LIKE the blue Danube River that separates Castle Hill in Buda from the flâneur-worthy boulevards of Pest, the Hungarian capital of Budapest has a sophisticated and hedonistic side. Old World grandeur, stunning architecture and a rich cultural heritage give Budapest its undeniably noble air. But the city also offers plenty of opportunities to cut loose, relax and overindulge on everything from opera and wine to nightlife and cool art. What's more, few of these luxuries are prohibitively expensive. There are ornate public bathhouses, trendy design shops with flea-market prices and beautiful museums that don't cost a cent. So whatever side you choose, let your curiosity be your guide.

Runners and cyclists across the Danube from the Hungarian Parliament.

Friday

5 p.m.
1) DOWN BY THE RIVER

The neo-Gothic Hungarian Parliament building looks like one very creepy church, or perhaps the corporate headquarters of Vampires Inc. For great views of this mess of spires and huge dome overshadowing the Danube, cross to the river to the Angelika Cukraszda (Batthyany ter 7; 36-1-201-0668), a cafe and bar with a lot of outdoor seating, where you can watch locals promenade along the riverbank and sip a local Dreher beer (750 forints, or about $4 at 188 forints to the dollar), while the sunset lights up the spiky white façade.

7 p.m.
2) A TASTE OF VENISON

Budapest is home to one of Central Europe's most vibrant food scenes, with kitchens adding a modern flair to classic Hungarian dishes. A delicious example is Dio (Sas 4; 36-1-328-0360, www.diorestaurant.com), which, since opening in January, has quickly earned a reputation as one of the city's best, with a sleek, urbane décor that brings in elements of traditional folk art. The menu takes a similarly modern approach to traditional dishes. A breaded cutlet of mangalica (a local breed of wooly pig), is accompanied by Asian-style ginger home fries and a tomato-cilantro salad (3,220 forints). And rustic Hungarian recipes, like smoky venison sausage and spicy bean salad, have been turned into tapas (five “bites” with bread for 3,700 forints).

9 p.m.
3) GO GO GODOR

From Liszt and Bartok to Anima Sound System and the current D.J. sensation Yonderboi, Budapest rocks. On summer nights, free concerts draw big crowds of skateboarders and cyclists to the city's favorite square, Erzsebet ter, where the nightclub and art space Godor Klub (Erzsebet ter, 36-20-201-3868; www.godorklub.hu) showcases everything from Romany rap to jazz. The outdoor stage, partially tucked under the square's reflecting pool, evokes a public amphitheater, attracting a diverse crowd until 10 p.m., at which point everyone heads indoors for more music.

Young people by the reflecting pool near the Godor Klub, a nightclub and art space that showcases everything from Romany rap to jazz. On a trip to Budapest, let your curiosity be your guide.

Saturday

10 a.m.
4) BOUTIQUE STREET

Over the last decade, Kiraly Street has turned from a rundown lane into a major design destination, with a dozen boutiques in the few blocks between Nagymezo and Kaldy Gyula streets. Start at the tiny Porto-Tex (No. 24; 36-1-351- 2129; www.portotex.hu), which sells wrought-iron lamps with handmade paper shades (7,500 forints) and plush curtains from Hungarian fabric makers. Style Antique (No. 25, 36-1-322-8884; www.styleantique.com) sells antique pine furniture as well as new drop-leaf tables made from salvaged wood (154,000 forints). Up the block is Goa Love (No. 19, 36-1-352-8442; www.goaworld.hu), which carries delicate silks, earthenware and art from Asia.

Noon
5) ANCIENT BUDDHAS

Other Asian treasures can be found at the Gyorgy Rath Museum (Varosligeti fasor 12; 36-1-342-3916, www.hoppmuzeum.hu; free), housed in an 1870 villa overflowing with 18th-century teak sculptures from India, ancient statues of Buddhas and figurines of western merchants from the Tang Dynasty. For a look at contemporary Hungarian art, walk a few blocks to Kogart (Andrassy 112, 36-1-354 3836; www.kogart.hu; 1,200 forints), a three-story museum that is currently showing “Fresh Europe 2007,” a new annual exhibit of student works from the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts.

A couple steals a moment and a kiss on Andrassy Boulevard.

2:30 p.m.
6) RAIL AWAY

When the heat rises, Budapesters head for the Buda Hills, a large park covered with lush beech and oak forests. And one of the coolest ways of getting there is the Children's Railway (www.gyermekvasut.com, 1,200 forints), a Communist-era holdover employing local children who take the tickets, make the announcements, whistle “all-clear” and do everything short of driving the engine. The trip is an hour in each direction, but you can hop off along the way to go hiking (or drinking at a cafe).

The Children’s Railway is a Communist-era holdover employing local children who take the tickets, make the announcements, whistle “all-clear” and do everything short of driving the engine.

