Love is in the air as February 14th approaches. Are you looking for something romantic to do with your significant other, a meal or fancy drinks, or some unusual activity? We’ve found all sorts of Valentine’s-related activities in the city.
Take a pottery class for two
Local ceramicist Ksenia Wallenstein is offering a pottery session for couples this Valentine’s Day, inspired by the intimate scene in Ghost, starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore. “It’s about creating something together,” says Ksenia. “And ceramics can live for centuries, so maybe my clients in the future will show these pieces to their grandchildren!”
All week from 10-14 February, Ksenia’s studio will be open for couple of workshops. Her studio is in the heart of Budapest, a five-minute walk from Parliament. The workshop lasts for three hours, in which wheel-throwing and hand-building techniques will be taught, with a break in between for coffee. Cups, bowls, vases, plates, sculptures, soap dishes – anything can be created, and each couple will leave with at least four finished pieces.
Once the pieces have dried, Ksenia will fire them so they are ready for picking up in two to four weeks.
Ksenia’s works are elegant and earthy, a unique addition to the home. A three hour workshop costs 38,000 forints per couple, and a two-hour, hand-building only workshop costs 28,000. The price includes materials and firing.
District V. Stollar Béla utca 18
Spend all day at the spa
The Aria Hotel Budapest was voted #1 most romantic hotel by TripAdviser in 2018, and this year they're pulling out all the stops for Valentine's Day. A special breakfast buffet and spa package lets you start the day out right--with a little champagne added for good measure. Following breakfast, participants can enjoy all the amenities of the Harmony Spa to relax and rejuvenate, with unlimited use of the heated swimming pool, Jacuzzi, Finnish and Infrared Saunas and a Steam Room. As a cherry on top, they're giving you 35% off on all treatments.
Once you've worked up an appetite from all that relaxing, be sure to head to the Liszt Restaurant inside the Aria, where a special menu features pan-fried duck breast with ginger sweet potato puree for her, and roasted deer fillet served with cardamom jus and salted celery for him.
An optional music menu compiled by Kornél Magyar Kornél, Director of Music at Aria Hotel Budapest, offers lovers of violin or piano tunes, opera and salon music. The High Note SkyBar team is teaming up for Valentine's Day with cocktails dedicated to ladies and gentlemen, with only the most romantic panoramic views in town.
Have a drink with some live music
Enjoy the laid-back and intimate atmosphere of The Studios, as guest band Lynd will be bringing dream-pop magic to their concert on 14 February. Doors open at 8pm and music will begin at 8:30pm. Tickets are 1,500 forints online and 2,500 at the door. Sip cocktails from The Studios’ fantastic selection and snuggle in on a cold night with your special someone. Find more information at the Facebook event.
Wow your lover with flowers and food
“Love is in the Air” at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace when the KOLLÁZS Brasserie & Bar offers a special Valentine’s menu on 14 and 15 February. Couples can look forward an elegant four-course spread centrepieced by turbot or veal loin, prefaced by a welcome mixed drink and accompanied by cocktails for him and her. This set menu (6pm-10pm) is offered for 21,000 forints per person plus a 13% service charge. For this, you’re also entertained by the Wonderland Band (14 February only) and can take advantage of the pop-up flower stall at the restaurant entrance. To go the whole nine yards, the Valentine’s Day package at the Gresham involves a two-night stay plus the special menu on the evening of the 14th.
Taste wine and dance
The Arthur Murray Dance Studio is at it again with their popular combination of wine tasting and dancing! This time the setting gets even cosier, as the dance studio invites those in love – and those looking for it – to attend their Winetine’s Party. For 5,000 forints, you can enjoy red wines from the Szeleshát winery in Szekszárd, and whites from the Mád winery in Tokaj. Artisanal cheeses will be supplied from local shop A Sajtos.
Best of all, a little bit of dancing will get underway once everyone is feeling nice and relaxed. Don’t worry about your experience level – the dances are simple enough for everyone to learn, and teachers are there on the spot! Spaces are limited, so make sure to reserve.
Indulge in a spa day and dinner
The Kempinski Spa celebrates Valentine's Day all month with a special package consisting of a 50-minute relaxing massage plus a 30-minute facial, complete with a gift sachet of their signature treatment's main ingredient, ‘hungary mud’. The full 80 minutes is available for 40,500 forints.
Downstairs, it's a world of culinary celebration, as the ÉS Deli will be serving raspberry éclairs, Valentine cupcakes and choco lollipops alongside its house-blend specialty coffee. In The Living Room, the San Valentine Macaron with white chocolate raspberry cream is a special treat for those with a sweet tooth.
