Peterjon Cresswell

Entertainment moves outdoors as Budapest welcomes spring with top concerts, arts festivals and botanical celebrations. This is the time to visit the city's Japanese Garden and other green getaways, particularly Margaret Island and City Park. Touring bands pass through Budapest more frequently as festival season gets into gear, so look out for top foreign acts at key music venues, the A38 and Dürer Kert, and the big concert halls such as Müpa and the Opera House showcase major productions and performances before the summer shutdown. Throughout spring, visitors to Time Out Market Budapest can savour seasonal specials, with particular focus on asparagus and strawberries. Leading winemakers from around Hungary will be presenting their most intriguing rosé varieties, while the next chapter of the Chef's Table series spotlights another top name in Hungarian gastronomy.
And all within one vibrant and inspiring culinary hub!

A mindennapi kenyér beszerzése Budapesten az elmúlt másfél évtizedben egészen új értelmet kapott. Ami 15 éve még inkább beavatottaknak szóló gasztrotipp volt, ma már sokaknál a városi rutin része: reggeli kitérő egy jó kovászos vekniért, vajban gazdag croissant-ért, kardamomos csigáért, specialty kávéért vagy egy olyan péksüteményért, amiért simán megéri pár megállóval továbbmenni. A fordulat nem egyik napról a másikra történt. A korai első madarak között ott volt a Pékműhely és a Marmorstein Pékség, később pedig olyan helyek rajzolták tovább Budapest pékségtérképét, mint az Artizán, az Arán Bakery, a nor/ma, a Freyja vagy a VAJ. Velük együtt a jó kenyér már nem ritka kivétel lett, hanem egy egyre izgalmasabb városi műfaj alapja. Ma már nem az a kérdés, találunk-e jó pékséget a közelben, hanem az, milyen világba lépnénk be szívesen: a kenyércentrikus kovászos iskolába, a francia–skandináv vajas péksütemények vonzásába, vagy abba az újhullámos pékség-kávézó univerzumba, ahol a pult mellé reggeli, specialty kávé, delikínálat és nagyon is felismerhető városi életérzés társul. Budapest legjobb pékségei ma egyszerre működnek kenyérboltként, reggelizőhelyként, kávézóként és találkozópontként. Nemcsak pékárut adnak, hanem hangulatot, ritmust és egy kis hétköznapi luxust is. Talán éppen ez mutatja a legjobban, hogy a nagy budapesti pékségforradalom mára nem különleges alkalom, hanem a város egyik legfinomabb mindennapi rituáléja lett. Mutatjuk, hol érdemes kezdeni. 🍕 A klasszikus ná

Getting your daily bread in Budapest has radically changed in recent years thanks to a revolution in the domestic baking industry, spearheaded by sourdough pioneer József Vajda of Pékműhely. Now the quality and range of loaves and pastries on offer more than match anything in the region, locals willing to pay a few forints extra for tastier, and healthier, bread. What are the best pastries in Budapest? For Hungarian children, no journey home from school is complete without a kakaós csiga, a swirl of pastry and cocoa cream, available at every bakery or pékség. Other treats will invariably feature túró, cottage cheese, although a pie, pite, may also contain fruit, often apple or cherry. Strudel, rétes, also comes in popular poppyseed form, as does the Christmas favourite of bejgli, a long pastry made for slicing and sharing. Note that more extravagant cakes are sold at a cukrászda, a confectionery, an art form in this part of Europe.  Discover more of the best things to do in Budapest This article was written and updated by Peterjon Cresswell, a writer based in Budapest. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Budapest továbbra is Közép-Európa egyik legizgalmasabb városa: nem véletlenül választják annyian egy hétvégi kiruccanásra vagy hosszabb pihenésre is. A főváros szállodái pedig többet kínálnak puszta alvóhelynél: elegáns éttermeket, panorámás rooftop bárokat, világszínvonalú spa-részlegeket és ikonikus gasztrohelyeket, amelyek önmagukban is megérnek egy látogatást. Összegyűjtöttük Budapest legjobb szállodáit 2026-ban egy praktikus útmutatóban, mindenkinek, aki a városba készül és a tökéletes helyen szeretne megszállni. A budapestieknek pedig remek inspiráció, ha egy spa-élményre, különleges vacsorára vagy panorámás koktélra vágynak anélkül, hogy elhagynák a várost. 🛍️ A legjobb vintage és second hand üzletek Budapesten 🪞 A legjobb bolhapiacok Budapesten   🎶 A legjobb ingyenes budapesti programok  Peterjon Creswell írása Cs. Nagy Anikó fordításában – mindketten Budapesten élnek. A Time Out útikalauzait mindig helyiek írják, akik tényleg belülről ismerik a városukat.

