Council Meeting

EBLIDA will celebrate its fourteenth annual Council meeting on 5 and 6 May 2006 at the National Széchényi Library (Friday) and the Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library (Saturday).

See presentations on Friday 5 May here!

See the list of Participants as of 1 May here!

The DRAFT PROGRAMME, EBLIDA Annual Council Meeting, Budapest, Hungary, 5 and 6 May 2006

The DRAFT AGENDA, EBLIDA Annual Council Meeting, Budapest, Hungary, 5 and 6 May 2006

Budapest

The capital city of Hungary, Budapest, bisected by the River Danube, was created out of the unification of the separate historic towns of Buda, Pest and Óbuda in 1873. There are three islands – Óbuda Island, Margaret Island and Csepel Island – and nine bridges, two of which carry railway lines.


Budapest, city of Spas, possesses a rich and fascinating history as well as a vibrant cultural heritage, one is the prevalence of thermal springs right in the centre of the city. There are 118 springs and boreholes altogether, supplying the city’s spas and baths with 15.4 million gallons of water daily ranging in temperature from 70 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit (21-78°C). The two oldest baths are the Király Thermal Baths (II. Fő u. 84.) and the Rudas Medicinal Baths (I. Döbrentei tér 9.), which central feature is an octagonal pool over which light is thrown from a 30-foot diameter cupola, supported by eight pillars.  

There is a huge range of cultural entertainment to choose from in Budapest. There are theatrical performances and concerts of classical and light music every day, with both Hungarian artists and guests from all over the world. As of 1 May, Budapest will be hosting a summer festival in three separate open-air locations. The outdoor stage on Margaret Island will be the venue for performances of opera and ballet, musicals and concerts of light music (including appearances by international guest artists). Outdoor theatre will be performed on the Városmajor open-air stage. And the Buda Park Stage will be the place to be for world class pop and rock.

We can also encounter eighteen museums, theatres showing the widest imaginable variety of plays, the Opera House, the Basilica, the Synagogue, the Fun Fair, the Zoo and the Castle District (Szent György utca), a World Heritage Site, with City Park and all its opportunities for enjoyment and relaxation. The majority of Budapest’s most important sights are all within easy striking distance of this route.

Hungary’s largest library is the National Széchenyi Library, which contains a number of valuable fifteenth century volumes from the great Corvina Library of King Matthias as well as several codices. The reading room and the music and manuscript collections are accessible to visitors on the purchase of a reader’s ticket. The ELTE University Library  (V. Ferenciek tere 6) is another popular reference library.

Two elements of the Budapest shopping experience that really should not be missed out on are a visit to one of the market halls and a trip out to the Ecseri Flea Market (1194 Nagykőrösi út 156.), the Budapest Flea Market, outside the Petőfi Hall (1146 Zichy Mihály út 14.), Pintér (V. Falk Miksa utca 10.), the Nagyházi Gallery or the Múzeum körút (for antiquarian booksellers). There is also much to be discovered by taking a walk down Falk Miksa utca, a street in Pest street which, like certain areas in Paris and Rome, has become a centre for antique shops.

On Saturday 6 May, the Danube Symphony Orchestra, first class orchestra which specialises in performing favourites from the golden age of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, will perform at the Danube Palace from 20h00. Prices vary from 6,400-8,900 HUF (ca. 26-36 Euro); a special offer including a three-course dinner and a concert ticket is available for 40-50 Euro per person (depending on menu and ticket price).  Also starting at 20h00 is the Rajkó Folk Ensemble, a fiery young group of about sixty dancers formed in the early fifties, which specialises in Hungarian Folk dance. They will perform at Budapesti Bábszínház, the eclectic building of the Budapest Puppet Theatre in Andássy street 69. Prices vary from 3,300 – 5,600 HUF (ca. 14-24 Euro).

Further information on events and entertainment, nightlife guide, etc. can be found at the Budapest Tourism Office and the Budapest Portal.

Getting there

By air
http://www.bud.hu/

Budapest (Ferihegy) International Airport, ten miles south-east of the city centre, has two terminals: terminal 2B hosting all international carriers’ flights, including some of the budget airlines. The airport’s central telephone number for information is (+36-1) 296-9696, and flight information is available on (+36-1) 296-7000.
The main car hire firms have offices in the arrivals halls, otherwise the Airport Minibus will carry passengers to and from any part of Budapest. It is very popular and provides excellent value for money. It can be booked on (+36-1) 296-8555 or in person at the airport. Please note that if you buy the Budapest Card in one of our tourist information offices at the airport, the card can be used already on the public transport from the airport.

By rail
http://www.elvira.hu/

More than fifty trains a day provide direct links between Budapest and no fewer than 25 other capital cities. Trains to Vienna run every three hours. There is also a popular network of Inter City trains linking Budapest with the main Hungarian centres. International trains operate from the three largest stations: Keleti pályaudvar (VIII., Baross tér.), Nyugati pályaudvar (VI., Nyugati tér) and Déli pályaudvar (I. Krisztina krt. 37). All three international railway stations are part of the Budapest Underground system, the Metró. The Déli and Keleti are stops on the Red (Number 2) line and the Nyugati is on the Blue (Number 3) line.


By river
http://www.mahartpassnave.hu

A hydrofoil services operates during the summer months (from April to October) linking the heart of Budapest with Vienna and Bratislava. International boat landings are situated on the Danube between the Chain Bridge (Lánchíd) and the Freedom Bridge (Szabadság híd).

Information about Mahart PassNave Ltd. services is available on (+36-1) 318-6042.


By car

All Hungary’s motorways and most of her main roads radiate out from the capital. The M1, M3, M5 and M7 are toll motorways, and you must pay the appropriate toll (either at the border or at larger petrol stations) and display the windscreen sticker before joining the road. Speed limits are 50 km/hour (31 mph) in built-up areas and 90 km/hour (56 mph) elsewhere, except on dual carriageways (110 km/hour, 68 mph) and motorways (130 km/hour, 80 mph). 24-hour roadside assistance is available from the Magyar Autóklub (Tel.: (+36-1) 345-1755), and emergency roadside help can also be called for by dialing 188.

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Budapest Public Transport
http://www.bkv.hu

Budapest’s network of public transport services includes buses, trolleybuses, trams, underground trains (Metró) and over ground suburban trains (HÉV). Buses, trams and trolleybuses run daily from 4.30 a.m. until 11.0 p.m.


Taxis

Taxis have the word “Taxi” written on them and have yellow registration number plates. It is compulsory for them to use a taximeter that can also give a receipt.

The Hungarian currency is the forint

• 1 Hungarian Forint = 0.003927 Euro

• 1 Euro = 252,500000 Hungarian Forint (March 2006)

Check out FXConverter and/or x-rates for conversion rates. Rates offered at bureaux de change are generally better than those available in the banks, at the airport and in hotels.

All post offices offer encashment facilities for VISA, VISA Electron, Euro card/MasterCard, and Maestro cards, as well as for Euro cheques and American Express traveler's cheques and postal orders.

Accommodation

Find here a selection of hotels. Accommodation can also be booked via Online hotels and/or Budapest Hotel Reservation. A map is provided to see proximity to the National Széchenyi Library.

Please note that most hotels in Budapest are fully booked at the time of Council. Those interested in attending the EBLIDA Council are strongly advised to book online at three-star Hotel Stadion Budapest, where over 60 rooms are still available at affordable prices for the aforementioned period. The vicinity of Metro line 2, (Stadionok Station) makes it easy for guests to reach downtown Pest within 10 minutes.

Created: 8 March 2006

Last updated: 22 June 2006