A Guide To Your Budapest Stag Weekend
Action Stations!
Budapest has some of the best stag activities in Europe! Cream of the crop is possibly the Target Shooting where you will get your hands on fire power that isn’t even legal back in Blighty! "Go ahead stag…. Make my day."
Best Bars in Budapest
Spiler - Great menu, great beers and some really funky design. DJ’s liven up the weekends but get seated early if you want to eat because it does get busy.
Szimpla Kert - You can’t help but feel the place was designed after a few too many "shrooms". Mad as a box of frogs with an amazing atmosphere. A top night out.
Pop-up Bars - Budapest has a weird phenomena of pop-up bars that spring up everywhere. Really worth seeing and the best way to find them is on a Guided Bar Crawl.
Event Calendar
May - Palinka Festival - A musical celebration of the Hungary’s finest tipple.
June - Buda Castle Beer Festival - Sample the local flavours.
Aug & NYE - Szechenyi Spa Party - Or as we call it a "sparty!"
September - Beer & Street Food Festival - Good food, good beer, good times!
"Mindenki a maga szerencséjének kovácsa." - Everyone's the blacksmith of their own fate.
"Gyermëk, részëg, bolond mondják az igazat." - Children, fools and drunken men tell the truth.
Where to Head...
Districts
Budapest is split into numerical districts District V is the number assigned to downtown Budapest also known as Belvaros and that’s where you’ll find some great bars and restaurants. If you’re after a spot of culture head over to D.VI for museums and galleries. But the big nights out will be found in D.VII, Kazinczy Street. "Gentleman, prepare to party!"
Must see...
Laszlo Papp Sports Arena - Pretty sci-fi looking for a sports stadium and well worth a drive by.
Thermal Baths - Budapest is famed for its geothermal springs and has 123 in the city alone (Hungary has over 500 in total).
New York has a higher population than the whole of Hungary combined.
The Rubik’s Cube, ballpoint pen, noiseless match, holograms and the theory behind the hydrogen bomb are all Hungarian inventions.
Hungarians never clink glasses when toasting.
A Taste of Budapest
Eats - The Iguana Bar & Grill brings a little of Mexico to Hungary. A great Tex-Mex restaurant with a rather fine collection of tequila for your tasting pleasure. They even have a menu dedicated purely to tequila! That’s our kind of restaurant.
Drinks - The national drink of Hungary is Palinka, on the surface the list of ingredients sound like a harmless fruit cocktail. However it kicks like a mule and will leave you walking sideways for a week. Approach with extreme caution.
On Ya Bike! Getting Around Budapest
Budapest has the second oldest underground train system in Europe (after London). You’ll also find handy trams, boats, trolleys and buses. You can buy a 24-hour travel card ("Napijegy") that works on all forms of public transport, making it really easy to get about and is good value for money.
"Szia." - Hello
"Felszolgálnak alkoholt?" - Do you serve alcohol?
"Egy sört kérem." - A beer please.
"Még egy kört, kérem." - Another round, please.
"Egészségedre!" - Cheers!
"Ez az úr fog mindent kifizetni." - This gentleman will pay for everything.
"A szamár is akkor megy a jégre táncolni, amikor a legjobb dolga van." - The donkey will dance on ice only if its well-being is exceptional.
31 Reasons Why Budapest Rocks!
George Ezra - Love him or loathe him, he put Budapest on the map for a whole new generation - plus beautiful girls in their 20 something's from all around flock to the city because of his stupidly catchy hit song. If we saw George, we'd buy him a pint!
Spring in its step - Budapest has more hot springs than any other capital city in the world. A frankly ridiculous 70 million litres of thermal water rises to the surface every day.
100 year old Subway - No, we aren't talking about a rotten sandwich - Budapest's metro lines first opened in 1896 and have been going strong ever since, which is why they're collectively called the 'Millennium Underground'.
Budapest Zoo - It's the one of the oldest in the world, having opened in 1865; it's entertained millions of guests with its eclectic variety of wildlife. Find out more...
Sziget Festival - 400,000 people from the world over congregate in the city every year for one of the biggest music festivals on the planet - artists have included Bastille, Skrillex and The Prodigy.
The Anonymous Statue - Touch it and you become a better writer, the downside? It looks like the Grim Reaper - either way, it makes for great profile picture material.
Football mad - Budapest has had no fewer than 19 professional football teams - and six of them have won the Hungarian top flight trophy. United and City have got some catching up to do...
Ferencvaros - The most successful team in the league, Ferencvaros have won the title 28 times with their arch-rivals MTK Budapest trailing close behind with 23 - derby days are notoriously rowdy.
Szechenyi Baths - These baths are massive with 15 indoor and 3 outdoor pools that can reach temperatures of up to 38 degrees - that's got to be worth a look in after a heavy night on the sauce?!?
