No matter how comfortable your apartment is, sometimes you just need a break. Especially, if you are supposed to be studying. It’s easy to go with the usual choices and try studying at the library or on campus, but this often leads to hanging out with classmates. To offer a solution, we looked around to find some places where you get the two most important things for a long study session: good cafe and someplace you can plug in your laptop.
#1 Coffice Budapest
Where? 1052 Budapest, Vitkovits Mihály utca 8.
What? Coffice is short for co-working office, a new initiative aiming to prove that working from a home-office does not necessarily mean a lone-office. You can meet a lot of freelancers and young professionals here, which is really inspiring and a great motivator. Coffice is ideal both if you want to study alone and if you want to bring your study group: the design makes it easy to arrange the perfect set-up for whatever you want to do.
#2 Konyha
Where? 1075 Budapest, Madách Imre út 8.
What? In English, Konyha means Kitchen – but much better than your own kitchen at home. If you are one of those people whose main form of procrastination is opening the fridge and staring inside for a minute without getting anything just to repeat the performance 15 minutes later, then this is the place for you. In spirit at least, you probably shouldn’t stare into their fridge. Konyha is at the entrance of the ever-so-popular Gozsdu udvar, right in the middle of the city center, so you can easily convince yourself to study all day and reward yourslef with a couple of drinks afterwards. Konyha has lovely windows downstairs for people-watching, and squishy couches upstairs to get comfortable, so you can find your perfect spot (and get great food)!
#3 Kelet
Where? 1114 Budapest, Bartók Béla út 29.
What? Kelet looks like a library, but it’s so much more. If you like the idea of studying in a library, but find it too quiet, or you just prefer being able to have great tea and coffee on your table while you do so, this is your place. Kelet is also a gallery with exciting temporary exhibitions of contemporary art, and popular place for literary events. And, although it is not a book shop, you can grab any book you fancy if you bring another book in exchange. Is there a better way to refresh your library? Just try to keep in mind that you are there to study, and not to read all day J
#4 Gólya
Where? 1083 Budapest, Bókay János utca 34.
What? Although not exactly in the city center, Gólya (Stork), is definitely worth the trek. What makes it special is that it is a co-operative bar and community house in the 8th district, so it fills multiple functions at once: being a regular in Gólya means being part of a community. On warmer days, you can take advantage of the quiet garden, which is ideal if you like studying in the open air, but you don’t like the noise that usually comes with it. Gólya opens a bit late at 11.30, but if you arrive early and work through the afternoon, you can enjoy a selection of great programs after your study session, including concerts, film clubs, lectures, of discussions.
#5 Massolit Books & Café
Where? 1072 Budapest, Nagy Diófa utca 30.
What? If you liked Kelet, you will also love Massolit, the perfect fusion of a bookstore and a café. Just like its other sibling shop in Krakow, Massolit is an independent foreign language book store, selling both used and new books, especially related to academia. They pride themselves on having books on subjects that you don’t usually find in Hungary, so you might even find some new resources while you are browsing the shelves in your well-deserved study-break. And at great discounts, too! What is more, Massolit also has its own pastry chef, so you will soon get addicted to studying…or to Massolit, anyway.
