The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced Friday evening during a live speech at Facebook that the schools and kindergartens in Hungary will be closed from March 16th.
He did not give any information about the duration, but he did expect it to be a question of months and not weeks! The universities were closed earlier this week, and now the kindergartens and schools follow in the same example.
For those attending school, there will be online courses and digital teaching. In other words, this is not a holiday, but they will study from home instead.
Viktor Orban also said that it is very important that the parents try to solve the problem of watching out for the children at home. It might be tempting to ask the grandparents for help, but considering that the virus is more dangerous for those who are old, he encouraged everyone to try to solve this without involving the grandparents.
Would you like to know more about the Covid-19 virus in Hungary? Click the link for daily updates in our main article!
Every day we are given information once about the progress of the coronavirus in Hungary. The daily update on March 12th tells us that three new people have been infected by the virus.
The three new people are:
A lady who has been isolated in the Szent Janos hospital for days.
A person from Iran who has been infected by one of the other people from Iran.
A Hungarian man who was infected during a recent trip to Israel.
As of today, all theaters, and cinemas are closed. Children are still attending schools and going to kindergarten. Both parents and teachers hope that the government will decide to close school and kindergartens as well, but still, that is not happening in Hungary, even though it has happened in neighboring countries such as Austria, Romania, Slovakia, and Poland.
Is it safe to visit Hungary? Should you worry about your upcoming travel to Budapest? The latest updates about the coronavirus in Hungary!
Many people are worried because of the coronavirus. But, is it safe to visit Hungary in the middle of this? What do the Hungarian people think about the coronavirus? Here you can read the latest news and information about the virus and its status in Hungary.
The article is updated frequently, so just return for the most recent updates. It is also recommended to check our blog for updated articles related to visiting Budapest in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.
What’s up with the coronavirus in Hungary?
Hungary opens to all EU citizens – June 18.
From tomorrow, everyone with a EU passport (living in an EU country), and those from Serbia, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland can enter Hungary.
We do not update this article frequently anymore, so we suggest paying attention to the “blog” instead where we publish new posts. If you want information, we also recommend that you visit www.budapestguide.org where you can find rules and regulations for entering Hungary depending on your country of origin.
Currently people from Austria, Serbia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Germany can come to Hungary and Budapest without entering a quarantine. This is great news for those who want to visit Hungary during the summer of 2020.
Budapest is opening – June 3.
Many of the companies doing boat trips on the Danube are open again. Most restaurants in Budapest are open again. In other words, you can have a good time and visit Budapest and enjoy the famous goulash soup and more if you come to Budapest right now.
But, pay attention to the rules, because you will still be required to enter a 14-day quarantine if you arrive from many countries.
When will the tourists come to Budapest again? – May 29.
Restaurants are now allowed to open, not only with customers outside, but also inside the building. The waiters’ are required to wear a mask. Hungary has also made a deal with Slovakia, Austria, and the Czech Republic, making travels between the nations easier, without the requirement to spend time in quarantine as you visit the other countries. Of course, the rules are not 100% easy to understand, meaning that you should still be careful and ask for further help before you plan your trip.
Once again, Budapest is opening and so is Hungary. But, there are still some more things that needs to be done before Hungary will totally open up for tourists.
Budapest is opening again – May 18.
It has been a while since our last update. Not much has happened. Budapest has been in lockdown, but as of today, restaurants (outdoor areas), stores, malls, and similar areas can open again. There is still a need to keep a 1,5m distance, and a mask is required. Outside Budapest, things have been like this for a week already, and hopefully, Budapest will return back to “normal” before the summer season and tourists once again can arrive to Budapest.
It is expected to come a second wave of the virus in September, but airlines will start their flights between Budapest and other destinations again.
Things are not changing much – April 24.
There are soon 2500 people infected with the virus in Hungary. The government is believing that the virus will peak around May 3rd. Rumors say that school might open again later in May, but nothing has been said for sure yet.
