Art & culture – All our local tips

A38 is the former Ukrainian stone-carrying ship Artemovsk 38, which has became one of my favorite clubs in Budapest.

The barge lies at anchor at the Buda-side foot of the Petofi Bridge. Since its opening in 2003 its lower deck has become a very popular concert hall with a wild range of music selection and plenty of space to dance.

I come here every second week for a jazz, world, or rock concert but on other weekends electronic or hip-hop music are also played. Musicians come here from all over the world so you might find here your neighbor band as well.

On the deck there is a restaurant with fine cuisine and a bow terrace with a bar and two foosball tables. I like to play foosball or “csocso” as we call it and met new people by challenging them.

Summertime I prefer to sit on the roof-terrace (open only in the summer) with a beer in my hand and enjoy a small orchestra playing gypsy, soul or drum’n'bass while I look over the Danube delighted by the view and night lights of the other bank.

Definitely worth visiting but make sure you arrive in time before the bigger concerts!

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A38 | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Festivals & events, Restaurants
Petőfi híd, Budai hídfő | Outer Buda
Terraces 16:00 – 04:00

The name is playful, it’s the first row of a children’s rhyme. Less childish is the character of the place: the restaurant, the cafe and the basement parties attract guests over 25 according to my experience.

A weekday afternoon can be pretty deserted, ideal for a chill-out lunch in the sun under the glass roof of the winter garden, I’d suggest the daily menu. When the place fills up, the evening gets buzzing and the basements opens its doors to the party seekers by the time you’ve had your seventh after-lunch beer. Don’t forget, a responsible afternoon drinker consumes non-alcoholic beverages and takes some snacks too. Everything at your disposal, this is the ideal half-day program. And it started as a simple lunch!

Free wifi is available for those “I have to show you this video on Youtube” moments, you know what I’m talking about. Neo-nomads are also welcome. Literature and music lovers will enjoy the discussions and live concerts.

I’ve no idea if it has any purpose but the 50-meter-high chimney in the backyard is very cool especially here in the heart of the VIII. district. It’ll watch every step you take.

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Apacuka | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Restaurants | Soproni beer HUF 420
Horánszky utca 5 | Central Pest | +36209382677
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 02:00, Sat – Sun 17:00 – 02:00

Ok, we can open an argument about if it is a spot, or not. I think it is definitely one. Or many spots together, but for a visitor of Budapest it is a must in my opinion.

The VIII. district was a mixed higher-middle class, worker area before World War II. After the war because its mostly Jewish inhabitants were killed or left the country, the socialist regime decided to use the area for a social program, the integration of Romani people even from the countryside and outer areas of the city. Now the area is famous for being a slum, but for sure this is the area where until the recent four-five years you could find the real essence of the turn of XIX.-XX. century architecture.

Now as to earn money became more important than protecting any type of heritage the area looses its special atmosphere. Some of the inhabitants are even forced to leave because of a growing gentrification and newly built fancy houses. I think this is one of the areas where you have a chance to see a more contemporary picture of Hungarian society than anywhere downtown.

The area is now quite safe, whatever they say about it. In case you are really afraid, just contact me and we can set an appointment for a tour around the area.

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Courtyards of 8th district | Art & culture, Relaxing
Area of Matyas ter | Outer Pest
24 hours daily

Stuff, lots of stuff. On the walls, on the lamps, on the doors. This is the first thing you notice and the collection of Babos Zsili Bertalan grabs your attention for at least a half an hour. Funny reinventions of Barbie dolls, toys, signs, a bike or a lifebuoy stare at you all over the place. Even the menu is a bit special, blackboards are used in many bars but this one is simply enormous. Click for photos.

They have a wise choice of location: off Múzeum körút, just 50 meters away from one of the biggest university campuses in Budapest – the place is packed day and night. The chaos on the walls, the eclectic variety of furniture create a mellow atmosphere but Csendes is not really quiet as the name would suggest. Live music and live acts entertain the guests who, according to the owners’ plans can easily get to know each other and spend quality time together in the ‘living space’ as the place defines itself.

