Budapest
Accommodation | Bars/Pubs | Cafes | Clubs | Bath/Sauna/Beaches | Restaurants
General Information on Hungary
Hungarian Republic
Population 10,043,000 (Jan. 2000), whereof 1,837,000 in Budapest (estimated)
Capital city Budapest Initials H
Area 93.000 sq km
Bordering countries Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Slovenia
Religion: Roman Catholic 65%, Protestant 25%, Orthodox Jewish 10%
Foreign Visitors: 37 314 900 (1998)
GDP per CAPITA: 4 504 USD (1998)
Daylight Saving Time: 26th of March til 29th of October
Time: Central European Time (CET) = (GMT+1); Summer: GMT+2
Electricity 220 Volts
Video system PAL/SECAM
International Access Code 00
International Country Code +36, Budapest +361, mobile phone codes: 0620- (Pannon), 0630- (Westel), 0670- (Vodafone)
Language Hungarian (magyar)
Currency Forint - Coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 Forint & Banknotes: 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000, 20000 Forint, see exchange rates
Climate: continental, hot summers, cold winters
Click on this link for Gay Pride Budapest - You might need a translator.
Budapest is divided to two parts by the Danube: Buda (the hilly side) and Pest (the lively city center). The city consists of districts ("kerület", abbrev. "ker.") arranged in a spiral, and numbered in Roman numerals starting at the center (so, I. and II. are the most central districts on the Buda side, V.,VI., VII. and VIII the most central districts on the Pest side.) Hungarian postal codes always consist of 4 digits. The first digit for Budapest is a 1, the second and third are the district number (e.g. 1077 would be in the VII. district).
PLACES TO STAY
KM Saga
9th district, Lonyai Street & Vámház Boulevard
Web page: http://www.gaystay.net/Kmsaga/
Reservation: Reservation Form
(Close to Szabadság bridge, Gellert Bath, National Museum)
Guest House
The gay owned and operated Guest Residence by KM Saga is located in the very heart of Budapest's Pest side, close to the Danube and the Szabadság bridge, not far from the Gellert Bath and gay locations like Action and Darling bar. Located in a Art Nouveau building and the rooms are furnished with antiques; a 1890's environment with up-to-date comfort. Near the National Museum. The owners are always reachable and English, German, French and Russian is spoken. Near to the Metro station Kalvin tér; Tram 47/49, Bus 9,15.
Open all year, Check in on agreement, reservations in advance required.
Connection Guest House - No longer gay.
Apartment Dembinszky Street
7th district, Dembinszky Street
Web page: http://www.gaystay.net/Dembinszky/
Reservation: Reservation Form
(Close to Angyal Bar, Keleti Railway Station, Heroe's Square, Blaha Luijza Square)
Apartment
Located in the center of the Pest side. Trolley bus line 74 takes you to all gay spots or you just walk. Completely renovated and new furnished. 1 and 1/2 rooms. 47 squaremeters. For up to 3 persons (or maybe 4). Keys for every guest. Mobile phone with Hungarian number included. Landline phone. Satellite TV with many foreign channels. Full bath with tab & shower, unlimeted hot water and lot of towels, blankets etc. Central heating. Fully equipped kitchenette with fridge, stove, coffeemaker, watercooker, toaster. Washing machine and ironing facilities. Intercom system at front door for your safety. Large supermarket nearby. Guarded parking area nearby. Gay staff at check in & check out. Staff is German and English speaking, always reachable at mobile phone for assistance. At check in you can get tickets for public traffic, stamps and phonecards for the purchase rate. Free Condoms. Free printed gay map at arrival. Internet access for your laptop can be prepared.
Open all year, Check in on agreement, reservations in advance required.
Perfect for 1 or 2 persons, can sleep max. 4
Apartment Erzsebeth Boulevard One
7th district, Erzsebeth Boulevard
Web page: http://gaystay.net/ErzsebethOne/
Reservation: Reservation Form
(Close to Opera, List Ferenc Institute, Oktogon Square, Blaha Luijza Square)
Apartment
Please review the webpage for details.
Open all year, Check in on agreement, reservations in advance required.
Perfect for 1 or 2 persons, can sleep max. 6
Apartment Erzsebeth Boulevard Two
7th district, Erzsebeth Boulevard
Web page: http://gaystay.net/ErzsebethTwo/
Reservation: Reservation Form
(Close to Opera, List Ferenc Institute, Oktogon Square, Blaha Luijza Square)
Apartment
Please review the webpage for details.
Open all year, Check in on agreement, reservations in advance required.
