Budapest Event Guide June 2015
Things to Do in Budapest in June shares with you a long list of interesting events and fun things to do in Budapest to welcome this favorite season.
Budapest in June is marvellous, the city rocks with all kinds of events and fun things to do everywhere around. In June Budapest hosts lots of festivals, concerts, open air theater and all sort of outdoor activities to do for locals and tourists alike.
Budapest weather in June is warm, not too hot, days are much longer, very sunny and bright. Temperatures rise and the whole landscape shines in summer colors.
Despite of the warmer weather I recommend you bring a light jacket for chilly nights, sunglasses and suncream. Do not forget your bathing suit, as you shouldn’t miss the thermal baths nor outdoor pools!!
Please find below our top picks’ list of things to do in Budapest in June, you might be interested in doing what locals do and going where locals go besides sightseeing while visiting Budapest.
Belvárosi Festival – Inner City Festival
When: June 5,6,7, 2015.
Where: District V
On the first weekend of June, the Belfest is taking place in the heart of Budapest, more exactly you will find stages around Erzsebet tér, Szabadság tér and Zrínyi utca.
This festival is completely free of charge and open to anyone who would like to enjoy concerts of jazz, pop, rock, folk music and to have a great time with relatives and friends. There will be playgrounds for children, fashion shows and dance performances, all in one premise.
How to get there: The best way to get to Belfest in Erzsebet tér is taking Blue Metro Line (M3) and getting off at Deák tér station Erzsebet tér is just in front of Deák tér.
Rudas Bath
When: Every Friday and Saturday Night of June, 2015. From 10:00 pm to 4:00 am.
Where: Rudas Baths – Budapest 1013, Döbrentei tér 9.
Price: 4,400 ft.
Rudas Baths is one of the remaining Turkish baths in Budapest. It was built during the 16th century and still preserves the unique architecture, its Ottoman interior and Turkish character.
It opens its doors every Friday and Saturday night to enjoy a quiet spa experience. Visiting Rudas baths at night can be a unique thing to do in Budapest in May. In 2014, Rudas Bath went through an extensive renovation resulting in a brand new wellness area with four new pools and a rooftop terrace and a rooftop pool. You will also find a Reastaurant & Bar that caters a Turkish-Hungarian fusion kitchen.
How to get there: The best way to get to Rudas Baths is taking trams 18 or 19 (from Bathyanyi tér Red Metro Line) as well as buses 5, 7, 8 and 86 to Dobrentei tér. (at the foot of Elizabeth Bridge on the Buda side).
Budapest Summer Festival at Margaret Island
When: June 12 – August 28, 2015
Where: Margaret Island Oper Air Stage and Varosmajor Oper-Air Stage
The Budapest Summer Festival is the city’s most important musical event of the season and one of the festivals that offers the best variety of things to do in Budapest in June.
–The season opens on Margaret Island with the Liszt and Dante concert on June 12 – the National Philharmonic conducted by Zoltán Kocsis.
–This year’s great opera production will be Károly Goldmark’s monumental Opera Queen of Sheba on July 3 and 5, a joint production with the Hungarian State Opera organized by Csaba Káel.
–On July 10, Carl Orff’s 120th birthday, the Szeged Contemporary Ballet and the Dohnányi Orchestra will present a special production of the Catulli Carmina and Carmina Burana, ballet with a grand orchestral accompaniment. The guest star sensation of the Vive la France! Symphonic soundtrack-concert to commemorate the 100 birthday of Edith Piaf, will be announced by the organizers.
–Keeping with the tradition, on June 5 and 6, Puccini’s Tosca will be sung by the French mezzo-soprano Béatrice Uria-Monzon, and Cavaradossi will be sung by the young Chilean tenor, Giancarlo Monsalve.
–On August 22, the founder of the Gipsy Kings band, Chico & The Gypsies arrives.
Budapest Summer Festival offers high quality folk, jazz and world music performances as well as renowned operas during the month of June until the beginning of September.
More information:Check the Budapest Summer Festival website for detailed information on performances and tickets.
Cultural night at Budapest Opera House
When: June, 2015
Where: Hungarian State Opera House. Andrassy út 22
Time: 19:00-22:30
The Hungarian Opera House proudly presents a great variety of pieces worth to see in June:
-Farnace Antonio Vivaldi. Opera in three acts. June 12, 14, 18 and 20, 2015.
-Il Trovatore. Giussepe Verdi . Opera in four acts, two parts. June 19, 2015.
-Kamarazov Brothers.B. Eifman / S. Rachmaninov. Ballet in two acts. Érkel Theater. June 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 28, 2015.
More information: Check the Hungarian Opera House website for detailed information and prices.
How to get there:You can reach the Opera House easily using the yellow metro Line 1. There is a station right across the Opera house , as you come up the station the opera House is just in front of you on Andrassy út 22.
