After their somewhat big success during the European Championship in football in 2016, the Hungarians are hungry for more. The fact that three matches during the European Championship actually will be played in Hungary, makes it even more interesting. But, how can the Hungarians get to the European Championship in football?
The legendary Hungarian footballer Ferenc Puskas has given name to the biggest football stadium in Hungary. It has recently been renovated, making it a fantastic arena for big football matches. And believe us, this will be an arena for awesome matches during the European Championship, with or without the Hungarians. How come?
The group that will play three matches at the Ferenc Puskas stadium consists of three teams so far; France, Portugal, and Germany. The matches in this group will be played in Germany and in Hungary, meaning that there will for sure be a match between France and Portugal at the stadium during the championship. That is gonna be wild! But, is there a chance that we can see the Hungarians at the stadium as well during the European Championship?
How and when can the Hungarians get to Euro 2020?
The Hungarians still have the chance to qualify, because of the new Nations League system. But, they still have two matches left that they need to win, and neither of those should be considered easy matches.
First of all, on March 26th, they need to beat the Bulgarian square in Bulgaria. The match will start at local time 20.45. Even though the Bulgarian team is a good team, this is a task that they might manage, at least if they have a good day.
If the Hungarians win against Bulgaria on March 26th, the final task will be on March 31st against the winner of the match between Romania and Iceland. As we all know, this sounds quite a bit harder, and both the Icelandic squad and the Romanian squad are a couple of levels up from the quality of the Bulgarian players.
But, if we go back four years in time, we also know that the Hungarians are capable of playing very well under pressure (as when they won against Norway in their two play-off matches in order to get to the European Championship in 2016 in France). So, nothing is impossible. But, there will for sure be some tough moments in order for the Hungarians to get that far!
How to watch the Hungarian matches online?
The matches in which Hungary will play, first against Bulgaria, and then hopefully, against the winner of the Romania/Iceland match, can be streamed on M4 in Hungary. This is a free channel in Hungary, but it can also be accessed quite easily from abroad.
If you want to know more about how you can stream the actual European Championship in football online, click the link for more information. Hopefully, that will be a tournament in which the Hungarians will be present and ready to play against France, Germany, and Portugal.
I don’t believe they will have much of a chance if they actually get there, but it would be amazing to see the players present. And as they managed to surprise and win the group in 2016 (which also consisted of Portugal, Iceland, and Austria), they might be able to grab some points in the Euro 2020, even if their opponents will be Portugal, Germany, and France!
Do not forget, we can help you with lots of programs if you come to Hungary to watch the European Championship in football. We can pick you up at the airport, arrange a delicious beer dinner, or maybe let you enjoy a wine tasting program? Look around in our Budapest Guide for even more information!
Are you a tourist who wants to eat a cheap lunch in the heart of Budapest? Are you getting some shopping done in Vaci utca, and now you want to eat lunch, without spending 20-40 euros per person?
If you visit a normal restaurant in Vaci utca, you can easily end up spending 10 Euro on a hamburger, 3 Euro on your fries, and then 4 Euro on a beer, and then more as you drink some more, and order some onion rings and other stuff.
But, what can you do if you are on a budget and want to eat a cheap, but still high-quality and solid lunch near the Vaci utca in Budapest? Here we have a very good piece of advice.
A cheap lunch in Kajahu Budapest
Petofi Sandor utca is the name of a street parallel to the Vaci utca (not in the direction of the Danube, but the other way). It is a quiet street with some car traffic, but it is not the place most tourists walk. How come? There are not lots of stuff to see. But, if you go there around lunch-time, you might discover a restaurant named Kajahu. It is a social digital restaurant, meaning that you book your table online at their website, you order your food using tablets in the restaurant, and it is a very digital restaurant. Luckily, the food is prepared by real people, and it is both tasty and cheap.
If you visit Kajahu during lunch hours, you can actually get a three-course meal costing you around 5 Euro. That is a brilliant price, and should you add a drink to it, you will still be able to have your lunch for less than 7 Euro in the heart of Budapest. That is a nice price, isn’t it? Of course, you could eat cheaper in Kentucky Fried Chicken, in McDonald’s, or in Burger King, but you will most likely spend about 5 Euro there as well, and it will be junk food. In Kajahu, you will get three courses of healthy and tasty food that will do you good and taste well!