Developed in the later 1800s, rediscovered in the early 2000s, Hungarian cuisine has the same peasant roots as its French counterpart. It relies on prime meat and top-quality naturally organic produce. Here in inland Hungary, freshwater fish is another staple. Classic dishes include chicken paprikash (paprikás csirke or csirkepaprikás), topped with another essential, sour cream (tejföl), which also tops töltött káposzta, stuffed cabbage in tomato sauce. There’s goulash, of course, and halászlé, a spicy fish soup. Where can I get good goulash in Budapest? The one Hungarian dish everyone knows is goulash (gulyás), a paprika-flavoured soup filled with chunks of beef and potato, traditionally served in a small cauldron. Brought alongside will be a small dish of an even fierier paprika mix to add to the bowl at your peril. Because the best goulash is slow-cooked – its name refers to the herdsmen (gulyás) who would prepare it over an open fire – the places which do it well are fairly thin on the ground. Many of Budapest's best restaurants are more international in approach – find great goulash at the following select Hungarian-focused eateries. Discover our ultimate guide to eating and drinking in Budapest Words by Peterjon Cresswell, original photos by Gábor Szabó, both based in Budapest. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

2026 nyara Budapesten egy időre biztosan a futball köré szerveződik. Május 30-án először rendezik meg a Bajnokok Ligája döntőjét a magyar fővárosban, egy nappal korábban, május 29-én pedig az Ultimate Champions Legends Tournament hozza el a Papp László Budapest Sportarénába a sorozat legendás játékosait. És ezzel még nincs vége: nem sokkal később a világbajnokság is elrajtol, így hamarosan kivetítők lepik el a várost, és megtelnek a teraszok szurkolókkal. Adódik tehát a kérdés: hol érdemes megnézni a meccseket egy hideg sörrel a kézben, jó társaságban és igazán ütős hangulatban? Összegyűjtöttük Budapest legjobb meccsnéző helyeit: találsz köztük hamisítatlan ír sportpubot, focirajongók kedvenc olasz pizzázóját és belvárosi, teraszos helyeket is. Ha pedig nagyvásznas élményre vágysz, a Time Out Market Budapestet is érdemes felírnod a listára: a Corvin Palace első emeletén, kényelmes közösségi térben, 3 bár és 11 étterem kínálatával a háttérben nézheted a projektfalra vetített meccseket. AJÁNLOTT: ✨ A koncerttől a termálfürdőig, a panorámától a romkocsmáig: a legjobb budapesti programok 2026-ra 🌳 A Városligettől a Margitszigeten át a Normafáig: a legjobb parkok Budapesten 🪞 Régi tárgyak, különleges történetek és verhetetlen árak: a legjobb bolhapiacok Budapesten   Peterjon Cresswell Budapesten élő író. A Time Outnál városkalauzainkat olyan helyi szerzők írják, akik kívül-belül ismerik a várost.

Budapest is a city that’s packed with stuff to see and do – at all times of the day and night. Ruin bars, rooftop spots and late-night clubs mean you’re going to want to pack a lot in while you’re here, especially if your days will be filled with the city’s best things to do. To get a good night’s sleep, you’ll need a great hotel – and Budapest has them in spades. From budget hostels to lavish five-star spa resorts, here are our favourite hotels in Budapest right now.  What's the best area to stay in Budapest? The Jewish Quarter is crammed full of great bars and the fun goes on late into the night. For a more chilled-out stay (and proximity to the city’s main sights), try a hotel in the city centre. For panoramic views and romantic sojourns, head over to Buda. If these don’t float your boat, we’ve got plenty more recommendations for Budapest’s best areas in our neighbourhood guide.  📍 Discover our ultimate guide to hotels in Budapest Peterjon Cresswell is a writer based in Budapest. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. We may not have stayed at every hotel featured, but we use our local expertise to curate this list to the absolute best. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

The spread of new four- and five-star hotels around Budapest carries on unabated. Record numbers of visitors from 2022 onwards have seen hotel chains raise the bar in the design stakes. Maverick creative Zoltán Varró has echoed pre-war bohemia at the Mamaison Chain Bridge. The St Regis Budapest has imbued an architectural landmark with contemporary vim. You can sleep inside a Rubik's Cube at JO&JOE. And a roof isn't a roof without restaurant tables or loungers scattered across it. This trend will only continue. As well as regular annual attractions such as the Sziget Festival and Grand Prix, 2026 will see the first Champions League final being staged here, along with shows by major music stars such as Metallica and Eric Clapton. Film crews fly in as often as stag weekenders. Eddie Redmayne's visit to the Csiga café earlier this month has already been forgotten. With more and more districts clamping down on short-term rentals, the demand for hotels and hostels will only rise, particularly in the city centre and Jewish Quarter. 📍 Discover our ultimate guide to hotels in Budapest Peterjon Cresswell is a writer based in Budapest. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. We may not have stayed at every hotel featured, but we use our local expertise to curate this list to the absolute best. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on o