Chain Bridge - You'll probably cross it on your travels, but you won't regret seeking out the Szechenyi chain bridge that spans across the Danube. It's an awesome bit of architecture that was literally the first link between the Buda and the Pest.
Memento Park - A weird and wonderful collection of socialist era statues and sculptures await you in Memento Park. It's a bit like a Soviet Disneyland - with no rides, no ice-cream and certainly no Mickey Mouse.
Aranyszarvas - With a name that directly translates to 'golden stag' there's nowhere better to grab some high quality, and at times unusual pub grub with the boys before moving your Budapest stag do to the city's clubs and bars.
Kisbuda Gyongye - This traditional Hungarian restaurant serves top-drawer man food for real men. The roast duck with apples is a feast fit for a king, and the goose-liver specialties are truly sublime. Find out more...
Ruszwurm Cukraszda - It's small but brilliant, this café can serve you delicious Hungarian beers or refreshing cups of coffee as well as some seriously tasty lunch grub that'll keep the petrol tank full for the rest of your action packed day.
Gellert Baths - They're really posh, but the Gellert Baths are well worth your time if you and the boys fancy relaxing like Bond. Although we can't guarantee any special appearances from Pussy Galore...
Culinaris - A mix between a café, restaurant and gourmet grocery store, Culinaris definitely isn't your every day diner. With a selection of hunger-conquering dishes including Duck Quesadillas and Madras-style Chicken, you'll be left wishing you could find a place like this back in the UK.
Corvinteto - Some of Budapest's best nights out happen in this trendy and stylish club where the ceilings are lined with LED lights and the DJs spin the decks until the early hours of the morning. Expect big tunes, a great atmosphere and beery good times.
The Blind Mice Exchange Pub - How well you can play the market determines how much you'll pay for your drinks in this club and bar that operates a real-time drinking stock market - meaning that you'll end up trying some weird and wonderful stuff in the pursuit of a bargain night out. Quality!
KuPlug - This bar is seriously indie - it's the kind of place you'd expect to see Morrissey enjoying a pint with the Arctic Monkeys and it's got a cool DIY vibe that attracts music loving lads (and lasses) from all over the city.
A Lion's Tongue - Local legend has it that the stone Lions on the chain bridge had their tongues removed by travelling gypsies, and that the artist who sculpted the big cats killed himself as a result - it's been proven false, but the Budapest locals still like to check from time to time.
The Haunted Estate - In the communist 60s, somebody had the stupid idea to build a huge block of flats on top of an old burial ground (have they never seen Poltergeist?!?) Needless to say, the flats were haunted like you wouldn't believe, and today it's a popular spot for Budapest's ghost hunters - would your party be tough enough?
Elaszto Beer Garden - This beer bar used to be a glassworks, but these days the only glass that's worked with is filled with Hungary's beautiful craft ales - but then again what else would you expect from a bar with a name that translates directly to 'yeast'.
The Food Capital - The food in Hungary was so bad after the second World War that one citizen famously said that Budapest's cuisine was a 'bright spot in a culinary black hole'. We're not sure if that's a compliment or not to be honest!
Great Floods - In 1838 there was a huge flood that actually managed to put the entire 'Pest' side of the city underwater - although the chances of that happening on your weekend are pretty slim, we think...
The Grand Budapest Hotel - Wes Anderson's whacky film might not be the obvious choice when it comes to picking out DVDs for a movie night, but this flick is seriously funny and it's one of the wittiest comedies we've seen in a long while - and the city of Budapest made it all possible.
Kiosk - This is the best Kiosk we've ever been to - bar loving stags will dig the slick, classy vibes of this cool venue that combines a brick wall interior with a few classical decorative touches. Chuck in some of the best cocktails in the city, and you're onto a winner.
Liget - This nightclub is the stuff of the future, with massive neon light fixtures overhanging the packed dance floor and Tron style scenery; this is one of the coolest venues in the city. If you've ever wondered what the clubs in the UK will look like in ten years time, then take your Budapest stag do to Liget.
Tesla - A night under the low hanging ceilings in the consistently packed-out Tesla nightclub is guaranteed to be electric. This is where all of Budapest's beautiful girls go to party, and the city's best DJs can often be found plying their trade at the decks.
Angry Beast Beer - This locally produced beverage is a favourite amongst Budapest's craft ale fans. It's deep, dark, and quite frankly, angry. If you've never tried a Russian imperial stout, then Hopfanatic's Angry Beast is the beer to ask for.
Credo - The people at Hed on Brewery have a real love for beer, and it shows in what the locals consider to be their finest brew, appropriately named Credo (meaning 'a statement of religious belief') craft ale worshippers have to try this epic brew.
