Sziget Festival: a week on Budapest's Island of Freedom

Sziget is one of Europe's biggest music and culture festivals, held on Óbuda Island in the Danube in northern Budapest. For a week, the leafy island becomes a festival city with dozens of stages, art, circus and a huge international crowd.

Fun facts

• Sziget began in 1993 as a small student event.
• Its nickname is the Island of Freedom.
• Visitors come from dozens of countries, giving it a very international atmosphere.

What to see

• The main stage performances on the island at night.
• The Hungarian Parliament on the Danube.
• Buda Castle and the Fisherman's Bastion.

What to taste

• Lángos, fried dough with sour cream and cheese.
• Gulyás, the famous Hungarian soup with beef and paprika.
• Pálinka, strong Hungarian fruit brandy.

What to do

• Soak in the Széchenyi or Rudas thermal baths.
• Explore the ruin bars of the Jewish Quarter.
• Take a cheap boat ride on the Danube with public transport boats.

💡 Tip: The 100E express bus links Budapest airport with the centre; from there the HÉV suburban train runs to the island. Pack sunscreen, as August is hot.