GAY GUIDE
A U T U M N • W I N T E R 2 0 16
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You are more than just your health for us! TRUST • RELIABILITY • RESPECT • KINDNESS
GENERAL DERMATOLOGY
PROCTOLOGY
STD AND HPV CENTER
ANDROLOGY
ENDOCRINOLOGY
DIETETICS
PSYCHOLOGY
UROLOGY
SURGERY Downtown Medical Center
Belvárosi Orvosi Centrum
Ferenciek Square 7-8, Stairway III, 2nd Floor, 1053 Budapest next to the Ferenciek Square Metro Station Appointment: +36 30 870 7427 • +36 30 372 6832 www.boc.hu • info@boc.hu
Before you visit, please make an appointment via e-mail or phone!
USEFUL INFORMATION OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Hungarian English and German are the most frequently used second languages. Hungary has been a member of the European Union since 2004 OFFICIAL CURRENCY: forint (Ft or HUF) TIME ZONE: UTC + 1 hour; summer time (March – October): UTC + 2 hours BANK HOLIDAYS: 1 January, 15 March, Easter Monday, 1 May, Whit Monday, 20 August, 23 October, 1 November, 25–26 December IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS POLICE: 107 AMBULANCE SERVICE: 104 FIRE BRIGADE: 105
HELLO BUDAPEST 2 GASTRONOMY 7 CITY MAP 17
GENERAL EMERGENCY LINE: 112 INQUIRIES: 199
REGULATIONS ON SMOKING AND ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION:
FASHION 21
Tobacco products can only be purchased at licenced tobacconists called Nemzeti Dohánybolt. Smoking is forbidden in indoor public spaces such as bars, restaurants and pubs, and outdoors in the following: at public transport stops, and within five metres from the entrances of shops and public buildings. Elsewhere smoking is allowed
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at designated places only. Alcohol consumption is forbidden in public spaces. Persons under 18 years of age cannot be served with alcohol, nor can they enter tobacconists. Certain places of en- tertainment may also bar them from entering.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT 34
TIPPING: 10% is the accepted rate in restaurants and for other services.
IMPRESSUM
Humen Media Hungary Kft. (Member of Humen Media Group), H-1132 Budapest, Kresz Géza u. 16. fszt. 1/A, +36 70 234 5507, hungary@humenmedia.com, www.pinkbudapest.com • MANAGING DIRECTOR: Zsolt Erdei zsolt.erdei@humenmedia.com EDITORIAL TEAM: Barbara Szij, Gareth Jon Hunter, Orlando Geel, Zoltán Tóth • GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Zsuzsanna Gere • PRINTED BY: Belvárosi Nyomda Zrt. H-1101 Budapest, Albertirsai út 10. PUBLISHER & EDITORIAL:
HELLO BUDAPEST
UPPER DOWNTOWN AND VÁROSLIGET
Divided roughly in half by Andrássy Avenue, one of the most luxurious shopping streets in Budapest, from Elizabeth Square (Erzsébet tér) to Heroes Square (Hősök tere) in the City Park (Városliget), the Downtown area of Budapest is a vibrant chaos of old and new, rich and poor, underground and mainstream with tucked away sidestreets guarding the secrets of Budapest for those who care to look for them. Andrássy Avenue itself is lined with haute-couture stores, art galleries and cafés; it is truly one of the most beautiful streets in Budapest. The metro M1 (the first subway line ever built in continental Europe) runs directly underneath this avenue and takes you all the way to the City Park (Városliget) where you can take a 2
plunge in the Széchenyi thermal baths, discover the Vajdahunyad Castle (Vajdahunyad vára) built in 1896 to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of the conquest of the area by the Hungarians and practice your skating skills on the City Park Ice rink (Városligeti Műjégpálya) which offers a giant ice rink in winter and a boating lake in summer. The area of the Városliget is calm and peaceful but worth a trip for the stunning architecture, the most famous thermal baths in Budapest and to escape the city feel for a short time. Further into the city centre you can find a lot of bars/cafés and nightlife. Instant is a regular favourite for those visiting Budapest, as well as the infamous Szimpla bar. You can find further information about the bars and clubs of Budapest if you read forward. To show a bit of the typical contrast that can be found here in Budapest, the long-stretching Grand Boulevard (Teréz and Erzsébet körút) hosts countless bars and cafés, cinemas, restaurants (fast-food and gourmet) and shops – however, a stone’s throw away near Opera metro station M1 you can find the State Opera and the Budapest Operetta Theatre as well as other
HELLO BUDAPEST
