brandy Festival (Palinka Fest) in the Castle district in May called Budapest Pálinka Festival, 5th-8th May 2012, plus a Gastronomical Festival called the Goose Liver Days in Buda Castle, from 20th to 22nd May (Hungary is one of the major goose liver producers, and the pate is really nice).
Some further things to see: http://attractions.topbudapest.org/
and fun to do: http://attractions.topbudapest.org/fun

Hi Katie,
it’s a really cool birthday surprise we wish you the very best of time together in Budapest. :)
Budapest Hotels – I think you may just find amazing value for money looking at hotels. For instance,
The three star Budapest Panorama Central has a double room for the two of you in April (26-29) for 42 GBP on agoda (redirected from TripAdvisor if you give the planned date)
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g274887-d1507137-Reviews-Budapest_Panorama_Central-Budapest.html
The hotel has currently more than 1oo reviews, averaging 4.5 out 5, so it really sounds a great hotel room deal, doesn’t it? (booking.com did not have such great offers, and I assume the best offers are for the not so great hotel rooms though – still, it is a 3 star hotel and not a hostel, which should mean a better standard)
Another three star hotel in Budapest city centre could be a good option but they are fully booked for the period http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g274887-d796037-Reviews-Budapest_Museum_Central-Budapest.html
Some cheap cheaper options for Budapest accommodation could be
‘Enter Privates’ hostel (no availability in the above period, but you are in the planning phase so it might be worth contacting them directly or trying to get a deal via hostelworld.com) http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g274887-d1203442-Reviews-Enter_Privates-Budapest.html
Aventura Boutique Hostel sounds very cheap too, and it is a hostel, but has several reviews from couples:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g274887-d626296-Reviews-Aventura_Boutique_Hostel-Budapest.html
The Loft Hostel – very central hotel in Budapest with good prices and reviews
Oleander Hostel – very central hotel in Budapest with good prices and reviews
maybe Gradio Party Hostel

I hope at least one of them suits your needs and budget perfectly. :)

Bath – mixed bathing in Budapest is the best at Szechenyi Bath I think, or if you pick a weekend day it might be good to go to Rudas Bath too (both have massages)

Sightseeing in a speedy breeze style in Budapest is a sort of challenge, but there are two highly frequented tourist areas with lots of attractions close to each other: one of them is the Castle Hill and the other is the Heroes square – Andrassy Avenue neighbourhood. Here is our recommendation for a self guide tour for 3 days in Budapest:
http://topbudapest.org/tours/3-days-in-budapest
But once on a budget tour in Budapest you could give a chance to one of the free guided tours (tourists really like them): http://topbudapest.org/tours/free-tours-in-budapest
and see some of the free attractions in Budapest http://attractions.topbudapest.org/free

Most of all, have fun!
Anna
ps: sorry, I needed to prioritize some emails to topbudapest where the trips take place in February.

Hi Stacy,
indeed you can buy a weeklong Budapest pass which you can use on buses, streetcars, trolleybuses, subways and even the cogwheel railway. So yes, you can use it on all the subways (all 3 lines, for the full length) plus on all sorts of other public transportation wehicles in Budapest http://www.bkv.hu/en/travel_cards/7_day_travel_card_en
The price of the weekly subway pass (and bus, streetcar, etc) is HUF 4,600
Here is the full list of tourist passes offered by BKV the Budapest Public Transport system http://www.bkv.hu/en/types_of_tickets_offered_for_tourists/types_of_tickets_offered_for_tourists

Hi Mark, we at topbudapest do not have any experience with the company above, but maybe a tourist can help you out.

Hello Glennys, I think the best way to get from Vienna to Budapest is by train – check out the Sparschiene tickets. More info about them here:
http://budapestblog.luxuryhotelsbudapest.com/trains-from-vienna-to-budapest-how-to-travel-cheap-by-train/ Another option is to take a bus:
http://budapestblog.luxuryhotelsbudapest.com/from-budapest-to-vienna-by-bus-quick-guide/
In general, I think there are really great attractions, but your preferences may help us help you better (rather than / in addition to your age): music, museums, cafes, wellness, shopping, market halls, dancing, jazz, quirky things, technological things, etc. What do you really enjoy doing and seeing? Would you like to go on a gastro or a wine tour for instance? In general, you can read about some of the best attractions in Budapest here: http://attractions.topbudapest.org/
There are hundreds of accommodation options in Budapest, Hungary, but maybe it makes the question easier if you can tell us what would you prefer: to stay closer to the city centre and most of the attractions in a busier and noisier part of the city (Pest side), or to be a bit further away from the hustle bustle and travel a bit more to see the attractions of Budapest (Buda side)?

Hi Ann Marie,

based on your interests in history and culture, I assume that you museums do not overwhelm you, so let me suggest 2 historical and cultural museums: firstly, you may wish to go to the museum and memorial dedicated to the victims of the Communist and Nazi regime, the House of Terror Museum (the building was the former HQ of the secret police), which is one of the best museums in Budapest.
Secondly, the Museum of Fine Arts at the Heroes square has lots of rich collections, including Egyptian Art, Classical Antiquities, and thousands of paintings from the 13th-18th centuries (European painters).
There are high quality concerts at the Palace of Arts (Művészetek Palotája), at the Music Academy (Liszt Ferenc Zeneakadémia) and of course great performances at the Opera House in Budapest (Operaház). Here is the March programme for the Opera House: http://www.opera.hu/en/musor/201203
You can buy tickets by clicking on the ‘ticket order’ under the day you pick (the link will take you either to another detailed page where you again need to click on ‘ticket’ on the right side, which this time (or directly for the first click) will lead you to a ticket vendor site called ‘jegymester’ in Hungarian as the Opera House sells tickets via a third party). Unfortunately Cosi fan tutte is pretty much sold out, very few seats left, there is camber concert though, or you can listen to the most beloved Hungarian opera, the historical romantic Bank ban (19th century opera), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A1nk_b%C3%A1n
Further attractions you may be interested in: http://attractions.topbudapest.org/
I would especially recommend the Castle Hill area http://attractions.topbudapest.org/buildings/castle-hill
and the Art Nouveau walks, if you don’t mind walking (comfortable shoes are a must in Budapest) http://attractions.topbudapest.org/buildings/art-nouveau-in-budapest

As for the hotel site: the Pest side has usually more attractions but is noisier and livelier than the green, quieter Buda side. If you should decide to pick a hotel on the Buda side, try to choose a location close to a metro station (e.g. Batthyany square) to make your day trips smoother

Hi Meg, I’m sorry to say that just like operas in general Budapest Opera House also has a summer break and is closed in July and August (or to be more precise, there are no performances) Last year, however, in Urania Film Theatre (a very nice building in itself, which is worth a visit I think) was running a Metropolitan opera show series (live performances shown on screen) all through the summer. This year’s (2012 opera year) performances are not on the official website yet but hopefully they will continue to show MET operas in the film theatre.
Official site of Urania movie theater is http://www.urania-nf.hu/rendezvenynaptar/metropolitan-opera-2011-2012.php
Mid July is quite hot, especially in Budapest (green house effect), so temperatures can be 35-40 degrees Celsius. I think it would make any Budapest accommodation more appealing to have an optional AC available in the hotel room. But locals from Budapest, sleeping in their homes in warm and hot summer days will usually just open a window (if not on ground or first floor, or barred from the street if they live on the lower grounds) – including me, my friends, relatives, etc. So it is not a must I think, but to be on the safe side you can book a hotel room with air conditioning (and / or with windows that can be opened).
Hope you will enjoy Budapest (and take a dip in one of the lidos, pools, e.g. at Palatinus lido on Margaret Island to escape from extremely hot days)

Hi Kim,
I am very sorry to say that last July the government decided that the labyrinth should be state owned again and they simply closed down the Buda Labyrinth for good. Please check the official website: http://www.labirintus.com/splash_en.php

Hi Ravi, 1 day is indeed a short stay in Budapest, which is quite big and spread out regarding the attractions that are worth visiting (http://attractions.topbudapest.org/). However, you can squeeze out quite a lot from a speedy Budapest sightseeing tour in 24 hours.
There are two tourist hot spots with multiple attractions in Budapest, where you will feel that you have seen / done a lot:
you can take a quick look around the Castle Hill: http://attractions.topbudapest.org/buildings/castle-hill
and there are a lot to see at the City Park, near and around the Heroes square: the square itself has a beautiful monument, sided by two museums, the mroe famous of which is the Museum of Fine Arts (http://attractions.topbudapest.org/museums/museum-of-fine-arts-budapest-szepmuveszeti-muzeum), where you could kill easily 4-6 hours, so it is not ideal for your Budapest rush tour. But you can walk to Vajdahunyad Castle (http://attractions.topbudapest.org/buildings/vajdahunyad-castle) or even better, take a bath at Szechenyi Bath (and relax! if you can allow yourself some wellness time) http://baths.topbudapest.org/
Personally, I think you will be better off if you only pick one of them: either the Castle Hill, the Danube views, the Parliament, and have some nice tea / coffee (or even a luxurious meal at Onyx on Vorosmarty square) OR the City Park with its famous buildings and taking a bath at Szechenyi (and massage, what have you). Have a good trip

Hi Sue, in view of recent Hungarian political disturbances, street demonstrations by the Parliament, political events on the Heroes square etc, etc. and also because some places are closed in Budapest on national holidays, I would not pick March 15 if I were you. But I am sure that you will find lots of good things to do even on March 15 if there are no more viable options for the trip.

Hi Eidan,

safe walking? I think it is as safe as walking in any big city in Europe after 11 pm. Here’s my reply to another tourist: http://tenthingstodo.topbudapest.org/#comment-384
Anyway, finally we have put together the Budapest March Event Guide (only a few suggestions: http://topbudapest.org/budapest-event-calendar-march-2012), so here are a couple of things between March 5 and 11, which I hope you will find enticing:

Night of Baths – hope you can make it on March 1o, as it sounds a lot of fun and something truly unique in Budapest
Flavors of Hungary Gastro Fair – Millenaris Park, Budapest, March 9 to March 11

Some music programmes:
Budapest Festival Orchestra concert conducted by Ivan Fischer – Bach, Bruckner concert at the Palace of Arts, Budapest, March 5 at 7:30 pm – classical music concert.
Esa-Pekka Salonen & the Philharmonia Orchestra Sibelius and Beethoven concert conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen at the Palace of Arts, Budapest, March 5 at 7:30 pm – classical music concert.
Sierra Maestra (Cuba) concert at the Festival Theatre of the Palace of Arts, Budapest, March 10 at 4 pm and 7:30 pm – world music, jazz concert.
Melanie Pain (Nouvelle Vague/FR) concert at A38 ship music club and restaurant in Budapest, March 10 at 8 pm – rock, world music, folk concert.
Stanton Warriors (Punks/UK) concert at A38 ship music club and restaurant in Budapest, March 10 at 11 pm – electronica concert.
Budapest Festival Orchestra concert conducted by Ivan Fischer – Bach, Bruckner concert at the Palace of Arts, Budapest, March 10 at 7:45 pm – classical music concert.

Arts:
Bakos Rita Ackermann Exhibition at Ludwig Museum Budapest (until March 18)

Other:
National Holiday, March 15 – Hussar procession up to the Castle Hill to the Buda Castle, Budapest

Hello Marianne,

I think some of the places to eat are excellent for celebrating birthdays, the question is cuisine, budget and location. Anyway, if you want to splurge, you could try one of the very best restaurants in Budapest (Michelin 1 star in the restaurant guide), Onyx Restaurant, which is very central, by Vorosmarty ter, close to the heart of Budapest, Deak square: http://restaurants.topbudapest.org/michelin/onyx-restaurant-budapest. You will need to book in advance (prices are high at Onyx, so do let me know quickly if you have something more moderate in mind)
(here are some further suggestions http://restaurants.topbudapest.org/top-50-restaurants)

Real fur could be OK, or maybe not … unpredictable I guess .. you could just as well bump into animal right activists or no-fur guys & gals. If you don’t want to worry about it, I think you had better leave your fur at home and bring some coat that is warm but breathable (and preferably water resistant).

Here are some of the highlighted things to do in about 3 days in Budapest: http://topbudapest.org/tours/3-days-in-budapest, which may help to put together your schedule: I think the Buda Castle with a wine tasting tour (in the castle) and a coffee and pastry at Ruszwurm is a nice option, as well as going to one of the baths (maybe on Saturday morning? Szechenyi Baths is easily available with M1 metro line and you could get him some rejuvenating and relaxing massage too, then head to the restaurant?). There are lots of nice romantic places to visit, if you don’t mind walking http://attractions.topbudapest.org/romantic/romantic-walks-in-budapest

Events from March 9 to 12, 2012 in Budapest, Hungary you may like:

foodie programme: Flavors of Hungary Gastro Fair Budapest, March 9 -11
design event, gift hunting: Design Fair, WAMP – Budapest Mar 11, 2012, Millenaris Park, Budapest.

