The sounds of families ice skating, the scents of sizzling sausage, and the glow of a cascade of lights help make the Budapest Christmas markets enticing destinations during the holidays. Scattered across the city, the markets welcome locals and visitors to enjoy music and delicious food in an enchanted environment.
The markets in Budapest have lots to love from artisan crafts to family-friendly entertainment. However, as a country less than 40 years removed from Communism, Hungary does not have the heritage of hosting outstanding markets like in the showstopping Christmas chalets of Strasbourg or the fairytale perfection of Nuremberg, both of which have centuries of history. But they are working on it. If your travel plans include Budapest, the markets here are absolutely worth the time to explore.
We have visited Budapest three times and have a soft spot for this city packed with history, art, and great food. Our most recent trip let us enjoy eight different markets in the city (and a bit beyond). Here’s a look at what to expect when it comes to shopping, entertainment, food, and more at the Christmas markets.
*Many of the markets run November 15 – December 31, 2024, but dates vary. Specific dates for each market are listed below.*
Vorosmarty Square (Vorosmarty tér)
Full of nearly 100 food stands and artisan vendors, Vorosmarty Square is the city’s largest Christmas market. In addition to the wide variety of market stands, what we appreciated most is that there is lots of room to move around here.
Food vendors line the square surrounding the large statue of its namesake, Hungarian poet Mihály Vorosmarty, which is still visible under a giant bubble. Hawking an array of comfort food, the aromas of the vendors are hard to pass by. Some of the most popular offerings include duck leg with red cabbage or roasted pumpkin, Mangalica (delicious Hungarian pork), and goulash in a bread bowl (this one is ubiquitous across the markets). Fortunately, there was generous seating to enjoy the hearty fare.
Vorosmarty Square hosts music from 5pm-8pm on weekdays and 4pm-8pm on weekends. Even though it drizzled a bit during our visit, we got to enjoy a local horn quartet while we ate.
This is one of the two best markets to shop at if you’re looking for gifts or souvenirs. We found artwork of different kinds, embossed leather goods, cookware, and toys. There were also ornaments, garden decorations, and unique ceramic creations. Each of the stalls was labeled with the name of the local business, which was an interesting touch to show the uniqueness of the merchandise.
Dates: November 15 – December 31, 2024 (craft exhibitors and the miniature railway close December 28)
Fashion Street (Deák Ferenc)
It’s easy to visit two markets at the same time because the notable Fashion Street (Deák Ferenc utca) passes right by Vorosmarty Square. Just a few steps from the square, the light sculptures in the street and designs suspended overhead attract lots of people for photo opportunities–you can’t miss them.
The stalls here are scattered, but there are vendors selling sausages, mulled wine (forralt bor), macarons, and langos–fried bread with different toppings, it’s a Hungarian staple that we tried for the first time on a local food tour. Mixed among the food vendors are a few chalets selling ornaments and textiles. Plus, you’ll pass by some of the city’s nicest stores if you want to do more shopping as you wander along the street.
While there was not a huge number of stalls, there was a reasonable selection to choose from for people in search of a snack or dessert, and you end up right by the illuminated ice rink at City Hall Park (Városháza Park).
Dates: November 15 – December 31, 2024
St. Stephen’s Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika)
It is nearly impossible to visit Budapest without seeing the grand St. Stephen’s Basilica, and it’s even nicer to visit in December. The Christmas market just outside the prominent landmark buzzes all day long, but it takes on a different energy at dusk when the light show begins on the basilica’s façade and continues every half-hour. There are also regular musical performances that attract numerous spectators.
The compact area somehow accommodates a small ice rink among the numerous stands selling food and gifts. Positioned outside one of the city’s main tourist attractions, it’s no surprise that the market is touristy, but it’s still worth a visit. We walked through several times during our days in the city, and it was packed every evening.
If you’re looking to shop, there are lots of Hungarian foods to take with you. There is an unimaginable amount of paprika for sale as well as traditional pastries, gummy candies, and cured meat. We bought Szamos, a marzipan-flavored liqueur made by a 90-year-old local company. When it comes to gifts, there are mugs, jewelry, bakeware, felt creations, souvenirs, and specialty items like quill pens.
Rows of food vendors ensure that there are many choices for what to eat. It’s a great place to try langos or sausage, but there is also a selection of hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, potato dishes, and soups. The market is structured to have a little bit of something for everyone, so just keep browsing until you find a dish that sounds appealing. There is also mulled wine and hot chocolate to combat the temperatures. If you’re not looking for something hot to drink, try the traditional Hungarian fruit brandy called palinka, which is widely available.
Dates: November 15, 2024 – January 1, 2025
City Park and Magic Grove (Varazs Liget)
Against the backdrop of the gorgeous Vajdahunyad Castle are the market at City Park and the Magic Grove (VarazsLiget). Part traditional Christmas market and part children’s entertainment hub, it is different from the other holiday fairs in the city.
A Ferris wheel and carousel welcome kids of all ages and aren’t too big to intimidate even the smallest visitors. There is also a miniature railroad to ride and a “fairy dome” where kids can make fairy wands and wings. If that’s not enough, the picturesque ice rink is right there to enjoy.
