The second smallest district in Budapest is also the cultural center of the Hungarian capital. This is the Theatre district, the shopping district, and a part of the party district. It is the central city in every sense of the word, with the best shopping opportunities in Budapest, plenty of iconic tourist attractions, some of the best food in Budapest, and a great place to grab a drink, too. Sightseeing in Budapest has got to include this tiny district, and you will definitely pass through it while on the go in our fair city.
What’s so special about the 6th District?
It is one of the oldest districts and was massively rebuilt after its incorporation into the newly formed Budapest, but it had been a place where people lived, unincorporated, for decades. It’s the main road, Andrássy Avenue was entirely planned and built all at once in the 1870s, giving this place its shape. Buda and Pest were united in 1873, and ten districts were formed, of which ‘Terézváros’ was one. The district got its name from Mother Teresa, who visited the then unincorporated, poor outer district in 1751. Since then, the district has become well known for its nightlife, and of course, its shopping. The cultural district has theaters and the Music Academy, so this is definitely the place to go to if you want to see a play, see a concert, go shopping in Budapest, or if you want to go to the Opera. Both intellectually stimulating entertainment and mindless inebriation can be found here, making it a true entertainment district.
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How To Get Around the 6th District
The 4 and the 6 trams, the main tram lines of Budapest run through the 6th district. A major transportation hub, the Oktogon is also located in the 6th, and metro line 1 runs through the district. This metro line serves many tourist attractions in Budapest. Several trolley buses go through this area, as well as the 105 bus, which goes from Buda to the edge of the 13th district. The 6th is definitely the inner city, and the 6th and the 7th together form the party district, so plenty of night buses go through the area. There is also a bike lane that passes through almost every street of the sixth district, making it one of the most easily bikeable areas of Budapest. Many bars and some of the best places to eat in Budapest can be found on the 6th.
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Top Attractions
Andrássy út: Andrássy Avenue is special for a number of reasons. It was planned and constructed entirely, all at once, in a daring feat of urban planning, expanding the city of Budapest and elevating it to metropolitan status. The street starts at Heroes’ Square, a must-see Budapest attraction and goes all the way down to Deák Ferenc Square. Along the way, there are several fun museums, historic cafés, restaurants and bars, the Oktogon, one of the most important city junctions, and the entire history of Budapest’s golden era. It is also the street of fashion! If you plan on shopping in Budapest, this is definitely the place for you. The best designer shops, high-end retailers, and biggest names in fashion can be found here, as well as tech, gadget and luxury brands of basically every kind. It’s the premier place for buying quality goods. An audio-guided tour of Andrássy Avenue, with an in-depth exploration of its monuments, museums and the amazing stories it holds is available on Have Fun Travel!
Opera House: The Hungarian State Opera House is a historic monument that celebrates the independence of Hungary from the Monarchy. It is a marvelous building that still functions today as an Opera house. It has legendary acoustics and was built by MIklós Ybl, a world-famous architect. The Opera was built in 1875 and has been rebuilt several times since then, with the latest round of renovations ending in 2013. They organize guided tours inside the building daily in several languages.
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House Of Terror: A museum unlike any other, this exhibition dedicated to the victims of the two major dictatorships of the 20th century is not for the faint of heart. This used to be the building of the secret police, and the home of the Hungarian fascist Arrow Cross party beforehand, and has been the home of interrogation, torture and execution for decades. It is only fitting that this place was turned into a museum dedicated to the memory of the political prisoners whose lives were ruined, and often ended here.
Photo by: Balázs Lukácsi
Nagymező Street: This is the street with the most theatres on it, but it is also one of the busiest streets of the party district. If you like to get down in style, we heartily recommend going for a walk down this street for sure, as you will find something to your liking. If you have tickets for a theatre performance tonight, it may also very well be here, and if you don’t, why not take a gander down Nagymező Street, and find something to your liking? Cabaret, musical theatre, but also serious dramatic plays can be seen here, and you can treat yourself to a well-deserved drink afterward at one of the many quality bars or restaurants that can be found on this street.
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Liszt Music Academy: The Music Academy isn’t just a place for education. It is also home to one of the best places to view chamber music, classical music concerts, and choir recitals. It has a fantastic performance hall and holds concerts regularly. It is well worth checking out their schedule if you like classical music. The building is also worth checking out, as it has a very interesting history, looks beautiful, and was designed by Flóris Korb. It is also one of the stops on Have Fun Travel’s Andrássy Boulevard tour.
WestEnd Shopping Mall: One of the biggest shopping malls in Budapest, this plaza is perhaps the best one. It has everything you would expect from a mall, all the latest trendy brands and bargains, and a really good food court, if you are into fast food. You can buy all manner of junk, gadgets and gizmos, so it can be a really good place to jump into if you are thinking of doing a bit of shopping in Budapest. They have souvenir shops as well as brand shops, and if you may need something while you are here, this is your best place to look for it.
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Accommodations
The 6th district is very good with accommodations. There are various kinds of hostels, hotels and AirBnbs to choose from, from very affordable to quite luxurious. There is a hostel on almost every corner in this part of town, and most of them are very clean, quite affordable, but are fairly busy. If you are looking for privacy, AirBnbs are definitely the most affordable way to go, and the apartments in the area are very nice. Spacious apartments are usually built in Art Deco style, with huge interior heights and some of the best available real estate in the city. There are also quite a few hotels to choose from, like a Radisson, the Medosz, Calls or the K+K Opera, which are all very well known, but this district is better known for its hostels and rentals.
Off the beaten track
The Kodály Museum: A house that has all of Kodály’s old belongings, with things from the actual era that this musical genius lived in. A tiny apartment turned into a museum, with lots of information about Kodály, his method and philosophy, and his wondrous life.
Művész Movie Theatre: A cozy movie theatre showing recent blockbusters as well as classic films. The cinema also operates a bookstore and a café and is the perfect place to sit in if you crave a good cup of joe and some intellectual stimulation. One of the best movie theatres in Budapest, with a penchant for arthouse flicks and old classics.
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Hunyadi Square: One of the many tiny, hidden squares of the inner city, Hunyadi Square stands out because of its amazing marketplace. If you like home cooking, grab a wurst or a kolbász (Hungarian sausage) at their butcher stand, or buy some organic, locally grown vegetables, and have a look at what they have to offer. These markets used to be the backbone of commerce before malls and supermarkets, and remain some of the best places to buy food in Budapest.
A bite to eat, and something to drink
The inner city is the best place to eat in Budapest, and this extends to the 6th district. Ruin pubs and bars line the streets, so, besides all of the sightseeing in Budapest, a place to drink is no problem here either. We recommend going to one of the many famous cafés that this district is known for, to grab a sweet dessert and an espresso. Many restaurants are available, and many fine dining experiences can be had, but if you are looking for a mom-and-pop kind of establishment, you can find that here as well. Andrássy also has pretty much every kind of eatery, from TGI Fridays to Gyros stands to expensive Sushi and gourmet restaurants.
This is the party district proper, so you can find nightclubs, discos, ruin bars, pubs, sports bars, and everything in between. We recommend downloading the Have Fun Travel App and going on the Ruin Pub tour to see some of the available bars in the area. Ruin pubs are currently the hottest thing in Budapest, and are something you can only experience while here, so why not give it a whirl?
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