All posts tagged Budapest Christmas Sights

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11
Oct

Budapest Christmas Market Tour with Basilica visit, Chimney Cake and Mulled Wine

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The Budapest Christmas markets tour is simply one of the best tours the city has on offer for visiting the 2 main Christmas Markets and St Stephen’s Basilica in a guided tour, plus having the world-famous Chimney Cake and tasty Mulled Wine.

Christmas Market Tour Booking

For a 2.5-hour market tour around a Xmas fairs + the Hungarian Christmas essential snack Chimney Cake & Mulled Wine for  65 Euro (child ticket available for €30).

Budapest Christmas Market Tour

Budapest Christmas Market Tour

See the details of the Christmas Fair Tour in Budapest below, and place your booking as places are limited and tour dates may fill up quickly.

Why Budapest Christmas Market Tour?

Is it really worth it? 65 Euro? Yes. Absolutely! We think it definitely is, especially for such a low price, it is a great value for money, a great gift idea if you are in Budapest for the Christmas holiday, and a great opportunity to get first-hand experience as well as relevant and interesting information about Hungarian Christmas traditions (and tasty snack). The Xmas tour includes:

  • Guided Tour to 2 Christmas markets of Budapest (on Vorosmarty Square and at the St Stephen’s Basilica)
  • Guided Tour inside the St Stephen’s Basilica
  • 1 Cup of Mulled Wine
  • Chimney Cake Tasting
  • Discount for Children with non alcoholic hot drink

Visiting Budapest Christmas Markets

Please note the proof of vaccination required to visit the program for adults.

Let’s see each in more details

Mulled Wine at the Budapest Christmas market

Mulled Wine at the Budapest Christmas market – Eva Muller Photography

Guided tour of 2 Christmas markets with a local guide: guiding you around some of the beautiful Xmas markets in Budapest: e.g. Vorosmarty Square Christmas Market, St Stephen’s Basilica Christmas Market. Interesting guided tour, focusing on Hungarian Christmas traditions (just like the Advent markets, which are like nostalgia postcards coming to life). You can enjoy the markets and see the sights, foods, gifts through a local’s eyes, get footnotes and informative guidance about what you see, what you are about to buy or eat. In the 2 Christmas markets you can see the Hungarian handicrafts, trinkets, souvenirs, as well as the local foods and sweets on offer.

Along the way you will see the Opera House, Andrassy Avenue, and St Stephen’s Basilica. The Xmas tour ends on Vorosmarty square where the best Budapest Christmas market is (lots of traditional fares), so you can do some holiday shopping on your own – the farewell gift is a Mug of Mulled Wine to keep you warm while you are browsing on the Christmas Market with its hundred and more vendors, great concerts (free concerts on the Christmas Market stage!). Vorosmarty square is where the major shopping streets, Vaci utca, and the Fashion street leave from, where many shops can be found for a more modern sort of shopping (Zara, Mexx, Lacoste, H&M, Benetton, Tommy Hilfiger, etc.). The Christmas Market sprawls into these streets, which are all beautifully illuminated throughout the Advent period.

The price of the Christmas market tour includes Mulled Wine. Gluhwein is the most popular drink in the winter markets of course.

Christmas Tour Booking

Public transport ticket: the tour is a walking tour and does not include public transport tickets (there is no need for taking public transport)

The whole tour is family-friendly (free for under 3 years of age, discount for children under 13). Children will get alcohol-free hot drinks instead of Mulled Wine.

It is a perfect family program with bigger children, but do make the kids wear warm clothes, coats, hats, and boots for the tour to avoid getting the cold.

Included in the price: the guided tour in the 2 major Christmas markets, inside St Stephen’s Basilica, Mulled Wine, Chimney Cake, small group professional guide.

Not included: Foods, gifts are NOT included in the price of the Xmas fair tours (nor is a tip for the guide).

When are the Budapest Christmas Market Tours?

The Budapest Christmas markets tours start each day at 2.30pm and finish at 5pm from the beginning of December till the end of December.

Available dates (can be checked on the booking page): some of the dates have already been booked up, and on certain days the tour is not available. See the calendar of the Christmas tours in the booking form (the little calendar icon shows the available dates).

15 – 17.30, from Dec 1 to Dec 30 (NOTE: no tours on Dec 24, 25 and 26)

TIP: Please note that the wooden stalls selling hand-crafted Christmas gifts are only open until 2pm on Dec 24. This is usually the last day for selling Xmas goods and gifts on Vorosmarty Square, then mostly only the gastro stalls remain open selling Hungarian drinks and street foods.

Booking the Christmas Tour

Please use our booking form to make a reservation for your Budapest Christmas Market Tour.