theatres, smaller galleries and artist’s spaces. In recent years, the areas of Gozsdu Courtyard (Gozsdu Udvar) and Király Street (Király utca) towards the city centre have cropped up as very trendy, fashionable places to eat, dine and party. The ruin pubs of Budapest are found in this area – with a few notable exceptions of course. Decorated in a rather quirky, unusual fashion with mostly old, used furniture these abandoned buildings have been revamped and have been given a fresh breath of air instead of being simply demolished. Quite retro, quite alternative – they are simply indescribable. Each ruin pub has its
own atmosphere and adds something different to the city. Anker’t seems quite trendy and industrial – Szimpla is simply full of interesting things everywhere. Every corner has something different. Last but not least, the beautiful and architecturally stunning Hungarian Parliament building (Országház) can be found directly on the Danube in this area of Pest. You do not have to look hard to find it since it’s one of the grandest, largest buildings in Budapest and certainly not something you would want to miss. Guided tours of the halls of the Parliament where you can view the Holy Crown of Hungary are given regularly.
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HELLO BUDAPEST
BUDA CASTLE Budapest consists of two parts – respectively, Buda and Pest –, two former cities which were joined together in 1873. The Buda Castle, one of the most visited tourist attractions in the city, can be found directly on the River Danube on the Buda side overlooking the Chain Bridge and its majestic lion statues. This wonderful area is connected to the Danube River by the Castle Hill funicular (with a station directly opposite the Chain Bridge past the roundabout). Also known in Hungarian as the Budavári Sikló, this is the easiest way to get to the top of the hill as well as being an experience in itself. Subject to special fare. Certainly something not to miss when arriving in this district are the Matthias Church (Mátyás-templom) and the Fisherman’s Bastion (Halászbástya). The Matthias Church has a magnificent 4
white facade and the Fisherman’s Bastion offers panoramic views of the entire city from one of the highest points in Buda. Inside the Buda Castle itself, you can find the beautiful Matthias Fountain, statues of the Turul bird and the lions of the courtyard, the National Széchényi Library, the National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum. The streets here are lined with beautiful, distinct and diverse types of architecture, restaurants, sweet shops and artisan workshops which give a feeling of the past preserved within such a vibrant, bustling city like Budapest. A note of interest: A local tradition exists for bachelor parties to polish the balls of a horse on the statue of András Hadik within this district for good luck and fertility in marriage. Try it for yourself and see what happens!
HELLO BUDAPEST
CITY CENTRE TOWARDS PETŐFI BRIDGE The city of Budapest is well known for its mish-mash of high-class style and trashy, underground grit. This area of the city, however, falls mostly under the first category. Stylish and sleek, the streets of the city centre (Belváros) contain some of the grandest architecture in the country and the postcard-perfect sights of Budapest that everyone knows well. Váci Street (Váci utca) is one of the biggest and busiest shopping streets in the city spanning from Vörösmarty tér to Fővám tér.
The biggest market hall in Budapest, the Central Market Hall (Nagy Vásárcsarnok) can also be found at Fővám tér near the river. Inside you can find an enormous daily market filled with everything from butchers, paprika stands, traditional lángos and souvenir shops. Every visitor to Budapest should spend some quality time relaxing at Gellért spa. This hotel-spa is as glamorous as it looks, with thermal spa waters of around 38 degrees, sauna facilities and steam rooms. Massages and treatments can also be booked.
HELLO BUDAPEST
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GASTRONOMY
HUNGRY IN HUNGARY As soon as you arrive in Budapest after a long trip by plane, train or just a nice hitchhiking tour you might have some questions popping in your head: what can I actually eat here? The answer is what can´t you eat here? And what treasures are we hiding? A lot, my friends! Here is a guide on what to munch on while staying here, in this beautiful city! Let me start from the beginning but first of all, allow me to say: I am not stating that whatever is on the list is invented by us. I am not going to say we are the one and only kitchen that gave birth to every single delicacy in universe. I just made you a simple list with good stuff that you might want to try in Hungary.