Every day, there are daily menus available, meaning that you will be served what is available on the daily menu on your day of visit. Maybe you are scared that you will not like what they serve? You can, of course, order from their normal menu, but that will be a more expensive experience. But, it is really cool to taste new stuff, to experience food that you normally wouldn’t order, so this is a treat for those who want an innovative and experimental lunch at a low cost in Budapest.
Do you like the sound of Kajahu? Here you can find some useful contact information for the restaurant.
Useful Kajahu information Address: 1052 Budapest, Petőfi Sándor street 11. Phone: +36 30 331 4404
Are you looking for suggestions on places to eat in Budapest? Here we have compiled a list of nine dinner opportunities that for sure will give you many memories and experiences to remember for a long time.
We don’t expect you to consider all nine suggestions just as good, but, we are sure that everyone will find some of the ideas to be brilliant. And based on our own experience, we can clearly say that these are awesome experiences that will be stuck in your mind for a long time after the actual dinner.
Are you ready to go? If you find something you like, click the links to fix your reservations and to read more about the different restaurants and programs.
Nine fantastic dinner options in Budapest
Let us start with two gourmet restaurants that will give you a culinary experience to remember. These are not the cheapest experiences in Budapest, but considering the quality you get, the prices ain’t that bad at all!
Onyx Budapest – A two-starred dinner
Onyx was the first restaurant in Budapest to receive a Michelin star and was later the first restaurant ever to receive a second Michelin star. In other words, this is the only restaurant in Budapest with two Michelin-stars, and it is food and ingredients at the highest level. You will for sure remember your meal here for a long time, but be aware of the fact that you should reserve a table months before arrival if you want to be sure to get a free seat.
Onyx Budapest Address: 1051 Budapest, Vorosmarty ter 7-8 Reservation: +36 30 508 06 22
Aszu Budapest – A gourmet dinner without stars
If you want to experience a Budapest dinner in high class and with the best ingredients, but without paying for the Michelin stars, Aszu is a perfect option. The restaurant is located in the heart of Budapest, not far from St. Stephen’s Basilica. Here you will often find free tables if you book a few days in advance, making it perfect for a very fine dinner in Budapest booked quite late. Aszu is also the name of the most famous wine produced in Hungary from the Tokaj region, making the restaurant a perfect place for a wine dinner where you combined the best ingredients with some of the best Hungarian wines.
Aszu Budapest Address: 1051 Budapest, Sas u. 4. Reservation: can be done here.
After two gourmet restaurants, it is time to change to some different restaurants in other interesting categories.
Dinner at the Danube River
The dinners you are served on the Danube might not be the most exclusive, but they will still give you memories to remember for a long time. What is better than enjoying a delicious meal (either served at the table or taken from a buffet), and then eating it while watching the beautiful city of Budapest outside the windows of the boat? Many of these boats also have live music in the background, giving you an even nicer experience during the trip.
There are river cruises with food available both during the daytime and nighttime, but if you want to see Budapest at its most magnificent, make sure to book a cruise in the evening!
Are you one of those who simply want to eat it all and taste it all? Maybe it is hard to choose only one main course from the menu? Go to Trofea Grill and enjoy food from a giant buffet. Here you can eat without stop and without limitations and taste a whole lot of variations of Hungarian food. There are soups, main courses, salads, desserts, fruits, vegetables, grill bar, and so much more to choose from, and besides eating a lot, you can also drink without limitations as everything is included in the price.
Trofea Grill Address: Kiraly utca 30-32 , Margit Korut 2 Reservation: fix it here
There are a total of six Trofea Grill restaurants in Budapest, but the two addresses above are to the best two restaurants in the category.
A fantastic wine dinner in Budapest
Hungary is a nation of wine production, and what can then be better than to enjoy a large wine dinner while in Budapest? We have two awesome wine dinners available to our guests and they are both arranged in central Budapest, not far from the Ferenciek square. At both dinners, you will be served traditional Hungarian courses combined with 100% authentic Hungarian wines. Neither of the menus should be considered gourmet dinners, but they are still in high quality and should be satisfying to most people out there looking for dinners with good drinks and high-quality food.
