The best Christmas fairs to visit this weekend in Budapest

Although the first Sunday of Advent is celebrated on the 3^rd of December this year, the Christmas fairs are already set up across the Hungarian capital city. Femina.hu has collected the best ones to get into the Christmas mood.

Budapest invites you on a gastronomical and cultural journey across the city, where even your children will have fun, while you’re sipping on a cup of delicious mulled wine. If you’d like to check out how the people of Budapest prepare for Christmas and how they celebrate Advent before the frenzy kicks in, then we have some suggestions on where you should head to.

Both Hungarians and tourists love the Christmas markets of Budapest. The 800 thousand people that visit these every year makes this evident. 

Luckily, there are numerous fairs in the city, with colourful programmes for the  whole family, like entertaining shows, handcrafted souvenirs and gifts and gastronomic specialities. If you have the time, you should check out all of the following.

Budapest Advent and Christmas Fair on Vörösmarty Square

This is the biggest fair in Budapest, one of the leading sensations of the 5^th district. The fair opened on the 10^th of November and will close on the 31^st of December this year. In the meantime, handcrafted goods await you, delicious meals, a free playhouse for kids, and almost 160 different programmes both for the little ones and for adults. Children can try their hand at making an Advent wreath and baking gingerbread, all for free. On the 6^th of December, you can even meet the Finnish Santa, Joulupukki. This year, the organisers made sure that the meals are of high quality; at several stands workshops and tastings are organised.

Advent Feast at the Basilica

The Advent Feast at Szent István square, in front of the Basilica, opened on the 24^th of November, and you can visit it until the 1^st of January 2018. The beautifully lit Basilica is an extraordinary and unforgettable sight, but it is recommended to check out

the folkdance shows, the ice rink – that is for free for kids below the age of 14 – the fair, or the candle lighting on Sundays,

or the 40-days long barbeque feast. If you’re driving and still would not like to miss on the tasty mulled wine, then you can opt for the alcohol-free version.

Advent at Óbuda

This Advent fair opens on the 1^st of December, lasting only until the 23^rd of this month. You can find it at the Fő square, where concerts will be organized on several occasions. A carousel and an ice rink are set up too, with fundraisings and candle lightings organised. Since the square is surrounded by old, beautiful buildings, it will be a truly nostalgic experience.

Advent at Várkert Bazaar

This will be the third time that an Advent celebration is organised in the Várkert Bazaar, where the Christmas programmes kick off in early December.

Numerous events are organised for kids and for adults, and in-between these, you may participate in fun games and craft workshops, or visit concerts and plays, performances.

Advent at the Budapest Winter Festival and Christmas Fair

The Advent at the Budapest Winter Festival and Christmas Fair opened on the 17^th of November and will be available until the 27^th of December in the Városháza park. On each Advent weekend, special events and programmes will take place, including concerts and plays.

Smaller fairs

If you would like to avoid big crowds, then you can opt for smaller Christmas markets,

where the Christmas spirit is just as cheerful as it is in the big fairs. Such a market is, for example, organized at the Nagytétény Castle Museum, the Budafok-Tétény Christmas Fair, or the Hegyvidék Christmas Fair in the 12^th district, where fun programmes are awaiting all ages on the 3^rd and 4^th of December.

featured image: PR

Source: femina.hu