The wine festival arranged at the Castle hill in Budapest is one of the biggest festivals in Hungary every year. It cannot be compared with Sziget festival (a festival that brings almost 500,000 people to the Hajogyari island), but it is still a giant event for wine lovers from within the country and coming in from abroad.
There are many people who plan their visit to Budapest based on the dates of the wine festival. In 2019, the wine festival is arranged between September 5th and September 8th, and in this period, visitors to the festival area can taste more than 5000 different sorts of wine. Here you can enjoy the famous Bikaver (Bull’s blood) from different winemakers in the Eger region (or maybe from the Szekszard region), you can enjoy lots of exclusive sweet wines from Tokaj, and there is something from everyone.
If you fear the quality of Hungarian wine (something you shouldn’t), there are also some international wines available in the festival area, just to make it even more interesting and nicer.
Source: Facebook
The wine festival isn’t free
It would have been nice if the wine festival was free, but it isn’t. Renting the castle area for sure costs a lot, and there are lots of expenses coming together with such a festival. That is why you have to pay a daily entrance fee, or you can buy a pass for the entire festival. If you are a wine lover and want to take a deep dive into the Hungarian wine industry, the festival pass is for sure the best option. But, those who just want to have fun a day and taste a lot of wine, a one-day pass should be more than enough.
Do not forget, there are lots of other wine programs available in Budapest as well throughout the entire year. We can help with wine tasting programs, wine excursions, wine dinners, and other wine-related programs. Look around at hungarybudapestguide.com for inspiration and information!
Are you looking for a hotel near the Christmas markets in Budapest? Which hotel should you pick? Here you have some suggestions for centrally located hotels in Budapest near the most important Christmas markets!
As you might know already, Budapest is a fantastic city. And even though the city is fantastic all year round, it is especially beautiful before Christmas. That is when the Christmas lights are turned on, and the Christmas markets at the Vorosmarty square and the Saint Stephen’s square open.
The two biggest and most important Christmas markets in Budapest
The two circles show the areas of the two biggest Christmas markets. As you can see, they are located close to one another, meaning that there only is a short walk between both markets. Based on these locations, it is quite easy to find a hotel centrally located close to both Christmas markets.
It all depends on how much money you want to spend, but here you will find some recommendations that will make the Christmas markets easy to visit throughout the day without walking very much!
The five-star option – Kempinski
This hotel is located by the green square which you can see on the map above, almost in the middle between the two Christmas markets. It is an amazing five-star hotel with all the exclusive and nice features you might need. A sure winner if you want a central location combined with luxury!
If you want to swim in between your visits to the Christmas markets, choose Kempinski.
A four-star option – Mercure City Center
This is a very central hotel located in the Vaci utca (the shopping street). It is very close to the Christmas market at Vorosmarty square (only a few minutes away), and a little bit further away from the other market. But, you can still reach the market at the Szent Istvan ter within less than 10 minutes on foot. The hotel normally has very good prices and considering that it is a four-star hotel, it should be worth taking into consideration.
If you want to live closer to the Christmas market in front of the Saint Stephen’s Basilica, this is as close as it gets. Hotel Central Basilica is a three-star option that will give you a brilliant location at a low price. It isn’t as luxurious as the other two hotels, but it will do the job for most tourists who plan on spending more time outside the hotel than on the inside.
Hotel Central Basilica is ideal if you want to live close to the Christmas markets in Budapest
These are some suggestions to those looking for a hotel near the Christmas markets in Budapest. There are several hundred hotels to pick from, but not all of them have a central location. And it is true, you save a lot of time living at a central location. It might be more expensive than living far outside the city center, but if you first spend money on a flight ticket, an airport transfer, and other services, why not spend a few dollars extra in order to live at a good location as well?
If you have further questions or comments related to hotels located near the main Christmas markets in Budapest, write them in the comment field.
Budapest is invaded by people today coming for the annual Sziget Festival, one of the coolest and best music festivals in Europe every single year.