SOUPS
What you can always spot in the menus in restaurants: Goulash soup This is a nice soup that you might want to try at least once. The consistency is a bit thicker than a simple soup but not close to a ragout yet. It has meat, some veggies, lovely little dumplings, some (a lot of) spices and our main ingredient: the paprika powder. This vivid red powder is basically just ground paprika but it is just awesome in many dishes.
Like soup? Don’t like meat? No problem! Fisherman’s soup Just like Goulash soup, Fisherman’s soup is pretty popular among the tourists and we, Hungarians also love it. Instead of beef this has fish (not fishermen), some vegetables and again, ground paprika. Basically this is a spicy and hot soup and is eaten with huge slices of bread. The chefs and also everyone has their own secret recipe therefore chances are that you will never ever find two identical fisherman’s soups.
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GAY-FRIENDLY RUIN PUB
in Budapest’s downtown CHEAPEST PRICES IN THE CITY HAPPY HOURS EVERY NIGHT HUNGARIAN KITCHEN EVERY DAY STREET FOOD KITCHEN EVERY NIGHT
CHECK OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR UPCOMING EVENTS
KARAOKE, DISCO
& GAY PARTY
Afterparty every second Sunday morning!
MEGÁLLÓ BISZTRÓ Budapest, Erzsébet körút 26. +36 30 995 4191 8
megallobisztro
megallobisztro
HELLO GASTRONOMY BUDAPEST
MAIN DISHES Chicken paprika This is a chicken stew with lots of onions, tomatoes, paprika (both the vegetable and the already well-known spice) and a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream in the end to make it creamy. This dish has everything that you desire. Nicely cooked meat and a rich creamy sauce served with dumplings. Beef stew Well, I will go with this: this is a stew made of beef. To add more, I would say this is one of the best Hungarian dishes. The lovely ground paprika is added to sautéed chopped onion and you add water, beef and vegetables to the whole thing and after a couple hours what you get is a thick, spicy
stew with soft meat and lots of flavors. I can only recommend it. Last, but not least (not at all!): Lángos I have seen so many translations for lángos that I don’t even know what to write here. They have been called flat bread or even scones (I have no idea how that one came up)…Anyway, this specialty is a deep fried (let’s just go with) flatbread made of only flour, water, salt and yeast. Simple, yet amazing! After deep frying it, we usually put some garlic oil, a LOT of sour cream and EVEN MORE grated cheese on top just to make it heart friendly. I absolutely love this dish because it is easy to make, and if you are lazy, you can get it anywhere in Hungary. 9
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Hungarian grill, bar with local wines and the best gins in town. www.baltazarbudapest.com +36 1 300 7050
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Grandma’s home style Hungarian kitchen. www.pest-buda.com +36 1 225 0377
Simple delicious food, created using superbly sourced produce. Great food, great value, beautiful surroundings. www.jamiesitalian.hu
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Hungarian kitchen as it is used to be in the gold old days, updated to the 21st century. www.21restaurant.hu +36 1 375 6971
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Modernized cosmopolitan cuisine of the AustroHungarian Monarchy. www.pierrot.hu +36 1 375 6971
Matthias Church
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HELLO GASTRONOMY BUDAPEST
DESSERTS Dobos cake This layered cake is really popular in Hungary; one cannot take a walk without seeing whole Dobos cakes in the confectionery windows. This cake is simple but delicious and addictive so watch out! The soft sponge cake layers are glued to each other with cocoa cream and the top is a layer of caramelized sugar. Absolutely lovely. Kürtős kalács I should mention another treasure, the only thing that I cannot resist. Like ever in my life. This is the king of street food desserts: Kürtős kalács This hot stuff can be bought at any fair or bigger event but nowadays there are permanent little pop-up
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shops (or rather bodegas) on the streets where you can buy these daily. The description goes like this: imagine a sweet, yeast dough that is spun into a long, thin strip which is then wrapped around something that is just like a giant rolling pin. Then the whole tube of this dough is covered in granulated sugar and put above charcoal till the sugar caramellizes and makes a nice golden-brown, crispy layer. When done, kürtős kalács looks like a steaming chimney, but most probably tastes better than a real one. Additional ingredients can be added on the crispy sugar layer such as vanilla, cocoa powder, cinnamon or crushed walnut but my personal favorite is just the plain, sugary kürtős kalács. I’m gonna get one now, you should do the same.