Just as Budapest goes big on nightlife, so breakfast a few hours later is another strong point. In fact, the same Jewish Quarter hub specialises in both, which is why you won’t go far wrong if you scour Klauzál tér and adjoining streets for that first meal of the day. Brunch can have other connotations. For years now, the city’s top downtown hotels have pushed the boat out at weekends, laying on a lavish family-friendly spread for the business community. Brunch can also mean, of course, just a long, late breakfast close to where you would have been partying the night before. 📍 Discover our ultimate guide to bars and nightlife in Budapest 🏨 Ready to book? Here are Budapest’s best hotels and best Airbnbs, selected by our editors Peterjon Cresswell is a writer based in Budapest. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Budapest in 2026: There’s loads happening in Budapest this spring as the city stages its first Champions League final on May 30 and everyone looks forward to another summer Sziget Festival. Florence + the Machine, Lewis Capaldi and the Lambrini Girls have already been confirmed for the biggest music bash in the region, taking place between August 11 and 15. Those coming to town can check out the culinary and entertainment offerings at Time Out Market Budapest, as well as live shows at Dürer Kert, the A38 Boat and Akvárium Klub. By day, glide along the Danube, lay into a bowl of hearty goulash and take in serious views from rooftop bars, funiculars and chairlifts. This is a city steeped in history, blessed with spa waters and embellished with grandiose façades from the Habsburg days. From attractions to nightlife, here’s our local’s guide to Budapest.  📍 RECOMMENDED: Ultimate guide to what to do in Budapest How to have the perfect day in Budapest The perfect day in Budapest always begins with coffee, ideally with an extravagant cake at the Gerbeaud on the main square of Vörösmarty tér. From here, you can stroll, cycle or take Continental Europe’s oldest metro along elegant boulevard Andrássy út to the City Park, where the House of Hungarian Music or the Széchenyi Baths await. A late lunch at culinary landmark Gundel shouldn’t break the bank nor evening drinks at the panoramic 360 Bar as the sun sinks over Europe’s most beautiful metropolis. 🏨 Ready to book? Here are Budapes

Easter is a time of traditional family get-togethers in Hungary, with eggs, lamb, rabbits and ham familiarly prominent – although Hungarians also do things a little differently. Easter Monday is synonymous with locsolás, a medieval ritual in which the menfolk sprinkle women with water or cheap perfume, first reciting a poem asking permission to do so. More prevalent in the countryside – where entire buckets of water are thrown with abandon – this spring rite still takes place around Budapest. Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays, with many supermarkets also closed on the Sunday, but most restaurants, cafés and bars should be operating as normal. Table reservations are particularly recommended. Family-friendly things to do this Easter Liget Budapest/FacebookCity Park, Budapest Over Easter weekend, Budapest Zoo is transforming its Cave Hall (Barlang terem) into an eco-friendly playground, a five-station maze and beeswax workshop. Look out, too, for the Easter bunny when you visit the Plant Café. Over on Margaret Island, a craft tent (10am-3pm) will be set up at the Petting Zoo, with animal demonstrations at 1pm. You’ll find it halfway up the island, near the Pest side. In City Park, traditional games, craft workshops, a bunny petting zoo, puppet shows and old-school amusements number among the mainly free attractions. A certain amount of Hungarian might be needed for some of them at this rural Easter fair – otherwise, kids can crack on with the various slides and

Launching the centenary celebrations of the magnificent heritage building he, his brother Olivér and their team now oversee, Viktor Balogh reflected on a successful first six months for Time Out Market Budapest at the historic Corvin Palace. Transforming this former department store into a contemporary culinary and cultural hub has been “a labour of love” – but the best is yet to come, according to the 33-year-old co-owner. “We’re always adding new elements and trying to improve. The introduction of the lunch menu has seen an incredible increase in traffic.” With the month of March dedicated to marking 100 years of the Corvin Palace, each week one of the 11 dining outlets here is preparing a special selection of dishes based on the original menu the Balogh brothers found from 1926. The find is only one of several surprises they uncovered during the painstaking process to convert this landmark into a going gastronomic concern. On the horizon are a four-star hotel and what will be the biggest rooftop bar/restaurant in Budapest – of which more later. Reviving a legend Fotó: Time Out Market Budapest “From the beginning, we could see how prestigious this building was back in the day. This was the biggest department store in the region. Everyone came here, three million shoppers a year. They would take the train here to shop. This building is in the memory of the entire nation.” “We really wanted to do justice to that heritage, and live up to that standard. And we felt the only t

Timed to coincide with the pioneering exploits of Artemis II in April 2026, Destination: Galaxy! looks at the earliest days of space exploration, when Moscow-aligned Hungary followed the progress of Vostok, Yuri Gagarin and the Soviet cosmonauts years before the Americans left Earth's orbit. Hungary has its own cosmonaut, Bertalan Farkas, who held the nation in thrall when he became the first Magyar in space in 1980. Photographs, original artefacts and interviews recall the thrill of the moment, with mainly English-friendly documentation.

