To make your search for celebrations as easy as possible, we’ve divided our selection of Budapest’s New Year’s Eve events into seven categories listed below: family-friendly festivities, pre-New Year’s Eve parties, elegant galas, dinner parties, club parties, free parties, and public celebrations: click on any of the category titles listed below to jump directly to that section. Many of these events will be fully booked days before December 31st, so make reservations as quickly as possible to avoid disappointment… but there are hundreds of other places across Budapest welcoming everyone for the big night, so you can surely find a splendid spot to celebrate just by wandering around downtown. To learn more about New Year’s Eve (Szilveszter) traditions in Hungary, check out this article.
1/7
Family-friendly New Year’s Eve festivities
Most of Budapest’s New Year’s Eve gatherings are definitely not for all ages, but several unique city attractions warmly welcome kids and grown-ups alike with diversely entertaining events for the final hours of 2017. Budapest’s most indulgent function for the entire family happens at Aquaworld Resort on Pest’s northern border, where a huge indoor pool complex hosts a splashy bash featuring live performers, buffet feasts, and sparkling wine to sip in a hot tub while children enjoy supervised celebrations at the Bongo Kids Club or the teen disco – for information about the Aquaworld New Year’s Eve hotel package spanning December 29th-January 2nd, click here. Meanwhile, on the afternoon and evening of December 31st, Budapest’s Kincsem Park racetrack opens its gates to all ages for various horse races, pony rides for kids, a party tent, fireworks, and more; click here for more details (in Hungarian). For families who want to ring in the first seconds of 2018 together in the city center, Budapest’s Columbus Club welcomes all ages aboard this docked party barge during their popular New Year’s Eve dinner featuring live jazz and a discounted entry price for children; click here for the menu and more.
Save
Save
Save
2/7
Pre-New Year’s Eve parties
Considering how frequently people in Budapest party all year long, it’s not surprising that numerous nightspots encourage everyone to get an early start on their New Year’s Eve celebrations – but make sure to keep consumption under control if you attend any of these festivities, lest you end up getting a raging New Year’s Day hangover long before January 1st even arrives. Truly hard-core partiers can welcome 2018 with a time-warping weeklong shindig at the massive Instant/Fogas Ház ruin-pub complex spanning Christmas Day 2017 to well after the first sunrise of 2018; click here for details. Relatively more conservatively, quite a few hotspots offer warm-up New Year’s Eve events on the nights directly preceding December 31st, including:
- A38: Budapest’s party boat fills their concert hall in the hull on December 30th when the alternative rockers of Elefánt play live, followed by all-night DJ sets. More details
- Akvárium Klub: Under the beating heart of downtown Pest, this gigantic venue hosts German minimal-techno duo Kollektiv Turmstrasse on December 30th. More details
- Anker’t: On December 29th, this inclusive Budapest ruin pub hosts a “queer houseparty for all kind of love” to prep for NYE with hits from the ’80s and ’90s. More details
- Blue Fox The Bar: Ease into the New Year’s Eve spirit with top-quality cocktails while Mario Ochoa and his Latin Band play here on the evening of December 30th. More details
- Mika Tivadar Mulató: The King of Pop comes back to life on December 30th at a free party playing the greatest hits of Michael Jackson and the artists he influenced. More details
And last but not least among the city’s pre-New Year’s Eve shindigs, the evening of December 30th brings Budapest’s final “Sparty” of 2017, filling the pools of Széchenyi Bath with throngs of party people soaking in hot thermal waters and drinking up potent potables while the steamy winter air is enlivened with light shows and electronica beats; click here for complete details.
Save
Save
Save
3/7
New Year’s Eve dinner parties
Feasting is an important part of proper Hungarian Szilveszter celebrations, so many Budapest restaurants heartily welcome diners during the hours leading up to 2018. Whether you’re splurging on gourmet multi-course meals amid an upscale setting or making multiple trips to a low-cost buffet to line the belly for ample alcohol ahead, we present plenty of options for all price ranges – each New Year’s Eve dinner destination below is categorized as deluxe (over 30,000 HUF per guest), sophisticated (10,000 HUF-30,000 HUF per guest), and deal-icious (under 10,000 HUF per guest).
