Tag

budapest

Browsing

If you are in Budapest for Erasmus, going out at night is definitely something you should try. The city has many different clubs, bars and party places, and there are options for every budget. Some places are free, while others have an entrance fee depending on the night or event. Here are some of the places we liked the most. Instant-Fogas Instant-Fogas is probably one of the most famous places for Erasmus students in Budapest. It is a huge party complex with different rooms, music styles and dance floors. One of the best things is that entry is usually free, although some special events can be paid. We liked it because there are so many rooms that you can walk around and find different music without having to leave the club. Ötkert Ötkert is located close to St. Stephen’s Basilica and has a more classic nightclub atmosphere. It is a…

During my Erasmus in Budapest, I started discovering that the city has much more than the famous Parliament, Buda Castle and Chain Bridge. While walking around the city, I noticed some very small statues hidden in unexpected places. These are the mini statues of Budapest, many of them created by the artist Mihály Kolodko. They can be found on bridges, walls, railings and near the streets, and some of them are so small that you can easily walk past without noticing them. For me, finding them became a little game. Every time I walked around a different part of Budapest, I started looking down and checking the corners of the streets to see if I could find another one. What are these mini statues? The statues are small bronze sculptures, usually only a few centimetres high. Many of them were created by Mihály Kolodko, a Ukrainian-born artist who lives and…

During our Erasmus in Budapest, we wanted to try something a little different from the usual tourist attractions. While looking for interesting places to visit, we found Zoo Café, a café where you can have a coffee while spending time with different animals. The café is located in the city centre, on Fejér György utca, close to Kálvin tér. It opened in 2014 and has around 20 different species and 65 animals, so it is definitely not a normal café. What can you find inside? When you enter Zoo Café, you immediately realise that it is very different from a normal café. There are many different animals, including rabbits, guinea pigs, turtles, snakes, chameleons, lizards and birds. Some of them stay in their own spaces, while others can be brought directly to your table by the animal keepers. The café is quite small and cosy, so you can see the…

The Budapest Zoo & Botanical Garden is located next to Heroes’ Square, inside Városliget. It is one of the places we wanted to visit because it is quite different from the other attractions in Budapest. The Zoo covers around 11 hectares and is home to more than 8,000 animals. There are many different areas to explore, so we decided to take our time and spend several hours inside. What can you find inside the Zoo? There is a lot to see. You can find elephants, tigers, giraffes, gorillas, penguins, seals, sharks and many other animals. There are also many different buildings and areas, such as the Elephant House, the Great Ape House, the Savanna House, the Palm House and Aquarium and the Shark School. There are also areas dedicated to Australia, Madagascar, South America and Southeast Asia. One thing we liked is that the Zoo does not feel like just…

Cinema Mystica: One of Budapest’s Most Unusual Places Cinema Mystica is an immersive digital art space in Budapest. It is very different from a normal museum: instead of paintings and long descriptions, there are lights, projections, music, mirrors and interactive installations. The idea is simple: you enter different rooms and each one creates a new atmosphere. Some are colourful and energetic, while others are darker and more relaxing. In many areas, the images cover the walls and the floor, so it can feel like being inside the artwork. A different experience One of the most interesting things is that visitors are not only there to watch. Some installations react to movement, while others use reflections, sounds and changing lights. This makes the visit more interactive and also more fun. There is no single way to experience Cinema Mystica. Some people spend most of the time taking photos and videos, especially…

Any tourist asked about their plans for Budapest will definitely tell that they want to visit a “ruin bar.” And there is little doubt that their first step will be directed towards District VII, Erzsébetváros, which goes under another name: the Jewish Quarter. At night, these few square kilometers become one of the liveliest, chaotic, and dynamic places in all Europe to go to a party. However, during the day, the strobes disappear to unveil a district rich in history. It is a place of elegant Moorish buildings along the streets where you can see walls with bullet holes, and kosher bread shops right next to gourmet coffee roasters. But to get to know more about Budapest, one needs to peel off the layer of neon. Here begins the history of the Jewish Quarter, from its golden era to its darkest times, and its amazing comeback in modern days. The…

Deep inside the cultural heritage of Budapest hides a place that removes all the limitations of physical reality. Situated in the very center of the city in Párisi Udvar, Cinema Mystica is no regular movie hall but a leading digital arts exhibition in Central Europe. As soon as you go through dark and heavy curtains you find yourself in a new dimension of reality that combines light, sound and sacred geometry of the material world and digital universe. Covering an enormous amount of dark rooms, this amazing experience utilizes the latest technologies to transform an environment into a living canvas that interacts with you forcing you to reconsider the limits of your body and the art itself. Sanctuary of Sacred Geometry and Digital Light The central concept of the exhibition at Cinema Mystica lies in a rather interesting idea – exploring ancient spiritual symbols, psychedelic patterns and hidden geometry of…

This is one of the reasons Budapest is called “The Pearl of the Danube.” Although wandering through the winding cobblestone streets of the castle area or sitting in a ruin pub enjoying some drinks might be wonderful, there is nothing like the view of Budapest from the heart of the river, particularly at night, where the whole capital turns into a masterpiece of gold lights. However, one does not have to pay lots of money for an expensive private cruise in order to see this spectacle. The river boat line of the local transport operator BKV allows tourists to enjoy the sight of the most magnificent parliament of the world. Why the Local Riverboat is Budapest’s Best Kept Secret The majority of tourists immediately visit the tourist piers at Vigadó tér where the premium price is paid for the usual commercial cruises. But while the tours are excellent, there is…

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the VII District of Budapest, lies the hidden oasis of Twentysix, which offers the sensation of being thousands of miles away from the harsh winds of Europe. All one needs to do is enter the inconspicuous door on Király Street and suddenly find themselves transported to Twentysix, an exquisite indoor jungle that redefines the meaning of interior dining and hanging out altogether. This is not only a restaurant, but an entire living ecosystem that combines ultramodern architecture and nature. With a constant climate of 26°C (79°F)—which is suitable both for the exotic flora and people—the gorgeous courtyard under the glass roof has soon turned into the most desirable retreat spot for the local citizens and tourists. The Architectural Structure of the Botanical Courtyard There is something about Twentysix which makes it a true architectural wonder – it is the perfect example of blending nature…

For anyone looking to fully immerse oneself into the spirit of daily life in Budapest, the real energy and the culture of cooking in this unique city can be found in just one location. Nestled at the end of the Liberty Bridge is the stunning neogothic church of food known as the Great Market Hall (Nagyvásárcarnok). Upon entering this magnificent brick structure, one is immediately greeted with the wonderful scents of smoked paprika, pastry, and meat that have been part of the Hungarian cuisine tradition for over a hundred years. This vibrant market center is not only a tourist attraction but also an alive monument of European market traditions in the modern era. A Wonder of Brick and Zsolnay Tiles The Great Market Hall was erected back in 1897, led by the renowned architect, Samu Pecz. It came as a result of dire necessity to ensure the quality of food…