Revamped in 2020, the Budapest History Museum now divides its permanent collection into ten distinct periods, each focusing on a different aspect of human activity at this prime spot by the Danube. This begins with the first inhabitants 50,000 years ago, moving through the Roman and medieval eras. 'Budapest Light and Shadow' investigates how the Hungarian capital developed from the ruins of the Roman settlement of Aquincum to becoming a modern urban metropolis, and a united city straddling the river. Look out for the Gothic sculptures from the reign of King Sigismund in the early 1400s, as well as a regularly changing agenda of fascinating temporary exhibitions, most recently featuring Ottoman craftsmanship and the classic era of space exploration.

Starting her international career by winning the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition in Brussels and garnering several other awards, Russian pianist Anna Vinnitskaya is currently touring Europe until New Year's Eve, performing in Dresden, Prague, Hamburg and here in the Grand Hall of the Franz Liszt Music Academy. Beginning with two pieces by Bach, Vinnitskaya will move on to Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No.1 and Brahms' Symphony No.1. The conductor will be András Keller, music director of Concerto Budapest.

Running for most of the summer at the Museum of Fine Arts on Heroes' Square, this large-scale retrospective marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of Victor Vasarely, considered the father of Op art. Born in Pécs, southern Hungary, Vasarely first hooked up with the Bauhaus movement in Budapest but then followed many Hungarian emigrés to Paris in the 1930s. There, as well as earning a decent living designing advertising posters, he set in motion one of the most far-reaching revolutions in 20th-century visual thinking. His work played a defining role in the emergence of geometrical abstraction and Op art after World War II, and continues to inform attitudes to visual culture to this day. 

On the Hungarian throne for 40 years, from 1342 to 1382, King Louis I the Great, oversaw the excavation of precious metals, mainly gold, to allow his medieval realm to flourish. Born exactly 700 years ago in Visegrád, where a number of anniversary events will also take place, this ruler of the Angevin dynasty pursued a successful foreign policy and quelled internal rebellion, acquiring the Polish crown, founding Hungary's first university, and encouraging the development of arts and craftsmanship. The few remaining examples of coins and jewellery from this golden period are on display at the National Museum will be on display until the end of the year. Documentation is in English and Hungarian.

The ornate showcase for the conservatoire set up by Franz Liszt himself, who lived nearby, the Music Academy has been housed here since 1907. Its Art Nouveau splendour was comprehensively refurbished just over a century later, leaving a magnificent concert hall for star conductors, virtuosos, music students and spectators alike. Here you can listen to a symphony orchestra, a recital or a chamber concert in sumptuous surroundings with wonderful acoustics, alongside a knowledgeable audience underpinned by a stellar musical heritage. Daily guided tours are offered in English.

Hungary’s most prestigious collection of fine art, complementing the one at sister institution, the National Gallery, is housed in a stately landmark on Heroes’ Square. A huge overhaul completed in 2018 and collection exchange with the National Gallery have seen the museum acquire medieval Hungarian art alongside works by Titian, Velázquez and El Greco. The permanent collection also holds an impressive selection of artefacts from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. Check the website for an imaginative series of self-guided walks, highlighting Renaissance art, the development of perspective and beards throughout history.

Created by Ferenc Széchényi, father of Count István of Chain Bridge fame, the National Museum developed out of the library collection he had collated throughout his life. After his death, Parliament decreed that a suitably stately institution be built to contain these treasures, as well as the upper house of the legislative body itself – it wouldn't be until the early 1900s that the neo-Gothic landmark we know today was unveiled on the banks of the Danube. Opened in 1847, the National Museum soon bore witness to history when poet Sándor Petőfi read out his revolutionary Nemzeti dal from these steps to spark an uprising against Vienna. Today, the main attractions at the National Museum are the original Coronation Mantle worn by the first Hungarian monarchs, and the displays relating to the urban development of Budapest, both integral of the permanent History of Hungary collection, divided into two parts. Look out, too, for excellent temporary exhibitions and spend a while in the recently landscaped gardens.  

Cult post-punk outfit Public Image return to Budapest as part of an extensive world tour, presenting a set full of crowd-pleasers probably including Death Disco, Poptones and Public Image. The recent death of rapper Afrika Bambaataa should also prompt a dusting down of the 1984 classic World Destruction by frontman John Lydon and regular bandmates Lu Edmonds and Scott Firth. As Lydon himself puts it, “My body and mind are the Sex Pistols but my heart and soul are PiL…” Support is provided by the Jacques from the UK.