Some of the artists performing at the Sziget Festival today (August 7th, 2019)
The festival attracts almost half a million people every year who pay the quite steep entrance fees to see and listen to some of the best artists from around the world. In 2019, the Sziget Festival is arranged between August 7th and August 13th. On the opening night (which is tonight), one of the highlights will already perform, Ed Sheeran.
But, there are so many stages and places to visit at the island (Sziget means island) where the festival is arranged, that you will have a hard time getting bored. There is something happening at the different stages all the time, so make sure to take a careful look at the schedule and plan your whereabouts if you do not want to miss out on something important.
Other artists coming to Sziget 2019
Ed Sheeran will perform tonight, but he is not the only hotshot coming to the festival this year. Some of the other famous artists coming include Foo Fighters, Twenty One Pilots, Florence and the Machine, Martin Garrix, The National, The 1975, CHVRCHES, Kodaline, Of Mice & Men, James Blake, Franz Ferdinand, and lots of others.
If you want to see the full program of the festival, visit the official website of the Sziget Festival which can be found here.
Other programs in Budapest
If you do not want to spend all your time at the Hajogyari island, but instead spend some time in the center of Budapest as well, that is a good idea. There are lots of cool programs in the city center, and you should, of course, drink some good Hungarian wine, taste the Hungarian Goulash soup, maybe enjoy a river cruise, and definitely, enjoy the view from the Gellert Hill!
You can read about lots of activities and programs in Budapest here in the Budapest Guide, so make sure to look around!
This year’s Formula 1 race at Hungaroring outside Budapest is getting closer. Are you coming to Budapest to see the race? Do you think Hamilton will win yet another race?
It has almost been all about Mercedes so far in the Formula 1 season so far. Lewis Hamilton and his mate Bottas have won most races so far, but before they all get to Budapest, they will race at Silverstone in England and at Hockenheim in Germany. It was during the Austrian Grand Prix that the first non-Mercedes driver won a Formula 1 race this year (Verstappen), so it will be very interesting to follow the drivers as they come to Hungary.
Lewis Hamilton has a good habit of winning in Hungary, but can he win at Hungaroring once again?
Hungaroring 2019
The main race will be arranged at Hungaroring outside Budapest on August 4th, starting at 14.00. If you want to get to the race it is often easiest to order a taxi from the reception at your hotel. You might just jump on a taxi as well, but that is a risky business and will often turn into a very expensive experience.
Do not forget to start early. There are thousands of Formula 1 fans that will move in the same direction as you before the start of the race, meaning that this often takes a lot of time and it is better to be one hour early than one hour late! Once you leave the venue, there will yet again be thousands of people going in the same direction as you, so it might take some time for you to get back to the center of Budapest again after the race.
Watch the Formula 1 race on TV
Haven’t gotten hold of tickets for the races yet? You can buy them outside the venue as well (that is also risky business). You might be lucky and get some good tickets, but you are most likely to pay a lot for your tickets (much more than you should), and you might even end up with fake tickets, so it is not recommended to go for such a solution.
In other words, if you do not have a ticket for the race yet, maybe you should just watch it on the TV instead. The official broadcaster of Formula 1 in Hungary is M4, and this is a free state-owned channel. So, if you turn on the TV in your hotel room and look for M4, you will most likely find the channel and be able to watch Hamilton, Verstappen, Bottas, and the rest of the drivers.
You can also watch M4 online at mediaklikk.hu if you do not have a TV in your hotel room or in your apartment.
Other programs in Budapest
If you want to know more about other programs in Budapest, look around here in our Budapest Guide. You can read about fantastic wine dinners, excursions, brewery visits, and guided tours, so you will for sure be inspired and find some cool activities suitable for you as you look around!
Sometimes it can be cool to watch a city you love on the TV screen. Nothing can be compared to walking along the Danube in Budapest enjoying the city during daytime and nighttime, but if you cannot do so at the moment, enjoying Budapest on your TV can be very nice as well!
