Budapest

[StretchRyan]

Looking for a few things to do in budapest.
heading over with 6 mates the 1st w/end of Feb.

Anyone been? Any suggestions? Anything to completely avoid??

Thanks

Mike

[paul_oshea]

had a class time, is it a stag or what? we got in contact with budapest****up.com was class, really sound fella and tour guide, and was cheap enough between 10 of us. got to shoot loads of guns and stuff and ghoulash and growler. It wasn't what i would normally do i.e. getting a tour type thing, but it was well worth it for the price and the reason we were going. Buda is definitely the nicer part of the city, its really buzzing as well. I thought it was a great city, really nice people too, very friendly. Women have none of ye though cos they hear ye speak English and a group of lads and think stag party. There is an area just over the bridge on buda that has about 4 clubs altogether in an open air style thing, really good fun, but dear enough for budapest standards. Loads and loads of good clubs/pubs though.

Lovely city and would highly recommend it.

[CollegeTillIDie]

It's a great city. There's a guided bus tour last about 2 and a half hours and you put these headphones on with commentary in English or a selection of other languages if you have them. Now I don't know how much of a history buff you are, but I found the Statue Park disappointing. The best thing about it is the tapes/CD's of old communist songs and old books pamphlets and magazines they sell in the souvenir shop on site. They play them over the PA to give you a feel of the atmosphere of the times.

One of the things I did with my friend back in 2003 on my first visit ( went back earlier this year) is we looked up a few of the football grounds. The guy at Ferencvaros let us in and spoke German ( no English) fortunately I speak German and he let me on to the perimeter of the pitch to take some photos ... no further. It was the first weekend of the mid season winter break the day I arrived. I tried to take in the Ferenc Puskas Stadium on my last visit but it was all locked up.

[pineapple stu]

The parliament houses look stunning. Don't know if you can go in, but even the outside is remarkable.

Try Michael Palin's New Europe for a couple of ideas too.

[StretchRyan]

Cheers guys for all the info. Not a stag just a post xmas holiday to
avoid the blues since no footie next summer.

Was thinking the women would be abit cold so have been trying to
learn some hungarian to get by. Looking forward to it bigstyle.

[ifk101]

I was there not too long ago on a couples holiday.

Some suggestions I have are:

to avoid the Oirish pubs - overpriced and filthy
to try out one of the public baths
to drink the local bitter Unicum in moderation - very acquired taste (like most bitters in truth)
to go up the big hill in the centre of town - great views of the city and buildings of interest (ie parliament + castle)
to avoid the local sausage - very white and boiled - didn't sit easily in my belly
the nightlife is mainly on the Buda side, although there is one particular street on the Pest side (behind and to the side of the main food market at the bottom of the shopping street) that has a good selection of pubs and restaurants.
and finally to dress warmly. I'd imagine it would be chilly enough in Budapest at that time of the year.

Good city to have a break in - plenty to see, good food and it's easy on the pocket.

[Dricky]

Brilliant City, but in Feb wrap up, if anyone wants to go for during the summer then the rock festival that is held on the island between the two sides of the city is a must puts the likes of Oxygen to shame, fantastic time to go.

[paul_oshea]

to try out one of the public baths

a mate who lived there, told me a great story about one of them

[Stuttgart88]

Go out, get absolutely thrashed, wake up with a really bad hangover.

Have a hot goulash lunch, spend a couple of hours in the Gellart(?) baths and have a beer afterwards. Hangover miraculosly disappears.

We were there on a stag a few years ago. In the airport I was introduced to a scouser guy who was part of the party. I was told he was a nice lad, but a bit thick and always got into trouble.

As soon as we dumped our bags in the hotel we congregated in the first bar we could finfd to establish our plan. as soon as we left, the scouse lad and a Scotsman both got lost. Neither had a mobile.

At 5am the scotsmans' brother in law was woken up by a knock on his door. The two lads desperately needed money and a lot of it. They were accompanied by two bouncers.