BUDAPEST HOTEL
YOUR CHARMING HOTEL IN THE HEART OF BUDAPEST 1 HOTEL , 4 ST YLES...
C A S AT I B U DA PE S T H O T E L .CO M
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TUKTUKBAR.HU
HELLO BUDAPEST GASTRONOMY
WHAT TO DRINK? Hungary has amazing wine regions therefore trying at least 3-4 different wines is a must. I would go for a glass of wine from Tokaj, but let’s not forget Hungary’s famous lake, Balaton, where we have excellent wineries. If you are about to start a nice meal or just hanging out with friends and preparing for a party in downtown you might want to try pálinka. This is basically a fruit brandy, drunk in shots – obviously – made of plums, apricots 14
or cherries but there are a lot of other versions of it. Due to the high alcohol percentage it might come in handy for digestion but also helpful to raise the mood! I hope this article helped a little with your choices and now you have some idea what to eat if you want to try something delicious. Let the Hungary games begin! If you are hungry for more dishes, visit: www.pinkbudapest.com
WHY NOT BUDAPEST W H E R E Y O U I N S TA N T LY F E E L AT H O M E
Game nights, concerts, karaoke parties and daily drink promotions. We await our cherished guests with a friendly atmosphere and an open-air terrace looking directly over to Gellért Hill across the Danube. WHY NOT BUDAPEST Belgrád rakpart 3-4. +36 1 780 4545 facebook.com/whynotbudapest OPEN
Every day: 10 AM - 4 AM
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THE ORIGINAL BUDAPEST GAY GUIDE IN FOUR LANGUAGES (English, German, Spanish, French)
www.pinkbudapest.com INFORMATION WITH ONLINE MAP: • • • • •
about Budapest accomodation culture fashion gay life
• clubs and parties • food & drinks • restaurants, bars and cafes • events
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Buda Castle
RESTAURANTS 01 21 Hungarian Kitchen Fortuna utca 21. 02 Baltazár Országház utca 31. 03 Jamie’s Italian Kitchen Szentháromság utca 9-11. 04 Pest Buda Bistro Fortuna utca 3. 06 Pierrot Cafe & Restaurant Fortuna utca 14.
HOTEL 06 Baltazár Budapest Hotel Országház utca 31. 07 Pest Buda Hotel Fortuna utca 3.
HEALTH, MEDICAL 08 Anonym AIDS (Free HIV testing) Karolina út 35/B
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GAY CLUBS 01 AlterEgo Club Dessewffy utca 33. 02 Tütü Bar & Club Hercegprímás utca 18.
BARS & CAFES Keleti Railway station
03 Habroló Szép utca 1. 04 Megalló Bisztró Erzsébet körút 26. 05 Tuk Tuk Bar Paulay Ede utca 31. 06 Why Not? Cafe & Bar Belgrád rakpart 3-4. 07 Funny Carrot Szép utca 1.
RESTAURANTS 08 Abszolút Pho Vietnamese & Thai Food Kazinczy utca 52. 09 Gastro Bistro Budapest Belgrád rakpart 18. 10 Club 93 Pizzéria Vas utca 2.
SAUNA 11 Magnum szauna Csepreghy utca 2. 12 Szauna 69 Angyal utca 2.
CRUISING 13 Action Bar Magyar utca 42. 14 CoXx Men’s Bar & cruising Dohány utca 38.
SEX SHOP
15 Black Dream Mária utca 9.
GYM 16 Tempelfit Paulay Ede utca 25-27.
HOTEL
17 Casati Budapest Hotel Paulay Ede utca 31.
CULTURE
18 Trafó House Liliom utca 41.
FASHION
19 Szputnyik Shop D-20 Dohány utca 20. 20 Szputnyik Shop K-22 Király utca 22.
HEALTH, MEDICAL 21 Downtown Medical Center Ferenciek tere 7-8.
