Budapest has never been a skateboarder's paradise, and Hungarian skaters can only dream of free waterfront parks, so public spaces have unwittingly become some of the most popular skate sites. However, we can still find some spots with bowls, funboxes and half-pipes, so we asked a few experts for their recommendations on where to skate in Budapest.
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Erzsébet Square “Erzsi” skatepark
The classic Erzsébet Square skatepark does not need an introduction for most residents of Budapest. This is where a huge number of young people gather who want to connect sport with a picnic amid the buzzing atmosphere of the city. The best thing is, no one scolds you here for wearing down everything. There's a roll-in and funbox, but apparently the sizes and design of the park are not the best. Nonetheless it is completely free to use, and serves as a good meeting point for skaters and sports fans.
Address: 1051 Budapest, Erzsébet Square 1.
Cost: free
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Városliget
Not far from the Transport Museum, in one of the largest parks of the city, there's a skatepark - or at least something that resembles a skatepark. The facility has a vert wall, quarter pipe, stair, full pipe and pyramid, so we can spend our time well. However, this court is not likely to lick international stars into shape.
Address: 1146 Budapest, Városligeti Boulevard 7.
Cost: free
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Zuglói skatepark
The Zuglói skatepark is an ideal place for skateboarding and BMX. It has a large spine, a correct quarter pipe and a fairly large vert wall (which is mainly used by bikers), an above-average diameter flat rail, and various vert wall-quarter pipe combos on the other side. In the middle of the court there is a bank, a full pipe and a funbox. The latter is more for BMX, since we think it is impossible for an average person to fly through it with a skateboard. Nevertheless, this is regarded as one of the better parks in Budapest.
Address: 1141 Budapest, Mogyoródi Road 132.
Cost: free
4/6
Sashalmi pool
The XVI District local government built a skating pool in 2009 with the help of funding from the European Union. Even though the park is far from the downtown, it is always full of people. The atmosphere is somewhat reminiscent of the Californian suburbs - except there are no palm trees. All in all, the skatepark is free to use, and the atmosphere is usually great.
Address: 1163 Budapest, Sashalmi Promenade 60.
Cost: free
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Görzenál
The park had been neglected for a long time but was revamped in 2014. The new court is nearly perfect in terms of design: the elements are low, which is good news for skaters (although this is not such good news for BMX riders). There are skippable sized levels, pipes and roll-ins, which favours mainly those who do not really dare to slide above the stairs. In addition, the engineering work is praiseworthy as well: the court is covered by Russian birch wood, and its base is made from plywood and construction timber – which results in soft skating, while the structure itself is sturdy and durable. As a plus, we can rent protective gear here.
Cost: 900 HUF (daily ticket)
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Laktanya Street sportpark
The court was built in the area between Laktanya and Vöröskereszt Street, as part of the local sport park’s renewal. The place is not far from Szentlélek Square and is popular among skaters. This is no accident. The park was built with input from skilled athletes, so it is relatively well-designed and a diverse skatepark packed with various skating elements.
Address: 1033 Budapest, Fő Square 3.
Cost: free
