Nightlife in Budapest
The Budapest nightlife scene is very diverse, extending from the dingiest pub to the hottest club, with plenty of surprises in between. In addition, the tourist centre is not really where the fun's at, courtyard bars, huge outdoor clubs and cutting-edge dance venues are scattered throughout the city.
Budapest's nightlife boasts a number of large, glitzy clubs, many on the outskirts of town, which are a haven for fashion-conscious househeads and high-rollers - and often attract big-name DJs from around the world. These venues are made for people watching - the women are breathtaking, but off-limits to all but the smoothest operators.
By contrast, the cellars hidden beneath downtown buildings offer a very different kind of nightlife. You never know who you might meet - and you won't be the first to suspect that some of the local party people are vampires...
But once summer comes around, there is rarely any need to go indoors to party. The variety and abundance of outdoor nightlife in and around the Budapest city centre is unparalleled. Several run-down courtyards have been converted to hugely popular inner city beer gardens and the banks of the Danube are home to a number of open-air clubs. A couple of pints in the late afternoon sunshine turns into a full-blown carnival before you know it - and there are more than enough gorgeous girls to go around.
Another feature of Budapest nightlife is that there is no rush. There is always time to get an after-hours drink in and things often only get going after midnight. In other words, it is well worth staying up past your normal Friday night bedtime.
So before the hard partying can begin, we recommend grabbing a bite to eat at one of Budapest's many top restaurants.
- Portside - Cactus Juice's more sophisticated brother
- Sir Lancelot - Medieval theme with massive portions
- Tom George - One of the top restaurants in town. Fantastic food in a classy yet unpretentious atmosphere
- Baraka - Quiet, refined dining
- Beckett's - Irish bar, decent grub, great sports atmosphere. Home base for many a stag.
- Café Vian - Liszt Ferenc Square. Café with terrace and beautiful girls all summer
- Fresco - Liszt Ferenc Square. Good food, great terrace
- Toscana - On the river bank - great Italian food with a comfortable vibe
- Ocean - Fantastic seafood in elegant surroundings
- Fat Mo's - Beer hall, hot waitresses, good steaks
- Menza - Liszt Ferenc Square. Good food, retro décor and a large terrace
Call now to book your European Stag Weekend - 0845 686 0619
Budapest's nightlife scene offers clubs of all shapes and sizes that play the full spectrum of music to very different crowds. Unlike in many other cities, the best venues are some distance apart and very few are in the tourist heart of town. Let us know if you have any musical or other preferences - there are always great concerts and DJ events going on somewhere in Budapest - and we will help you find them.
Our guides know the city like the back of their hands and can adapt bar crawls to your drinking, musical and other needs. These tours come free with your accommodation on the first night or they can be booked separately from just £7 per pisshead.
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