A few days ago, I had the chance of watching the Amazon Original TV series named Hanna. It is based on the movie from 2011 carrying the same name, and it was released earlier in 2019. The first season consists of eight episodes, and it has been recorded in several countries, including Hungary. But, as I started to watch Hanna, I knew nothing about that.
Is that Budapest or not?
During the first episode and the start of the second, I often sat with the feeling that this could have been recorded in Budapest (partly). But, I didn’t see any famous buildings, so I didn’t know anything for sure. But then, towards the end of the second episode, I suddenly lost all doubts and knew that they had to have recorded parts of the Amazon series in Hungary.
The picture above was what made me 100% sure that they had been recording scenes to this series in Hungary. Well, it might not be Budapest, but I at once recognized the peer for the Danube cruises in Szentendre. If you haven’t been to Szentendre yet, you better try it. It is a really beautiful city worth visiting!
They are chatting with the city of Szentendre in the background.
By now, I knew that they had recorded in Hungary, and it was much easier to recognize buildings and to know things for sure after this. Of course, much of the recordings take place in streets hard to know something about for sure, but in the very end of episode 2, those who have left with a plane from Ferihegy 1 in Budapest, will feel at home.
Recorded in Ferihegy 1 in Budapest
They haven’t used Ferihegy 1 for public flights for quite a lot of years, but it is often used for recording movies and TV shows, and it is very easy to recognize.
And when you get to Hanna season 1 episode 3, you will also see a lot of clips from the Liberty square in Budapest, including the cafe in the middle of the square, the former stock buildings, and also a parking lot in Budapest.
Shooting episode at the cafe in the middle of the Liberty square in Budapest
It is important to know that the story doesn’t take place in Budapest. As a result, they always hide any text that might imply that it is recorded in Budapest. But, if you have a sharp eye and a love for Budapest and Hungary, you will for sure find even more scenes in the Hanna series on Amazon showing different areas and buildings in both Budapest and Hungary.
If you want to know more about Hanna and how you can stream it, check this article on amazonprime.fromabroad.org.
Have you seen Hanna? Or maybe some other TV show or movie packed with scenes from Budapest? Write a comment and let us know about it!
Hungary is so much more than just Budapest, and since 2015, Hungary and the village of Tarcal has given a home to the biggest Jesus statue of the nation.
You probably don’t have any clue about where Tarcal is located (yet), but let us tell you quickly that the village is located in the Tokaj region, only a few kilometers from the village of Tokaj. And yes, this is in the heart of the wine region, meaning that you will pass by lots of vineyards as you drive around in this fantastic area.
The Jesus statue in Tarcal
The statue was built after a man named Petró Attila discovered some drawings of a Jesus statue in a chapel not far from the location of the current statue. He then provided the material for the statue, and the sculptor named Sandor Szabo (also from the area) was the one actually creating the statue. It has been made of five large stones and as you stand closer to the statue, you can easily see the five stones placed on one another.
The height of the statue is 8,5 meters and it has a total weight of approximately 50000kg.
The Jesus statue in Tarcal seen standing in front of it
While most Jesus statues is shown with the savior standing with open arms, this open is standing with one arms at his chest, while the other is kind of waving, or showing a blessing towards the people watching.
And yes, the name of the statue is Aldo Jezus Szobor, meaing the Blessing Jesus statue, which means, it is portraying Jesus blessing the people.
How to get to the statue?
As you drive through Tarcal, you will see big signs taking you all the way to the parking lot of the statue. From there you have a 500 meter walk (might feel like a bit more) to get to the actual statue. This is a very nicely built way with lots of benches along the way for those who want to rest before the finish the road. It might not be easy, but you can actually bring your stroller as well, considering that it is quite nice way all the way up to the statue. You might get warm, but it is completely possible!
Once at the top you can enjoy the full statue, and you can also enjoy a beautiful view towards Tarcal on one side, and towards a small hidden lake at the other side.