At the All In Rosé Tasting by Bortársaság and Time Out Market Budapest, everything revolves around rosé for one night – fresh, fruity wines, a relaxed atmosphere and sips that capture the finest moments of the season. In all, 30 varieties of rosé will be brought together under one roof on Friday, May 15, bathed in the natural light and surrounded by the lush greenery of the Greenhouse in the Corvin Palace. Tickets (Ft 3,900/€10.70) entitle visitors to six tasting tokens, allowing them to explore the diversity of rosé through a range of style, from crisp, dry selections to fruitier, rounder flavours.

One of the best parts of spring is when the fresh ingredients of the season finally arrive, and with them the flavours we’ve been waiting for all winter. From May 4 to 17, asparagus and strawberries will be in the spotlight at Time Out Market Budapest. Vegans can look forward to asparagus, hazelnut and harissa at Casa Christa, as well as strawberry, rhubarb and yoghurt, while the 101 Bistro will be creating a spring bao 101. Look out, too, for carbonara and asparagus pizza at Anyukám Mondta, braised beef with pea-and-asparagus risotto at LIRA by Essência, slow-cooked pulled lamb with grilled green asparagus and pickled strawberry at Pingrumba, spring asparagus with miso Hollandaise sauce and trout caviar at Szaletly and asparagus burgers at Tuning Burger. Set in the fabulous Corvin Palace on focal square Blaha Lujza tér, Time Out Market Budapest features 11 dining outlets, whose kitchens operate from 11.30am to 10pm daily.  

Kicking off with the lilting reggae rhythms of Irie Maffia on April 23, prime open-air live venue Budapest Park stages five months of regular shows in the shadow of Közvágóhíd, set back from the Müpa arts complex in south Pest. Among the top international acts are Moby on August 1, Rita Ora on July 29, Idles on July 8 and the Sex Pistols with Frank Carter on July 20. Big Hungarian names include Halott Pénz, Ivan & the Parazol and Blahalouisiana. The season closes with Parov Stelar on September 26.

A húsvét Magyarországon hagyományosan a családi összejövetelek ideje: ilyenkor kerül az asztalra a tojás, a bárány, a sonka és a kalács. A klasszikus ünnepi hangulathoz sokaknál a tojásfestés és a locsolkodás is hozzátartozik, míg a kisgyerekes családoknál egyre gyakrabban jelenik meg a tojáskeresés is, modern kiegészítéseként a hagyományoknak. Budapest ilyenkor szintén ünnepi üzemmódba kapcsol: nagypéntek és húsvéthétfő munkaszüneti nap, és bár vasárnap több bolt zárva tart, programokból nincs hiány. Az éttermek, kávézók és bárok többsége nyitva lesz, viszont a megnövekedett érdeklődés miatt érdemes előre asztalt foglalni, ha biztosra mennél. AJÁNLOTT: 🎉Legjobb budapesti programok: mutatjuk, hová menj, mit csinálj ebben a hónapban 🌸Budapesti cseresznyevirágzás: 6 helyszín, ahol gyönyörködhetsz áprilisban 🆓 A legjobb ingyenes programok Budapesten: íme a 2026-os lista Állatbemutató és dínótojáskeresés: családi programok húsvétra A Városliget és környéke minden évben ilyenkor igazi húsvéti játszótérré változik. Idén a Fővárosi Növény- és Állatkert Barlangterme öko-játszóházzal, ötpontos labirintussal és méhviaszos workshopokkal várja a gyerekeket, a Plant Café környékén pedig a húsvéti nyuszi is feltűnhet.  Liget Budapest/FacebookCity Park, Budapest A Margitszigeten, az állatsimogató mellett kézműves sátor működik (10:00–15:00 között), 13:00-kor pedig állatbemutatót is tartanak. A Városligetben hagyományos játékok, kézműves foglalkozások, nyuszisimogató, bábelőadások és kl

Planning a trip to Budapest next year? You might want to add the Citadella to your to-do list. The monument, which towers above the city on Gellért Hill, is reopening next year after a huge renovation. It’s one of the city’s most enduring landmarks, standing as a symbol of freedom. The goal is to transform the former military structure into a brand new attraction that celebrates its history. RECOMMENDED: The best free things to do in Budapest right now One of its most exciting new features will be the pedestrian bridge built entirely of glass – something rarely found in Europe. A large-scale, walk-through exhibition named ‘The Bastion of Freedom’ will also be installed in the spacious rondella, where visitors can learn about Hungary’s fight for its liberty over the course of history. Fotó: Várkapitányság The inner courtyard will feature a water feature and an eternal flame, and the outside spaces will have twice as much green space as before. There’ll also be a new café and gift shop, alongside communal areas – the aim is to create a kind of urban oasis at the top of Gellért Hill. The panoramic city views here have long been a favourite spot for wedding photos. Fotó: Várkapitányság What is the Citadella? The Citadella was originally a fortress built by the Austrians in the wake of the Hungarian Uprising of 1848, but has since become a symbol of the nation’s many struggles for sovereignty over the centuries. It has been under Budapest’s control since 1899, except when it

