Opening times during Easter in Budapest.

Easter opening times in Budapest

Are you coming to Budapest this Easter? Are you wondering whether or not stores, museums, thermal baths, and restaurants are open? What about the river cruises? What should you expect if you come to Budapest for Easter? Will you meet closed doors, or will life be as normal?

First of all, grocery stores, restaurants, thermal baths, and museums are normally open on Sundays. But, Easter is different. Here you can read about the different important Easter days and how they influence opening times in Budapest.

Opening times during Easter in Budapest.

Opening times on Palm Sunday in Budapest.

The first day many people are curious about is Palm Sunday, the day on which Jesus came into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. This is an entirely normal Sunday, meaning grocery stores, museums, thermal baths, restaurants, and other institutions operate with their normal opening times. As a result, almost everything is open and available on this day.

Opening times on Maundy Thursday in Budapest.

Thursday is the day of the Last Supper with Jesus and his disciples. Hungary does not give much attention to this day, meaning that life goes on as normal, giving you the chance to shop in H&M, eat cake in Gerbaud, and enjoy the hot springs in the Gellert bath.

Opening times on Good Friday in Budapest.

Good Friday has been a national holiday in Budapest for some years. As a result, all grocery stores are closed, and so are fashion stores. Luckily for tourists, restaurants and museums remain open on this day, and the same is true about the thermal baths and the boats traveling up and down the river. Cinemas are also open if you want to watch a movie. On the day after, Saturday, business is back to usual, meaning you can once again go to grocery stores and fashion stores.

Opening times on Easter Sunday in Budapest.

Easter Sunday is very identical to Good Friday. In other words, grocery stores and fashion stores are closed. Besides that, most restaurants, thermal baths, river cruises, cinemas, and similar activities operate at full power due to the large number of tourists coming to Budapest to celebrate Easter.

Opening times on Easter Monday in Budapest.

Easter Monday is identical to Good Friday and Easter Sunday. You might find some 24/7 mini grocery stores open here and there, but all the big brands (Aldi, Lidl, Spar, CBA, Tesco, Auchan) are closed. This is not a day for shopping in Zara or Pull&Bear either, but if you are eager to go shopping, you should check out the Easter market which normally is open at the Vörösmarty square every day throughout Easter.

What are normal opening times like in Budapest?

  • On a normal day, a grocery store opens at 6.00 or 7.00 and remains open until 20.00 or 21.00. Some close earlier on Saturdays and even earlier on Sundays.
  • On a normal day, a clothes store opens at 10.00 and remains open until 20.00. Many fashion stores close earlier on Sundays.
  • Thermal baths open at 6.00 or 7.00 and remain open until somewhere between 18.00 and 22.00.
  • Museums often open at 10.00 and remain open until sometime between 18.00 and 20.00. Some museums are closed on Mondays.

Other programs in Budapest

Would you like to enjoy other programs in Budapest? Take a look at our Budapest calendar to find out what’s going on in Budapest while you visit the city.

Can I pay with Euros in Budapest?

Would you like to pay with Euros in Budapest? Hungary has been a member of the European Union since 2004. Does that mean that the Euro is an official currency for payments in Hungary? No!

When Hungary first joined the European Union in 2004, everyone expected Hungary to quickly introduce the Euro. That didn’t happen. Instead, the economy of the country has become worse and the current politics point more in the direction away from Europe, instead of moving closer and closer to Europe.

What does this mean for you as you come to Budapest? Can you pay with Euros in Budapest?

hungarian forint

Is Euro an accepted payment currency in Budapest?

Even though the Hungarian Forint is the official currency of Hungary, most stores and restaurants accept payments by Euro. Many will say that they only accept Euro bills (not coins). But, there are a few things you should be aware of.

If you want to pay in cash.

Euro payments are normally accepted if you pay by cash. This is nice if you have brought Euro bills to Budapest. But, it isn’t always smart to use your Euro bills as you pay with cash in Budapest. Why is that?

Most restaurants and stores calculate with terrible exchange rates. If the real exchange rate of 1 Euro is 410 Forint, you will often see that restaurants and stores calculate with a much lower rate, for example, that 1 Euro is 370 Forint. As a consequence, you will end up paying much more than if you paid with the local currency.

What can you do about this? You can either go to an exchange office and change your Euro to Forint, or you can withdraw Hungarian Forint with an ATM. Would you like to learn more about the Hungarian currency and how you can find the best exchange rates? Click the link.

If you want to pay by card.

If you pay with your VISA or MasterCard, your bank will calculate with the exact exchange rate. But, you better be aware that many terminals will ask you in the payment process whether you want to pay with Euro or with the local currency (HUF). If you get such a question, pay in the local currency because you will end up paying less in this way.