After booking, you will get an electronic voucher, and this is what you will show your Christmas tour guide to prove the payment. You can also print the e-voucher on a paper but this is not necessary. You have two options for the tour regarding proof of payment, you can use paper or digital vouchers to present.

Christmas Tour Booking

e-Voucher
The supplier of this tour accepts both printed and electronic vouchers (e-vouchers). You can either print the voucher and present a paper copy on the day of travel. Or, if you travel with a mobile device, simply show your voucher on your Smartphone or tablet on the day of travel.

What to wear at the Budapest Christmas Market Tours?

Do get dressed warmly as spending 1-2 hours outside at the Christmas markets can be chilly. The winters are cold in Budapest, you will need boots, or warm and waterproof shoes (ideally some kind of goretex waterproof walking boots, or comfy water repellent shoes), a hat, scarf and gloves will come in handy on windier days, and a good warm coat is also necessary.

Last updated Nov 14, 2023

09
Oct

Budapest Opera Christmas Opening Hours

Categories: Opening Hours
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Budapest Opera Christmas - Ben G Hancock Photography

The Opera House in Budapest is not only open through the Christmas holidays, and giving opera and ballet performances. The traditional Nutcracker ballet performance in Budapest is a huge favorite of locals (and lucky tourists who can still get tickets for the shows).

Budapest Opera Christmas - Ben G Hancock Photography

Budapest Opera Christmas – Ben G Hancock Photography

The opening hours of the Budapest Opera during the winter holidays is as follows:
Dec 24  Nutcracker performance in the morning at 11am. No opera visits or tourist tours.
Dec 25 Closed for opera tours, open for the Nutcracker performance in the morning at 11am, and for the opera in the evening from 7pm, Puccini La Bohéme. No opera visits or tourist tours.
Dec 26 Opera tours in the afternoon as usual, open for the Nutcracker performance in the morning at 11am and in the evening from 6pm.
Dec 31 Opera tours in the afternoon as usual, open for the opera. Nutcracker from 11am, and in the evening from 8:30pm, The Bat / Die Fledermaus by Strauss, operetta in 3 acts with English subtitles.
Jan 1 Opera tours in the afternoon as usual, open for the New Year’s Concert performance from 7.30pm.

See the Budapest Opera Tours information in details on Top Budapest travel guide.

07
Oct

Christmas Midnight Masses in Budapest

Categories: Xmas Events
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Midnight Mass St Stephens Basilica Budapest

The Midnight Mass is one of the most awaited Christmas events by many religious Hungarians. Regular church goers will surely be there early to get a good seat in the church, but the Christmas Eve masses attract many thousands who otherwise do not observe their Christian religion so strictly throughout the year. For many Hungarian families this is a Christmas tradition to continue the Christmas Eve dinner with various family events to keep everyone awake and then get ready for the Christmas Midnight Mass.

Midnight Mass St Stephens Basilica Budapest

Midnight Mass St Stephens Basilica Budapest

The family members get dressed in warm clothes, many layers of thick sweaters, a nice warm coat, furry boots, etc. as they will expect to sit or stand for an hour in a not so warm church (although the churches are heated for the Christmas mass, the inner spaces of the historical churches with high vaults, big domes are so huge that it is impossible to heat the old churches very well and economically). So if you want to attend the Midnight Mass in Hungary, do get dressed well to avoid catching a cold.

Churches to Attend Midnight Mass in Budapest on Christmas Eve

You are free to join any of the Christmas masses in Budapest, which starts at midnight. There are many churches you can choose from (maybe just a few minutes away from your Budapest hotel). Here are some of the churches that are also worth a visit for their own exceptional beauty, and also for the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass:

St Stephen’s Basilica (aka St Istvan Cathedral): the biggest church of Budapest attracts thousands of visitors for the Midnight Mass. Luckily the Basilica can take in approx. 8,000 people! The Basilica is in downtown Budapest so it is very easy to get to for many locals and tourists too. The beautiful Midnight Mass is an ideal place if you like grandiose buildings, and big communities.

Buda Castle Matthias Church December January Winter Roof

Buda Castle Matthias Church Christmas

Matthias Church: Christmas masses in Matthias Church Buda Castle are available for those who seek church services during the Christmas holidays. Matthias Church or – in Hungarian –  Matyas templom is more modest in its size than the majestic St Stephen’s Basilica, but it is equally popular amongst locals living on the Buda side of Budapest (especially within the Buda Castle District and its neighbourhood) and tourists who wish to attend religious services. Most seats will be already taken about half an hour before Christmas mass starts. This mass in Matthias Church is more intimate than the mass of the St Stephen Cathedral for its sheer size.

