My husband and I considered on what to do during these beautiful Budapest evenings.
As time is limited, we wanted to experience as much of Budapest as possible. After doing some Internet research, we decided on experiencing the Folklore package at the Danube Palace. This experience included a Hungarian cultural show with dance, music, and song in addition to a dinner cruise aboard a glass boat. Quick tip here, make sure to eat a snack before enjoying the show as you get on board the boat to eat your dinner at around 10pm.
The interior concert area of the Danube Palace was actually quite pretty. We enjoyed evaluating the details. The building itself was clearly well used. The lobby and stairs leading up to the concert hall appeared a bit shoddy to the point that it was such a large contrast when entering the concert hall. Of course the details of the lobby aren’t really that noticeable anymore when the crowd covers them as they exit the Danube Palace. The concert was quite enjoyable. The dancers were also the singers of which they would share their Hungarian dexterity and vocal talents. I must say though, that it’s quite a loud, almost shrieking, sound whenever they sing, especially the ladies. The musicians were actually quite good. Their charisma was clearly displayed as well as their passion for music. I remember they were given another round of applause at the lobby while we were waiting for the guide to take us to the boat.
We eventually walked from the Danube palace to the Danube River where the boat was docked. My husband and I sat on the top deck on our own table. Out of curiosity, I checked out the bottom deck and it had a large central table where the food looked quite wonderfully presented. Surrounding it was tables that sit at least 4 people. We were happy to have a more private setting for our candlelit dinner. A complimentary round of wine was provided as we took our seats and the boat commenced departure. There was also a bottle of mineral water on our table. The background music seemed like some jazzy Hungarian music. There were also some classic romantic English songs.
The food was laid out buffet style. It looked quite simple and it wasn’t much of an organized way of helping ourselves to the food. Fortunately all the guests were orderly. Their buffet items are as follows: Alföld-style goulash with small dumplings, soup that is very similar to lentil, vegetable cream soup, traditional chicken paprikash (this went pretty good with the rice as it had a somewhat sweet flavor due to the paprika), roasted chicken breast with basil cheese sauce, roasted sea fish with chardonnay sauce, mini stuffed cabbage, and grilled vegetables.
Given the price of the entire package, I feel the food selections were very good. There’s certainly something for everyone. For dessert there was some Somló-style sponge cake, fruit, home made strudel, chocolate cake, and strawberry cake. I thought some of the cake desserts simply had too much cream, which overpowered the cake itself. What I actually enjoyed was the traditional chicken leg with paprika mixed in with the rice. Sadly the rice ran out quickly. I’m sure others had the same combination going for them.
The real draw of this dinner cruises would be the sheer enjoyment of viewing the magnificent riverside buildings lit up in all of its glory. We found it incredibly romantic. For the price of the evening events and food, I certainly find this package most definitely worth it given the sheer cultural experience it can contribute to one’s holiday.
Thanks to Hungária Koncert Kft | Budapest, Zrínyi u., 1051 Hungary | +36 1 317 1377