The days of the week are scheduled for various programs: Mondays for films and photos, Tuesdays for old Hungarian music, Wednesdays live music, Thursdays dj-s vs. instruments, Fridays Balkan music, Saturdays apéro i.e. warm-up with aperitifs for the night and finally Sundays literature or theatre.

Relax a bit in Károlyi Kert around the corner before coming inside to join the company.

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Csendes Létterem | Art & culture, Bars, Music | Soproni beer HUF 380
Ferenczy István utca 5 | Central Pest | +36307588935
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 00:00, Sat 10:00 – 00:00, Sun 14:00 – 00:00

Antique shops and galleries of all size and content with treasures of various styles and age (and price tag) – paintings, furniture, jewellery, textiles, ceramics and glass, folk art… all that is the world of Falk Miksa street and its surroundings.

There are more than 50 shops and galleries in the street itself or in the neighbouring streets that will take you to another world, regardless whether you are a serious collector, just window shopping or looking for that little something to take home.

Twice a year there is an open air event taking place in the street, a Falk Art Forum – an antique and contemporary art festival. Galleries and the street itself open their doors to concerts and different programs.

Elite design on No. 14 and Antik Zsolnay on No. 28 offer some art nouveau Zsolnay ceramics and some designed by János Török and other Hungarian designers for Zsolnay in the 1960s and 70s. In Montparnasse on No. 17 you can check some great art deco furniture, in Wladis Gallery on No. 13 contemporary silver jewellery, in Anna Antikvitás on No. 18 the antique embroidery, in Virág Judit Galéria on No. 30 the Hungarian paintings of the 19th and 20th century… Just have a walk and see where it leads you.

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Falk Miksa street | Art & culture, Shopping
Falk Miksa u. | Central Pest
Generally Mon – Fri 10:00 – 18:00, Sat 10:00 – 13:00 (14:00)

Just nearby the Keleti Station you’ll find the biggest park of downtown Budapest but don’t be surprised if you find some tombs there too – it is a cemetery after all. I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I compared it to Pere Lachaise in Paris – a spacey, green island where amongst thousands of others the great men of Hungarian history are buried. The cemetery has been established in 1847 and officially opened on 1st April 1849. Opening times change every month, however, if you go between 7.30 and 17.00 it’ll be open in all seasons.

No wonder it is called a ‘garden’ – the first time I visited the place I was really surprised to find monuments, trees and green fields rather than tombs. Check out some photos here. Such a calm park, and although some might find it odd, I like to hang out there, walk around, sit on a bench contemplating or even enjoying the sun. The cemetery even features a museum that exhibits mourning and burial accessories.

Best time of the year to visit the cemetery is spring or autumn, when nature is at its best to provide beautiful scenery for a long, quiet walk: either harsh green with the colourful spots of blooming trees and flowers or the decadence and last dance of falling leaves. Beauty, not grief makes you cry.

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Fiumei Road Cemetery Garden | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
Fiumei út 16 | Outer Pest | +3613235100
07:00 – 19:00 daily

Ok this place has quite a strange name as you heard. I guess it even sounds quite strange in Hungarian.

What is important is the fact that this is the heart of the city. Here you can really meet all or almost all of the younger Hungarians. It is just next to the underground junction where the three lines are crossing each other. It is really downtown so if you want you can visit it after a long afternoon walk on the beaten path between the Parliament and the Dohany utca Main Synagogue.

Most of their programs are for free so you do not have to bother yourself with thinking about high entry prices, but the drinks (even the soft ones) are really expensive. That is the reason why many people decide to stay at the top of the place next to the lake and just drink the bottle of wine or can of beer they just bought at the nearby supermarket. On Friday and the week

end days be prepared that the place will be crowded.

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Gödör | Art & culture, Bars, Music
Erzsébet tér | Central Pest
10:00 – 06:00 daily

If you take a look at the homepage of the OSA Archives, you will find the descriptions of various collections and ongoing exhibitions. From the organizing of the Verzio Human Rights Film Festival to the film club of the Budapest Gay Pride the OSA is engaged with various civil activities.

The house belonged to the Goldberger family and finally got to its present shape in 1909. The family owned a textile-factory in Óbuda. They wanted to have a representative central office downtown. After different turning points in history (German invasion, the Holocaust after that the socialist nationalization of the whole company) when the building was even empty for years the Archive chose it to be its center building.

