If you’re looking for a great cultural experience this spring, head to Budapest for the annual Spring Festival. As warm breezes start to flow through the city, the population pulls together for a celebration of the best in classical, jazz, opera and folk music. Venues throughout the city welcome outstanding performers from within Hungary as well as from the international music scene.

A Little History of the Budapest Spring Festival

The Budapest Spring Festival tradition was created in 1981 by the Hungarian State Tourist Office. Concerned over the hotels that frequently sat empty until Easter, the Tourist Office came up with the idea of hosting a Spring Festival early in the year, before the rest of the European festivals began.

The festival is dedicated to the arts, and it truly has become a celebration of performing art in all its forms. Guests of all ages find events to enjoy, from folk and sport exhibitions, to opera and ballet, from theater and open-air events to classical music performances.

Throughout its history, the festival has been a colorful, exciting celebration. From its early motto “10 days, 100 locations, 1000 events” to its modern motto “the Festival is the festival of festivals,” the program represents art in all its forms, and is a beautiful showcase of ensembles and artists from at home and abroad.

The Program

The 2013 Festival kicks off on March 22^nd, and stretches all the way until April 7^th. Guests will have over 200 events to enjoy in 11 venues throughout the city. By location, a few key events include:

Belvárosi Szent Mihály Templom

The downtown St. Michael’s Church will be hosting the Zugló Philharmonia – King Stephen Symphony Orchestra with conductor Záborszky Kalman and vocalists Catherine Vamosi, Esther Balogh, Eugene Dean, Robert Rezsnyák. They will be performing some of Haydn’s most prominent works on the evening of March 26^th.

St. Michael’s will also be hosting a performance by the Gypsy Ensemble. This versatile ensemble will be performing a range of works including classical, operetta and popular folk music.

Avilai Nagy Szent Teréz-templom

Balazs Szabo will be performing a free organ concert at the St. Teresa of Avila Church on March 23^rd. This award-winning graduate of Würzburg Music Academy will be performing some challenging organ pieces by Bach.

The Saint Ephraim Choral will also be performing here, in celebration of Rachmaninov’s 140^th birth anniversary. This free concert will be offered on Easter Monday.

Budapest Music Center

Celebrated violinist Xiao Wang will be performing here, accompanied by Mary Kovalszki on the piano. Wang has been playing the violin since age five, and has gone on to win numerous awards for his skill.

The Kodaly Quartet will also be performing at the Budapest Music Center. The four performers bring their colorful, romantic style to the works of Brahms and Dohnanyi. The quartet includes celebrated vocalist Judith Nemeth, Peter Velvet on viola, and Paul Banda on cello.

Also of note, the Benyounes Quartet will be performing pieces by Beethoven, Debussy and Janáček on the evening of April 5^th.

These, of course, are just a few key events and places; however, the program is extensive and not one to miss. Visit the website of the Budapest Spring Festival for the full list of events and places.

Hans

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Hungary, Budapest, Gőzölgő Festival, food, music, concerts, Erzsébet Square, cocktails, wines, Akvarium Klub, Hungarian cuisine, Pálinka, Kürtőskalács, mulled wine,

It is a constant in the Hungarian capital: its taste for festivals and cultural events. If spring brings together all lovers of music and the arts, in winter the city prepares for the  Gőzölgő Festival, focusing on local cuisine and of course music.

While warming spirit with the sounds of bandscoming from all corners of the country or in neighboring Germany, you can taste the Hungarian delicacies and above all and especially, their spirits and wines. Best of all: access to the concerts are free.

Where?

The Gőzölgő Festival is celebrated in the  Erzsébet Square (Erzsébet tér in case you have to find the place in the guide), named on behalf of Empress Elisabeth “Sissi”, Erzebet in Hungarian, and presided over by a beautiful fountain symbolizing the four rivers of Hungary. The square is in the 5th street, on the Pest side.