It might not sound so attractive, but the Sir Lancelot restaurant is one of the most popular restaurants in all of Budapest. It is crowded on all evenings (almost), and here you can enjoy giant plates of food served to you and your companions. But, that isn’t all. The restaurant is furnished with medieval furniture, there is live middle age music in the background, you can experience sword-fights and belly-dancing, and it is an experience people come to experience over and over again while in Budapest. A really authentic and awesome experience for those who want a somewhat different restaurant experience in Budapest.
Sir Lancelot Budapest Address: 1065 Budapest, Podmaniczky u. 14. Reservation: fix it right here.
Brewery dinner for those who love beer
Are you in love with beer? Do you want to eat a lot, and at the same time drink and enjoy beer brewed at the actual restaurant? Our brewery dinner might be exactly what you have been looking for. The restaurant/brewery is located near the Kalvin square and here you will combine a four-course dinner with a brewery visit, accompanied by four beers and four Hungarian fruit spirits (Palinka). You will for sure not leave the restaurant hungry, but you might walk a bit shady after getting quite a lot of alcohol into your blood during your time at the place.
The four courses served are quite traditional Hungarian courses, and the portions are like you expect them to be in Hungary – BIG!
Do you like the sound of a juicy steak, or maybe a Kobe steak while in Budapest? At both La Pampa and Pampas Steakhouse, you have the chance to eat steaks in all sizes and with all sorts of side dishes. Both restaurants are known for their high quality, and they are both located in the heart of Budapest. La Pampa is close to the St. Stephen’s Basilica and has a beautiful interior, while Pampas is next to the Grand Market Hall and might look a bit rustier on the inside. The menu is, however, identical in both places, so the only difference between the restaurants is the waiters and the interior.
The last option might sound strange, but if you want a dining experience in Budapest that you might remember for a long time, why not find an outdoor market and eat there? It might be the Easter market or one of the Christmas markets, but these are perfect places to taste very authentic and tasty Hungarian food. Here you will find Hungarian sausages, lots of pork, fresh salads, hot soups, and of course, lots of traditional Hungarian spirits and drinks.
This might sound boring, but it isn’t. At these markets, you will find lots of meals that you don’t find in average restaurants, and just take a look at the following picture from the Christmas market at the Vorosmarty square in 2019 to see what was served.
Do you see what was served here? Rooster Testicles Stew! It might not sound delicious, but it will for sure give you an experience that you will remember for a long time. And maybe you will even enjoy the taste? This is just one of many examples of what you can taste and eat at these outdoor markets in Budapest
Are you ready to eat your Budapest dinner?
We hope these nine suggestions will inspire and help you out. If you have further ideas or suggestions, write them down in the comment field beneath. Have you been to any of the places described? Feel free to write some feedback and tell us all about your experience!
The only thing that remains after this is to wish you GOOD APPETITE!
The European Championship in Handball is currently arranged in Austria, Sweden, and Norway, and the Hungarians surprised us all and won their initial group. That was a giant surprise, especially considering that they have to play against the Danes, the team considered to be the best in the world currently.
After the initial stage, Hungary went on to the next stage in the tournament together with Iceland. The Danes were left behind together with the Russian team. The Hungarians have played very well, far better than expected, and especially the second half against Iceland during the group stage was magical. But, can they keep the tempo up in the upcoming matches?
Picture made by: Nebojsa Tejic / kolektiff (Source: https://men2020.ehf-euro.com/ )
On January 17th, Hungary will play against Norway
Norway has been an awesome team so far in the tournament, and they have gotten to the final in several large tournaments recently (however, they never managed to actually win the final). Sander Sagosen is the big star of the team, but they have highly-skilled players at all positions. The way we see it, this is probably the toughest of all the matches during the upcoming stage of the European Championship in handball!
On January 19th, Hungary will play against Slovenia
Slovenia has been a big surprise themselves so far in the tournament, but how they will enter this match will in large also depend on their result as they play against Portugal on January 17th.
On January 21st, Hungary will play against Sweden
Handball has been greatly influenced by the Scandinavian nations, and this will be the third Scandinavian nation against which Hungary will play in the tournament.
On January 22nd, Hungary will play against Portugal
This will be a tough one, not because of the incredible skills of the Portuguese team, but because the Hungarians will not have a rest-day in front of the match. Well, neither will Portugal, but it will still create a large pressure upon the players who will for sure be tired by then after playing so many matches in such a short time.
