Have you ever thought about Budapest as your next winter destination? If not, it’s time to do it. I visited Budapest in December, and I love this city. During the festive season, with all the Christmas markets, decorations, and lights, you will feel like being in a fairytale (especially if you have a chance to see Budapest covered in snow). From great Christmas markets with traditional Hungarian dishes to warming up in the many thermal baths, visiting Budapest in winter is a perfect short trip to Europe. Below you will find my 10 recommendations on exciting things to do in Budapest in winter. You still have time to do most of them, and some are valid all year round.

Note: As you will see, some of these exciting things to do in Budapest in winter are valid all year round. So add them to your Budapest plan for every season. In the article here, you can check my recommendations for a 3 day trip to Budapest.

Budapest in winter (November – March) can be cold. In December, the average temperature is between 1 – 4ºC (33º – 40ºF). While I was there, it was dry, cold, with some sunny days. So be prepared with a thick coat, a hat, and gloves, especially when wandering along the Danube promenade. There is more snow in January, but it is the coldest month (0-3ºC / 32-37ºF). Unfortunately, I couldn’t see the city covered in snow like a winter fairytale. However, traveling to Budapest in winter is worth it.

I organized this trip because I finally wanted to visit some of the famous European Christmas Markets. And happily to me, it wasn’t a solo trip (someone else was also so excited about this feast season like me). So, we flew from Sofia to Budapest at the beginning of December. I wanted accommodation in the city center so we can travel everywhere easily and explore most of the city. Our studio was in Pest on Anker köz street, 5 minutes away from St Stephen’s basilica. It is a convenient area to start your tours around the city with reasonable accommodation prices.

Now, let’s check the Top 10 exciting things to do in Budapest in winter:

1.Visit the magical Christmas Markets in Budapest

Do you want to feel the Christmas spirit? You will feel it for sure if you visit Budapest in December as I did. Budapest Christmas markets are open from the middle/end of November to the end of the year. They are one of the largest and not so expensive Christmas markets in Europe. 

The first Christmas market I visited was the biggest and oldest one in Budapest on Vörösmarty square (since 1998). Here you will find different shops with traditional Hungarian dishes (we had traditional pork and liver sausages with bread buns and mulled wine), wineshops, handcrafted stuff, etc. Because of the pandemic, only card payments were accepted for food. You can also top up a Festipay card with some cash and pay with it. While there, enjoy the light show on the hotel’s facade next to the Christmas Market or the different concerts throughout the Christmas season.

I visited the Advent Bazilika Christmas market on my second day in Budapest. It was awarded the best Christmas market in Europe for 2021! (WOW! And I was there!) 

It is located near St Stephen’s Basilica. To enter, you need a COVID certificate. Inside are many places to eat delicious Hungarian food (marzipan bonbons, strudels, Flodni cakes, langos, chimney cakes) and try local drinks (punch, mulled wine, Palinka). You can sit around the ice rink in the middle of the Christmas Market and enjoy gospel singers singing Christmas carols or watching the Basilica light show. 

However, there are several smaller Christmas markets in Budapest – near the Vajdahunyad Castle in the City Park or the Christmas market in the district of Obuda.

2.Enjoy the beautiful Basilica light show

If you are traveling to Budapest in December, you have the luck to see the spectacular Basilica light show. You can enjoy the famous 3D Christmas light show projected on the facade of St Stephen’s Basilica. It’s a beautiful 5-minute show that represents different Christmas stories. You can watch it every 30 minutes in the evening before the Advent Bazilika Christmas market closes. 

3.Take the Christmas light tram

They definitely know how to spread the Christmas spirit everywhere in Budapest, even with the public transport in the evening. Several of the trams and buses are decorated with LED lights. You can see them crossing around the city during the holiday season – after dark on selected dates. The best variant is to take the famous number 2 line along the Danube in Pest. You will enjoy some of the most popular Budapest sights – the massive Hungarian Parliament, the Shoes on the Danube memorial, Gresham Palace, the Chain Bridge. On the Buda side of the river, watch out for the lights of Buda Castle, Matthias Church, and Fisherman’s Bastion. You can also see such Christmas trams on the 4, 14, and 47 lines. And just to mention – you don’t have to pay more for this ride – it costs a standard public transport ticket.

4.Go ice skating at Europe’s largest ice rink in the City Park

A truly fantastic place – I haven’t seen such a big ice rink until now. If you love ice skating, this is one of the most exciting things to do in Budapest in winter that you can’t miss from November to February. Ice skating in the City Park of Budapest on the lake in front of Vajdahunyad Castle on the biggest outdoor ice rink in Europe opened in 1870 – sounds great, isn’t it? Tickets are affordable with an extra cost for skate rental, so it’s not an expensive way to enjoy Budapest in winter. You can check the opening days and purchase tickets online on their site.

