Duncan JD Smith’s ’Only in Budapest’ was the first book we discovered from the ‘Only in’ series of guidebooks on European cities. That was back in 2006, and since then we have extolled the merits of this series a number of times in hidden europe. The series now extends to nine titles, of which the latest — ‘Only in Paris’ — had a mention in the last issue of hidden europe.

The Budapest guide has been particularly successful with a third edition published last month. It includes a lot of new material, so hidden europe invited Duncan JD Smith to give us a flavour of something novel from the Hungarian capital.

From Castle Hill to Heroes’ Square, Budapest is a city beloved by visitors for its architectural diversity. Splendid palaces, ancient churches, bath buildings, and imposing arcades all contribute to the feel of the place, even though some of these showpiece attractions are crying out for restoration. That is the reality of Budapest in modern times: Vienna it is not. But how many visitors would actually go out of their way to see a badly dilapidated apartment house, especially if it was of little apparent historical interest? The answer, surprisingly, is quite a few! Moreover, they are not looking for art and history but rather drink and entertainment in one of Budapest’s socalled Ruin Pubs (Romkocsma). The phenomenon of the Ruin Pub originated in the run-down Jewish Quarter of Pest in District VII, where lack of money, neglect, and an absence of gentrification has created an abundance of crumbling and sometimes abandoned late nineteenth-century apartment buildings.