Picture made by Anze Malovrh / kolektiffimages (Source: https://men2020.ehf-euro.com/ )
Can Hungary make it to the semi-final?
Hungary has a little advantage considering that they enter the group stage with two points already. These might be very useful when things get tight. However, if the Hungarians can keep up the fighting from the earlier matches, and if they manage to keep their heads calm, this team might make it to the semi-finals. It would for sure be considered a major surprise to everyone if they do, but there is one thing we can know for sure, the Hungarians will be cheering for their team with everything they have!
Are you looking for a place to watch the matches from the European Championship in Handball in Hungary? If you live in a hotel or an apartment with a TV, then look for the channel Sport1. They broadcast all the Hungarian matches and quite a lot of other matches as well.
Another option is to find a sports pub or bar, and they will for sure stream all the matches in which the Hungarian team is involved!
If you get hungry while walking the streets of the seventh district in Budapest, often referred to as the Jewish ghetto of Budapest, you might bump into a restaurant named Kazimir. Is it a place worth visiting? Is it a kosher restaurant?
The restaurant named Kazimir is located in the Kazinczy street in Budapest, just opposite an orthodox synagogue, and very close to some famous kosher restaurants. Based on the name, one would expect Kazimir to be a typical Jewish restaurant as well, but that isn’t the case. This is a quite traditional Hungarian restaurant, though with more of a cultural and artistic atmosphere to it. There are often live events taking place, so this is more the place for a laidback cultural evening in a Budapest restaurant.
It is easy to believe Kazimir to be a Jewish ghetto restaurant, especially considering that the Jewish district in Krakow is known as Kazimierz, but still, this is just an ordinary restaurant!
A great place for lunch
If you stroll the streets of Budapest and want to find a good place for lunch you can safely pay Kazimir a visit. They have daily menus available, and a three-course version will still cost you less than 2000 HUF (6 Euro). This is ideal, and you will then get to taste some freshly made food, instead of picking traditional courses from the menu (that you can be served in most other restaurants as well).
In other words, if you want a nice lunch at a good price, then this is a perfect place. And since these are daily menus, the food is almost ready when you arrive, which means that you can eat quickly (if you are in a hurry). I actually managed to eat myself through a daily lunch menu in less than 20 minutes (from I arrived until I left). Of course, that isn’t to recommend eating in such a hurry, but if you have to, then it can actually work in this place.
An interesting place for dinner!
If you are tired of the traditional gypsy music in many of the typical restaurants in Budapest, then the cultural programs in Kazimir will be a breath of fresh air. Here you will find jazz concerts, literature evenings with loud book reading, and so much more. And of course, you will find a menu with traditional Hungarian courses (including the Goulash soup), but also with the special pulled pork sandwich of the house, different sorts of hamburgers, salads, beef, and special courses prepared for those under 12 years. The price of a main course is normally between 2000-4000 HUF, but the most expensive meals cost around 5500 HUF.
More information about Kazimir
Address: 1075, Budapest, Kazinczy utca 34. Tlf: +36 20 354 5533 Opening times: 10.00-04.00
Pay especially attention to the opening times. Here you can have a good time, until early in the morning, just before you wake up to go to work! It is also important to notice that the restaurant is in the middle of the ruin-pub area of Budapest, meaning that the area is full of life and party-people until early morning!
Have you been to Kazimir? Feel free to write a comment to share your thoughts and comments about the restaurant!
The neighborhood of Kazimir
As I have already mentioned, there are synagogues and kosher restaurants in the vicinity of Kazimir. Just beneath, you can see a picture of the largest synagogue of Budapest (and the third-largest in the world), which is less than 500 meters from Kazimir. But, this area is also known for its ruin-pubs, and in the same street, you can find the most famous of them all, Szimpla Kert. In other words, this is an area worth visiting and exploring!
The most popular music festival in Hungary every single year is the Sziget Festival. It is arranged in the start of August every year, and it brings about 500,000 visitors to the Hajogyari island, located in the middle of the River Danube in Budapest, a little bit to the north of the Margaret Island.
So far, we know little about which artists will come to Sziget Festival in 2020, but we do know when the festival will be arranged. That is ideal for those who are coming to Sziget in Budapest, not only for the artists, but because they love the festival, the atmosphere, and everything there is about the festival. So, if you are ready to go ahead and purchase your plane ticket to Budapest already in order to have everything in order for the Sziget Festival in 2020, go ahead!