Matthias Church Budapest Matyas Templom Hazai Tajak

Matthias Church – Photo by Hazai Tajak

Rock Church (Sziklatemplom): the Rock Church (aka Cave Church) is the peculiar church of the Hungarian Pauline order in Budapest. The church itself was built in the caves and rocks of the Gellert Hill at the beginning of the 20th century. You can attend the Christmas mass on Dec 24 here too. The church is right next to the Liberty Bridge and Hotel Gellert.

The Christmas Eve masses start at 12am (midnight) and last for about an hour or so.

Midnight Mass in Hungary: traditions, beliefs

The Midnight mass is called ‘Éjféli mise’ or ‘Szenteste istentisztelet’ in Hungarian, but it has several other, less used names too, like the Golden mass (aranyos mise), or the Angel mass (angyalmise) as a reference to the good tidings conveyed by the angels. In some of the Transylvanian Hungarian villages (now in Romania), the midnight mass is also called Bird mass (madár mise).

Hungarian Christmas Chair: Luca the Oracle

There are many folk traditions related to Christmas in Hungary. One of the most well known tradition is the chair made for Christmas Eve.

On the evening of Christmas, on December 24, many Hungarians in the 19th century, and at the beginning of the 20 century, took a special chair with themselves to the church for the Midnight Mass. This chair was not meant to sit on, but rather to stand on, and see into the future / to unveil reality.

On December 24, according to this Christmas folk belief in Hungary, which must have originated in the pagan times, if you stand on top of this special chair you will see the witches, and the evil spirits in your community. Later on this belief became widespread as the chair to see the future husband of a girl, which could be a popular Hollywood teenage film theme today. At that time, our ancestors, the mothers and grandmothers of our grandmothers truly believed in getting the name of their husband to be.

The Midnight Mass tradition started in Bethlehem in the 4th century. The Christmas Eve Midnight Mass is the end of the Advent period, and also the end of the winter fasting days, which are less observed by the majority of Christians in Hungary.

 

Sources:

Hungarian Catholic Lexicon

Juli Kubat – CafeBabel

03
Oct

Advent Fair in Obuda, Budapest

Categories: Budapest Christmas, Xmas Fairs
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Christmas Market Budapest Obuda

The Advent Fair in Obuda (Old Buda) is a lesser known but beautiful Christmas Market in Budapest held during the Advent weekends, where you will find lots of locals but very few tourists. So if you prefer to visit off the beaten track, secret Budapest events, non-touristy places on your Budapest visit, head to Old Buda by the Arpad Bridge on the Buda side.

Advent in Obuda Budapest

Advent in Obuda Budapest

While most tourists and locals flock to the Christmas Market on Vorosmarty Square, or to the St Stephen’s Basilica Christmas Market, both in the heart of Budapest, many locals will head to the Christmas market in Old Buda (District III of Budapest) to avoid the crowds, tourists, and feel the Advent market atmosphere as if visiting the Fair in a small town.

Obuda Advent Market

Obuda Christmas market is from Nov 30 – Dec  23, 2018

The historical Fo Square in Obuda definitely has a small town feeling, and is well worth the detour to join the Christmas events and activities, especially if there is a superb concert given by one of the best Hungarian bands. There are special programs (concerts, puppet shows, etc.) at the 4 Advent weekends. The programs usually start after 1 pm and are until 6-7pm.

Free Skating Rink

An artificial skating rink awaits visitors at the Advent market in Obuda. You can use it free of charge. Skates can be rented at a very affordable price (approx. HUF 600 for adults and HUF 400 for children)

Crafts Fair

Browse and buy some handcrafts at the Obuda Christmas Market.

Opening Hours:

Monday – Thursday  2pm – approx. 9 pm
Friday – Sunday  10am – approx. 10 pm
Closed on Dec 24

If your time allows, do visit Obuda Christmas fair too, not only the fair on Vörösmarty square and the Christmas market by the St Istvan Basilica.

Pony at the Budapest Christmas Fair

Pony at the Budapest Christmas Fair

Old Buda (Óbuda in Hungarian) is the old part of Buda town (the hilly side of BUDApest), established by the Romans as a border town. Aquincum, the Roman ruins of Old Buda can still be seen, and its museum is worth a visit if you like history, antiquity and the Roman era. It takes approx, 20-30 min to get to the Xmas Fair in Obuda from the city center of Budapest. The Christmas Market will take place in the nice Main Square (Fő tér) of Obuda, which is a short ride from downtown Budapest.

When is the Advent Fair in Obuda, Budapest?

The market is open during the Advent period, with many events at the weekends (from Friday evening to Sunday evening). The Christmas market in Obuda usually starts late November, and features many nice folk, jazz, world music concerts, dozens of Xmas market stalls with nice hand crafted gifts, toys, jewelries, clothes, etc. and of course lots of yummy foods (traditional Hungarian snacks, blood pudding, live pudding, Christmas pastries, sweets, etc.).