The numbers are growing – April 15.
We don’t update this article so frequently anymore, as not much is happening. The numbers have been growing lately. We saw 200 new cases in one day last week, but in general, the numbers are between 50 and 100 each day. The total number of infected people in Hungary is now 1579.
Many popular locations in Hungary are closed for tourists. As a result, you are not allowed to visit Szentendre, other popular sites along the Danube, and many other locations.
Only 11 new cases in the last 24 hours – April 6.
The number of people with coronavirus in Hungary grew to 733 on Sunday. But, by Monday morning, the number has “only” grown to 744. That means 11 new cases has been diagnosed in the the 24 hours. Some people believe the low numbers are due to few tests, or are the Hungarian restrictions actually working? Do not forget, the streets and tourist attractions are almost empty. More pictures will be posted later today.
April 3 update
The number of people infected is now 625. That is a growth of 40 people since yesterday (when the number was 585). If you want to watch some pictures from empty tourist attractions in Budapest due to the coronavirus, check this article.
Restaurants are mostly closed in Budapest, and only people from Hungary or people with a work-permit in Hungary are allowed to enter the country.
April is here! – April 1.
Spring has come to Budapest and the colors are beautiful. Unfortunately, there are no tourists in Budapest able to take joy in what they see. But, since Hungarians are still allowed to go for a healthy walk, some Hungarians even visit the Gellert hill to enjoy the beautiful view and the colors.
There are now 525 people with the virus in Hungary, a growth of 33 people since yesterday.
A map of Hungary – March 31.
The total number of people infected by the coronavirus in Hungary is now 492. They are spread throughout the entire country. Here you can see a map showing the status as of March 31.
A map of Hungary with the 19 counties.
The Coronavirus in Hungary – March 30.
As of Monday, March 30, the number of people with coronavirus in Hungary is 447. That is an increase of 39 since Sunday. Hospitals are preparing for a massive invasion of patients. In other words, it is expected for the numbers to grow more rapidly in the coming days and weeks.
The new number is 300 – March 27.
The official number of people in Hungary with the coronavirus is 300. According to the leadership of the country, they believe that the virus will peak in June. In other words, things will not turn back to normal in the near future.
There are now 261 people diagnosed with the covid-19 virus in Hungary. The virus can be found in all the municipalities in Hungary (19 in total).
Ten dead because of the virus so far – March 25.
As of March 25, a total of 10 people have died because of the coronavirus in Hungary. The number of people diagnosed with the virus is 226. Tourism is dead, meaning there are no tourist activities available in Budapest, even though many stores are open until 15.00.
Updated statistics – March 24.
20 people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus since yesterday. The total number of deaths is 8.
The numbers are growing – March 23.
There are now 167 people diagnosed with the coronavirus in Hungary. That is an increase of 36 people since yesterday, the biggest increase in one day so far. 16 people are “healed” from the virus, while 7 people have died because of the virus.
The Coronavirus in Hungary on March 23.
As of today, it will be easier to be tested for the coronavirus, as more doctors should be able to actually take the blood sample and send it to the laboratory. If that happens, the numbers will most likely grow more rapidly in the coming days.
30% increase in one day – March 22.
The total number of people infected by the virus in Hungary is now 131 (the official number). That is approximately a 30% increase compared to yesterday’s number that was 102.
A total of six people have died because of the virus in Hungary.
It is still less than 100 infected – March 20.
The number of people infected by the coronavirus is now 85. In other words, it is a very low number compared to many other countries in Europe. The government expects the number to grow rapidly, but we still haven’t seen rapid growth.
Hotels are closing daily, restaurants are closing daily, and tourist programs are mostly unavailable.
March 19.
09:00 – The number of people infected in Hungary is now 73. Lots of people are working from home and thus choosing isolation to protect themselves and family members. Are you in isolation as well? Here you can see 11 movies and tv series worth watching on Netflix.
