Budapest & its International Guitar Competition: a guitarist's travel guide
Budapest International Guitar Competition & Festival · Budapest, Hungary
Budapest is one of Europe's most handsome cities, draped across the Danube between hilly Buda and busy Pest, and its international guitar competition is held in a setting to match: the historic Liszt Academy of Music. Founded in 2014 by the Hungarian guitarist József Eötvös, it brings the competition together with a festival of concerts and masterclasses.
Getting there
Budapest is well connected by rail to Vienna, Bratislava and beyond, and its airport (BUD) links to much of Europe, around half an hour from the centre. Trams, metro and the river itself make getting around a pleasure.
Compare trains, buses & flights to Budapest on Omio →
Where to stay
Stay in central Pest, near the academy and the grand boulevards, and much of the city is walkable or a short tram ride away. Budapest is affordable by Western European standards, so it is worth treating yourself to a room with a view.
An interactive map of hotels, apartments and B&Bs across Booking, Expedia, Airbnb and more, centred on Budapest.
See stays in Budapest →What you'll hear
The competition runs through several rounds, played from memory, moving from Baroque and classical works to a sonata and free choices in the final. Its winners include some of the most decorated players on the circuit, among them Marko Topchii. Held in the gilded halls of the Liszt Academy, the finals are as much a feast for the eyes as the ears.
If you play as well as listen, explore Franz Liszt, whose academy hosts the finals on Sheet Music Plus →
Where to eat
Hungarian cooking is rich and paprika-scented: goulash soup, chicken paprikash, and lángos, the fried dough eaten from a street stall. Finish with a chimney cake and a glass of Tokaji wine.
While you're there
The Danube Bend towns of Szentendre, Visegrád and Esztergom make lovely day trips upriver, the first an artists' town, the others crowned by a castle and a great basilica. In the city, the thermal baths are an experience in themselves. A rental car makes the day trips simple, and GetYourGuide lists guided tours and tickets across the region.
Enter the pieces you play, and GuitarComp shows how your programme maps to this competition's rounds and which other events you qualify for.
See full competition details →Competition dates, deadlines and the current compulsory work change each edition, so always confirm at the official site: budapestguitar.com.