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

A Doggie Dog World - A Guide to Hungarian Dog Breeds

With Summer venturing just around the corner, walking through Budapest is becoming more and more like a zoo with every new ray of sunshine, as dogs of every breed from Chihuahua to Great Dane roam the streets of Budapest (accompanied by humans, of course). As hundreds of breeds and mixes cross my path, non stand out so much as the Hungarian dogs themselves... 

Dog lovers out there, prepare to fall in love with the 9 top Hungarian dog breeds, starting of course, with the wonderfully mop-like Puli.

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.

Pesti Disznó - The first Hungarian Tapas Bar

Ever heard of a traditional/modern Hungarian tapas bar? Neither did I, until, with the help of Underguide, I discovered the wonderfully refreshing ‘Pesti Disznó’ , and a new-yet-traditional interpretation of Hungarian gastronomy.

Ádám Fellegi piano artist's House concert

Ádám Fellegi is one of the most well-known Hungarian piano artists and he has been providing many of us with a unique program. His speciality is giving special house concerts - ring the bell, go upstairs, chat with him and enjoy his performance seated in his living room. 

We said performance, and we mean it. It is not purely like listening to a composer's masterpiece (the plays change every few months) - it is getting involved in the world of that music.

whats up budapest? sping break! - regular underground partyguide

Far back in the past history and weather might have made an arrangement, so these days the very beginning of spring usually concurs a long weekend. This nice "gift" of the past gives everyone some time to remember the revolution in 1848 as well as to have some rest and enjoy the short break. What else could be a more up-filling and restful way of spending the four days off than partying two days in the weekend and then doing a little nothing on the following ones?

 

 

whats up budapest? elegant losers in the spa! - regular underground partyguide

I just heard two theories of that unbelievable - but occurred - phenomenon of nature that it was snowing on the first day of March... on the first day of the month we usually call "spring". One theory says it was just the last struggle of winter to show its presence, which is piteous and even ridiculous. Winter should shut its mouth and wait at least nine months to be in the center again. According to the other theory, this little snowing was a beautiful and respectable effort of winter, the huge "fighter". 

Dive into Darkness at the invisible exhibition

The lights go out, total darkness falls on you. You hold the hand of your partner, and continuously bump into things and people. You hear voices but do not know from where they come from, and even finding the door of the room looks impossible...

No, it is not the end of the world, it is just the experience of the first 5 minutes in the Invisible Exhibition where we become blind for an hour, and realize the interesting things it does to our senses. And yep, it is fun!

First of all I have to assure you it is not so bad as it sounds. I almoast gave up before enetering, but the blind guiders assured me they can get me out in 10 seconds from the

Csepel Works - a ghostly industrial district leftovers from the Communism

by büki

There is a part of town, which seems to be just chucked, languidly left here behind by the
socialist past. Though surrounded by decent, snug suburban garden houses from the east, this
part of the administrative XXIst district does not reflect anything of the twenty-first century.

Let’s see what’s left of a Leninist dream!

Nightfall, twilit sky and winter-cold: Spotting the red neon lights of the main-entrance gate
from the suburban raliway station and a cool shiver

whats up budapest? - regular underground partyguide

Budapest is the city of ruin pubs, open-air places and festivals (well, not always, but in summer for sure). It's not summer now and I am a little fed up with ruin pubs as well, so I decided to check out where to go for some fresh dancing. I don't call it clubbing, Budapest is not really a city for clubbing, I'd rather call it just pure partying.

Don't wait for too many options or well-known DJs week by week, I can offer just some interesting venues you should check, where nice people and some promising music can be found. 

Friday - party
Saturday - party

Relax, cleanse yourself, and PARTY in the SPAS! - Budapest the Thermal Bath Paradise

If you bore a whole in Hungary, you will find water. Warm water with minerals, which refresh body and soul. And can make you party :)

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).