The Gőzölgő Festival is held during the last weekend of February. In 2013 will be from the 23 to the 26. The stalls are open from noon to 10 pm. In addition there are special exhibitions of experts cocktail makers, wines and hot drinks, typically between 4 and 6 pm. These tastings prepare the body for concerts at nightfall.

 
Who organizes it?

The Gőzölgő Budapest Festival is organized by Akvarium Klub, located in the Plaza Erzesébet, so do not miss it. The Akvarium is not a simple nightclub as it is a true cultural space with live concerts, dance classes and cultural programs that change weekly.

Located in a charming building, it t is one of those essential places of Budapest´s nightlife.

 
Hungarian Gastronomy

Of course, you have to enjoy live concerts and live ¡the evening, but the traveler can not miss good food and local wine´s tasting . You can try it and buy it to take it home. Write down the following names to not miss the best of this exquisite cuisine:

    Pálinka. It is a spirituous liquor (with medicinal properties) made with native fruits and present in the Hungarian wineries from the late fifteenth century. Apricot can be (Barack), plum (Szilva), cherry (Cseresznye), pear (Korte) and specialties.
    Kürtőskalács. It is a spiral-shaped cake originally from Transylvania. It takes a special oven to bake, so it´s a professional confectionery and is very difficult to do in a home. It is made with sugar, oil, flour and dried fruit.
    Mulled wine. A classic of the area mixed with tea, coffee, fruit juices. It is also common to find flavored with cinnamon or ginger. If you like strong drinks, then you have to mix it with Pálinka.

And finally,  remember that more than 100 varieties of coffee, tea, tea, sweets, wines, spirits and local delicacies come together in this winter festival.

Candela Vizcaíno

With this plan, you will go to your apartment in Budapest to go to bed and rest until the next day.

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If you love jazz and are planning to visit an Eastern European capital … you´re in luck. If you travel to Budapest, you’ll kill two birds with one stone. The capital of Hungary has a long tradition in the world of Jazz. There is a widespread culture of this musical genre in the city. In the wide range Jazz clubs that you’ll find in Budapest, you’ll get to listen live performances of great quality. Not surprisingly, Budapest host several Jazz festivals annually, which bring together musicians from all around the world.

Let´s visit some of the best jazz clubs in the city, so during your visit to Budapest you don’t miss the action.

Let’s start our tour at the most important Jazz Bar in Hungary, the Budapest Jazz Club. Anyone looking for quality Jazz in town regularly visits this popular club. Here you can listen to artists coming from all over the world. The Budapest Jazz Club hosts the best jazz musicians from all over Europe without forgetting emerging young talent. Hungarian Jazz fans visit regularly this bar.  The place is a small palace with a very special atmosphere that makes everyone feel that something magical is just about to happen. In the cafeteria we will enjoy the melody of a Blüthner piano, while we enjoy some of its magnificent coffees. The sound system is innovative and its performances are recorded in high definition by modern equipment. Budapest Jazz Club is situated at Ernő Hollán utca 7, near the banks of the Danube River.

Columbus Jazz Club is a bar-restaurant located on the Danube River. The club is actually located on a boat docked in Pest. Here you can see live performances by famous musicians, while enjoying dinner and the stunning views of the city. This is a truly unforgettable place to visit.

Cotton Club is an American style jazz club. This restaurant, game room and bar, hosts great Jazz performances in a very cozy atmosphere. It is situated at Jokai utca 26. Don’t forget to order cocktails at the bar, they are really good.

Jazz Garden Music Club is a small venue that hosts outdoor performances. Enjoy the beautiful Budapest nights, while listening to the best jazz. This club offers daily performances, but mainly during the summer.

We look forward to telling you about more jazz clubs in Budapest and about this magnificent musical style.

Salermico

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In October Budapest will host its annual Bonusz Festival, this major event is the biggest dance festival in Hungary that attracts an amount of about 20.000 visitors from Hungary and all over the world.

In origin, Bónusz used to be the well visited after party of the former Budapest Parade. The Bónusz after party became a party so popular that the event now has its own existence in the European dance scene. Today it has grown to one of the major dance events in the Center of Europe.

