Hidden Treasures of Budapest

There are a few places to which I like to take repeat visitors of Budapest who have seen all the main sites and attractions. Most of these are pretty well-known by local people but they would be considered to be fairly well ‘hidden’ for the majority of tourists.

Instead of the heavily visited and now expensive Liszt Ferenc Tér, I prefer to go to Raday Utca, especially as I work at the University nearby. This is a long attractive street of arty shops as well as cafés, bars and restaurants. The menus tend to be pretty cheap as many students also come here. The so-called ’ruin pubs’ (or rom kocsma) are also becoming legendary in Budapest. Many of these can be found in the old Jewish quarter in District VII, and they are bars or cafés which have developed in an ad hoc way in disused buildings and courtyards. There is music, dancing and sometimes film too, and the places are very atmospheric, bohemian and relaxed. Examples include Szimpla Kert (probably the best known even amongst tourists), the smaller but more intimate Mumus in Dob Utca, and Fogas Ház in Akácfa utca. The ship called the A38 on the Danube is also an atmospheric place for a drink, concerts, music and arts events. There is a changing programme which can be viewed on the website (http://www.a38.hu).

For a lovely walk outdoors by the river, the Kopaszi Gát is a newly regenerated area on the Buda side by the Lágymányosi Bridge. The whole area is landscaped in a very attractive way, there are pleasant walkways, paths for jogging and cycling, a couple of cafés with tasty menus, a childrens‘ playground and numerous sunbathing /or sledging spots for all weathers. It can get really busy here when the weather is good so it is hardly undiscovered, but it is still being developed so there is always likely to be something new.

Another walk which is very interesting for me is to go from Corvinus University at the end of Vaci Utca in Fővám Tér along the side of the Danube towards the Palace of Arts. There are a number of new developments springing up (a bit like the Docklands in London), including the creation of a complex which will house shops, restaurants and cultural institutions – the so-called „Covent Garden of Budapest“. There is also the Zwack Unicum Visitor Centre on the way.
One of my favourite alternative walks to the well-known Andrássy Avenue is the Városligeti Fasor parallel to Andrássy Avenue (near to M1 stop Kodály körönd or Bajza utca). It is a large avenue running towards the City Park or Város Liget and contains some of the most beautiful Art Nouveau and Fin de Siecle buildings in Budapest. Many of them are Embassies or Private Villas. Walking around the 8th and 9th Districts of Budapest, for example behind the National Museum is really fascinating as there a lots of hidden ‘gems’ of architecture, as well as cafés and bars. There are more and more vegetarian restaurants in this area which are hard to find elsewhere in Budapest. The Cökxpôn Ambient Cafe Theater Cultural Centre (Soroksári út 8-10) is a great place to chill out.

Finally, the Gozsdu Udvar between Király Utca and Dob Utca is becoming a really interesting place, as the dilapidated architecture and courtyards have been regenerated and now house some new shops and cafés. It is very atmopsheric for a wander or a visit to the weekend crafts market where there are lots of arty bits and pieces. There are also festivals sometimes, such as the Jewish Gastronomy Festival in November. specialty store, or Hungarian wine I hadn’t tasted before. I can only hope this enthusiasm is contagious.