06:15 – Yesterday’s announcement was not about what most people expected, that we are not allowed to walk the streets with no purpose at all. Instead, it was about finances and that people will get much better conditions on their loans until the end of the year.
Stores in Budapest are out of flour, sugar, toilet paper, and similar products. You might be lucky and find something now and then, but in general, it is hard to find!
What’s happening today? – March 18.
15:30 – The announcement came but without sound. So, only those able to read lips know what the announcement was all about. We will have to wait some more before we know what Viktor Orban said.
14:00 – The number of people diagnosed with the Covid-19 virus is now 58. Not much has happened since yesterday, but at 15:00, the Hungarian Prime Minister will make an important announcement. It is expected that he will tell people that they are no longer allowed to walk around outside, except for when they need medicines, groceries, or when they go to work. We will update the article once the announcement has been made.
No more tourists – March 17.
08:30 – The number of people infected by the Covid-19 virus in Hungary is now 50.
06:45 – The Hungarian borders are now closed for tourists. Only people from Hungary are allowed to enter the country.
Most restaurants in Budapest will be closed from today. Sir Lancelot, Karpatia, Aszu, and other restaurants that have tried to keep open, will no longer be able to do so after the regulation that says that all restaurants have to close at 15.00. The fact that no more tourists are allowed to enter the country didn’t help much either.
People with some sort of medical experience and education are also invited to volunteer and help out in the treatment of people with the virus.
06:10 – The first person died because of the coronavirus in Hungary yesterday. According to the official statistics, there are now 32 people diagnosed with the virus in Hungary.
Today is the first day when all schools will be closed. Pupils will study at home. The Hungarian TV channel M5 will be used to show material useful for the students studying from home.
Once again, many restaurants in Budapest will remain closed from today, the Gellert Spa, the Rudas Spa, the Szechenyi spa, and other thermal baths will also be closed from today.
The Hungarian national day – March 15.
March 15 is one of three Hungarian national days. But, there will be no celebrations, and there will be no festivities today. Yesterday, 11 new people were diagnosed with the virus (the biggest number in one day so far).
The virus has already had a negative impact on restaurants in Budapest. Yesterday we received reports that some restaurants will close for several months, as they cannot afford to have people working when no guests visit. Many restaurants are still open and available, but you will meet more and more restaurants with closed doors if you try to visit restaurants all around Budapest in the coming weeks.
Important information for tourists!
The thermal baths in Hungary will close from March 15, and the zoo in Budapest will also be closed for visitors. Some of the boat trips on the Danube are still available.
The biggest increase so far – March 14.
21:00 – Five new people are diagnosed with the coronavirus. The total number is now 30.
10:00 – There are now a total of 25 people who have tested positive for the Covid-19 virus in Hungary. The six people are all Hungarians, and no other information has been given about them.
Tourist programs are still available and restaurants remain open in Budapest.
What’s happening in Hungary? – March 13.
21:30 – All schools and kindergartens in Hungary will be closed from March 16. This is to protect the kids, and even more, to protect the parents and the grandparents. The children will study from home instead of attending classes at school. You can read more about this announcement in the following article.
10:30 – The number of infected has increased to 19. Three new Hungarian men are diagnosed with the virus. They are all treated in the Laszlo hospital.
6:30 – According to the last official update (given yesterday evening at 22.30), the number of people infected in Hungary still remains 16. However, some people worry as the lady who was diagnosed with the virus yesterday got the virus without meeting anyone else who is supposed to have the virus.
If you come to Budapest, you can still go on different boat trips on the Danube. They are limiting the number of passengers on the boats, making sure that they follow all the guidelines of the government. You can read more about the boat trips on the Danube in Budapest right here.
Hungary is stepping up against the coronavirus – March 12.
Three new people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in Hungary today. One person comes from Iran and got the virus from the other Iranians with the virus. The second person is a Hungarian lady who has been isolated in a Budapest hospital for several days, and today the blood test results came back with positive results. The third is a Hungarian man who recently returned from a trip to Israel.
