Budapest Nightlife Guide Clubs and Bars in Budapest

Budapest has, in recent years, become something of a party destination for European travelers. The surprisingly good weather that is found here year-round, the beauty and comfort of the city and the rowdiness of the locals all come together to create a raucous nightlife of long-hours and prolific drinking.

The most fun and popular Budapest nightclubs actually sit on docked ships in the river Danube. The A38 is a water-logged club which offers a local specialty: Unicum (a strong Hungarian liquor) and, thankfully, remains securely docked. This converted stone-carrying ship offers atmosphere and good dancing music and is popular with the local university students. In addition to the club, there is a rooftop terrace, restaurant and gambling available on the ship.

Club Colosseum feels like a 70’s disco, (or an 80’s, communist-era venue). The kitsch is catchy here and the music is surprisingly good. It is a combination sports and dance club located in the 15th district. Bahnhof music club is a source for good local music and has two dance floors which are constantly packed. Open until 4 am, take tram 4 or 6 to Nyugati pu.

Club Piaf, named after the sultry French singer, Edith Piaf, is a classy jazz club filled with local characters lounging on red velvet couches. While the upstairs piano lounge is a sort of sexy-chill-out room, the basement nightclub is an all-night dance-athon where Budapest's funkiest get funkier. Open until 6am. Nagymező utca 25, Tel: 312 3823.

In addition to its numerous nightclubs, Budapest is a popular gambling city, and is to a classy casino. The usual minimum bet is 200 HUF=0,8 EUR on live tables and from 50 HUF in slot machines. The Las Vegas Casino is in the the Sofitel Budapest, the other casino is Tropicana Casino. Besides live casinos there are many gambling halls full of slot machines but those can't offer the atmosphere of a classical casino.

Budapest is filled with fun activities at all hours, and takes advantage of its own mystery and beauty to keep people going all night in this great-big surreal party of a lifetime.