For authentic Hungarian food, try Bohém tanya (literally: Bohemian Farm), it's pretty inexpensive and close to Deák Ferenc tér (the Kings Cross of Budapest in terms of the underground).

Paulay Ede utca 6

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Raday utca, close to the Kalvin Tér metro, is a popular spot for both tourists and young locals, it has a lot of restaurants and bars. At the far end is a personal favourite of mine. It’s a lively bar/restaurant called Castro (recently closed, but rumoured to be reopening on on Madach Ter, VII district) serving Serbian specialties and is almost always busy, which can make it difficult for groups exceeding six. Castro has internet access, which is great for when you're having discussion about something over a pint and no-one knows the answer.

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For classical music, www.jegymester.hu can get tickets for almost anything, I have used it and can vouch for its reliability. If you want to get good tickets for the Opera most of the good seats get block reserved by agencies and you can only get the cheap seats (about £2-£5), the reservations get freed up 48 hours before a performance. However Ticket Express (www.tex.hu) can be found two minutes from the Opera House and tickets can be bought there. Be aware that some opera performances are held in the Erkel Szinhaz which is near to Keleti (East) train station, and it is not as nice and the acoustics are not nearly as good. Still I was there recently and enjoyed it all the same.

Ticket express would be able to provide tickets for other music events too.

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There are two main options:

1. Buy a three or seven day pass which is very convenient as no validation is required, you stick the ticket in your wallet and only need to show it when asked, the controllers wear blue armbands.

2. Buy a carnet of 10 or 20 tickets. Each should be validated when a new journey is started. This is cheaper than buying individual tickets, you don't have to worry about buying a new ticket every time.

Tickets are valid on buses, trams, trolley, metro and suburban railway within Budapest. Not good for the funicular up to the castle. They can be only be purchased at the main metro stations.

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Három Dob (previously known as Kiskacsa) has lots of Hungarian food and specialises in pancakes (savoury and sweet), it’s excellent value for money. It is not a flashy place, but that’s part of its charm.

Dob utca 26, less than five minutes from Liszt Ferenc tér

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The Museum of Ethnography is opposite the parliament building on Kossuth Ter (Square) and has a large news photograph exhibition which is very interesting.

Kossuth Lajos tér 12; www.neprajz.hu/english/index2.html

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The Szechényi fürdő (fürdő translates as “baths”) renovation was completed about a year ago, it is excellent, always gets good reviews and I would always recommend it, especially for families. There are quite a few indoor pools with varying temperatures, plus a couple of steam baths and two large saunas. They have a very nice bucket shower next to the sauna, you pull a chain and cold water is dumped on your head, very refreshing.

Outside are two thermal pools and a swimming pool (swimming cap required). One of the thermal pools is great for kids - there’s a walled off circular section which uses pumps to get a current running. It’s like flowing downstream on a fast river, but you go round in a circle. Kids (and me) love it. Everything is mixed sex, so swimming suits are required.

The Rudás fürdő has been done up recently, it's the old Turkish baths on the Buda side of the Erzsébet híd (Elizabeth Bridge). I haven't been yet, but some people say it's the best in Budapest now.

Gellért is overrated. The swimming pool looks nice from the gallery, but is cold and you have to swim around the pool clockwise, very dull. Thermal pools are segregated, so you can go naked, or borrow a loincloth or wear a swimming suit. Quite nice, but not really suitable for a couple on their own.

Gellert: Kelenhegyi út 4
Szechényi: Állakerti körút 11; nearest metro: M1 Széchenyi fürdő
Rudás: Döbrentei tér 9, Tram 18,19, Bus 7 to Döbrentei tér

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