Having recently got back from a very wintery trip, I’m sharing my experience and top 5 recommendations of things to do in Budapest at Christmas!
Introduction to our Budapest trip
I love Budapest! My boyfriend and I recently got back from a 4 day trip in Budapest, and we had the best time. It was one of the best ways I’ve spent getting into the Christmassy spirit, that’s for sure. Now, I always start feeling festive as soon as Halloween is over (if not before that). So even though I didn’t need the additional help, this only amplifyed that!
4 days was the perfect amount of time for a Christmassy trip abroad. We were able to do enough to keep busy, but still had relatively slow starts to the morning – something that’s also very important to me…
We saw all the amazing sights, tried all the delicious food and drink, and walked all the steps. (A lot of steps to me anyways!) In no particular order, let’s get into my top 5 recommendations and experience of Budapest to get into the festive spirit.
Christmas Markets at St. Stephen’s Basilica and Vörösmarty Square
Naturally, it wouldn’t be a Christmassy trip without Christmas markets, and these ones did not disappoint! There’s a reason that they’re considered one of Europe’s best.
Light shows on the Basilica, festive decorations along Fashion Street, stalls packed with festive foods and drink – these were worth the visit alone. Having drank my fair share of red mulled wine on this trip already, I also tried white mulled wine for the first time. Tasting of apple and cinnamon, I think I even preferred it to the red!
Here we also tried the biggest Chimney cake I’d ever seen. I was later informed it’s a “tourist trap”, but was still delicious nonetheless. Even if it wasn’t always entirely authentic, it was a great opportunity to try different foods and sweet treats, and take in the Christmas atmosphere.
Prosecco cruise along the Danube
There’s a bit of a reoccuring theme here when it comes to enjoying a drink on this trip… But this prosecco cruise was a fun and unique way to see the capital, whilst enjoying bottomless bubbles!
I’d like to think our experience was the best way to enjoy the cruise. It certainly made for a fun story to tell when we got home. Admittedly, we turned up right as we were due to set off, and didn’t manage to find a seat downstairs in the warm. Off to the open roof we went! Despite our glasses shaking as we shivered in the cold, there’s no doubt the views were amazing, and unobstructed by the glass downstairs.
It wasn’t till we were half way through that we realised there were some seats left downstairs after all. We headed back down and spent the rest of the trip in the warm. But, we certainly enjoyed the best of both worlds whilst cruising along the Danube.
So if you can brave the cold, I definitely recommend heading upstairs as it’s great way to see the sights clearly and you can appreciate them more! Inside also had a casual, fun atmosphere, and your glass was always kept topped up – what better way to see the city?
A dip in Széchenyi Thermal Bath
Outdoor baths in December? You must be joking! Well that’s what I initally thought, but I had a much better time then I had anticipated.
This was different to anything I would have tried before. Going to a spa had never really appealed to me before, but I highly recommend these baths. It was a relaxing way to spend time, and I would argue that the contrast between the chilly winter air and warm baths made the experience all the more enjoyable.
Naturally I didn’t get any photos of the baths, but I would also suggest checking out the restaurant on the side. We had a taste of the local dish, goulash, and it was another perfect warming treat on a particularly icy day.
If you’re planning to visit, make sure you’re more prepared than we were. You’ll need to bring towels and flipflops/slippers, but luckily there’s a shop inside if you forget – like we did!
Exploring Buda Castle
We only crossed the river over to Buda once, but it was worth it. We started off by taking the funicular up, and although I wasn’t quite tall enough to see out without standing up (which sounds ridiculous – I know), you still got to see a lot of the view of Pest over the river.
But when you got to the top and stepped out, the view really was amazing! We walked all along to the Fishermen’s Bastion, which had some more incredible views, but was crowded with lots of people. Although it wasn’t an issue for me, I had read beforehand that if you want uninterrupted views then visit early – it’s probably for the best!
We even got another surprise trip to the markets, as we had no idea there would be more up here. Despite not having a lot of time to look around (as we were going to be late to the cruise), we still managed to grab a quick mulled wine and enjoy the sights.
Festive shopping trips
It wouldn’t be a great Christmas trip – or any great trip for that matter – without shopping! It’s one of my favourite things to do, much to my boyfriend’s dismay… Whether it was looking at all the individual stalls at the markets, or visiting some of the more well-known shops, I made sure we had our fair share of shopping. It didn’t help that our hotel had it’s own private entrance, right into the mall next door!
If you’re wanting to get some Christmas shopping done, there were no shortages of places to go! From cute, independent gifts from the markets, to the well-known commercial shops, there’s plenty of opportunities to get everything you need.
Going back to the markets on our last day, I bought this adorable bauble as a reminder of this amazing trip – it fits right in on the tree!
Special mention
In 4 days I reckon we managed to experience a lot, and definitely made the most of a Christmassy time in Budapest. My special mention would be the ice rink at the City Park, because whilst we didn’t experience it, I reckon it would be a must-do for a lot of people planning to visit.
For many it wouldn’t be a festive trip without iceskating, and this ice rink looked like one of the best. Although we gave it a miss ourselves, it looks like it would’ve been great fun! We just didn’t want to risk any injuries this close to Christmas…
Going on holiday during the winter is something I had personally never thought about doing before, but I’m so glad we did!
If you’re looking for the perfect destination to get into the festive spirit, I would highly recommend Budapest. These are my top 5 suggestions, but there’s still so much more to see in the city.
How are you enjoying the festivities so far? Where would you like to go?
This post focussed on some wintery holiday inspiration. You may also like How To Spend a Birthday in London.
