1/15
Ice skate in front of a fairy-tale castle
Steps away from iconic Heroes’ Square, you can glide on ice with a cheerful crowd and pirouette in front of ornate Vajdahunyad Castle, a historic Budapest landmark that was built for Hungary’s 1896 Millennial celebrations. The City Park Ice Rink, one of Europe’s largest, provides skates for renting and organizes hands-on skating courses for beginners. This frosted playground gets particularly crowded during evening hours – tickets purchased online will help you jump the queue.
2/15
Eat delicious cake served at classic cafés
Get a taste of Budapest’s flourishing coffeehouse culture of ornate interiors, strong java specialties and scrumptious cakes. Former regulars, Hungary’s literary greats, come alive at 130-year-old Centrál Café, where visitors are treated to classic Magyar desserts such as caramel-coated Dobos cake. Frequently cited as one of the world’s most beautiful coffeehouses, New York Café serves chocolate-infused Somlói sponge cake amid gilded settings. Meanwhile, guidebook superstar Gerbeaud Confectionery offers a traditional Gerbeaud pastry made with apricot jam, walnut and chocolate icing based on the founder’s original recipe.
3/15
Visit stimulating wintertime exhibitions
Whether you want to immerse yourself into Hungarian art of the 1960s or see covertly captured images by a secret street photographer, Budapest has it all this winter. The Within Frames exhibition (November 17th-February 18th) at the Hungarian National Gallery displays paintings, sculptures and more, all created by Hungarian artists between 1958 and 1968. Meanwhile, the Ludwig Museums hosts Economize!(October 13th-January 14th), a showcase analyzing the relationship of art and economy through paintings and installations. Through the first week of January, the Mai Manó House displays stimulating images by Vivian Maier (October 5th-January 7th), a nanny by profession but a photographer by passion.
4/15
Sample winter flavors at deluxe eateries
During winter, Budapest’s finest restaurants pamper guests with new seasonal delicacies. At beautiful Buddha-Bar our sense of taste usually gets enhanced while devouring the restaurant’s Asian-inspired meals served amid dimly-lit settings. Here, the freshly launched menu features aromatic Wagyu beef tacos, succulent lamb tenderloin served with baby beetroot and smoked aubergine, while the Matcha tea mousse crowns the deluxe dining experience. Meanwhile, Deák St. Kitchen spoils guests with meals mostly made with local seasonal ingredients – the tasteful selection includes Hungarian duck foie gras mousse, kápia pepper cream soup, and glazed wild boar cheeks with Jerusalem Artichoke puree.
5/15
Take a free guided tour at a historic Budapest cemetery
The final resting place of some of the greatest Hungarians, Kerepesi Cemetery (Budapest 1086, Fiumei út 16-18) is open to the public all year round. Those who want to learn about the history of this 19th-century graveyard and discover its ornate sculptures, frescoes and mosaics can join free guided tours on site. During these thematic walks, run in English, French, German and Russian, you can hear stories about some of the most influential and intriguing personalities in Magyar history. Prominent people buried here include Hungary’s first Prime Minister Count Lajos Batthyány, eminent painter Károly Lotz and notable architect Ödön Lechner.
6/15
Admire city scenes from an igloo at the 360 rooftop bar
Summer has long gone, but even so you can enjoy the high life at a Budapest rooftop terrace during the colder months. Found atop the tallest building on Andrássy Avenue, popular summertime hangout 360 Bar now stays open during winter, thanks to the series of innovative igloos installed here for wintertime drinking. Spacious enough to accommodate eight people, these heated huts are decorated with designer furniture, offering DJ sounds and dreamy views through their transparent walls. Special seasonal cocktails and meals served inside enhance the experience.
7/15
Watch 3D light shows at the Advent Feast by the Basilica
One of Budapest’s most beautiful Christmas fairs is backdropped by monumental St. Stephen’s Basilica, a building that also serves as a canvas for multicolored light shows while the festive bazaar is set up on Szent István Square. Projected this year onto the multistoried façade of the city’s grandest cathedral, 3D animations appear to leap right out at viewers who wear special glasses. 3D lenses are available at the merry marketplace, but you can also bring your own special spectacles if you have a pair. The light shows are screened every half hour after sundown.