Based on the decision to close universities and several other restrictions, the grocery stores were run down yesterday. Once again we could see empty shelves and empty freezers, as people quickly bought all the groceries they need for a longer amount of time.
The border controls are once again active on the borders between Hungary and Slovenia and between Hungary and Austria. This is to stop people arriving from Italy who might carry the virus. It is only allowed for Hungarians in Italy to return home, but if they do, they will be forced into a 2-week quarantine immediately (either at home or in the hospital depending on their state).
Since indoor gatherings of more than 100 people aren’t allowed, most theaters, cinemas, and similar activities will be closed. Most boat trips on the Danube run with smaller boats, meaning they are still running. Restaurants are also running as usual.
Everyone coming to Hungary from Italy will be forced into a 2-week quarantine, either at home or in a hospital (depending on whether they are ill or not upon arrival to the country). All gatherings of 100 people or more indoor are forbidden, and outdoor events with more than 500 people present are also forbidden.
The number of infected people is 13 in total. Considering that the largest parts of the infected are university students with an international background, all universities have to proceed with teaching online, instead of meeting in the actual buildings. Schools and kindergartens remain open since there are no signs of the virus spreading in such environments (yet).
The number of coronavirus tests made in Hungary jumped yesterday, as the rules for who can be tested has been changed. The employees of a hospital are currently in quarantine while waiting for their test results, as they all met without the 70-year-old Coronavirus infected Hungarian before he was diagnosed with the virus. An update will most likely come around 10.00 today with updated numbers and more information.
The Coronavirus in Budapest – March 10.
Based on information released at 10.00 today, there are a total of 12 people infected with the virus in Hungary. The three new are all from Iran, making the number of Coronavirus infected people in Hungary to 8 people from Iran, 1 from Great Britain, and 3 from Hungary.
The Coronavirus statistics for Hungary on March 10.
The number of infected people was raised to 9 yesterday. There are still no signs of the fact that the virus is spreading rapidly among people, so all schools are running, kindergartens are open, the universities are holding lectures, and restaurants, boats on the Danube, and tourist attractions are available as always. But, there are fewer tourists coming, meaning that those working with tourism is suffering because of the lack of tourists coming. But, that is something not only businesses in Budapest and Hungary notice, but everyone working with tourism worldwide.
The Coronavirus in Budapest – March 9.
It is still very quiet in Hungary. According to the last official update made on March 8th at 11.45, there are 7 people infected with the virus in Hungary, and the number of blood samples made is below 400. But, it can be felt on tourism that people travel less, and thus, you will have no trouble finding a free table in your favorite restaurant anymore. But, all activities are available, all stores are open, and all Hungarians live life the way they are used to.
All flight connections between Northern Italy and Hungary have been stopped.
The Coronavirus in Hungary – March 6.
There are now four people reported in Hungary with the Coronavirus. One is the girlfriend of one of the Irani students, while the other is a man in Debrecen who commutes between Debrecen and Milano because of his job.
A tourist group of 15 people from Japan who were coughing was also taken to control yesterday. We don’t know anything else about their symptoms, nor about the results of the tests yet.
Even though all tourist attractions are open and all activities are available as they normally would be, many restaurants and hotels report about canceled trips and canceled table reservations.
The status of the Coronavirus in Hungary at the moment.
Coronavirus report on March 5.
It is very hard to find hand sanitizers in stores in Budapest. The two Iranian students who are infected by the virus got the virus during a trip to Iran. One is studying in the city of Györ, while the other studies pharmacology in Budapest. Due to the virus, the Budapest student should have stayed home from the university the first two weeks after his arrival to Budapest (that was university regulations because of the virus), but he didn’t keep the regulations. As a result, he was attending lectures for an entire week at the university before he stopped.
