Budapest at Christmas

Budapest at Christmas is cold, but beautiful. Although I must admit that I find Budapest every day beautiful, regardless of the weather conditions. How could this city be not beautiful for anyone? :)

Budapest Basilica Christmas Market, Mpeti Photography

What can you do at Christmas in Budapest? Get cold? Get depressed? No way!

Here are five things to do at Christmas in Budapest:
(I don't even say that these would be the top 5 things to do in Budapest, they are just what  suddenly came to mind. But if you are not satisfied, see first the top ten things to do in Budapest, and then come back here to see if you get more ideas)

Visit the best Budapest Christmas market. This market is the biggest, the most festive, the oldest, the most traditional, the most rich in its programs, and has the best location (innermost Christmas market in Budapest downtown - Vorosmarty Square is the name of the 'ter' / square). Some clever and nice tour guides can also take you around some of the Christmas markets. This Xmas fair tour sounds reasonable (includes wine tasting too).

Visit the thermal baths of Budapest. As always, it is a great and fun thing to do in Budapest. What makes the winter baths special is that you can still sit outside in the cold weather, wrapped cozily in the warm thermal baths and the steams cushioning the open air thermal pools from the cold winter air. Szechenyi Bath is even open at Christmas!

Normafa Hill Budapest, Artúr Herczeg Photography

Go to the Ice Rink in the City Park of Budapest. This ice rink is huge and fun, you can rent skates on the spot, you can take the kids for a good skating and sliding, enjoy the music and the hot tea, drinks by the artificial ice rink. The setting is quite romantic as the rink is just by the side of the beautiful Vajdahunyad Castle (home of the Agricultural Museum). It may even be true that the skating rink is the biggest one in Europe... Honestly, I don't know, but it is surely big. :)

Eat a Chimney Cake in Budapest & drink Mulled wine: This warm cinnamon milk bread is shaped like a chimney (or cylinder), and is simple, delicious, good to go (kurtoskalacs is the Hungarian name of this lovely cake by the way, but can you say 'kirteshcallaatsh? Can you? Good news, You will survive!). The lovely cake is sold at the Christmas markets in Budapest as well as on the main shopping street (Kurtoskalacs on Vaci utca) and in other central spots in the city. Not a typical winter cake, but typically good in winter city walks. Winter cake? The Hungarian Christmas cake is beigli, the Hungarian Xmas candy is Szaloncukor (Salon Sugar - elegant name, eh?)

Go to the Buda Hills: if you love nature and winter fun in the outdoors, the Buda Hills are a great place to enjoy the winter beauty, especially if there is snow (usually in December, January and February in Budapest). You can go to the Normafa hill