Concerts, music events
Sierra Maestra (Cuba) concert at the Festival Theatre of the Palace of Arts, Budapest, March 10 at 4 pm and 7:30 pm – world music, jazz concert.
Melanie Pain (Nouvelle Vague/FR) concert at A38 ship music club and restaurant in Budapest, March 10 at 8 pm – rock, world music, folk concert.
Budapest Festival Orchestra concert conducted by Ivan Fischer – Bach, Bruckner concert at the Palace of Arts, Budapest, March 10 at 7:45 pm – classical music concert.

Exhibition: Bakos Rita Ackermann Exhibition at Ludwig Museum Budapest (until March 18)

You could go to a bar (maybe dance? depends on the day and the audience) at Old Man’s Pub in Akacfa street Budapest.

Happy planning and trip for a very happy birthday! :)

Hi Anbarasu, my first advice is if you can plan at least three days in Budapest, you will not regret it I think, because there are loads to see and do – enough for a week and more. But if you can only schedule a one day trip to Budapest, you can choose between 2 major options (in either case you will walk a lot, so don’t forget to bring really comfy shoes):
a, to run through 2 hot spots of Budapest where there are lots of attractions close to each other – and mostly see them from the outside
b, to go to one of the hotspots and enjoy its attractions and sights without a rush.
These two places are:
1, the Castle Hill and its surroundings, including the Buda Castle, the Fisherman’s Bastion, the Matthew’s Church, Cafe Ruszwurm, possibly a wine tour (which is inside the Hotel Hilton Budapest, and practically under the ground of the Castle Hill) if you are interested in wines, a quirky museum called Rock Hospital ( a secret Military Hospital and Nuclear Bunker), a walk down to the Chain Bridge and the Parliament – and if there is still time, walk along the river Danube, Vorosmarty square, Vaci utca shopping street and / or a spa bath at Rudas Bath or Gellert Bath (only mixed on given days, so check which may suit your plan) etc. Many of the above attractions in Budapest are part of the World Heritage Site.

2, the Heroes’ Square and its neighbourhood, including the Museum of Fine Arts, the Vajdahunyad Castle, the City Park, the Art Nouveau Zoo, the Szechenyi Bath with its famous thermal pools (mixed all days), the Andrassy Avenue (World Heritage Site) and some of the attractions along the avenue like the House of Terror Museum (in the former headquarters of the Secret Police), the Lukacs Confectionary and Cafe (quite pricey but worth it I think – at the corner of Andrassy and Izabella street), the Opera House, then back to the city centre towards Deak sqaure (Deák tér) to the St Stephen’s Basilica

If you choose to see all of them in a rush, you can try to combine the two sites into one day in Budapest – maybe a morning for the Castle to make beautiful photos of the panorama of Budapest and then an afternoon in the Heroes square and the park nearby.
Have a nice trip!

Hello Kate,
I have been thinking a lot about what it will be like for your grandma to come back to Budapest and see the city in the 70s or so through the present. Let us know what she commented, what she liked and disliked please. I assume she won’t like the many graffitis all over Budapest (most of them street signature rather than street art). But back to the questions.

Restaurants: I think there are mostly 2-3 kinds of ‘traditional Hungarian’ restaurants a local Hungarian would think of. One of them is the romantic / fake folk traditional, but also touristy with red and white table cloths, folk designs, Gypsy music, goulash soup and fish soup, sometimes dance performances and almost exclusively tourists. These are the sort of entertaining restaurants (more or less from ‘Mulatós csárda’ to Vendéglő in Hungarian). The other ‘traditional Hungarian’ is the fin de siecle glamorous Budapest restaurant with sophisticated Art Nouveau furniture, classy music and European style dining and services. The former could be the noisy merry countryside version, the latter the more moderate urban version. The third one is the cheap lunch canteen version (maybe formed during the communist regime), which is more like a take away restaurant than a ‘restaurant’ (étkezde for lunch time instead of étterem for lunch, coffee or dinner). These days, to be honest, the really successful restaurants in Budapest are not the traditional ‘magyaros’ restaurants but the more contemporary and stylish gastro design restaurants (a subjective viewpoint). I think you will need to find out what your granny feels closer to herself in order to make her feel ‘back to Budapest’. There are very few restaurants in between the 2-3 genres. Personally I would recommend taking her to a nice Budapest restaurant which is classy but not too posh. Or she could be interested in what a posh restaurant these days in Budapest looks like with luxurious interior, exquisite meals and silverware … There are just so many tastes.

Anyway, here is a list of some of the Budapest restaurants your Hungarian grandmother and you may like:
Traditional & Folkish – but both locals and tourists like Paprika Restaurant on Dozsa Gyorgy ut – http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g274887-d1016554-Reviews-Paprika-Budapest.html (big portions at affordable prices
Traditional & Touristy: the fake folk, colourful and mostly touristy restaurants with spicy and heavy traditional Hungarian cuisine (stews, sausages, etc.). In all probability, one of the most popular places is Szeged Vendeglo next the Hotel Gellert by the Liberty Bridge (Szabadsag Hid). http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g274887-d1592752-Reviews-Szeged_Vendeglo-Budapest.html If I had some guests I wouldn’t take them there, but some of the tourist reviews seem genuinely impressed by both the food, the gypsy band etc.

Traditional & Classy: there are very good local and tourist reviews about Márgál restaurant, a small, nice place close to the city centre:
some of the English reviews here http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g274887-d2103671-Reviews-Margal_Restaurant-Budapest.html (and there are many in Hungarian, which is a really good sign, as Hungarians tend to eat less at restaurants and be very and openly critical).
Further traditional foods at widely popular places with a more modern French style interior – the interior is less traditional than the menu – with great or good reviews:
Tigris Restaurant http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g274887-d1212605-Reviews-Tigris-Budapest.html
Bock Bistro http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g274887-d811480-Reviews-Bock_Bistro-Budapest.html (frequently on the various top restaurant lists)
Comme Chez Soi http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g274887-d794237-Reviews-Comme_Chez_Soi-Budapest.html
BorsSo Bistro http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g274887-d1494108-Reviews-Borsso_Bistro-Budapest.html
the traditional and Jewish Rosenstein is again much loved by both locals and foreigners:
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g274887-d692912-Reviews-Rosenstein-Budapest.html
or the considerably cheaper and less formal place called
Zsakbamacska: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g274887-d1209981-Reviews-Vendeglo_a_Zsakbamacskahoz-Budapest.html

And finally 2-3 places to splurge on, tiny portions, some Hungarian features hidden in modern interpretations, big international dining awards (Michelin, etc.) and big bills: Onyx Restaurant and Costes Restaurant – I think they would be more loved by real foodies though. But maybe your granny wants to see what are the top places in today’s Budapest. The third place is called Gundel, one of the most famous restaurants in Budapest for many many decades, even during the socialist regime (most celebrities and famous guests were taken there to try the Hungarian cuisine). It is past its old glory, and several reviews show that the quality of the foods, service etc. is uneven but maybe your granny will be happy to see it again http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g274887-d696039-Reviews-Gundel_Etterem-Budapest.html (me and my family ate there last year and our conclusion was that we could have spent the money better elsewhere) (but the older generation would definitely enjoy at least a coffee there on a fine day in August on the open air terraces).

Attractions
what immediately jumped into my mind is the New York Cafe – a luxurious cafe which has been restored to its former glory (now part of the 5 star Boscolo Hotel Budapest):
http://budapestblog.luxuryhotelsbudapest.com/cafe-new-york-in-new-york-palace-hotel-budapest/, and likewise the Gresham Palace (now the Four Seasons Hotel Budapest) http://fourseasonsgresham.luxuryhotelsbudapest.com/
historically, if your grandmother loves history and wouldn’t mind showing you the hard times in Hungary: the Museum of Terror
for old time’s sake: one of the beautiful thermal baths: Gellert Bath (only Sundays are fully co-ed): http://baths.topbudapest.org/gellert-baths
or Szechenyi Bath (always mixed) http://baths.topbudapest.org/szechenyi-baths
the Buda Castle is a must see place – the best panoramic views from the Fishermens Bastion: http://attractions.topbudapest.org/buildings/castle-hill
and if your grandmother loves opera the Opera House http://attractions.topbudapest.org/buildings/budapest-opera-house
and for walking: the Margaret Island
see more attractions here: http://attractions.topbudapest.org/

Have a nice trip to Budapest!

Thank you so much!! This information will be so helpful..We are very excited!!

Hi Sev,
hope you will have a nice spring get away in Budapest in mid April (good weather is just as likely as chilly, windy, wet days so prepare for both regarding clothes and programmes).
A sparty in Budapest would have been one of the top options for you guys (and I am sure you would have totally enjoyed it). But, as far as we know, Budapest spa parties only start in July, here’s a quote from the official Facebook of Cinetrip and Water Circus sparties: “Spring is here, birds are singing, they are chattering that Szecska, the open-air tune-spa will be running all through the summer – from July till
September – and there will be a huge Cinetrip WaterCircus sparty on 4th August 2012. Further details soon!”
The annual Night of Baths special evening is just over so it seems that May in Budapest will go away without a spa party. Nevertheless, you can still go to Rudas Baths on Friday and Staurday night from 10 pm to 4 am when mixed night bathers enjoy the pools in Rudas Furdo. If there should be any changes regarding the sparty calendar I will keep you posted.

Here are some fun things to do in Budapest:
http://attractions.topbudapest.org/fun
eat good food:
http://restaurants.topbudapest.org
(maybe a location or cuisine you prefer?)
April Event guide
http://topbudapest.org/budapest-event-calendar-april-2012

Hostels in the happening area of Budapest are abundant. Some of them are very central (please check if they have four individual rooms available to you in mid April), but most of them do not have 4 individual bedrooms. Try Connection Guest House (https://connectionguesthouse.com/) they seem to have five rooms. Or you can try other popular hostels and apartments in Budapest like the Maverick Hostel, Golden Stars Budapest Apartments (only two rooms in an apartment), Entre Amis Apartments Budapest (they have several downtown apartments, e.g. XXL apartment has 3 seperate rooms), Home Made Hostel (2 double rooms, and the rest is dorm rooms), Corvin Point Rooms and Apartments Hostel, Town Hall Apartments (they have a 2 bedroom, a 1 bedroom and a studio apartment / dowtown Budapest), Lord Apartments (again, they have a 2 bedroom, a 1 bedroom and a studio apartment / dowtown Budapest), Nova Apartments (various apartments with 1br, 2 br, studios but not 4 br), All-4U Apartments (1 or 2 bedroom apartments), Casa de la Musica (only 2 private rooms).

There are approx 30,000 Armenians living in Hungary (I don’t know how reliable the wikipedia article is in this case) and there is an honorary consulate in Budapest. There is an Armenian Catholic church at the following address 1117 Budapest, Orlay u. 6.
Hope this helps
Have a nice trip and

Hi Van, as far as we know hot water is specifically not recommended / counter advised to pregnant women in the first trimester as it may cause miscarriage. In the other two trimesters it is less dangerous but still not a good idea (you should not go into water whose temperature is higher than your body temperature, i.e. over 36 degrees), it depends on several factors e.g.
is the cervix still closed – only your doctor knows, consult with her/ him
are you usually OK in swimming pools, not catching anything (some women are more prone to get infections than others)
is the bath / pool you have picked of general herbal composition or are some of the elements harmful for the baby? Contact the bath management to find out.
etc.
To be on the safe side, we do not encourage pregnant mums to go to thermal baths and neither do most of the Hungarian ob gyn doctors we have heard from.

Hello James, there are hundreds of bars and clubs in Budapest. I don’t quite see what you mean by more details in addition to our general guide:
http://topbudapest.org/bars-pubs

What sort of bars, clubs are you interested in? Any music or location or price preferences? etc.