The university was supposed to have a big event this weekend, but they have decided to cancel it. The class of the Iranian student in Budapest has been quarantined (16 pupils in total), and will not attend any classes in the next 2 weeks.
Extra Coronavirus report on March 4th
Today at 18.30, the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban reported about the first two people in the country who have been infected by the Coronavirus. They are students from Iran, and they are currently in the Szent Laszlo hospital. No information has been given about how they got infected with the virus yet, so we don’t know if they were infected in Budapest, or if they were infected in Iran (or somewhere else). One of them has a girlfriend who has also been taken into isolation, and the other has a wife who has been taken into isolation. Several tests were made on them to confirm that they were actually infected by the virus.
We will be given daily reports at 12.00 from the committee responsible for handling the Coronavirus in Hungary.
Two travelers who were caught with the virus in the Czech Republic, are reported to have visited several tourist attractions in Budapest before they went to Brno, and then to Prague. They visited the Szechenyi Thermal bath, some ruin pubs and more. The Szechenyi thermal bath has raised the level of chlorine in the water due to the virus.
The number of people infected by the Coronavirus in Hungary. It also shows how many people are in quarantine, and how many blood tests have been made. (on March 4, at 19.10)
Coronavirus report on March 4.
There are still no people infected by the virus in Hungary. Some people are worried about the Ministry of Internal affairs simply not reporting incidents. But, there are no stories from people actually telling that they have been infected (nor telling about people they know who have been infected), so hopefully, Hungary is still one of the few countries in Europe with no people infected by the virus yet.
Coronavirus report on March 3.
British Airways, RyanAir, WizzAir, and other flight companies have canceled flights between many travel destinations worldwide. However, Hungary still hasn’t got any cases of the coronavirus, meaning that most flights to and from Hungary are operating as normal. There are not that many articles about the coronavirus anymore in the Hungarian newspapers, and people seem to have forgotten a bit about it.
In other words, life is normal and tourists come to the city and enjoy themselves! Of course, things can change quickly (like they did in Northern Italy), but currently, there are no cases of the virus in Hungary.
Coronavirus report on March 2.
Hungary still remains one of the few countries in Europe without anyone infected by the coronavirus. There might be people who are infected, but there are still no confirmed occasions of the coronavirus in the country yet.
As a result, tourists are still coming to Hungary in a large number. All the tourist attractions are open, the river cruises run as normal, guided tours are available, and you can easily enjoy wine tasting programs and beer programs if you decide to visit Budapest and Hungary at the moment.
Coronavirus report on February 29.
Things are still the same in Hungary. The flu season is here, but there is still nobody officially infected by the Coronavirus. Tourists are still coming daily and all tourist activities are available like they normally are.
Coronavirus report on February 27.
Not much has happened since yesterday. But, the stores are mostly out of flour, rice, spaghetti, and similar products. WizzAir has also announced that they will cancel all flights between Italy and other countries in the period between March 10th and April 4th.
Coronavirus report on February 26.
Everyone is speaking about the virus and everyone is preparing for the virus. You can read about the virus in all the online newspapers and even though there aren’t any reported incidents of the coronavirus in Hungary still, most people believe it is just a matter of time.
A school-class who visited Italy is in quarantine in the Szent Laszlo hospital, but none is still reported to actually be infected with the virus.
However, many people prepare for an outbreak, and as a result, you can see in several stores that rice, flour, spaghetti, and similar products are missing. There are no signs of panic yet, but people are preparing for what might turn into harder days and weeks.
Due to a long time of incubation of the virus, there might be people carrying the virus in Hungary, but they haven’t been treated yet or gotten any symptoms yet.
The Hungarian flight company WizzAir reported that they carried a passenger with the virus on a flight between Craiova in Romania and Bologna in Italy. The flight has been taken out of use since this happened.
Did you know that the final of the Europe League will be played in Budapest in 2022? This is the biggest football match in Europe every year after the final of the Champions League. And yes, you can watch the match in Budapest in 2022.
