Budapest Stag Do

• Country: Hungary
• Language: Hungarian
• Currency: Hungarian Forint
• Cost of a pint: 350-400 Ft
• Airport: Budapest Airport
• Flight duration: 3 hours

Best Places to Eat in Budapest?

Hungary’s cuisine is still a huge part of their proud cultural heritage. You can expect local dishes to offer rich and spicy meals filled with many weird and wonderful flavours and there definitely isn’t any shortage of places to find this unique cuisine.

You will work up quite an appetite after taking part in your activities and luckily for you, Budapest has a Great Market Hall where hundreds of stalls cook traditional handmade foods. Here, you can always try a bit of everything before you decide to brave it to a restaurant and order a full meal. One of the dishes you’ll find most in Budapest is Goulash and it’s no secret why as it’s the National Dish of Hungary. You can expect this saucy dish to consist of a meat stew with vegetables and noodles. Langos, a flat bread that’s topped with mashed potatoes, sour cream yogurt, grated cheese and ham or sausages is also a good shout.

When it comes to specific restaurants in mind, there’s just so much to choose from. Meatology is an excellent choice if you’re not feeling brave enough to venture too deep into Hungarian cuisine and offers a host of burgers, steaks and other familiar dishes. The burgers are to die for and are pretty big too which makes this place a top choice to visit after you hit the clubs. If you are more adventurous then Stand Étterem is a good alternative and is very fancy too.

This place has plenty of Hungarian dishes on offer and a cosy place to kick back and relax for an hour or two. It’s perhaps not the most spacious of offerings but is very well priced for the quality of service and food you get. Caviar & Bull is another excellent option and boasts a classy interior to admire whilst you enjoy some good food. Portions are a decent size and presentation is excellent, it’s a true Hungarian experience but may having you splashing out a little more cash as it leans more towards being a stylish high-end venue.

District VII

Loud music, cheap booze and sexy girls is what makes Budapest’s nightlife as good as it is known for and that’s why District VII is one of the greatest hotspots and also why it’s called “The Party District”. Not only are the bars and pubs all found in quirky buildings but there’s such a huge variety to be found here. Built upon the old Jewish quarter, many of the ‘Ruin Bars’ are located here and are all the rage in Budapest. These bars are hidden away but once you find it, you won’t want to leave. The old artsy architecture mixed with the wild scene make it one of the most unique places to party anywhere in Europe.

Szimpla Kert is the original ‘Ruin Bar’ and opened in 2001. Since that time, the old eclectic furniture still remains where you’ll find yourselves in an open courtyard and there’s even an old communist car you can have a drink in. It doesn’t get any quirkier than this. Another night hotspot here is Instant, the largest ‘Ruin Bar’ in the city. They bought out an entire apartment block and knocked all the interior walls down to increase space for DJs and dance floors. Other bars in this one-of-a-kind area include Mazel Tov and Fogashaz, both offering similar experiences. District VII may look run down but it’s very deceptive. It may be one of the greatest places to party in the world and you’ll see what we mean as soon as you step through those courtyard doors.

Gozsdu Udvar

This place is another huge hotspot and is just down the road from the bars mentioned above. Technically it’s part of District VII as well but is a nightlife hotspot in its own right. The numerous courtyards and apartment buildings are filled with colour and cosy lights and are scattered with restaurants and bars alike. Head over to Pivo & Bar if you’re looking for a huge choice of cocktails as this place boasts a huge selection of exotic mixes. If you gentlemen are preferring some beers then check out Spíler Original which also serves some seriously good food to suit both the adventurous and fussy eaters alike.

Horizont Taproom by Léhűtő is a slightly larger venue choice with a modern feel and good food to compliment their extensive beer menu. They’re also a brewery and make their own ales. Pale Ales to IPA’s, this chic bar has it all for groups like yours. If you’re wanting a later night than usual then Blue Bird Café are open until 4am. This small eatery/bar hosts karaoke nights regularly so there’s always a good chance you’ll have the pleasure in watching drunken Hungarians (or Brits!) singing their hearts out. If you’re wanting something way more upbeat then pop into the AETHER nightclub around the corner. This underground club is lit up like a Christmas Tree and is better suited to the die-hard party animals amongst us. You can party until 1am here across two dance floors.

Districts V & VI

These two districts are second-only to District VII but still offer some great nightlife choices. Starting off with District V is the Corvin Club, a huge outdoor rooftop venue which blasts techno tunes into the dead of night. You can buy plenty of beers here for a pretty good price too. The thing is with this club is that it doesn’t come to a close until 5am, so if you’re wanting to party all night long or want a rave, this is the place to pay a visit to. Another recommendation for District V is Pontoon, a river-side bar that offers a wide range of drinks from beers to cocktails. You’ve got a cracking view of the other half the city across from the Danube and it’s at a reasonable price. It closes earlier than most so is better suited to a day-time or evening timeslot.

