The match: Prague or Budapest?

Sept. 27 2013

by Thierry Beaurepère / TÊTU

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL?
A draw

Prague, for sure, is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe... and one of the most visited! Here, you have to weave through the crowd, slaloming between the street artists. The Charles Bridge, which spans the Vltava, resounds with the rhythmic steps of tourists. Thousands of them walk the 516 meters of the most famous monument in the Czech capital, a link between the old town and the castle district.

Its completely renovated historical heart resembles a gigantic theater set delivered to the whole world, starting with the old shopping district of Stare Mesto. Opulent towers, generous domes and slender bell towers... You can wander between the Gothic churches, the Renaissance or Art Nouveau facades in pastel colors. The other bank of the Vltava is no less courted. The baroque facades of the Mala Strana district make many hearts flutter, all the way to the castle perched on a hill.

In this city frozen in another century, buildings with contemporary lines are rare. Take a look at architect Franck Gehry's Dancing House along Masaryk Quay.

More eclectic architecturally, Budapest has avoided the trap of being a museum city. As a result, it is more difficult to get used to. First, you have to go up the Buda hill to enjoy the view of the Danube. In this medieval district, you can wander between the gigantic royal palace and the Mathias church, recognizable by its glazed tile roof. To reach Pest, on the other bank, the easiest way is to cross the river by the Chain Bridge. You can see the spires of Saint Stephen's Basilica, the dome of the neo-Renaissance Opera House, which has nothing to envy to our Palais Garnier, or the Art Nouveau façade of the Gresham Palace.

However, the most spectacular thing is not there, but in the gold of the neo-Gothic parliament which is reflected in the waters of the Danube. The heart of Budapest beats on this left bank, with its false air of Paris. Andrassy Avenue, which leads to Heroes' Square, has erased the stigma of communist austerity. The buildings have regained their former lustre (which is far from being the case everywhere), and luxury brands have taken over the shop windows.

THE MOST LIVELY CITY?
Advantage Budapest

In Prague, head to the New Town, to Wenceslas Square, for example, to finally experience "real life". This "square", the vibrant heart of Prague, is actually a 750-meter long avenue lined with Art Deco buildings.it was the scene of all the important events in the city, from the Prague Spring of 1968 to Vaclav Havel's speech in 1989. This is also the place to warm up your credit card. Like everywhere else in Europe, stores with international brands and shopping malls have redesigned the urban landscape.

The Hungarian youth has totally appropriated the center of Budapest. Especially in Gödör (the hole, in Hungarian). It is here, in the heart of the city, that the new national theater was to be built. But political changes stopped the project. Today, the place is an alternative place with several cafés, a playground for young people thirsting for freedom who come to have a drink or attend a rock or gypsy music concert. It's also a place to chat on the lawns until late at night during the summer.

We find it in the restaurants and bars of Raday Street, a new Mecca for nightlife. Its expression takes a more alternative turn in the "ruinbars". Like in this café installed on the roof of the Corvin department store, a sort of local Galeries Lafayette, but in a communist version! The decoration is graffiti, the music is electro, the beer flows freely. Another bastion of this alternative culture: Szimpla, which has taken up residence in a graffitied building that looks like a squat. The decoration is a bric-a-brac of old heterogeneous objects, the prices are derisory.

THE MOST GAY ?
Advantage Prague

Even if Prague proclaims itself the gay capital of Central Europe, it still has a long way to go before it can compete with Amsterdam or Berlin. Don't expect to find an entire neighborhood devoted to the gay cause or terraces overflowing with cute boys, or you'll be disappointed.

You have to leave the overly touristy center to indulge yourself, especially in the Vinohrady district, on the dapper Vinohradska and Manesova avenues lined with baroque or Art Deco buildings, a bit like the local 16th district. And take a map with you... Because the bars are discreet! There are about ten of them in the area, from Bar 21 to Angels, some with a very dated decoration...

Several small clubs are also "hidden" in the district, like Termix or Saints, hidden behind a banal-looking entrance, a bit like the old Parisian discotheques. The Valentino, half-bar half-club, with its false airs of Parisian brasserie and its terrace, is almost an exception. It has to face competition from gay-friendly addresses, where rich bobos and assertive homos mix in a trendy atmosphere. Like Café Café or Ku Bar, two establishments located on Rytirska, a street at the border of the old and new city, overrun by international brands...

Gay pride in Prague © Jana Stepanova

It is also necessary to be attentive to find the last trendy parties. Like Decadance, which attracts the most famous European DJs. An excellent appetizer before, for those who still have some energy, going to lose themselves in the saunas of the city or in the cruising-bars, like Alcatraz.

The situation is more complex in Budapest. For the past two years, the gay pride has been the object of attacks by far-right groups. However, the capital has seen a few bars, saunas and clubs flourish in recent years, scattered around Pest. Even if the discretion remains generally of setting. You have to dare to push their doors! To the historical establishments,Action Bar, which attracts a rather mature clientele, and Capella, a kitsch club famous for its transvestite shows, have been added new places which attract a clientele of all styles and ages, and which are very popular with the public.the Coxx, a cruising bar with modern lines, and Alterego, a trendy club where young, attractive gays meet.

However,Budapest has another asset: its public baths. Turkish or Baroque baths, hot or cold, indoor or outdoor, with solarium and massages, the choice is wide. The Gellert baths, built in an Art Nouveau style with mosaics and stained glass windows galore, cultivate a chic atmosphere.

Gay pride in Budapest © Walk With Pride

The Szechenyi baths are more popular. It's impossible to resist the charms of their neo-baroque buildings, not to be amused by the bathers who play chess in the outdoor pools heated to 38°C, amidst wisps of steam. And not to enjoy their vast cabins...

The Turkish baths Kyrali or Rudas, with their 17th century domes, offer a more authentic experience... and hotter! on one condition: go when they are reserved for men. The Rudas baths even organize "Cinetrip" evenings, which are very popular with gays, with black and white films projected on a techno music background! It's obvious: much more than a simple leisure activity, the baths are the place where one can bask in the Hungarian soul, where insistent glances are sometimes transformed into beautiful encounters. This is a good reason to take a dip!