Who Will be in Budapest thru June and Events in the City

We will be in Budapest from Monday, May 6th and leaving for Vienna on Friday, May 10th. We are staying at the Aria Hotel. Any insight and advice is greatly appreciated.

We will arrive September 25 and depart on October 2. I appreciate any information you have.

Looks like August 19 arrival for about a week. Christy, can you make it then? 🤣

We arrive the beginning of October but it’s a quick visit…just enough time to grab lunch and buy some paprika!

Planning 2 weeks in Budapest in June, 2026. I know, far away, but I’m a planner and what else do I have to do during our long, cold, dark winters!🤣

Wouldn’t you know we would just miss some good stuff. Unfortunately our trip is long with certain dates we can’t change, so these are the dates that work for us.

I will be in Budapest Sept. 3-6.

Thank you for putting this together!

We'll be there May 11 to 15 so looks like we'll be able to check out some of the summer festival. Yay! Thanks for posting.

Oktoberfest in Budapest in 2023 was:
September 29 – October 01, and
October 06 – 08

https://www.budapestbylocals.com/oktoberfest-budapest/

So, Andrea, maybe during your time. It's small, don't expect Munich, but there's a tiny stage area with typical Oktoberfest music and beer, and a strip of kiosks selling snacks and sweets and a few crafts.

Honestly, it was just enough for me to feel the excitement without being overwhelmed.

@Cwsocial, Jim will love it no matter what size it is. Especially if we can find anybody who would like to join us. We went to Oktoberfest in 2010 and since I’m not a beer drinker he was drinking alone. We thought we were going to meet up this year at Oktoberfest with a relative who lives in Houston, but he can’t make it now and Jim wasn’t interested in going with just me. I get it and am fine with it. ;-)

April 16 - April 23. My third trip to Budapest & still have a list to complete! But then, I like just wandering around for hours at a time.

jennya, me, too! Well, that and riding the trams. LOL.

Andrea, we need to talk about this Oktoberfest. 🤣

TTM, I’m all ears!

Andrea, we need to talk about this Oktoberfest.

I did say it's tiny! Did I say small? Tiny would be a better description :-)

https://oktoberfestbudapest.hu/

I found some videos too. But didnt think it would be helpful to post them. LOL

i put a few updates above in italics

Not on anyone’s agenda
February 8 - 13 Busójárás https://www.facebook.com/busofest/?locale=hu_HU
Budapest Beer Festival. May 20 thru 25 https://bpbw.hu/hu/
July 25 Wine Lover’s River Night https://wineloversrendezvenyek.hu/river-night/
Opera on Margarit Island July 30 https://e-jegyiroda.hu/budapest/operagala-margitszigeti-szabadteri-szinpad
Jewish Cultural Festival began on 3rd of Sept in 2023 so guessing 1st or 8th in 2024.
Budapest Wine Festival at the Castle Sept 12 - 15
Wine Lovers at the Corinthia. Sept 14 https://wineloversrendezvenyek.hu/winelovers-100/
Corvin Beer Festival. Sept 18 thru 21
October 12 - 13 Etyeki piknik (my guess based on last year' date https://etyekipiknik.hu/en/#programok
Revolution Day. Oct 23rd

CWsocial, I get your point. Maybe I won’t mention it. Lol! Don’t mention it to him. That includes you, TTM.

You can easily walk past it and let him discover it. If you're facing the gigantic (lit at night) Budapest Ferris Wheel, it's 50m to your left.

My lips are sealed. 🤐 We had a fun 30-45 minutes (with no beer) but yes, it was tiny.

You guys are too much. And TTM you are coming in August snd October?

That's a pretty high recidivism rate.

TTM, you should arrange to be there when we are. We could get together and do what CWsocial suggested and just happen to wander past the little Oktoberfest. ;-)

I sent TTM a list of apartments for sale. She just might be there and more.

September 25-30

A happy coincidence that we'll be there for Octoberfest, even if it's tiny.

First trip to Hungary, my grandparents were both born there (in Pecs).

25th Wedding anniversary trip.

Thanks for all of the information and tips!!

Maureen

recidivism is an awfully big word….. and your list of apartments needs to be cheaper…. 🤣

Andrea, I wish I could be there in October - it is a great time of year! In 2024 I am going to check out how hot the end of August is. And how big the St Stephan’s Day fireworks are. Fröccsterasz, one of the locations for the Oktoberfest in Budapest (I love how that sounds 🤣) is also supposed to have wine - so you wouldn’t be limited to beer.

Mo, that will be such a special trip! Mr. É has lots of great information posted in this forum.

Wine? Now you’re talking!

I am going to check out how hot the end of August is. And how big the
St Stephan’s Day fireworks are.

TTM I saw the NYE fireworks over the Opera in Sydney a few years ago. The Budapest show was nearly as good or maybe as good because a lot easier to see without an investment.

And for those of you looking for a short term apartment rental. The government is now ranking the apartments 1 - 4 star. The survey is 42 pages long. Each will be checked by the government. I suspect it will be June before anything is published and then I suspect the rating will be a requirement to be posted in the marketing .... along side the license number.

