2005 January-February

What’s new in Budapest?
 
The first concerts have been taking place in the brand new Palace of Arts, a stunning performing arts centre covering an area of more than 10,000 square metres.  The National Concert Hall within the Palace is due to become the new home of the internationally acclaimed National Symphony Orchestra; its official opening is set for 18^th March 2005, the first night of the Budapest Spring Festival.

This year’s Budapest Opera Ball takes place on 5^th February.  This dazzling event is the highlight of the Hungarian Carnival season, and the 19^th century Opera House is transformed into a huge ballroom for the occasion.  A gala performance of Hungarian and international opera and dance complements the festive atmosphere and entertainment.

Masterworks – 400 Years of French Painting: this hugely successful exhibition in the Műcsarnok art museum, organised by the Central Directorate of French Museums, presents French painting dating from 1600 to 2004 in all its variety and originality.  The show is open till 27^th February.

From 15^th March to 15^th May 2005, the Museum of Fine Arts, located opposite the Műcsarnok on Heroes’ Square, will display a major exhibition of Coptic Art.  This will include treasures from the Coptic Museum in Cairo and the Greek-Roman Museum in Alexandria, as well as works dating from the late Antiquity and early Christian Period that have never been shown outside Egypt.

Budapest’s largest Turkish spa baths, the Rudas, reopened on 1^st January 2005 after a full refurbishment, and the Turkish steam bath within the spa is set to be unveiled in May. The revamp of the baths has updated the facilities whilst maintaining its traditional characteristics and charm. Intriguing Turkish and Roman artefacts were discovered during the renovation, showing yet again that the tradition of spa baths in Hungary truly has developed over centuries.

Update: Budapest's Dining & Entertainment Scene:

A new dining experience has opened in central Budapest – Gerlóczy, an independent coffee house and restaurant, is located in a beautiful late 19^th century building on Gerlóczy utca.  It is open from 7am to 11pm and is an excellent place to enjoy a leisurely late breakfast.  The restaurant offers a selection of international and Hungarian specialities, and Latin music sets a vibrant atmosphere.  For enquiries, contact the Gerlóczy via www.gerloczy.hu.

The Zsolnay Coffee House reopened at Christmas following its grand refurbishment.  Located on the ground floor of the Radisson SAS Béke Hotel on Budapest’s Grand Boulevard, the coffee house is open for breakfast from 8am, and offers mouth-watering Hungarian delicacies until 11pm daily. The opening has been celebrated with a new range of creations by the café’s exceptional pastry chef.

There are new developments in the pipeline for Balaton Airport at Sármellék. The airport’s operations have been taken up by a new company: CapeClear Aviation, an Irish-Hungarian consortium, has been working with the owners of Balaton Airport for more than a year to create a long-term development plan, which will now be put into place over the coming months.

From 21^st to 24^th July 2005, the 3^rd Equestrian World Festival will take place in Szarvas, eastern Hungary.  In a wide-ranging programme, Hungarian horsemen and women and also international experts will demonstrate all aspects of equestrian sport.  One of the highlights is the competition for most beautiful horse at the show.

For further information please contact the Hungarian National Tourist Office on 020 7823 1032 or visit the HNTO website at www.hungarywelcomesbritain.com or www.hungary.com. The official site of the Tourism Office of Budapest can be found at www.budapestinfo.hu. 

For media enquiries, please contact Laura Gray at McCluskey International on Tel:  020 8237 7979 or by emailing laurag@mccluskey.co.uk.