Budapest Christmas, Author at Budapest Christmas

Sep

Winter Sights Cruise

Categories: Budapest Christmas

Enjoy a relaxing afternoon or evening on a cozy heated ship on the Danube, surrounded by the magnificent Budapest attractions. Choose a cruise with drinks or even dinner included, and spend a wonderful time on board.

Sightseeing Cruises in Winter

Budapest Winter Cruise – Marta Troicka Photography

Budapest is full of riverside attractions, which are well worth to see even in wintertime. Daytime Sightseeing Cruises are nice too, but as the sun sets quite early (at 4pm in December), the night lights on both sides of the Danube are magnificent from late afternoon until night hours on an Evening Sightseeing Cruise.

Drink Cruises

The themed drink cruises can provide you a little twist on the cruises, and you can choose from several options from Cocktail Cruises, Craft Beer Cruises or Wine Tasting Cruises.

Winter Buda Castle Hill – Neil Howard Photography

Dinner Cruises

For a more complex cruise experience, the dinner cruises are the perfect choice. Including buffet style or served dinner, drinks and different kind of live music on each Dinner Cruise program, everyone can find the one that fits to their winter Budapest holiday.

Budapest Xmas Eve Dinner with Gypsy Music

Winter Festive Cruises

If you choose to celebrate on board, a Christmas Cruise or NYE Cruise will definitely be the highlight of your Budapest holiday. Live music, festive decorations, delicious dinner and drinks – all included for an unforgettable night on the Danube.

Sep

Enjoy the Gift of Tasting in Budapest in the Winter Months

Categories: Budapest Christmas

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Enjoy the Gift of Tasting in Budapest in the Winter Months.

Taste the best local foods and drinks on River Cruises, Walking Tours or in the Christmas Markets, and complete your Budapest winter holiday with discovering the traditional Hungarian cuisine.

Christmas Market Tour & Tastings

Budapest Christmas Market Street Foods

There is no Christmas time in Budapest without Christmas Markets. There are several smaller markets in the city, but the 2 biggest in Vorosmarty Square and in front of the St. Stephen’s Basilica are definitely worth a visit. The perfect way to discover both of them, while learning about local Christmas traditions, is to book a guided Christmas Market Tour. You won’t regret it. Did I mention that the tour includes a Chimney Cake and a mug of Mulled Wine as well? Student and children discount are available, so this really is a perfect Christmas treat for your family holiday. This tour is in December only, from Dec 1 to 23, so don’t hesitate much to book!

Christmas Cruise Budapest – Cameron Rogers Photography

Wine Tasting Cruise

Enjoy a 7-Tier Hungarian Wine Tasting on board, while admiring the beautiful winter sights along the river Danube. The Wine Tasting Cruise runs every day at 7pm (with live Gypsy Music). On some dates, it is even available at 10pm (with live Salon Music).

Craft Beer Tasting Cruise

Tasting of 5 delicious Hungarian specialty artisan beers, breadsticks as snacks, and Live Music are included in the Craft Beer Cruise. Running at 7pm every day (plus at 10pm on some days during the winter season).

Dinner Cruises

Budapest Xmas Eve Dinner with Gypsy Music

Budapest Dinner Cruises are famous for the amazing atmosphere of the live music on board, the beautifully lit riverside attractions and at last but not least the delicious Hungarian food served on board. Don’t miss it while you are in Budapest! Special festive programs, such as Christmas Eve Cruises, Christmas Day Cruises and of course New Year’s Eve Cruises are also available, though ticket are selling fast.

Great Market Hall Budapest

Great Market Hall Tour & Tastings

The guided Market Hall Tours with Tastings are unmissable programs for all food lovers, or anyone who wishes to try out the real Hungarian flavours – Goulash, Langos, Chimney Cake – just to mention a few – and wine or craft beer tastings.