- Baalbek: Budapest’s premier Lebanese restaurant presents a festive mezze selection along with beef tenderloin, grilled tiger prawns, and a belly-dance show. Deluxe – more details
- Babel: Indulge in an extraordinary tasting menu at one of the city’s top epicurean establishments, where dishes are paired with excellent Hungarian wines. Deluxe – more details
- Baltazár: Beside a charming Castle District square, this cozily stylish eatery offers a New Year’s Eve package including a glass of Szentesi Buborék sparkling wine. Sophisticated – more details
- Baraka: Savor a creatively cool cocktail party and artful dégustation menu at this fine-dining destination located a few steps away from festive Vörösmarty Square. Deluxe – more details
- Bestia: Meaty specialties like saddle of venison and U.S.D.A. prime beef spare ribs make this rockin’ American-style hangout a solid choice for welcoming 2018. Sophisticated – more details
- Blue Fox The Bar: Join the swinging scene at this upscale city-center cocktail lounge, where a three-course New Year’s Eve dinner includes unlimited champagne. Deluxe – more details
- Deák St. Kitchen: Close out 2017 within this warmly welcoming eatery in the heart of downtown, offering a tasteful dégustation menu and live jazz music. Deluxe – more details
- Déryné: This Buda bistro hosts three separate parties for New Year’s Eve, and guests are welcome at all of them while relishing varied menu selections. Sophisticated – more details
- Émile: Leave downtown’s crowds behind at this beautiful villa in the Buda Hills, where live music and top-notch treats set the scene for a cosmopolitan house party. Sophisticated – more details
- Fióka: Delight in the five-course New Year’s Eve dinner served with fine regional wines within this cute Buda-side eatery housed in a century-old red-brick building. Sophisticated – more details
- Firkász: Relics of Hungarian writers line the newspaper-covered walls at this old-school restaurant where the year-ending feast includes unlimited wine and beer. Sophisticated – more details
- Innio: One of downtown Pest’s hottest spots for sipping fine wine is offering delicacies like duck foie gras, trotters, and carp milt for their final dinner event of 2017. Deluxe – more details
- Macesz Bistro: Special New Year’s Eve meals at this inviting eatery are perfect for an early-evening experience before diving into the downtown party scene. Sophisticated – more details
- Mazel Tov: This pleasant Jewish Quarter hangout hosts a live NYE jam session; anyone can join the party if spending at least 5,000 forints on food and/or drinks. Deal-icious – more details
- Opera Café: Step into Budapest’s landmark Opera House to enjoy specialties like marinated shrimp with spinach mousse during the last hours of 2017. Sophisticated – more details
- Otthonka: Help yourself to the bountiful buffet at this homey hangout’s good-value New Year’s Eve party scored by DJ Ozsi – every guest gets a bottle of sparkling wine. Deal-icious – more details
- Paris Budapest: Riverfront views provide a spectacular backdrop for savoring the NYE dinner made with French flair at this sleek restaurant by the Chain Bridge. Deluxe – more details
- Suelto: If you want to welcome 2018 with some laid-back fun in a funky atmosphere, enjoy the good music and wallet-friendly specials at this city-center spot. Deal-icious – more details
Save
Save
Save
4/7
New Year’s Eve galas
Sometimes it just feels right to splash out and close out the year surrounded by sumptuous decorations while feasting, drinking, and dancing amid a gracefully grand setting. Expect balloons, confetti, pointy hats, and flowing streams of sparkling wine at each of these all-inclusive New Year’s Eve galas held at magnificent hotels and extraordinary eateries across Budapest.
