Must-see entertainment in Hungary

  • Hungarian State Opera House

    Budapest

    The gorgeous neo-Renaissance opera house is worth a visit as much to admire the incredibly rich decoration inside as to view a performance and hear the…

  • Palace of Arts

    Budapest

    The two concert halls at this palatial arts centre by the Danube are the 1700-seat Béla Bartók National Concert Hall (Bartók Béla Nemzeti Hangversenyterem…

  • Aranytíz House of Culture

    Budapest

    At this cultural centre in Lipótváros, there are wonderful mixed traditional táncház (folk music and dance workshops) from 8pm on Saturday that run till…

  • Budapest Jazz Club

    Budapest

    A very sophisticated venue – now pretty much the most serious one in town – for traditional, vocal and Latin jazz by local and international talent. Past…

  • Jedermann Cafe

    Budapest

    This lovely and uber-chilled old-style cafe and restaurant at the southern end of XI Ráday utca turns into a great music venue at night, focusing on jazz,…

  • Trafó House of Contemporary Arts

    Budapest

    This ultrahip stage in Ferencváros presents a mixture of music, theatre and especially dance, including a good pull of international acts. It also has a…

  • Erkel Theatre

    Budapest

    Budapest's modern (and usually considered ugly) second opera house, southwest of Keleti train station, has reopened after a massive facelift that has…

  • Fonó Buda Music House

    Budapest

    This venue has táncház (folk music and dance) programs several times a week, especially on Wednesday at 6.30pm and Friday at 8pm, as well as concerts by…

  • Budapest Music Center

    Budapest

    Hosting a fantastic line-up of mainly Hungarian jazz and classical performances, the Budapest Music Center comprises a classy 350-capacity concert hall …

  • Municipal Cultural House

    Budapest

    There’s folk music and dance at what is also called the FMH at 7pm usually on alternate Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays (see the website). A children’s…

  • Átrium

    Castle District

    This wonderful new theatre in Buda stages many of its both Hungarian and foreign plays and musicals with English surtitles, opening up Hungarian drama to…

  • Organ Concert

    Eger

    There are half-hour organ concerts at Eger Basilica daily from May to October.

  • Budapest Operetta

    Budapest

    This theatre presents operettas, which are always a riot, especially campy ones like The Gypsy Princess by Imre Kálmán or Ferenc Lehár’s The Merry Widow,…

  • Akvárium Klub

    Budapest

    This place delivers a varied program of Hungarian and international live music, from indie, rock, world and pop to electronica and beyond. The main hall…

  • Toldi Artmozi

    Budapest

    An arthouse cinema and cafe by day, a hipster nightclub by night, Toldi is a unique hangout for Budapest's trendy, film-loving crowd. Films are usually…

  • Urania National Cinema

    Budapest

    This tarted-up film palace is an art deco/neo-Moorish extravaganza showing mostly arthouse films in their original language with Hungarian subtitles. It…

  • Mu Színház

    Budapest

    Virtually everyone involved in the Hungarian modern-dance scene got their start at this landmark place in south Buda, where excellent performances can be…

  • National Theatre

    Budapest

    This rather eclectic venue is the place to go if you want to brave a play in Hungarian or just check out the theatre’s bizarre architecture.

  • Óbuda Society

    Óbuda & Buda Hills

    This very intimate venue in Óbuda takes its music seriously and hosts recitals and some chamber orchestras. Highly recommended.

  • Puskin Art Mozi

    Budapest

    The long-established ‘Pushkin Art Cinema’ shows a healthy mix of art-house and popular releases.

  • Groupama Arena

    Budapest

    Rebuilt on the site of the Flórián Albert Stadium opposite Népliget bus station, branded Groupama Arena is home to Ferencvárosi Torna Club (www.fradi.hu),…

  • A38

    Budapest

    Moored on the Buda side just south of Petőfi Bridge, the A38 is a decommissioned Ukrainian stone hauler from 1968 that has been recycled as a major live…

  • József Katona Theatre

    Budapest

    The József Katona Theatre is the best-known playhouse in Hungary, hosting a varied repertoire of performances, from Shakespeare plays and Waiting for…

  • Budai Vigadó

    Castle District

    The artistes of the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble (Magyar Állami Népi Együttes) perform at this venue, also known as the Hagyományok Háza (Hungarian…

  • Bethlen Square Theatre

    Budapest

    This small and atmospheric theatre puts on drama, dance and puppet shows. There’s a good cafe, a gallery and the celebrated Central European Dance Theatre…

  • Pécs National Theatre

    Pécs

    Pécs is renowned for its opera company and the Sophianae Ballet, both of which perform at this theatre. Advance tickets can be purchased from the theatre…

  • László Papp Budapest Sportaréna

    Budapest

    This purpose-built 12,500-seat arena named after a local boxing great is where big local and international acts like Lady Gaga, Rod Stewart and Metallica…

  • Pesti Vigadó

    Budapest

    Pesti Vigadó, the Romantic-style concert hall built in 1865 and recently renovated, hosts classical concerts and other performances in opulent surrounds.

  • Festetics Palace

    Keszthely

    The White Mirror Room in the palace hosts regular chamber orchestras, choirs and solos.

  • Chamber Theatre

    Pécs

    Intimate, experimental productions staged next door to the Pécs National Theatre.

  • Decorated ceiling and galleries at neo-Classical Comedy Theatre.

    Comedy Theatre

    Budapest

    The attractive little building on Szent István körút, roughly halfway between the Danube and Nyugati tér, is where comedies (including Shakespearean ones…

  • Esztergom City Theatre & Cultural House

    Esztergom

    What was once the synagogue for Esztergom’s Jewish community (the oldest synagogue in Hungary, built in the Moorish Romantic style by Lipót Baumhorn in…

  • Budavár Cultural Centre

    Castle District

    This cultural centre just below Buda Castle has frequent programs for children and adults, including the excellent Sebő Klub és Táncház at 7pm on the…

  • Jenő Hubay Music Room

    Castle District

    The renovated 19th-century music hall attached to the Hotel Victoria serves as a small concert venue and theatre. It’s a wonderfully intimate place to…

  • Columbus Club

    Budapest

    On a boat moored on the Danube off the northern end of V Vigadó tér, this club features live music, including jazz, with big-name local and international…

  • Ferenc Szusza Stadium

    Budapest

    There are five premier league football teams in Budapest, out of a total of 16 nation­wide, including Újpest, which plays at far-flung Ferenc Szusza…

  • Bóbita Puppet Theatre

    Pécs

    Somewhere John Malkovich would be proud to perform, the Bóbita is not just for kids; there are shows aimed at adults only. There are also arts and crafts…

  • All In Music Cafe

    Esztergom

    Boasting a large selection of wines and pálinkas, this local hang-out, just down from the basilica, stages DJs and live bands on Friday and Saturday…

  • Marczibányi tér Cultural Centre

    Castle District

    This venue has Hungarian, Moldavian, Slovakian and Csángó dance and music by Guzsalyas (adult/student 1200/800Ft) usually on Thursday at 7pm.

  • Pécs Cultural Centre

    Pécs

    For tickets and information on Pécs' cultural happenings, visit the Pécs Cultural Centre, or pick up the biweekly freebie Pécsi Est.

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