Lent is coming to an end soon (Thursday is the last day), giving way to the biggest spring festivity: Easter (húsvét in Hungarian). This year, celebrations are held between 7-10 April, and Hungarians take their traditions seriously. In some parts of the country, you might get sprinkled with a bucket of water. In others, you can enjoy spring fairs (read more on Hungarian Easter customs here). See what you can get up to this weekend.
Good Friday
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Farmers' Market
As we said earlier, Hungarians love their Easter customs, which include cooking up a proper feast. And there is no place better to grocery shop than a farmers' market. On Good Friday (9 am -2 pm) at the Élesztőház, you can get your hands on braided loaves, ham, radish and horse radish, among the all-time favourites such as cheese, jams, honey and seasonal vegetables.
Moreover, a guest chef will prepare a delicious Ukranian borscht soup using the ingredients available on the spot, and the money made from the sales will be donated to Ukranian refugees.
Easter Sunday
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Easter Brunch and Children's Day at the Haris Park
Bobo Restaurant is an elegant but relaxed location with a classic Buda atmosphere, where wonderfully furnished rooms sit in a large park full of freshly mowed lawns, beautiful plants and huge trees. On Easter Sunday, the whole family can get together in the pretty garden to enjoy a nice meal and some activities. Children can join workshops, go on an egg hunt, pet animals and meet the Easter Bunny himself. And while animators look after the little ones, parents can enjoy an Easter brunch or an à la carte lunch.
Book tickets in advance on the Hungarian website (for adults, for children) or email them at info@harispark.hu.
Easter Monday
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Easter for kids in the Gozsdu Courtyard
Gozsdu Courtyard (Gozsdu Udvar) is a passageway in downtown Pest, where brilliant bars, restaurants and events collide. On Easter Monday (from 10 am), you can join family-friendly activities all day: solve a gigantic jigsaw puzzle, let the kids play in a bouncy castle, get their faces painted, or challenge them with games. Also, check out the spring decorations and the Easter offer of the gastro spots.
Several days at Easter
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Spring Fair on Vörösmarty Square
Budapest's focal square, Vörösmarty Square is a great place to be in the first two weeks of April for a spring shopping spree. Local producers fill the space with gastronomic delicacies and handicrafts (such as egg decorations, chocolate, textile, ceramics, lavender products, jewellery, and gingerbread), while artists play music every day. One of the most eye-catching points of the square is the "flower shop", instantly putting you in the spring mood. Children can enjoy a handicraft playhouse where they can make their own spring and Easter decorations.
More details here.
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Easter feast at the InterContinental Budapest
The riverside Corso Restaurant at the InterContinental Budapest is preparing a sumptuous offering for the biggest holiday of spring. Come the second weekend of April, you can try Easter brunch bites (such as smoked Mangalica ham, cured grey beef tenderloin, smoked fish, and egg dishes) and a four-course menu (including foie gras mousse and braised lamb knuckles) while taking in a stunning view. Or you can have a holiday feast to go.
The brunch is on Sunday (9 April), and the 4-course menu and takeaway boxes are available between 3-9 April. More details here.
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Hollókő Easter Festival
If you read our article on the top four Hungarian Easter traditions, you already know about the 'locsolkodás'. Well, there is no more authentic place to experience it than a tiny village in the northeastern region of Hungary (1-hour drive away from Budapest). Hollókő, also a World Heritage site, hosts Hungary's most famous Easter festival year after year. Its cobblestoned streets become a backdrop for special Hungarian Easter customs: locals wear folk costumes, live-music events, folk-dance performances, and heritage activities entertain the crowds. In the meantime, foodies can sample signature dishes of 'Palóc' gastronomy characteristic of this region. And those who ascend the Castle of Hollókő will find themselves amid medieval settings complete with cavalry shows and century-old apparel.
How to get there:
You can take the regional bus for a two-hour ride from Puskás Ferenc Stadion (accessible by the M2 metro), with buses leaving at 8:40 am (the last direct service returns from Hollókő at 4 pm). If you prefer getting there by car, make sure to set off early as big crowds are expected.
More details on the programme and ticket prices here.
Good to know
Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Monday are marked as public holidays in the Hungarian calendar. On these three days, most shops close and public transport runs less frequently. Restaurants and bars should operate according to their usual opening hours.
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