It turns out while they were looking for us these girls appraoched them and recommended a good bar / restaurant. They spent the night there knocking back what they thought was sparkling wine and some food they'd never seen before. We asked them to describe the food and they said it was a bit like mince, but black and smelt fishy. The two lads had run up a colossal tab drinking champagne and eating caviar!


Ordinary enough city. You could be pretty much anywhere in europe I thought.

[sligoman]

Have a hot goulash lunch, spend a couple of hours in the Gellart(?) baths and have a beer afterwards. Hangover miraculosly disappears

By the time you'd have that done it'd be time to go out and get rotten again though?

[ifk101]

a mate who lived there, told me a great story about one of them

Tell us more. You can't write something like that without telling the story.

We were there on a stag a few years ago. In the airport I was introduced to a scouser guy who was part of the party. I was told he was a nice lad, but a bit thick and always got into trouble.

As soon as we dumped our bags in the hotel we congregated in the first bar we could finfd to establish our plan. as soon as we left, the scouse lad and a Scotsman both got lost. Neither had a mobile.

At 5am the scotsmans' brother in law was woken up by a knock on his door. The two lads desperately needed money and a lot of it. They were accompanied by two bouncers.

It turns out while they were looking for us these girls appraoched them and recommended a good bar / restaurant. They spent the night there knocking back what they thought was sparkling wine and some food they'd never seen before. We asked them to describe the food and they said it was a bit like mince, but black and smelt fishy. The two lads had run up a colossal tab drinking champagne and eating caviar!

I've heard plenty of stories like this before - but I find it difficult to believe that there exists people that can mix up caviar and mince It probably wasn't champagne they were drinking either - could of been the local sparkling wine Törley. Had a few bottles of that myself - doesn't cost much.

[Neish]

Brilliant City, but in Feb wrap up, if anyone wants to go for during the summer then the rock festival that is held on the island between the two sides of the city is a must puts the likes of Oxygen to shame, fantastic time to go.

Sziget rocks, missed last year due to work commitments but was there in 2006, as you say it really puts Oxegen to shame. 7 Day of music with cheap drink & properly cooked food, clas weather and most importantly no sumbags all for onl €150. Never going to Oxegen again.

Can't wait to next year, check out http://www.sziget.hu/festival_english(Site for 2007 Festival usually update round end of March early April)

[Billsthoughts]

Anyone been here? going in february. any must see or do's?

[paul_oshea]

ya been there, lovely city granted i was there on a stag.

[Docboy]

Yea get yourself down to the Gellert baths and relax in the natural hot thermals. Try not to laugh at the little hankerchiefs the locals wear to cover their vulnerables.

Word of warning, stay away from the strip bars. Seriously dodgy places, bouncers are known to march you to the atm so as to pay some ficticious bill.

[Neish]

Was there for the Sziget festival in 2006(Greatest music festival of all time), class city cheap drink. Main bar area kinda similar to Temple Bar is called Kalvin tér(drink ther a lot more expensive than other areas, but still very cheap compared to here)

[Billsthoughts]

cheers lads

[A face]

Folks going to Budapest with the girlfriend soon. Can anyone recommend any sights etc. to go see?

Going to be flying out from Prague then so wondering does anyone know if i can get a night train from one to the other, just to save a day from travelling.

[brendy_éire]

Go caving, great craic altogether. Just ask at where you're staying and they should be able to arrange it.
There's loads of caves about the city, mostly in Buda. They range from easy, big caves which you can walk through (think Marble Arch) to ones where you'll be squeezing through gaps smaller your TV (a great experience).

Take a day and go to one of the baths. Brilliant buildings, built back in the day for the workers to relax in. Dirt cheap to get in as well.

Pest (pronounced 'Pescht') is the best spot to stay and for nightlife.

Not many people speak English, but you will get by with it. If you speak German, all the better, they all speak it.

The Parliament is brilliant looking, and the Castle and Heroes' Square in Buda are worth a look.

As usual, take care with taxis and any club that looks a bit dodgy. We didn't have any bother there at all and found the locals very friendly.

Be sure to try some Unicum and definitely try pálinka (clear spirit made from fruit.