Hello Sarah,
some of the major Easter programmes in Budapest are enlisted in the April Event Guide:
http://topbudapest.org/budapest-event-calendar-april-2012
if street art equals Graffiti (sorry, let me know if it means more), there are some Graffiti art tours (I think given by a guy called Julius)
http://www.sziabudapest.com/text/rondleidingen/graffitirondleiding_en.php

Hotel Intercontinental is very much in the city centre in an excellent location, and most restaurants in the city centre will have lots of tourists too. That being said, there are very good restaurants in the neighbourhood, loved by locals and tourists alike:
first of all the top of the pops, Onyx is a Michelin star restaurant, and the prestigious award was well earned – the restaurant is on Vorosmarty ter, dinners are quite pricey, but book a table for a lunch for an affordable high quality menu. Its style is formal though, so if you want to go to a more relaxed place, try the hugely popular Tigris Restaurant in Merleg street. Almost next to it you will find the Salaam Bombay – if you like Indian food http://budapestblog.luxuryhotelsbudapest.com/salaam-bombay-budapest-indian-restaurant-in-the-city-center/
You can get more traditional Hungarian meals in a simple but tasteful interior: Cafe Kor (Café Kör) or maybe the nearby Mokka Cafe is also a viable option. Borkonyha (‘Wine-kitchen’) is an a great place for wine lovers.
family friendly tex-mex style in Iguana Restaurant, Budapest http://budapestblog.luxuryhotelsbudapest.com/iguana-bar-grill-restaurant-in-budapest-mexican-dishes/. To get some Italian lunch, try Pomo D’Oro in Arany street.
To get some nice Hungarian desserts, go to the ‘First Strudel House of Pest’ in a street called ‘Oktober 6. utca’ (yummy!)
Cheers, Anna

Hi Gunnar, yep, unfortunately most river tours on the Danube launch in April in Budapest. This site is advertising night tours (from 9 pm) in March too (the prices are steeper though, 5 300 HUF / person includes the tour and a glass of wine / champagne, beer – your choice):
http://www.budapest.com/leisure/sightseeing_tours/boat_tours/danube_legend_-_evening_sightseeing_cruise.en.html
Let us know if it was good. Have a nice tour!

Hello Jennifer,
Gerloczy is in an excellent location, very central, in a small square (you won’t have a river view, which is at the luxury hotels, but you will still have a very nice location). Gerloczy itself is a very good cafe and restaurant with nice breakfast options, Hungarian foods and wines. But of course there are several other options and we encourage you to try as many as you can. :)
Take a look at some of the best Hungarian restaurants in Budapest (most of them are mixed, not only Hungarian). You shouldn’t miss the most delicious cakes in Budapest: try Auguszt Cafe at Astoria (or the one behind Mammut shopping mall on the Buda side) or Cafe Ruszwurm in the Buda Castle or the ‘First Strudel Bar in Pest’ in a street called Oktober 6, close to the city centre and Deak square (Deák tér is where all metro lines meet). Yummy! really, shamelessly.
Ruin bars are a great idea! They are usually more alternative, artistic and peculiar in their interior design and in the regulars too. Much favoured by locals and tourists alike! Some of the places we recommend (check the opening hours please):
Instant http://www.instant.co.hu/
Corvin Teto http://corvinteto.hu/en (closed on Sun, open from Tue to Sat) – nice place to dance at too
Szimpla http://www.szimpla.hu/ (this is the first and most popular place, open all week)
Gondozo kert http://www.facebook.com/Gondozokert?sk=wall (open all week) (no website only FB site)
but there are many more, some pics here: http://romkocsmak.hu/
Kertem is a good pub in the City Park, if the weather is good and you are near Heroes square (Hosok tere) and the Szechenyi Baths
The most popular and highly rated culinary tours in Budapest are probably the Budapest Market tours, there are some nice Budapest wine tours too (usually with optional foods with the wines, please, check with the tour organizers), and cooking classes sound a great fun, like the one offered by Chefparade cooking school or Culinary Hungary Home (of course, you can eat what you make and it is the point too) – think of it as a city, cultural and cooking tour (in English, of course).
bike tours in Budapest

Buda Castle will not be closed at all, it will have spectacular Easter processions! See more here:
http://topbudapest.org/budapest-event-calendar-april-2012
(several museums are open at bank holidays, but closed on Mondays)

Hi Tori, Budapest is pretty spread out and mostly safe, so which areas (or ‘districts’ – kerület as it is called in Hungarian) you pick is really up to your preferences.
If proximity and buzzing night life is a priority on your Budapest travel list, aim for ’5. kerület’ district 5, where Deák tér is the square where all 3 metro lines meet and you can get to very many parts of the city literally in a few minutes (5-15 min)
The most central areas in Budapest with lots of things to do and see is district 5 (but the famous Castle is on the Buda side, district 1, while the other major group of attractions is next to the City Park (district 14 – districts or areas are indicated by Roman numbers, so it is XIV).
Even if you decide not to stay in downtown Budapest, it is worth booking a room near a metro station to make your trip more streamlined.
The big ‘no-no’ district used to be district 8 (only the part of the district further away from the river Danube, and outside the Grand Boulevard called körút in Hungarian), about 5-1o years ago or so, but recent urban developments, and social changes in the area are making district 8 in Budapest more and more mainstream for tourists.
Take a look at the Google Maps: district V (district 5), district VI (district 6) should be perfect on the Pest side, while district 1 is the calmer Buda side (but still a lot to do).
The metro is usually fine (approx. 23:24 is the last train on M2, 23:16 for M3, 23:2o for M1 – depending on which direction you wish to go, after that the metro stations are closed down until about 4:3o) , in our experience even late night trains are used by several other passengers, especially on Fri and Sat night, which are the party nights. There are sometimes football matches when the fans gather together and chant like hell, but most of the time people travel and there are no commotions. Yes, I would venture to say that ‘yes Budapest could be quite well compared with LA or NY or Paris safety-wise’, act sensibly, stay in well lit places where several other ‘good-looking’ passengers travel with you, don’t just follow strangers (advice or offers), unless you have well founded reason to believe that you can trust them. Hope this helps. Have a nice trip to Budapest!

Hi Kristin, thanks for the comment. Unfortunately, the labyrinth under the Buda Castle Hill was closed down (the government decided to make the place state owned again).

Hi Darren, I think the best five star hotel in Budapest regarding its location must be the Four Seasons Hotel, which is in a historical Art Nouveau building called Gresham Palace – very very central, yet romantic, luxury rooms and suites looking over the river Danube, the Castle on the Buda Hill, the Fishermans Bastion, the Chain Bridge, etc. In addition to its location, currently this is the only 5 star hotel in Budapest with top notch ratings (5 out of the max 5) given by actual hotel guests on the buzzing Trip Advisor travel site: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g274887-d276849-Reviews-Four_Seasons_Hotel_Gresham_Palace-Budapest.html

Weather in mid April is absolutely capricious, anything from 5 C degrees chilly weather with rain and wind to 25 Celsius degrees dry sunny spring days.

Hi Bocadillos,
Hotel Central 21 is in a nice location in Budapest, it is quite central, which is great for Budapest attractions, and there are many 19th century buildings (check with google streetview).

As far as I know Hotel Central 21 itself is in an old building with privately owned flats / apartments on all the floors in the building except for the 2nd floor, where Central 21 rooms are. Don’t miss the building, it is the hotel indeed. :)
Some reviews remarked that the double rooms seem larger in the photos than in real life.

Szechenyi Baths – I think there are pros and cons for the morning and the afternoon or evening sessions too (personally I would go later, to enjoy the starlit sky and the night lights – Szechenyi Bath is open until 1o pm). In the morning, it is a good way to refresh after the night (maybe the day of your tiring journey) and get hungry (water always makes us hungry somehow) then have a nice lunch. In the afternoon, it is nice to relax after the long walks in the city of Budapest and then have a dinner somewhere (see tips for Budapest restaurants here) – some of them are on Andrassy avenue, relatively close to the Szechenyi Baths, and there are loads on Liszt Ferenc ter (get off the M1 metro at Oktogon from Heroes square). If you plan to discover Budapest on foot, I would go for the afternoon bath (even though it may mean – depending on your preferences and if you go back to the hotel during midday – that you will need to carry along the bath stuff).

Yep, a Danube cruise in Budapest is really nice, romantic, spectacular (World Heritage site) and slowly moving (some cruises offer lunch, dinner, buffet and even music entertainment but there are purely simple river cruises too)
What other things to do we recommend in Budapest in addition to the above top ten things to do? It usually depends on what you tell us you are interested in. :) But with a girlfriend we would recommend the Romantic Budapest things to do as well as the Fun things to do in Budapest. Current events for April are here, see if there is something you like at the weekend (the city is really buzzing on weekends, and now spring is here so there is nothing to stop you!):
http://topbudapest.org/budapest-event-calendar-april-2012

Have a beautiful weekend in Budapest, Hungary (and sorry about the last minute reply, we are literally flooded with emails)

Hi,
we have a short list of family friendly things to do and see in Budapest
while the most beautiful attractions in Budapest are available here.
Are both of the children 2 years old?
I think my top options would be (depending on the weather too) (and based on my 21 month old daughter’s interests)
outdoor, for sunny days in Budapest: the Castle Hill and the Buda Castle, the Budapest Zoo (lovely Art Nouveau buildings, decent little zoo)(by the City Park where there are ducks in the artificial ponds), the Vajdahunyad Castle (by the City Park), Dagaly spa and pools or Palatinus pools (an open air lido on the Margaret Island), Margaret Island – hire a family bike cart and take a walk to the petting zoo (a free, tiny zoo on the island) and there is a nice play ground there too, maybe the Amusement Park (next to the Zoo and the Budapest Circus). The Budapest Children Train is quite off the city centre in the beautiful Buda Hills, but it is worth the ride there I think – see Budapest Gyermekvasut http://www.gyermekvasut.hu/english/chrw_home.php
indoor, for rainy days in Budapest: the Budapest Zoo, the Palace of Wonders in the Millenaris Park (Buda side, the Millenaris is a big cultural centre – with outdoor fairs, concerts too), the National Circus (the circus has a permanent building by the Zoo), the Museum of Transport (in the City Park), Hungarian Natural History Museum (on Ludovika square, M3 metro line, Klinikak metro station) Opening hours: 10 a.m to 5 pm, Closed on Tuesday

Have a nice time with the kids in Budapest! :)

No one has answered my question. :(

Hello Chiara,

the Hotel Star Inn (Centrum) in Budapest is in a good location, you can check it on our interactive Budapest map with all the major attractions and good restaurants here (your hotel is in the middle, halfway between Nyugati train station and Oktogon square):
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=209138975218058034537.000442bc601024e5d8d78&msa=0&ll=47.508548,19.059691&spn=0.007494,0.01929
You have excellent connections (M1 metro, and the number 4-6 tram which is running along the grand boulevard), and the Budapest attractions nearby are the Budapest Opera House, the House of Terror Museum on Andrassy avenue, the Hungarian House of Photography in Nagymezo street, the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, etc. Major attractions will be easily available with the metro at Oktogon (M1, a pretty little nostalgic metro) – a couple of stations and minutes and you are at either Heroes square, Szechenyi Baths, Vajdahunyad Castle etc. or towards the Danube you can get to Vorosmarty square (Cafe Gerbeaud) and with a 2 minute walk to the Danube riverbank (Chain Bridge, the Hungarian Parliament, etc.)

You can find nice restaurants withing walking distance of your hotel (again, shown on the map above with a fork and knife)
Cafe Bouchon Restaurant, Krizia Restaurant (Ristorante Krizia), Balettcipo Restaurant (Balettcipő), Klassz Bistro (Klassz Bisztró), Ket Szerecsen Coffee House and Bistro in Budapest (Két Szerecsen Étterem), to mention but a few. More restaurants in Budapest here: http://restaurants.topbudapest.org/
Probably the best wine tour is in the Castle district, in the World Heritage site – offered by Faust Wine Cellar – see Budapest wine tours here: http://topbudapest.org/tours/wine-tours-in-budapest
To book a dinner cruise for the Danube you need to pick which company you would like to go to. Some are here: http://topbudapest.org/tours/boat-tours-river-tours
In the Jewish quarters you can find kosher and non kosher restaurants too.
Kádár Étkezde (Kadar Eatery) is a lovely little place from the socialist decades, still working, still great food, but not a fancy place, kind of retro.
Koleves Restaurant (Kőleves) and Spinoza Restaurant are quite popular in the Jewish Quarters. For Kosher meals in Budapest go to Hanna Orthodox Kosher Restaurant.
Fausto’s Ristorante (Fausto’s Étterem) offers Italian cuisine, and so does Osteria Fausto’s Restaurant.

Have a nice trip to Budapest!

PS: sorry about the late reply, during the holidays our volunteer team is focusing more on family life, but we should probably set up a fee paying service for urgent questions. I think we could do that to avoid disappointment.

