Grand architecture, irresistible food, and compelling history make Budapest a fascinating place to visit. At the holidays, there is even more to see with musical performances, Christmas markets, and ice skating. Budapest in December is perfection.
We have visited this lively city three times and always uncover a little more of the special things it has to offer. Here’s a look at what to do in December.
Enjoy the light show at St. Stephen’s Basilica
The magic of the St. Stephen’s Basilica light show begins every evening at 4:30pm. Long before the show even starts, a countdown clock on the massive church’s façade helps build the anticipation. Every half-hour until 10pm, the 3D light show paints the building with falling snow, shooting stars, and more Christmas and winter imagery.
When the show is playing, the square in front of the Basilica is essentially wall-to-wall people, so plan ahead if you want to stake out a good spot. Even better: get tickets for one of the outstanding evening concerts that happen frequently during the holidays. The light show runs from November 15, 2024, through January 1, 2025.
Take a cooking class
It’s one thing to appreciate the delicious food in Budapest, but it’s quite another to make it yourself. One of the most fun things we did during our December visit was to join a strudel baking class.
The experience was hands on—we did everything from peeling and coring the apples to stretching the dough to be the size of a dinner table. It was a great opportunity to talk with a local, learn about traditional Hungarian food, and meet other travelers. Plus, we had so many leftovers that we enjoyed strudel for breakfast for several days.
Visit the Christmas markets
The Christmas markets in Budapest are essential stops. Lots of lights, music, food, and crafts make for a very festive time.
The two largest markets are at Vorosmarty Square and St. Stephen’s Basilica. Both offer a wide selection of vendors for shopping and eating and feature regular musical performances. The market at St. Stephen’s has a small ice rink and tends to be more crowded than at Vorosmarty Square where there is a mini railway for kids to ride. Within a few steps of the square, Fashion Street has some of the best light displays downtown.
For something less touristy, we loved visiting the Obuda market in the northern part of the city about 30 minutes from the center. It has an ice rink, lights, and good food and drink at more moderate prices than downtown. The atmosphere is laid-back and friendly, and you might even get to meet Santa.
Visit a rooftop bar
Rooftops with a view are our favorites in any season, and Budapest has several that are worth visiting.
High Note SkyBar on top of the Aria hotel is right next to St. Stephen’s Basilica, which makes it a convenient stop when you’re visiting the sites downtown. The 360-degree views include the Basilica as well as Buda Castle, especially if you climb the small circular staircase to a viewing platform. Both the indoor and outdoor sections were cozy even in the winter.
Our favorite stop was 360 Bar. As with SkyBar, they have an inside space with floor-to-ceiling glass for great views, but they also had igloos and outside seating on the rooftop, which was comfortable despite the temperatures. We got rail seats with an incredible view down Andrassy Avenue with the Ferris wheel in the distance. Their creative hot cocktails fit perfectly with the atmosphere and made for an unforgettable happy hour.
Take a ride on the light tram
Decked out in thousands of lights, the Budapest Christmas trams are a sight to behold. They run across the city from December 1, 2024, through January 3, 2025, nightly from 4-9pm. Which tram is in service varies by day of the week–it is most often tram 2 but also includes 19, 47, 49 and others. It costs the same to ride as any of the other trams, but it’s just a little more festive. Spotting it around the city feels a bit like seeing Santa.
If you can’t find the tram, watch for the buses outlined in LED lights and other holiday decorations. More understated than the tram, they are part of bus lines 7, 26, 91, and 105, and we found them a little easier to spot than the tram since there are more of them.
Show your skill at City Park Ice Rink
Vajdahunyad Castle provides the most dramatic backdrop we’ve ever seen to the lovely City Park Ice Rink. One of the largest outdoor rinks in Europe, skating here is surprisingly affordable at about $8 for adults and $5.50 for students and pensioners off-peak. Prices increase about $3 during peak times, but there are discounts for family tickets. If you need to sharpen your skills, you can sign up for one of the 50-minute lessons.
We loved the chance to get a classic chimney cake, churros, and hot drinks right by the rink, and there is more food in the café. When we were done, we headed into City Park to enjoy the Christmas market there.
The rink opens November 15, 2024, and goes through late February, depending on weather.
Try traditional Hungarian food
Traditional Hungarian food—often featuring meat, dairy, and potatoes—is perfect comfort food for the winter months. Whether at a restaurant or a Christmas market, beef goulash and chicken paprikash are just about everywhere and include lots of the favorite local spice, paprika. We had delicious versions of both at Retek Bisztro and Gundel, a 130-year-old restaurant in City Park.
Other favorites include langos (fried bread with toppings), töltött káposzta (stuffed cabbage), and Mangalitsa (pork indigenous to Hungary). Don’t overlook desserts like the many-layered Esterházy cake and flodni, a Hungarian Jewish cake.
One of the best ways to sample lots of the foods at one time is on a food tour. We have done two with Taste Hungary and recommend them highly. They also host wine tastings in their cellar near the Jewish Quarter.
Relax at a thermal bath
Thermal baths are some of the biggest attractions in the “City of Spas.” For nearly 2000 years, the warm waters have beckoned visitors. Thankfully, there are over a dozen modern bath complexes where you can enjoy the pools, massages, and more.
Over our visits, we have made it to five thermal baths (some more than once), so it’s fair to say that we’re big fans. Each one has its own style. Our two favorites are Gellert for its Art Nouveau architecture and steam room and Szechenyi for its numerous pools and beautiful outdoor area, which is comfortable even in the winter. We recommend booking ahead, if at all possible.
Take a cruise on the Danube River
The Hungarian Parliament, Buda Castle, Matthias Church—many of the fantastic landmarks in Budapest sit along the Danube River. They are outstanding to see up close but take on a different grandeur viewed all together from the water.
There are numerous choices for a Danube River cruise. Day and nighttime options are available and some even come with elaborate dinners and live music. We opted for a 75-minute version (with Prosecco!) that took us alongside many of the major monuments dramatically illuminated at night. The cozy boat and glowing lights provided the perfect atmosphere.
See the lights of Lumina Christmas
Lumina Park features some of the best lights in the city at its exhibit Fairy-tale Film Festival on Margaret Island. With characters from Narnia, Robin Hood, Disney stories, and much more, it’s easy to lose yourself in the fantasy world of lights and music. We knew the exhibit would be large, but we were still stunned at the 200+ light sculptures in the park.
From King Arthur to space creatures and lots of selfie spots, the lights just kept going and going. We spent over an hour exploring and thought it was a great value (adult tickets were about $12). The exhibit is open October 25, 2024 through March 2, 2025.
Hang out at a ruin bar
One of the city’s signatures is its creative ruin bars. These spaces are most often—though not always—in the Jewish Quarter and built in formerly abandoned buildings. They combine edgy décor, an industrial-style structure, and Christmas lights (year-round) into a community space that is not only a bar and restaurant but often hosts musical acts, markets, and more.
Every time we visit Budapest, we add as many ruin bars as possible to our list of places to go. Of the nine we’ve checked out so far, our favorites are Mazel Tov, which is primarily a restaurant, and Szimpla Kert, the king of the ruin bars, although it is often very busy with tourists these days. For something a little more local, visit the multiple unique spaces of A Grund or A38, a reconstructed Ukrainian ship permanently docked in the Danube.
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.