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HELLO BUDAPEST
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FASHION
HUNGARIAN FASHION It’s hard to find the exact date or place of the origins of fashion. While some consider Paris or New York to be the capitals of fashion, I beg to differ as the whole world has served as a runway and an inspiration for fashionistas and designers. Hungary’s design production has been accelerating at a great pace in the last few years. One of the main reasons is the millennial generation taking over the forgotten love and passion for design and fashion. After the Second World War, the socialist government controlled everything, including clothes’ manufacturing as well, therefore fashion was quite one-faceted. Nowadays Hungarian designers follow international fashion trends with pieces that range from haute couture to prêt-à-porter.
IS BUDAPEST THE PARIS OF THE EAST?
In fashion terms, Paris represents a quality standard. The French capital has gained its reputation for the exclusivity of the Houses. This said, I can assure you that Budapest is not the Paris of the East. For starters, the industry is young and still trying to find its own voice. But this is not as bad as it sounds, as its short design history gives them the chance to experiment, even though nowadays it’s difficult to create something new, especially because mass production companies are the ones setting the trends and not the actual artists.
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FASHION
DOES THIS MEAN THAT HUNGARIANS DON’T LOOK BETTER THAN THE AVERAGE?
Well, they are certainly better looking than the average, but not everyone looks great. Particularly in the gay scene, some people tend to follow international trends and it’s not difficult to mix up your date for the night for another person. As in any other country, many people dress exactly the same. So if a trend is bad, many guys will look bad. Many girls however, are a bit more daring and shop a significant part of their wardrobe from thrift shops, which combined with regular clothes, create a great look.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM THE INDUSTRY?
Unfortunately, the Hungarian average income is way below other European countries’ and this has led many Hungarian designers to opt for more international markets. It’s not hard to find Hungarian houses with great pieces at international competitive prices, but it is important to highlight that most Hungarian designers decide to create their items based on international standards. After all, their aim is to make a living.
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FASHION
SHOULD I EVEN SHOP IN HUNGARY?
Having designers not daring to create risky collections and much rather follow international trends might seem a bit boring, and as said before, if a trend is bad, Hungarians are destined to be poorly dressed, but the truth is that many people tend to create their looks based on their own tastes, leaving tags and trends aside. In my experience, you can easily come across great shops around the city that apart from offering new designer pieces also provide a wide range of second hand clothes from all eras that do not follow seasons or particular styles, but invite their customers to create new looks. These places are located around the 6th and 7th districts. Other great places to look are the design street markets, where start-up designers have a space to showcase their pieces. There are several around the city, especially at the big squares during weekends, but beware, there is a downside to this: you may not want to try the clothes in the middle of the street. But they will be happy to give you a card and make an appointment for you to see and try whatever you want somewhere else. So far my favorite one is called “Wamp�. Search for it and find the dates and locations for it.
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FASHION
Szputnyik shop is a fashion concept born from the combination of old and new, romantic vintage and provocative modern styles – a stunning and unusual member of the Hungarian clothing scene where everyone can find items that fit their personality and lifestyle. Why should we discriminate between styles? The versatility of eclecticism carries uniqueness. Creating something completely different by combining various statement pieces is what makes fashion so interesting. The shops are an essential part of the Budapest lifestyle and the life of a stylish and bold 21st century
person irrespective of their age. The visitor of these store that represents the „revolution” of freedom and unlimited creativity, can browse various vintage and contemporary pieces. The selection ranges from extravagant gowns, through sequined tuxedos, stylish shades, fashionable bags and accessories to elegant hats. Fans of contemporary fashion are greeted with a varied, fresh and youthful range that renews multiple times every season, ensuring the presence of up-to-date street wear. If you like mixing styles and seasonal renewal, Szputnyik is for you!