5.Warm-up at one of the many thermal baths in Budapest

It might be cold outside, but the thermal baths in Budapest are the perfect place to warm up in winter. Despite the low temperatures, outside baths are hot at around 38-40°C. So you can have a lovely time in an outdoor pool while it is snowing. But don’t forget – thermal baths are a good choice any time of year.

The two most famous thermal baths are Szechenyi Baths and Gellert Baths. In the winter, I think the outdoor experience in Szechenyi Baths is truly exciting. These Neo-baroque thermal baths (built 1913) offer the largest and warmest outdoor pool area in Budapest and one of the largest spas in Europe. You will find around 20 pools with temperatures from 18°C to 40°C. We spent around 4 hours trying the different thermal pools, saunas, steam baths, etc. My favorite place was the hottest outdoor pool (38°C). It was really refreshing! As always, I recommend booking a ticket in advance online and being prepared with your own stuff (so you don’t have to pay for towels and flip-flops).

Gellert (built 1918) is another popular option, especially if you prefer indoor thermal baths (gorgeous Art Nouveau architecture and stunning blue-tiled interiors). They are part of Hotel Gellert, but anyone can buy a day pass to use the baths. Gellert is a beautiful place to spend a cold winter day in Budapest. This thermal bath complex features two effervescent bath sections, three outdoor pools, and eight thermal bath departments with temperatures between 21-40 °C. 

However, other popular options are Rudas Baths near Castle Hill or Lukacs Baths near Margaret island. Warming up at the thermal baths is one of the most exciting things to do in Budapest in winter!

6.Take a river cruise on the Danube

One of my favorite ways to explore new cities is going on sightseeing cruises. And luckily, the riverboats in Budapest are enclosed and heated in winter. So you have the chance for such an experience even on the coldest winter days. You can book a river sightseeing cruise at an affordable price. If you want to feel the magic of Budapest, I recommend going on a dinner cruise, when the whole city is beautifully lit. You will definitely enjoy it when passing by sites like the Hungarian Parliament, the impressive Citadella on Gellert Hill, and the Szechenyi Chain Bridge while drinking a glass of wine and having a romantic dinner.

7.Watch a performance at the Hungarian State Opera

This 19th-century neo-Renaissance masterpiece is the second-largest opera house in Budapest. You can book a guided tour to explore the opera. For events, the tickets vary depending on the performances. If you are interested in ballet or opera, you can enjoy high-quality performances such as “The Nutcracker,” “La Boheme,” “Carmina Burana,” “The Magic Flute,” etc. Choose something special for you.

8.Wander the famous Fashion Street and Andrassy Avenue

Andrassy Avenue and Fashion Street are two of the most popular tourist destinations in Budapest at any time of year. I admit I wasn’t searching intentionally for Fashion Street. I just found it on my way to the Vörösmarty Christmas market. It was wonderfully decorated with Christmas lights, trees, and toys, creating a lovely atmosphere during the feast season.

On the other one, Andrassy Avenue, we traveled on our way to Szechenyi Baths, from St Stephen’s Basilica to the Heroes’ Square. I was impressed. The street has been a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2002. Spectacular buildings such as the Hungarian State Opera and Liszt Ferenc Music Academy are located here. But it is also a perfect shopping area with shops of luxury brands – Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Rolex. So combine your vacation with Christmas shopping in Budapest and visit some of the finest boutiques. It is also a lovely place for an evening walk.

9.Try the traditional drink Palinka in one of the famous Ruin bars

Remember – Ruin pubs are an essential part of your trip and one of the must-do things in Budapest! They started to appear in the 2000s in the Jewish Quarter, which was full of abandoned buildings after World War II. Locals began to furnish them with antiques and sell cheap drinks. Converting an old factory into open-air cinema and pub and voila – the first ruin pub Szimpla Kert was established. Now, it is also the most famous ruin bar in Budapest. Budapest’s ruin bars are perfect for grabbing a drink at reasonable prices all year round and feeling the local atmosphere. An excellent way to experience them and the city is going on a special tour, tasting local drinks, for example, Palinka. (We have a similar but stronger drink in Bulgaria called Rakia. Have you tried it?) 

Book a Ruin Bars Tour and experience Budapest at night.

10.Try traditional Hungarian food at the Grand Central Market 

Go there for any souvenirs, and you’ll get fair prices and good quality. The market has three floors with fresh fruits, vegetables, cheeses, sausages, and local handmade products. There is a food court on the second floor. This gorgeous Neogothic building is a must in Budapest if you are a foodie like me. But if not because of the food, then visit it because of the beautiful old architecture from 1897. The market is the largest and one of the oldest in Budapest. 

If you want to try something different, you can go on a Hungarian Cooking Class and Market Tour. You will visit the Great Market Hall and learn how to prepare simple Hungarian dishes. A tasty Budapest winter activity to try.

I hope you have enjoyed my ideas on the 10 exciting things to do in Budapest in winter, and this guide will come in handy when planning your trip.

And don’t forget:

Share your Budapest experiences with me!

Inspired? Pin it for later!