A popular past-time in the city is taking a dip in one of the 30 mineral water baths. At Lukacs Bath, marble plaques in six languages say thanks to the bath. Coffeehouses are a popular spots for relaxation in Budapest. Muvesz, Lukacs, and Angelika are classic coffee shops, with their marble-top tables, gilded moldings, and chandeliers. The Operas, Ballet, and the Concert House are great to take advantage of while in Budapest.
Tickets are cheap and there are always great performances going on throughout the year.
As you would expect to find within a city, Budapest has a thriving night life and a good number of delicious restaurant choices. Some of the favorite restaurants in the past include Stop Bistro, which offers inexpensive Hungarian food with a menu in English, Szeged, a Gypsy fish place with live dancing and music, and the Forum Hotel, which is known for its wonderful desserts. At night, the Budapest program students may be found at Tilos az A, an alternative club which has live music almost every night of the week, Ven Diak, a good spot for dancing, and a variety of other lively places. In Budapest, statues of Marx and Lenin rekindle memories of communist rule while new buildings mark the city as a financial center of Eastern Europe. Here you can gain an understanding of international history and the impact of modern America and industrialization on Eastern Europe.