View towards Tarcal and the rest of Tokaj from the statue.Beautiful view towards a “hidden” lake just beneath the statue.
There are several benches up by the statue making this an even better place for an excursion, or for a stop on a pilgrimage trip, or maybe between a couple of wine tasting programs in Tokaj!
For more information about wine tasting programs in Budapest and elsewhere, check this site. Do not forget to share this with your friends on Facebook and if you need any help or have any questions, please write a comment and we will do our best to help you out!
Last week, we had the chance to enjoy a magnificent dinner in La Pampa Budapest. We hadn’t been to the restaurants since its opening almost 10 years ago, and discovering that they recently moved into a new location made us want to pay the restaurant a visit again. So, what was La Pampa like? Is La Pampa worth a visit?
If you do not know anything about La Pampa, let us first introduce it to you as a steakhouse in central Budapest. It can be found along a busy road (though you do not notice that at all once you are on the inside), and very close to the metro station Arany Janos utca. This is one of the most elegant restaurants in Budapest as it has a very nice interior, and it is perfect for an important business meeting, just as well as a nice dinner for a group of friends, or for a group of men who wants to see who can eat a 550 gram steak in the shortest amount of time.
A picture from the very elegant inside of La Pampa Budapest
What we ate in La Pampa
During our meal in La Pampa, we decided to start slowly with a Carpaccio de Lomo. This is “finely cut Angus steak drizzled with a chimichurri sauce .” I have got to say that it was really tasty and nice, and especially the Hungarian pepper (paprika) combined with the rocket salad was delicious.
But, I almost forget, after placing your order you are always served a mild starter, a fresh piece of bread with some spicy butter, freshened up with some tomatoes. In some restaurants, this is freezing cold and impossible to apply to the bread, but here it wasn’t only soft, it was very tasty and nice as well.
The first thing you are served in La Pampa Budapest
When it was time for the main course to come, we ate a T-Bone steak and a normal rump-steak. The meat was very nicely prepared, and especially the tenderness of the T-Bone steak was amazing. No wonder why people long to eat such steaks during a visit to a steakhouse like La Pampa.
You get hungry watching this, don’t you?
In addition to the steaks, we also had some green pepper sauce, some onion rings, and some potato croquette. These are favorites of ours, and we loved them. One thing that has changed since the last time we visited La Pampa, is that they have changed the onion rings, making them even better, crispier, and tastier than they were before.
Crispy and tasty onion rings in La Pampa Budapest
Just like in other steakhouses, you can ask to have your steak prepared in the way you prefer. In the end, a small cow is placed on your stake to show you the preparation level. This is a cool little thing that especially children find to be funny as they can play with the small cows before/while/after eating!
A black cow means well done in La Pampa.
The desserts in La Pampa are easy to like, and the prices are all around 3-4 Euro. In other words, it is easy to finish your meal with a brownie, a Creme Brulé, or maybe with a chocolate souffle with mint taste? We tasted the latter, and it was like eating After Eight. In other words, a perfect treat for those who like the combination of chocolate and mint.
A chocolate souffle with mint…
The interior of La Pampa
There is no chance to sit outside as you visit La Pampa, but they do have some very nice tables by the windows which will give you a nice view towards the street and what’s going on out there. But, La Pampa also has some magnificent rooms with space for individual guests or larger groups, giving the restaurant a total capacity for around 160 guests. But, do not forget to reserve your table in La Pampa as it often ends up completely packed during the evenings.
Modern, beautiful, and stylish interior.
Should you visit La Pampa?
La Pampa is a very nice restaurant with high quality food, well-skilled waiters, and a very nice interior. It is good pick for a nicer dinner on any evening, and it can also be used for groups who want to eat a dinner together in a private room with space for 40-50 people, or just someone at a stag-party who want to eat a solid beef before the party goes on.
The price level is just what one would expect in a steakhouse. The starters vary in price between 5 and 10 Euro, while the main courses vary between 10 and 60 Euro. The desserts all cost around 4-5 Euro.