Luckily it has a cafeteria as well, but it became a spot of the foreign professors and tourists much more than locals. In case you are still interested give them a try. The sandwiches are definitely not the main attractions of the house, rather check out the temporary exhibitions.

If you stay for a longer term in Hungary, apply for a researcher card which is absolutely free and a helpful English speaking staff can guide you through the visual and written materials of Hungarian history.

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Goldberger OSA Archives | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Festivals & events | Free
Arany János utca 32. | Central Pest | +3613273250
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 17:45

Hold means Moon, so it is already worth visiting. But not a lot of people are aware of the fact that there is a market quite hidden from the tourists’ eyes here.

You can find the delicious goods of the countryside (milk, cheese not the superficial ones in the stores) and fresh vegetables and fruits. It is also possible to have a dinner here if you like traditional Hungarian cuisine with a lot of fat.

Do not forget to open your eyes to the beauty of the building it has the exactly same style as the “Nyugati palyaudvar” (Western Railway Station) just in green. Some of the tourists are even posing the question if it is a railway station as well, but the size of it can guide you to the right answer.

The milk and cheese seller at the back on the left (if you enter from Hold utca) is really nice. They always have fresh yoghurt in different flavours.

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Hold utca | Art & culture, Shopping
Hold utca 13 | Central Pest
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 18:00, Sat 10:00 – 13:00

There is a very special little gallery in the Pest’s 5th district, in a quiet Vitkovics street, by the name of atelier Holló. You will find it in the beautiful neoclassical house from app. 1800 with a “Zopf” style front, typical only for central Europe. Not many of those are left in Budapest and this may as well be the last one.

Studio has a lovely shop selling hand painted and hand carved wooden furniture and other crafts. Everywhere you look you will see colourful flowers and birds covering the chairs, hope chests, jewellery boxes, candle-holders, mirrors and other decoration. The lively motives have their roots in the rich Hungarian folk art and yet they are unlike any other.

László Holló is the owner and craftsman behind the studio that builds on the rich family tradition dating back to 1929. Feel free to ask him anything, he is fun to talk to. He can also customise any of the products for you. The place is my favourite for buying presents or just stopping by to see what’s there and enjoy the atmosphere.

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Holló Műhely | Art & culture, Shopping
Vitkovics Mihály u. 12. | Central Pest | +3612669410
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 13:00 & 13:30 – 18:00, Sat 10:00 – 13:00 & 13:30 – 14:00

Gang is a German loanword in Hungarian meaning the open corridor that can be found in most of the houses in downtown Budapest. The typical „gang house” was built from the second half of the 19th century to the 1920s-30s and originally served as an apartment building with big flats.

Communist times turned the few big apartments into several smaller ones sometimes resulting in flats without toilets. So people had to visit the common WC at the end of the corridor. These times are (almost) over, what’s left are the flats with their entrance door opening to the inner courtyards.

Some communities care more about these interesting yards, they have removed the clinkers to reveal the soil and plant flowers, lay it down with grass, even create a little kitchen-garden for the residents. But even if the tenants neglect the state of the premises, there is a type of tree that grows tall even in the crack of the wall and could be the symbol of urban survival: sumac.

Walk around in downtown, even further to the outskirts and carefully walk in if you see an open door. I promise, you’ll find real gems inside.

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Inner courtyards | Art & culture | Free
Central Pest | Central Pest
24/7

Hungarians like food. They also like tales of food. Kőleves or StoneSoup Restobar takes its name after an old folk tale that explains the art of making a soup out of a bare stone. The place is as interesting as its name with a playful and imaginative decor that, as the story of the stone soup, creates something from nothing (lamps out of cheese graters, for example…). It is located in the middle of the 7th district, the historical Jewish quarter where every house could tell a story.

As far as the food goes some of my favourite are Matzo Flodni (Jewish Matzo cake layered with walnuts, apple and poppy seeds), Sólet (Jewish baked beans with smoked goose meat and boiled egg) on Fridays and Saturdays, Túrógombóc (cottage cheese dumplings with sour cream, honey and cinnamon) or simply cold fruit soup. You can get daily menu for 900 HUF. Locals of all ages love to either just drop by and pretend to work hard on their laptops or meet friends or watch the weary explorers of Budapest finding their way to the bar as well.