8/15
Enjoy soulful tunes at jazzy hangouts
You’ll find live jazz music playing every night across the city. Featuring a walled-off concert hall, Budapest Jazz Club (Budapest 1136, Hollán Ernő utca 7) hosts lively shows every evening, staging some of the best local and international ensembles in the genre. Found a short walk away from Kálvin Square, contemporary Budapest Music Center welcomes audiences with live jazz performances and fine food from Tuesday to Saturday inclusive, shows starting at 9pm. Meanwhile, popular Ráday Street lunchtime hotspot Jedermann turns into a space for contemporary jazz after the sun goes down.
9/15
Knock back craft beers at the Szimpla Labor
Comprising a maze of rooms in a formerly abandoned Budapest building, Szimpla Kert is a trendsetting ruin bar with its surreal interior enhanced by random knickknacks. Recently opened within this dilapidated drinking destination, Labor takes a scientific approach to Hungarian craft beers. Proffering brews by local brand Mad Scientist, this experimental watering hole serves drinks in laboratory flasks such as Mango Bay and Tokyo Lemonade. After leaving a 1,000-forint deposit for the bottle, beer geeks can sip IPAs and ales from Erlenmeyer flasks. Labor is located on the first floor of the Szimpla.
10/15
Get the SPArty started at Budapest’s baths
Taking the plunge at a Budapest thermal bath is a particularly soothing experience during the winter months. However, if you fancy combining a steamy soak with lively clubbing through the night, classic urban spas, such as City Park’s historic Széchenyi Bath and Buda’s Lukács Bath, regularly host huge pool parties. Called SPArties, these thermal occasions mean rowdy carousing, bathers dancing in the steaming hot pools while music masters spin discs amid special visuals. The next SPArty takes place on December 30th at Széchenyi Bath, while the party series continues in February at Lukács Bath.
11/15
Hop aboard sparkling streetcars
During the festive season, vintage Budapest vehicles become special Christmastime carriages taking travelers on a magical journey. Festooned with myriad shining lights, tram 2 glides along Budapest’s most scenic route, creating a stunning visual experience under the fold of darkness. Regular public-transport tickets and passes are valid for a journey aboard these distinct Yuletide streetcars. Besides tram 2, similarly glittering conveyances pop up along several other lines across Budapest, including trams 19, 47, 49 and 56A. Click here for more details.
12/15
Discover the city with our free Insider guide
Highlighting the city’s best sights, hottest hangouts, with ornate spas, excellent eateries and lively events, the new autumn-winter 2017 edition of We Love Budapest’s free Insider guide is a handy compass for exploring the best of the city. The book comes with lots of practical information and a convenient city map that points the way to the featured places included in the guide. You can find Insider booklets at prominent spots across the city, including at key tourist-information points, prime hotels, major landmarks and downtown hangouts.
13/15
Carouse with Santa Claus
Every festive season, Saint Nicholas (Mikulás) makes a point of visiting Hungary early, embarking on a special trip here during the wee hours of December 6th to deliver presents to local children. Events are set up citywide around this feast day – on December 6th, Finnish Father Christmas Joulupukki brings merrymaking to the Vörösmarty Square Christmas Fair, while on December 10th for the Santa Speedo Run, a team of underdressed Santas conquers District VII to run through Budapest’s central lanes, each of them wearing only a piece of swimwear.
14/15
Ring in 2018 with a big Budapest bash
Whether you want to eat your way into the New Year or dance until 2018, Budapest has it all going on from December 31st into January 1st. At KIOSK, several options for diverse feasting and drinking await revelers who want to welcome in 2018 in style. For enjoying an exclusive feast at a floating restaurant moored by the Chain Bridge, book a table at Spoon for a perfect view of the fireworks blasting over Castle Hill. Downtown Baalbek delivers a traditional Lebanese gala dinner on New Year’s Eve, while live music and a belly dance show bring a party atmosphere.