Spas are a huge part of Budapest’s cultural fabric – and the Gellért, a legendary art nouveau spa richly decorated with Zsolnay tiling, is one of the most iconic venues in the city. However, as of today (October 1), you won’t be able to visit the Gellért until 2028, as the century-old spa – first opened in 1918 – is closing for three years of renovation. Reconstruction work will now run alongside the overhaul of the equally venerable hotel of the same name, which has been closed since November 2021. In a city known for its spas, the Gellért is arguably the most significant, usually attracting some 1,500-1,800 visitors a day. The last major renovation took place in the early 1980s, and the state of the equipment, changing rooms and service areas has deteriorated significantly. Thermal water, steam and chemical cleaning have put a lot of strain on the infrastructure, necessitating the current undertaking. Photograph: Shutterstock Budapest Thermal Baths and Spas (BGYH) has been preparing for the project for years, aiming to overcome the Gellért’s mechanical, technological and structural problems, restore its iconic spaces and elevate the guest experience to a new level. The primary consideration in the project is the preservation of the historical heritage: the restoration of the art nouveau interiors, tiling and aesthetic appearance. In addition, sustainability and energy-efficient solutions will be introduced, by modernising the use of thermal water and heating. According t

It’s official: Time Out Market Budapest has finally opened its doors!  What is it? Only the best culinary and cultural experiences in Budapest, all under one roof, right in the city centre. Time Out Market has already made its mark on New York, Montreal, Cape Town and, of course, Lisbon. Now it’s the turn of Hungary’s sparkling capital – now home to the very first Time Out Market in Central Europe. The market will opened on Saturday September 20, on the first floor of the historic Corvin Palace. Read more: From legendary department store to wild nightclub: the incredible history of Corvin Palace The huge hall houses 11 kitchens, three bars and five event venues, and can accommodate around 540 visitors. Iconic Budapest chefs and emerging talents will appear at the market; you can read up on the full restaurant line-up in our guide. Best of all – whether it’s premium street food or fine dining-inspired dishes – food here promises to be pretty affordable, too.  Where is Time Out Market Budapest and how do I get there? The legendary Corvin Palace building can be found at Blaha Lujza tér 1, reachable by red metro M2 or the 4/6 tram. From there, you’ll be whisked up the escalators straight into the heart of the action. What are the opening hours? Time Out Market Budapest will be welcoming visitors every day from 11.30am to 11.30pm. Kitchens stay open until 10pm, after which the bars keep the vibe going strong until close. Corvin Palace The online booking system is already operati

Amikor 2025. szeptember 20-án megnyitja kapuit a Time Out Market Budapest, újabb réteggel gazdagítja majd annak a legendás épületnek a történetét, amelynek otthont ad: a Corvin Palace-nak. A forgalmas Blaha Lujza tér sarkán, Budapest egyik legfontosabb közlekedési csomópontjában álló Corvin Palace 99 éve számos átalakuláson ment keresztül. Az elegáns áruházat a hamburgi vállalkozó, Max Emden nyitotta meg 1926-ban, több mint egy évtizedes előkészület után. Az építkezéshez el kellett bontani az Apolló mozit, amelyet arrébb költöztettek a Nagykörúton, a Royal Hotel (a mai Corinthia) épületébe. Az eredeti áruház A Corvin Palace Reiss Zoltán építész legjelentősebb alkotása, aki másutt a sűrűn lakott pesti városrész bérházait tervezte. Az épület neoklasszicista stílusban készült, díszeit a neves szobrászok, Pongrácz Szigfrid és Beck Ö. Fülöp készítették, akiknek munkái 1908-tól a korszakalkotó Nyugat folyóiratban is szerepeltek. 1926 karácsonyán, közvetlenül az épület mellett, a Nagykörút és a Rákóczi út sarkán helyezték üzembe Magyarország első közlekedési lámpáját, amelyet eleinte egy rendőr irányított kötelek segítségével. A „villanyrendőr” kifejezést a mai napig használjuk a lámpás kereszteződésekre. Fotó: Flanek-Falvay-Kováts / Fortepan Az áruház belül maga volt a modernitás. A díszes homlokzat mögött négy szintnyi üzlet és szolgáltatás várta a vásárlókat, akik ezrével érkeztek az ország minden pontjáról – a Keleti és a Nyugati pályaudvar ugyanúgy könnyen megközelíthető volt