We had a great time in La Pampa and it is a restaurant that we can warmly recommend if you want to dine in a similar way when you come to Budapest!
Rezkakas Budapest is a restaurant for fine dining with high quality in the heart of Budapest. Would you like a table reservation in Rezkakas Budapest? We can help you book a table in Rezkakas for free, ensuring that you will be expected upon arrival at the restaurant.
The Rezkakas restaurant in Budapest is located in Sas utca, very close to the St. Stephen’s Basilica. The area is one of the nicest in Budapest, and it is packed with several good restaurants, including the Aszu restaurant just across the street from Rezkakas. But, would you like us to fix you a table in Rezkakas? Fill in the forms beneath and we will reserve a table for you in Rezkakas Budapest.
Useful information.
Rezkakas has a special menu available to guests on December 24. You can download it here. If you want a reservation on December 24, please fill in the forms below and write in the comment field that you know about the Christmas menu and that you accept it.
Book a table in Rezkakas Budapest
We will normally fix the reservation as quickly as possible, but during weekends our response time might be slower than during weekdays.
What to expect in Rezkakas Budapest?
Rezkakas is a place for fine dining in Budapest. Here you will find traditional Hungarian courses prepared in the most excellent way. Not only will you get a taste of authentic Hungarian gastronomy, but in the evenings you can also enjoy some authentic gypsy music to make the atmosphere even better.
Reserve a table in Rezkakas Budapest
How much does a meal cost in Rezkakas Budapest?
Rezkakas isn’t very expensive, but you will not have trouble finding cheaper restaurants in Budapest either. Beneath, you will find the price range for the different courses in Rezkakas.
Starters: 9-15 Euro
Main courses: 14-40 Euro
Vegetarian dishes: 8-13 Euro
Desserts: 4-14 Euro
Now you have a feeling about the price range you can expect once you fix your table reservation in Rezkakas and prepare to visit the restaurant.
How to get to Rezkakas Budapest?
The restaurant is very easy to find as it is located a few hundred meters from the St. Stephen’s Basilica. You can easily get to the area by metro. You can then travel to Deak Ferenc tér (where the red, yellow, and blue metro line intercepts); from there, it is a short walk. If you decide to grab a taxi, you will be taken to the door of the restaurant.
Book your Rezkakas table in advance
Do not forget to book your table in Rezkakas as early as possible. This is especially true about December 24th and 25th, as this is one of the very few restaurants open in Budapest on these days, and thus the restaurant is fully booked months in advance (normally). If you are willing to eat your lunch in the restaurant on December 24th and December 25th, you have a chance a few weeks in advance as well, but the general principle is… hurry up!
Have you been to Rezkakas yourself? Did you enjoy your stay? Did you have a favorite dish or a favorite wine you just want to taste over again? We would love to hear more about your stay in Rezkakas, so write a comment and share your experience with us and the rest of our readers.
Aszu Budapest is an amazing restaurant. Would you like to reserve a table in Aszu? Would you like to book a table in Aszu Budapest so that everything will be ready for your arrival in the restaurant? Here you can fix your table reservation in Aszu right away.
Aszu is a restaurant in the very heart of Budapest with a very good rumor. There are hundreds of awesome Aszu reviews online, and this is a perfect place to enjoy traditional Hungarian meals prepared by great chefs in nice surroundings. During the evenings, you can also enjoy traditional Hungarian gypsy music in Aszu Budapest.
Reserve a table in Aszu Budapest
Fill in the forms beneath and make sure to select Aszu as the restaurant from the list to reserve a table in restaurant Aszu Budapest.
Once you click the button above, the table reservation request will be sent, and we will come back to you and confirm the table reservation request in 24-48 hours (sometimes much faster).
Where is Aszu located in Budapest?