Great Synagogue - One of the most prominent features in the Budapest skyline is the Great Synagogue - the largest Jewish house of worship outside of the big apple. Visit the Hungarian Jewish Museum inside or simply explore this awesome building, wisecracking like Indiana Jones as you go.
Top Tweeters - Follow We Love Budapest to keep up to date with all that's going on in this epic city including the best new venues and bars. Roberta Gyori is editor of Visit Budapest, and her personal twitter will point you to the best events in the city in an instant, so you don't have to go through the hassle of having to find them yourselves.
Facebook - If you and the lads want to find out the city's latest news from a truly reliable source, then The Budapest Beacon provides the perfect supplement, and Humans of Budapest tells the real stories of Budapest's quirky locals - and after your big weekend here, we're sure you'll have a few of your own to share.
"Tonight we're going to partylike its 1929!"
Budapest has 80 geothermal hot water springs.
Reasons to be cheerful - why choose a Budapest stag do?
It’s an absolute belter, that’s why! Cool, calm and collected, the city is never one to shout about its own grandeur but at StagWeb we’re not so backward in coming forward. We don’t mind telling you that when it comes to destinations perfectly tailor-made for the ultimate in stag celebrations, Budapest stands head, shoulders, a cathedral, mighty river and millions of litres of thermal spa waters above the rest.
In fact, Hungary’s buzzing capital tops the lists of... well... everything really! Top end relaxation, top drawer action, top 10 winter destination in Europe, top nightlife... the list is endless. And don’t get us started on the ‘biggest’, ‘best’ and most ‘beautiful’ headings chaps... (baths, bars and Budapest! in case you were wondering...). Full to the brim with top hotels (oops, forgot that one), action-packed activities, award-winning clubs and bars, fantastic entertainment and of course, those spas, Budapest really is the host with the most.
And with StagWeb’s expert team (we’re definitely not afraid to shout about our own grandeur) and exclusive rates at your disposal, you’re on for the stag weekend to beat all others and maybe a place in best man superstardom to boot. Beers, beauties, bars, baths and a Basilica of epic proportions... sign us up gents! Budapest promises merriment, mayhem and that special Magyar magic at its absolute finest! So why not take the bull by the horns, be the man with the plan and get in touch today.
Ok. So that’s the who and the why covered. Now for the how to, when to, where to and what to. Or... Getting there, going there, being there and get in there!
Get there; how do we get to Hungary?
...was originally two seperate towns; Buda & Pest.
With more than a few gallons of seawater and most of Europe between Blighty and Hungary, hopping on a plane is by far your easiest route to Budapest. And it’s never been easier to travel directly to the city with easy and frequent services from a host of UK airports (4 in London) that’ll see you on Hungarian soil in a little over 2 and a half hours, and airport to city transfers available as standard.
Go there; when is a Budapest stag weekend best?
With 2000 hours of sunshine ripe for a spot of alfresco entertainment and adventure each year, giant indoor venues pulsating through the low season and (did we mention?) those thermal spas constantly on tap to warm and revive, the smart money must surely go on... any time gents! Factor in the city’s jam-packed calendar of events, from the beer, wine and Palinka festivals to the Grand Prix, Sziget and National Gallop and Budapest leaves you in no doubt that you’re on for a sure fire winner any time of the year.
Be there; where?
The beautifully classic Buda side of town is a top notch location for the history and sightseeing buffs who’ll be able to marvel at the rather impressive castle and caves, but it’s the more lively Pest where you and the boys are likely to spend the bulk of your time. We’re pretty sure you don’t want us to run down all 23 of the city’s districts (especially when there’s a handy ready-prepared list of them here) but well worth a mention are Belvaros (the inner city), Erzebetvaros (Elizabeth Town; storming nightclubs and ruin pubs) and Terezvaros (the swanky part of town). And not forgetting the open air clubs that line the banks of the Danube and Margit Island, which truly comes alive at the height of the summer season.
Get in there! Action stations are... go?
Bottom line gentlemen, Budapest rocks! And the Hungarian capital has really outdone itself where your weekend’s activities are concerned with some of Europe’s best activity sites offering everything from beer bikes, wine tasting, Glocks and AK47s (not in that order though. We’ve got a reputation to uphold and generally try to return our stags in the same condition we find them - make that; in one piece) to tank driving, our very own Trabant Rally and... did we mention the spas?
'Vampire's Ball Musical' is Budapest's longest running stage show.
Hungary for more?
If a Budapest stag do hits all the right notes then have a browse of our website and view the kind of packages and deals available. With proven ready-made packages, bespoke weekends, exclusive rates and ABTA bonding (it means we’ve got you covered gents!) under our (donut filled) belt, we’re confident we can offer you the Budapest stag weekend to beat all others. And with no risk, no obligation quotes you really have got nothing to lose. So why not set the ball rolling and get in touch today.
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