6 p.m.
7) SAMPLING THE VINEYARDS

Vintners from Argentina, France and Spain have recently made big investments in Hungarian vineyards. To sample some of the country's finest, visit the Magyar Borok Haza, or House of Hungarian Wines (Szentharomsag ter 6; 36-1-212-1030; www.magyarborokhaza.hu), near Buda Castle. Its cellars stock more than 700 different Hungarian wines, of which about 50 are available at any given time for tasting. The 4,000-forint entry fee gets you a glass, crackers and unlimited sampling for two hours. While it's tempting to make your own way, the staff speaks excellent English and enthusiastically directs guests to lesser-known Hungarian varietals like kadarka, juhfark and the impossible-to-pronounce (but incredibly fragrant) cserszegi fuszeres, a dry white with an intensely fruity finish. Feel free to take your favorite to the counter: everything is available for purchase.

8 p.m.
8) CLOSED-CIRCUIT DINING

For a low-key trattoria with a high-tech twist, head to Csalogany 26 (Csalogany 26, 36-1-201-7892; www.csalogany26.hu). The kitchen blends Hungarian and Continental cuisines, which you can see being prepared on a closed-circuit flat-screen monitor in the dining room. It may seem gimmicky though the food is anything but. Recent offerings included a cooling tomato gazpacho topped with crunchy roast walnuts (700 forints), and a crisp and tender breast of guinea hen with fresh spinach (2,400 forints). The wine list has excellent Hungarian varietals, including a kadarka (330 forints a glass). Just a few months old, Csalogany 26 has already vaulted to the top of the Budapest food blog, Chew.hu.

For a low-key trattoria with a high-tech twist, head to Csalogany 26. The kitchen blends Hungarian and Continental cuisines; you can see the food being prepared on a closed-circuit flat-screen monitor in the dining room.

Midnight
9) NIGHTKLUBBING

There's no rush to get to Piaf Klub (Nagymezo 25, 36-1-312-3823; www.piafklub.hu), since this ultracool capital of Budapest nightlife doesn't peak until 3 a.m. But early birds are rewarded with a seat in the upstairs red-velvet lounge, where jazzy torch songs waft through the dark and moody space. By contrast, the disco downstairs plays up-tempo oldies and '80s tunes, keeping the crowd jumping until dawn.

Sunday

11 a.m.
10) BREAKFAST WITH MARIA

Budapest has a long tradition of excellent coffeehouses, with jewels like the Muvesz Kavehaz (Andrassy 29, 36-1-352-1337) charming guests for over a century. Just across the street, the new Callas Café (Andrassy 20, 36-1-354-0954; www.callascafe.hu), brings a high-ceilinged Art-Deco atmosphere to the plaza in front of the Hungarian State Opera. There's more than just coffee and opera talk: Callas serves cheap and hearty breakfasts like ham and eggs (850 forints) and a wickedly decadent jam roll (280 forints).

The high-ceilinged Art-Deco interior of the new Callas Café.

12:30 p.m.
11) FIRST-CLASS MAIL

Want to see how the other half lives? Budapest has no shortage of glorious 19th-century homes. To see one in vintage condition, walk down Andrassy Boulevard to the Postal Museum (Andrassy 3, 36-1-269-6838; www.postamuzeum.hu), housed in a 1886 mansion replete with elaborate plasterwork ceilings, crystal chandeliers, period wallpapers and plush fabrics — to say nothing of the museum's collection of antique mail carts, telegraphs and the still-functioning pneumatic tube system. Free on Sundays.

Take a tour of the Postal Museum, which is housed in one of the city's glorious 19th-century homes.

2 p.m.
12) ROMAN BATHS

Budapest has been celebrated for its curative baths since Roman times, when the city was known as Aquincum. Among the most venerated are the Szechenyi baths (36-1-363-3210, www.spasbudapest.com), which sit atop a metro station (Szechenyi furdo) in the middle of City Park. Occupying a sprawling, neo-Baroque complex from 1913, Szechenyi has 15 pools ranging from frigid to steaming. Entry fees start at 2,400 forints. Be sure to bring a swimsuit: unlike many segregated baths in town, Szechenyi is co-ed and has a G-rated family atmosphere.

Men playing chess in the Szechenyi baths.

The Basics

The Hungarian national airline, Malev, and many other major carriers fly to Budapest from Kennedy Airport, with round-trip fares starting at around $645 for travel in September, according to a recent Web search. The 30-minute taxi ride from Ferihegy Airport to central Budapest costs about 5,000 forints, or about $27 at 188 forints to the dollar, and can be booked through a central airport kiosk.

Budapest sprawls a bit more than other European capitals. To get around, buy a packet of 10 tickets (2,050 forints) for the city's efficient BKV public transportation system (www.bkv.hu ).

A new crop of hotels in Budapest offer London-style luxury at similarly elevated prices. Luckily, a few bargains can be found. Below Buda Castle on the banks of the Danube, the Art'otel (Bem Rakpart 16-19; 36-1-487-9487, www.artotel.de) offers stylish rooms, with artwork from the American painter Donald Sultan, starting at 117 euros, or about $163 at one euro to $1.39.

In the city's center, Hotel Pest (Paulay Ede u. 31; 36-1-343-1198; www.hotelpest.hu), has 22 large doubles near the ruins of the Rumbach Synagogue, starting at 120 euros.

source: nytimes.com

photo: Piotr Malecki