Hi Rida, while most shops in Budapest are closed on national holidays like May 1 Labour Day in Hungary, many museums are still open e.g. the Museum of Fine Arts on Heroes square (Hősök tere) (but because it is open on May 1, it will be closed on May 2, Wednesday) or the Museum of Ethnography on Kossuth square (Kossuth tér), Ludwig Museum Budapest – contemporary art museum – open from 1o am to 8 pm, etc.
Likewise, the Castle Hill attractions will also be open on the 1st of May, Tuesday in Budapest.

If you want to buy some groceries, there are some shops that are open all year round, no matter what, even on bank holidays: they are called ‘nonstop’ shops (we use the word nonstop in Hungarian for this 24/7 category)

Hello Rushelle, hopefully you will have nice weather in mid April Budapest (it could be freezing or hot too, so please bring layered water resistant clothes, e.g. a thinner cardigan plus a thicker one and a waterproof hooded jacket should be fine for upper garments, comfy water repellent shoes and trousers, plus a couple of T shirts or jerseys) and can enjoy both indoor and outdoor events, tours in our beautiful Hungarian capital.
As 3 days is quite short, I think the best for you all will be not to try to rush through all major attractions in Budapest, which is quite spread out.
A walking tour is an excellent idea. Budapest invites you for a lot of walking (the city is quite flat on the Pest side, and hilly valley on the Buda side) – you will see how much you wish to walk without getting exhausted. I would recommend mixing walking with relaxing e.g.
optional things to do
eating at nice places (see below), here just let me add that Budapest is a city of cakes, wonderful cakes and pastries at some excellent cafe or ‘cukrászda’ (confectionary), and the cake ‘flodni’ (traditional Jewish cake) is really something you should try
taking a spa bath if your granddaughter is over 14 she will enjoy a bath at Szechenyi Baths with you for sure – it is really relaxing and fun, the bath is mixed and open until 1o pm, very close to the Heroes square and a bunch of important Budapest sights, like the Hungarian Museum of Fine Arts, the Vajdahunyad Castle, the Budapest Zoo, etc.)
visiting the Central Market Hall (something like a more humble version of the Covent Garden)
and the Castle Hill with a bunch of the best of Budapest attractions like the Fishermans Bastion, the Buda Castle with beautiful statues and views over the Pest side and the Danube, Cafe Ruszwum (19th century cafe), and the Matthias Church

Further options are quite up to your granddaughter’s interests assuming you have general interests (arts, history, culture, gastronomy).
Does she like history? Maybe you could try and see the Rock Hospital Museum (former cold war bunker) under the Buda Castle built into the Castle Hill. Statue Park (Szoborpark) is an open air permanent exhibition of the former gigantic street statues from the socialist regime (about 1-1 hour from and back to the city centre, which may not be your best option in such a short span of time. Nevertheless, it is a nice and unique way to let her peep behind the iron curtain in a soft way). The most popular historical museum, the House of Terror, might be a bit too shocking and gruesome for her age – the museum is about the Nazi and Fascist regime with real life interrogation rooms, etc. – powerful and educational.
As for art, I think the Museum of Fine Arts is your best option for bad weather (by Heroes square) – something like the British Museum on a much smaller scale, of course. The nearby Vajdahunyad Castle is a great option for fair weather – a ‘fusion building’ from 1896 made up of various buildings featuring all kinds of architectural styles (medieval, romantic, etc.) – currently functioning as the Museum of Agriculture.
Should you have energy at around 7pm, try to get a few tickets (balcony tickets are ridiculously cheap) at the Budapest Opera House – beautiful building, and hopefully a nice performance.
I don’t think it makes sense to offer more for your 3 day stay in Budapest, but let me know, if you should have special interests.

Breakfast places close to Sofitel Chain Bridge Hotel, Budapest:
breakfasts (in a price range of 5-12 GBP): as number one, I would recommend Cafe Gerloczy (5-8 min walk from Sofitel Hotel Budapest), or a strudel place – about 1o-15 min walk – Rétesház (First Strudel House, which offers continental and Hungarian style rural breakfasts – but probably not English breakfast), Két Szerecsen is further away, about 15 min walk (but you can take the M1 for 1 stop to cut it shorter), which serves quite good English breakfast I hear, Cafe Central – approx. 15 min walk – is a nice airy bright restaurant and cafe with good breakfasts. Lastly, Fruccola Breakfast place (on Kristof ter) is the best option for a real bargain English breakfast (about 3-4 GBP), approx. 8 min walk from your hotel by the Chain Bridge.

Nice restaurants nearby the Sofitel Chain Bridge Hotel, Budapest:

Onyx Restaurant on Vorosmarty ter (1 star in the Michelin guide, currently the best restaurant in Hungary, worth visiting for an affordable (!) lunch menu
Salaam Bombay Indian restaurant – closest to the Sofitel Hotel Budapest
Cafe Kor in Sas street Budapest – Hungarian and international cuisine
Cyrano Restaurant
Cafe Central (see at the breakfast places too)

Have a nice trip to Budapest!

Hello Linda, I think there are 2 truly exclusive and gourmand restaurants that would deserve to be a special birthday restaurants in Budapest, but neither of them has a beautiful view (Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace used to have a nice restaurant but they decided to run a cafe instead of a proper luxury restaurant):
both of these culinary establishments have a 1 star rating in the world famous Michelin restaurant guide, and dinners are quite expensive (booking needed): Budapest Michelin restaurants:
Onyx Restaurant Budapest, and Costes Restaurant Budapest
That being said, we would also recommend some of the other nice places to eat: e.g. in the Castle area Cafe Pierrot, which is in itself romantic, or the river Danube. Maybe A38 ship (music club and) restaurant: we think the food is not spectacular, but the design and the views are nice, basically the restaurant is on a ship on the Danube with nice views (there are several Danube cruises with dinners available too – if you like the idea).
Some of the really good restaurants (no views either, but probably lovely and enjoyable for a birthday dinner):
Chez Daniel French restaurant
Ristorante Krizia Budapest
Fausto’s Restaurant in Szekely Mihaly street Budapest
Klassz Bistro
Happy celebration in Budapest! :)

Hi Elizabeth, thank you, we are glad to help for Budapest tourists.
May 1 is a national holiday in Budapest, which – regarding opening hours – means that:
banks and shops are closed,
but museums, and cultural centres are open
restaurants are I think either following the shops or the museums – some are closed others let hungry folks celebrate in the restaurants – it is really up to each restaurant’s policy.
Special events for May 1 Labour Day? Sure, anything that is bigger and greener – parks, islands, like the City Park (Varosliget), Elisabeth square (Erzsebet ter), Margaret Island (Margitsziget) will have open air concerts, and lots of people enjoying the holiday by either bringing their own picnic baskets or most of them ‘ravaging the pantry’: buying sausages, Langos (sour dough snack – Hungarian specialty), frankfurters, grilled veggie plates, cakes, etc. in the food stalls, and drinking beer, palinka (Hungarian brandy) and the like. The most central May 1 2012 festivities will likely be on Elisabeth square (right next to Deak square where all 3 Budapest metro lines meet), while the biggest ones are usually in the City Park by Heroes square (Hősök tere – M1 yellow metro line stop)

Vegetarians may find good vegetarian plates in the better restaurants, or here is our vegetarian Budapest restaurant map with some ideas for places to eat and groceries to buy:
http://map.topbudapest.org/vegetarian

Traditional Hungarian foods are really on the meaty side, or use lard – if made in a traditional way. But most modern kitchens (most Hungarian housewives) use vegetable oil (sunflower most typically and olive). A vegetarian Hungarian meal could be the Hungarian ratatouille ‘lecso’ (lecsó is made with stewed tomato, peppers, and onion – often mixed with scrambled eggs – ‘tojásos lecsó’, or fried bacon pieces, sausages, etc.) But plain lecso (say leh-choh) is actually a vegetarian dish. Also ‘langos’ the much favoured snack is vegetarian if the dough is fried in vegetable oil: http://budapestblog.luxuryhotelsbudapest.com/dining-in-budapest-langos-the-filling-snack/
Paprika potatoes is a very nice and filling dish – again, the plain version is without sausages and bacon: vegetables and potato mix. Hungarians eat a lot of stewed vegetables with roux called ‘fozelek’, which is a typical lunch or dinner dish for the weekdays. You may wish to try the following: spinach dish (spenót főzelék), green bean dish (zöldbab főzelék), bean dish (bab főzelék), lentil dish (lencsefőzelék), potato dish (krumpli főzelék), pea dish (borsófőzelék), etc. usually served with fried egg or sausages, etc. I myself would go for the spinach with boiled egg. :) But some like tökfőzelék (pumpkin) with lots of dills. We also eat lots of soups, again each vegetable has its own soup varieties.
But there are superb less traditional vegetarian meals of course – various grilled vegetables (there are some really tasteful vegetables here in Hungary, from yellow pepper through to ripe tomatoes, etc.
If you have a sweet tooth you will enjoy the wonderful Hungarian cakes. Try ‘flodni’ if you like moist cakes or ‘Dobos torta’ cake if you like drier cakes, or ‘Kremes’ if you like things with loads of cream. Gesztenye püré – chestnut puree is eaten as a dessert with whipped cream and sometimes cherries soaked in rum.
Turo rudi (Túró rudi – Pöttyös) is a Hungarian sweet specialty, basically cottage cheese rolls covered in chocolate – the cottage cheese in Hungary, as you will feel is very granular, unlike the English cottage cheese.
Here is a list of the best Hungarian confectioneries in Budapest: http://restaurants.topbudapest.org/confectioneries
And another delicious specialty you should not miss as a vegetarian gastro tourist is the Hungarian pickles: home made if possible (try the big market halls, like Central Market Hall or the cheaper Lehel Market Hall): cabbage pickles are heavenly (savanyú káposzta), or kovászos uborka (gherkin pickles), or csemege uborka (sweet pickled gherkins), or mixed pickles (csalamádé), or pepper stuffed with pickled cabbage (káposztával töltött paprika) – pickles are typically eaten with the main courses in Hungary (not just with meaty main courses but all kinds of main courses – one takes 2-3 spoonfuls or forkfuls of the main course and then comes the pickle bite, oftentimes hot pickles).
Lastly, although not Hungarian meals (more ‘Central European’ wherever it may have originated from, it is typical of the regional cuisine), you may like some of the following:
‘juhtúrós sztrapacska’ (a wonderful dish of noodles with ewe cottage cheese) and ‘padlizsánkrém’ with toasts which is roasted eggplant mixed with sauces and herbs (each family has its own recipe)
Have a nice trip to Budapest, Hungary.

Hello Monica, I think your best option for the weekend is the world famous Szechenyi Bath (mixed /coed every day, very popular, beautiful architecture, outdoor pools) in the vicinity of a bunch of further Budapest attractions, close to Heroes square.
If you are scheduling the bath for Sunday, Gellert Bath is also a good option (most of the week not mixed, but on Sundays is, slightly more expensive, less packed, amazing Art Nouveau mosaics, and the 3 outdoor pools are also open now in this fantastic summer weather in Budapest we are blessed with.) If you are looking for something less touristy, smaller, and historical Turkish bath in Budapest, we recommend the Veli Bej Turkish bath, close to the Margaret Bridge. Veli Bej and Gellert are on the Buda side, by the river Danube, while Szechenyi is on the Pest side, in the City Park.
The facade and some other parts at Rudas bath and Lukacs bath are currently under construction but the baths are still open in both. Kiraly is mixed and Turkish, very historical as it has not been restored for ages, so the original octagonal bath, the half-lit Turkish dome etc. are not contrasted with modern clean walls – somehow more authentic if you are into that. :)
Cheers, have fun in Budapest!

Hello Sarah,
If you are only staying for the Formula 1 race and not even 1 day to do some sightseeing in Budapest, I guess you would want to be closer to the departure points to the Hungarian F1 race from Budapest: one of the options is the official F1 bus from Budapest Arpad Bridge on the Pest side, where the free shuttle bus to Hungaroring Formula 1 Mogyorod leaves from. Arpad Bridge is an M3 blue line metro station, so anywhere on the M3 line is also good I think.
The other choice, which I think is also very good is taking the suburban train from Ors Vezer square (Örs Vezér tér). This train is called HÉV in Hungarian for short (heyv), and goes every 10-15 min on weekdays:
here is the bilingual timetable from Budapest to Mogyorod for weekdays http://bkv.hu/hev/H8_H9_godolloi_hev.html
and 10-25 min at weekends
http://bkv.hu/hev/H8_H9_godolloi_hev_2.html
Mogyorod is not the final stop of the suburban train, so stay alert, your trip is about 30-35 minutes. When you get off at the Mogyorod HEV train station, there will be a free shuttle to take you to the F1 Grand Prix race track.
Ors Vezer square is also a metro station (like Arpad Bridge) but on M2 red metro line.

