One of Central Europe’s biggest musical extravaganzas, Budapest’s Sziget Festival, is now on at full blast, where many major international and local musicians fill multiple stages while all kinds of cool programs entertain festivalgoers night and day for a whole week. Even though the festival offers so many fantastic attractions that there is no need to leave the Island of Freedom, anyone who wishes to take the party out on the open water can discover Budapest’s breathtaking beauty during a breezy ride aboard the festival’s new party boat, Sziget 25 – Cruisin, whichsets sail into the heart of the city every day until the festival ends.
Partygoers can board the boat in the heart of the city at Buda’s Batthyány Square between 10am and 11am, or directly at the festival between noon and 1pm, to embark on a rocking afternoon-long voyage. From early on, a talented DJ spins discs behind the turntables on the boat’s open-air rooftop, filling the ship’s three stories with pleasantly pulsing buoyant beats.
Later on, two other DJs take over to turn up the heat even higher on the deck-top dance floor, which fills to capacity with dancing divas and party animals. Meanwhile downstairs, deck chairs and open-air bean bags in covered cloisters await those who wish to relax while admiring the moving performance of the city’s stunning landmarks that pass along both riversides. Delicious cold drinks are available at several bars all around the boat, while TölTő’s succulent smoked sausages and pulled-pork sandwiches await hungry revelers at the front of the boat. In case the weather unexpectedly turns bad, the party is relocated into the covered downstairs within a few minutes, where the curtains get pulled, amazing LED lights brighten up the hull, and the party rocks on through the storm.
As there is cashless payment aboard the boat – similarly to the entire Sziget Festival grounds – revelers can get their Festipay card right upon boarding, and fill up its balance with cash or bank cards within minutes, avoiding the need to wait on the queue for the top-up point back at the festival. After rocking all afternoon aboard this massive moving party, travelers are taken back to Batthyány Square at around 5pm, from where they can take a transfer bus back to the Island of Freedom for an extra fee. The tickets for the boat party cost 29 euros per person, while CITYPASS holders get a 10-euro discount from the price.
So, if you are at the Sziget Festival and would like to see Budapest’s world-famous landmarks from a truly central perspective without leaving the party behind, the Sziget 25 – Cruisin boat is the perfect choice for an afternoon (kinda) away from the hustle and bustle of the island; anything that happens aboard is up to you.
Routes and timetables during Aug 9-13:
10am - 11am: Gathering at Batthyány tér/Szilágyi Dezső tér (find the Europa boat) 11am: Cruisin leaves from Batthyány tér/Szilágyi Dezső tér to Sziget Boat Entrance 12pm - 1pm: Gathering and boarding at Sziget Boat Entrance 1pm: Cruisin - Sziget – end of Sziget - Rákóczi Bridge (depending on water level) - Batthyány Square/Szilágyi Dezső Square 5pm - 6pm: Disembark at Batthyány Square, where transfer buses take revelers back to the festival for an extra fee.
For more information, check out this website.