Christmas Activities at the Advent Fair in Obuda, Budapest

Budapest Christmas market skating rink

Budapest Christmas market skating rink

Besides eating traditional Hungarian delicacies and sampling the local beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, from mulled wines, palinka to cordial), or buying gifts what else can you do at the Christmas Fair in Óbuda? Children can pet animals in the small petting stable (e.g. the pony). All who like skating will enjoy the artificial rink at the Obuda Christmas Market.

Amd of course you can enjoy the Christmas Concerts in Obuda! Concerts for the big and the small, by the big and the small. And puppet theater performances, folk dance shows (yes, even in freezing winter time). Let’s see some of the bands and performers at the Óbuda Advent Market.

Christmas Concerts at the Xmas Fair in Obuda

Each weekend during the Advent period, from late November, to mid December, will bring some nice concerts. The Christmas concerts are varied in their genre: ragtime, world music, jazz or folk music are mostly on the menu.

Concerts can start at midday (12 pm), 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm, or 7pm. Usually on the hour, almost every hour – on Saturdays and Sundays. Some of the Hungarian bands that were playing at former Obuda Christmas markets in Budapest are Mistral, Veronika Harcsa Jazz Quartet, Hot Jazz Band, Budapest Ragtime Band, Kalaka, Balazs Szabo Band, Kerekes Folk Band, the fantastic Besh o droM, the wine singers of Vivat Bacchus, Cimbaliband, the Christmas Carols performed by Nagykovacsi Choir, the Xmas concert of the Bra­un­hax­ler Dal­kör, Martina Kiraly jazz concert, Budapest Show Choir, Tulipant Folk Band, Buda Folk Band, Gyorgy Ferenczi and the Rackajam (lively world music), etc. There are many children choirs singing Christmas songs around midday, like the Agi Kemeny Children Choir, the Kicsi Rigók (Little Blackbirds) Children Choir, etc.

What we especially like about the Christmas market in Old Buda district on the Fo Square is that locals are more intensively participating in the Advent market, by making Christmas cakes and bringing other home made foods to share. Share the peace and joy as well as our old traditions and future merriments.

The official website of Obuda Advent Market is here.

02
Oct

Christmas at the Museum of Applied Arts

Categories: Budapest Christmas, Xmas Fairs
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The Hungarian Museum of Applied Arts (Iparmuveszeti Muzeum) holds its annual Christmas market in December. The date of the Xmas Fair changes from year to year, but to cater for more visitors, the Christmas Market is usually held at one or two of the weekends during the Advent.

Museum of Applied Arts Budapest

Museum of Applied Arts Budapest – Phil Calvert Photography

Christmas Market at the Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest:

first weekend of December 

The Christmas fair is simultaneous with an Advent Family Weekend at the Museum, with workshops and many programs for the children.

The program of the event and some photos will come soon. Please check back later.

Until then, take a look at some of the fantastic displays from the exhibitions of the Museum of Applied Arts (Iparművészeti Múzeum) on Ulloi Way, Budapest, District IX.

Hopp Ferenc Eastern Asian Museum (also managed by the Museum of Applied Arts) features beautiful objects from the Asian continent, like ceramics from China, Japanese wooden carvings

The museum will also have some Christmas decoration workshops (date not finalized yet). Some of the previous programmes

  • making Korean Christmas decors (yes, in Budapest, did we mention that Budapest is a cosmopolitan city?)
  • Origami girlands
  • and other Christmas decor with an Asian infusion

December 1 – 30 at the Nagyteteny Castle in Budapest

Budapest Museum of Applied Arts Christmas Fair

Budapest Museum of Applied Arts Christmas Fair

Another smaller museum in Nagyteteny Palace is also under the management of the Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest. This nice 19th century palace on the outskirts of Budapest is in Nagyteteny district (District XXII, 9-11 Kastelypark Street). Each year in the Advent period, the Nagyteteny Castle gets a range of beautiful Christmas decor, plus you can see the old 19th century furniture and interior decor of Hungary (at that time part of the Austro-Hungarian empire)

In the month of December, from Tuesday to Sunday (except Christmas holidays), you can see the Christmas trees of designers, made or decorated by Hungarian designers.

On one of the weekends, you can also participate at a very children and family friendly program in Budapest, where the kids can also make Christmas tree decorations, you can buy some little gifts, etc.

This Christmas event is absolutely not touristy, as the castle itself is about an hour’s ride from the city center of Budapest with public transport (about 35 min by taxi)

See more info about Budapest Museums and Budapest Attractions.

Exhibits at the Museum of Applied Arts

Exhibits at the Museum of Applied Arts

The location of the Museum of Applied Arts on Budapest Tourist Map: in the center of the map, you can see the yellow M symbol for the museum.


View Budapest Tourist Map in a larger map

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