The Sziget 2020 dates
The Sziget 2020 is arranged between August 5th and August 11th in 2020.
Once again, we do not have information about the artists coming to the festival yet, but we are promised to receive information about it shortly!
If you are a fan of music festivals, you don’t really have to worry when it comes to the Sziget Festival. There are awesome artists coming to the festival every single year, and in 2019, the festival brought artists such as Ed Sheeran, Foo Fighters, Florence and the Machine, Post Malone, The 1975, The National, Martin Garrix, Macklemore, Twenty One Pilots, and lots of other artists to Budapest.
Plan your stay in Budapest already
Every year, we help lots of people get from Budapest Airport to the Island on which the Sziget festival is arranged. If you want to book your Budapest airport transfer ahead, go ahead and fix it immediately. Would you like to experience Budapest outside the festival as well? We can take you on a guided tour in the Hungarian capital, let you experience what a brewery looks like inside the walls of a restaurant in Budapest, give you delicious Hungarian wines combined with a wine dinner, and lots of other programs.
Look around here in the Budapest Guide for more information, inspiration, pictures and more!
The Witcher is the name of a brand new Netflix series that many believe can turn into the next Game of Thrones (when it comes to popularity). The series never managed to enchant us, but still, it is amazing to recognize lots of Hungarian locations as you watch the series on Netflix.
Henry Cavill is the biggest star of The Witcher, and he plays the role of a fighter who fights against trolls, magical creatures, and then takes a nice reward for doing so. There is much more to the story than this, but that is the main object of his life as we meet him in the first episodes of the show. But, there will of course be romance, action, wars, battles and so much more as you stream The Witcher on Netflix.
But, what is the very interesting thing about the show? A whole lot of scenes and parts of The Witcher are recorded in Hungary, and some of them even in Budapest. As a result, you might actually recognize some of the spots if you have a sharp eye. But, it isn’t easy, because often they have added effects to the pictures making it harder to discover the similarity, even if you have actually been to the place.
Some places used for the recording of The Witcher in Hungary
A fantastic place to visit when in Hungary is the Turul bird, raging over the city of Tatabanya along the highway connecting Vienna and Bratislava with Budapest. And, not far from this mythic bird, you can find the Szelim caves. And guess what, this is the home of a big dragon in The Witcher. In real life, the cave looks something like this.
From the Szelim caves in Tatabanya
But, in The Witcher, this is the home of a dragon, and there are at least a couple of scenes that have been recorded at this location. And it is not the only example.
Not far from Tatabanya, you can find the beautiful city of Tata. It has a magnificent lake which is perfect for a stroll (7,5km to walk around the lake), and by the lake, you can also find an old castle which has been used in the series on Netflix. This is a must-see place in Hungary, so make sure to visit Tata and the castle during your stay in Hungary.
The Tata Castle can be seen in The Witcher
And, once you are in the area, make sure to travel on to Komarom. Here you can find an old fortified area, and the main gate of this fortress has also been used in The Witcher and can be seen in the final episode of season 1 on Netflix.
These are just some examples. Besides this, there is also a location called the “Fake castle of Eger”. This is located not far outside Budapest, and this has also been used in the recording process. Here you will see a big battle taking place, and even though it is hard to recognize, you might do so if you have actually been there and see it in real life.
Another location is the Jaki chapel. This is located in Budapest, as a part of the Vajdahunyad castle. This might be the easiest location to visit, and you can see it as The Witcher goes to talk with Stregobor in the first episode of season 1. Another close location is the Skanzen outside Szentendre. This is a open-air museum showing how Hungarians lived and what they did earlier. This has also been used for the recording!
Look around in the Budapest Guide for inspiration, cool programs, interesting tours, and so much more!
Can I watch The Witcher only on Netflix?
Maybe you have been to Hungary already, but you haven’t seen The Witcher yet. Where can you stream it? This is a Netflix original show, and the only place to stream it (legally) is on Netflix. So, you will need a Netflix subscription, and then you can stream it all across the world. There is no need for changing your Netflix region nor anything like that, because this is an original series that can be streamed in every single Netflix region out there.