Pain in the "A" but I think a good step to bring some order to the market.

EDIT. Forget what I said. There are 10,000 airbnb in Budapest. Impossible to inspect them all in less than 5 years.

EDIT. I've been assured that it will be done by years end. My plumber also assured me he would replace my boiler this week. Still waiting.

The stats are in. Tourism in Decrmber was up 20% over last year. I am guessing that it puts it at or slightly above pre COVID numbers. So dont wait to long to book. And the tourists were not American by and large. I haven't actually heard too much American spoken this winter. Some Brits but Lots of Spanish, Italian and Asian.

Going Feb 3-6!! very excited

Arriving on a river cruise on April 20 and flying out on April 24. Featuring Hungary this month is great for planning our days in Budapest. I should reserve a room per your recommendation Mr. E. This is our 3rd visit with the first in 2000. The city has changed so much.

Flying out of Budapest on Sept 25 (looks like we'll just miss a couple of you!), planning to arrive from the rest of our trip around Sept 16, with a couple of nights somewhere in there to go to Eger. Damn, looks like we'll miss the Jewish Cultural Fest by days. :-(

Pencil us in for December. TTM and I have already discussed. ;)

izzyv, bring long underwear. Good news is when you live in a city with a short winter, people just try and survive it. When you live in a city with a long winter, it gets incorporated into the culture. And comments about short days? This place is a whole nother world when the lights come on and when you can look deep into the windows of the shops and restaurants and bars and galleries.

Have never been and am hoping to go the first or second week of November 2024.

Regina, Christmas markets should open 17 November. You are added above.

We now have a RS type every month.

I just ran across this: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2024/jan/12/readers-favourite-cultural-trips-in-europe-art-history-design
Sort of unexpected.

the link to the house is here: https://zenehaza.hu/en

We will be in Budapest, October 13 - 16, before our Danube cruise. Can hardly wait!

Here’s a little must do list I put together for Budapest for friends after we moved back. We have 2 kids so some of ours is a bit more kid oriented.

1. Playgrounds
   1. City park (honestly worthwhile even for adults)
   2. Gellert slides
   3. Elevenpark
2. Cultural things
   1. Buda Castle
      1. Reserve tickets for national gallery
      2. Labyrinths (Scary)
      3. Funicular to Buda castle
      4. Mattias Church
      5. Fisherman’s Bastian
   2. Opera house tour
   3. Children’s train
   4. Ski lift
   5. Boat tour
   6. Ferris wheel
   7. Hungarian House of Music
   8. Heroes Square
   9. Dohany Street Synagogue
   10. Monument park (we didn’t do, but wanted to)
   11. museum of terror
   12. Rudas Baths
   13. City Park ice rink in the winter is AMAZING
3. Food
   1. Foods
      1. Foie Gras
      2. Babychino (for kids)
      3. Goulash
      4. Schnitzel
      5. Chimney Cake
   2. Restaurants
      1. New York Cafe
      2. Borkonhya (cheap Michelin-rated)
      3. Frejya
      4. 26
      5. Mazel tov
      6. A la massion (brunch)
      7. Parisi udvar
      8. Szimpla Kert
      9. Kiosk for happy hour and views
      10. ruzwurm. Oldest confectionary in Buda
      11. Gelarto Rosa for instagram-worthy gelato
   3. Coffee
      1. Espresso Embassy
      2. FLOW
      3. EcoCafe
4. Silly/fun
   1. Museum of illusion
   2. Szimpla Kert famers market
   3. Labrynth tours (actually kinda scary)
   4. Buy a Rubik’s cube
   5. First female grandmaster is from Budapest
   6. bring your skateboard, there's fun skateparks around Elizabet Ter,
5. Shopping
   1. Retrock
   2. Szputnyik shop D20
   3. Print Design Shop
   4. YMRA. -great backpacks
   5. Look for the book HUNGARIAN DESIGNERS and shop in all of those places
   6. Preszent
   7. Lollipop 2.0
   8. Nanushka (vegan leather)
   9. DRK
   10. Garden Studio (increbiel local designers)
   11. Ecseri Piac flea market (I hear)
   12. Magma
   13. Mono
6. Streetsto explore
   1. Kiraly Utca
   2. Vaci Utca
   3. Andrassy Utca
   4. Central Market Hall
   5. Balna
   6. Ujbuda (ranked one of coolest neighborhoods in world….didn’t meet that expectation at all, but still nice to walk around)
7. Best Hotels
   1. Brody House
   2. Hotel Rum (I hear)

The shopping list is great.
A few notes on the list

The Blana has a couple of restaurants left in it and they are nice as they face the water. But other than that it is now a Military Museum.

Rubic Cube? No, get a Gömböc. Much more interesting.

Kiraly utca, get in and out before the late night drunk kids show up.

Ujbuda. Spent the day there today. Love it. Been house shopping in the area. Didnt know it got some sort of recognition. Nice to hear. Found it: https://hungarytoday.hu/budapests-xi-district-among-coolest-neighborhoods-in-world-ujbuda-bela-bartok-boulevard-gellert-baths/

Hi Mr. E, love your commentary and reco's. We will be in Budapest 5/20-25. And that restaurant list is helpful...we are coming pre-Danube cruise. Any suggestions on what us tourists should buy to take home, as souvenirs, other than great experiences and places to see?

