Budapest’s main Christmas market now open!

At this year’s Budapest Christmas market, you can choose from works by some 50 craftsmen: textiles, leather goods, wooden items, jewellery and ceramics. See the complete list here. Those who are here were selected through a competition, having to provide photographs of their workshop. 

Highlights include the little doll's houses at Ezüsterdő Mesebolt, the tempting paper products of Bomo Art, Ginkgoside's organic jewellery, Shawl Bay’s wonderful hand-woven scarves, and Berényi Textil’s tablecloths and cloths sold by the yard. There are also plenty of smaller, tasteful gifts in the 1,500-5,000-forint category as well.

The traditional gastronomic offer includes chimney cake, roast chestnuts, lángos fried-dough snacks and other warming dishes to combat the cold. One of the innovations this year is the special family menu and a 1,500 forint one-course meal, along with a seasonal Christmas mug for hot drinks.

Payment for food by card only – those coming with cash can exchange it for Festipay cards, exchangeable on site. Artisans selling gifts and artefacts accept cash or card.

Between 1 and 26 December, from 5pm onwards, a light show will be decorating the walls of the Gerbeaud café every half-hour, and there will be communal candle lighting on Advent weekends. Look out, too, for the three-metre-high angel and, on 5 December, Santa Claus coming all the way from Lapland.

Admission is with proof of vaccination only, either an Immunity Certificate issued in Hungary or an EU digital Covid card, along with ID. On its own, a negative Covid test is not valid. See specific details here.