This popular mega dance party will be offering three great arena�s plus a main stage that will be presenting remarkable creations of contemporary electronic/techno/house music. These creative makings by the DJ�s will be accompanied by professional visual surroundings done by four experts in visuals.

All of this will come together with thousands of people from everywhere, having an awesome party in a great atmosphere. You don�t have to worry about the weather as this is an indoor Festival at the HungExpo, a huge fair complex in Budapest�s “district X”.

This year�s line up is simply solid offering artists coming from all over the world, completed by the best artists from the Hungarian dance scene. Among the specials are techno artist Richie Hawtin bringing the most innovative and advanced techno, dance-punk icon The Bloody Beetroots, Dutch Superstar Hardwell with Dutch talents Dannic and Dyro promising an exiting set. Britain will be represented by sensation James Zabiela, Max Cooper, last year�s bomb Yousef and the legendary duo Slam. High quality tech house will be brought by German Loco Dice. Leading Argentinian artist Hernan Cataneo is promising a great set, coming out with a new mix album soon. Icelanders GusGus and Canadian Felix Cartal will be coming with their strong live sets.

 Do not hesitate to come join the international party loving crowd of thousands that will be dancing till dawn in Budapest at the Bonusz Festival.

 LINE UP

Arena 01

Richie Hawtin, Loco Dice, Chris Liebing, DJ Rush, Slam Live, Hot X, Budai, Coyote, Profile25 Live, Nora Naughty.

Visual by Urbanizer

Arena 02

Bloody Beetroots DJ Set, Hardwell, Felix, Dannic, Dyro, Andro, Palotai, Firedog, Sikztah, Dublic, Stereokillaz.

Visual by Digitalistik

Arena 03

James Zabiela, Gusgus live, Hernan Cattaneo, Max Cooper, Yousef, Michal Breeth, Dandy, Jay Lumen, Chriss Ronson, Poli, Ivel & Tristan.

Visual by BPstreet

Stage 04

Igor Do�Urden, Kuhl, James Cole, Naga & Beta, Crossnine Troll, Secret Factory, Bernathy Zsiga Live, Jankex, Jambor & Calman.

When: October 13, 2012

Where: Hungexpo, Budapest

Address: 1101 Budapest , Albertirsai út 10

Ticket: 36 euro to 63 euro, VIP available

Entrance: Gate 1

Open: starting at 19:00, closing at 08:00

Note!: Bring your camera but video cameras are not allowed

Getting there: Taxi or public transport (Train/Metro/Bus)

Train:

- From Nyugati station: M3 (blue underground line) to Deák tér station, transferring to M2 (red underground line) to the final station of Örs vezér tér, from there to the entrance of the Vásárközpont by bus 100

- From Keleti station: M2 (red underground line) to the final station of Örs vezér tér, from there to the entrance of the Vásárközpont by bus 100

- From Déli station: M2 (red underground line) to the final station of Örs vezér tér, from there to the entrance of the Vásárközpont by bus 100

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What is now trendy in Budapest is 3D Street Art . It goes beyond a simple graffiti, street artists have found their niche in this European city to fulfill their wildest designs. For example, you can go down the street and see a huge tunnel in 3D, unreal but so real that you will stop as abruptly as if you were to fall off a cliff. In other cases, buildings of various heights, animals and even people who are not real. An optical effect that undoubtedly will leave you perplexed.

Graffiti, as occurred in Buenos Aires, have proliferated  so much in recent years that it is part of the urban environment of Budapest. On every corner, every street you will see some of these works. And I assure you that more than one could be part of some great museum. They take advantage of building facades in disrepair, sidewalks, walls of some shops and other areas. Many of the jobs are customade, but one does not.

But the urban culture and street art in Budapest does is not only graffiti and murals, it goes beyond with original sculptures or unknown musicians selling their albums at the foot of sidewalk. They always liven up a little the atmosphere. Folk, rock, pop, indie … every style is played. The find in the main shopping streets in the center and in the Metro. There are also many bars at night with live music. It�s another way out for drinks and Budapest . By the way, the Danube is often a source of inspiration for many of these artists.

