Szimpla Kert and the Ruin Bars

Budapest invented the ruin bar, and Szimpla Kert is where it began. In the early 2000s, the old Jewish Quarter in District VII was full of crumbling buildings, many left empty since the war and awaiting demolition, and a group of friends started opening temporary bars in them, filled with mismatched furniture and recycled junk. Szimpla, which began in 2002, moved in 2004 into a derelict building at Kazinczy utca 14 that was scheduled for demolition, opening first as an open-air cinema, and the bar grew around it. Today it is a rambling warren of rooms and courtyards on two floors, every surface covered in graffiti, fairy lights, old computer screens, bathtubs turned into sofas and a Trabant car turned into a table, with several bars, a garden, live music, film screenings and a lot of people. It has been voted one of the best bars in the world and is one of the most visited sights in Budapest. Entry is free, and so are most events. On Sunday mornings, from 9am to 2pm, it hosts a farmers market, with local producers selling cheese, honey, bread, vegetables and homemade jams, and a brunch atmosphere that is completely different from the nights. Around Szimpla, the streets of District VII, Kazinczy, Dob and Király, are lined with other ruin bars, from small, quiet courtyard bars to Instant-Fogas, a seven-floor complex with more than a dozen bars, built for big nights out, as well as cocktail bars, street food courts and the passage of Gozsdu Udvar, a series of courtyards lined with restaurants and bars. The whole quarter is the centre of Budapest's nightlife, and it is lively until the early hours, especially at weekends.

When to go: Szimpla is a different place at different times. In the afternoon and early evening, until about 8pm, it is relaxed, with room to explore the rooms, take photographs and have a drink in the garden. After about 10pm, especially on Thursday to Saturday nights, it is packed, loud and buzzing, with queues at the door in summer. On Sunday mornings, the farmers market brings locals, families and brunch. If you want to see the place, go in the afternoon; if you want the party, go late. Note the house rules: under-18s can enter alone until early evening and with an adult until 10pm, and only adults are admitted late at night. Outside food and drink are not allowed.

Ruin bar etiquette and safety: the ruin bars are generally safe and friendly, but busy. Keep an eye on your belongings, pay for each drink as you order, and be wary of anyone inviting you to a bar elsewhere; the classic Budapest scam involves friendly strangers leading tourists to bars with outrageous bills. Pay in forints or by card. District VII is also a residential area, and residents have long campaigned against noise; be respectful in the streets late at night. If you want a quieter evening, choose a smaller courtyard bar a few minutes away, or one of the area's wine bars, which showcase Hungarian wines from Tokaj, Eger and Villány.

Beyond the bars: by day, the Jewish Quarter is a fascinating neighbourhood to explore, with the Dohány Street Synagogue, the Kazinczy Street Synagogue and street art on the firewalls of old buildings. It is also full of good, inexpensive places to eat, from Jewish and Hungarian cooking to international street food. Combine an afternoon at the synagogue with an early evening at Szimpla, dinner in the quarter, and, if you have the energy, a late night in the ruin bars.