The place gets to be busy in the evenings so it might be a good idea to make a reservation. Every Tuesday at 21:00 there is a Jazz concert (entrance fee 900 HUF) and you can check their website for more info on the events. Once you are there check the walls as well, local artists regularly exhibit there.

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Kőleves | Art & culture, Bars, Festivals & events, Restaurants (Jewish) | Main from HUF 1500
Kazinczy u. 35 | Central Pest | +3613221011
12:00 – 00:00 daily

A bit hard to write about a spot like this one. If you visit them once, for sure you will do it agian. They really care about their customers.

Most of the books are in Hungarian, but you can find some fascinating guidebooks about Budapest and Hungary and albums filled with pictures from the past and the present of the city as well. As you already thought I guess, they are not only dealing with books but they are participating in the everyday life of the area.

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Láng Téka | Art & culture, Festivals & events
Pozsonyi út 5 | Outer Pest
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 20:00, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 18:00

This small shop which is inside the Klauzal ter market is the best chance to get some “semi-antique” staff for a moderate price in the area.

With semi-antique” I mean nothing older than 1940. Obviously if you are lucky you can find some older stuff here but you have to know that almost all of the things are submitted here by local pensioners who are struggling with financial problems or homeless people who found this stuff in the trash bins. But everything is safe, nice and clean you do not have to be afraid.

It is a good spot for people interested in porcelain tea pots and cups from the 50s or to get some old school socialist memorabilia for some hundred forints.

You have to know that the staff is not really familiar with English but they will try to help you if you point on any of the objects in the shop.

Saturday early afternoon can be a good time for a visit.

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Market antique store | Art & culture, Shopping
Klauzal ter market | Central Pest
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 16:00, Sat 10:00 – 13:00

Memento Park – or Szoborpark (”Statue Park”), is a depository for communist-era public statues.

Located on the very fringes of Budapest, you should allocate quite a bit of travelling time to getting there and back, or catch the once-a-day direct bus that leaves at 11:00 from Deák Ferenc Metro station and goes back to the city at 13:00 (or just drive).

Lots of people get a kick out of seeing these monumental statues in their new, “harmless” environment, but given nice enough weather, the park is also a good spot to get away from the city’s concrete for a bit.

Just outside the main entrance, there’s a barrack where they sometimes have temporary exhibits as well as some permanent information on the 1956 revolution and the 1989-90 change into democracy.

Definitely check it out, as there’s also a movie theater inside, showing a subtitled documentary called “Life of the Agent.” It’s a compilation of actual black-and-white training videos filmed by and for the communist secret police, teaching you how to conduct proper house searches, how to follow someone unnoticed, how to enlist someone as an informant, and other similar skills. You can also buy the movie on DVD at the ticket office, and it’s awesome.

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Memento Park | Art & culture | Full-prized ticket HUF 1500
Balatoni út / Szabadkai utca | Outer Buda | +3614247500
10:00 – till sunset daily

This store is half way on being a tourist attraction but just to pop in for a while can be fun.

The prices are quite high: do not expect to find the treasures of the past fifty years here for some hundred forints. Instead of that you can get an idea about what you can find on the flea markets held usually during the weekends.

Mr. Maj himself can be quite interesting also. He usually sits in his armchair the whole day long, sometimes occupied by phone calls so long that if you want to pay, he just writes down the price on a piece of paper. If you like it, just borrow his pen and put a tick next to the price or cross it and write a new one under it. But do not forget: he is not really flexible. Ten percent less does not exist at all.

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Mr. Maj | Art & culture, Shopping
Klauzál utca 1 | Central Pest
Opening times changing all the time

Museum Kiscell is one of the best places to learn about historical Budapest – how the city developed, where and how people of the time lived, worked and had fun. The 18th century baroque building of the museum holds many collections. You can see various trade and shop signs and advertisements of the 19th century, interior of a pharmacy, a collection of various guild chests, furniture, tableware, art and items of every day use from the 18th century up to today.