After all this street art you deserve a drink in one of the most authentic pubs in the city, where in addition to live music you will spend an evening of fun. Hungarians are very animated. They have a good time partying!

Im suggesting the cheaper bars, curious and fun ones  inBudapest. There you can dine and have a drink, whatever makes your boat float

Morrison�s 2: You will find it in Honvéd utca 40. It has happy hour from 5 pm to 9 atnight. The beers cost only 1 euro and there are cocktails of all types and tastes. it gets filled immediately. If you want to find a spot, get there soon.

Corona Club: It has a charm that no other premises have. The fact is that this club is located right in the middle of the Danube, on the island of Hajógyári. With live DJ�s, this pub attracts locals and tourists every night. It is the favorite place for lovers of electronic music.

Instant Bar: Nagymező utca 38, its peculiarity is that it seems to be almost in ruins, the building has its own personality. There are 3 whole floors(very common in Budapest rehabilitate abandoned buildings and create local live music). There is live music every night from 22h onwards

DianaRPretel

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Budapest offers every curious traveler who goes in search of beauty and art impressive cultural festivals throughout the year in a peaceful setting. This means, there’s little noise, as if these events were celebrated everyday with the citizens calmly in attendance. And as we have pointed out in this blog, the city offers an impressive array of film screenings, concerts (of all kinds of music), exhibitions, sports competitions and much more. And all of this entertainment and fun is only interrupted on a single day each year: on Aug. 20. On this day, all ofHungarystops to pay homage to St. Stephen, the patron saint not only inBudapestbut of the entire country.

St. Stephen (Szent István in Hungarian) lived between 975 and 1038 and was the first king ofHungary. His warlike qualities were united with his Christian virtues. He was sanctified, although he had not died as a martyr. Rather, he died an old man in his own bed. So when he is represented on horseback (sculptures that abound in every part ofBudapest), the animal has four legs resting on the ground. It was standard to depict someone who died in battle with the horse’s forelegs raised. If the death was the result of wounds sustained in war, one leg would be depicted in the air and the other on the floor. These details might provide a good way to show off such knowledge to your friends at some point.

I recognize that some readers may find the issue with things that are a bit gory, but most of the feast of St. Stephen in Budapest hinges on this detail: the arm of the saint is preserved in the basilica of the same name and each August 20 it is part of a procession through the streets of the city under the national flag. The religious ceremony unites secular celebrations such as parades, marching bands, a craft market (which is set up some four days before), sport competitions, and a strange activity that involves making a community bread in a square near the Basilica of San Esteban.

Throughout the day, Budapest is all about partying and taking advantage of the good weather to walk, socialize, have fun, eat and drink until nightfall. This is when a festival of fireworks lights up the sky over the capital. You can see them from anywhere, since they are ignited from theBudaCastleon the highest promontory in the locality. St. Stephen also maintains a rustic gold crown in the Romanesque style, but of Byzantine influence, his sword (remember he was a military unifier) and an orb, a symbol of political power and quality of king. These are presented, along with the relic, on August 20 in the basilica.

Candela Vizcaíno

A visit to the Hungarian capital is good any time of year, but especially during the beautiful summer months. If you decide to go in mid-August to catch the festival, don�t forget to reserve apartments in Budapest. There�s a great selection and it�s a very economical choice.

Contact Me 

Budapest offers every curious traveler who goes in search of beauty and art impressive cultural festivals throughout the year in a peaceful setting. This means, there’s little noise, as if these events were celebrated everyday with the citizens calmly in attendance. And as we have pointed out in this blog, the city offers an impressive array of film screenings, concerts (of all kinds of music), exhibitions, sports competitions and much more. And all of this entertainment and fun is only interrupted on a single day each year: on Aug. 20. On this day, all ofHungarystops to pay homage to St. Stephen, the patron saint not only inBudapestbut of the entire country.