TexasTravelMom has the best restaurant list. The problem is that there are too many good places to eat, so I try and narrow it down by asking where you are staying.

Things to take home. Hmmmmm

The usual answer is paprika and pâté. The best sources of both are grocery stores where the turnover is greater. But the nicest looking paprika is at the gift shops. Or a place called The Spicery, located at District V, Károly körút 10 (in the courtyard). Paprika to some folks is like wine to others. There are different regions, varities, etc .....

The eight grades of Hungarian paprika are különleges (“special
quality”, which is mild and the most vibrant red), csípősmentes
csemege (delicate and mild), csemege paprika (similar to csípősmentes
csemege but more pungent), csípős csemege (which is even more
pungent), édesnemes (“noble sweet”; which is slightly pungent and
bright red), félédes (semi-sweet with medium pungency), rózsa (mildly
pungent and pale red), and erős (hottest and light brown to orange).
In the US, what is marketed as Hungarian sweet paprika is usually the
édesnemes variety.
https://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-hot-sweet-68134

As for the Pâté, Hungary is either the first or second highest in the per capita consumption of duck. As a result the Pâté is reasonably priced and available all over town. And as a side product, anythig with down feathers can be found at pretty good prices.

Another idea is porcelain. You can find it new in shops and used in antique shops: https://fromhungarywithlove.wordpress.com/2019/07/05/the-famous-hungarian-porcelains/

Communist era collectables from various antique shops around town. I sort of like Antik-Bazár the best, small but packed with 50's - 80's communist era junk: Budapest, Klauzál u. 1, 1071

Nicer Antiques at any of the shops near the Parliament along Falk Miska utca. The most interesting are the ones in the basements.

Or books or art pints, antique and new, from one of the many book shops on the 47/48/49 Tram Line along Múzeum krt. between Kalvin ter and Astoria. Pay attention when you out and about and you might notice that Budapest has a lot more book stores and libraries than you will find in a lot of places Yes, they still read here.

Embroidery: Either in the first floor of the Great Market Hall or Sher Textil Kft. at 41 Kiraly utca looks to have beautiful things (I walk past every day, but havent gone in yet).

Almost forgot Hungarian Tisza Cipő tennis shoes.

AND Palinka, and Unicum and Wine.

Amazing thread! Thank you.
We will be in Budapest December 9-15. Traveling from Seattle. No Sunday.

Hoping you do this for next year and the year after. In 2026, I am planning 🤞🏻for 10-14 days In Budapest.

We will be in Budapest on a Sunday and haven’t made plans for any day yet. What’s happening on Sundays?

Tammy, you are added.

Andrea, check your PM

Got it, thanks!

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Gctn7rQggH5LPckp9

Try it. Sweet

And

https://maps.app.goo.gl/yxpcwHRRs1Yj96pg8. My stomach said yes, my arteries cried.

We were in Budapest right before covid and it was great. Can't wait to return......

My problem was I came and have had a hard time leaving.

We will be there September 6-9.
Thank you!!

Wellllll, my trip got blind-sided. So now it looks like I will be there early October instead of August. I was looking forward to the fireworks.,

TTM, you might be sorry to change your dates but maybe your new dates will coincide with when we will be there and we could meet up.

Mr. É, invite me to a party you are actually having and I will come. 🤣 I arrive on mine - maybe I need a party, too.

Andrea, absolutely!! Put me on your calendar!

Like you dont know where I will be.

Will be in Budapest April 25th thru May 7th. It will be my first time in Hungary and I am so very excited. I have some stamina issue so want to take my time exploring what looks to be an incredible city. Just found this forum and am looking forward to reading all of the suggestions to plan my trip.

mclianne, welcome to the club.

You are overlapping at least 2 other RS types in Budapest. Sometimes meeting up can be fun. I've met quite a few over the years and all good experiences.

Any of you wanting to do something pretty unique in Budapest, or in any city, check this out: https://www.eatwith.com/ If you do do it in Budapest and need a few more for the ocassion, let me know.

We have a March 31st arrival.

The weather has been "good". Its warmed up above 70F on a few days, but the warmer weather has brought evening showers. But I have never seen a hard rain here, only mist to light drizzle so it doesnt slow much down.

You will note that after Hungarian the most common language heard is Spanish. The few speaking English are generally older gentlemen in funny hats or women's clothing (British) or the youth over in Distrci VII late at night.

The long range forecast only goes to the 30th, but is a high of 76 with little chance of rain. The high has been bouncing up and down between 55 and 70 somethng for a week now. The lows have been bouncing between 40 and 55 depending on the day.
More of the outside cafes are open (some never closed). Not a bad time to be here.

Not sure why I am sharing this. The recommendations are all a bit goofy:

Summer Wellness
https://www.cntraveller.com/article/a-summer-wellness-getaway-in-budapests-storied-baths

Tickets for the 13 June wine party on the Corso have gone on sale. If interested, let me know.