On August 20, the feast of Hungary’s foundation, the St Stephen’s Hall and its associated exhibition in the Buda Castle District, as well as the Bastion of Liberty exhibition at the Citadella, will be open free of charge, though advance registration is required. The evening fireworks display will be visible from several vantage points across the Buda Castle District and the Citadella, but given the expected heavy demand and holiday traffic restrictions, visitors are advised to plan their arrival in advance; closures and capacity limits are likely at certain locations.
The magnificent St Stephen’s Hall and the Citadella on the Gellért Hill
The reborn marvel of Buda Castle, St Stephen’s Hall, is open free of charge on August 20. Pre-registration for entry was available via szentistvanterem.hu, but owing to overwhelming interest, free slots were quickly exhausted. Nevertheless, on the day itself a limited number of on-site registrations will still be accepted. The same registration also grants free access to The Hauszmann Story exhibition, likewise housed within Buda Castle.
The Citadella’s spring opening, The Bastion of Liberty exhibition, is also free to visitors; advance booking can be made at citadella.hu. From 3pm, the Citadella’s inner park will host free family and musical programmes.
Getting around and viewing the fireworks
As both the Buda Castle District and the Citadella offer views of the evening fireworks from various points, it is wise to check pedestrian access in advance.During the day, the Buda Castle District will be accessible via public transport to Dísz tér, approached through Szent György tér. On foot, visitors can walk up from Clark Ádám tér along the Ellyps promenade or via Palota út, though longer queues should be expected at the Tabán lifts leading from Palota út to Csikós udvar.
Between 6pm and 10pm, the Buda Castle District will no longer be accessible from the direction of Várkert Bazár; the Várkert Bazár Öntőház courtyard and the Vízhordó steps will also be closed to through traffic. After 10pm, however, it will again be possible to descend from the Buda Castle District towards Várkert Bazár: from Savoyai terrace via the Keleti access road and the Vízhordó steps, or by using the Mária lift.
The fireworks can be followed from several points in the Buda Castle District, including Savoyai terrace, the Halászó gyerekek (Fishing Children) terrace, the section of Szent György tér between the Buda Castle Funicular and the Habsburg Gate (where the wooden panoramic steps will, however, be closed), and parts of the Várkert Bazár’s Neo-Renaissance garden.
The Citadella is reachable on foot from Erzsébet bridge and Szent Gellért tér via the Gellért Hill footpaths, as well as from the Búsuló Juhász stop (served by public transport) along Szirtes út. During the fireworks, for security reasons only a limited number of visitors will be permitted on the northern viewpoints within the fortress walls; entry will be on a first-come, first-served basis. There will be no capacity limits on the promenade encircling the Citadella outside the fortress walls, nor on the terrace around the Liberty Statue, though the fireworks will be fully visible only from certain points there.
If you missed: Over 1,000-year-old authentic image of Saint Stephen, Hungary’s founder, on an unexpected relic
Organisers caution that, according to press reports, this year’s display will be concentrated primarily over the Danube stretch between the Chain Bridge and Margit Bridge; consequently, the full programme may not be clearly visible from every point in the Buda Castle District and the Citadella. In view of the expected high temperatures, visitors are urged to bring sufficient fluids; free water stations will, however, be available in both the Buda Castle District and at the Citadella.
Ten further free events across Budapest
1. Anniversary audio-visual show and shorter fireworks display
Location: Danube between the Chain Bridge and Margit Bridge
Time: Evening of August 20
Why it is worth it: This year’s headline act breaks with tradition: the classic fireworks, shorter than usual at just ten minutes, will be accompanied by a monumental visual show above the Danube, featuring light projections and drones.
2. Dance floor and light show in front of Parliament
Location: Kossuth tér
Time: Late evening, August 20
Why it is worth it: Immediately after the light show, Kossuth tér will be transformed into a vast open-air dance floor. The illuminated Parliament building will provide a striking backdrop to the night’s most irresistible beats at this free, open-air party.
3. Free museum entry at state institutions
Location: Various Budapest museums
Time: All day, August 20
Why it is worth it: An excellent alternative for those seeking to avoid the crowds: on the national holiday, the permanent exhibitions of most state-run museums can be visited entirely free of charge, with no admission ticket required.
Kurultáj 2026: Three days when Hungary’s Great Plain returned to the age of the steppe – Photo gallery
4. Hungarian Defence Forces’ traditional air parade on the national holiday
Location: Airspace above the Danube (Pest and Buda lower and upper embankments)
Time: Morning of August 20
Why it is worth it: Aerial demonstrations, roaring fighter jets and helicopter formations will slice across the Budapest sky, visible along the full length of the river embankments.
5. St Stephen’s Day state ceremony and oath-taking
Location: Kossuth tér
Time: Morning, August 20
Why it is worth it: The official state ceremony begins with the military honour guard’s procession of the Hungarian flag, followed by the solemn oath of defence officer cadets.
6. Open Carmelite Monastery and free castle visit
Location: Buda Castle, Carmelite Monastery
Time: August 20, 8am–4pm
Why it is worth it: On this day, doors normally kept closed will be opened: visitors will be able to walk freely into the Carmelite Monastery building and its surroundings at no charge.
7. Elektro Rakpart – electronic music festival
Location: Műegyetem rakpart
Time: August 19–20
Why it is worth it: For those seeking festival atmosphere rather than a more sedate celebration, international and Hungarian electronic music heavyweights such as Nina Kraviz and Carl Craig will be spinning hits free of charge along the Műegyetem embankment.
8. Festival and panorama at the Citadella
Location: Citadella
Time: From 3pm on August 20 until the evening fireworks
Why it is worth it: At the “roof of Budapest”, visitors can expect a picnic atmosphere, acoustic concerts (including the Pepita band) and sweeping views for those waiting out the evening lights from Gellért Hill.
9. Military hardware up close in City Park
Location: Városliget (City Park)
Time: August 20, 10am–6pm
Why it is worth it: A distinctly family-friendly, interactive event offering the chance to examine the latest military vehicles, weapons and defence equipment at close quarters.
10. Holy Right procession
Location: Szent István tér (St Stephen’s Basilica)
Time: August 20, 6pm–8pm
Why it is worth it: The most important and defining sacred event of the holiday, reviving deep cultural and historical traditions in the heart of the city centre.