The Érkel Theater is located just in front of the Opera House.
Classical Music Concerts at Budapest Basilica
When: Every Tuesday and Sunday of June, 2015. 8:00 pm.
Where: St. Stephen’s Basilica
Cost: 42-49 Euro
Saint Stephen’s Basilica is one of the most stunning neo Classical buildings of Budapest.
Its great acoustics makes it the perfect place to enjoy a series of beautiful classical music concerts where the organ and the flute are the main players together with outstanding performers.
How to get there: The best way to get the Basilica of Budapest is taking Blue Metro Line 3 and getting off at Arány János station.
More information: Check the Basilica’s organ Concerts Website for detailed information on dates, concerts and prices.
Night of Museums
When: June 20, 2015.
Time: 6 pm until 2:30 am
Where: Every Museum in Budapest
Every year and every season Budapest’s Museums have their own feast, The Night of Museums.
The summer festival of Budapest Museums will offer you a wonderful opportunity to visit as many museums as you want and enjoy a night full of cultural events and programs.
Each Museum organizes unique functions and exhibitions. This year there will be actually 2 nights to enjoy all kind of cultural events. On Night of Museums, your museum entry ticket will work as transport ticket as well on regular Budapest Public transport from 4 pm until 5 am. Special museum buses will be running between the venues as well.
More information: Check the Night of Museums website for detailed information on tickets,transport, programs and participating museums.
Gouba Bazaar – Art Street Market
When: Every Sunday of June 2015. 10 am- 7 pm
Where: Gozsdu udvar. VI District. Király utca 13
Entrance: Free
Gouba is a Sunday street market where you can find interesting, colorful, creative and fun arts, crafts, books, antiques and gastronomy. From Spring to the end of Autumn this is the place where every Sunday young Hungarian musicians, ceramists, painters, jewelers and artists in general exhibit their own creations.
The bazaar takes place at Gozsdu Udvar, a beautifully renovated courtyard on Király utca (Budapest Jewish Quarter). If you are looking for something fun to do on Sundays, Gouba bazaar is the place to be.
WAMP Arts and Crafts Fair
When: June 14, 2015.
Where: Erzsebet Tér.
WAMP is a local design festival that takes place at least once a month, usually on Sundays where young Hungarian designers and craftsmen exhibit their creations. This is the perfect place to get to know Hungarian Fashion, emerging Hungarian designers and to buy unique colorful and authentic gifts.
If you happen to be in Budapest at this time, don’t miss this festival! Take advantage of this fair to look for unique souvenirs for relatives and friends..
How to get there: The best way to get to WAMP in Erzsebet tér is taking Blue Metro Line (M3) and getting off at Deák tér station Erzsebet tér is just in front of Deák tér.
Dinning Cruise with Live Music
When: Every day in June, 2015
Where: Meeting Point. Danube Palace, Zrinyi u. 5.
A romantic dinner cruise with live music on the river Danube is a wonderful thing to do in Budapest in April. These cruises offer a great 4 meal course of traditional Hungarian food created by the well known Hungarian chef, Klöter Gregor-Grex.
The musicians, members of the Zoltan Kodaly awarded Hungaria Orchestra, as well as the world famous violinist Zsigmond Vidák entertain guests with melodies of classical and traditional Hungarian music as they witness fabulous night views of Budapest at the background.
Do not miss the opportunity to get enchanted by the spectacular night views of Budapest world cultural heritage panorama. From a river tour like this, you see Budapest from a different perspective: the illumined bridges, the Parliament,the Buda Castle and Citadella are simply stunning at night.
More information: Check the Dinner Cruise Website for detailed information on dates, menu and prices.
Budapest Palace of Arts
When: June 2015.
Where: Komor Marcell u. 1, Budapest IX District
The Budapest Palace of Arts offers an amazing variety of cultural events all year round. Musical concerts from diverse genres, opera, dance performances, art exhibitions and art workshops among many other kind of events take place in the Palace of Arts.
If you are interested in any type of art, visit Budapest’s Palace of Arts and enjoy Hungarian’s rich cultural life.This is truly one of the things to do in Budapest in May you shouldn’t miss.
How to get there: The best way to get the Palace of Arts is taking tram number 2 and getting off at Közvágohíd (Millenium Kulturalís Központ)
More information: Check Palace Arts Events for detailed information on current programs.
Danube Carnival
When: June 6-21, 2015
Where: Various venues across Budapest:
Vörösmarty tér, Margaret Island Open Air Theatre, Vajdahunyadi Castle, Museum of Ethnography, Budakalász, Üröm and Györ.
The Danube Carnival is the perfect event to get familiar with Hungarian culture, traditions and art. This multicultural event will delight us all with world music, ethnic and contemporary dance shows, folk dance and music, contemporary dance,symphonic and brass music as well as art exhibitions and gastronomy festivals.