Perfect for 1 or 2 persons
Apartment Erzsebeth Boulevard Three
7th district, Erzsebeth Boulevard
Web page: http://gaystay.net/ErzsebethThree/
Reservation: Reservation Form
(Close to Opera, List Ferenc Institute, Oktogon Square, Blaha Luijza Square)
Apartment
Please review the webpage for details.
Open all year, Check in on agreement, reservations in advance required.
Perfect for up to 6 persons
Apartment Kigyio Street
5th district, Kigyio Street
Web page: http://gaystay.net/Kigyio/
Reservation: Reservation Form
(Close to Danube, Vaci utca, Metro Ferenciek Square)
Apartment
Please review the webpage for details.
Open all year, Check in on agreement, reservations in advance required.
Perfect for 1 or 2 persons
Apartment Klauzal Street
7th district, Klauzal Street
Web page: http://gaystay.net/Klauzalstreet/
Reservation: Reservation Form
(Close to Astoria, Blaha Luijza Square, Jewish Synagoge)
Apartment
Please review the webpage for details.
Open all year, Check in on agreement, reservations in advance required.
Perfect for 1 or 2 persons, can sleep max. 4
Apartment Kresz Geza Street
13th district, Kresz Geza Street
Web page: http://gaystay.net/KreszGeza/
Reservation: Reservation Form
(Close to Nyugati Railway station, Margit Island)
Apartment
Please review the webpage for details.
Open all year, Check in on agreement, reservations in advance required.
Perfect for 4 persons
Apartment Nador Street
5th district, Nador Street
Web page: http://gaystay.net/Nador/
Reservation: Reservation Form
(Close to Danube, Parlament, Deak Square)
Apartment
Please review the webpage for details.
Open all year, Check in on agreement, reservations in advance required.
Perfect for 1 or 2 persons
Apartment Nyar Street
7th district, Nyar Street
Web page: http://gaystay.net/Nyar/
Reservation: Reservation Form
(Close to Astoria Square, Jewish Synagoge, Blaha Luijza Square)
Apartment
Please review the webpage for details.
Open all year, Check in on agreement, reservations in advance required.
Perfect for 1 or 2 persons
Apartment Hegyedues Gyula Street
13th district, Hegyedues Gyula Street
Web page: http://gaystay.net/HegyeduesGyula/
Reservation: Reservation Form
(Close to Nyugati Railway station, Margit Island)
Apartment
Please review the webpage for details.
Open all year, Check in on agreement, reservations in advance required.
Perfect for 1 or 2 persons, can sleep max. 3
Private Room Hungaria Boulevard
14th district, Hungaria Boulevard
Web page: http://gaystay.net/Hungaria/
Reservation: Reservation Form
(2 bus stops from Keleti station outbound)
Private Room
Please review the webpage for details.
Open all year, Check in on agreement, reservations in advance required.
Perfect for 1 or 2 persons
Private Rooms Ipoly Street
13th district, Ipoly Street
Web page: http://gaystay.net/Ipoly/
Reservation: Reservation Form
(Close to Lehel Square)
Private Room
Please review the webpage for details.
Open all year, Check in on agreement, reservations in advance required.
Each room perfect for 1 or 2 persons
Hotels in Hungary (not gay)
You need accommodation in other cities in Hungary than Budapest? Or you are used to stay at 3 or 4 star hotels? We believe that staying at one of the gay owned or operated accommodations has a lot of advantages (see listings above). But you may book hotels at http://gayguide.net/Europe/Hungary/Hotels/. We don't know if they are gay friendly or not...
Bars & Pubs
Action Bar
1053 Budapest, Magyar utca 42.
Phone: 266 91 48
Email:
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Web page: http://www.action.gay.hu/
(near to Metro 3, Kálvin tér, Night bus 50é, 14é)
Gay, Bar, Back room / Darkroom, Video, Rent Boys , Shows
Gay basement bar with Hungary's most frequented back room & video room. Crowded all week. Every night Go Go dancers & stripper from midnight until 3 or 4 in the morning. Audience of all age ranges and types of interest. At Magyar utca 42 you'll see a yellow A on a black background, but the entrance is 15 meters away from this sign ! Go downstairs (its located ibn the cellar). You'll get a consumption card after you've entered the place - payment is at the exit before you leave. See their home page !
Daily from 9 p.m. until 4 a.m. Minimum consumption 1000 Forint, no entrance fee.
