When I think about my Erasmus experience in Budapest, I think about all the new things I get to discover almost every week. Sometimes it is a new place, sometimes a new food, and sometimes, like last Friday, a completely new sport. On Friday evening, I went to the Tüskecsarnok in Budapest to watch an ice hockey game between FTC-Telekom, the local Ferencváros team, and Milano HC. It was my first time watching a real ice hockey match, so I didn’t really know what to expect. A new sport for me The match was part of the ICE Hockey League, an international league in which teams from different Central European countries play. Milano HC is actually a new team in the league this season, and before coming to Budapest they had won their first three games. As an Italian student living in Budapest, seeing Milano playing here was also quite…
If you have been in Budapest for Erasmus for more than a few days, you have probably already noticed the Puskás Aréna. It is one of the most impressive buildings in the city and, even if you are not a big football fan, it is definitely worth seeing. The stadium is located quite close to the city centre and can host more than 67,000 people. It opened in 2019 and is named after Ferenc Puskás, one of the most famous Hungarian football players in history. The stadium tour One of the coolest things about the Puskás Aréna is that you can actually visit it even when there is no match. There are guided tours where you can explore the stadium and see places that are normally closed to visitors. You can walk around the stands, discover the areas behind the scenes and get an idea of what happens inside the…
If you have been in Budapest during the summer, you have probably noticed that the city is full of unusual things to see. But one of the most unexpected ones is definitely the giant inflatable Moon that appears in the city. The first time I saw it, I honestly had no idea what it was supposed to be, but it immediately caught my attention. As an Erasmus student, I have started to realise that Budapest is a city where you can find something interesting almost everywhere. And sometimes, you don’t even have to look for it. The Moon The giant inflatable Moon is basically exactly what it sounds like: a huge Moon installation that you can see in Budapest during special events and exhibitions. It looks like a giant version of the real Moon, complete with all its craters. During the day it is already quite impressive, but when it…
If you have been in Budapest for Erasmus for more than a few days, you have probably noticed that this city is full of legends. One of my favourites is the story behind the statue of the Prince of Buda and the Princess of Pest, because it is basically a love story that explains the relationship between the two sides of the city. The statue is located on Gellért Hill, not far from the Citadella, and from there you also get one of the nicest views over the Danube and the whole city. The legend According to the legend, the Prince of Buda and the Princess of Pest lived on opposite sides of the Danube. They fell in love with each other, but there was a problem: the river separated them. The Prince lived on the Buda side, surrounded by the hills, while the Princess lived in Pest, on the…
If you are in Budapest for Erasmus, visiting Buda Castle is definitely something you should do. It is one of the most famous areas of the city, and the best part is that you can explore most of it without spending any money. How to get there for free The easiest way is to walk. From Pest, you can cross the Chain Bridge and then walk up towards the Castle District. It is a bit uphill, but it is completely free and the views along the way are really nice. You can also take public transport and walk the last part. If you are trying to save money as an Erasmus student, we would skip the funicular and use the money for something else later. What should you see? The Castle District is quite big, so you can easily spend a few hours walking around. Start with Buda Castle and…
Yesterday, 20 September, Tabán looked very different from usual. Instead of people relaxing on the grass, the hill became a race track full of strange vehicles, costumes, music and thousands of spectators. It was the Red Bull Ládaderbi, probably one of the funniest and most unusual events we have seen in Budapest. But what exactly is Ládaderbi? The idea is quite simple: teams build their own vehicles and race downhill using only gravity. There is no engine. The cars have to be handmade, but apart from some safety rules, creativity is almost unlimited. And this is what makes the event so entertaining. Some vehicles actually look fast and well designed, while others look like they should never move at all. This year there was everything: a racing bathtub, a giant anvil, a Nimbus 2000 broom, a rocket launcher, a dinner table and even a kayak transformed into something similar to…
If you are in Budapest for Erasmus, one of the best things about the city is that you can do a lot without spending much money. There are many beautiful places to visit that are completely free, from viewpoints and parks to historic streets and impressive buildings. As students, we obviously love finding places where we can spend an afternoon without having to worry about our budget. So, here are 10 of our favourite free places to visit in Budapest. 1. Fisherman’s Bastion Fisherman’s Bastion is probably one of the most beautiful places in Budapest. It is located on the Buda side, near Buda Castle, and has amazing views over the Danube and the whole city. The best part is that most of the area is completely free to visit. There are some upper towers that require a ticket, but you can still get a great view without paying. We…
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…









