As just announced by new city mayor Gergely Karácsony, the Danube embankment in downtown Pest will be closed to traffic for certain weekends this summer. The move echoes other recent initiatives that have opened up the riverside to residents. It is not yet clear when the ruling will come into force, nor for how long.

Following the lead of Paris, Vienna and other major European capitals, Budapest is integrating the river back into city life. Key to this long-term goal has been urban action group Valyo. This is the team behind the most striking example of this undertaking, the Szabihíd picnics that turn Liberty Bridge into an alfresco communal recreation zone during July.

It is hoped that the car-free scheme for the Dunakorzó, the downtown Danube promenade lined with five-star hotels and restaurant terraces, will coincide with these popular events.