The best concert venues in Budapest – From party boats to outdoor concerts

If you want to feel the beat and sing songs at the top of your lungs, check out our carefully curated lineup of the best concert venues in Budapest.

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When thinking about partying in Budapest, many tourists and expats first associate to Sziget Festival or the local peculiarities, the ruin pubs (e.g. Mika Tivadar Garden). Although both options are great for dancing and singing your worries away, the Hungarian capital has much more to offer when it comes to the live music scene. From spring to autumn, Budapest hosts many music festivals with live performances of local and international singers and bands, besides which the city has many great concert venues open seasonally or all year. Come summer or winter, rest assured that you won’t be left without great live music in Budapest. Let’s explore the most prominent ones on the contemporary music palette and get that party started! 

 Budapest Park, the biggest outdoor concert venue in Budapest
Budapest Park, the biggest outdoor concert venue in Budapest

Alternatively, if you’re more into classical or jazz music, head to our fine selection of the best concert halls in Budapest.

Akvárium Klub – Live music in the heart of Budapest

The open-air terrace of Akvárium Klub, one of the greatest concert venues in Budapest
The open-air terrace of Akvárium Klub, one of the greatest concert venues in Budapest

In Budapest, (almost) all roads lead to Deák tér – including three of the four metro lines. It’s also the most well-known meeting point of the city, with Budapest’s unofficial party street, Király utca, also ending here. The square is topped with the towering ferris wheel, Budapest Eye, and an artificial lake beneath which lies a pit called Akvárium (which is – surprisingly –aquarium in English), one of the most famous concert venues in Budapest. 

Renewed and expanded in 2014, the club includes a cool terrace and four music halls underground. With the most popular local bands and international musicians in the lineup, Akvárium is packed with great concerts all year round. During the summertime, its terrace also hosts acoustic concerts at sunset.

You can find out more about Akvárium Klub here.

Summary of
Akvárium Klub

Opening hours
monday 16:00:00 – 02:00:00
tuesday 16:00:00 – 02:00:00
wednesday 16:00:00 – 04:00:00
thursday 16:00:00 – 04:00:00
friday 16:00:00 – 06:00:00
saturday 15:00:00 – 06:00:00
sunday 15:00:00 – 06:00:00
Price Range
$
Web Address
Social Media
Address
1051 Budapest, Erzsébet tér 12.

A38 – Concerts on a carrier ship

A38, a Ukrainian carrier ship turned into a party boat in Budapest
A38, a Ukrainian carrier ship turned into a party boat in Budapest

If partying under a pool doesn’t excite you enough, come aboard A38 and enjoy a live concert floating on the river Danube. Anchored at the Buda side of the Petőfi bridge, A38 ship has been combining the coolest tunes with stunning views over the Danube since 2003. With the full name ‘Artemovsk 38’, today’s venue is the reincarnation of a Ukrainian stone-carrier ship. 

Ever since its opening, A38 is a must-have part of the cultural scene in Budapest with the ultimate aim to provide viewers with an experience – from musical to gastronomic, and all things in between. Not dedicating itself to one particular music genre, A38 offers the full live music palette from techno to rock, and from folk to underground. Besides the concert floor and the open-air rooftop, the ship also has a restaurant, an exhibition space, and several bars on board. Once here, just go with the tide, or rock the boat if you like.

You can find out more about A38 ship here

Pro tip: A38 is one of the best techno party venues in Budapest, check out the others as well!

Summary of
A38

Opening hours
Every Day
08:00:00 – 22:00:00
Price Range
$$
Web Address
Address
Budapest, Egyetemváros – A38, 1117 Magyarország

Budapest Park – The greatest concerts of them all 

Live concert in Budapest Park, the biggest open-air concert venue in Budapest
Live concert in Budapest Park, the biggest open-air concert venue in Budapest

A bit further from the downtown area, on the southern edge of Budapest, near the National Theatre and Müpa, stretches the biggest open-air concert venue of Budapest – and Europe. In its impressive 11,000 square meters, Budapest Park (or simply ‘the Park’ as the locals often call it) surely knows how to set the scene for the greatest parties from early May until late October. As their motto goes, if you step in, ‘Leave reality behind’, and we have to say, it’s quite easy to do so with the enormous main stage and the smaller party corners that can host up to 10,000 people. 