Many architectural plans and illustrations will show you Budapest buildings of the 19th and early 20th century. You might recognise such landmarks as the Chain Bridge or the Buda Tunnel (Alagút) on the original drawings by Adam Clark. Through many city maps and drawings you’ll be able to see how the city grew and the life and habits of people changed.

A baroque sculpture hallway will take you to a large collection of printing presses and something you definitely shouldn’t miss – a church hall. Its vast, totally barren brick shell (app. 40 m high and 20 m wide) doesn’t seize to surprise me and amaze me every time I see it. You won’t see any windows, only the layers of brick where they once were. The building and especially the church were damaged in the WW2. And still it is a strangely beautiful and powerful ruin, almost magical.

The museum is located in Óbuda, at the top of a hill. Take bus no. 60 from the Batthányi square.

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Museum Kiscell | Art & culture | Entrance fee HUF 800
Kiscelli u. 108 | Outer Buda | +3613888560
Tue – Sun 10:00 – 16:00 (18:00, Apr – Oct)

Nyitott Muhely – “Open Workshop” – is one of the most unique spots in Budapest, a teahouse, performance venue, exhibition gallery, second-hand bookstore, netcafé, meeting point and (surprisingly) leatherworkshop in one.

Laci, the jovial proprietor, originally launched the place as a leatherworkshop (he himself is a leatherworker by trade). But then, to quote him, “culture kicked in the door,” and he gradually expanded it into the many different functions above. If you walk in today, you’ll find bunches of art magazines by the entrance, some exhibition or another on the walls of the back room, and quite often some sort of lecture, music jam, round table discussion or some other kind of activity in progress. One corner still holds leatherworking tools, and there are piles of rolled-up leather on overhead shelves, reminding the visitor of the place’s original function.

And then there is the bar. One of the many things Nyitott Muhely excels at is tea. There are dozens of different types of teas, all in neat stacks of colourful boxes. Besides that (and other drinks), you can also get something hot to eat in the evening, as Laci often cooks something on his stove both for the guests and himself – sometimes it’s goulash, sometimes it’s pasta or chicken legs; but always a surprise. Those who don’t like the item on offer or arrive when there’s no hot food can always get hot or cold sandwiches.

A word of warning: Nyitott Muhely is a performance venue first, and an eating/drinking place only second. Therefore, if you happen to drop in while there’s an event going on, you’ll be asked to keep your voice down.

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Nyitott Muhely | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Music | Tea HUF 300
XII. Ráth György utca 4 | Central Buda | +3612140676
14:00 – 00:00 daily

The Hungarian Museum of Science and Technology is one of those places you’re unlikely to find on your own. Not only because it’s located a bit out of the way, but also because, well, would it occur to you to check out an exhibition comprising three large halls’ worth of machinery if I wasn’t prompting you.

When I first visited with some friends, I immediately fell in love with the place. What you have here is three separate exhibits, each in its own hall
one full of scientific instruments (telescopes, clocks, geodesic and meteorological machinery, etc.); one dedicated to engines of all sorts from steam through petrol to an actual fighter jet engine; and one – which I find the most interesting – for household electronics from the 20th century.

Among other cool stuff, this last gallery holds part of an ancient Ural 2 computer (one of those machines that filled up a whole room); the first Hungarian robot toy, a giant ladybug; and a Hungarian invention whose idea was not patented because of the inventor’s boss’ incompetence, got stolen and later became the 3.5 floppy disk. You’ll definitely want a tour guide to point out the more special items for you.

It’s really poetic to see all these man-made items collected and displayed as if they were works of art or wonders of nature. It’s also a great way to build up some geek cred.

Practical note as of now, it’s a bit hard to get an English-speaking guide to the exhibits. To arrange for one, you should call 3612044092 at least 3-4 days (or preferably a week) ahead.

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Országos Muszaki Múzeum | Art & culture | Ticket adults HUF 600
XI. Kaposvár utca 13-15 | Outer Buda | +3612044095
Tue – Sat 10:00 – 16:00

P60 is an art gallery specializing in experimental art – including but not limited to Avantgarde, Dada, and especially the Fluxus movement and Mail Art. It’s the exhibition and performance venue of the Artpool Art Research Center, one of the world’s biggest collections of this type of material.

