See Budapest like a local

From paddleboarding to shabby-chic bars, a Reuters journalist shares her favorite ways to spend downtime in Hungary’s capital

My journalism career began almost by accident: I grew up in a small town in western Hungary and moved to Budapest, the capital, for university in 1987, just a few years before the fall of the communist regime. After returning from studying abroad in the U.S. and Scotland, I dropped copies of my CV in the mailboxes of 10 companies along an office block in downtown Budapest. One of them was Reuters.

The then-bureau chief hired me as a translator. I later moved to reporting. Recently, as deputy bureau chief for Central and Eastern Europe, I have covered Hungary’s plans to ratify Sweden’s NATO bid, the resignation of our former president over a sex-abuse case pardon, and Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s increasing isolation.

When people ask me how locals spend their downtime in Budapest, here’s what I tell them:

Paddling the Danube: For me, the defining feature of Budapest is the Danube, which cuts between hilly Buda and the flatter Pest side. In the summer, it’s possible to tour the river by kayak or even on a stand-up paddleboard, which has become increasingly popular in the last three or four years.

Don’t try this alone near the city center; the currents are strong, and there is boat traffic. The best spots are north of downtown, near Visegrad and Esztergom, both beautiful historic cities, where the river is calmer and you can swim near its banks.

Taking a bath: With its restored Bauhaus-style buildings on Margaret Island in the middle of the Danube, the Palatinus Bath is popular with locals, especially in the summer. There are also many Turkish baths and thermal spas in the Hungarian capital. The Szechenyi Bath is famous for its beautiful architecture and summer night mass pool parties, but I enjoy it most on dark winter evenings, sitting in the heated pools with snowflakes falling on my head.

Reading: I grew up under the last two decades of communism, almost a generation behind the Hungarian-born journalist Kati Marton, who was born in 1949. Her 2010 memoir “Enemies of the People: My Family’s Journey to America,” exposes the workings of the terror state during a darker time than the one I knew. She digs out secret police files on her parents and conducts dozens of interviews to reveal how her family was spied on and betrayed by friends, colleagues, and even the children’s babysitter.

Viewing: Istvan Szabo’s 1999 epic film “Sunshine” had a deep impact on me. Starring Ralph Fiennes, it follows several generations of a Hungarian Jewish family whose last name was originally Sonnenschein (“sunshine” in German) and later changed to Sors (“fate” in Hungarian). It traces their lives from the Austro-Hungarian Empire through to the period after the 1956 revolution against Soviet rule.

Concert-going: The young singer, songwriter and YouTuber Azahriah (original name: Attila Bauko) has become a superstar of the Hungarian music scene. He experiments with genres including rap and reggaeton, blending them together to create something totally new. Also, do not miss Budapest’s famous Sziget Festival, which has been held annually in August since 1993 and has evolved into one of Europe’s largest music festivals.

Taking the tram: Budapest has an excellent public transport network, including one of Europe’s most spectacular tram lines, the number 2, which runs alongside the Danube river and passes by all the key sights, including the parliament building. There is a super useful application, Budapest GO, which you can download and use to buy tickets. A 24-hour travelcard costs about $7, while a 72-hour card costs $15.

Drinking while listening: The cosy and modern Opus jazz club inside the Budapest Music Center is a favourite place to go for jazz music over a glass of wine. It offers affordable concerts almost every night. You can take a stroll afterward to the Danube to marvel at Budapest by night with all the bridges lit up.

Hanging out: Across Liberty Bridge on the Buda side of the Danube is a hip area along Bela Bartok Avenue, where mostly young Hungarians and students hang out in tiny, shabby-chic cafes and bars. There are also popular trendy bistros at the bottom of Gellert Hill, with its old villas. I like Bartok, a bistro with exposed brick walls and high ceilings that also offers breakfasts, or Kelet (“East”) Café, which has walls lined with books and great ambience in the evenings when it fills with chatter.

Dessert: Chimney cake is said to have originated in the Hungarian-speaking regions of Romania, but it is everywhere in Budapest. The name comes from its shape, as the dough is rolled around a wooden spit and then baked, and coated in sugar, cinnamon, or ground walnuts. The cheapest places offer it for as little as $2. (Krisztina Than/Reuters)