Now, for the Arpad Bridge choice: Adina Apartment Hotel close to the Lehel square metro station (M3) may be an excellent choice. True it is a hotel but really good value for money (check their rates around GBP 69)
A much cheaper solution, if you find even affordable hotels out of the limit is e.g. Aventura Boutique Hostel, a few min walk from Nyugati Train Station, which is on the M3 metro line, a couple of min from Arpad Bridge where you can take the free shuttle buses to the Hungarian F1. Its ratings are pretty good and the average price per night per person is about GBP 30.
Easy Hotel Budapest Oktogon is about 6 min walk from the Nyugati Train station M3 metro station – average price per room is GBP 25.
I think these two hostels are your best options, which are also great for sightseeing.

If they are booked up, you can try further options. Ors vezer square is not a good area to stay in, so I would recommend being in the city centre on the M2 metro line, e.g. at Astoria station, you can find Budapest Panorama Hotel and Budapest City Central hotel both at about GBP 49 per night. From Astoria you can be easily at Ors Vezer square in about 10-15 min.

You definitely should not take the cab, as all the traffic at this time peaks, as if everyone felt the urge to get to F1 by cab or in their own ‘Formula 1 racing car’. There will be traffic jams for sure (that’s why the regular, although not free, suburban train might be a good option too). Imagine being stuck in a taxi and getting all the huge taxi charges just waiting in the car… Not recommended at all.

If you want to cool down during the hot days of the Hungaroring Hungarian F1 race, try the water pools at Aquarena, right next to the Mogyorod Formula 1 tracks – it is a really good waterpark with lots of slides and fun things to do. :)

Hi Sarah, no problem, being alone in a new city can be quite confusing. Luckily Budapest is easy to manage with its efficient public transport system.
Most attractions are on the Pest side, which is also more lively than the Buda side. See our Budapest Tourist Map here. The major attractions in Buda are basically in or around the Buda Castle / Royal Palace atop the Castle Hill, and the baths along the river Danube. Pest is better for booking your room also because of the Hungarian F1 Grand Prix car race. Out of the two Budapest hostels, Easy Hotel Budapest Oktogon has a better location, but Aventura Boutique Hostel is easily manageable as it is close to a metro station, and you can get almost anywhere in 15 min with the metros. The two hotels at Astoria are very centrally located, excellent choices again. Astoria itself is a square with an M2 metro station, taking you anywhere, plus the river is a ten min walk, which is great for seeing the night lights after sunset. If you choose this location in downtown Budapest, you need to take M2 metro to Deak square for 1 stop (or walk to Deak square in 5 min from Astoria), then take the M3 metro to Arpad Bridge to get on the F1 shuttle to Mogyorod. Or, take M2 from Astoria, all the way to Ors Vezer square, then get on the suburban train to Mogyorod (then the free shuttle bus will pick you at the suburban train – HÉV – station). The metro goes (mostly) underground in Budapest, the suburban train is a surface train – metros and suburban trains
There are all sorts of travel passes, for 72 hours or even a week for tourists, very affordable ones, see where to buy tickets and passes
The average cost of travelling by taxi within the city is around HUF 2,000-3,500, so it is really not cheap.
From Arpad Bridge to F1 Mogyorod by bus, it should be ideally around 35 min, however, traffic congestion can double the bus trip easily.
I am sure that you will quickly make friends with a couple of tourists and locals at the Formula 1 in Mogyorod, so you may end up joining them, which is more fun at night. Do check out the ruin pubs in Budapest if you like cool clubs.

Hello Peter, I do apologize for taking so long to get back to your questions. So first the language learning – Hungarian exchange:
I have been trying to contact a couple of the tutors, schools, course organizers of Hungarian language, including Fungarian, which has been well reviewed on TripAdvisor (a short and concise intro to the Magyar language, with fun – maybe worth a try, even if it costs about 15 euros
Another option is to send your comment here: Learning Hungarian in Budapest I have set up a quasi forum (post plus comments) for those who want to learn Hungarian in Budapest, and are looking for alternatives, including language exchange classes. Please specify which days you want to have classes on (when in June 2012), what language you could offer teaching in exchange, and maybe what teaching background you have, if any it may help (?) (to entice your future teacher). :)
Until the ‘seeking Hungarian Tutor’ post gets more visibility in google, I will link this post (plus your question in the comment) to the Hungarian social network site, iwiw.hu with my personal ID (or you can try to register and go through putting up a free classified ad, saving me some time) :) It could be your first steps towards Hungarian… Then Hungarians can apply / discuss options with you. Does it help?
But of course, I am happy to help you with trying to find a local Hungarian teacher in Budapest willing to give you Hungarian classes. Another option is the good old Craigslist Budapest http://budapest.craigslist.org/search/lss?query=+
Maybe you could get lucky here too (or join a Hungarian language learning team). Then there are teachers of Hungarian of course (for tuition fee, not exchange based) e.g. Gabriella Kiss at http://hungarianteacher.com/
Hopefully you will end up with a good teacher (oh, yes, maybe Facebook ads?).

Now for the Budapest festivals or special events that will be on in Budapest in June 2012: you will hopefully find something nice to do in our Budapest Event Calendar like the Budapest Czech Beer Festival 2012, the Night of the Museums 2012, the Budai Gourmet Festival 2012 – all in June, as is this, where you can even learn how to dance in Hungarian:
e.g.

Let me know if you need me to place your ad on the Hungarian FB called iwiw (‘international who is who’, which somehow remained Hungarian, guess cause of FB supremacy)
And have a nice trip – 3 weeks is not a typical tourist stay, but you surely won’t be bored. :)

Hi Miky, hope the message gets you still in time, only 2 days left. :)

I am sorry to say that if you like partying it may have been a better option to find an accommodation in Budapest downtown somewhere in district V, Vi, or VII (5, 6, or 7), but you will surely manage your ways from Budaors (bus 272) and then tram 49 to Deak square. First you should get a public transport travel card / travel pass. Here is some info about Budapest public transport and how to get around in the city and buying Budapest public transit passes
You will have plenty of time to discover the city, go to the baths – here are some of the spas in Budapest
I would recommend Rudas Bath where you can also go to late night bathing – sorry not a party just bathing -from 10 pm to 4am on Fri and Sat. But Szechenyi is definitely the most fun of all. I am very sorry to say that the famous spa parties (Cinetrip sparties) in Szechenyi will only start in July and there will be a huge spectacular sparty with all kinds of audiovisual pleasures on August 4 2012 (if you should to come back for more)
Crazy nights? Let me see. If I were you, a solo traveller wishing to partyyy in Budapest, I would definitely opt for a pub crawling tour to get to know some folks and get an idea about Budapest nightlife, first hand tips for locals you can talk to and share your sober and less sober thoughts.
You will either love the ruin pubs I guess (hard to recommend without knowing what style of music and craziness you are thinking of) like Corvinteto on Blaha square or Szimpla Kert or Instant, Potkulcs what have you, or A38 ship music club has some roof parties (which are free, hiphop e.g. 25 May, 2012) or concerts, and another party on 27 May (funky, soul, hiphop) in general – check their website (calendar in the upper left corner) http://a38.hu/en/program/sportfreunde-stiller-de?kisnaptar=1
Or you can go and enjoy some techno, hiphop disco parties on Hajogyari Island which has been turned into a party island http://www.dokkdisco.hu/ Then there is Akvarium Club in the city centre on Erzsebet square, or Morrisons pub there is something almost every night. On May 23 Wed night ‘Ablak a Dubra’ sounds cool at Rakoczi bridge party place called Budapest Park http://budapestpark.hu/ Their current site is pretty lame but the place is cool and maybe their Facebook page tells more http://www.facebook.com/parkofficial. Did you have something like this in mind? http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3102227119603&set=o.106167332842294&type=3&theater there are really all sorts of things to do, salsa, karaoke too

Other ways to get excited in Budapest ? You mean like bungee jumping in Budapest, or taking a helicopter tour (the latter is available, the former is only done at various festivals in Hungary, but no permanent place for jumping), or doing some adventure tours? Anyway, these sound crazy and fun to me: beerbike.hu Biking and drinking beer or renting an old Socialist car called Trabant in Budapest, just google renting Trabant Budapest, here is e.g. this company http://www.rentaretrocar.hu/. Paintball has always been in the ‘crazy’ category http://www.pincepaintball.hu/ or http://www.extremepaintball.hu/ then there is go-kart, quad, etc.
I think the Hospital in the Rock is a cool place to visit (nuclear shelter) but I am not sure if this is crazy enough. :) And I think it is pretty cool to take a Budapest sightseeing tour on a Segway, which is an experience in itself. Let me know quickly if this is helpful.
Have fun and let us know how crazy things got in Budapest.

Hi Frankie, we have put together a Budapest stag party dos and donts series of tips, hope this helps.
Sorry about the late reply, it took some time to make the article informative. For late June things to do, please take a look at our Budapest Events Calendar. What sort of activities do you have in mind? Parties, festivals, concerts?

Hi Horacio, glad to hear that you enjoyed Budapest, it is always nice to hear back from tourists. :) And yes, it is called La Isla Margarita in Spanish.
I will add the google translation of your comment, in case some one is interested:
Hello, I’ve gone on holiday to Hungary, and I’ve had a great time!!, Is a beautiful country, beautiful. I’ve been in Heviz, I have met a part of Lake Balaton …. its temperate waters, I went to a lake medicinal (smelling of sulfur) to 36 th grade was the Agun (Heviz), I recommend it is FANTASTIC, has and has not seen the ferret (snake) has not gone, that I saw … and gave me a fright, never in my life had swum so fast …. I later learned that they do nothing, you just have to hit the water to go …. jejejjejeje … A stunning landscapes. In Budapest, is more city, more people, but no less interesting, ha .. centrral market, I left with my mouth open …… the ground …… CLEAN, just like the Boqueria (Barcelona) or the market of San Miguel (Madrid) …. has .. other interesting data in the guided tour of Parliament (in Spanish), if my memory of 320 deputies passed 2014 to 200 … (Not to be political) … but … I’ll leave.
The tribute to the Jews, the tree of life, and shoes just in front of parliament on the banks of the Danube.
All bridges and the island margarita (I hope not mistaken in the name), is amazing.
Ha. buenisisisismos ice cream … the sweet paprika, and a myriad of good things …. Fewer cyclists, the trend is going too fast, we have seen many accidents involving cyclists and pedestrians trampling among cyclists.
In conclusion, I will go again, but only that portion of Lake Balaton (Heviz), I’ve been in love with the area.

Hello Sandra,
wow, I am sure you will have a lovely birthday in Budapest! Especially with so many friends. :)

Budapest baths:

it is pretty easy to answer which bath is the best bath in Budapest, especially in winter time, when the summer thermal baths / lidos are all closed (like Palatinus, Dagaly, etc.): I would wholeheartedly recommend Szechenyi Baths as your number one spa bath choice. Gellert is also famous, but it has no heated outdoor pools (unlike Szechenyi, where there are 3 naturally warm spring water pools, one even has a wave pool). Take a look at both, which appeals to your style, but the vast majority of locals and tourists alike adore Szechenyi Bath. If you want to get some great spa deals, you can book massage packages (for the whole group too) on szechenyispabaths.com/massage. Besides massage, there is sauna, steam room, beauty salon, fish pedicure, (it can be fun it is a novelty). :)

Gellert Baths also has massages and other spa and wellness facilities. Gellert is only coed on weekends, while Szechenyi is mixed every day.

Then there are some more exotic or rather historical Turkish baths in Budapest.