Last updated Nov 2023

Oct

Santa Claus Train

Categories: Xmas Events

Tags: Budapest Christmas Children Activities, Budapest Christmas Trains, Budapest Christmas Vehicles, Santa Claus in Budapest

Comments: 3

The Santa Claus Train is a lovely nostalgia train up in the Buda Hills run by the Hungarian Children’s Railway in early December. The Children’s Railway was by the way the former Hungarian Pioneer Railway, which was a huge success during Communism, and managed to survive the change of regime, an absolute family favorite! Now, if you wonder why the Santa Claus comes so early in Hungary, at the beginning of December, rather than as Father Christmas should, at Christmas, the fact is that in Hungary, Santa Claus has a special day, Dec 6 (St Nikolaus’s day), while the Christmas presents in Hungary are brought by the Baby Jesus (or the Little Angel). Don’t ask how kids believe that a baby should be so strong. They do.

Santa Claus Train Budapest

Event date: Saturday and Sunday, 1 & 2 December 2018 (changes with the weekend dates yearly).

Hours of Departure of the Santa Claus trains:

Huvosvolgy Train Station at 8:20, 9:20, 10:20, 11:20, 12:20, 13:20, 14:20, 15:20, 16:20, 17:20 hrs

On Saturday, 1st December and Sunday, 2nd December 2018 you can ride the Children’s Railway in the company of Santa Claus again. This is the Advent period, and you can feel that this event for children and parents will be worth every minute.
Tickets can only be purchased in advance!
Santa Claus Specials are going to be operated on both days of the first weekend of December where children and parents can ride the Children’s Railway with Santa Claus and his bogeymen.

The young passengers and Santa’s helpers will be expecting the arrival of Santa Claus together. They will spend the time with signing and reciting poetry until he shows up on the train.

Santa Claus is going to chat away with every child individually before presenting them with the traditional small bag of sweets and fruits.

Santa Claus Specials are going to depart Huvosvolgy Station at 8:20, 9:20, 10:20, 11:20, 12:20, 13:20, 14:20, 15:20, 16:20 and 17:20 hrs. They are not scheduled to call at any station or halting along the route so they can be boarded only at the first station.

Some of Santa Claus’s helpers are going to entertain the children in Huvosvolgy just outside the station with dancing and singing before the departure or after the arrival of the special service.

Oct

Santa Claus Train in the Railway Museum

Categories: Xmas Events

Tags: Budapest Christmas Children Activities, Budapest Christmas Trains, Budapest Christmas Vehicles, Budapest Things To Do Winter, Santa Claus in Budapest

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Santa Claus Train? Yes, another great train program to welcome Santa Claus with the kids, this time in the Hungarian Railway Museum, one of the best museums with children (and train enthusiasts!) in Budapest. Event dates: Dec 7, Dec 8 and Dec 9 in 2018 (early December weekend)

Santa Claus in Budapest Railway Museum

Santa Claus Express Train – Father Christmas is Coming to Town! Right to the cool Train History Park of Hungary.
All Abourd the Santa Claus train in Budapest, Hungary!

Santa Claus Show in Budapest Train Museum

The steam engine express train will take the children and parents from Nyugati Train Station to the Railway Museum in Budapest. The Orient Hall of the Train Museum turns into a festive party and stage to warmly welcome Santa and his helpers who bring lots of goodies and gifts for the kids. There is usually a show, goodie bags from Santa, etc.
Booking the tickets for the Santa Claus train is from mid October
More info about the special children train, and booking tickets:

Magyar Vasúttörténeti Park (Address: 95 Tatai Way, District XIV, postcode 1142 / Budapest, Tatai út 95.)
Tel./fax: (06-1) 450-1497
Email and booking the Santa Claus train seats: info@vasuttortenetipark.hu

Santa is Coming to Budapest

And if you should be wondering why the Santa Claus comes so early in Hungary, at the beginning of December (??), rather than as Father Christmas should, at Christmas (!!), the fact is that in Hungary, Santa Claus has a special day, Dec 6 (St Nikolaus’s day), while the Christmas presents in Hungary are brought by the Baby Jesus (or the Little Angel). Don’t ask how kids believe that a baby should be so strong. They do. So a proper Hungarian Santa Claus (Telapo aka Mikulas) should come around Dec 6.

Dec