The stands here are a festival of food. There are trays of strudel and what feels like everything you could possibly want covered in chocolate. There are also plenty of savory choices like stuffed cabbage, potato pancakes, and chicken paprikash. It’s not all traditional Hungarian food, though—one vendor bet me that his barbecue was authentically Texan, and it did not disappoint.
This was the one market we visited after Christmas (after we returned from seeing the fantastic Vienna Christmas markets), and it was still very festive. We definitely recommend it if you’re not ready to let the holidays end yet.
Dates: November 15, 2024 – February 2, 2025.
Gozsdu Courtyard (Gozsdu Udvar)
Gozsdu Courtyard (Gozsdu Udvar) is a lively area for going out. Lined with restaurants, bars, and an arcade, there is lots to do here. At Christmas, the area fills with local artisans selling vintage items, accessories, handmade goods, and creative Christmas decorations as part of the Gozsdu Weekend market.
The items we found here were different than what we saw at any of the other markets. During our visit, there were about 25 tables full of leather items, upcycled jewelry, vinyl records, and much more. It is worth stopping to browse if you’re nearby.
Dates: December 6 – 24, 2024
Elizabeth Square (Erzsébet tér)
There are two reasons to stop at the market in Elizabeth Square (Erzsébet tér): if you happen to be walking by or if you want to ride the Ferris wheel. Otherwise, it is not worth the time to go out of your way to visit.
The food available was mostly snacks or desserts like chimney cakes, pastries, and donuts. The gift vendors primarily offered mass-produced merchandise like slippers, cell phone cases, hats, and chess sets. There was one stand selling jerky that–head scratchingly–appeared to be decorated with preserved animals. We have been to Christmas markets in about 25 cities across 9 countries, and, for the first time, we realized that we prefer our Christmas markets without taxidermy.
Dates: November 15 – December 31, 2024
Obuda
If you have the time to venture outside the city center, Obuda is the place to go. In District III, the area was once its own city but is now part of northern Buda. Far away from the tourist area, everything here is designed for locals, which is exactly what we hoped for.
The Obuda Advent Market is held on the main square (Fő tér) with an ice-skating rink at its center. Around the perimeter and spilling down one of the streets are about 40 stalls predominantly selling food. We found traditional offerings like langos and chimney cakes, but there were choices we hadn’t found in the more touristy markets such as churros, bubble waffles, and fried seafood.
One thing we particularly enjoyed here was the different kinds of mulled wine. In addition to the typical red and white, there was sour cherry, pear, cranberry, and plum. It’s easy to tell what the options are because many of them are heated in barrels or cauldrons that are constantly stirred, so you can see the fruit floating in the containers. One thing to note: the prices are posted by the deciliter, but each mug holds 3-4 deciliters of wine, so you’ll pay a multiple of what’s listed.
We only noticed a handful of vendors selling gifts. There were some bath products, decorations, and an array of things made from honey and beeswax. There were also several stalls selling knitwear, hats, and scarves, but don’t plan to check much off your shopping list here. Instead, come for the friendly, laid-back atmosphere, the skating, the visits with Santa, and the music and dance programs that happen Fridays through Sundays.
The Obuda market is about 30 minutes from the city center. Take the H5 train to Szentlélek Tér, which is across from the northern tip of Margit Island if you’re looking at a map. For even more Christmas festivities, consider visiting Lumina Park on Margit Island after dark—it’s full of light sculptures and makes for a fun visit.
Dates: The market runs November 29 – December 22. The ice rink is open until January 15.
Szentendre
About 45 minutes from Budapest, visiting Szentendre offers a very different experience. This town of 25,000 residents has a small Christmas market at the main square. The vendors are local and the atmosphere is merry, especially during the musical performances and Advent candle lighting that happens each Sunday night.
The scent of mulled wine and gingerbread wafts through the heart of this quiet town. There is food like flatbreads, sausage, and chimney cakes to eat in the moment and items to take away, including cheese and charcuterie.
We shared a few mugs of the local hot strawberry wine, which was surprisingly good, as we browsed the vendors selling soaps, glass jewelry, and ceramics. There were also leather items and practical knit scarves and hats to ward off the cold.
If you have time in your schedule and are interested in venturing beyond Budapest, Szentendre is a good choice, as the main square is only about 5 minutes from the H5 train station. There are several small museums around the town as well. I wouldn’t recommend coming solely for the Christmas market because it is small, but experiencing the town for a few hours is a nice change of pace. Don’t miss stopping at E’deni for hot chocolate.
Dates: The Advent market is open November 30, 2024 through January 7, 2025.
Laura Longwell is an award-winning travel blogger and photographer. Since founding Travel Addicts in 2008, she has written hundreds of articles that help over 3 million people a year get the most out of their travel. In that time, she has visited nearly 60 countries on 5 continents, often returning to favorite destinations over and over again. She has a deep love of history, uncovering unexpected attractions, and trying all the good food a place has to offer.
In addition to Travel Addicts, Laura runs a site about her hometown of Philadelphia—Guide to Philly—which chronicles unique things to do and places to see around southeastern Pennsylvania. Her travel tips and advice appear across the web.