District VI (known as Terézváros) is another party-heavy area of Budapest as it’s right next to The Party District. If you’re searching for chilled out bars serving ice-cold beers then Rabbit Hole Bar & Café is the place to go. It’s a little on the small side but that’s just what you need if you’re looking for some causal drinks. There’s a wide choice of beers and spirits at this place. Another more casual bar in this district would be 360 Bar. This rooftop wonder has some great views of the city and is very spacious. Here you can be served any drink you want, from cocktails and beers to shots. It can get very busy so booking a table just in case would be advised. If you’re looking for somewhere to dance with a bit more energy, then the Peaches & Cream Club is right one for you. With a great atmosphere and several dance floors.

Szechenyi Thermal Bath

If you’re in Budapest at summer time, then you’re in for a treat. Filled with bikini girls and a wild and wet party scene, the old thermal baths which have been a part of Budapest for hundreds of years welcomes you to the infamous ‘sparty’ (a spa party if you didn’t know). From sunrise through to the black of night, you can be chilling out in 75-degree pools of liquid heat, beer in hand. All day, and all night long. There’s a bar at the spa to grab another ice cold beer again and again. The bar at Szechenyi is pretty basic and sells beers, cocktails and spirits but don’t expect anything too fancy. The summer spa parties are held almost every Saturday throughout the year and finish at 3am.

After the party, you can always get booked into the spa the next day to cure your hangover with therapeutic treatments. Nothing a fat greasy hamburger can’t cure though, right lads?

What Are the Reasons to Visit Budapest?

River Danube

One of the main attractions of Budapest is the River Danube. This huge river stretches as long as the eye can see and separates the two ancient cities of Buda and Pest. Take a river cruise or view from afar to experience all its glory.

Tram No.2

One great way to really absorb all the sights and scenes is to take the famous yellow Tram No.2. This wondrous machine will take you across the ‘Pest’ side along Danube so expect plenty of views on your chilled out journey.

The Thermal Baths

Alongside the iconic Szechenyi spa there’s also several other thermal baths across the city. Each offer modern spa experiences with special treatments available in majestic buildings dating back to the 16th century. Choose between the tranquil indoors or the wild outdoors at the largest spa pools in Europe.

The Grand Architecture

Budapest has been a mixing pot for hundreds of different cultures over thousands of years. The buildings are magnificent and unlike anything else in the world. From huge opera houses to the gigantic river-side parliament building, there’s loads to see and appreciate.

Costs Are Low

Budapest is a very affordable city to visit and is cheaper than Vienna or Prague. In fact, it’s one of the cheapest destinations in the world due to the Hungarian Forint being such a weak currency. Beer here is particularly some of the lowest prices in Europe so it’s ideal for celebrations.

The Nightlife

Budapest is widely known to be a prime hotspot for stag and hen do’s and that’s because the nightlife is amazing. It’s cheaper than anywhere else and there’s a lot of choice. The Ruin Bars are some of the quirkiest places to party and the clubs are many. The number of rooftop bars is also something that makes this place so special.

Party Boat

Two experiences in one, travel the River Danube and see all the views that come with it all lit-up at night while chugging your beers. With the entire boat being a dance floor at your disposal and a seemingly endless supply of beer, what’s to miss?

City Park

When you want to take a break from the drinking and partying, it’s a good idea to go for a chilled out walk through the park. Budapest’s City Park is huge and its amazing to just take in a slice of nature for just a second. Also, the Szechenyi thermal bath is nearby so you could always pay a visit to the Jacuzzi for a while.

How to Get Around Budapest?

To get into the city initially from air, it won’t take long at all to get from the airport into the city centre as it’s very close. There are taxis 24/7 and a train but that only runs during daylight hours.

As previously mentioned, Budapest takes pride in its tram system across both sides of the river. These trams are easily recognisable due to their bright yellow colour and old fashioned look and go along several routes both vertically along the riverside and horizontally across the bridges. Similar to the trams, there’s a metro system that runs underneath this ancient city where trains operate on red, blue and yellow lines so it’s easy to understand. If buses are more your thing then you’ll be pleased to know there’s over 200 routes in the city and are one of the most favoured forms of travel here.

If you fancy the next step up then there’s even a ferry between ‘Buda’ and ‘Pest’ and provides probably the best views out of all options but this reflects in the price. If you wanted to walk across the Szechenyi chain bridge then it would only take you 5 minutes to cross. The rest you’ll have to go on foot as the roads can get very gridlocked. Besides, narrow pedestrian-only streets and courtyards is where all the magic happens.