A lot of things have changed in 2022…

The value of the Hungarian Forint has dropped a lot compared to the Euro and the US Dollar in 2022. As a result, prices in Hungary have increased a lot. To secure their income, many tourist companies now fix their prices in Euro instead of having fixed prices in Forint. In such cases, you have to pay the Euro price anyway. But, in most cases, the Forint price is the one that you should be looking for.

You can pay with Euro in Budapest, but you pay less if you use the Hungarian Forint

That is the answer to this question. If you have further comments, or questions, or want to share your experience paying with Euros in Budapest, use the comment field below.

Hotels near the Christmas markets in Budapest

Are you looking for a hotel near the Christmas markets in Budapest? Which hotel should you pick? Here you have some suggestions for centrally located hotels in Budapest near the most important Christmas markets!

As you might know already, Budapest is a fantastic city. And even though the city is fantastic all year round, it is especially beautiful before Christmas. That is when the Christmas lights are turned on, and the Christmas markets at the Vorosmarty square and the Saint Stephen’s square open.

The two biggest and most important Christmas markets in Budapest
The two biggest and most important Christmas markets in Budapest

The two circles show the areas of the two biggest Christmas markets. As you can see, they are located close to one another, meaning that there only is a short walk between both markets. Based on these locations, it is quite easy to find a hotel centrally located close to both Christmas markets.

Hotels near the Christmas markets in Budapest

It all depends on how much money you want to spend, but here you will find some recommendations that will make the Christmas markets easy to visit throughout the day without walking very much!

The five-star option – Kempinski

This hotel is located by the green square which you can see on the map above, almost in the middle between the two Christmas markets. It is an amazing five-star hotel with all the exclusive and nice features you might need. A sure winner if you want a central location combined with luxury!

If you want to swim in between your visits to the Christmas markets, choose Kempinski.
If you want to swim in between your visits to the Christmas markets, choose Kempinski.

A four-star option – Mercure City Center

This is a very central hotel located in the Vaci utca (the shopping street). It is very close to the Christmas market at Vorosmarty square (only a few minutes away), and a little bit further away from the other market. But, you can still reach the market at the Szent Istvan ter within less than 10 minutes on foot. The hotel normally has very good prices and considering that it is a four-star hotel, it should be worth taking into consideration.

A three-star option – Hotel Central Basilica

If you want to live closer to the Christmas market in front of the Saint Stephen’s Basilica, this is as close as it gets. Hotel Central Basilica is a three-star option that will give you a brilliant location at a low price. It isn’t as luxurious as the other two hotels, but it will do the job for most tourists who plan on spending more time outside the hotel than on the inside.

near the Christmas markets in Budapest
Hotel Central Basilica is ideal if you want to live close to the Christmas markets in Budapest

These are some suggestions to those looking for a hotel near the Christmas markets in Budapest. There are several hundred hotels to pick from, but not all of them have a central location. And it is true, you save a lot of time living at a central location. It might be more expensive than living far outside the city center, but if you first spend money on a flight ticket, an airport transfer, and other services, why not spend a few dollars extra in order to live at a good location as well?

If you have further questions or comments related to hotels located near the main Christmas markets in Budapest, write them in the comment field.

Budapest Christmas market dates 2018

When will the Christmas markets open in Budapest in 2018? When will they close? Where are the most popular Christmas markets located?

We get questions such as these all the time, and especially from people looking to buy plane tickets, but they just want the dates confirmed before they press confirm on the booking page. So, what are the dates for the Christmas markets in Budapest in 2018?

Christmas market dates 2018

You will find lots of dates on other websites, but the truth is, no official dates have been given yet. So, it is impossible to know the dates for the Christmas market at Vörösmarty square, and for the Christmas market by the St. Stephen’s Basilica.

But, if you want to know something, then December is a safe month to visit Budapest. Both markets will for sure be open throughout December. The real question is when they will open in November. Based on the earlier years it could be that the market at Vörösmarty square will open already on the November 9-10-11 weekend, but if not then, almost for sure at the following weekend. The market by the St. Stephen’s Basilica is most likely to open on the November 23-24-25 weekend.

But, these are guesses made on the activities in the last years. We will update the article once we have the final dates. You can read more information in general about the Christmas markets in Budapest right here.

Christmas market by St. Stephen’s Basilica in Budapest in 2016

The dates for the Christmas market at Vorosmarty square has been avavailable for a long time. Recently the dates for the Christmas market in front of the St. Stephen’s Basilica were published as well. Here they are!

Most people will agree that the Christmas market at Vörösmarty square is the most famous in Budapest, but the Christmas fair by the St. Stephen’s basilica is getting more and more attention. It will be arranged for the sixth time in 2016 and if you go there you can look forward to an nice ice skating rink, beautiful lights, lots of food to eat, tasty drinks, a delightful atmosphere and nice music. Doesn’t that sound nice?