In addition to the Hungarian traditional and professional dance groups, the carnival will incorporate many European performers from outside Hungary as well as guest ensembles from overseas. The traditions of the Visegrad Countries are also in the highlights.
On occasion of the 20th anniversary the Carnival will offer a special program series, will also incorporate the most successful productions, artists, music and dancing troupes of the past two decades. At 80 different programs nearly 2000 artists are performing at 12 venues.
In Budapest, some of the venues where the festival will take place are: Vörösmarty Square, Margaret Island Open Air Theatre, Erkel Theatre, Pesti Vigadó and Duna Palace.
More information: Check the Danube Carnival website for detailed programs and dates.
Children Festival at Obuda Island – Hajogyári Sziget
When: June 6-28, 2015. Saturday and Sunday 10:00-18:00
Where: Hajogyári Sziget (Óbudai sziget -Óbuda Island)
Cost: Free entrance
This festival is one of the coolest things to do in Budapest in June for children. June is the Children’s month in Hungary, and in Budapest children have their own festival. Every weekend weekend of June, families with children head to Obuda Island (Hajogyári Sziget) to enjoy countless activities such as concerts, games, sports, family events, music, theater and more.
If you have children and will be in Budapest in June, bring them to have a great time at the Obuda island.
More information: Visit the Children Island official website for directions and detailed information on activities.
Buda Hills by Budapest Chair Lift
When: June 2015
Where: Zugligeti út 97.
János Hégy is a wonderful place located in one of the most beautiful areas of Buda Hills from where you can admire the entire city of Budapest.
You can reach János Hill by chairlift (libegő in Hungarian).
The ride takes about 15 minutes through a leafy green forest with fantastic views of surrounding neighborhoods and Budapest.
János hégy is the highest point in the Buda Hills where you can walk up to Elizabeth lookout and enjoy 350°breathtaking views of the city and surroundings, have a relaxed walk or even take a ride back to the city on the children railway.
The chairlift to János hegy (John’s hill) works daily from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Sundays and Public Holidays.
The chairlift runs depending on weather conditions ( It doesn’t operate on windy, stormy, foggy or rainy weather)
Cost: 850 ft per adult per ride. And 550 ft per child per ride.
Return Ticket: 1,400 ft for adults and 800 ft for children. Children under 3 years old can travel free of charge.
More information: Check the map at the Hungarian Transport website for detailed timetable and prices.
How to get there: The easiest way to get to Zugligeti Libegő station is to take bus number 291 at Nyugati Station, get off at the last stop and walk up about 200 mt. On the right side you will find the Zugligeti Libegő station (Next to Zugligeti campsite where there is a yellow tram car that works as a campsite shop).
Sail along the Danube
When: From May to September, 2015
Where:Romai Part, Budapest III district.
Romai Part is a charming riverbank in Budapest’s District III. It is a popular place for dining, strolling around, riding your bicycle, renting a kayak or a boat and sailing along the Danube.
There are lots of terrace restaurants where in summer locals enjoy the cool breezes of the Danube as well as Hungarian summer delicacies such as langos, palacsinta (pankakes) and fried fish (hekk). If you are willing to spend an afternoon as a local and with locals, come to Romai Part.
How to get there: take the HÉV train from Batthyány tér and get off at Római Fürdő station. Walk to the riverbank.
Alternatively, you can go by boat, public boats operate from April to October, you can take the boat at Batthyányi tér dock and get off at Romai Fűrdő dock. To get back to the city check the timetable at Romai Fűrdő dock.
Travel by Ferry as a Local
When: From May to September, 2015
Where:From Budapest’s Docks to Riverfront in Óbuda (Romai Part), Budapest III district.
If you want to enjoy a ferry ride along the Danube, just the way locals do, take one of the ferries that run from Petőfi bridge (Boraros tér dock) to Pünkösdfűrdő dock.
This is a very nice tour that covers the lenght of the city and costs you a little bit more than a metro single ticket, all depends on where you get on and where you want to get to.
There are stops at Batthyányi Tér and Jászai Mari tér where you can get on and there is also a stop at the Margaret island where you can get off and look around if you wish.
I recommend you take the ferry at Petőfi tér then you will have the opportunity to take beautiful pictures of the Chain Bridge, the Buda Castle and the Parliament. Get off at Romai Part stop, stroll around or if you wish just go until the last stop (Romaifűrdő)where the ferry turns back and takes you where you to the Danube’s banks in the city.
Tickets are sold on board.
More information: Check the map at the Hungarian Ferries website for detailed timetable and prices.
Quick Links:
Budapest Events Calendar:
January l February l March l April l May l June l July l August l September l October l November l December
Know about Fun Things to Do in Budapest in June? Let me know! and share with others.
Do you have any question about any event or anything related to your trip to Budapest? Let me know!, I will be happy to help you!
More things to do in Budapest in June coming soon….