- ARAZ: Enjoy a casually elegant entrance to 2018 within this Art Deco-styled dining hall brought alive with live jazz and Latin music. Guests can choose between a pair of six-course menus and further indulge in a traditional midnight buffet. More details
- Buddha-Bar: Taittinger champagne, sushi, and a laser show are just a few of the attractions at the “Ice Magic” New Year’s Eve spectacular here, as DJ Mada plays perfect dance music and signature cocktails are mixed masterfully at the bar. More details
- Corinthia: This grand Budapest hotel presents a five-star celebration to finish 2017, with the adventures of globetrotter Phileas Fogg inspiring a cocktail selection and games for revelers to play in between a gourmet dinner and a circus show. More details
- Gellért: Old-world charm abounds at this Art Nouveau landmark hotel, where major Hungarian pop stars perform at the riverfront Szilveszter party that features a spirited countdown to midnight and dancing well into the first hours of 2018. More details
- Gerbeaud: Budapest’s most famous confectionery welcomes the public for New Year’s Eve at its historic downtown headquarters, when the tasteful proceedings include a four-course dinner and a live recital by stars of the Hungarian State Opera. More details
- KIOSK Budapest: Welcome 2018 with a youthful vibe at this popular waterfront hangout, offering tastes of “Hungarian Heaven” with an all-you-can-eat dinner enlivened with dance displays and great music for grooving in the New Year. More details
- Marriott: Amid stunning scenery of beautiful Budapest landmarks lining the Danube, guests at this hotel’s gala dinner enjoy delicacies from near and far, unlimited glasses of wine, and perfect views over the riverfront fireworks show at midnight. More details
- Spoon: The city’s most refined pleasure boat invites you to a New Year’s Eve party spanning multiple decks. Delight in the five-course feast, the open bar, live music and karaoke, and wraparound vistas of Budapest’s sparkling skyline. More details
Save
Save
5/7
New Year’s Eve club parties
Many party people in the Magyar metropolis want to skip straight to the wild stuff on New Year’s Eve, so we present a selection of nightspots hosting raging nightlong shindigs for anyone seeking a celebration that they’ll (probably) never forget. These clubs and ruin pubs proffer plenty of drinks along with diverse lineups of live bands, DJs, or both to keep the scene rollicking on well past the first sunrise of 2018.
- 4BRO Downtown: Get down in this basement bar beneath Gozsdu Udvar as the scene thumps with electronica beats and booty shakers all night long. More details
- A38: The boat keeps on rocking into 2018 with blasts of D&B when the Next Level and Bladerunnaz party organizers climb aboard for New Year’s Eve. More details
- Akvárium Klub: Travel back and forth in time as this cavernous city-center hotspot plays hits from the ’90s; one guest will win a Sziget Festival pass. More details
- BB’z Bar & Grill: Feel good vibrations on the giant dance floor and devour tasty New Year’s treats at the 2017-ending party of this laid-back club on Király. More details
- BRKLYN: The city will never sleep on the night of December 31st, so be a part of the fun festivities at this multistory club’s NYE “Black&White Ball”. More details
- Budapest Jazz Club: This venue’s cool cabaret atmosphere presents an appealing site for enjoying jazz concerts and a buffet of tasty snacks to welcome 2018. More details
- Corvin Club: Get high by spending New Year’s Eve at this rooftop ruin pub during its all-night-long blowout starring Hungarian band Ivan & the Parazol. More details
- Dürer Kert: DJs from near and far fill this epic ruin bar’s three stages for this NYE party, including Germany’s Cosmic Vibration and Masala from Japan. More details
- Hellobaby: Amid the grittily grand interior of this mega-club by Oktogon, beautiful people dance away the last night of 2017 and the first morning of 2018. More details
- Kraft: If you’re looking to boogie down with a clamorously glamorous international crowd on this New Year’s Eve, this club is definitely the place to go. More details
- Kuplung: The soaring sounds of Budapest-based band Magashegyi Underground fill this reliably fun venue when the group takes the stage on December 31st. More details
