Goose Liver Festival in Budapest

Now the festival season is upon us, why not venture up to the Buda Castle for this year's annual Goose Liver Festival. You will have chance to taste all of the Hungarian goose liver dishes Hungary has to offer. These dishes are based both on traditional and redesigned recipes with wines from the Tokaj region (this years guest) and other Hungarian delicacies, at pretty decent prices!

Let the Festivals Begin...!

Many festivals grace the sands of our beautiful country, and with summer fast approaching it is time to start preparing! Here a few of Underguide's favorite festivals...!

Budapest Pálinka Festival 10th-13th May, 2012

The Hunyadi Court in Buda Castle plays host to the spring Pálinka Festival the aim of which is to introduce high-quality Hungarian fruit brandies, pálinka in Hungarian, to both locals and tourists.

Musical programs, concerts enhance the atmosphere during the 4-day event.

This year the focus will be on pálinkas made from apricot.

Daily tickets: 2 000 HUF includes a tasting glass, 4-day pass (includes a tasting glass): 5 500 HUF.

Opening hours: Thurs-Fri: 14.00-02.00, Sat-Sun: 14.00-24.00

More information: Budapest Pálinka Fesztivál

Janus Winery - A Vineyard like no other..!

During my time in Budapest, I have had the pleasure of tasting many wines, some good - some not so good, but a vineyard that I stuck out to me the most, not just because of the incredible taste of the wine, but the experience it brought with it, was the Janus vineyard in Villány.
My first real Janus experience brought me out of Budapest, into the wonderful region of Villány in southern Hungary, where the 'Janus Szülinapi Borzsongás' (The Janus Birthday Bash) of 2011 was happening.

Wine, Lakes, Normafa - Expat enjoys Hungary :)

Hey magyar readers! ever wondering how expats see us? So read Amrit's articles, where she tells about her life in Budapest -this time she takes us on on excursion outside of town.

So. I wasn’t exactly ready for what May brought.

Sadly, I spent May consumed by what was happening in our apartment. Obsessed with each stage—scraping away the old walls, plastering, plastering again, sanding, door detailing, primering, painting, and finally delivery of new appliances—Daniel and I had little time or energy remaining for socializing or exploring. We managed a

City of Eger - drink wine and wonder on torturing

Last Sunday I was with my family in the city of Eger, in the North-East of Hungary, about a 2 hours' ride from Budapest. Every Hungarian has been on one of the school trips, and then later during university to get a little wasted from the many wines in the Szépasszonyvölgye ("the valley of the beautiful woman" - the name might want to indicate that every woman turns into a beauty after 2 litres of wine :))

Apart from tasting good wines, you can count all the kinds of churches, visit the medieval fortress, meet some medieval fighters and learn in details about the torturing methods of all times in the torture museum!

Wine, dinner, style, panorama - go for it all at Fuchsli bistro

"Now, where should a superhero take some fröccs on the weekends?"


Strolling along the Danube side, or crossing over the bridges in Budapest, it can happen that you feel a sudden urge to take a wine and linger with your eyes on the Gellért hill with the magical lighting statue on the top. Or wouldn't it be nice to eat something so typical it makes you feel so Hungarian that you suddenly would like to be able to pronounce and know the names of all the illuminated bridges. I mean, everybody gets the Chain Bridge part, but the tricky ones are the -  by foreigners commonly referred to -  as Green Bridge and White Bridge - try to be a magyar superhero and learn them :)


There is a quiet place among all these colourful bridges on the Pest riverbank, where quality wine, good yet simple food and panorama come together. It is a  family owned winery, bistro,  bar - call it how you want, a cozy and yet exquisite place for a dinner.

20th August – the biggest fireworks for the only happy holiday

Hungary’s history has not really been on the happy side in the last centuries – we like to think, and of course, we can grab out a big amount of historical proof for it. However, the melancholy must be also in our blood, since we chose mainly to commemorate not successful events for our national holidays. It must be added, though, that they were always brave fights against oppressors, with notable politicians, poets or alike leading them.
If we look further back into the past of our country, we had had more joyful and powerful times, like those of our first christian king St Steven (Szt István) around the turn of the year 1000. He is also called the land- and religion founder – so this would explain why we have a Basilica, a holy right fist and a lot more dedicated to this virtuous man. On the 20th August we celebrate the foundation of Hungary, but more precisely the anniversary of St Steven’s canonization (i.e when he was declared a saint).

Splash and cheers – Drink fröccs first and go to bed with a Lángos in the stomach.

Fröccs is the splashing sound in Hungarian of the water. However, it is more important that it is the ultimate summer booze here. It is no big deal, white wine with sparkling water. There is small (kis fröccs with 1:1 wine-water proportion), big (nagy fröccs 2:1) and so called „long step” (hosszú lépés with 1:2) – so you see, almost a repertoire of cocktails. My guider duty makes me tell you, to the great disappointment of the Spanish: we also have „calimocho” (in Spanish), VBK (in Hungarian) – cock with red wine. However, is rather preferred by  teenagers, fröccs is slightly more elegant, a refreshing booze on the hot summer days.