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ONLY BE BUDAPESTER
Only-Be Budapester
Essential Restaurants in Budapest
In this post we’ll find out what restaurants are most popular with travelers: Budapest’s essential restaurants.
5 Reasons Why Visiting Budapest will Transform You
Budapest is so much more than a mere picture of its Parliament Building. Discover a 100% recommendable personal experience.
Celebrate Your Birthday in Budapest
Budapest offers endless possibilities when it comes to celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or another event. Even if it’s not the image that normally comes to mind when we think of the capital of Hungary, it’s a very exciting and lively city with a variety of options to choose from. You can start the day out in a traditional spa, watch the sunset over dinner while cruising on the Danube, and then finish with drinks in the bohemian neighborhood of Budapest: the Jewish Quarter. Let the party begin!
Spring Baths in Budapest
Spring is a great time of year to take a break and relax in a nice resort. In Budapest water is a lifestyle. Hungarians go to these urban spas or baths to socialize and have a good time with friends while relaxing and chatting. And for visitors to the city, a trip to the thermal baths of Budapest is a must. One of the most important and possibly the most attractive of the city’s seaside resorts is Széchenyi. It is located just behind Heroes´ Square, a noble area where Budapest’s upper class once lived. Once inside, it will feel like you’re in a castle, but one from the early twentieth century. It has 3 outdoor swimming pools and 15 indoor, with a dozen saunas and two Turkish baths. And no matter what the weather, the Széchenyi Baths are always full of locals and tourists alike. It seems strange when you notice the many retirees who go there to play chess; they actually play while relaxing in the outdoor pools. They also have massage parlors and offer pedicures and waxing, at an additional cost of course. The entrance fee to the spa is about 15 euros for the full day (4,600 guilders) and 12 (3,800 guilders) for half a day. That’s a cheap way to spend a wonderful day soaking. The Király baths are also quite famous and quite beautiful. They are located within an old Ottoman-style building. Even just visiting the building makes a trip worthwhile. The building was built by the Turks back in 1565. If the last spa sounded large, this one’s even bigger, with more than...
The Pleasure of Cooking Anywhere in the World
This post is aimed at travelers and not simply tourists. I have always liked more the word “traveler” better than “tourist.” In any case, it’s clear that finding accommodations with a kitchen is a better way to feel more integrated. It forces you to go grocery shopping and bump into people in the midst of their usual routines. Staying in accommodations with a kitchen has many advantages and to demonstrate these we’ll take Budapest, Hungary, as an example. Apartment Primula in Budapest It is becoming increasingly common to experience new cities away from the hotels full of tourists. Renting an apartment is a great option for just about anyone. It´s fast, easy and reliable. And the biggest advantage is undoubtedly having a kitchen at your disposal. Enjoying good food, with recipes from your home or local ones, is always a good plan. But cooking yourself is the best way to save money while traveling, since you don’t have to go for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And, of course, in touristy areas the food will likely be more expensive. Renting an apartment used to be more of an option for long trips, but now this has changed considerably and renting an apartment for a few days is both advisable and comfortable. Hungary and its capital Budapest are known for their delicious goulash, a dish which is really quite easy to cook and really quite tasty. If you think you’d like to try to make this stew with a very special Hungarian twist yourself, we’ll tell you how. Here are the ingredients : beef (1 and a half kilos, cut into...
Budapest Christmas Fair
If you happen to be traveling through North, East or Central Europe during November and December, you’ll find markets and Christmas fairs that fulfill the continent with an unparalleled charm. These kind markets are especially traditional in countries like Germany, Austria, Hungary and Poland, among others, but the one celebrated in the Hungarian capital, is undoubtedly one of the best. Photo via NaturesFan1226 From the 15th of November to the 31st of December the famous Vörösmarty Square in Budapest, located on the Pest side, will host its known Christmas Fair. This is an event in which you’ll have the chance to eat, shop and enjoy experiencing some of the traditions of this Central European country. The square will be filled with several wooden stalls selling all kinds of traditional Christmas items. If you like traditional Christmas food, you’ll get exactly what you want in Budapest, since the city is famous for having some of the most delicious dishes in Europe: lángos, a fried bread topped with a many ingredients of your choice; kürtöskalács: a delicious baked pastry, töki pompos, small bread dumplings baked, or simply grilled meats, sausages, strudels or chestnuts, are just some of the culinary delights that you’ll find at this market. You can accompany all these treats with a delicious mulled wine, which is, by the way, extremely popular during this season. The fair is the perfect place to buy traditional Hungarian souvenirs; here you’ll find all kinds of objects of various sizes and prices, which you can later use as decoration in your house or in your apartment in Budapest. From religious objects to handmade Christmas...