SZPUTNYIK SHOP D-20 VII. 20 DOHÁNY UTCA MON-SAT: 10AM-8PM SUN: 10AM–6PM SZPUTNYIK SHOP K-22 VI., 22 KIRÁLY UTCA (THE ENTRANCE IS AT 1 KÁLDY UTCA) MON-SAT: 11AM-9PM SUN: 11AM–7PM www.szputnyikshop.hu facebook/szputnyikshop instagram/szputnyikshop
GASTRONOMY
FETISH – SM – TOYS 1085 Budapest Mária utca 9. Tel.: +36 30 956 9571 Open: TUE-FRI 12–20h, SAT 12–17h www.blackdream.hu
OPEN EVERYDAY
FROM 5 PM TILL LATE NIGHT
THURSDAY AND SUNDAY
FROM 9 PM
KARAOKE
Budapest, Szép u. 1. +36 1 950 6644 www.habrolo.hu
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HELLO BUDAPEST
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WWW.GAYSAUNA.HU
HELLO GAY BUDAPEST
!SZKAFANDER’S BEAT
LGBT IN BP Budapest is a blossoming city to be gay in. With tolerance and love for the gay community come massive opportunities – the results of which can definitely be seen in the nightlife scene. Budapest is opening itself up to tourists who flock here for a weekend away, be it gay, straight or anything in-between. Famous for its thermal waters, rich colourful history and beautiful architecture, Budapest is now just as famous for its party scene. We are becoming a massive part of that. Partying isn’t everything though. One of the main stages at Sziget Festival, Europe’s Best Major Festival, hosts a wide array of cabaret, dance and theatrical productions as well
as workshops and is a great place to explore what it means to be gay in Hungary. Not only that, Budapest holds an annual Pride event, two gay film festivals and many more smaller events which cater to a growing audience of gay and gay-friendly people in and around the area. This is not Berlin, it’s not Tel Aviv and it’s not San Francisco either but, simply put, you can find anything here that you’ve ever dreamed of – if you’re prepared to look for it. Budapest offers an ever-increasing number of clubs, bars, gay-friendly restaurants, saunas, cruising areas, drag shows, underground and mainstream parties. Whether you’re here to see the sights or party hard and get a little tipsy on your trip away, we are absolutely excited to welcome you to our fabulous city. 27
GAY BUDAPEST
A LITTLE PARTY NEVER HURT NOBODY.
SECRETO
ALTEREGO is probably the most wellknown gay club in Budapest (Dessewffy utca 33). From midnight on Saturday drag shows with the fabulous Lady Dömper plus good drinks prices and a mixed clientele are the perfect recipe for an easy-going, carefree atmosphere. Mostly chart hits and classics are played here. Come with a smile and an open mind. TÜTÜ - The nightclub that embraces all kind of art. Chic bar, beautiful interior and superb central location (Hercegprímás utca 18.). This is a stylish and much needed addition to Budapest’s gay nightlife. Regular events are posted on their Facebook site. Tütü has had some really varied shows and themed nights from techno parties to Rihanna nights and fashion shows.
ALTEREGO
REGULAR PARTIES/CLUB NIGHTS are a big thing here in Budapest. The most notable ones to mention are: GARCONS and HELLO parties cater for the more fashionable and pop-oriented amongst us. Hello parties are regular themed pop music parties currently at Tütü on Thursdays. Garcons offers a place for queer art junkies to play in changing locations. Underground, chic, pop. Check both on Facebook for details.
28 VIBE
GAY BUDAPEST
!SZKAFANDER’S BEAT is every Friday at Anker’t (Paulay Ede utca 33). Expect a glorious blend of deep house, disco and indie with a special little twist by one of Budapest’s most well-known DJ collectives. They’ll take you to the stars and back, we promise. Groovy, great crowd and fabulous music. OMOH is here and queer and ready to show you a good time. Distinctly underground in its musical tastes, its monthly parties are found way overground within Corvin club (Blaha Lujza tér 1-2). Techno, electronica with a nice splash of soulful, groovy house to keep you going until the small hours. Not a Madonna track in sight. SECRETO at Tuk Tuk Bar (Paulay Ede utca 31) is a monthly party within this gorgeous, glamorous cocktail bar. Serve yourself a bit of luxury in a queerfriendly atmosphere. Mostly themed nights with musical sommelier DJ Mahogany. VIBE - Pop Up Club - This ‘pop up club’ for gays, lesbians, urban queers and their friends at Gödör Klub is the newest kid on the block. With a house/disco stage, pop stage and special performances throughout the night, be sure to catch something new and fresh at Gödör Klub (Király u. 8-10 in the Central Passage) WOW! - Lesbian party at Toldi markets itself for lipstick lesbians, but in reality,
it’s a great place for all of you beautiful ladies and your friends – straight, gay, male, female and everything inbetween. (Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út 36-38.)