Chaos Music Pub
1072 Budapest, Dohány utca 38 (Corner to Nagydiófa utca)
Phone: 344 48 84
Email:
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Web page: http://www.chaospub.hu/ (close it with 'Alt' + F4)
(near to Metro Astoria and Metro Blaha L. Square, Night bus 78é)
Gay (men only), Bar, Gallery, Dance floor
The focus is on communication in this bar. The staff is very friendly. It's cruisy, but not dark. It has a small dance floor & a DJ, but it's not a dance club. It's a music pub. Recently their back room started to be crowded. If you arrive at Dohány utca 38, you'll see on the ground floor their gallery, which is open in the daytime. Downstairs in the huge cellar is the nightlife. Bricks & metal design with a really huge bar. Also some food is available. Their owners intend to open a café on the ground floor, that will be open during the daytime. Check it out ! Special parties sometimes.
Open daily. 9 p.m. til 4 a.m.; Friday and Saturday night til 5 a.m.
Minimum consumption on Fri and Sat 700 Forint (to be paid at the entrance) including a drink voucher.
Darling Bar
1053 Budapest, Szép utca 1
Phone: 267 33 15
(near to Metro 2 Astoria , Night bus 50é, 14é and 78é)
Gay, Bar, Back room / Darkroom, Video, Rent Boys
Small, dark Bar on two levels, centrally located, close to Action Bar. Drop in for one drink. Upstairs video room, a back room behind the bar.
Daily from 7 p.m. until 4 a.m.
No entrance fee.
Mystery Bar
1054 Budapest, Nagysándor József utca 3
Phone: : 312 14 36
Email:
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Web page: http://gayguide.net/Budapest/Mystery/
Gay and lesbian mixed, Bar, Internetcafé
(Near to Metro 3 Arany János utca, Night bus 50é, 14é)
Small Bar, small dishes available, good for going there to chat with friends. Go there to check your emails and surf the web during your stay in Budapest.
Monday til Friday from 12 noon til 4 am, Saturday and Sunday from 6 pm till 4 am.
Free Entrance, no minimum consumption
Internet 500 Forint per hour; 300 Forint per 1/2 hour
Baths & Beaches & Saunas
Budapest is well known for its public bathhouses, which also play an important role in the cities gay life. The most recommended baths (mostly visited by gays) are listed below.
Dipping into Budapest's Baths - A visit to a Budapest bathhouse, a tradition leftover from the Turkish occupancy of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, is a unique way to experience Hungarian culture firsthand (as it were). Mass-market tourist guidebooks make much of the interesting architecture to be found at these institutions. Gay men will find the scenery of naked male bodies to be equally spellbinding. However, a trip to the bathhouse is fraught with customs and rules that will be entirely new to a Westerner, especially men who usually go to other European or American bathhouses to hook up with other guys for sexual fun and games. (As a man, I am only addressing the bathhouses from the gay male viewpoint, and would welcome any lesbians to write about their visit to a women's bathhouse.).......
Read more of this article contributed by Rick Rodgers for our web site: http://gayguide.net/Europe/Hungary/Budapest/budrep5.htm .
Apollo Sauna
VII, Csengery utca 26
Phone: none
Email:
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Web page: http://apolloszauna.adatpark.hu/apollo/en.htm
(Close to Oktogon and Nyugati station tram stops)
A new gay sauna, opened early 2002. At the beginning they advertosed as 'NeeMo Sauna', but changed the name recently. Nicely furnished place, small but cofortable. 3 levels. Upstairs wardrobe, downstairs a small bar (also alcoholic drinks), next to a whirlpool. One dry and one steam sauna. Massage available. Management changed in May 2002. You should ask for prices for drinks before ordering !
Every day 4 pm to 1 am
Entrance fee: Mondays: 980 HUF, Tuesdays till Thursdays 4-7 pm 1.150 HUF, 7pm til 1 am 1.550 HUF. Fridays til Sundays 4-7 pm 1.550 HUF, 7pm til 1 am 1.980 HUF. Discount card for 12 entries 11.500 HUF.
Magnum Sauna & Gym
VIII, Csepreghy utca 2 (corner Mária utca)
Phone: 267 25 32
Email:
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Web page: http://gayguide.net/Budapest/Magnum/
(Metro stop Ferenc Körut, Tram 4/6, Bus 83, Night bus 6é)
The first private gay sauna & gym, opened in May 2001 on more then 400 square meter. Steam Sauna, dry sauna, 9 private cabins, 6 glory hole cabins, Darkroom, TV/Video rooms.
At the bar you can get a full selection of non-alcoholic drinks, hot beverages and snacks. Weight lifting machines. No entry for guests less than 19 years. Thursday: Darkroom night. Saturday: Party day with free champagne and snacks.
Sunday to Thursday: 1 pm to 1 am; Friday and Saturday: 1 pm to 4 am.