Budapest bar crawl:

I think bar crawls in Budapest are really fun, and usually very cheap. Of course, you can do it yourself too (here are some of the best bars in Budapest). Many of the cool bars are in one neighbourhood (at least the ones that are open in January in Budapest – summer time bars are blooming right now in July – August, and they are more scattered in the city, but winter time bars are somehow more concentrated). There are two bar / restaurant zones in Budapest:

a, the best and most unique of Budapest bars called the ‘ruin pubs’ (hip bars in a recycled design fashion with lots of mixed crowds and cool music – ruin means that the buildings they are in are waiting for renovation) in District VI and District VII: Szimpla Kert, Fogashaz, Instant, Otkert, Mika Tivadar Mulato, etc., and Old Mans Pub (an established lively rock pub in Akacfa street – not ruin pub)

b, the bars on and around Liszt Ferenc Square (Liszt Ferenc tér) and Jokai Square by Andrassy Avenue (like the Budapest Salsa and Latino fun bar, Barrio Latino.

c, then the few out of the zone bars: A38 (and some more in summer time) with lots of international concerts (rock, punk, metal, hiphop, worldmusic, psychedelic, disco, etc.)

d, there are quite good jazz bars too – less pub feeling, more refined environments – sort of jazz concert cafes, not the sweaty jazz underground feeling – some Budapest Jazz events here

Budapest restaurants – reservations are definitely needed in better restaurants for the size of your team

as you are a big group of ten, I will try to recommend a few places to eat in Budapest where you could feel happy, all ten of you (and as you are coming in Jan you won’t be enjoying sitting out on a terrace, sorry):

Klassz – a really good wine restaurant, Hungarian meals, French bistro style
Borkonyha WineKitchen – likewise, wine, great food, caters for groups well
Dio Restaurant – Hungarian cuisine
Mák Bistro – a young, more modern, more hip style good restaurant (got the award of the favourite of Budapest last year)
Araz – French – Hungarian, stylish contemporary interior and cuisine
Costes – the best gourmet restaurant but also good for a group of ten
Vak Varju – a fun place to eat, many Hungarian dishes though not the best I have eaten, still a nice option, close to Deak

for something more traditional English – Irish – Scottish pub style restaurant, with sports screenings too

Jack Doyle’s Irish Pub & Restaurant
Becketts (Irish)
Legends Sports Bar (International)

Top restaurants with other cuisines:

Taverna Dionysos – Greek, lovely, superb food
Trattoria Toscana and Fausto’s – both top quality Italian

some also like Iguana, one of the Mexican restaurants, personally I was disappointed, but many love it

great value for money restaurants

Paprika Restaurant – feels like being in a funky folk museum but great food and atmosphere, cheap prices, not a romantic birthday setting
Menza on Liszt Ferenc Square (here you will find a dozen of restaurants)

miscellaneous

Olimpia – great for a good lunch (closed on Sun)
Trofea Grill – eat and drink as much as you want for approx. HUF 5,000 (a real budget restaurant, very popular for celebrations)
Dinner and Cruise on the river Danube in Budapest – to have river views, buffet style dinner during the river cruise, live music, and then go on clubbing

BorsSo Restaruant and Gerloczy Cafe are both excellent, I am not sure if they have tables for groups of ten though, but may be worth a try if you are in the neighbourhood.

Party on the Danube“>Party on the Boat from 11 pm (I am not sure about the Budapest boat party winter schedule, in summer it is quite fun and frequent)

Budapest weather in January

Chilly, freezing cold, snowy, oftentimes under zero, around minus 5 or even minus 8 degrees Celsius. While many people in Budapest wear thick clothes from tip to toe (hats, gloves, scarves, etc.), we have witnessed that some tourists from the UK don shorts and a sweater…. In light of this controversy, and to be on the safe side, I would recommend bringing clothes that you can put on in layers, cardigans, etc. and some waterproof shoes / boots. And a versatile winter coat. The sun goes down at about 4 pm or so, so you can enjoy the night lit Budapest views pretty early from a boat tour (see above) – absolutely a must do in Budapest, usually 1/1.5 hour with lots of sights to see and drinks to enjoy.
Happy birthday celebrations! Let us know, if you liked Budapest and what especially. :)

Hi Kate,

I hope I am still in time with the reply – Budapest Events August 10-13
I will enlist a few general options, but it would help a lot, if you shared some preferences, like music style, theatre, party, cruise, baths, e.g. younger things to do (disco, party, pub crawls, etc.) or more relaxed and mature things to do in Budapest (cruises, restaurants, exhibitions, etc.)? I could further finetune my research for you if you give me some more clues.

Outstanding events in Budapest mid Aug:

Aug 10 Budapest
Classical music events in Budapest
Puccini Turandot in Budapest on the Margaret Island
Organ Concert in Budapest

Fun / Party
Sziget Festival Budapest
Palatinus Lido night http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/night-of-lidos-on-palatinus-budapest
Salsa Party

Sightseeing on Boat Tours
Budapest Night Boat tours
Party on the Boat

Jazz
Low key and very nice jazz concert (HU) http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/new-standard-free-jazz-concert-at-holdudvar-bar-on-margaret-island

Theatre
Hungarian Folk Show

Exhibitions
Art and Design during Queen Victoria’s realm (guest exhibition)
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/art-and-design-for-all-the-victoria-albert-museum-at-the-budapest-museum-of-applied-arts
Bodies 2
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/bodies-revealed-exhibition-at-vam-design-center-budapest
Mapplethorpe
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/robert-mapplethorpe-photo-exhibition-at-ludwig-museum-budapest

Aug 11 Budapest

Classical Music
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/hungarian-themed-symphony-concert

Jazz / Triphop – Bin Jip concert

Fun / Party
Sziget Festival Budapest http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/sziget-festival-budapest-2012
The best party on this day at the Szechenyi Baths, Budapest : Szecska Bath Party Budapest
Techno Disco http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/bed-beach-disco-party-budapest

Exhibitions
Art and Design during Queen Victoria’s realm (guest exhibition)
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/art-and-design-for-all-the-victoria-albert-museum-at-the-budapest-museum-of-applied-arts
Bodies 2
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/bodies-revealed-exhibition-at-vam-design-center-budapest
Mapplethorpe
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/robert-mapplethorpe-photo-exhibition-at-ludwig-museum-budapest

Miscellaneous
Sightseeing on Boat Tours
Budapest Night Boat tours
Party on the Boat
Tai Chi Day http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/tai-chi-awareness-day-in-budapest

Aug 12 Budapest
Classical music events in Budapest
Puccini Turandot in Budapest on the Margaret Island http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/budapest-summer-festival-2012

Fun/ Party
Sziget Festival Budapest http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/sziget-festival-budapest-2012
Downtempo Budapest Sunday relax

Theatre
Folk Show – Hungarian http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/hungarian-folk-dance-shows-budapest-august-2012
Folk Show – Ukrainian http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/virsky-ukrainian-national-folk-ensemble-at-papp-laszlo-sports-arena-budapest

Fairs – design and home produce fairs in Budapest on Sundays (on Sundays the Central Market is closed)
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/home-produce-market-at-szimpla-kert-budapest
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/gouba-bazaar-budapest-2012
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/wamp-budapest-design-fair-in-august-2012

Sightseeing on Boat Tours
Budapest Night Boat tours
Party on the Boat

Exhibitions
Art and Design during Queen Victoria’s realm (guest exhibition)
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/art-and-design-for-all-the-victoria-albert-museum-at-the-budapest-museum-of-applied-arts
Bodies 2
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/bodies-revealed-exhibition-at-vam-design-center-budapest
Mapplethorpe
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/robert-mapplethorpe-photo-exhibition-at-ludwig-museum-budapest

Aug 13 Budapest

Fun / Party
Sziget Festival Budapest http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/sziget-festival-budapest-2012

Theatre
Folk Show http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/hungarian-folk-dance-shows-budapest-august-2012

Exhibitions – on Mondays many museums are closed in Budapest
Bodies 2
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/bodies-revealed-exhibition-at-vam-design-center-budapest

Sightseeing on Boat Tours
Budapest Night Boat tours
Party on the Boat

Here is our general monthly calendar (sorry, it takes like ten seconds or so to download, we are having speed issues due to our increased visits to our Budapest travel guide site)
http://topbudapest.org/events/calendar

Let me know if I can help more. Budapest has a lot to offer for all tastes, ages, likes, etc.

Hi Nicola, September 2-6th? or next August 2013?

Hi Nicola, Budapest at this time of the year is full of parties, and there are lots of open air bars, pubs, concert venues open until the warm summer days last (usually till late September), so you are coming at a buzzing time to Budapest, Hungary.
Besides the usual parties, here is what we could recommend visiting (tastes differ though) there are some festivals in Budapest that you may like, from the more mainstream to the more highbrow
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/buda-castle-beer-festival-2012
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/budapest-jewish-summer-festival-2012
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/tilos-radio-birthday-party-festival-at-mika-tivadar-budapest
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/cult-bath-festival-kulturfurdo-in-watertown-budapest

on Sundays, there are some special fairs (flea market, home produce, handmade crafts sort of places):
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/home-produce-market-at-szimpla-kert-budapest
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/gouba-bazaar-budapest-2012
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/holdudvar-fair

When you are planning your Monday, Sep 3, please keep in mind that there are very few museums open (e.g. the Hungarian House of Photography) – so here are some general tips for your Monday:
http://tenthingstodo.topbudapest.org/by-days/things-to-do-in-budapest-on-mondays
and for parties, http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/easy-panel-monday-party-at-fogas-haz-bar-budapest

on Sep 5, you can get a good dancing at Corvinteto http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/rewind-special-party-at-corvinteto-club-budapest-ruin-pub

But if you want to have some more good times, I would recommend a pub crawl (self guided or pub crawl tours) in the Jewish Quarter of Budapest where there are a good dozen places with open air terraces and lots of folks chatting, drinking and enjoying the summer in Budapest. Head to Astoria station (you can get a bite at the lovely Cafe Bocadillo – live music on Monday and Thursday as I recall) then walk to Kazinczy Street and you will bump into all the bars packed in that long nightlife street. Further good venues with lots of events almost every day (concerts, DJs) is Zold Pardon, Budapest Park and for the techno lovers Obuda Island.
Have fun in Budapest!

Hi Graeme,
we could help you more if you give us some clues about what you like (travel styles, music styles, gastro preferences, budget, etc.) anything could help. In general some ideas for the upcoming days.
By other things to do, do you mean
Budapest baths?
Budapest hidden gems?
Concerts? There are all sorts in all genres, from the 8os soft rock http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/toto-concert-petofi-csarnok-pecsa-budapest, through jazz, or folk http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/vonograf-at-gondozo-budapest, or light swing in a nice bistro http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/joe-fritz-band-at-deryne-bistro-june-2012, or the finest klezmer music in the Art Nouveau Zoo http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/budapest-klezmer-band-concert-at-budapest-zoo
Performances? The summer is not the best time (e.g. the Hungarian Opera House goes on holiday), but there are some spectacular folk dance shows http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/hungarian-folk-dance-shows-budapest-august-2012
Budapest Parties? There are zillions this time of the year, like the Szechenyi Baths Szecska sparty http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/budapest-sparty-summer-2012-szecska-at-szechenyi-bath or the Salsa party in a lively place downtown Budapest http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/salsa-party-at-barrio-latino-cafe-budapest
see some more options in our Budapest Events Calendar (which is like the tenth of what is actually going on in the city, and you could possibly enjoy too) http://topbudapest.org/events/calendar

Hi Carl, yes a lot, as always! Which date range do you have in mind and what kind of music / events, etc.?
Anyway, here is our event list (also viewable in calendar) which is slow to download but worth the waiting http://topbudapest.org/events_tags/september-events-budapest
http://topbudapest.org/events_tags/september-events-budapest/page/2
http://topbudapest.org/events_tags/september-events-budapest/page/3

Hi Sandra, the weather in Budapest in early September looks pretty hot, I myself am wearing spaghetti tops with shorts or skirts and still feel the heat (these days around 35 degrees, and this is the end of August). That said, the rainy days may suddenly come, so pack for a bit cooler weather too (1-2 pairs of trousers, 2 cardigans and a light jacket – just in case. Do bring a pair of comfortable shoes as Budapest is big, spread out and absolutely great for walking a lot. If you get tired, head to Szechenyi Bath to pamper your legs and chill out: http://szechenyispabaths.com/). But bring your summer wear definitely. I can see 26 degrees Celsius for 4th of Sep on meteoblue weather forecast site http://www.meteoblue.com/en_GB/weather/forecast/tab/budapest_hu_3616/b/54
As you can see, it is warm in Budapest by day – yet it can get chillier (and the nights are cooler, around 13 degrees Celsius)

Hi Jordon, so sorry you did not get help from us in time. We are literally flooded with emails from Budapest tourists asking for tips and I must have skipped your comment. But I am hoping that you have found some cool parties with your sister. Have you been to Zold Pardon or Obuda Island or any of the ruin pubs? Apologies again.

Hi Daniel, here is our current list of Budapest October Events, which will be richer as the days are approaching as many events are only published 1-2 weeks before the actual event takes places in Budapest.

