NIGHTLIFE IN HUNGARY / HUNGARY NIGHTLIFE GUIDE

Hungary Info — Tue May 22, 2007 5:49 am

Author: Hungary Info

Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 5:49 am

NIGHTLIFE IN HUNGARY

GENERAL

One man's meat, it is often said, is another man's poison. The French have "chacun à son goût" and others may suggest "whatever turns you on." From eating and drinking well (and inexpensively) to classical music and opera to rock concerts and discos, Budapest offers pretty much as wide a choice of things to do as you'll find in any city of a comparable size.

Budapest has many nightclubs, bars, discos and casinos. There are about 24 cinemas in Budapest ranging from the 14-screen multiplex in West End City Centre down to small art movie houses. Cinemas in major towns show many English-language films.

During the summer months the popular Lake Balaton resort has a lively nightlife. Western Hungary in particular has a lot of very good wine cellars. Visitors would do well to search out traditional folk music and dancing, as the gypsy music which is so common in restaurants is not considered the ‘true’ folk tradition of the country.

You'll pay very little money to hear the Budapest Philharmonic at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music. Concerts are often held at the Vigado Concert Hall, though the acoustics could be better. Concerts are occasionally held in the domed hall of parliament, and Bach organ music is a delight to hear either in the castle's Matthias Church or the Basilica on the Pest side.

The magnificent Budapest Opera House stages regular performances, and seats are (by Western standards) exceedingly cheap. Besides the Opera House, performances are also staged at the 3,000-seat Erkel Theatre on Koztarsasag ter, near Keleti station. The Erkel tends to concentrate on Hungarian operas. During its season, the Operetta theatre on Nagymezo utca generally tends to stage Hungarian operettas.

Hungarians love their theatre and performances are usually well-attended. Of course, these tend to be predominantly in Hungarian. The Merlin Theatre (in Gerloczy utca 4, behind Deak ter), sponsored by the city council, puts on performances in English; these are either by visiting troupes or local ex-pat residents.

The expatriates make for Made Inn (on Andrassy ut, north of Oktagon) which has a nice patio and garden and where summer brings out large crowds. When groups like the Rolling Stones or U2 come to town, they play the Nepstadion, which has the largest seating capacity of any venue in the area.

PLACES TO UNWIND IN BUDAPEST

Almássy tér
VII. Almássy tér 6,
Budapest
Tel: (+36 1) 352-1572
Website: www.almassy.hu

Bahnhof
VI. Váci út. 1 (behind Nyugati Train Station),
Budapest
Tel: (+36 1) 302-4751
Email: bahnhof@bahnhofmusic.hu
Website: www.bahnhofmusic.hu

Becketts
V. Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út. 72,
Budapest
Tel: (+36 1) 311-1033/ 5
Fax: (+36 1) 311-1034
Email: beckettskft@axelero.hu
Website: www.budapsetsun.com/becketts

Cotton Club
VI. Jókai ut. 26,
Budapest
Tel: (+36 1) 354-0886
Email: cottoncl@axelero.hu
Website: www.cottonclub.hu

E-Klub
X. Népligeti út. 2,
Budapest
Tel: (+36 1) 263-1614
Email: office@e-klub.hu
Website: www.e-klub.hu

Fonó Music Club
XI. Sztregova u. 3,
Budapest
Tel: (+36 1) 206-5300

Mosselen Belgian Beer Café
XIII. Pannónia ut. 14,
Budapest
Tel: (+36 1) 452-0535
Website: www.mosseien.hu

Rigoletto
XIII. Visegrádi ut. 9,
Budapest
Tel: (+36 1) 237-0666
Fax: (+36 1) 237-0665
Email: rigoletto@rigoletto.hu
Website: www.rigoletto.hu

Rolling Rock Café
XI. Bartók Béla út. 76,
Budapest
Tel: (+36 1) 385-3348
Email: info@chello.hu
Website: www.igmp.hu

Szóda
VII. Wesselényi ut. 18,
Budapest
Tel: (+36-70) 389-6463/ 2
Email: szoda@vnet.hu

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NIGHTLIFE IN HUNGARY / HUNGARY NIGHTLIFE GUIDE