- Lámpás: Immerse into this labyrinthine basement bar bedecked with funky New Year’s Eve decorations, where a bohemian crowd will party the night away. More details
- Majorka: House music heats up the scene at this indoor/outdoor Buda-side hangout when the NYE lineup features Davos, Adryiano, and Pizza Amore. More details
- Mika Tivadar: The DJs of Budapest’s independent Tilos radio station take over the turntables here during the hours surrounding 2017’s final midnight. More details
- Ötkert: Budapest’s most decadent disco scene is even more hedonistic on New Year’s Eve – this club goes big from the VIP section to the main dance floor. More details
- Terem: This gigantic party palace hidden next to Váci Street is hosting a “100% glam” NYE extravaganza scored with greatest hits from the 1990s. More details
- Tesla: Feel electrified during the first minutes of 2018 at the “Deep Café” party here, featuring an extra-long DJ set from Budapest’s own Nigel Stately. More details
- Toldi Klub: Part cinema, part nightclub, all fun – this is an ideal spot for closing out 2017, where the party is scored with Beyoncé hits and hot R&B. More details
Save
Save
6/7
Free New Year’s Eve parties
The holiday season leaves many people with empty wallets, but that doesn’t mean they can’t start the New Year in a state of cheer. While we still have to pay for drinks during the Szilveszter celebrations happening at the hangouts listed below, none of them are charging entry fees to come join the revelry – and there are certainly many other bars across Budapest freely welcoming everyone for New Year’s Eve with wide-open doors and unpretentious fun.
- Anker’t: With two dance floors, non-stop music from the ’80s through 2017, and a diverse crowd of pleasure-seekers, this is sure to be an epic, free NYE. More details
- Beat on the Brat: Venture down a dark corridor to discover an offbeat dive bar hosting an unpredictable lineup of DJs blasting big hits long into January 1st. More details
- Jelen: At this happy-time headquarters, not only are they welcoming New Year’s Eve guests for free, they’re offering special deals on food and drinks. More details
- Pivo & Bar: With multiple DJs and a Brazilian samba show, this Goszdu Udvar taproom could be an ideal destination after a Szilveszter warm-up party. More details
- Pótkulcs: This slightly surreal setting is a locals’ favorite for rollicking times, especially when ringing in the New Year with eclectic tunes and good food. More details
Save
Save
7/7
Public New Year’s Eve celebrations
Last but far from least, widespread and boisterous Szilveszter celebrations semi-spontaneously erupt on Budapest's streets and squares: jet-setting couples dressed to the nines walk hand-in-hand through throngs of drunken teens topped with silly hats and glowing costume jewelry, as corner vendors hawk feather boas and fireworks or the pork hot dogs considered edible lucky charms in Hungary on New Year’s Eve. Pyrotechnics fill the air at midnight (and during most of the hours before and after), intermingling with music and horns and cheers and kisses citywide – but especially in the following five areas.
- Nyugati Square: The giant clock on the glass façade of Nyugati Railway Station becomes the blurry focus of attention among the loud New Year’s Eve crowds gathered in this ever-bustling plaza during the uproarious minutes before midnight strikes.
- Oktogon: At Budapest’s busiest intersection, people from all societal segments come together to share smiles and cheers amid clouds of sparkler smoke; the scene can get a bit chaotic, but plenty of nearby bars await anyone who decides to head inside.
- Vörösmarty Square: Beyond being New Year’s Eve, December 31st is the final day of the Christmas Market in this pedestrian-only square at the heart of central Pest, so expect to find celebrants from around the world feeling year-end cheer here.
- Danube Promenade: The nighttime views from this riverfront walkway always shine with the floodlights illuminating Budapest’s most beautiful landmarks, so the scenery is especially striking when Szilveszter fireworks add sparkle to the skyline.
- Gellért Hill: For an active-yet-romantic way to welcome 2018, get your sweetie, grab some refreshing beverages, climb to one of the panoramic lookout points on this city-center mini-mountain, and watch the entire city explode with excitement.
Save
Save