St. Stephen (Szent István in Hungarian) lived between 975 and 1038 and was the first king ofHungary. His warlike qualities were united with his Christian virtues. He was sanctified, although he had not died as a martyr. Rather, he died an old man in his own bed. So when he is represented on horseback (sculptures that abound in every part ofBudapest), the animal has four legs resting on the ground. It was standard to depict someone who died in battle with the horse’s forelegs raised. If the death was the result of wounds sustained in war, one leg would be depicted in the air and the other on the floor. These details might provide a good way to show off such knowledge to your friends at some point.

I recognize that some readers may find the issue with things that are a bit gory, but most of the feast of St. Stephen in Budapest hinges on this detail: the arm of the saint is preserved in the basilica of the same name and each August 20 it is part of a procession through the streets of the city under the national flag. The religious ceremony unites secular celebrations such as parades, marching bands, a craft market (which is set up some four days before), sport competitions, and a strange activity that involves making a community bread in a square near the Basilica of San Esteban.

Throughout the day, Budapest is all about partying and taking advantage of the good weather to walk, socialize, have fun, eat and drink until nightfall. This is when a festival of fireworks lights up the sky over the capital. You can see them from anywhere, since they are ignited from theBudaCastleon the highest promontory in the locality. St. Stephen also maintains a rustic gold crown in the Romanesque style, but of Byzantine influence, his sword (remember he was a military unifier) and an orb, a symbol of political power and quality of king. These are presented, along with the relic, on August 20 in the basilica.

Candela Vizcaíno

A visit to the Hungarian capital is good any time of year, but especially during the beautiful summer months. If you decide to go in mid-August to catch the festival, don�t forget to reserve apartments in Budapest. There�s a great selection and it�s a very economical choice.

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One of the most special summer events in Budapest is its Popular Arts Festival (Mesterségek Ünnepe). Every year, in the second fortnight in August, the city celebrates St Stephen�s Day, patron of Hungary, and over 800 craftsmen and artists gather to entertain the 80,000 attendants. This is an event you cannot miss if you like discovering new traditions and the popular culture of the places you travel to.

The festival will take place between the 17th and 20th of August, and what distinguishes it and makes it special is that those who attend don�t just have to chance to observe the best craftsmen of the country doing their work and then buying their finished items but also because they�re invited to participate and learn. For example, they can make a musical instrument, ceramic, work with a blacksmith, make embroidery, egg painting, etc.

If you travel with your family to Budapest, you�ll enjoy it in a special way because many of the programmed activities are thought for kids: puppet theatres, storytellers, rag doll making, making paper by hand, felt crafts, dancing… all of which with the aim of transmitting popular trades and traditions to the youngest ones in the family.

In each edition, the festival revolves around a certain subject and this year the subject is traditional dresses, with workshops where you can discover how old clothes were designed, create your own clothes and seeing the techniques of how traditional clothes were made, which are still used to make modern clothes.

This is a varied and lively programme that will also have music and popular dances during the night. The artists will dress up in traditional clothes and they will dance to music from different countries every night. Not only folk will be the main protagonist, but jazz and music from around the world as well as electronic music will also be part of the programme.

Gastronomy is another of the main stars of the festival, and you can try typical food and drinks of Hungarian medieval cuisine, such as homemade sweets, jams, cheeses, etc.

On the last day, August 20th, coinciding with St. Stephen�s Day, it will be the turn of the so-called �bread blessing ceremony� in front of St. Matthias� Church. Bread is consecrated by the craftsmen on Clark Adam Street, who go on a parade around the Lánchíd (Chain Bridge) up to St. Stephen�s Basilica, where they celebrate mass and the cardinal blesses the bread. They carry on with the so-called Sacred Han Procession and the afternoon is rounded off with fireworks to close the festival.

This festival takes place around Buda Castle, one of the most beautiful places in Budapest, especially at night, when it�s completely lit-up. An old royal residence, it has suffered numerous restorations since its construction in the 14th century and its location, on a hill, offers spectacular views of the city. Inside, you can visit the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum.

