Leisure
Sightseeing
Sightseeing tours in Budapest: bus tours, sightseeing by boat, audio guide, sightseeing by airplane or helicopter, folklore programmes with dinner, night tours, excursions…
Cafes, Confectioneries
Back in the year 1912, there were over 300 cafés and confectioners in Budapest. Today, there aren’t nearly that many, but there are still enough of them: Budapest is still a town of old, atmospheric cafés.
There are many famous old cafés near the tourist sights of Budapest, some of which served as centres of literature in the city, with writers spending the day next to the tables. Quite a few of these cafés are tourist sights themselves.
Traditional Hungarian cuisine has a great selection of sweets: for those visiting Budapest, tasting a Dobos cake or a Somló sponge cake (Somlói galuska) in one of the historical cafés is a must.
The Művész café, located close to the State Opera House, is always full before and after the opera performances. The tasty cakes and coffee are served at marble tables. Probably the best known Budapest café is the Gerbeaud on Vörösmarty tér; here they serve quite a few Hungarian specialties, such as the traditional the plum pie. The best quality cakes can be tasted at the Ruszwurm café in the Castle District – the Ruszwurm has opened its doors in 1827, and has been offered excellent Hungarian cakes to locals and visitors ever since.
Restaurants
Budapest is famous for its excellent food, as traditional Hungarian cuisine is among the best and richest in Europe. Traditional Hungarian restaurants offer tasty food, often accompanied by traditional Gipsy musicians, who come to your table to play Hungarian tunes directly into your ear.
It is a common misconception that Hungarian food is all goulash (Gulyás) and spicy paprika meals, just as not everything that’s Italian is pasta, and not everything that is Indian is spicy.
Hungarian food has an unmistakable character, often rich with sour cream, onions, eggs, butter, fresh produce and wine. Vegetarian cuisine, however, is not the strength of Hungarian cooking, but there are a couple of characteristic vegetarian meals, such as fried cheese and fried mushrooms which are widely popular.
These days every type of cuisine is available in Budapest, so there is a great selection of Italian, French, Chinese and even Mongolian restaurants in the city.
Shopping
Whether you are looking for gifts to take home from Budapest, or just want to do some shopping, there are plenty of opportunities to indulge yourself in the pleasure of money-spending.
Bálna Budapest
Bálna is a commercial, cultural, entertainment and leisure centre. A meeting point and a place for experiences. It connects downtown and inner Ferencváros, the tourist zone and the gastro-zone. It has a unique way to create an intimate contact with the Danube. The building is a characteristic attraction, as well as the sight of the city from Bálna.
Palace of Arts
The Palace of Arts (Művészetek Palotája or MÜPA in Hungarian), the new cultural hub of Budapest, is located within the Millennium Quarter of the city, between Petőfi and Lágymányosi bridges. The ‘palace’ gives home to three institutions – the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, the Ludwig Museum and the Festival Theatre. The Palace of Arts is also home to one of the most prestigious concert organs in Europe. It has 92 stops, 5 manuals and 6804 pipes.
Featured events include opera, classical music, jazz and dance performances and concerts for kids and babies. In addition there are a variety of musical activities where small children can participate, like learning Hungarian folk songs or trying out several instruments.
