Christmas in Budapest: Things to Do, Food & Travel Tips
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Christmas is one of the best times to visit Budapest! What makes spending Christmas in Budapest special is that you get to see the city decorated in Christmas lights, visit the Christmas markets, try traditional Hungarian Christmas food and drinks, and experience the local Christmas traditions.
Last year, I got to spend the holidays in Budapest, and it made me remember how much I love the city during the festive season. After a few years, I got to visit the Christmas markets again, had awesome food, and had time to catch up with family and friends. I thought the city was pretty busy, so it’s something to prepare for, but overall, Budapest is great during Christmas!
Festive Things to Do in Budapest at Christmas
Visit the Christmas Markets
The best thing to do in Budapest at Christmas is to visit the Christmas markets. There are two big Christmas markets in the city, the Basilica Christmas Market and the Christmas Market at Vörösmarty Square. They are the most popular, but there are multiple smaller Christmas markets across the city.
Last Christmas, I was back in Budapest, and I felt like no matter where I went in the city, I came across a Christmas market everywhere. The smaller ones are just a few stalls, but they have all the festive goods: mulled wine, chimney cake, sausages, and handicrafts.
Most of the Christmas markets are in the city center and at major attractions. If you are looking to stay in a hotel near the Christmas markets, I recommend booking a place in District V. That’s the most central location and the Christmas markets would be in close walking distance. Just book the hotel well in advance as the best places sell out quickly for Christmas.
Go on a Christmas Cruise
The Budapest river cruises are iconic! Sometimes I get asked if it’s worth to go on a cruise or if it’s a tourist trap, and honestly, the answer is that it’s not a tourist trap and you should totally go on a cruise in Budapest. I love going on a cruise even as a local. The views are that beautiful.
At Christmas, there are special cruises to celebrate Christmas. The Christmas cruises are only available on 24 and 25 December, and come with Christmas dinner and live piano music.
Like on all Budapest cruises, you can see all the major attractions along the Danube, such as the Parliament and Buda Castle. The Christmas cruises start at around 7:30 pm, so you get to see all the historic buildings in the evenings lights!
→ Book the Christmas cruise: I recommend getting a ticket well in advance as the places are limited!
Watch the Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is a Christmas classic, and the best place to go and watch a performance in Budapest is at the State Opera. They only play the Nutcracker around Christmas, usually from mid-November to mid-January every year.
The Opera is a historic building and its interior is really beautiful. It’s the most popular place to see the Nutcracker in Budapest, and the tickets sell out fast. If you are planning to watch the Nutcracker, you should get the tickets months in advance.
They also play the Nutcracker in smaller venues in Budapest. Last year, we went to see the Nutcracker at the Budapest Congress Center. The venue is not as beautiful as the Opera, but we thought the ballet show was really good and the tickets are more affordable.
Go Ice skating
Going ice skating is so much fun in the winter, and you don’t even have to be a pro. In winter, there are lots of ice skating rinks set up around Budapest but the best one is at the City Park.
There is an artificial lake at the City Park where you can go boating in the summer. In the winter, they turn the lake into an ice skating rink. It’s the biggest ice skating rink in Budapest. It’s usually open for ice skating from mid-November to February. My parents used to bring us here for ice skating when we were kids, and now, if I am ever in Budapest in the winter, I always come here to go ice skating at least once.
Apart from the City Park, there are other ice skating rinks in Budapest that are fun. There is one at Bálna, one at the Óbuda Christmas Market, and another one at the Basilica Christmas Market. The one at the Basilica is very small, and they don’t have it every year (there was no ice skating rink in 2025).
Chill in the Thermal Baths
Budapest has so many thermal baths that it is also called as the “City of Spas”. The thermal baths started to become very popular in the early 1900s in Budapest when two of the biggest thermal baths were built, the Széchenyi Thermal Baths and the Gellért Thermal Baths.
The thermal baths are open all year around, even in the winter. In fact, winter is one of the best times to go to the baths. The thermal baths have both warm and cold water baths, but the warm water baths are the best in the winter. It’s my favourite time to chill and warm up in the baths when the weather is cold outside.
The Széchenyi Thermal Baths is the biggest and most popular thermal bath in Budapest. It can get very busy, so it’s best to buy a fast-track ticket with a private changing booth in advance. This way, you can skip the long queues.
The Gellért Bath is currently closed for renovation until 2028, but other thermal baths that are worth it are the Rudas Baths, Lukács Baths, and the Veli Bej Baths. These are less touristy baths and more like places that locals like to visit. So, if you want to avoid the tourist crowds at Széchenyi, check out these smaller baths.
→ Book a ticket for the Széchenyi Thermal Baths: The queues can get very long (especially on the weekends), and if you don’t have a fast-track ticket to skip the queue, you may end up waiting in line for over an hour!
