Budapest Hipster District VII: Ruin pubs & young nightlife. Szimpla bar, graffiti walls, hip cafes.
With a toss of hair, my Eurail-Vision coverage begins! As you’ll recall, Eurail.com sent my filmmakers and me around Eastern Europe by train. We’re thrilled to share our first-hand finds: underground bars, concept boutiques, music festivals and more.
Let’s start with Budapest, Hungary. I’ve wanted to visit this city for years, and it lived up to its cool reputation.
We were traveling during a heatwave, can you tell? I wore:
Banned Apparel sugar skull dress: gifted by Little Wicked’s Emporium, a wonderful indie online shop for dark fashion, based in the UK. Brands include Hell Bunny and Too Fast. You can order the same style (and more) here.
Red leopard print hair bows: gifted by Sourpuss Clothing
Photography by Melissa Rundle.
Our favorite neighborhood was District VII (Elizabeth Town), the traditional Jewish quarter. Today, it’s known for gritty ruin pubs like Koleves Kert.
Ruin pubs or “romkocsma” are run-down, abandoned buildings that have been converted into hip, young bars. The first and most famous is Szimpla.
Szimpla Kert was my favorite among the ruin pubs we visited in this area. The exterior hardly reveals what awaits inside…
… a hipster free-for-all. Multiple floors and rooms, jammed with bizarre decorations like antique dolls and water bottle sculptures.
That night, the largest section (filled with lights and mismatched chairs) had a retro 60s band, film projections, and random girl selling carrots!
I felt at home in the 90s-cyber computer room. My glass of blackberry wine cost about $1.
In addition to ruinpubs, District 7 is the best place to see graffiti. My filmmakers and I couldn’t shop shooting material here.
Budapest’s fascinating history over the centuries (from the Austro-Hungarian empire to Communism) has left old-school architecture at every turn.
It contrasts with the modern street art that now covers these old surfaces.
So many secrets and layers in District VII, the current youth neighborhood.
Budapest has a creative energy, more so than in most European cities I’ve visited.
I recommend wandering around Kazinczy Street, the Jewish center that contains many historic buildings.
On Király Street you will find youth hostels, cool cafes and design shops.
The VAM Design Center is the top contemporary art and fashion museum in Hungary.
A row of sunflowers cleverly announced a Van Gogh exhibit.
The modern industrial design of this cafe is typical for Kiraly St. Everything’s very affordable in Hungary, so spend your forints (note: they don’t use Euros).
Inside a souvenir shop, I found Alphonse Mucha postcards. (I reviewed his Art Nouveau exhibit in Tokyo.)
District I is another good place to stroll. The area’s more touristy, but contains beautiful historical buildings and sculptures. I stumbled upon this Michal Negrin boutique…
Love the colored jewelry and Rococo-patterned clothing by the Israeli designer.
(My cross nail art is by Glam Nail Studio.)
That’s only the start of my Budapest journey. Coming up: a food tour and Sziget music festival.
Thanks to Eurail.com for making our reports possible. You can find out more about their various train pass packages on their Facebook.
Were you surprised by the scene in Budapest, Hungary? Have you heard about Ruin Pubs or visited any?
SHARE & COMMENT
LA CARMINA
51 Comments
LOVE THIS! Makes me want to travel on Eurail! And your dress is amazing!
Now I know where I’ll have my next holiday!! Great as usual, looking forward to the next instalment!! <3
I highly recommend coming here!!
lovely coord!
oh my gaga!!
I wuv them.
❤❤❤❤
Happy girl!
I love you dress and OMG those art works!
Thanks Euri!! Yesss it’s stunning to see the art up close!
i’m from Hungary and a big fan of your blog. so glad you enjoyed your time in Budapest! *-* <3
I LOVED it here, I have more to come – Sziget festival, grand market… xoxo
that looks like fun there. kind of like berlin is it?
The dress *_*
YES TO THE DRESS
Must tell about Iceland If You can…….Wonder wonder
I just love your blog :) <3
,3 <3
Lovely Amazing you look Stunning <3333333333333333
hey girllllllllllll
Wow, that looks great! You definitely made me want to visit District VII in Budapest
do so!
Hey. I’m a hungarian girl, and I’m very happy. you were in our country. This is so amazing *-* I love you and your blog. I made a fan art for you (I hope you remember) Love you ♥
This is REAL retrofit architecture – like what Blade Runner was trying to do. Way cool!
loved the architecture.
OMG! Have a great time here!^^
I did!!
it looks awesome.
omg xDDD I never thought about Budapest like it’s the hipster district xD but from now on everytime I pass by/go to district VII (what happens very often) I bet I’ll think about it like this:D
haha it’s more hipster-y than Brooklyn or Berlin.
your dress is so cute!! Your traveling around to so many countries is amazing and I hope your adventures continue and are better with each trip
Yayy! thank you, we are doing our best!
Budapest? ♥♥ oh my God
Do you also travel to Romania? If yes, i would so much love to meet you)
Sadly we couldn’t make it this time but it’s on my list!
Kauai
ruin pubs ;D
*O*/// i like this one ^_^
:X
Beautiful dress ^w^
I love reading your posts, they’re great for revealing sides I never knew existed in countries.
I’m so happy to hear! Thanks for your encouragement, we have some amazing destinations coming up!
apparently ya, there’s tons of rap/r&b influence there…but the music sounds terrible to me since I can understand it and its just not the right language for rapping lol
Wish I was there >w<
Can you tell me what the meaning of hipster,I hear it all the time but what is it ?
Super cool skull dress!
Thanks!
Love Budapest
Wasn’t always that way. I spent my summers there when I was younger. These days it definitely feels like super Brooklyn. But keep in my mind their politics and left over dose of anti semitism still hangs around.
Fascinating place.
for more inspiration you can have a look at my blog:)
http://matildasphotodiaries.blogspot.sk/2014/12/there-is-always-sth-left-to-see-in.html
Graffiti is for losers.
Thanks for the post!