The gallery doesn’t have a permanent exhibition, so if you’re planning to visit, you should check the center’s website to see if there’s anything going on at the time.

There’s not much to say about this kind of art on a blog like this – you’re either interested in it, or you’re not and no amount of galleries is likely to change your mind. But if you are interested in it, then this is a place you want to see while in Budapest; and if you don’t know much about experimental art, you have nothing to lose: check online if there’s an exhibition, then come and see if you like it – entrance is always free.

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P60 | Art & culture | Free
VI. Paulay Ede utca 60 | Central Pest | +3612680114
See the website for opening times

This new cultural institution was opened in 2005 only, but since than it has become a central point of classical, world and jazz music, musical festivals, and theatre.

I love the building, its elegance and the perfection of the architectural design in order to enjoy music. The palace has a concert hall and a festival theatre, both are furnished with the most advance technologies, including separable and movable stages, audio visual systems, etc.

In the Concert hall a new concert organ (92 registers and 5 manuals) was established, and the hall is so specially designed for delicate music that it gives the appropriate acoustics for any performance.

It is easy to book a ticket for any performance through the internet, but don’t back down if no more ticket is available online, because in many cases the cheaper seats are sold at the counter for the 2nd and 3rd floors of the concert hall. These might not be the best places to see the podium, but the music quality is equal to the seats of first floor.

Whenever you go for performance I recommend you to combine it with a light dinner in the Bohém restaurant also located in the Palace of Arts.

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Palace of Arts | Art & culture, Music | Ticket from HUF 1000
Komor Marcell u. 1 | Outer Pest | +3615553300
Depends on performance

Once upon a time there was a building of public ownership. Some people thought a public space should be filled with public and arts and alcohol – thus Sirály was born. Located in the Jewish district the place has roots in the Jewish culture mostly represented by the cultural programmes.

Every year Sirály goes on a summer holiday and reopens in September with new colours and prices. Bulk beer got cheaper this September:)

Sirály has much more than you see at first sight. When you step inside, you find yourself in a cafe that turns into a pub every night. Newspapers, sandwiches, cakes and pastries strengthen the cafe side, the rows of alcohol on the wall tell you what to expect for the nights.

The stairs to the first floor lead to another space full of chairs and tables often used for discussions and presentations. Non-smokers should grab a chair here. Downstairs, in the typical fusty basement of a down town building art and culture have found their home. Click for photos.

Theatre, performances and concerts fill the old basement with new energy.

If you visit Sirály as frequently as I do you’ll notice the same face every time – pretty stable clientele. Use the space as your own, you might find yourself among them.

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Sirály | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Theaters | Soproni beer HUF 380
Király u. 50 | Central Pest
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 00:00, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 00:00

The beauty of this building amazes me every time I step in. There is the smell of wisdom in the air – heaps and heaps of books. A lifetime would be too short to read all of the 3.541.972 documents. Having accepted this fact I have already given up my plan to go from “A” to “Z” and I can choose randomly with an easy heart. Thank God I don’t have to read all Danielle Steel books!

The building is known as Wenckheim-palace, the capital has acquired it in 1927 to host the library. The renovation between 1998 and 2001 opened all the buildings of the palace to visitors. Szabó Ervin was one of the first directors of the library from 1911 who created a real public library open to all members of society. Apart from the Central Library there are 23 local libraries, one in each district.

Most of the visitors are students which brings back good old memories about studying and making up plans to pick up girls here as I always found that the library is somehow loaded with the prettiest ladies.

There are 15 reading rooms in the building where you can read but not borrow the books. Pay a special attention to the “bölcseleti” or arts reading room with all the old wooden furniture, the chandeliers, huge mirrors and golden carvings that add to the palace-feeling.

With a registration card or a daily ticket you can visit the library for free, you only have to pay if you want to borrow books.

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Szabó Ervin Central Library | Art & culture, Coffee & tea | Free
Szabó Ervin square 1 | Central Pest | +3614115000
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 20:00, Sat 10:00 – 16:00

If you approach Margit Island from the south – via Margit Bridge -, you’ll see a public fountain, with a large, rather strange-looking statue standing close to it. If you have a taste for the bizarre, you’ll find this statue worth checking out.