What to Eat and Drink in Budapest at Christmas
Hungarian food is great, and if you are visiting Budapest at Christmas, you should also try Hungarian Christmas food. Some of the traditional Hungarian dishes are goulash soup, chicken paprikash, and lángos (salty snack).
At Christmas, you should try other dishes as well that are popular during the festive season. The most popular Christmas food are stuffed cabbage (minced meat in cabbage leaves), Fisherman’s soup (fish soup), beigli (pastry made with poppy seeds or walnut), and “mákos guba” a dessert made with bread, milk and poppy seeds. There is also a Christmas candy (“szaloncukor”) that’s very popular in Hungary. It’s like a fondant and it is traditionally hanged on the Christmas tree.
Tips for Visiting Budapest at Christmas
Opening Hours
The major Christmas celebrations in Hungary are on 24th evening and 25th December, and almost all shops, restaurants and cafes are closed during that time. Usually, all shops close at around 2-3 pm on 24 December and remain closed throughout 25 December. Only a few odd, small shops remain open, so it’s best to finish all the Christmas shopping on 23 December before the shops close on 24 December.
On 26 December, some restaurants and bars open up to celebrate Christmas. On 26 December, Hungarians usually get together with their friends to go out and celebrate Christmas, so it’s a good day to go out to pubs.
People mostly celebrate with their close family on 24-25 December, and everyone is at home. Then, on 26 December, people go out to celebrate and have fun. When I lived in Budapest, we all used to go out to celebrate Christmas with friends on 26 December.
Weather & What to pack
The average temperature in Budapest during Christmas is between -1 °C (30 °F) to 3.4 °C (38 °F). It usually doesn’t snow anymore at Christmas, and if it does, it melts away quickly. We used to get more snow at Christmas around 20 years ago, but in recent years, the most chance of snow is between January and February.
Last Christmas when I was in Budapest, I explored the city on foot as much as I could. I dressed in layers, but still felt really cold after spending 1-2 hours outside. I recommend packing thermal layers, warm winter coat, thick socks, boots, hat, scarf and gloves.
Safety
I have always found Budapest a very safe city, even for solo female travelers, but you should remain cautious. I used to go home by myself many times late night, and always felt safe, but make sure to stick to well-lit areas and take necessary precautions.
Christmas is a busy time and the risk of pickpockets is very high during this time. Make sure to watch out for your belongings in crowded places, e.g. the Christmas markets, bars, restaurants and public transport.
For all international trips, I recommend getting a travel insurance. My go-to insurance is by SafetyWing. It’s affordable and includes emergency medical care, lost and stolen items.
Cash or Card
Most places accept both cash and card payments in Budapest, however, if you go to the Budapest Christmas markets, it’s mostly cards only. In general, pretty much all places accept card payments in Budapest, so it’s best to plan to pay by card. I would withdraw/exchange a small amount of cash for emergencies, but mostly, I would just pay by card.
There is a multi-currency card, Wise, that I have been using for years, even in Budapest. It has helped me to save a lot on exchange rates and transfer fees, and now I would never travel anywhere without it. Hungary has its own currency, the Hungarian Forint, and if you pay by a Wise card in Budapest, you can save money on exchange rates. When you pay, it also automatically converts the amount into the Hungarian currency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Budapest worth visiting at Christmas?
Christmas is one of the best times to visit Budapest as you get to see the city in all the Christmas decorations, hang out at the Christmas markets, try Hungarian Christmas food, go ice skating, and maybe even see the city in snow.
Is there snow in Budapest at Christmas?
There is a very low chance of snow in Budapest at Christmas but it can happen on the odd occasion. I remember when I was a kid, we used to have more snow at Christmas, but there is not much chance of it now. Even if it does snow at Christmas, it melts away quickly.
What is open in Budapest during Christmas?
Almost all shops, cafes and restaurants are closed during Christmas. A few small shops may be open, but generally all shops are closed. The shops close down in the afternoon on 24 December, remain closed on 25 December, and then, a few restaurants and pubs open up on 26 December.
My Final Advice for Spending Christmas in Budapest
When planning a trip to Budapest at Christmas, I recommend booking your accommodation well in advance. The best hotels get sold out quickly, so it’s best to plan ahead so you can go with your preferred hotel. The Christmas markets are located in central Budapest (District V), so it’s best to book a place there. This way, you’ll be in walking distance to the Christmas markets and many other attractions.
Pretty much all shops close in the afternoon on 24 December and remain closed on 25 December, so try to plan your trip around those opening hours, e.g. get all the Christmas shopping done by 23 December.
Christmas is a busy time in Budapest with lots of travelers coming to the city to celebrate. It might get busy, but it’s a magical time to be in the city and experience Christmas in Budapest!
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