I will soon include the Oldtimer Show (October 20-23, with sports cars from Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Aston Martin, ISO, Jensen, BMW, military vehicles from the communist regime like the Tiger tank, etc.) in our Budapest Events Calendar too. At the moment this is the only festival I can see during your trip to Budapest. But do check back a few days before your travel to our live Budapest events guide here: http://topbudapest.org/events/calendar

Some nice Hungarian restaurants with decent prices can be found on our Budapest budget dining map (the fork and knife map icon stands for restaurants, the rest are self service eateries, salad bars, etc.). The green icon shows the good and no fancy vegetarian restaruants in Budapest: http://map.topbudapest.org/restaurant-map/budapest-budget-map
As for simple Hungarian restaurants with solid food I would recommend Hunyadi Restaurant on Hunyadi Square (Oktogon), Pozsonyi Vendeglo on Pozsonyi Way by the Margaret Bridge, for a more lively and dynamic place frequented by many young folks you can try Halkakas Fish restaurant or Menza Restaurant on Liszt Ferenc square. There are very nice Hungarian restaurants with French bistro interiors like Borsso Restaurant or Cafe Kor. What style are your attracted to and where in Budapest would you like to eat out?

Hello Jade,

here is our Budapest events 2012 calendar in its current form (hopefully gets fatter by mid October)
http://topbudapest.org/events_tags/october-events-budapest
For the specific date you have given there are all sorts of events, it depends on what you like doing: art? photo exhibitions? opera? parties?
to mention but a few:
Cafe Budapest contemporary art festival with lots of cool and experimental international performances
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/cafe-budapest-contemporary-art-festival-october-2012
Bonus Electronic Festival is a huge techno house party, a huge one literally
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/bonus-electronic-music-festival-budapest-2012
Wildlife photos – worldwide winning photos from a travel exhibition from London
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/the-best-wildlife-photos-exhibition-in-budapest
no festivals or gourmet events have been on our radar yet
Sunday fairs: Szimpla Farmers Market, GOUBA Bazaar
lots of performances, folk shows, operas, dances, etc. and even more concerts (from jazz, through world music to classic or pop rock). What are your preferences?

A link to the general calendar to choose from (click on October at the top of the calendar, which is now automatically set for the current month, and is quite slow, sorry, but we think it is still quite useful to plan your personal events in Budapest)
http://topbudapest.org/events/calendar

Hi Alex, thank you. Even without anything special going on there are great places in Budapest, scenes, scenery, statues, attractions to take photos of. What do you like photographing?
As for events, the Budapest Design week will surely offer some great photo opportunities if you like special designs:
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/budapest-design-week-september-october-2012
What events do you have in mind? Concerts, festivals, parties, etc.?
Maybe a simple fair? http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/farmers-market-at-szimpla-kert-budapest

I know you would like to take photos, but if you like good photos, you might be interested in some of the cool photo exhibitions on display at the time of your Budapest visit, like the Mapplethorple exhibition:
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/robert-mapplethorpe-photo-exhibition-at-ludwig-museum-budapest
the Chinese Ai Weiwei photo exhibition in Budapest: http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/ai-weiwei-exhibition-in-budapest-ernst-museum
the Wildlife photos (world winners, visiting Budapest from London): http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/the-best-wildlife-photos-exhibition-in-budapest
and not listed in our event calendar yet, but the Hungarian House of Photography (aka the Mai Mano Haz) is a great place to see some good photos and take good photos too.

Let me know what intrigues you, and I can try to fine tune the photo shooting resource for Budapest :)

Hi June,

most bars, clubs only post their upcoming event a few weeks earlier, so I recommend checking back to the calendar in late October, and writing us a mail again for your specific Budapest events genre request around 5 November. By then most calendars will be filled up. I am sorry if it sounds lame, but if the bars, clubs, festivals, concerts, etc. do not get published we cannot re-publish the events either. Hope this does not cause an inconvenience. I am sure there will be many things to do between Nov 17 and 20, just bear with us. :)

What I can see now is that
you can visit the Christmas Market on Vorosmarty Square (and hopefully in front of the Basilica too, though there is no info about the Xmas Fair by St Stephens Basilica yet for 2012)
http://budapestchristmas.com/budapest-christmas-2012-vorosmarty-square
MUSE will be at the Sport Arena in Budapest (Papp László Budapest Sportaréna) on November 20, 2012,
Cokxpon will have Cöki Jam and Onda Kimia on 18, Sunday
also on Sunday, 18th November there will be a WAMP Design Fair at the ‘Millenáris Fogadó’ in Millenaris Park from 10.00 to 18.00, and most probably a Sunday Farmer’s Market at the quirky Szimpla Kert Bar (the oldest of the vibrant and trendy ruin bars in Budapest)
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/sunday-downtempo-cokxpon-ambient-bar
Some of the regular parties at the weekend (out of the 45 or more)
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/30-party-at-morrisons-opera-budapest
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/jam-pub-retrodisco-parties-in-budapest
Mondays can be more flat in atmosphere, but there is a regular Monday party at the Fogashaz ruin bar (yes, these ruin pubs or ruin bars are unmissable, basically many of them are the best bars in Budapest, unless you are a techno-house music lover – let me know if you are, because techno clubbing is also quite popular in Budapest, so there is definitely some parties and good places to recommend for house, trance, etc. DJs)
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/easy-panel-monday-party-at-fogas-haz-bar-budapest

Hi Lynn, sure, the attractions are open (even the thermal baths and the outdoor pools, a fun contrast!). The terraced bars, and huge summer party places are not open though (so most things that are in the open air and need good weather needs to be checked individually.
Are you interested in any of the top Budapest attractions or hidden gems specifically?
Jan 1 a public holiday, but Jan 2 is as usual, back to the standard opening times (most museums are closed on Mondays).
Budapest tours are less frequently available, but they are still running, just not so often, e.g. the Budapest boat tours, bus tours, and so on.

Here are some ideas for Jan:
http://tenthingstodo.topbudapest.org/by-months/things-to-do-in-budapest-in-january

And the weather in January:
it can be quite cold, we wear hats, gloves, scarves, boots and coats all January. During the evening and nigh hours it can freeze easily, and during the day it is often below zero Celsius, or around that. The riverfront by the Danube can be windy, but the city itself is quite OK. The interiors of the stores, attractions, public transports are quite heated, so it is best to bring flexible clothes, which can be built layer by layer.
Have a good trip!

Hi Anna from Innsbruck!
For your stay of Nov 23- 25, 2012 in Budapest: let me see our upcoming Budapest events calendar (always renewed, so worth checking back before you leave for Budapest)

what locals do in Budapest:
we Hungarians love cheap and good budget lunches, rather than more expensive dinner options. So if you want see a really local place, try an Étkezde (eatery): e.g. the Rakoczi Etkezde on Rákóczi Square is a nice little place, much loved by locals (and tourists who like to discover hidden, authentic places, which are almost like secrets. There you go, not a secret any more!) :) Map for further good eateries and lunch deals here:
http://map.topbudapest.org/restaurant-map/budapest-budget-map

locals will be at the Budapest Christmas market (and tourists, it is quite popular): head to Vörösmarty tér (Vorosmarty square) in the city centre: http://budapestchristmas.com/christmas-market-on-vorosmarty-square

locals will be at the many bars and clubs of Budapest: akvarium klub (Aquarium Club) is very close to the Xmas market, as is Otkert, another cool and hip bar.
Drink like locals? :) What do you want to try? Wines in a wine bar? Beers in a good pub? Palinka, the mighty Hungarian spirit (very strong, like vodka), teas in a tea bar? Good coffee with pastry? Give me some clues to what you like as there are hundreds of places to choose from (Budapest has about 2 million inhabitants, which means thousands of places to eat, drink, club, dance, relax, etc.). All genre is present in Hungary: jazz, blues, rock, punk, opera, classical, hiphop, dnb, trance, folk, reggae, nufolk, world, gypsy music, etc. What kind of nice concerts are you interested in?

some festivals and fairs during that Nov weekend
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/food-of-world-festival-at-hungexpo-budapest-2012?instance_id=43393
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/new-wine-and-cheese-festival-budapest-2012?instance_id=39046
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/winter-fair-at-hungexpo-budapest?instance_id=43395

I quite like Banksy, http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/banksy-exhibition-in-budapest?instance_id=27739
and Cezanne – both exhibitions in Budapest http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/cezanne-exhibition-at-the-museum-of-fine-arts-budapest?instance_id=28158

For concerts,, I will just copy paste some from our calendar
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/nouvelle-vague-on-a38-music-club-budapest?instance_id=39302
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/bin-jip-at-club-aquarium-budapest?instance_id=39300
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/budapest-basilica-organ-concerts-on-fridays-2012?instance_id=964
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/opera-budapest-november-2012?instance_id=38714
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/hungarian-folk-dance-shows-budapest-december-2012?instance_id=39182
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/jam-pub-retrodisco-parties-in-budapest?instance_id=35969
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/salsa-party-at-barrio-latino-cafe-budapest?instance_id=9173
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/30-party-at-morrisons-opera-budapest?instance_id=31388

http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/budapest-market-hall-events?instance_id=42395

Hi Glenys, you can find some ideas for things to do in December and early January in our Budapest Christmas guide, the special edition for winter tourists in Budapest: http://budapestchristmas.com/
If you scroll to the bottom, you can see some day by day suggestions, e.g. for Jan 2 in Budapest http://budapestchristmas.com/tag/budapest-january-2
(sorry, Jan 2 and Jan 3 are quieter than the days before that, but there are several minor events taking place). Hope you will have a nice New Year break in Budapest!

Hi Josh, I hope you are excited about your Budapest visit. You seem to come on a weekend break, which is great as weekends are generally quite busy even though January is more laid back and less touristy, so many shows are off as the artists take a break at this time of the year. But there will be PLENTY to do and have fun in such a short time. Hope you have taken a look at the above top ten things to do in Budapest list to start with.
Other events over the weekend January 11, Jan 12, Jan 13, without knowing your travel preferences and interests (which is a great help usually)

Concerts in Budapest January 11, Jan 12, Jan 13, weekend
Midnight Music is an actual midnight concert – classical music – by the Budapesti Fesztiválzenekar at Millenaris Park
the Budapst Jazz showcase will be ideal if you love jazz, linked above
Cafe If jazz concert on Sat / violin jazz solo
Jam Pub Madison Rock Band, Baby Gabi, DJ Szerdahelyi, DJ Ata on Saturday from 9pm
Cafe Lado: Swing Ladies Trio on Sat
WineBar – concerts on both Sat and Sun, jazz
Zúzda Rock Kert metal concerts, thrash and death metal
etc.

Parties in Budapest January 11, Jan 12, Jan 13, weekend

now, parties are by the dozen, every Fri and Sat are quite busy by about 9-10 pm or so, but Sun nights tend to be quieter (gloomy Monday looming on the horizon). It really depends on your style, music preferences, age, budget where it is best to go
http://budapesteventsguide.com/ai1ec_event/30-party-at-morrisons-bar-budapest/
http://budapesteventsguide.com/ai1ec_event/salsa-parties-in-cafe-barrio-latino-budapest/
Akvarium Club http://www.facebook.com/akvariumklub/app_285890981464715, Instant, Otkert, Fogashaz, Morrisons, Potkulcs, Szimpla kert, etc. all have a young crowd in their 20s 30s for weekend parties
In the city center there are many alternative bars like the ruin pubs in Kazinczy street, or head to Corvinteto on Blaha Square

But if you prefer huge techno house clubs, or r&b clubs, rock or metal, that is also available.
http://www.facebook.com/events/146227478858883/
http://www.facebook.com/events/478048178900720/
http://www.facebook.com/events/397765370309073
http://www.facebook.com/events/514538108590417/
http://www.facebook.com/events/310393462408149/
etc.

Festivals in Budapest January 11, Jan 12, Jan 13, weekend

http://budapesteventsguide.com/ai1ec_event/jazz-showcase-festival-budapest-2013/

Outdoor things to do in Budapest January 11, Jan 12, Jan 13, weekend

http://budapesteventsguide.com/ai1ec_event/ice-skating-budapest/
http://budapestchristmas.com/normafa-hill
http://topbudapest.org/segway-tours-budapest
etc.

Movies
loads! both the mainstream, the latest hits and the artsy peripheral films,
Dredd 3D or all the latest films come to Budapest with a few weeks shift

Exhibitions are a lot:

Art exhibitions (there are hundreds, these are just the top of the exhibits),
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/banksy-exhibition-in-budapest
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/cezanne-exhibition-at-the-museum-of-fine-arts-budapest
http://topbudapest.org/ai1ec_event/john-cage-at-ludwig-museum-budapest
http://budapesteventsguide.com/ai1ec_event/hungarian-halas-lace-exhibition/
etc.