Built in 1972 to commemorate the ‘73 centenary of the unification of Pest, Buda and Óbuda (and thus the formation of Budapest proper), this large metal spiral is… well, hard to describe. I know for a fact some people find it awesome, and I imagine some might find it absolutely hideous. Personally, I’ve decided after much thinking that I find it “weird”, but I’m happy I checked it out after a friend’s rave about it.

It’s hard to give a good description of these two embellished spiral towers that have countless plaques and items emerging from their surface, so all I’ll say is you should go there – the scary-ugly passageway leading to the island from the tram stop will emotionally prime you for the experience – and have a look. And if you find any hidden message in the teddy bear, the stick hand grenades, the candelabra and “Revolution! Revolution! Revolution!” sign, do tell me about it.

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The Centenary Memorial Statue | Art & culture | Free
South end of Margit-sziget | Outer Pest
24 hours daily

Pest’s 7th district is in my opinion one of the nicest, best-looking areas of the city. Formerly the Jewish district – and part of it the Jewish ghetto during World War 2 -, it has undergone many changes in the last half century, but still has lots of nice architecture, and probably the greatest density of synagogues in all of… I don’t know, probably Europe. Some of it is in excellent condition, other parts are sadly ran-down, but all of it is quite full of urban history and moofy little streets.

Now, if you like exploring quaint cities, you’ll probably wish to learn a bit more about the area than what’s in the guidebooks, and there’s a guy who can deliver just the information you want, and do it really well. Jeff Taylor of Paul Street Tours is an American expat who’s an academic expert on history, arts, architecture, and his specialty happens to be the historical period when much of Budapest reached the ‘classic’ look it still retains today. He also lived in this very district for quite a while, and can point out many interesting locations that you just won’t find in any book.

Jeff does appointment-only private walking tours of the 7th district (and other areas as well). I’ve been to his tour once, and even as a Pest resident of a decade and a half, I found it really engaging, understandable, full of interesting stuff I didn’t know, and wandering into areas (both physically and metaphorically) that another tour guide would have steered away from. You probably hate kitsch tourist trap bus tours with the same burning passion I do, but this really is something different.

Paul Street Tours don’t have a street office, you have to make reservations on phone or email (see the website).

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The historical Jewish district | Art & culture | Per hour for small groups HUF 25 Euros per hour for groups up to 3, 30 Euros per hour for larger, regardless of numbers
Deák Ference Square (starting point tour) | Central Pest | +36209335240
See the website to make a reservation

The Trafó (means: transformer) building used to be the electrical transformer station for south Pest, was built in 1909 but in 1998 it was put to cultural use as the first ex-industrial building occupying artistic centre.

This is the centre for all variety of contemporary dances in Hungary, but many foreigner groups are also invited. Trafó gives place for new-wave theatrical performances together with one or two concerts per month. Of course it’s a bit lottery to buy ticket for a show of an unknown group, but I remember to enjoy one of the best music competition and some unforgettable dance performances here.

Tickets’ availability before the show depends on the type of art (and performer) but I recommend you to buy the ticket one or two days before. Usually I buy a season ticket which is available in several varieties.

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Trafó | Art & culture, Music, Theaters | Tickets from HUF 1000
Liliom utca 41. | Central Pest | +3612151600
Box office: Mon – Fri 14:00 – 20:00, Sat – Sun 17:00 – 20:00

To understand the existence of this tunnel first we have to examine the structural landscape of the railway stations in Budapest. There are three main, so called ‘headstations’, Déli, Keleti and Nyugati (Southern, Eastern and Western), which are deeply incorporated in the city. Therefore crossing the railroad is mostly possible via overpasses or underpasses and tunnels. Anyway you have to go a long way to find one of these possibilities since they are not marked at all.

No wonder I was surprised when I accidentally discovered this tunnel. It looks like it’s forgotten, just a little street of Podmaniczky on one end, cobblestone-covered ramp on the other end, both leading to a dark hole in the wall.