The Europe League final in 2022 will be played at the Puskas Arena. The stadium was formerly called “Nepstadion”, which means the People’s Stadium, but it was recently given the name of the most famous Hungarian football player in history. It has also gone through heavy renovation work. As a result, it will be used for three matches during the European Championship in football in 2020.
The European Championship in Handball is currently arranged in Austria, Sweden, and Norway, and the Hungarians surprised us all and won their initial group. That was a giant surprise, especially considering that they have to play against the Danes, the team considered to be the best in the world currently.
After the initial stage, Hungary went on to the next stage in the tournament together with Iceland. The Danes were left behind together with the Russian team. The Hungarians have played very well, far better than expected, and especially the second half against Iceland during the group stage was magical. But, can they keep the tempo up in the upcoming matches?
Picture made by: Nebojsa Tejic / kolektiff (Source: https://men2020.ehf-euro.com/ )
On January 17th, Hungary will play against Norway
Norway has been an awesome team so far in the tournament, and they have gotten to the final in several large tournaments recently (however, they never managed to actually win the final). Sander Sagosen is the big star of the team, but they have highly-skilled players at all positions. The way we see it, this is probably the toughest of all the matches during the upcoming stage of the European Championship in handball!
On January 19th, Hungary will play against Slovenia
Slovenia has been a big surprise themselves so far in the tournament, but how they will enter this match will in large also depend on their result as they play against Portugal on January 17th.
On January 21st, Hungary will play against Sweden
Handball has been greatly influenced by the Scandinavian nations, and this will be the third Scandinavian nation against which Hungary will play in the tournament.
On January 22nd, Hungary will play against Portugal
This will be a tough one, not because of the incredible skills of the Portuguese team, but because the Hungarians will not have a rest-day in front of the match. Well, neither will Portugal, but it will still create a large pressure upon the players who will for sure be tired by then after playing so many matches in such a short time.
Picture made by Anze Malovrh / kolektiffimages (Source: https://men2020.ehf-euro.com/ )
Can Hungary make it to the semi-final?
Hungary has a little advantage considering that they enter the group stage with two points already. These might be very useful when things get tight. However, if the Hungarians can keep up the fighting from the earlier matches, and if they manage to keep their heads calm, this team might make it to the semi-finals. It would for sure be considered a major surprise to everyone if they do, but there is one thing we can know for sure, the Hungarians will be cheering for their team with everything they have!
Are you looking for a place to watch the matches from the European Championship in Handball in Hungary? If you live in a hotel or an apartment with a TV, then look for the channel Sport1. They broadcast all the Hungarian matches and quite a lot of other matches as well.
Another option is to find a sports pub or bar, and they will for sure stream all the matches in which the Hungarian team is involved!
Budapest Airport enjoyed a very good year in 2019. They have a higher rate of growth than most other airports in Europe, and it was the first year ever they passed more than 16 million passengers in one single year.
The total amount of passengers arriving and departing Budapest Airport was 16 173 489. The most popular destination from which people arrive and to which people fly is London, but it is also a fact that people arrive at Budapest Airport from all across Europe in large numbers. But, one of the biggest expansions in 2019 happened towards the Asian market, and there are now direct flights between Budapest and Asian cities such as Shanghai, Soul, Chengdu, Chongqing, and Sanya.
More than 30 new flights were launched in 2019, and the total number of landings and takeoffs exceeded 122 000. If you divide that with 365 days a year, the average daily number of landings and takeoffs were around 330 in the number.
Look around here in our Budapest Guide for even more information and news about Budapest, pictures from the Hungarian capital, recommendations of restaurants and hotels, and so much more!
Sometimes it can be cool to watch a city you love on the TV screen. Nothing can be compared to walking along the Danube in Budapest enjoying the city during daytime and nighttime, but if you cannot do so at the moment, enjoying Budapest on your TV can be very nice as well!