Historical exhibitions
the National Museum and the House of Terror in Budapest are not to be missed if you like history.
For a quirky, unusual experience, go to the Hospital in the Rock nuclear shelter on the Castle Hill
http://attractions.topbudapest.org/buildings/castles/castle-hill

These are some general tips, Budapest is full of all sorts of things to do, literally. Quirky and niche activities for the upcoming Jan weekend for instance: (no I am not joking, these are actual events)
National Postal Pigeon exhibition at SYMA Event Hall Budapest
Cageball Center: boy and girl football amateur matches, 1143 Budapest, Füredi u. 74–76.

I think the only top places that are unavailable at the weekend is A38 music ship club due to some works and the Opera House which is on a January recuperation break

If you liked the above suggestions, what about inviting us for a coffee via paypal donations? http://topbudapest.org/contact/donate

Cheers, Anna

Hi Sarah,

here are some of the things to do with children in Budapest, many toddler things to do too: http://map.topbudapest.org/children. But one thing is sure, the winter is cold in Budapest, around or somewhat below the freezing point (somewhere between -5 C and +2 degrees), so good warm and waterproof clothes for all of you will make the winter break in Budapest a lot more pleasant.

Outdoor Activities for Children in Budapest

If you love outdoor activities, it can be a lot of fun to go to the ice rink together. The outdoor ice rink in the city park is a lovely place in February, and you can rink skates too. Skates are on rent, and there are even classes for children
http://budapestchristmas.com/budapest-outdoor-ice-rink-in-the-city-park
Right next to the rink there is a nice palace, it is the palace of the Ice Rink with rentals, cafe, etc. And on the other side of the rink there is a nice castle, the Vajdahunyad Castle, taken up by the Museum of Agriculture, a somewhat old fashioned museum in a nice building, with some strange exhibits, like hundreds of antlers and stuffed animals. But it has some nice parts, a simple cafe and some more interactive temporary exhibitions for bigger children.

The Margaret Island is fun too, and you can rent bike carts for all. Bring some back up foods and drinks as there are not many diners on the island, and it is a bigger park – island of about 2 km.

The best is Normafa, the Children’s Railway, the Libego, and the various public transport means to get there: tram or M2 red metro to Szell Kalman square, then tram to the cogwheel, cogwheel up the Janos Hill, then the Children’s train, then some good food on Normafa. Again, another fun place, but needs lots of packing (foods, drinks, change of clothes in my experience). But it is worth all of it. Definitely on our top list, both locals and foreigners love this place.
Here are some related articles about Normafa and the activities
http://budapestchristmas.com/normafa-hill
http://budapestblog.luxuryhotelsbudapest.com/budapest-childrens-railway-a-cheerful-blink-from-the-pioneer-past/
http://budapestblog.luxuryhotelsbudapest.com/budapest-chairlift-libego-on-janoshegy/
http://budapestblog.luxuryhotelsbudapest.com/elisabeth-lookout-tower-erzsebet-kilato-on-janos-hill-at-the-childrens-railway-in-budapest/

Indoor Activities for Children in Budapest

Indoor activities range from the beautiful and fun Zoo (with its own playhouse), the Tropicarium or the Palace of Wonders (off the city centre, in southern Budapest, in Campona shopping mall), or to music with kids in the Palace of Arts
http://budapesteventsguide.com/events_tags/budapest-children-events/ or in the Millenaris Park.
The National Circus is right next to the Zoo with daily performances (old style circus, not the new wave circus). Also in the City Park, you can see the Museum of Transport. Unfortunately, not interactive enough for a modern day parent, or kid, but there are some life size, real trains inside, which toddlers like to climb upon for a good half an hour. :)

Baths, Pools in Budapest with kids

In short, the best place is to go to Aqua World water theme park in Budapest as a family with toddlers. This is our Budapest bath guide http://baths.topbudapest.org/
Natural spring baths and pools in Budapest with children: the truth is the famous thermal baths and spas of Budapest have not been designed for little children, in contrast to the lidos, which are only open in summer time. So Szechenyi Bath or Gellert Bath may be fun for teens and adults but not for little children, especially in winter time. In winter, the outdoor pools of Szechenyi Baths are of 38 degrees Celsius, not recommended for kids, and its indoor pools are not designed for toddlers either. Not only the temperature but the pools either. That said, some parents take their little ones for their own responsibility. I would not take mine. Gellert Bath has an outdoor shallow pool, suitable for children, but not in winter time.
During the winter months I would recommend the Aqua World Park with kids and toddlers: http://baths.topbudapest.org/aqua-world-budapest, which is a fun water theme park in the north of Budapest, approx. 45 min from the city centre by public transport. Lots of fun pools, slides, spa facilities – not a thermal bath, but a great option for families. In summer, you could go to Palatinus lido http://baths.topbudapest.org/lidos/palatinus-lido-budapest on the Margaret Island, which is a lot of fun, but not open during winter.

Other Budapest attractions with children:

the Market Hall on a less busy morning or early afternoon can be an interesting place, if you can keep the kids busy with questions and food. There is a playground in front of it for plan B: http://budapestmarkethall.com/budapest-great-market-hall-with-kids

I would say the Budapest Parliament can be too much hassle, and for such a little time, I would skip it with toddlers.

Buda Castle quarter and the Fisherman’s Bastion: both worth a visit. You can take the funicular uphill (not included in the public transport pass) http://attractions.topbudapest.org/buildings/fishermans-bastion-halaszbastya walk around the Bastion, count the 7 towers of the 7 Hungarian tribes, find the tribal leaders, enjoy the panoramic view, then have some yummy cake in the nearby Cafe Ruszwurm (5 min walk from the Bastion) http://budapestblog.luxuryhotelsbudapest.com/cafe-ruszwurm-ruszwurm-cukraszda-the-old-style-confectioners-in-budapest/
You can walk on the courtyards of the Castle where there are some nice statues to look at, cobblestones to hop on
http://attractions.topbudapest.org/buildings/castles/buda-castle
Inside the castle there is a big art gallery, with a simple but nice cafe (if your toddlers are nappy free, these are good wee wee spots) :)
The entrance is cheap, the gallery is nice, and my toddler daughter likes some of the interesting paintings, and the huge space.
Also in the Buda Castle, there is the Military Museum, with some cannons outside to play at castle siege and defend the castle

The churches are very nice, and worth a short peep inside, maybe for a next visit. The visit to the St Stephen’s Basilica is free, and you can get the Holy Right mummy hand lit for a little donation to the church, a spooky arm. The tower of the Basilica is very tall. 96 m or so, if you want to climb lots and lots of steps.
Another interesting church is in the Castle, the Matthias Church, not free to enter, but very nice. Maybe not so if the kids are tired.
The Cave church in Gellert Hill is an interesting experience, but my toddler does not like dark places (e.g. the London Aquarium, or the Budapest caves were just too dark for her)

Museums in Budapest with children

Besides the above mentioned Museum of Transport, there is also the Museum of Natural History. I think it is better for children from 4+ than for toddlers, but it is a child friendly museum at any rate.
http://www.nhmus.hu/en/exhibitions/temporary
The Budapest train park and museum would be a good open air museum, but only in the summer time, sorry.

The Museum of Fine Arts is another artsy place, with some kid activities, but again, better for 5-6+ than under it
http://budapestblog.luxuryhotelsbudapest.com/budapest-museum-of-fine-arts-szepmuveszeti-muzeum/

Tours in Budapest with kids

You could try the hop on hop off bus tours with the kids. It is a good value for money and flexible and interesting enough for any family plans. They run a lot more rarely in winter time, so planning and booking in advance is a good idea, if you want to do it.
http://topbudapest.org/tours/sightseeing-tours/bus-tours-in-budapest

Hi Justin, the summer bath parties in Szechenyi Bath ran all through summer time from late June. I would predict that based on 2012, and the plans of the organizers, yes, there will be more Szecska parties coming up, and as Aug 31 is a Saturday, and the spa bath party series are on Saturdays, in all probability, there should be a bath party on August 31. This is not 100%, as anything might come up, but there is a very high likelihood for the party.
If there is no party for some unforeseeable reason, I would suggest you either visit some of the best parties in Budapest that Sat, or you visit Rudas Bath for a late night bath (open until 4 am on Saturdays).

In the meantime, if you can make a short trip to Budapest, you may be interested in the Magic Bath winter and spring parties in Lukacs Bath, huge fun! The organizers are the same as for the Szechenyi bath parties!
Upcoming bath parties in Budapest here http://szechenyispabaths.com/sparties/

Hello Emma,

we are glad to help. Sorry about the late reply, we are trying to get more resources to be able to answer all inquiries about Budapest visit…
Highlights for Feb 28 and March 4, 2013 Budapest:
so it is a long weekend, and first a quick note about opening hours regarding Budapest attractions
the Great Market Hall in Budapest is not open on Sun, but you can take a visit while the Chilean day are featured in the Market
http://budapestmarkethall.com/chilean-days-in-the-great-market-hall-budapest
museums in Budapest (most) are closed on Mondays, so if you want to visit any museum or gallery, schedule is for another day, and here are some ideas for a Monday http://tenthingstodo.topbudapest.org/by-days/things-to-do-in-budapest-on-mondays

Gypsy band and eating out can be easily combined in Budapest, either in a restaurant
http://restaurants.topbudapest.org/hungarian/hungarian-restaurant-with-gypsy-music
or you can enjoy the Rajko Gypsy Band on a ship cruise in Budapest, plus have a candle lit (buffet) dinner
http://budapestrivercruise.com/budapest-dinner-cruise

walking is great in Budapest, especially along the river Danube, on Andrassy Avenue, in the Jewish Quarter (the hub of ruin pubs, almost in every street!), and in and around the City Park of Budapest
Here are some romantic walk tips and other romantic things to do in Budapest
http://tenthingstodo.topbudapest.org/by-interests/romantic-things-to-do-in-budapest

Theatre performances are mostly in Hungarian, so operas, operettas and dance shows are the easiest to follow for tourists in Budapest
the Opera House is a must see I think, dance shows range from folk dance shows to contemporary dance shows

Spa trips are indeed great. You are coming to Budapest when the winter Magic Bath party series continue. If you like electronic music, it is great http://szechenyispabaths.com/sparties/
or you can spend a late evening bath in the Turkish Rudas Bath (open until 4 am on Fri and Sat), or simply go to the number 1 spa bath Szechenyi Bath
http://szechenyispabaths.com/
Gellert Bath is beautiful too, so if you can squeeze in one bath for every day it will all feel completely different (without exaggeration)
for some of the March events check http://www.budapesteventsguide.com/calendar/action:month/exact_date:1362092400/
for February
http://www.budapesteventsguide.com/calendar
alternative nightlife is best in the ruin pubs, and there are many of them :)
Have a great trip!

Hello Marie,
transportation won’t be a problem as Budapest public transport is quite efficient. To be frank, I do not recommend renting a bike for getting around, as Budapest needs a few more years for a better bike culture (more roads, better car drivers, etc.). If you were a local, it would not be a big challenge, but for a tourist, it is I think. That said, a guided bike tour may be fun at the end of March
http://topbudapest.org/bike-tours-budapest
The top ten attractions in Budapest http://attractions.topbudapest.org/top-ten-budapest-attractions
this list may be enough for 3 days, it depends on how long it takes for you to take things in, if you go inside to explore buildings and exhibitions, or just take a quick look. It is hard to tell. If you run out of ideas, there is always more things to do, from the Hungarian National Museum to adventure parks, or hidden gems
http://attractions.topbudapest.org/hidden-gems
We think a 3 day stay in Budapest is a good start, a taster of the city, but there is always chance to come back for more if you loved your visit (hopefully you will!). You may want to take a look at our Budapest for Kids guide, with an 8 year old child http://familyfriendly.topbudapest.org/
It will take a few seconds to download, but the kid event calendar has lots of tips for tourists with children in Budapest http://familyfriendly.topbudapest.org/children-events-budapest
As you are coming to Budapest at Easter, you will like the Buda Castle Easter Festival: http://www.festivalbudapest.com/buda-castle-easter-festival
the Easter Fair in downtown on Vorosmarty Square, unmissable, in the heart of city. Once on Vorosmary Square get something yummy in Daubner Confectionery, or the more fancy Cafe Gerbeaud. Both sell sweets in boxes too, which make good gifts.
Then there is the Easter Fair in Vajdahunyad Castle http://www.vajdahunyadcastle.com/ai1ec_event/easter-fair-in-vajdahunyad-castle-budapest
the Folk Dance Festival (lots of children dance around too) in the Sports Arena http://www.festivalbudapest.com/hungarian-folk-dance-festival
If you want to do any shopping try to do it on Friday or Saturday as Sunday is Easter holiday and almost all shops will be closed.
Hope this helps. Have a beautiful Easter in Budapest (this is our Easter guide by the way http://topbudapest.org/budapest-easter