Entrance fee Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday 1190 HUF. Fridays and Sundays 1590 HUF. Wednesdays 900 HUF. People up to 26 years Mondays 590 HUF; Tuesdays and Thursdays 990 HUF; Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 1190 HUF.
Extra towel 300 HUF; Sandals 200 HUF.
Gellért Bath
XI., Kelenhegyiút 2-6.
Phone: 466 61 66
(Bus 7, Tram 18, 19, 47, 49)
The fountains are over 200 years old. The bath itself was built in 1918 in art nouveau style, and is probably the most famous among all baths in Budapest for its architectural beauty. It is also the priciest of its kind. Gay men go to the thermal baths mainly, but the pool and the outside area during the summer are also cruisy. Massage and other medical services are available.
Opening hours Mondays til Fridays 6 a.m. til 6 p.m., Saturday & Sunday 6 a.m. til 4 p.m. Outside areas open from May til September.
Entrance fee: Only to the thermal bath 1600 Forint. Thermal bath and swimming pool: 1800 Forint. Daily ticket (valid for all areas and including a cabin): 2200 Forints.
Király Bath
II., Fô utca 82-86.
Phone: 202 36 88
(Tram 4, 6, Bus 6, 26 to Margaret bridge, on the Buda side, then walk or take bus 60, 86 for one stop towards Battyány tér.)
Compared to Gellért bath, it has a more direct atmosphere and is more exclusively gay. Built in the 15th century by Arslan Pasha. Massage available. You should bring a towel or you can rent one for 400 Forint.
For men Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. (entrance until 7 p.m.); for women Tuesdays, Thursdays 6:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Saturdays 6:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Entrance closes 1 hour before the bath closes. Opening hours are the same all year around.
Entrance fee 700 Forint.
Rác Bath
This famous and among the local gay scene very popular bath house (originally built in the 15th century) closed in end of June 2002. It is sold, and it will a few years of renovations until it will re-open. Earliest in 2004. But at that time, most probably, it will not be a gay spot anymore...
Further bathes
- Rudas (I., Döbrentei tér 9. Phone: 15613 22)
- Lukács (II., Frankel Leó út 25-27. Phone: 326 16 95)
- Széchenyi (XIV, Állatkerti út 11. Phone: 321 03 10)
Beaches
- Palatinus Strandfürdö XIII. Margaret Island Phone: 340 45 05 On the flat roof of the building there is a nudist sun bathing area for men which is almost exclusively visited by gays.
- Csillághegyi Strandfürdô II., Pusztakúti út 3. Phone: 250 15 33 Beach with nudist area on the hilltop.
- Omszki Lake: Just outside Budapest, in the north, reachable by the suburban train "HEV", starting from Batthany tér (direction: Szentendre). Get off at Budakalász. From there it is about 20-30 minutes walk to the lake. There is a nudist area often visited by gays.
Cafés Amstel River Café
1052 Budapest, Párizsi utca 6
Phone: 266 43 34
(Near Metro 1 Vörösmarty tér, small street just off Váci utca)
Gay operated, Mixed gay & straight, Cafe, Restaurant
A Dutch café-restaurant frequented by gays, very downtown in the tourist area near the Danube.
Open every day 12 a.m. to midnight
No entrance fee.
Aztek Choxolat
1052 Budapest, Semmelweis uyca 19 & Károly Koerut 22
Phone: 266 44 96
Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it '; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text13537 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //--> This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it (In the Passage close to cafe Eklektika, Metro Deak ter and Astoria ter, Bus 7 Tram 47)
Gay operated, Mixed gay & straight, Cafe, Chocolaterie, Cafeterie, Patisserie
A sweet gay cafe, chocolate shop and patisserie, a so missed daytime place in the sweetest heart of Budapest... Where you can enjoy an excellent Illy cafe or an authentic Aztek hot chocolate with a piece of delightful cake or some fine chocolate bon-bon. From spring time till late autumn warm gay breakfast parties at Saturday mornings on the terrace. Various photo and picture exhibitions month by month.
Mondays til Fridays 10 am - 6 pm, Saturdays 10 am til 1 pm
No entrance fee.
Café Eklektika
1052 Budapest, Semmelweis utca 21
Tel: 266 30 54
Email:
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(Near the stop of Metro line 2, Astoria. Night bus: 50é, 14é, 78é)
Lesbian, Gay, Straight, Café
Nice lesbian, and gay-friendly Café, with small kitchen, lesbian owned and operated. Colorful Cocktails, precious wines, friendly atmosphere, smooth Jazz, live concerts on Fridays. Terrace in the summer, women's party every second Saturday of the month from 10 p.m.