Is it worth it? Is it better than Game of Thrones? To be honest, I am not the person to tell. I am not a big fan of The Witcher nor of Game of Thrones. But, if you liked one of them, there is a big chance that you will like the other one as well.
If you have comments or questions about The Witcher, the locations used for recording all around Hungary, or maybe you have discovered even more places in use, write a comment and let us know about it!
When will the famous Budapest Wine Festival be arranged in 2020? We have received the question several times already, and here is the answer!
Picture from the wine festival in 2018 – Zsolt Szigetvary
The annual Wine Festival arranged in the courtyard of the Royal Palace on the castle hill might be the most popular of all festivals in Budapest every year (if we do not include the Sziget festival). Here you can taste thousands of different wines made by large and small wineries in Hungary, and it is a fantastic place to learn more about the Hungarian wine culture. Would you like to check it out in 2019?
Budapest Airport enjoyed a very good year in 2019. They have a higher rate of growth than most other airports in Europe, and it was the first year ever they passed more than 16 million passengers in one single year.
The total amount of passengers arriving and departing Budapest Airport was 16 173 489. The most popular destination from which people arrive and to which people fly is London, but it is also a fact that people arrive at Budapest Airport from all across Europe in large numbers. But, one of the biggest expansions in 2019 happened towards the Asian market, and there are now direct flights between Budapest and Asian cities such as Shanghai, Soul, Chengdu, Chongqing, and Sanya.
More than 30 new flights were launched in 2019, and the total number of landings and takeoffs exceeded 122 000. If you divide that with 365 days a year, the average daily number of landings and takeoffs were around 330 in the number.
Look around here in our Budapest Guide for even more information and news about Budapest, pictures from the Hungarian capital, recommendations of restaurants and hotels, and so much more!
Visegrad is a very popular destination among tourists coming to Hungary. Not only because of its delightful location along the Danube River but also because of the mighty castle on the top of the hill giving an even more stunning view towards the countryside and the Danube.
Lots of larger tourist groups join in on daily excursions from Budapest taking them to the city of Szentendre, to Visegrad, and to Esztergom. But, if you decide to visit Visegrad and want to grab something to eat, where should you go? Is Don Vite Ristorante a place worth visiting?
Don Vito Ristorante is an Italian restaurant in Visegrad. While most of the other restaurants in town are all about traditional Hungarian courses, this is one of the restaurants suitable for those who want to eat pizza and other Italian courses. But, what is the quality like?
Don Vito Ristorante Visegrad – Pictures and thoughts
The price level of Don Vito in Visegrad is nice. The pizzas cost around 2000 HUF (6 Euro), while the other main courses cost between 2000-4000 HUF (6-12 Euro). The service is quick and good, and we got our food served within 25 minutes from the time we ordered.
Not only do they serve big portions of Italian food, but they also have children’s menus available, something that comes in handy if you arrive with smaller kids. Above you can see a picture of the traditional Hungarian Wiener schnitzel served together with friend and ketchup. Normally, there wouldn’t be any ketchup for this, but since it is a children’s menu, they serve it with this as a sauce.
As an Italian restaurant, they need to have lasagne on the menu, and so we decided to test the Don Vito lasagne as well. It was actually quite good, and it was a nice portion of food. We wouldn’t travel to Visegrad to eat this lasagne, but if we first visit the village and eat in Don Vito, then this isn’t a bad choice at all.
We had to taste some pizzas as well in Don Vito. They had quite a lot of different pizzas on the menu, and the price level is fair. The size of the pizzas is 32cm, which is the traditional pizza size in Hungary. Just like with the lasagne, the pizzas were absolutely fine. They were nothing special worth visiting Visegrad for, but if you are first there, this is a great and cheap option for a good meal.
Don Vito Ristorante is a good option for a meal in Visegrad. If you reside in Budapest, do not forget to read about all the restaurants in Budapest featured in our guide. We can also offer wine dinners and wine tasting options, and even a brewery visit with lots of food in Budapest.
Would you rather enjoy a meal in traditional restaurants such as Sir Lancelot, Aszu restaurant, or maybe a steak in La Pampa Budapest? Click the links for more information and the chance to reserve a table in these restaurants.
Have you been to Don Vito in Visegrad? Write a comment and let us know how you enjoyed your stay!