Sziget festival 2013
Summer is already here and with it came the open-air festivals that’ll fill with music our sunny season. If you are a summer-festival hunter, Sziget festival is a must-go event for you in Budapest. An entire week filled with over 1000 shows of all kinds, each year attracts around 400,000 visitors from around the world eager to be part of the biggest summer festival in Europe. Festivalgoers will also have the possibility of camping (room for 40,000 campers) on a safe place that has around 1,500 security staff and 10,000 in charge of general service, responsible for creating a clean and friendly atmosphere during the event. Sziget Festival takes place on the 108-hectares island of Óbuda, which is located a few kilometers from the center of Budapest. Apart of music for all tastes, the visitors will be able to enjoy a wide range of activities including climbing, bungee jumping, tennis and football, as well as access to a cinema and a theater. The 2013 edition of the festival, which by the way was awarded as the best summer festival in 2012, will display performances by various bands from all around the world. On the 6th of August, two Hungarian bands will delight the audience with a parallel between the modern sounds of alternative rock by Quimby in Wonderland and the Hungarian traditional folk music by Muzsikás, while creating an ideal environment for the enjoyment of the festival. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds is the most acclaimed band on the 7th of August. They will certainly perform their song “We call upon the Author”, while spreading their unique energy...
Design Route in Budapest
Don’t be surprised when we tell you that on your next trip to Budapest you can purchase genuinely exquisite garments and accessories that are entirely Made in Budapest. The capital of Hungary is now a breeding ground for young designers who have opened their own design stores and are currently enjoying great success. Photo: Nouhailler You can find them in the city center within walking distance of each other. Here’s a list that will help you to identify them easily: Printa Akadémia This store mainly showcases household items, but it also offers a mix of other cool stuff, like a silkscreen workshop, art gallery and cafe. In short it’s a concept store, the first in Budapest, in which the “eco-design” philosophy governs everything in this multipurpose space. Here you can enjoy fair trade coffee, buy furniture designed by a local artist or accessories for men, women and children. And if you have time, take part in one the workshops which are held every so often. Printa Academy is in the Jewish Quarter, at Rumbach Sebestyén utca 10. Kék Ló This shop is also located in the Jewish quarter, this time at Kazinczy utca 11. In Kék Ló, which means “blue horse”, they offer eco-friendly clothing as well as some garments constructed from second-hand clothes. And you can also enjoy a beer or smoke (which is still legal in Hungary). Another interesting aspect of Kék Ló are the prices. For very few (between 9 and 20) euros you can find pieces with a unique design. This is the kind of bargain that is quite simply irresistable. Tisza Cipő Are you...
Pécs, the city of culture
Together with Budapest and Lake Balaton, Pécs is a must if you decide to tour Hungary. It is the fifth largest city in the country and it is a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Despite not being too big, it was the old gate of the Balkans and a gateway for all these civilizations that were transforming over the centuries. At 200 kilometers from Budapest, Pécs is a perfect getaway: A walk through the museum If you seek post-impressionist paintings find them in the Museum of Hungarian artists (Janus Pannonius street number 11). It is also advisable to visit the Roman ruins of Early Christian Necropolis of Sopianae, which are from the fourth century and has a special architectural value that has been found excavated underground in burial chambers. And not to mention its artistic value and which is kept perfectly decorated with Christian frescoes. And finally the cultural tour, the neo-Romanesque basilica of San Pedro which has four towers and a museum vault. The views from here are superb. Wine by region In Pécs atmosphere is open-minded, cheerful and Mediterranean and the wine region of Mecsekalja certainly is worth visiting. In that area they specialize in sparkling wines, the most well known are Riesling, Riezlingszilváni, the Tramini, the Hárslevelű and Királyleányka. All are of mild flavor and soft, floral and fresh. Hungarians like white and sparkling wines. You must try “fröccs”, a popular wine and soda drink. University City Despite being a small city, with a population of 160,000 , Pécs is home to more than 3,000 college students. Thanks to its multiracial character and college town of...