The Benediction Brunch is also coming to The Living Room every Saturday and Sunday between 9.30am and 2pm, a stylish dining experience featuring Eggs Benedict, fresh oysters, homemade waffles and handcrafted cocktails. In the Blue Fox The Bar, bespoke cocktails are the perfect love potion for Valentine's Day, and those in the know whisper a recommendation of an Angel's Wing to woo your loved one.
Finally, avant-garde bites are available à la Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, with a complementary love dessert and live jazz from 6pm.
Take part in Improv comedy
Enjoy an evening of improv comedy at the American Corner Budapest, with their Valentine’s Day Special on Thursday, 13 February. Admission is free, but registration is required as spaces are limited. Audience members are encouraged to participate, although it’s strictly on a volunteer basis! Come and enjoy a night of English-language comedy. This is the first of many improv comedy shows being launched at the American Corner Budapest. More information at the Facebook event.
Relax over a rose-tinted repast
The Paris Budapest Restaurant is offering a three-course meal, cocktails and delicious, heart-shaped desserts this Valentine's Day, sure to melt even the hardest of hearts. Dinner will feature lobster in cauliflower cream sauce and black truffle, cod fish with sweet potato, grilled veal loin and a dessert designed to be shared. The breathtaking view over Buda Castle and the Chain Bridge is just the icing on the cake! For more information, visit parisbudapest.hu or call +36 1 235 1230. Tickets begin at 15,000 forints per person.
Reservations
Friday, 14 February
Saturday, 15 February
Glide together on ice
It’s your last chance to get some ice skating in, at the legendary Városliget Ice Rink, the largest in Europe and weighing in at 150 years old. Buy your tickets online to avoid the queues, and celebrate an early Valentine’s Day on the ice with your loved one. The rink will be open on the 12th and 13th between 9am and 1pm, and 4pm and 8pm.
Feast alongside a live orchestra
The Gundel Restaurant beckons lovers to celebrate Valentine's Day with an exquisite five-course meal, including, among other treats, scallop tartare, pork fillet with salt-baked beetroot, trout fillet and red velvet cake. Mineral water, coffee and tea are also included. Renowned violinist Alex Berky and his Gundel Orchestra will fill the evening with music, featuring film soundtracks, musicals, evergreens and traditional Hungarian tunes. Each guest will go home with a special gift of artisanal bonbons from the restaurant. Tickets are 15,900 forints and include the service charge.
Dine in style and enjoy a fun photo booth
The ARAZ Restaurant is making Friday evening special with a welcome drink and live music, along with a stellar Valentine's Day menu. Chef Áron Barka presents roast oysters in Hollandaise sauce, goat cheese and pomegranate salad, duck breast with pink peppercorn and a dark chocolate cake to round off the evening.
Live music will accompany diners, and a special photo corner will be set up with all sorts of fun accessories to capture the memories. Look out for the evening's surprise cocktail, made special for the event: the Pink Cloud. Dinner starts at 7pm, and couples will receive a 15% discount on à la carte drinks. Find out more at the restaurant's website.
Take a river cruise
What can possibly be more romantic than sipping wine with your loved one, floating down the river on a cruise boat? Check out the aptly named Valentine’s Day Wine Cruise being offered by Budapest Explore. Enjoy Hungarian wines, snacks, traditional music from the Rajkó Folk Ensemble and Orchestra and the beautiful sights which any jaunt up the Danube can afford. The cruises begin once the sun has set, and the water sparkles with the lights along the riverbank. Make sure to reserve your spot quickly!
Sing along at a post-Valentine's concert
The romance doesn't have to end on the 14th! Enjoy a little post-Valentine's Day celebrations at the MagNet Ház's third annual Winter Choir Night, where the community house will be filled with live music from 5pm onwards. Featuring over 300 singers in 17 different ensembles, the event is designed to bring music to the community, and will feature such groups as the Song Factory Budapest, a young adult choir who can be found performing around the city, the all-kids SoulAir Choir who appeared in an Oscar-winning short film, and the multi-national Fibonacci 5, who specialise in Baroque and Renaissance pieces.
Tickets are on sale now for 2,000 forints online and can also be purchased on-site for 2,500. Admission is free for children under six, and kids up to 13 are charged 1,000 forints. Family tickets are also available. More information can be found at the Facebook event, and a full list of participating choirs can be found online.
