Concert halls Budapest

The Palace of Arts - a cultural complex with a bold architecture - was inaugurated in 2005. It includes a large concert hall (Béla Bartók), a second hall, the Ludwig Museum of Modern Art (in the right wing) and other halls, sometimes used for performances. The musical program is very specialized and there are many headliners from all over the world, from classical music (concerts of the philharmonic orchestra, numerous festivals dedicated to various composers...) to world music, folk music and jazz.

This contemporary art centre for contemporary dance, housed in a former electrical factory (Trafó comes from TRAnsFOrmateur in Hungarian), is a mythical place in Budapest. Josef Nadj (former director of the National Choreographic Centre in Orléans of Hungarian origin) was a regular guest. Various concerts, performances, plays, workshops, exhibitions (in the gallery area) brighten up this corner of the 9th arrondissement, which was still pale not so long ago.

Built in a grandiose Moorish style for the millennium celebrations of 1896, the Uránia was originally a cabaret theatre. In 1901, the first Hungarian film was shot on its rooftops. Since then, the Uránia's cinemas have only hosted film screenings. A small facelift was offered to him for his 100 years of cinema in 2001. The rooms, in a Moorish style of a flashy palace, are unique. Do not miss the large projection room (dísz térem).

After a long break for renovation, the Budapest Opera House, which has been given a facelift while retaining all its splendor, offers performances almost every day of the year (see the institution's website). Ballets, operas... Some seats cost a pittance and the intermission is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the outdoor balcony overlooking Andrássy Avenue. The restaurant on the first floor of the Opera House should reopen, otherwise the buffet on the first floor during the performances is a delight! No shows in summer.

Thirty artists of the Danube folk group gives itself as a show to 20:00 on friday and saturday (and more often in season). Their choreography consists of authentic themes from the Hungarian folk dances. The whole is played in a very nice theatre within walking distance of the basilica.

This puppet theater for children and adults is a real institution in Budapest. Hungary has a long tradition of puppet theater, where classic plays from the Hungarian and European repertoire are often performed by puppets, such as Le Malade imaginaire, Le Tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours... The shows often vary, so check on site or online. The shows are usually in Hungarian.

This legendary operetta theatre built by two Viennese architects at the end of the 19th century has not aged a bit. It must be said that the genre has remained very popular in Hungary. In addition to programming the operettas adored by the Magyar public (notably Imre Kálmán's or Pongrác Kacsóh's), musicals are also performed. All the pieces are in Hungarian with English surtitles (and from time to time some operettas with German surtitles).

A marvel of eclectic art house cinema that regularly shows French, Anglo-Saxon and many other countries' films, always in their original version. You can be sure to find the films that have won awards at the most important festivals (Cannes, Hollywood...). The outside sign, changed every week, displays the films of the moment. One can freely slump on the sofas and armchairs in the entrance and have a drink or a snack at the small buffet.

This very small cinema (one of the most modest in Europe), close to the Parliament and Jászai Mari tér, has a real charm and it is a delight to go there, a little like a family. The choice of films is often limited, screenings are rare (and always in V.O.), but if you have the opportunity go ahead! The programming, which is very specific, is based on art and essays or documentaries (with an emphasis on human rights). Many festivals and retrospectives.

The large room is sublime, very high ceiling, refurbished. On the ^1st floor, a video library is open from 10am to 10pm. Foreign films on the bill are in V.O. with Hungarian subtitles, a reference in art cinemas and arthouse cinemas. Adjacent café (entrance at No. 2 Semmelweiss Street, from 9am to midnight) which sometimes hosts discussions. Even without going to a movie or having a drink, enter the cinema, hopefully the big room will be open!

The only real international theater in the capital (with plays performed in English), has moved from the outskirts of Deák tér to Buda, in a listed building from the 1930s (a former cinema near Széll Kálmán tér): a Bauhaus building, designed by Kozma Lajos. This theatrical version of today's theater has a café! In decline since a drastic reduction in funding sponsored by the government, the future of the institution seems somewhat uncertain even if it maintains itself. English-language plays are becoming rare, however.

Built by the architect Pollack Mihály in 1833, the Pest Redoubt, where Franz Liszt performed in concert and where balls were held on a regular basis, has reopened its doors to the delight of visitors and music fans alike. The murals are the work of two prominent artists of the time: Károly Lotz and Mór Than. There is a concert about once a week (check the program on the Internet): swing, classical music, operetta... and exhibitions. The institution is a partner of the major seasonal festivals in Budapest.

This opera house, built in the 1910s and an instrument of popular culture from its inception, underwent extensive renovations between 2007 and 2013. It served as a second opera house when the one on Andrássy Boulevard was closed for renovation and will resume its functions this spring. There is no grand décor here, but a pricing policy that is affordable for everyone. For a very Hungarian experience and a little trip back in time! The operas are sometimes subtitled in English.

Another art house cinema! We warned you, the center of Budapest is full of them and it's so much better. This one, on the main boulevard, has only one cinema, which does not prevent it from participating in all sorts of festivals. But above all, its ticket office hides a colorful café. Covered with movie posters, it is easy to spend the whole day there since the establishment serves breakfasts, smoothies, coffees, snacks and delicious cakes. A must for digital nomads.

This gigantic building of 22,000^m2 is certainly off-center, but it is regularly used by the Budapest Opera to stage various shows (films, concerts, opera...) open to the public. Its name is misleading, it was not designed by Gustave Eiffel but by a Hungarian architect, János Feketeházy, in 1884. Renovated and inaugurated at the end of 2021, these halls, which also serve as a logistics center for the Budapest opera, bear witness to a rich industrial heritage.

A summertime must for the Pesto nightlife scene! This large party complex has the feel of a permanent festival, not to say a mini Sziget Festival... Budapest park boasts several large open-air stages (main stage, retro stage, Hoppá terrace, Mastercard terrace, indie lounge...) and several bars, VIP boxes... enough to overcome even the toughest party-goers! We've already seen Iggy Pop, Thirty Seconds to Mars..., and some major Hungarian bands. The icing on the cake: in winter, the venue boasts a skating rink!

The highly controversial architecture of the new National Theatre - opposite the MUPA - is still the talk of the town! Its programming has also made a few waves, since its former director was replaced by Attila Vidnyánszky, a conservative director close to the government. In the meantime, the theater is there, surrounded by a pleasant garden. A few plays, occasionally in foreign languages. Season from early September to late June.