A few days ago, I had the chance of watching the Amazon Original TV series named Hanna. It is based on the movie from 2011 carrying the same name, and it was released earlier in 2019. The first season consists of eight episodes, and it has been recorded in several countries, including Hungary. But, as I started to watch Hanna, I knew nothing about that.
Is that Budapest or not?
During the first episode and the start of the second, I often sat with the feeling that this could have been recorded in Budapest (partly). But, I didn’t see any famous buildings, so I didn’t know anything for sure. But then, towards the end of the second episode, I suddenly lost all doubts and knew that they had to have recorded parts of the Amazon series in Hungary.
The picture above was what made me 100% sure that they had been recording scenes to this series in Hungary. Well, it might not be Budapest, but I at once recognized the peer for the Danube cruises in Szentendre. If you haven’t been to Szentendre yet, you better try it. It is a really beautiful city worth visiting!
They are chatting with the city of Szentendre in the background.
By now, I knew that they had recorded in Hungary, and it was much easier to recognize buildings and to know things for sure after this. Of course, much of the recordings take place in streets hard to know something about for sure, but in the very end of episode 2, those who have left with a plane from Ferihegy 1 in Budapest, will feel at home.
Recorded in Ferihegy 1 in Budapest
They haven’t used Ferihegy 1 for public flights for quite a lot of years, but it is often used for recording movies and TV shows, and it is very easy to recognize.
And when you get to Hanna season 1 episode 3, you will also see a lot of clips from the Liberty square in Budapest, including the cafe in the middle of the square, the former stock buildings, and also a parking lot in Budapest.
Shooting episode at the cafe in the middle of the Liberty square in Budapest
It is important to know that the story doesn’t take place in Budapest. As a result, they always hide any text that might imply that it is recorded in Budapest. But, if you have a sharp eye and a love for Budapest and Hungary, you will for sure find even more scenes in the Hanna series on Amazon showing different areas and buildings in both Budapest and Hungary.
If you want to know more about Hanna and how you can stream it, check this article on amazonprime.fromabroad.org.
Have you seen Hanna? Or maybe some other TV show or movie packed with scenes from Budapest? Write a comment and let us know about it!
Based on votes from more than 200,000 users, Budapest was just voted the best destination to visit in Europe in 2019. When are you coming?
Budapest is the best European city in 2019 – Picture taken from the official website.
My first thought after reading about the results was that “probably all of Hungary voted for this to happen.” During the European Championship in football in 2016, the Hungarians did really well, and suddenly all of Hungary voted for a goal scored by Gera Zoltan to be the best goal of the tournament. In the end he won, but it felt kind of strange, because the swiss player Shaqiri scored a goal that was 100 times nicer than the Hungarian goal, but I guess the Swiss nation didn’t all come to vote for their national hero (like the Hungarians did).
So, when I read that Budapest just won the price, I thought it had to be a combination of Budapest as a fantastic destination and lots of Hungarians voting for their own capital. But, I read in an article that a very little percentage of the actual votes originated from Hungary, and that made me kind of relieved and able to enjoy the price much more!
But, Budapest won, and this might attract even more people to our beautiful capital.
Have you planned your trip to Budapest yet in 2019? If not, get started. And what better place to start than here in our Budapest Guide where we can help you out with private airport transfers, private guided tours, brewery visits, wine tasting experiences, and lots of other great programs. We have done so for more than 10 years, making us a company with long experience and lots of great feedback, and we would love to help you as well.
Read more about all the great programs we can help you with in Budapest here in our Budapest Guide!
We all want to save money wherever it is possible. We like to pay for quality, but if we find the same quality and the same product cheaper somewhere else, we like to purchase the product in the cheapest possible way.
And then comes the question – why pay more than needed for the hotel room you will live in during your stay in Budapest? We are not speaking about staying in a rat-hole with cockroaches, but why pay more for the exact same room you were planning to stay in when there is a cheaper option?
