The 9th district of Budapest, or District IX, is a historically loaded part of the city. Ferencvaros, as it is also known, has seen floods, industrialisation and intense street fighting during the 1956 revolution. It received its name in 1792, when Francis I claimed the throne of Hungary, but it only became an official district in 1879 when Buda and Pest were united to form modern-day Budapest. Today, the 9th is emerging as the best alternative to the crowded and mainstream tourist areas of District VII or downtown.
The district occupies the south-eastern corner of the city centre. Its border on the west is the Danube river and on the north side it touches the posh downtown (District V) as well as the notoriously shabby District VIII. Ferencvaros contains elements of both its bordering neighbourhoods, and this ambiguity provides a totally unique atmosphere in the streets, squares and public spaces.
The turn-of-the-century style buildings between Kiskorut and Nagykorut (inner and outer ring roads), the cultural vibe of Raday utca and the urban buzz at the cross of the huge Ulloi avenue and Nagykorut, have helped this quarter to evolve into a gathering place for young people, many of whom also buy their first flat within its confines.
In response to this demand, the 9th district is evolving quite rapidly: older monstrosities have been demolished and are gradually giving way to shiny rectangular prefabs; squares have been renovated and cleaned; local bars have sprung up; and other noteworthy destinations continue to open with the help of substantial government investment. The city is full of pretty, traditional Christmassy spots, but skip these, or at least make time, for the more exciting 9th.
• Brandon Krueger and Laszlo Kajtar, Budapest DJs and authors of local music website mykunk.com
East Side Hair
East Side Hair is a hip salon with young, aspiring hairdressers ready to make your wildest-weirdest-coolest hair-dreams come true. It's often a gathering place for the city's fashionistas whose names appear on the pages of The Room, Hungary's first internationally acclaimed fashion magazine. Feel like a local by booking a relaxing scalp massage, cut, colour and style in an exclusive but friendly venue.
• Gonzy Pal utca 4 (0036 1 299 0886, eastsidehair.hu).
Kis Erkel Kavezo
Tucked away in a side street off Raday utca, Kis Erkel Kavezo provides a friendly and laid-back bar atmosphere, enforced by a low-lying elongated sofa lining the perimeter. Throw in the occasional art opening and you've got the perfect spot for a mid-week rendezvous, or warm-up on the weekend.
• Erkel utca 14 (+1 210 7351).
Fecske Presszo
Fecske Presszo is an unpretentious alternative to the cookie-cutter theme restaurants that line the recently renovated Raday utca. While the dishes may not cut it for the Michelin-star classes, they are serviceable, and what you might sacrifice in taste, you make up for in spades with the atmosphere. Every Sunday evening a film club is held in the basement, with additional "house parties" every weekend - which basically entail getting to drink wine in a 1960s communist-style living room where someone else has to clean up afterwards.
• Raday utca 34 (+1 215 2738).
Cokxpon
It's hard to summarise Cokxpon as it's really three places in one. Enter the ground-floor space to find a rather unassuming bar. Walk through a back passage, take off your shoes (it's mandatory) and drop down a flight of stairs to find yourself in a warm and cosy candlelit den and second bar, filled with hanging coloured sheets and with bean bags scattered around. Peek in the side room to check out the occasional live sets and DJ performances. It's one of the rare cool spots largely unvisited by foreigners . . . so far at least.
• Soroksari ut 8-10, Boraros ter cokxponambient.hu).
Ludwig Muzeum
Hungary's museum of contemporary art, the Ludwig, aka Lumu, occupies one part of an impressive complex (also including the National Concert Hall and Festival Theatre) that first opened along the Danube in 2005. With an imposing facade and clean, bright, yet not clinical interior, the space represents a quantum leap forward from its poorly lit and somewhat dour previous locale in a wing of the Hungarian National Gallery - and, finally, properly supports the significance of the collection inside. Its permanent exhibit focuses on American pop art, hyper-realism, and eastern European avant-garde. Past exhibitions have presented artists such as Keith Haring, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Andy Warhol, in addition to a healthy survey of the contemporary Hungarian art scene.
• Komor Marcell utca 1 (+1 555 3444, ludwigmuseum.hu).
Trafo
Modern dance and exhibition space early evening, cutting-edge DJ and live act venue by night, Trafo has deftly positioned itself as the city's alternative cultural hub. The National Opera House will serve up the usual holiday fare (eg the Nutcracker Suite), but make your way to Trafo for the latest in choreography performed by a European dance troupe, a precursor to a rock, electro and rave club night - of late headed by Kunk and Kollektiva.
• Liliom utca 41 (+1 456 2040, trafo.hu).
