Budapest Local City Tips And Events

So you’re visiting Budapest in the summer and wonder how you’ll find the best hotspots for gastronomy, music, festivals and other fun programs. In case you are looking for some recommendations, we can help you out!

Budapest Beer Week (20-26th of May)

Yes, we have two beer festivals in the city center. BPBW (Budapest Beer Week) is a week-long international craft beer festival with tap reservation, concerts and professional events with the personal participation of local and foreign brewers. Their main event, the weekend tasting days offer you unlimited beer tasting for a fixed price ticket, while in the evenings you can party together to underground concerts and DJs at the official after-parties following the tastings and the free Sunday encore.

And if beer is really your thing, don't miss our guide of the best craft beer bars here.

The Night of Museums (24th of June)

This year's Night of Museums will take place on 24 June. With around 400 participants and nearly 2000 activities across the country, we are looking forward to welcoming you to this evening. Hop on the night bus connecting the best museums of Budapest! Visit the Museum of Applied Arts, the House of Terror, the National Gallery, you name it, from Electrotechnics through Natural History and Fine Arts.

Budapest Wine Bar Tour

When you hear of establishments called VinoPiano Wine Bar and DiVino Bazilika, you begin torealize you’re in for a fun wine-lover’s adventure. There is no entry fee, and as a fun extra, wines from the program’s highlighted wine region are sometimes discounted. Go around to explore wine bars and meet fellow wine connoisseurs and makers!

Margaret Island Open-Air Theater

Fancy watching the ballet play of Romeo and Juliet? Listening to Matteo Bocelli, Chico and the Gypsies or Daniel Lozakovich? You can do all this at the Margaret Island Open-Air Theater in the heart of Budapest, on the cutest and best-loved island of the city by an ancient water tower, and close to the even more ancient St. Margaret Monastery Ruins. Musicals, dance shows and theatrical performances are usually on the program, from opera through comedies and world-famous musicians.

Festive Book Week – Ünnepi Könyvhét (13th-16th june)

Do you have a Hungarian author whose books you love? (Hint: Janos Terey? Laszlo Garaczi? Gyorgy Ferdinandy?) Have your book signed, and discover new favorites at the biggest celebration of Hungarian books, at Vörösmarty (close to Váci street and the Danube) and Vigadó Square.

Pro tip: The best place to buy contemporary or classic Hungarian literature in English is a small bookstore near St. Stephen’s Basilica. It’s called Bestsellers, at 11 Október 6. Street. Y

ou can start with Istvan Orkeny’s mid-20th century One-Minute Stories for a short but deep and absurd dive into the crazy turns of history in the region and how they came to shape the daily life of ordinary people.