Ruin bars

The ruin bars became one of the symbols of the city in the past 15 years. They are almost as famous as the Heroes Square or the Buda Castle. It all started in 2002 with the opening of the first ruin bar the Szimpla. Thanks to its great success others have followed in the footsteps, opening these kind of pubs, one after another. The recipe is easy: find an unused, unoccupied, old building in the 7th district - in the Jewish Quarter. Rent it, furnish it with used old furniture, best if you get them in a garage sale, or find them on the street, open a good bar in it with a wide selection of alcoholic beverages and you’re done! It has a truly unique atmosphere, a Hungarian specialty, that you should try at least once while you are in Budapest.

Casinos

According the 2012 gambling law in Hungary, there are no electronic casinos, not even slot machines in the pubs. There are only three casinos left, one in Buda and two in the city center of the Pest side. These casinos offer a wide range of casino games like blackjack, slots, roulette or video poker.

Concert halls

Today, the Hungarian capital embodies the remnants of its rich musical history, with grand concert and music halls honoring the likes of composers Ferenc Liszt and Ferenc Erkel. The breathtaking Hungarian State Opera House is one of the finest examples of neo-Renaissance architecture in the world, but there are numerous fantastic concert halls in the city, just like the Liszt Ferenc Music Academy with its wondrous interior, the pesti Vigadó which is one of the prettiest romantic style building, the Erkel Theatre or the Palace of Art – one of the newest concert halls. Lovers of classical music will sure find the perfect entertainment from the offered performances.

Discos

There are a lot of smaller clubs and big discos in the downtown, most of them on the Pest side around Deák Ferenc square - Király street, Gozsdu courtyard and in the Jewish quarter. You can choose from the different music types (electronic, retro, alternative, jazz, RnB, latin) depending on your taste. During the summer period the open air places are very popular, the night usually starts with a concert (Hungarian or international) and continues with a DJ till late night. In Hungary these venues are open until 4-5 am, and some of them even till the morning.

Night Clubs

There are a few night clubs also for adult entertainment, but it is not easy to find real value for money in this category. You need to be careful, never think you can „just” have a drink and than leave. In most of these places there is a minimum cost to consume, and this isn’t communicated clearly when you enter the place. It doesn’t matter if you drink one beer or ten, you need to pay that basic amount anyway, usually this fee is around 20 000 HUF. Therefore it is better to check the bar menu, order smart, and consume for the whole amount.

Festivals

Hungary is the „country of Festivals”, doesn’t matter if it is winter or summer we Hungarians always find a good reason to celebrate! We start the year with mulled wine, pálinka, sausage festivals then continue it with Easter fares, art events, spring festivals, following with countless music festivals during the summer. Just a few examples you might heard about already are the VOLT, Balaton Sound and of course the SZIGET festival. In autumn we celebrate the wines with some pálinka and sausage again. And of course in winter the unmissable Christmas markets tempt you with their beautiful and delicious artisan products.