Although the area was originally cleared out to house a parking lot, by now Budapest Park has become an essential summer concert spot for locals and expats alike. If you want to feel the festival vibes in Budapest before or after Sziget, Budapest Park is the place to be. Besides its live music, the venue is also famous for its thematic or retro afterparties. And if partying with the crowd is not your cup of tea, you can also book a private terrace upstairs or even in the exclusive Sky Box. 

You can find out more about Budapest Park here.

Summary of
Budapest Park

Opening hours
thursday 18:00:00 – 05:00:00
friday 18:00:00 – 05:00:00
saturday 18:00:00 – 05:00:00
mo tu we su closed.
Price Range
$$
Web Address
Social Media
Address
1095 Budapest, Soroksári utca 60.

Kobuci Kert – Live music in a palace courtyard 

Live concert at Kobuci Kert in Budapest
Live concert at Kobuci Kert in Budapest

If you’re craving an open-air concert in Budapest and Budapest Park is too far on the map, we have some good news for you. The Buda side of the city, or more precisely Óbuda (the lesser-known third part of Budapest) also hides a great live music club, Kobuci Kert. Placed in the courtyard of the Zichy Palace, Kobuci Kert hosts many concerts from Hungarian folk to jazz, blues, underground, and more. As an outdoor concert venue, it’s open from late spring to early autumn.

Find out more about Kobuci Kert here.

Summary of
Kobuci Kert

Price Range
$
Web Address
Address
1033 Budapest, Fő tér 1.

Szimpla Kert

 The inner courtyard of Szimpla Kert, the most famous ruin pub in Budapest
The inner courtyard of Szimpla Kert, the most famous ruin pub in Budapest

Last but least, no Budapest concert list can be complete without mentioning the first and most iconic ruin pub, Szimpla Kert. Although the place is mostly famous for its surreal style and eclectic, Eastern European charm and acts as the ultimate meet and greet place for expats and tourists, Szimpla also often hosts live concerts, theatre performances, film festivals, and other cultural events in its inner courtyard. It surely is the only place in Budapest where you can listen to live music while sitting in an old Trabant or a rusty bathtub. But be careful not to get lost amid the countless hidden nooks of the old factory building. Szimpla is about incompatible juxtaposition, so just go with it and enjoy the ride. The live music will only be the cherry on the top.

Find out more about Szimpla Kert concerts here.

Pro tip: Several ruin bars host concerts, including Füge Udvar and Instant-Fogas.

Summary of
Szimpla Kert

Opening hours
monday 15:00:00 – 04:00:00
tuesday 15:00:00 – 04:00:00
wednesday 15:00:00 – 04:00:00
thursday 15:00:00 – 04:00:00
friday 12:00:00 – 04:00:00
saturday 12:00:00 – 04:00:00
sunday 09:00:00 – 04:00:00
Price Range
$$
Web Address
Address
1075 Budapest, Kazinczy utca 14.

No one likes to party with their luggage at hand, not to mention that many of the concert venues don’t let you in with big bags, so make sure to leave your belongings behind at one of the safe and secure luggage storages nearby.

Q & A

What are the best concert venues in Budapest?
Budapest has many great concert venues all around the city. If you’re looking for a central location, check out Akvárium Klub and Szimpla Kert. If partying on the river Danube floats your boat, choose A38. In the southern corner of the city, Budapest Park hosts the biggest open-air concerts near and far, from May until October. And if you find yourself on the Buda side (or rather, in Óbuda), Kobuci Kert is your place for great live music.
Are there any open-air concert venues in Budapest?
Budapest Park is the largest open-air music venue in Budapest, and in Europe. Stretching across an impressive 11,000 square meters, it can host up to 10,000 people in front of its massive main stage. It is open from May until October, with a fully packed concert calendar and the greatest outdoor afterparties in town. If you are craving for concerts under the open sky, you may also want to check out Kobuci Kert in Óbuda and A38, the iconic party boat of Budapest.
What is A38 in Budapest?
A38 is an iconic party boat anchored at the Buda side of the Petőfi bridge. It’s been a key and unique element of the Budapest concert scene ever since its opening in 2003. As the reincarnation of a Ukrainian carrier ship, A38 offers concerts of all sorts on its concert floor and open-air rooftop, but it also has an exhibition space, a restaurant, and several bars on board.

Szimpla Kert is one of Budapest’s most beautiful and popular ruin pubs. The first of its kind. If you’re in the area, stop in for a nice pint with friends!

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