A warming lunch for this wintery spring—bean soup at Szatyor (XI. Bartók Béla út 36; Mon-Fri 12-01 Sat-Sun 14-01). Just make sure you check your change, because some waiters there suffer from dyscalculia: give you less and then even deny it. But soup is very good, yeah.
The most popular Budapest tram line — No. 2 — got Christmas makeover with flashy trams. The tram runs along the Danube (so it's not only fun for passers-by with their cameras on, the passengers have the view too), and takes you right to Christmas markets on Vörösmarty tér and this year on Fővám tér too, right across from Central Market Hall. Happy whatever does not offend you, don't eat too much.
The usual sight in the biggest shopping mall in Budapest, Arena Plaza. In Hungary (and Eastern Europe in general), shopping malls are increasingly becoming the preferred pastime for many people.
Pad Thai Wokbar opened this summer next to Basilica is a nice change from greasy fast foods, although it is also fast in serving food to the customers.
The food is prepared right in front of you with fresh ingredients. It is a typical Thai cuisine (in its European version): noodles or rice with thin slices of meats and vegetables with a sauce.
In the menu, there are also Asian soups and salads, nicely fresh and crunchy.
Budapest rains are quite tolerable, they rarely last for hours in a row, usually coming in bouts. Quite predictably for Europe, autumn is the rainiest time in Budapest.
Nevertheless, we don’t know many people who like to walk around with their feet wet, and to help you enjoy your trip despite the weather we have compiled this list of suggestions for a rainy day in Budapest.
7th district of Budapest has gradually turned from Jewish into Drinking, with new watering holes springing up on a weekly basis. Quite predictably, just a handful of those are able to offer something different, something which is not yet another boring version of chicken breast and cheap-ish beer in an orange-coloured interior.
Budapest night life is growing and getting bigger and more diverse each year. It is of course at its most active during summer heat waves, when crowds go pub crawling well into small hours. Here is our photo report from the Budapest night hot spots.
Having inherited the Kaffeekultur from Austria-Hungary, Budapest boasts plenty of cafes for all tastes and budgets.
Religious and social views aside, Christmas is great. It brings colour and light in grey winter days, it smells of hot wine and sweet and savory delicacies, it gives us a few days to slow down and relax. See our photos from the streets and Christmas markets of Budapest, winter 2011.
3 days, 18 microbreweries from all over the country, many peculiar beers to taste from currant to honey to nettles. And some of them are surprisingly good and deserve commercial success.