| During the past few years, an interesting and lively gay scene has re-emerged in Hungary. Budapest, once known as the "Paris of the East", has always been regarded as a gay capital by Eastern Europeans. | ||
| ||
| The city is divided into two parts by the Danube: Buda - the hilly side, and Pest - the lively city centre. To find your way around you'll need to know that Budapest is divided into districts ("kerület", abbrev. "ker.") arranged in a spiral, and numbered in Roman numerals starting at the centre (so, I. and II. are the most central districts on the Buda side, V.,VI., VII. and VIII the most central districts on the Pest side.) | 
| |
GAY LIFESince the fall of the communist regime, a commercial gay infrastructure has grown up, though there is less of a sense of community than in other European countries. Nevertheless the very first gay youth group was founded recently and a Gay Pride Day in Budapest has been organized every year since 1997.The legal situation for gays is a mixed. The age of consent for gay sex is 18, however sexual contacts between heterosexuals are allowed from the age of 14, a situation that some gay organizations are fighting in the Hungarian courts. Gay marriage is not possible, but the law makes no difference between homo- or heterosexual partnerships. The state recommends officially that gay men should not become teachers or soldiers. The latest bad news for gays in Hungary came in January, 1998, when it was ruled that people who test positive for HIV must, by law, be registered. Since this ruling, it has no longer been possible to get an anonymous HIV test. LOCAL COLOURWhen they visit for the first time, most gay tourists are surprised at the intense and very obvious level of cruising that goes on here which is totally accepted. If you go during the summer to Erzebet Square in the heart of Budapest, and walk some hundred metres down the Danube to the Korzo between the Marriott Hotel and the bridge, you'll find yourself in a large, very public, outside cruising area, especially in the two hours before and after sunset. At one part of the Korzo, there are a lot of seats and you can be sure that many of the people sitting there are gay. Also you'll find that most of the teenage lads hanging around are more than happy to strike a deal. It's not the only place where cruising goes on in Budapest, but a lot of gay socializing takes place here. Just by occupying, for a short time at sunset, one of the seats along the Korzo near the Erzsebet bridge and March 15th Square, you can get a good idea of what gay society in Hungary is really like.The other big cruising ground is Népliget, The Peoples Park, behind the Planetarium and around the area of the old ruins, and also the path between the Planetarium and the Epitok Sport Club. People go here to do everything and the men in the parked cars are all looking for action. In Hungary, it is very easy to make contacts with the locals. You might even find yourself feeling somewhat irritated at their frankness, because Hungarian gays are very quick to tell you their wishes and expectations. Foreign visitors are the objects of great interest, partly because Hungarians are very fearful of having their sexual liaisons gossiped about, and they look upon foreign visitors as gossip-proof, because of the shortness of their stays. For all that, Hungarians seem to have no trouble at all in passionately enjoying their gay lifestyle. And Hungary's gay night spots are typically crowded. | ||
NIGHTLIFEOne of the busiest places is the Action Bar, a basement bar, a special room where porn movies are screened, and Hungary's most frequented backroom.On Wednesdays and Sundays, shows and dancing are a happening at the Cafe Cappella, which is located right on the Danube, but on the Pest side. It's on the gay tourist map and don't lose your drink ticket as you'll have to pay 10,000HUF when you leave. It's the same system at CBA - Club Bohemian Alibi which has a great sound system and spectacular drag shows, but this attracts a mixed gay and straight crowd. The Chaos Music Pub & CoXx Club is a combined internet café, bar, plus a backroom and organises regular leather and fetish parties. You'll find male prostitution is prevalent in Hungarian gay places, but not really professional. |
|
TURKISH BATHSBudapest is fortunate to have some of the world's finest Turkish baths. Not only do they boast original Ottoman architecture consisting of wonderful octagonal pools, cupolas and stained-glass windows, but they offer a unique bathing experience. Admission is cheap and expert masseurs happily re-arrange your limbs and muscles in ways that you thought were impossible. While some are definitely mixed, others have a mostly gay clientele, so make sure you choose the right ones. The Király Bath is one of the city's most historic Turkish monuments and is open to men on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays when it is full of local gays. Its origins date back as far back as 1570 and today it is a listed building and shows the early Ottoman bathing culture in its original glamour. The octagonal main pool is surrounded by a number of smaller pools, steam rooms and saunas. | |
| The Gellért Bath is probably the finest example of Art Nouveau anywhere in Europe. Located on the banks of the Danube it boasts wonderful statues, mosaic tiling and stained glass. This characteristic style extends from the internal areas to the outdoor pools and the artifical wave pool.Leading off from the main pool on either side are two Turkish style thermal baths, one for men, the other for women, where local gays always meet, or on the outside pool in the summer. |
|
|
The longest established gay only sauna is the Magnum which offers private cabins,
glory hole rooms and a darkroom. A recent addition is Sauna 69
GETTING THEREThere are direct flights from the UK and discount deals are available from around Ł90 return. We recommend eBookers for the latest offers.STAYING THEREThe best time to visit Budapest is in the warmer months between April and October. The old city is architecturally beautiful, and well-preserved. Hungary is a very cheap destination, except for the cost of accommodation, which is comparable to any western European city. There are the normal range of international hotels and a number of gay guest houses and apartments. Budapest Gay Guide has details of a number of apartments for gay visitors and you'll also find an extensive choice of hotels bookable online, at all price ranges with many special deals at our recommended hotel partners Booking.Click here for the latest offers. More info at and www.gayguide.net
THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK
Cafe Capella (Belgrád rakpart 23, 1056 Budapest, T: 1/ 318 62 31)
Updated November 2008
| |