From alfresco concerts and festival vibes at Budapest Park to afternoon teas with a Bridgerton feel, scenic picnics, and the Gourmet Festival, here are our top 10 events for May.
1. Catch the last events of the Budapest Spring Festival
The 44th Budapest Spring Festival makes sure to shower the city with buzzing cultural programmes: over 40 events are popping up across nearly 30 locations until May 12th. This weekend, you can catch a graffiti-themed exhibition, a piano concert by the Japanese Takuma Onodera, or free concerts on Liszt Ferenc tér.
See the full programme and get tickets here.
2. Tour architectural gems at the Budapest100 Open House Festival
Mark your calendars for May 11th and 12th, because for one weekend only, you'll have a rare opportunity to explore 36 buildings not typically open to the public. From housing estates and research centres to universities and even a funeral home, this year's Budapest100 promises a fascinating architectural journey.
3. Hop on a vintage tram
If you are looking to add some pizzazz to your public transport in Budapest, catch a vintage vehicle! Since the beginning of the month, heritage trams, buses and trolleybuses have been roaming the city on the weekends, offering a journey through time alongside your commute. You can never go wrong with Tram 2, which offers a proper sightseeing tour along the Danube for the price of an espresso.
More details here, May timetable here.
4. Try a newly opened restaurant or café
2024 has already seen the opening of several sizzling hot gastro spots in the city. We made sure to try and review as many as possible and created a list of the best experiences. If we were you, we wouldn't miss out on the signature hot soup of 101neo, the brilliant Middle-Eastern cuisine of Goli, the colourful smoothie bowls of LuLu Budapest, or the izakaya-styled treats at speakeasy bar YURU.
Check out the full list here.
5. Feel like royalty at these Bridgerton-styled locations
Bridgerton Season 3 arrives on May 16th. And that was a good enough reason for us to compile a list of 10 Budapest locations that look like they were plucked straight from the Netflix sensation. If an afternoon tea at the Gresham Palace, or a stroll in gorgeous villas and rose gardens sound like your kind of pastime, see our article here.
6. Go on a picnic!
May is picnic season! And Budapest boasts some truly idyllic locations to roll out your blanket and sip on a glass of Prosecco. If you're craving the riverside, try Római-part, Kopaszi-gát or Margaret Island. For a lovely and lush atmosphere head to the City Park, Tabán, or the Philosophers' Garden. Or stay downtown and enjoy the manicured garden of the Hungarian National Museum or a hidden gem, Károlyi-kert.
For more tips, see our previous list here.
7. Be among the first to see the DIVA exhibition in Budapest
From May 18th, you can get a close-up look at the magnificent stage costumes of Rihanna, Björk, Whitney Houston, Tina Turner, Marilyn Monroe, and Billie Eilish at the upcoming exhibition Divas & Icons. Travelling all the way from London's Victoria and Albert Museum, the empowering collection will be on view at the House of Music Hungary.
8. Clink your glasses at one of Europe's best craft beer festival
Budapest Beer Week, recently ranked the 3rd best craft beer festival in Europe, will celebrate various craft beer styles and breweries between May 20th and 26th. It will feature tap takeovers, meetups, 'meet the brewer' events and even a conference, welcoming beer enthusiasts at Budapest's hottest craft beer bars. The highlight of the festival will be unlimited tasting sessions and afterparties on May 24th and 25th in Dürer Kert, with a bonus day and free entry on the 26th.
More details and tickets here.
9. Channel your inner foodie at the Gourmet Festival
Indulge in the crème de la crème of Hungarian gastronomy! MBH Bank Gourmet Festival is showcasing the creativity of the country's best chefs, bakers, winemakers, and brewers between May 24th and 26th, with a special spotlight on female energies. Join in celebrating female chefs, pastry chefs, bakers, and manufacturers who are taking an increasingly visible role in the traditionally male-dominated world of hospitality.
More details here.
10. Experience festival vibes and banging concerts at Budapest Park
Budapest Park, the city's favourite open-air concert venue, opened its gates for the season, promising fun nights under the stars. Expect many local talents to perform live, such as Punnany Massif (18 May), AWS (25 May), Analog Balaton (30 May), or Bohemian Betyars (31 May). You can also groove to iconic hits from the '90s and '00s at the NECC party (24 May).
More details and line up here.
(Cover photo: Csudai Sándor - We Love Budapest)