Why pay more for your Budapest hotel? Source: Pixabay
How can I get the hotel room cheaper?
We just discovered an interesting in an article in the IP Address Guide that was about how you can get cheaper hotel rooms. It is easy to be a skeptic to such articles, but this was really interesting to watch and to read.
They did a live presentation in which they compared the booking services and prices at Booking.com with a new cryptocurrency based platform named Locktrip. There you can see them compare the prices of the Sofitel 5 star hotel in Budapest on the Booking.com and the Locktrip platform. And for a stay of three nights the difference in price for exactly the same product was 75 USD. They further tested other hotel rooms in other cities, and the differences in price was between 10-20% on all booking prices.
The Locktrip platform isn’t any different from the other hotel booking engines, and the fact that it is cryptocurrency based isn’t something you need to worry about. You can simply register, and pay for all your bookings in your local currency with your current payment card. It is important that you need to register at the platform in order to see the prices of the different rooms in your local currency. Before you register you will only see the prices in LOC (the name of the cryptocurrency). But, the value of the token can be seen at all times, meaning that you can easily find the price of the hotel room in your local currency, also without registering at the Locktrip website.
In other words, time to test Locktrip
It is easy to check it out and free to register. As you check the prices, compare them with your favorite booking engine. If you find it to be cheaper, do your booking on the cheapest platform (which most likely will be the Locktrip platform), and use the “saved” money on some cool activity or delicious food in Budapest!
Are you coming to Budapest in the coming days, or maybe you are here already, and now you are worried after reading and hearing about violent demonstrations in Budapest the last days? So, what is the truth? What is it all about? And will you be in danger as a tourist?
First of all, the demonstrations are against the current Prime Minister and his rule, and first of all because of some new rules that were introduced last Wednesday. On that day, the Parliament voted for the so-called “Slave Law”, raising the number of over-time hours from 250 to 400 possible hours for workers. Some call this a great opportunity to work more and earn more, while most people believe this will be abused by employers to drive their workers even harder.
The second law that was introduced is about a new system for the courts of Hungary, which will be overseen by the Minister of Justice. And if we have learned something about the politics of Hungary, it is that the Minister of Justice is in the hands of the Prime Minister, which again means that only such people will get those jobs that will vote for and do whatever the Prime Minister wants…
CNN coverage of the demonstrations in Budapest
Are the demonstrations dangerous for tourists?
The short answer is NO. The longer answer is NO, not at all! If you ever see someone demonstration, you can simply go another way. Or, you can decide to go with them. We have personal knowledge of people attending the demonstrations, and these are peaceful people who long for a change in the nation. There are some “crazy” people attending the demonstrations, but they are not really welcome, and if they turn a garbage can over, the people coming after normally place the garbage can back up in order.
In other words, if you are curious, take a look at what’s going on from a distance, and if you want to support them, walk with them. But, if you feel as if things get heated up, rather leave the area and eat some Goulash soup instead!
The ugly truth about the state of Hungary
We are really in love with the city of Budapest, but it doesn’t mean that we enjoy and appreciate everything that the politicans say and do. And it feels terrible when you hear that people are afraid to say their name to writers and to share their opinions on Facebook. Why? They are afraid of losing their jobs and fear their future. People are threatened to shut up, or they will lose their jobs! If you show up on demonstrations, the chances of being investigated for money matters or other stuff, increases a lot!
Even more annoying is how the state media is compromised, and thus, the larger part of the Hungarian population do not even know about the demonstrations. The State TV is saying whatever they want, and normally all they say about the demonstrations is that George Soros has financed them, and that those showing up are bullies who only want to destroy and create trouble. There are a few credible and objective sources for information, but those are really few, and thus, the average Hungarian will only see the filtered news served them by the Hungarian government.
In other words, there are plenty of reasons to demonstrate – but as a tourist, you do not have to worry at all about.
