If you're already in love, celebrate, if not, go out and find it! Here we've put together all kinds of Valentine's Day activities for couples and romance seekers. Panoramic dinners, riverside tram rides and spa indulgence, they're all here. We can’t bring down the stars for you, but we can offer tips on where to discover your own heavenly happiness.
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Aranybástya
On 13 and 14 February, lovers are invited to a
romantic dinner at the Aranybástya, the latest restaurant to open at Buda
Castle. This beautifully rebuilt historic landmark is named after a fortress that
stood here in the Ottoman era. Later, the Lónyay-Hatvany villa designed by
Miklós Ybl of Opera House fame took its place, and it housed a unique art
collection. At this special location, lovers can now enjoy an exciting
Valentine’s Day menu with a lavish panorama laid out before them. The most
romantic element of the offering will be the accompanying dessert Ékkő made by
confectioner Péter László, which takes on its final shape in front of the
guests. The full menu and booking information can be found here. (x)
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Endless Love jewellery
Sometimes it’s easier to find the one you love than to surprise them with the right gift. To solve this problem, REKAVAGO and Anna Zeibig have created a new collection, Endless Love Jewellery, whose items of precious stones are full of timeless elegance, care and pampering. The earrings and necklaces, which stand out brilliantly in a set or on their own, are made of silver, gold and white or rose gold, and are inspired by the iconic flagship of the REKAVAGO brand, Alia masni. Stand-out items in the collection can be purchased here and here.
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Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Michel
Gondry’s Oscar-winning film is still one of the most beautiful movies about how
little love and a sense of belonging have to do with logic. Kate Winslet and
Jim Carrey are the couple who don’t seem to fit but still have a basic attraction
to each other, working to erase the memory of their relationship. Will they
start again, or will they let go as free-thinking adults in the knowledge of certain
failure? Favourite of romantics, the quaint Bem cinema screens yet another
classic feature in original English language – the bar’s also worth a linger, looking out over the Buda side of Margaret
Bridge. See our interview with dedicated Bem director Gergő Szomszéd here.
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Intermezzo Restaurant & Roof Terrace
Regular guests at the Hotel President have become accustomed to there being surprises in store, winter and summer, on the Intermezzo roof terrace. This year, you can enjoy a magnificent panorama from the comfort of a heated tent, taking in the Art Nouveau splendour of the Post Office Savings Building, with its distinctively colourful Zsolnay tiling. Sunset bathes the horizon in silhouettes of orange, before twinkling city lights inspire onlookers after dark. The roof terrace awaits those looking for romance with hot and cold, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and delicious food between 4pm and 10pm. A special welcome drink on Valentine’s Day will also help lovers tune in to each other. You can book a table by using this link. (x)
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Skating in City Park
On the most romantic day of the year, the picture-postcard ice rink at City Park will be all dressed in pink, with special mulled wine and hot chocolate offers for couples thrown in the mix. With the Disneyesque Vajdahunyad Castle in the background, it cannot fail to be the most romantic ice rink in town anyway – a touch of pink and a splash of mulled wine, and you’ll be in each other’s arms in no time.
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St. Andrea Restaurant
If
anyone thinks that love is all a pink fairy tale should go to St. Andrea’s
restaurant in downtown Budapest and experience the dark passion and deep
emotions of their festive offer, DRAMA. As part of the Valentine’s Day creations
by chef Endre Kollár, masculine flavours are drawn on a plate with the
treasures of the forest, and the closing chord is none other than a new dessert
by St. Andrea, the Blessed Virgin, a meeting of roses, raspberries and camomile.
Miklós Lizsicsár and his team will take care of the service and the
champagne range has been fashioned by sommelier Gábriel Sztarovics. Book your
table here (Hungarian-only) for your romantic dinner.
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St. Andrea Wine & Skybar
Here, an elegant cosmopolitan atmosphere, with a touch of downtown bustle, spreads out below as love blooms above. This all awaits at the St. Andrea Wine & Skybar, where Valentine’s Day treats the senses to the Night of the Aphrodisiacs. Romance-inducing special cocktails of saffron and chocolate are being concocted for the occasion, and for real lovers, they can be accompanied by Taittinger Prélude champagne and fresh oysters.
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Széchenyi Baths
Bask in warm thermal waters amid February chill and ornate surroundings
at Budapest’s historic Széchenyi Baths.
As one of the largest spa complexes in Europe, the revered Szecska offers enough
secret nooks and hidden corners for couples to canoodle without being disturbed,
and for a few extra forints, you can change in a cabin for two rather than use
the communal lockers like everybody else. Three big pools await outside, plenty
of smaller ones and saunas of differing temperatures within. The long bar terrace
overlooks the lane pool and catches the afternoon sun. All is easily accessible
by the yellow M1 metro to Széchenyi fürdő.
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Tram 2
Apart from strolling around Budapest, a romantic activity in itself, the
cheapest yet perhaps most vivid option for Valentine’s Day might be to climb
onto the number 2 tram and ride it for
its entire length along the Danube. As it glides along the Pest embankment,
this allows you to take in the hilltop attractions of Buda (sit on the
right-hand side if you’re coming from Jászai Mari tér, the left from Közvágóhíd)
as well as admire Parliament and the city’s picturesque bridges. And all for
the price of a BKK tram ticket! Note that the 2M also covers the same part of the
journey through the city centre before veering off to Keleti station after Boráros
tér.
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Twentysix
The pair of you can hide your love away in a real urban jungle at
Twentysix on Király utca. The inner courtyard, topped by a special see-through
roof, most closely resembles a huge oasis where you can romance amid 34 varieties of plants, banana trees, rubber figs and begonias. Here, they bookend lovers’
day with special breakfast and dinner offers on 14 and 15 February, the first
meal between 7.30am and noon. In addition to the usual superb selection, you
can start the day with a cognac-glazed prawn omelette and a tasty selection of cakes,
while in the evening tuck into the star attraction, oysters, tuna and a delicious
chocolate dessert. (x)
