Come and skate in the heart of Budapest!
Varoshaza Park Christmas Fair & Skating Rink
- Opening Dates: November 15, 2024 to February 2, 2025
- Skating Rink Opening Hours: Monday-Wednesday: 8 AM – 8 PM, Thursday-Sunday: 8 AM – 9 PM
- Entry Ticket: HUF 2,500 HUF
- Skate Rental: HUF 2,500 / Adults and HUF 2,000 HUF Students or Seniors (limited availability)
- Address: Városháza Park, Budapest, near Deak Ferenc Square (M1, M2, M3 metro lines meet here)
- Getting There: Easily accessible by public transport. Take the Underground metro to Deák Ferenc Square, or use one of the major bus or tram routes that terminate on Deak Bus 16 and 105 or Tram 47 and 49.
- 10 min walk to Basilica Christmas Market and 7 min walk to Vorosmarty Sq Christmas Market
Skating rink
A main attraction of Varoshaza Xmas Fair is the ice rink and ice corridor, which is open daily for all ages. Glide across the ice in a festive atmosphere—complete with charming winter lights. No worries, if you don’t have skates with you as long as you have the Christmas sporty spirit. Skate rentals are also available on-site for an affordable price – with reduced prices for children, students and the elderly.
Winter FUn
The Városháza Park in Budapest opens its doors to the winter season with the annual Budapest Christmas Market and Winter Fun Park, starting mid November. This vibrant open air market offers visitors a fun Christmas experience with a variety of festive highlights. From a festively lit skating rink and ice corridor to unique holiday programmes and treats, Városháza Park is the perfect destination to embrace the holiday spirit. Streetfood and hot drinks will be on sale.
Special Holiday Events and Activities
The festivities continue with a variety of seasonal events: on December 1, celebrate the first Advent Sunday with a candle-lighting ceremony, and on December 6, children can meet Santa Claus himself for a memorable photo opportunity. If you appreciate meeting an early Santa – according to Hungarian traditions on the day of St Nicholas (the first Santa) this is your time to have a selfie with Santa. Visitors can also enjoy the market’s photo wall and illuminated lions, ideal for capturing festive selfies.
Christmas Boxed Gifts – Baptist Charity Collection
This year, the Baptist Charity Shoebox Campaign is stationed at Városháza Park, collecting shoebox gifts filled with toys, treats, and essentials for children in need. Visitors can drop off their shoeboxes from November 15 to December 18 to help make Christmas brighter for disadvantaged children. There are multiple locations.
If you are thinking of putting together a shoebox, try to think of age groups and try to aim for neutral grounds that are loved by most kids: fidget toys, colourings, stationary sets, craft kits, balls, musical instruments and sweets (of minimum 3 months expiry date), puzzles, stickers, flashlight, building blocks, small change purse with jingling coins, etc. You can add a personalised message.
Christmas Food and Crafts
Both Városháza Park and nearby Deák Ferenc Square offer a wide selection of seasonal delicacies like kürtöskalács (chimney cake), street food, and Langos, the Hungarian flatbread. Grab a hot drink and explore the Budapest Christmas Markets, where high-quality, hand-made products from local artisans are on display. Choose from a variety of unique holiday gifts, such as handcrafted ceramics, gingerbread, macarons, Christmas decorations / ornaments, and other special holiday decorations.
And santa cometh
The figure of “Santa Claus” in Hungary is based on St. Nicholas (Szent Miklós), a 4th-century bishop of Myra (in present-day Turkey), known for his generosity and kindness, especially towards children and the poor. The tradition of St. Nicholas Day on December 6 celebrates his legacy of giving, which spread across Europe over the centuries.
In Hungary, Mikulás (St. Nicholas) arrives on the eve of December 5, filling children’s polished boots with small treats—typically chocolates, oranges, nuts, and sometimes a small toy. Traditionally, well-behaved children receive gifts, while “naughty” children might find birch sticks (virgács) in their shoes, symbolising the importance of good behaviour – sounds kind of harsh today so by these days Virgacs sticks are largely forgotten about, while the Santa red bags are still rolling on. Mind you, this tradition differs from the Christmas Eve gift-giving, which is often attributed to Baby Jesus (Jézuska) or the Little Angel (Angyalka) in Hungarian culture.