Open: Mon-Fri 12-24, Sat-Sun 17-24. During the Summer Mon-Fri 10-24.
No entrance fee. No minimal consumption.
Café Limo
1056 Budapest, Belgrád rakpart 9
Phone: 266 54 55
Web page: http://extra.hu/limo/
(At the Danube, close to Szabasság bridge. Tram 2, 47, 49)
Lesbian, Gay, Transsexual, Café
Gay owned and operated cafe on three levels. Sometimes drag queen staff. Very stylish, great interior design with windows looking over the river Danube, Freedom Bridge, and the Gellert Hill. All age groups, but mostly younger clientele. Shows downstairs (go there to check the programme). Only drinks (bit pricy).
Open Mon til Fri 12 noon til 5 am Sat & Sun 12 noon til 6 am
Minimum consumption 500 Forint on Fridays and Saturdays.
Dance Clubs Angyal Bár
1074 Budapest, Szövetség utca 33
Phone: 351 64 90
(near Metro 2 Blaha L. tér)
Gay (Sat) Mixed (Fri & Sun), Bar, Dance Club, Restaurant, Back room/Darkroom, Shows
The biggest gay and gay friendly dance club in Budapest (exclusively gay on Saturdays). Three bars, upstairs a restaurant, downstairs a dance floor usually packed with people. Behind the dance floor you can find a back room (Saturdays); Fridays, Sundays and the last Saturday in each month a popular drag show that starts at 11:45 pm (good to be there earlier to find a place if you want to see something of the show). Fridays mixed crowd; Saturdays only gay guys, Sundays mostly straight audience (not that jammed).
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 pm until 5 am.
Entrance fee Fridays HUF 800, Saturdays HUF 700, Sundays HUF 800
Café Capella
1056 Budapest, Belgrád rakpart 23
Phone: 318 62 31
Email:
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Web page: http://www.extra.hu/capellacafe/
(on the Danube, near to Metro 3 Ferenciek tere, Night bus 78 é)
Bar, Dance Club, Shows
Staff is mostly gay, but this place attracts mostly strights. Too expensive for a lot of Hungarians. Drag Shows. Reopened after a long time when it was closed for renovations. Now on 3 levels.
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays from 9 p.m. until 3 or 4 a.m.
Entrance fee on Fri & Sat 1000 Forint.
Heaven 51
1066 Budapest, Ó utca 51
Phone: not public
Email:
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Webpage: http://www.heaven51.hu/
(near Metro Oktogon, Tram 4/6, Night bus 6é)
Gays and lesbian mixed, straight friendly, Bar, Dance Club, Shows
Located in a cellar on two levels. On Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays bar only. Club Nights with show on Fridays and Saturdays. On Club Nights you will find 3 bars and a multi-level dance floor, with a small stage on the basement dance floor. There is no entrance fee.
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays: 10:30 pm until 6 am; all other days closed.
Minimum consumption on club nights is 500 Forints. At the entrance you'll get a consumption card and you'll pay when you leave. ( In case of lost of card the penalty is 10.000 Forint)
Restaurants
Fenyôgyöngye vendéglô 1025 Budapest, Szépvölgyi út 155
Phone: 325 97 83 ; 325 50 06
Fax: 325 97 83
Not Gay but gay owned, Restaurant
(From Kolosy square take bus 65 which goes along Szepvölgyi út to the last stop.)
Excursion restaurant in the Buda hills, gay owned, very good dishes, very polite service. Call before, as they have sometimes private parties.
Daily from 12 p.m. until 11 p.m.
Pizzeria Club '93
1087 Budapest, Vas utca 2
Phone: 338 11 19
(Metro 2 Blaha Lujza tér and Astoria, Bus 7, 7a, 78, Night bus 78é)
Gay, lesbian and straight mixed, Restaurant
A friendly small pizzeria often visited by lesbians and gays. Very reasonable prices. Italian kitchen, Hungarian temperament.
Monday till Saturday: 12am -1am, Sunday: 5pm -1am
Wurlitzer
1077 Budapest, Wesselényi utca 49
Phone: 351 02 31
Email:
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(Metro 2 Blaha Lujza tér, Tram 4/6 stop Wesselenyi utca, Trolley 74, Night bus 6é)
Gay & lesbian friendly, Restaurant
Gay friendly environment, candle light tables, extensive menu. Hungarian homemade kitchen. Reopened in July, - new management. A place you should go to !
Monday til Saturday: 12 noon til 12 midnight, Sunday cloded
Credit Cards accepted (Visa, Euro/Mastercards, Amex, Maestro)
Source: Gay Budapest Guide