I WANT TO TAKE YOU TO A GAY BAR. FUNNY CARROT and HABROLÓ are two neighbouring bars with mixed cliente, great drinks prices and a cheerful, friendly atmosphere. (Szép utca 1.) WHY NOT? CAFÉ AND BAR – A legend in Budapest, this café and bar boasts a great view of the Danube, regular karaoke and quiz nights and a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere to meet a few friends for a couple of drinks at the bar. Definitely worth a visit, this venue is a mainstay of the gay scene in Budapest. (Belgrád rakpart 3-4.) TUK TUK BAR – gay friendly cocktail bar with a very central location and a great signature cocktail menu. We have only good things to say about the quality and craftsmanship of the drinks in this beautiful yet cosy lounge bar. (Paulay Ede utca 31.)
CRUISING, SAUNAS AND SEX SHOPS IN BUDAPEST For everyone looking for that extra adrenaline rush, ACTION BAR (Magyar utca 42.) offers live sex shows on 29
GAY BUDAPEST
GARCONS
certain nights and the ability to interact with the live performers. COXX is a major player in the gay scene of Budapest and definitely worth a visit. A cruising bar (including a car, sling and prison room) where you can live out each and every one of your wildest fantasies. Two saunas cater specifically to the gay clientele – MAGNUM (Csepreghy utca 2.) and SAUNA 69 (Angyal utca 2). Both are very well equipped with everything you need to relax and cruise for fun. Mixed clientele and discounted entry on certain nights. In addition to this, we also have Budapest’s only gay sex shop, BLACK DREAM (Mária utca 9.). Whether you’re a hardcore fetish guy or just want to have some dirty fun, this is your place for everything kink-related. 30
Budapest has two specifically gayfriendly restaurants: CLUB 93 PIZZERIa (Vas utca 2.) and GASTRO BISTRO Budapest (Belgrád rakpart close to Why Not? Cafe & Bar). Both offer delicious menus and excellent service. The city centre location of the city’s only gay gym TEMPELFIT (Paulay Ede utca 25-27) is perfect. Expect great service, a wide array of machines and equipment and a Finnish sauna for members. CASATI BUDAPEST HOTEL markets itself as a gay-friendly and welcoming hotel in the heart of Budapest’s city centre (Paulay Ede utca 31). And finally, ANONYM AIDS TANÁCSADÓ SZOLGÁLAT is the city’s point of contact for STD check-ups, consultations and anonymous, free HIV testing for all. (Karolina út 35/B)
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GAY BUDAPEST
ALTEREGO
– THE GAY CLUB OF BUDAPEST With its 9-year-history, AlterEgo is one of Budapest’s most popular and most renowned gay clubs. Located in the heart of the 6th district among many other party venues, the club is open from 10pm to 5am every Friday and Saturday. To get the party started, there is a Transvestite Show at midnight on both days. You can also enjoy a different drink promotion every week at one of the four bars. At AlterEgo, everybody can find the tunes that make them shake it like a polaroid picture: whether you like pop, r’n’b, dance or electro, you will have a chance to show off your skills on the two separate dancefloors. 32
But what would a decent party be without awesome company? You have nothing to worry about, because the sexiest guys of Budapest will definitely spend their nights at AlterEgo. If you have the chance, you should definitely visit AlterEgo more than once during your stay in Budapest to discover the continually renewed interiors, the newest parties and the ever-changing Drag Show that all guarantee a great experience.
ALTEREGO CLUB BUDAPEST Budapest, VI. district, Dessewffy utca 33. facebook.com/AlterEgoBudapest www.alteregoclub.hu Info: +36 70 565 1111 OPEN: FRI-SAT: 10 PM TO 5 AM
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
BUDAPEST PUBLIC TRANSPORT Budapest’s public transportation is one of Europe’s most efficient and inexpensive system and runs throughout all of the major tourist areas of Budapest. The best internal travel option you can choose for your visit.
FROM AIRPORT TO BUDAPEST CITY CENTRE
Budapest Airport Terminal 2 can be easily access from Nyugati railway station by nearly 100 trains per day. From Ferihegy train station, Terminal 2 can be access by bus number 200E, and at night time by bus number 900. Another option is to take the mentioned buses from Kőbánya-Kispest station by Metro line 3.
TICKET AND TRAVEL CARDS
MORE INFORMATION FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT:
bkk.hu/en
Source: Budapesti Közlekedési Központ www.bkk.hu