Restaurant Aszu can be found in Sas street in Budapest. This is located very close to the St. Stephen’s Basilica, close to the Erzsebet square, and there you will also find the Deak square (where three of the metro lines in Budapest meet). This is very central, and it isn’t far from the Danube either. This is a fashionable district in Budapest packed with nice restaurants, and it is a typical area in which you will find banks, lawyers, and many of the wealthy citizens of Budapest. There is no wonder why this area gives a home to several nice restaurants, including the Rezkakas restaurant which is just across the street of Aszu.
Aszu has a nice indoor area, but during nice summer days, you can also sit outside and enjoy your meal. This is very nice, and it can also be a nice experience on a warm spring evening, as they turn on the heaters that will keep you warm, even though the temperature outside might be a bit colder than you normally enjoy.
What does a meal in Aszu cost?
The starters in Aszu cost between 2000 and 4000 HUF, while the main courses cost between 4000 and 8000 HUF. If you are a fan of Tokaj wine, a brilliant solution is the cheese plate which should be accompanied by the delicious Tokaj Aszu wine (the most famous wine from Tokaj). The waiters’ in the restaurant have good knowledge about wine, so this is ideal if you want to combine delicious Hungarian food with the best of Hungarian wines.
We might not be TripAdvisor with thousands of reviews, but we would love to hear your thoughts about Aszu. Have you been to the restaurant and want to write a few sentences about your stay? Which was your favorite meal in the restaurant? Did you have a favorite wine? Did you enjoy the gypsy music? Why not use a few minutes to share your thoughts about Aszu Budapest with us, and all of our readers?
Would you like to book a table in Sir Lancelot Budapest? How to reserve a table in this popular Budapest restaurant? Look no further, the solution is right here!
Maybe you have read a positive review of Sir Lancelot Budapest online, or maybe a friend or some other family member have told you an amazing story about what’s going on in Sir Lancelot evening after evening? It doesn’t matter who told you something, what really matters is that you need to reserve a table actually to get a free table on the evening you are interested in.
Reserve a table in Sir Lancelot Budapest
Well, here you can book your table in Sir Lancelot. Fill in the forms beneath, and we will get back to you within 24-48 hours confirming the table reservation.
You should notice that Sir Lancelot is packed in the evenings, and that is why they run their “show” in two sequences. You will, therefore, need to book your table from the time period between 18.00-21.00 or from 21.00 to 24.00. It is okay to book from 19.00-21.00 as well, but if you are a large group, it might be smart to arrive a bit earlier so that you will have plenty of time to finish your meal before you have to leave at 21.00.
Book a table in Sir Lancelot Budapest
Fill in the forms beneath, and select Sir Lancelot as your restaurant from the list of restaurants where we can help you book a table in Budapest.
Do not forget to make your reservation according to the instructions earlier, meaning from either 18.00, 18.30, or from 19.00 (lasting until 21.00), or from 21.00 until midnight. Arrival at 20.00 is almost impossible, so it isn’t worth trying!
We hope you will enjoy your meal in Sir Lancelot Budapest.
Want to know more about Sir Lancelot Budapest before you book a table?
Did you know that Sir Lancelot is a medieval restaurant in Budapest? It is not in the very heart of the city center, but you can easily get there on foot from the central parts of Pest. It isn’t especially far from the Hungarian Parliament, from the Western Railway-station, and from the St. Stephen’s Basilica.
Sir Lancelot is known for serving giant portions, and during an evening in the restaurant, you can experience sword fights, belly dancing, and a whole lot of fun. Many larger groups order big plates of food for six or eight people, then sit down and eat together from the big plates. But, it is also possible to order one by one and eat whatever you pick from the menu.
How much does a meal cost in Sir Lancelot?
If you decide to buy a menu for yourself containing an appetizer, starter, main course and a dessert, you will find that the price for such a menu is between 7000 and 12,000 HUF. But they also have large plates for bigger groups. These are packed with food, and the plate for two persons costs around 20,000 HUF, while the plate for six persons costs around 44,000 HUF.