Christmas Market Stephens Basilica
The Christmas market in front of the St Stephens Basilica looks awesome at night!

Dates for the Christmas fair by St. Stephens Basilica in 2016

First day: November 25th
Last day: January 2nd

Opening times:

Monday-Thursday 11:30 – 20:00
Friday: 11:30 – 22:00
Saturday: 10:00 – 22:00
Sunday: 10:00 – 20:00

Do you want to know more about the Christmas markets in Budapest? Check our blog post on the subject! Would you consider visiting another city in addition to Budapest to discover more great Christmas shopping? Why not travel with car for about 3 hours and visit the Christmas markets in Zagreb as well? Visit the Zagreb Guide for more information about what’s going on in the Croatian capital!

Christmas markets in Budapest 2016

Autumn is here and the Christmas market is approaching. But, when will the Christmas markets in Budapest open? Here are the dates for the Christmas markets in Budapest in 2016.

There are two big and famous Christmas markets in Budapest. One is located at the Vorosmarty square in the center of Budapest, while the other market is located about 400 metres away from there, in front of the St. Stephens Basilica. Both markets are beautiful and you can taste local Hungarian cuisine, drink real Hungarian hot wine and of course taste sweets and other Hungarian desserts. We almost forgot, but this is of course the best place to buy all sorts of souvenirs and presents as well. But, when will the Christmas markets be arranged in Budapest in 2016?

Christmas fair in Budapest
Christmas fair in Budapest

Budapest Christmas markets in 2016

The dates are not 100% official yet, but based on rumors these are the dates you can expect:

Christmas market at Vorosmarty square: November 11th -January 1st
Christmas market by the Stephens Basilica: not announced yet

We hope you will have a fantastic stay in Budapest before Christmas. You can find more information about the Christmas markets here. If you would like to enjoy a guided tour in Budapest while in town just press the link for more information, or if you would rather drink some local wine check our different winetasting and wine-dinner options.

Christmas presents to buy in Budapest

What is the ideal present to buy your loved ones in Budapest for Christmas? In this article we will give you some nice tips on buying the best souvenirs and gifts for Christmas.

There are several opportunities to choose from, many stores and even Christmas markets where you can get the nicest and most unique presents for Christmas. Read on, and get some ideas for what to bring home after a visit to Budapest before Christmas. If you simply want to know more about shopping in Budapest, then we recommend this article.

Szaloncukor

Hungary has a traditional candy for Christmas called szaloncukor which you can hang on the Christmas tree as decoration. It comes in several flavours such as marzipan, coconut, caramel, different flavoured jelly and so on which is covered in a thin layer of chocolate. You can get this at very low prices (with very low quality), so if you plan to bring this home with you, buy with higher quality, be it Milka, Szamos, Stuhmer or some other a bit more expensive version.

Szaloncukor
Szaloncukor as a Christmas present

Erős Pista

The other popular gifts from Hungary is Erős Pista (Strong Stephen) which is one of the most popular hot sauce in Hungary. It is an ideal gift for everyone who is into cooking. Erős Pista is made of minced hot paprika and salt and it could not be more Hungarian for sure. Hungarians use it in the different national dishes such as gulyás (goulash), lecsó and paprikás csirke. It can be really useful if you want to give some spiciness to your dish, and it is perfect to give some nice Hungarian taste to food lacking taste or in need of some more spice. This can be bought almost everywhere, in the market hall, in grocery stores and so on!

Erős pista
Erős Pista is the one to the right with the red top! (the other is called sweet Anna).

Hungarian wine

If you have some friends who like a good wine, and especially sweet white wine, then you should buy them a sweet Tokaj wine and bring it home to them for Christmas. This is a magnificent present that will make them happy, and especially women often enjoy this wine. Some sommeliers in Hungary call the sweet Tokaj wine Viagra for women. That might be a small exaggeration, but it for sure tastes good! If you are more into full bodied red wines, then the more expensive wines from the region of Villany is to be recommended. If you want some really Hungarian taste on the wine, and not follow the typical trends from abroad, then the red wines from the Szekszard region can be recommended, these are often light bodied and has a very nice spicy taste to them.

Sweet White Wine
Sweet white wine from Tokaj

Souvenirs from the Christmas markets

If you would like to buy other type of presents such as bags, different Christmas decorations and similar products you can find them on the Christmas markets in Budapest. At the markets there are plenty of handmade gifts such as the most beautiful lamps, different bags, scarfs, hats, gloves and all kind of accessories, toys for children, mugs and kitchen accessories as well such as wooden cheese boards and serving platters.