When Time Out Budapest Market opens on September 20, it will be adding another layer of history to the storied landmark it will grace, the Corvin Palace. Anchoring a corner of prominent square Blaha Lujza tér at one of Budapest’s main crossing points, the Corvin Palace has seen many changes in its 99 years. Opened as an elegant department store by Hamburg entrepreneur Max Emden in 1926, this retail mecca was over a decade in the making, having taken over the Apollo cinema, which was moved further along the Nagykörút to the Royal Hotel (today’s Corinthia). Here’s a deep dive into the building’s history, from a modern department store through to ruin bar and its rebirth as an entertainment space after multiple wars. The original store The most notable creation of architect Zoltán Reiss, otherwise responsible for apartment blocks elsewhere around this heavily populated area of Pest, the Corvin Palace was neo-classical in style, decorated in statues by eminent sculptors Szigfrid Pongrácz and Ö Fülöp Beck, whose work had been featured in the early issues of seminal Hungarian cultural journal Nyugat from 1908 onwards. That Christmas of 1926, on the adjacent corner of the Nagykörút and Rákóczi út, Hungary’s first traffic light blinked into operation, initially operated by a police officer who could control the signals by a series of ropes. The Hungarian term villanyrendőr, ‘electric police’, is still used today for traffic lights. Photo: Flanek-Falvay-Kováts / Fortepan Inside, t

It’s official! Hungary’s new culinary and cultural hub, Time Out Market Budapest, will open on September 20. The doors of the renovated Corvin Palace on Blaha Lujza tér swing open at 11.30am, and visitors will be welcomed every day until 11.30pm. Time Out Markets bring the best of the city together under one roof: a curated mix of the best chefs and restaurateurs, drinks and cultural experiences. Time Out Market Budapest will be the first to open in Central & Eastern Europe and will feature 11 culinary concepts from both award-winning and rising talents, three bars, five event spaces and some 540 seats. Offering a variety of cuisines and flavours, it will be a celebration of local talent – a new destination where guests will get a real taste of the city and beyond – while coming together with family and friends, enjoying local and global delights at communal tables, surrounded by top chefs in action. We’ve already revealed the first eight restaurants – read about those here and here – and now the final four names to complete the curated line-up have just been revealed. M’EAT by Jenő Rácz  The new antipasti and grill concept by Michelin-star chef Jenő Rácz will bring a decidedly Mediterranean atmosphere to the Corvin Palace. M’EAT is all about light, social dining: premium Hungarian hams, salamis and cheeses, freshly sliced in front of you; or homemade pâté or foie gras with brioche, best enjoyed over relaxed conversation. Photograph: Time Out Market Budapest LIRA by Essênci

Scheduled to open this autumn, Time Out Market Budapest will bring together the best chefs and restaurants from all over Hungary’s capital and beyond, all under one roof.   Eleven award-winning and emerging local restaurateurs will be offering the crème de la crème of the city’s food scene, and we recently announced the first four.  Anyukám Mondta is bringing traditional Italian flavours and family recipes, Pingrumba a taste of the East and 101 Bistro modern Taiwanese cuisine, while Szaletly will be serving the finest examples from the contemporary Hungarian kitchen. Now, a further four restaurants have officially joined the roster – here’s what they’re bringing to the table.  CANTEEN Kicking things off is István Pesti, who earned two Michelin stars with his restaurant in Tata. Now, he has created a new concept exclusively for Time Out Market Budapest and rather than fine dining, traditional Hungarian flavours will be coming to Budapest in the shape of CANTEEN, whose menu includes lip-smacking dishes like goulash soup, Viennese veal schnitzel and chicken paprikash, all topped off with a classic, hearty apple pie.  Photograph: CANTEEN Casa Christa Also among the new names is Casa Christa, a restaurant showcasing the Balaton region, whose every plate evokes the atmosphere of Hungary’s bucolic lake getaway: sun-baked slopes, wine cellars and seasonal produce freshly sourced from local markets. For Hungarians, this is where to head for a hit of holiday nostalgia.  Photograph:

Italian family recipes, Oriental adventures, Taiwanese street food and reimagined Hungarian classics – the first four restaurants at the hotly anticipated Time Out Market Budapest have been revealed. One of the world’s most exciting gastro-cultural concepts, Time Out Market is being unveiled in Budapest on the first floor of the iconic Corvin Department Store on Blaha Lujza tér. This 2,500-square-metre space will house 11 restaurants, three bars and five event venues accommodating a total of 540 visitors – and that’s just the beginning. The market's goal is nothing less than to bring the city's most exciting culinary and cultural players under one roof – and now we can finally introduce the first four restaurants confirmed for the opening. Anyukám Mondta Anyukám Mondta, from the little town of Encs, has been a key player in Hungarian gastronomy for the past 30 years, and now for the first time it will find a permanent home in Budapest. The Italian dishes of the Dudás brothers, Szabolcs and Szilárd – such as the Margherita DOP pizza or the Parma ham and burrata focaccia – combine a special family history and high-quality ingredients. Photograph: Anyukám Mondta / Time Out Market Budapest Pingrumba For those who prefer the punchy flavours of India and the Middle East, Pingrumba should prove a particular favourite. Its inspired cuisine, with echoes from Cairo to Calcutta, showcases freshly grilled dishes, bold pairings and exciting spices. Photograph: Pingrumba / Time Out Mar

Running until the grand finale on Tuesday, March 4, this year’s Dubrovnik Carnival brings masked fun and traditional delights to the city’s streets, squares, clubs and restaurants. Jugglers and majorettes star on Sunday, March 2, starting from outside the Gradska Kavana at 10am and followed by a procession from Onofrio’s Fountain at 2.30pm. This finishes with a family-friendly party at Lazareti from 3pm. The main children’s parade is down the main street of Stradun the next day, Monday, March 3, from 10am. For grown-ups, the weekend kicks off when singer Maja Bajamić performs at a masked party at Dubrovnik’s main nightspot, the Culture Club Revelin, on Friday, February 28. Doors open at 10.30pm  – find tickets and more details here. Grgo Jelavic/PIXSELL For four nights from Saturday March 1, many restaurants in town will be offering the twin traditional dishes of šporki makaruli and krafeni. You can find these carnival favourites of pasta with a meaty sauce, and sweet doughnuts, for €10-€15 and €2-€3 at dining destinations such as Orsan and Konoba Belvedere. To discover more about the history of carnival, every day from 9am-10pm, the Rector’s Palace will be showing a display of masks and costumes, perhaps providing inspiration for the traditional climax to festivities on Tuesday, March 4, the Ultimi od Karnevala. From 5pm, jugglers will be returning to the Gradska Kavana, where the Veljun Ball takes place from 8pm accompanied by the  Taliri band. See here for the full sched

Another 30 or more acts have been confirmed to appear at the second edition of the Terminal V Croatia festival this July. After its successful launch in 2024, Scotland’s Terminal V Festival returns to The Garden Resort in Tisno for five days from July 17-21. As revealed in our exclusive interview with the founders of the original Edinburgh festival, Terminal V has grown from in-the-know get-togethers to major events attracting 40,000 people and top-name DJs. Now, joining artists such as 999999999, Ben Sims and Ellen Allien, more than 30 new names have been confirmed for the techno-centric event in an idyllic Adriatic location. These include Club Madhouse label head AK Sports, another Rinse FM mainstay, Dortmund DJ/producer Bae Blade, Berlin-based tooly techno exponent Future 666 and late ’90s’ inspired Überkikz. A very special headliner is also to be announced on March 4. Franko Kelam/Terminal V Facilitated by cutting-edge light and sound, four stages await these specially chosen acts: Barbarella’s, regularly voted as one of the best in the world by DJ Mag, the more secluded Olive Grove, the epic Main Stage and the superb Beach Stage, each with their own unique atmosphere. Alongside, there will be dancing on the beach and under the stars with daily boat parties and late-night afterparties running until sunrise. Throw in an array of daytime adrenaline-pumping water sports, and Terminal V is an essential addition to Croatia’s impressive summer festival agenda. Terminal V Croa

As recently reported, popular Edinburgh-based techno festival Terminal V will be taking over the idyllic Garden Resort in Tisno this July. Winners of Best British Festival award for 2023 by DJ Mag, Terminal V has grown from in-the-know get-togethers to major events attracting 40,000 people and top-name DJs. Over five days from July 18-22, the likes of Klangkuenstler from Bavaria, London’s Charlie Sparks and Dundee’s acclaimed Hannah Laing will be bringing their A game across four stages.  On the eve of their regular event in Scotland, and as they prepare their debut foray into Europe, Terminal V founders, Derek Martin and Simon McGrath, talk to Time Out Croatia about their journey so far – and why Tisno is the perfect location: Time Out Croatia: How did Terminal V Festival come about and how has it evolved since? Terminal V: With both of us being independent promoters in Scotland for many years with numerous club brands, in 2014 we came together to work on new projects with the aim of launching a new Scottish festival. In 2017, this materialised with our first ever Terminal V Festival. Year 1 was tough, with only 2,000 odd people attending, but this grew year on year as a one-day festival, right up until the pandemic. Post-pandemic, we upped the festival to two days, attracted 20,000 people each day, and now a festival based in Edinburgh brings crowds from all over the UK, Europe and further afield. The finer details have grown tenfold, in terms of line-up curation and size