Budapest’s alternative side, in the press
Journalists, travel writers and creators who walked the city with us — and what they wrote about street art, ruin pubs and the neighborhoods most visitors never see.
Headline coverage
How Budapest’s historic Jewish Quarter became the city’s mecca of cool
“Fifteen years ago, Budapest’s now-pulsating seventh district — also known as Erzsébetváros — was a derelict neighborhood filled with abandoned buildings. Then a sprawling old factory was converted into Szimpla Kert, a “ruin pub”, and helped transform the Jewish Quarter into a mecca of cool, underground culture.”
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The perfect weekend in Budapest
“There are so many ruin pubs here and I like to share the local side to them. One of my favourites is Szimpla Kert. In the evenings it is very touristy, but every Sunday morning they have a farmers’ market with only local produce – and locals go.”
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Ruin bars of Budapest – how bohemian bars turned one district into an island of creativity
“As we walk towards Hungary’s most famous pub through a quiet street with boarded-up properties and graffiti covering the doorways, local guide Attila explains how district VII was an eerie place a decade ago. “Nobody would come here; it was a ghost town in the center of the city.””
Download the article (PDF) →Attila has masterfully combined history, street art, and a facilitated conversation around gentrification.
On camera
Amazing Street Art Tour in Budapest
“It was a very interesting tour and we could do something different with the knowledge of a local who loves what he does.”
Watch the video →More stories from the road
Bloggers and travel writers on what it’s like to explore Budapest’s street art, ruin pubs and hidden corners with a local.
Wandering Budapest 7th District
“Budapestflow is the natural progression of Attila’s passion for wandering. ‘Flow’ means getting lost in the details of the city – be it a stunning art nouveau façade, a street art piece or a hidden garden.”
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My Budapest: Attila, Budapest Flow
“The Budapest street art scene is booming, with quirky creations bringing life to the bare brick walls of the city’s streets. So we sent our local insider on a tour with Attila to uncover the hidden street art of Budapest that is ordinarily overlooked.”
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Where to find the best street art and alternative ruin pubs in Budapest
“Touring with Attila through the Jewish quarter revealed surprise after surprise and gave context to all the beautiful things I had been passing by without much thought.”
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12 of the best street art murals in Budapest
“We wanted to get to know the murals in greater depth and how they became an integral part of this once derelict area. So we asked Attila from BudapestFlow to take us on a journey of colour and creativity.”
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Get off the beaten path in Budapest: a review of Budapest Flow’s tours
“We’re slowly embracing the fact that guided tours are getting better and better — and more importantly, they’re led by locals that know the city like the back of their hand.”
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Budapest 8th District Tour For The Real Tourist
“Our tour guide from Budapest Flow took us through the streets, and into some of the establishments. From real ruin bars to cool restaurants, this area is literally a locals-only hidden gem.”
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Ruin Pubs and Beyond: Exploring Budapest’s 7th District
“Visiting some of the ruin pubs is probably on the top of your list. But Budapest’s 7th district offers so much more than a great night out – the neighborhood is full of interesting stores, design shops, street art and restaurants.”
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Uncovering the gems of the Jewish Quarter with Budapestflow
“Budapestflow offers an alternative ruin bar tour, not only visiting the popular ruin bars but also sites around the Jewish quarter. We highly recommend it to anyone who wants to uncover its hidden gems, rather than sitting in a ruin bar getting drunk.”
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Beyond the ruin pubs in dynamic District VII
“Walking around District VII in this eclectic metropolis, one becomes aware of two things: young Hungarians are an incredibly creative bunch, and the proliferation of funky shops and bars here is more a case of working with what you’ve got than a passing trend.”
Sightseeing re-engineered
“We organise alternative city walks in Budapest in small groups, but we do not organise pub crawls on purpose – we want to show our guests the alternative art scene of the city: street art, design shops, flea markets, community centers and the cultural side of the ruin pub scene.”
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Discovering street art in Budapest
“It was a small group tour, there were 8 of us, which for me is just the right size. When your guide creates a super friendly atmosphere right from the start, that’s a great plus point.”
Read the article →Writing about Budapest?
We’re always happy to hear from journalists, bloggers and content creators. Whether you’d like to join one of our walks or need a local perspective on District VII, street art or the ruin pub scene — get in touch.