How I Would Describe It In One Sentence
A historically significant country that has transformed into a haven for partiers and stag/hen nights.
Summary
Hungary is a pretty easy place to label, as it is mostly known for its parties.
While once a historically significant country, Hungary has quickly turned into a party destination for those visiting central Europe. Its capital city, Budapest, offers a drinking scene that few other cities can rival. With an unreal amount of bars, party boats, and wild hostels, Budapest makes for a destination that every young backpacker should see once. Locals may present a solemn grimace at first, but are typically quite friendly to those who manage to start a conversation with them.
What It’s Best For
For those who like to drink like a fish til the wee hours of the morning, Hungary is a great place to visit.
The nightlife in Budapest is reveled as some of the greatest in Europe, which can easily be seen by spending just a weekend there. Budapest is a massive sprawling city which spans both sides of the Danube river, and is comprised of both the Buda and Pest areas.
In the daytime, there is no indication that the city is so wild. But when the night sets in – it becomes wildly obvious. Bars on every corner seem to open up, selling Union beer and shots of palinka. Watch out for palinka though, as the Hungarian spirit can have an alcohol percentage as high as 85%, and give quite the buzz in just minutes. The nightlife can easily be explored by joining a pub crawl, or a boat party that cruises the Danube.
While visiting Budapest it is imperative to try the goulash, and the kürtőskalács (chimney cake). Goulash is a creamy meat stew with an abundance of spices, where kürtőskalács are cinnamon cakes filled with Nutella or ice cream. Both dishes are wildly famous around Europe and give foreigners the chance to try culinary dishes which strongly define Hungarian culture.
Cities/Events/Attractions I Visited
Ruin Bars (Budapest)
The ruin bars are the absolute highlight of Budapest’s nightlife. They are a collection of buildings that became abandoned after WWII, and didn’t receive any attention until the new millennium.
A couple wild folks got the idea of setting up bars in the abandoned buildings and offering super cheap drinks. And thanks to the changing times, drinking cheap beer in shitty old buildings actually became a pretty cool thing to do. Thus Szimpla was born, after winning over both locals and foreigners alike. It didn’t take long, and other bars started to pop up. Thus, the old Jewish Quarter’s Ruin Bars quickly turned into some of the best places to get absolutely wasted. With tacky and unique decorations, cheap drinks, and lively atmospheres – these bars are a must see while visiting Budapest.
Hospital In The Rock
A strange little hospital resides in Budapest, that was once home to Hungarian and German soldiers during WWII.
The hospital was originally designed to treat wounded shelters, but eventually became more of a bomb shelter than anything. It was built into a hillside with the idea of being able to house just 60 people. However, at one point the building found itself holding over 600 wounded soldiers. When sieges were heavy and weather conditions were bad, doctors were forced to create makeshift supplies – or even reuse those from previous surgeries.
Memento Park
Like many of the other countries from the Eastern Block, Hungary experienced quite a lot of oppression during the Soviet regime. So much to the point, that they even revolted in 1958, which was ultimately shot down by the Soviet forces.
During their oppression from the Soviet government, Hungary was flooded with statues and monuments of major Soviet leaders such as Stalin and others. This only enraged Hungarians further, as they demanded the statues be destroyed.
Flash forward to the fall of the Soviet Union, and that very thing happen. Hungarians paraded throughout the country ripping every piece of Soviet Communist propaganda apart – and ultimately placing it in an open field 45 minutes outside of Budapest. For a small fee, visitors can walk through the park, and see the communist artifacts which once were abundant throughout Hungary.
Cities/Events/Attractions I’ll Return to See
Lake Balaton
Lake Balaton is the largest lake in Central Europe, taking up nearly 600 sq km (231 sq miles). And like the rest of Hungary, it is surrounded by completely flat land.
Though this may sound offputting at first – it’s actually a real blessing for visitors. Lake Balaton receives thousands of visitors each year who come to cycle around the lake. And due to its extremely flat surface, it is the perfect place to cycle and enjoy nature. Thus people come from around the world to experience nature and have a leisurely cycle trip.
But the lake offers far more than just cycling, as there is wild nightlife in Siófok, an extinct volcano, and even thermal baths. Whether on a trip with friends or family, Lake Balaton truly does offer a unique experience to all.
Balaton Sound
There are few festivals that offer such a unique location as Balaton Sound. The mega electronic music festival takes place next to Lake Balaton, the ultra-scenic lake mentioned in the prior section. Each year some of the biggest DJs and artists show up to rock the stage for 20 hours a day.
But Balaton Sound isn’t quite like other music festivals. Attendees can stay at a designated campsite that is full of restaurants, pubs, and other hospitality joints. With this in mind, it really is the total package for the avid festival goer.
Sziget Festival
It’s no surprise that Balaton Sound has become such a hit, as it was created by the same group of people that created the Sziget Festival.
Sziget draws crowds from every continent, as the music festival is nothing short of perfect. However, unlike Balaton, Sziget is held right in the center of Budapest. And to make it even cooler – it’s hosted on an island in the Danube. So festival-goers can find their way into the island and enjoy top musicians from every genre of music. Though there are plenty of great music fests in Europe, this is one that summer travelers simply have to catch.
JUST A REMINDER – Though I have been to every country that I write about, I occasionally throw in events that I may have missed, or plan on going back to see. Those events/locations are in blue text.
Ryan Hicks' Travels 