Shows, concerts and cultural attractions – Budapest is always buzzing. Each week, we gather all of the important happenings taking place in our favourite city so you can plan ahead. Get involved!
Friday, 2 December
Join the 11th Israeli and Jewish Film Festival
Watch the best Israeli and international Jewish-themed films of the year! At the weekend you can see pre-premiere screenings, feature and documentary films, presenting the colourful and (to most of us) unknown world of the Jews. Expect films from Israel, the U.S., Poland, France, Germany, Austria, and around the world. They will be screened at Puskin Art Cinema and Művész Cinema, with original audio and Hungarian and/or English subtitles. Get tickets HERE.
Hunt for Christmas presents at Projekt Showroom
The unique series of pop-up stores, Projekt Showroom, has landed on Andrássy Avenue with a special Christmas Gift Shop. From 2 December, the enchanted shop is going to be packed with pre-selected goods from Hungarian and international designers. Browse among Christmas decorations, candles, ceramics, kitchenware, foodie gifts, prints, small and large fashion - and home accessories, jewellery, bags, fluffy blankets, pillows, home decorations, and games for kids. The store (1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 46.) will be open between 10am- 8pm the whole weekend.
Enter the newly opened Ice World at Budapest Park
A popular concert venue in the summer, now a magical Ice World, Budapest Park upped its game for the winter season. This means, you can skate around a huge Christmas tree to vibey beats on a 1,500-square-metre ice rink, including a cosy ice corridor. Between laps, stop to admire the festive lights and grab a hot chocolate or an Unicum Mulled Wine. Come with friends or family (children can borrow delightful penguin figures), this will be a great fun. You can get tickets for the opening weekend (1-4 December) on their Hungarian website HERE or on the spot.
Go to an organ concert at St Stephen's Basilica
After browsing the Christmas market and gulping down the last bite of your lángos, enter a different kind of festivity within St Stephen's Basilica. On Fridays, award-winning organists play the Angster organ, accompanied by renowned opera singers and instrumental artists, offering a rich musical experience. Get tickets HERE.
Saturday, 3 December
Indulge in brunch and festivities at Villa Bagatelle
Festivities, including a mini Christmas fair, will take over the terrace at gorgeous Villa Bagatelle this Saturday (9am-1pm). Usually we come here to treat ourselves to a beautiful French toast, but this time the breakfast will be complemented by choral music, hot tea, mulled wine and a bauble decorating workshop too.
See paintings by Vaszary at the Hungarian National Gallery
The exhibition showcasing the extremely versatile work of János Vaszary is a curiosity, if only because 24 out of the presented 70 paintings were previously unknown to the public as well as to professionals. The paintings encompass almost every phase of Vaszary’s oeuvre, from his early impressionistic period to his expressive compositions, from his Art Deco style in Paris to his Danube Promenade pictures and seaside scenes with a Mediterranean ambiance.
Watch Taiwanese documentaries at Taiwan Dox festival
Virus and war…But Taiwan, this unique world, is still floating in the ocean with its secrets, wonders and extraordinary citizens. We can learn more about this world and its people at the sixth Taiwan Dox festival, organized by the Taipei Representative Office and the Palantir Film Visual Anthropology Foundation. On Saturday, 4 movies will be screened at Corvin cinema - all of them in Mandarin language with English and Hungarian subtitles. The entrance is free of charge - but collecting your free ticket in advance is highly recommended.
Listen to Cloud 9+ on A38 Ship
Cloud 9+ is a great Hungarian band, combining live instrumental-type rock/hip-hop with a modern clash of drum and bass and dubstep. If you feel like dancing and partying on Saturday night, go to this gig on A38 Ship - good vibes are guaranteed. Get tickets HERE.
Sunday, 4 December
Fill your shopping basket at Szimpla Kert's farmers' market
Every Sunday (9am-2pm), the city's iconic ruin pub is transformed into an open-air farmers' market to give space to 30-40 Hungarian producers and their goods. Fill your basket with cheese, honey, jam, syrup, fruit and vegetables and meat of mangalitza and game, freshly picked and dried mushrooms, truffle specialities, spices, and sandwich spreads. Once you are finished with your shopping spree, settle down upstairs for a hearty brunch.
Meet Santa at The Ritz-Carlton, Budapest
This Sunday you can not only have an elegant brunch at The Ritz-Carlton, Budapest, but meet Santa Claus himself (between 12:30pm and 3pm). The festive family program includes checking the elves' mailbox and writing a wish to Santa. While there, also pop into Kaffee Wien, which got a festive photo corner, where you can snap Christmas card-worthy pictures.
Stock up on designer gifts at Makers' Market Budapest
Makers' Market Budapest is a monthly fair, where you can get your hands on contemporary, artsy and designer products made by Hungarian designers. While at it, you can also have a chat with them and learn more about the items, which can also make a beautiful present for Christmas. Their upcoming event is on Sunday (10am-5pm) at Larus Rendezvényközpont (1124 Budapest, Csörsz utca 18/B).
See the theatre play SQUARE (in English)
Asterion Project Theatre in English is a troupe of expats, who are bringing English-friendly theatre back to the stage. Their upcoming performance is SQUARE at RS9 Theatre. It is a play "about the painfully awkward first love, the confusion of love and lust, the invisible line between friendship and romantic relationship, the pressure of adapting to societal norms to ‘fit in’." Read more and get tickets HERE.
