New clubs and discos are constantly sprouting up all over Budapest and there is no district especially renowned for its nightlife. Many bars are open until dawn, although most close at around 0400. Borozos are cheap wine cellars, where it is rare to see women, especially unaccompanied. Sorozos are beer houses that will also serve good and moderately priced food. The minimum drinking age is 18 Ft200300 (far more for imported bottled beers) and sprits Ft500. Under no circumstances should one clink beer glasses – this was adopted by the Austrians, when Hungarian generals were executed after the failed Revolution of 1848- 49. Probably the best source of nightlife listings in Budapest is the free weekly publication, Open (published on Thursday). Pesti Est is also very complete and is available free from cinema foyers. Pesti Müsor is paid for publication and is also comprehensive. However, these are in Hungarian.Budapest is a monthly guide in English, available free at most hotels.

Bars: The Crazy Cafe stocks over 20 draught and 100 bottled beers and is popular with the young set. Cafe Mediterran is open until 0200 and has a friendly atmosphere and attractive terrace that is packed in summer. Night and Day draws an older crowd 24 hours a day, as its name suggests. zeum korut, provides relief. It is open daily until 0200 and is often packed - there is Latin music on Monday and blues onTuesday. Beckett’s, is one of the few bars that accepts major credit cards. This huge Irish pub with excellent food draws the Anglophone business community, as most Hungarians are out priced. Portside is popular with a young crowd, at the weekend, with an excellent menu, pool tables and dancing, while Negro is the place for cocktails..

Casinos: Budapest has over a dozen casinos, mostly located in the luxury hotels along the Dunakorzó. Anything but formal dress precludes entry, except at the Las Vegas Casino, and Hyatt Regency Hotel. Other casino include Casino Budapest Hilton, Casino Budapest Gresham, Gresham Palace etc. In all casinos, photo ID must be presented for registration on the first visit and the minimum age is 18. Credit cards are now generally accepted.

Clubs: Most clubs are open until at least 0300 (many until 0600). The admission fee varies from about Ft300 to over Ft1000. Most do not accept credit cards and English is not spoken in some clubs. Budapest bouncers often belong to organised crime, so it is best to smile sweetly and pay the entrance fee. Franklin Trocadero Cafe plays good Latin music. Piaf has a piano bar upstairs and a lively bar with a dancefloor in the basement. Despite its inconvenient location in Obuda, the Supersonic Technicum is very much the centre of Budapest’s underground dance scene, with three dancefloors with ducts, pistons and fountains and two bars – the music ranges from Goan trance, drum ‘n’ bass, reggae to techno. Kashmir Underground near the Ferenc Korut metro, is a new hip club with very good food. The Old Man’s Music Pub although crowded, is one of the city’s most fun nighttime hotspots, with live music from 2100 to 2300. Angyal Bar is the gay club in Budapest, specialising in good old fashioned high NRG dance remixes of all your favourite hits from the Pet Shop Boys, Cher and Ricky Martin..