Festivals and Events
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New Year Opera Gala
Held at the Pesti Vigado.
http://www.budapestinfo.hu -
Budapest Spring Festival
A city-wide celebration of Hungarian culture and talent. Various venues.
http://www.festivalcity.hu/btf2006/?l=en -
Titanic Film Festival
A non-competitive event featuring more than 40 feature films and documentaries.
http://www.titanicfilmfest.hu -
Budapest Funfair
Fifty major rides and attractions in Vidam Park.
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Ancient Music Festival
Held at the Liszt Music Academy and at churches throughout Budapest.
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Budapest Fair
Celebration of summer originally staged in 1991 to commemorate the departure of Soviet troops from Hungary. Carnival, classical music, jazz and much more.
http://www.festivalcity.hu/calendar -
Sziget Music Festival
One of the largest open-air rock and pop music gatherings in Europe. Held on the island of Obuda in the Danube.
http://www.sziget.hu/festival_english -
Hungarian Grand Prix
Formula 1 action at the Hungaroring track about 12 miles from central Budapest.
http://www.hungaroring.hu/html_e/open_e.htm -
Budapest International Marathon
http://www.budapestmarathon.com/eng/marathon.html -
Autumn Festival
A wide selection of contemporary arts, including music, dance, art, theatre and photography. Various venues.
http://www.bof.hu -
Christmas Market
Folk arts and crafts for sale as well as seasonal activities.
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New Year’s Gala and Ball
Time to dress up and head for the State Opera House for a glittering night to remember.
http://www.opera.hu/index.php?module=main
Theatre, Cinema and Opera
Those who live in Budapest are justly proud of their country's musical heritage. It's certainly no mean feat for such a small nation to have produced two of the world's greatest 20th century composers in Zoltán Kodály and Béla Bartók. So it's not surprising to learn that the classical music and opera scenes are flourishing here. And unlike London or Sydney, tickets aren't the sole domain of a select few. A royal box in the majestic State Opera House, for instance, costs the princely sum of £25, while the cheapest seats start at only £5. With an impressive number of decent venues, chances are that whatever time of year you travel to Budapest, it won't be difficult to plan a great evening out. The impressive Zeneakadémia, a huge arena near Oktogon, is the city's main concert hall with acoustics matched only by the MATÁV Zeneház. Other halls include the famous Pesti Vigadó.
Budapest is a city with a fine theatre tradition, even if nowadays the money to stage more elaborate productions is in short supply. International musicals, together with long established domestic shows, make up the vast majority of what's staged here, although alternative productions (including some fairly radical offerings from around the world) also have a firm footing at smaller, fringe venues. Budapest's larger theatres are mostly early 20th century affairs, many of which have been renovated over the past ten years or so. If you're interested in the architecture just as much as the performances, then Budapest's most famous theatre - the Vigszinház (comedy theatre) - is perhaps the best place to take in a show.
In Budapest, foreign language films are subtitled, so tourists can enjoy the latest blockbusters with the original soundtrack. Films arrive in Budapest cinemas early - sometimes before Western European cities. Some very popular films are dubbed, so before you buy a ticket, it's always good to check in Exit or in Pesti Est free magazines whether the film you want to watch is subtitled. A handful of modern multiplexes with Dolby sound system and wide screens attract Hollywood movie lovers. Budapest caters for art film fans too with a good variety of art cinemas.
Museums and Galleries
There are a number of museums situated on Castle Hill, including the Historical Museum of Budapest (www.btm.hu); the Music Museum, which includes the Bartok archive (www.zti.hu/museum.htm); the Military Museum (www.militaria.hu) and the National Gallery (www.fsz.bme.hu/hungary/budapest/bpmuz/bpmuz13.htm), which is inside the Royal Palace and houses an impressive collection of paintings. In the city centre, the National Museum (www.museum.hu) charts the course of Hungary’s history from its foundation. An unusual and sobering museum to visit is the House of Terror (www.terrorhaza.hu/index2.html), which is in the secret police headquarters and documents the terror of the Nazi and communist eras.
For Children
Happily for parents, come rain or shine, come winter or summer, indoors and out, there is always plenty to keep children occupied in Budapest. Here are just a few examples. For the curious, try the Zoo : there you can observe at close quarters ancient indigenous Hungarian animals as well as exotic wild game. The special handling sessions are always hugely popular with smaller children. They can safely stroke the tamest animals, and feed and talk to them. In the giant Tropicarium at the Campona shopping centre you can watch the sharks, ray fish and alligators, as well as hundreds of other types of brightly coloured sea and freshwater fish. The Fun Fair is another perennial favourite. There are loads of interesting things against which you can test either your skill, strength or bravery. Boys and girls (and their dads!) will particularly enjoy the Hungarian Railway Museum,where as well as working the model railways you can even have a go at driving a real steam engine. For a whole day’s fun and splashing about try the Aquaréna Water Park at Mogyoród. There’s a giant slide that goes both over- and underground and is a mile long! Altogether there are eight pools, 26 slides, a lazy river, an acrobatic pool, caves, and much more besides. More traditional indoor entertainment for children is on offer at the Budapest Puppet Theatre and the Kolibri Theatre.