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Once again, Sziget Festival is back and, as always, it�s another year of novelties in the extensive festival programme. It�s no surprise that this Hungarian festival is the biggest music festival in Europe and one of the biggest in the world in terms of the variety of genres that make it up. The novelties are plenty and the festival days too, that�s why I recommend that you prepare yourself for this week of music in ever-surprising Budapest.

Strictly speaking, the festival lasts for si days, but this year there are other annex activities, such as the Hungarian Song Day, that will take place on the 5th of August, where Hungarian artists, some very popular and other emerging ones, will be performing live. The price to attend just this day is 17€, although quite honestly I don�t think that anyone wants to miss the rest of the days, because the lineup is amazing. On the 6th of August, there�s the Sziget Talent Festival, but it�s on the 7th when the real fun starts for all festival attendants.

The first thing to take into account is that between 28 and 31 bands will be performing every day, a noticeable increase in comparison to other years. On the 7th of August it�s metal day, with bands such as Moonspell, Dimmu Borgir, Hammerfall, Lacuna Coll and Ignite. On the next day, the most outstanding bands are Placebo, Saint Etienne, Ministry and Hurts, among 30 other bands of an excellent level that will definitely take you by surprise, such as the Mexicans Los de Abajo.

The four days that ensue include strong bands such as The Horrors, Molotov, Snoop Dogg, LFMAO, The Killers, Lamb, Goran Bregovic and many more.

For prices, citypasses and other information, visit the attached link and don�t miss Sziget 2012!

For more information visit: http://www.sziget.hu/festival_english/

Luz Obscura

No room for discussion, this is the most important musical event in Europe this summer, Sziget Festival 2012. Rent apartments in Budapest, pack your luggage, travel and enjoy this fun week on Obuda Island.

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Budapest has a charm that you should not fail to discover this summer. One of the most beautiful cities in Europe, Budapest is bisected by the river Danube. The Buda area is more residential but it’s also where you will find the huge castle of Buda, facing the famous Hungarian parliament building. From the castle, you will have a clear view of all of Budapest, a city that was efficiently developed city that was organized during the nineteenth century. It’s a pretty flat city, which means it’s great for getting around by bicycle without much effort. If you are fond of bicycles, you can ride a bike around using the city’s bike lanes in various areas. Traffic is not a problem in this city; the buses, trams and metro are also efficient modes of transportation.

The heat in Budapest can, however, be quite intense during the summer. Moreover, in August, and especially if you’re going to the famous Sziget music festival, you must go well prepared. What are some of the most important things to bring to music festivals? Here is a short list that of things you shouldn’t forget for your visit to the Sziget festival:

A hat: Whether a light straw hat or sportier style, you should always wear something to cover your head during the summer. The sun can cause uncomfortable headaches and it will slow you down. During a festival, it is important that you cover yourself a little bit to protect your skin from the sun during the hours you�ll be standing in front of the stage. You can also use a light, colorful scarf or cloth that suits your style.

Earplugs: Sometimes, these ear protectors are available at the music festivals, where there are often stands that sell them. Before going to a major concert, make sure to bring a pair of these, because when a festival is very large the volume is very high and can damage your ears. You can buy earplugs at any music store.

An additional T-shirt: Sometimes the number of people at a festival and the close quarters in tight spaces and jumping during songs will make you sweat a bit more than usual. If you think it’s necessary, take along an extra T-shirt to change into so that you can avoid any discomfort or smelling bad. You may even avoid catching a cold from the rapid changes in body temperature.

Water: Water is essential for any music festival. Some festivals allow you to bring a bottle of water but others may not. If not, you should definitely buy water at the festival. Always have a little extra money on hand to buy some water. A cool beer will cool you off but it can also dehydrate. For more information about Budapest, go to this link: http://www.budapest.com/

Alexa Ray

Rent apartments in Budapest and enjoy the best outdoor music. Spending time in Budapest this summer can be a wonderful experience if you�re looking to relax and explore new urban spaces.

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