Interesting rather than nice the tunnel runs under the rail tracks leaving from Nyugati Station and connects Podmaniczky with Bulcsú utca. You may cross by foot or by bike, the metal panels that cover the pipeline in the middle will make the trip pretty loud when you step or ride on them. The ‘discreet’ lights will enhance the feeling of paranoia during the night, so do the houses of the Bulcsú street on the Western exit, you better think twice before going in alone. I wouldn’t want to scare anybody off, it’s just better to know the dark side.

A few years ago the area was planned to host the new government district but the project got stuck in blueprint-phase. However, as a major industrial and slumish area in the middle of the city the neighbourhood is undergoing a major renovation. I hope my favourite secret tunnel won’t be a victim of the real estate vultures.

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Tunnel under Nyugati Station | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
Podmaniczky utca 32/ Bulcsú utca 1 | Outer Pest
24 hours daily

It all started in the IX. district on 23rd June 2005 in an old, unused factory building that became a buzzing cultural centre. Much more enthusiasm than money unfortunately leads to investor interests being stronger than artists’ desires. After two seasons they had to move, but what a building they found!

Once serving as a part of the ‘Szimpla-empire’ called Szimpla Kiskert (also check the Szimpla Kert article) it is a former elementary school turned into a complex system of cultural art space. First time I came here was with a friend who actually went to this school: she showed me her former classroom, told me about her memories… must have be a weird feeling.

For artists it’s a place for creating: the building has lots of rooms for designers, painters, photographers, sculptors, actors, musicians, dancers etc. to use. And for the other, receiving part of creation, the public will have the opportunity to see, hear, touch and enjoy these cultural products.

Tűzraktér is also a civic centre, and basically open to all kinds of initiative. There’s a freeshop operating for those in need or in abundance of anything. If your bike is broken, bring it to Bike Kitchen Budapest any Tuesday or Thursday 6-9 p.m.

And the list of things to see is still so long!

For more pictures click here.

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Tűzraktér | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Theaters
Hegedű utca 3. | Central Pest
18:00-05:00 daily

Két mackó (Two Teddy Bears) is a cute, small artisan toy shop, pleasantly hidden at Károlyi Gardens. It offers plenty of creative and interesting toys of all kinds of forms and colours, made of wood, textile, paper and clay. You will also find board and outdoor games, puppets, illustrations, decor and much more… and all that will either make you feel young at heart and try things out yourself or solve your gift shopping problems.

There are also many “building games” where you can mould your building material in a very simple way and create whatever you want. Those are, I believe, difficult to resist to, no matter what your age is. I also find the cardboard theatre interesting, accompanied by all kinds of puppets, big or small.

As you can see I have plenty of gift solutions for my niece that I can most happily end up playing with, whether she likes it or not Designs are by Hungarian designers and independent artists and all the toys seem environmentally friendly. No electronics and no plastics there either.

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Two Teddy Bears | Art & culture, Shopping
Magyar utca 18 | Central Pest | +3612660928
Tue – Fri 10:00 – 18:00, Sat 10:00 – 14:00

Vasarely Museum is a place you definitely shouldn’t miss while in Budapest – it’s a rare opportunity to see a large collection of work by renowned artist and designer Victor Vasarely, often referred to as founder of Op Art. If you love colour, movement and abstract art, the chances are you will simply love it.

There are only two other places in the world where you can see a permanent collection of Vasarely’s work: Vasarely museum in his native Pécs (south of Hungary) and Foundation Vasarely in France.

For me it is THE museum to see in Budapest, and my constant source of inspiration and relaxation. His colourful, abstract images create optical illusions and impressions of motion and space, depending on how and from where you observe. Vasarely believed art should be part of everyday life.

In the museum you will see large canvases, tapestries, acrylic glass panes – all in countless combinations of colours and forms, challenging the way we look and see. You can also see his early drawings, textile designs, poster and logotype design.

Walking among his work is like walking into another, virtual world, co-creating the space and experience of art. You are bound to come out recharged, refreshed and inspired.

The museum itself is a nice, quiet place within the old Zichy Palace, not too big and rarely crowded, so you won’t get overwhelmed. The museum is located near Árpad bridge and is easily accessible by tram no.1, HÉV and numerous buses.

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Vasarely Museum | Art & culture | Entrance HUF 800
Szentlélek tér 6 | Outer Buda | +3613887551
Tue – Sun 10:00 – 17:30