Túró Rúdi, Sport szelet, ischler and more

If you want to bring some of the basics of Hungarian chocolate and sweets with you home, then the number one favorite to bring home is the Túró Rúdi. This is a piece of cottage cheese (sweet) covered with dark chocolate in the standard version. This is served cold, so if you plan on bringing it home with you, then make sure to put it in the fridge as soon as you get back home again. Another famous chocolate is the Sport szelet. The paper almost looks like a chewing gum, but beyond the paper you will find a piece of dark chocolate with rum among its ingredients. For those in love with cakes the Ischler is ideal, because you can bring it with you home, at least if you get it packed in a piece of paper. This is a kind of biscuit cake with jam on the inside and covered with chocolate on the outside.

Ischler Sport Szelet Turo Rudi
Here you can see an Ischler, a Sport Szelet and a Túró Rúdi

These are some ideas and thoughts for what to bring home from Budapest with the goal of giving them away as Christmas presents. But, do not forget to buy double portions of everything, because you will for sure want to keep a bottle of Hungarian wine and some Erős Pista yourself.

What is the Budapest Christmas market dates in 2014?

We have already received this question quite a lot of times, so here is the time to write an article concerning the date for the Christmas market in Budapest in 2014.

The truth is that the dates for the Budapest Christmas market in 2014 at Vörösmarty square have not been released yet. So, there is no good answer to the question yet, and normally these dates are only released late in September, or sometime in October. However, in general the Christmas market at Vörösmarty square opens somewhere around November 20th. But, in 2013 they delayed it a week, meaning that the Christmas market only opened on November 27th, so what will happen in 2014 is still not sure.

What you can know for sure is that if you arrive to Budapest in December the Christmas market at Vörösmarty square will for sure be open, but if you arrive in November you might have to live with a small risk of not being able to enjoy the market. If you arrive in the very end of November it should be there, but if you come somewhere near November 20th it might be that you can enjoy it (if they follow the tradition active until 2013), but if they follow the 2013 “tradition”, it might be that you will miss out on it.

Easter in Budapest

Easter is a great time of the year. It is not only a celebration of the death and the ressurection of Jesus Christ, but it is also a time to celebrate that the winter is history and summer is coming.

Budapest is a great city to visit during Easter, and here you can find some of the reasons as to why you should consider coming to the Hungarian capital to celebrate Easter here. For information about special programs taking place in Budapest during Easter, check our events calendar.

Easter in Budapest

Why you should celebrate Easter in Budapest

  • All shops are open on every single day, except from Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.
  • Restaurants stay open on every day during Easter
  • Museums can be visited every day, except from Easter Monday (this is not a 100% rule, but most museums follow this schedule)
  • There are lots of nice churches where you can enjoy Easter services. The most popular Easter service can be enjoyed in the St. Stephens basilica, the most beautiful church of Budapest.
  • Easter in Budapest also means Budapest Spring Festival. During this period you can listen to amazing concerts and shows in different venues around Budapest and you can also shop at the Spring Fair at the Vorosmarty square which is open during the entire Spring festival.
  • The chocolates brought by the Easter bunny is cheaper in the grocery stores in Budapest than most other cities in Europe, and much cheaper than if you buy them at Budapest Airport or any other so called „tax-free” at other airports around in Europe.
  • Hotels in Budapest are cheaper than in other big cities in Europe, so here you can stay in hotels with 3, 4 or 5 stars paying less than you would elsewhere.

What do Hungarians eat for Easter?

If you want to eat as a traditional Hungarian you need to get hold of a sugarbread (Kalacs), butter, ham and horseradish. If you eat those together with some freshly painted eggs you will be able to enjoy a real Hungarian Easter meal, typical for either breakfast or supper. Some families eat lamb in addition to what I have just described.

What do Hungarians do during Easter?

For Hungarian Easter does not mean any special holiday, since it only means a total of one more day off (Easter Monday). Therefore most people either stay at home or travel away to visit family, friends or relax in some wellness hotel. Those in Budapest who decide to stay at home might go for a little excursion on the Sunday or Monday, and then they normally visit either Normafa, Szentendre, Dobogoko or maybe do a day trip to Bratislava or Vienna.

[stextbox id=”warning”]On Easter Monday there is a strange tradition in Hungary to “surprise” ladies you know. You need to stand in front of them, tell them a certain poem and later pour bad perfume unto their hair. Beautiful![/stextbox]

Conclusion: Happy Easter and see you in Budapest!

Is Visa widely accepted for restaurants, shopping, etc. in Budapest? thanks

Thank you for the question and the answer is yes. Most shops, restaurants and activities in Budapest accept payment with VISA card.

VISA in BudapestThere are of course some exceptions to the rule, especially in smaller restaurants (like Comme Chez Soi) and if you visit Szentendre most shops there only accept payment in cash. However the general “rule” is that shops in the shopping street Vaci utca, shops in the malls and so on accept payment with VISA.

The Great Market Hall, a very popular place to go shopping, does not accept payment with VISA on any of the stands on the inside, so before entering this traditional market place downtown Budapest you better prepare yourself with some Hungarian Forint.