Take advantage of the unique flavor Budapest has to offer. CEA offers a variety of local immersion activities to match your interests. Whether you enjoy music concerts, clubs, sports, cooking classes, language exchanges or something entirely different, our resident staff can help you get involved in the local culture. Here are just some examples.
Language Exchange
CEA staff can arrange for students to meet a Hungarian language exchange partner to practice Hungarian in a real life context. Most partners are regular Corvinus University students who are studying English or other languages. Language partners can also help CEA students experience the city and its culture, providing tips on how to get around and where to find the sights and activities of interest. This program is a great way of meeting other young people and enhancing speaking skills.
A Night at the Opera
Hungarians are justifiably proud of their country's musical heritage, having produced two of the world's greatest 20th-century composers in Zoltan Kodaly and Bela Bartok. The classical music and opera scenes are flourishing in Budapest. A night at the Hungarian State Opera House is one of the main cultural highlights of the CEA program. Completed in 1884 by the architect Miklos Ybl, the neo-Renaissance building is one of the architectural gems of the city. Students will also visit the Cupola Room of the Parliament building which provides a unique venue for concerts by the Magyar Virtuózok Chamber Orchestra (Hungarian Virtuosos) preceded by a guided tour of this magnificent building. For those who are more interested in “house” than Strauss, CEA staff can provide details of the best clubs to visit as well as plenty of other ideas for a fun night out, ranging from Hungarian folk and jazz venues to rock/pop events.
Géllert Baths
One of the unique things about Budapest is the prevalence of thermal springs right in the center of the city-– 118 in all. It is not surprising that swimming and bathing are a national institution. The most elegant and popular of the city’s spas is the Géllert, attached to the hotel of the same name. The interior is an Art Deco masterpiece, and just about every type of bath-- hot, cold, therapeutic, etc. is available. Bathing here has been compared to going swimming in a museum or a church! It was built in 1917, but its origins go back to the 16th century. There is a warm thermal pool in the main hall and an outdoor wave pool and thermal pool. Students should bring swimsuits, towels, caps and pool shoes, and indulge in the ultimate form of relaxation Budapest has to offer with a well-deserved soak in the medicinal waters of Budapest’s premier spa. This is a wonderful way to unwind after a day of classes at Corvinus University.
Hungarian Folk Dance Classes
Many people consider folk dances to be slow, boring, out-dated and danced only by the older generations, but the truth is quite the opposite. Hungarian folk dances can be fast-paced, surprisingly contemporary and very popular with the younger crowd. The Hungarian folk style is unique in that it allows a person's individual character to come to the fore during many dances. Steps such as the Csardas and Verbunk are popular all over the world and are not only enjoyable but easy to learn. Traditional Hungarian folk dance is an integral part of the country's folklore and taking dance classes is a great way to make friends with locals of all ages and experience a new and different aspect of Hungarian culture.
Budapest Coffeehouse Culture
After a day of classes at Corvinus, students can unwind with CEA staff over strong coffee and sweet cake in an old, cozy café. There were more than 400 coffeehouses in Budapest at the turn of the 20th century, attracting everyone from soldiers and aristocrats to poets and actors. Some of the best are still in business today.
Soccer
Ferencváros is Hungary's biggest and most successful soccer club. They have an impressive 18,000 capacity stadium in Budapest. Matches against local rivals Honvéd are well worth seeing! CEA staff will arrange for tickets to see them in action.
The Budapest Spring Festival
Held in March each year the Budapest Spring Festival is a celebration of concerts, opera and ballet performances, held in Budapest's most prestigious concert halls and theaters and in other venues such as the Museum of Fine Arts, the National Gallery and the Bartok Memorial House.
