With so many gorgeous places to visit, deciding which European Christmas market to go to is a feat in itself. The best markets will serve up the most unique and classic local flavours of the country, most often set amongst a stunning backdrop. There, you’ll be able to peruse local artisanal crafts in a vibrant, festive atmosphere. But, if you’re looking for something a little less touristy, with a more local feel, then we’ve got just the destination for you.

With a multitude of Christmas fairs to experience all around Europe, we have to say Budapest, Hungary is one of the best Christmas destinations in Europe.

Budapest, Hungary: a city full of festive spirit

As the holiday season approaches, the city suddenly comes alive with the magic of Christmas. Streets glow with lights, alleyways display decorations, shopkeepers adorn their shops with trimmings, and trees sparkle with ornaments and lights. People are full of holiday cheer as the aroma of mulled wine and the sound of cheerful carols fill the air. No matter where you look, you know it’s Christmas.

Budapest, Hungary, is home to some of the most incredible Christmas markets in Europe. These charming markets are scattered throughout the city, offering plenty of festive attractions and opportunities to immerse yourself in the holiday spirit, each market a little different from the last.

Visitors from around the world flock to these markets, drawn in by the enchanting atmosphere and delicious local Hungarian delicacies which, trust us, are mouth-watering delicious! All of this is why you’ll find some of the best Christmas markets in Europe here in Budapest.

With a number of markets to visit once you enter the city, it’s tough to know what’s what. So, through first-hand experience, we’ve narrowed it down to the top three best Christmas markets to visit on your trip to Budapest. We’ve also included a special bonus fourth as an honourable mention.

Advent Bazilika: the best Christmas market in Europe

Nestled in the heart of Budapest, the Advent Bazilika Christmas market is a dazzling winter wonderland that’s sure to captivate you with its enchanting atmosphere. Voted the Best Christmas Market in Europe for the past four years, if there’s one Christmas market in Budapest you must visit, this is the one.

Set against the backdrop of the stunning St. Stephen’s Basilica, this Christmas market is a feast for the senses. As you stroll through the market, you’ll be greeted by twinkling lights, the scent of sweet and savoury Christmas delicacies and the sounds of festive music. The towering Christmas tree and inviting ice rink at the heart of the market acts as the centrepiece.

Feast, anyone?

Known in English as the ‘Advent Feast at the Basilica’, feast is by far the most appropriate word! This market is full of local Hungarian Christmas food, featuring everything from the famous chimney cakes (kürtőskalács) and mulled wine (forralt bor) to goulash (gulyásleves), cabbage rolls (töltött káposzta), lángos, strudel (rétes), traditional Christmas roll (beigli), Hungarian sausage and freshly smoked salmon. This market seriously has it all. Whether you prefer savoury or sweet, there’s something for everybody.

Apart from these incredible, traditional Hungarian specialties, one of the highlights of the Advent Basilica Christmas Market is its wide array of handcrafted goods. Local artisans showcase their creations, offering everything from intricate ornaments to cozy winter wear. Here, you’ll find a plethora of unique gifts, making it the perfect spot for any holiday shopping you might have. All of these hand-made creations are sold within the most festive log cabins, and with around 150 exhibitors, this truly ads to the ambiance of the market.

A magical wonderland

As night falls, the market transforms into a truly magical spectacle. The façade of St. Stephen’s Basilica is covered in a projection of charming Christmas animations set to music every 30 minutes from 16:30 – 22:00. The beautifully illuminated basilica serves as an impressive background to live performances, including carolers and traditional music that fills the air. The best is to be able to experience the market in both the day and night to get the full effect. It practically feels like you’re experiencing two markets in one.

Whether you’re exploring with loved ones or soaking in the atmosphere on your own, the Advent Basilica Christmas market promises a truly unforgettable experience.

Name: Advent Feast at the Basilica
Address: Budapest, Szent István tér, 1051, Hungary
what3words: ///librarian.packets.respond
Entry: Free
Market Dates: November 15, 2024 – Jan 1, 2025

Vörösmarty Tér: the largest Christmas Fair in Budapest

Less than a ten-minute walk from Advent Bazilika is the Vörösmarty Tér Christmas market. This market is the largest in Budapest and is held in the most famous square of the city, Vörösmarty Square. This is one of the most iconic and popular Christmas markets in Budapest, complete with twinkling lights, beautifully decorated stalls, and all the most delicious local food your stomach can handle.

As soon as you enter the square, you’re immediately taken aback by the massive tree adorned with lights and ornaments. Here, you’re treated to a unique shopping experience beyond any other.

Local handcrafts

Surrounding the large square are rows of cute wooden cottages selling handcrafted, unique gifts made by local artists from all over the country. Porcelain ornaments, intricate lacework, furs, decorations of all kinds, artisanal cheeses and elaborately decorated sweets and treats are just a fraction of what you’ll find here.

Oh, the food!

If it’s your eyes that take you to the shopping, it’s your nose that will take you to the other side of the square. Here, you’ll discover long booths selling all kinds of traditional, local Hungarian Christmas foods. You can enjoy savoury sausages, goulash in a bread bowl, cabbage rolls, fried potato pancakes, pork hock, barbecue ribs, cured pork belly, lamb shank, duck on red cabbage and of course, your mulled wine.

If you’re a meat lover, then this is the place you want to be. One thing Hungary is known for is their incredibly juicy and succulent meat dishes, and here they have them all. The selection of Christmas delicacies is seriously more than you can imagine.

That Christmas feeling

As the evening draws in, the market comes alive with local musical performances and traditional folk dances, adding to the festive ambiance. All kinds of people gather here to enjoy the feeling of Christmas, which completely radiates from the square.

The market at Vörösmarty Tér is larger and more spread out than the Advent Feast at the Basilica. So, if you’re looking for something a little less crowded with more space to walk around, then this is the market for you.

What makes these markets so special, beyond what you can buy, is the mere act of exploring and wandering around, taking in all the sights and smells. You’ll see for yourself, the Christmas market at Vörösmarty Square is truly a sensory extravaganza. It’s no wonder you find the best Christmas markets in Europe.

Name: Budapest Christmas Fair and Winter Festival at Vörösmarty Tér
Address: Budapest, Vörösmarty tér, 1051, Hungary
what3words: ///chilled.flat.incomes
Entry: Free
Market Dates: November 15, 2024 – December 31, 2024

Advent Óbudán: the Christmas market in Old Buda

In the courtyard of Fő Tér in Old Buda, you’ll find one of the smaller, and undoubtedly picturesque, Christmas markets in Budapest. A little off the beaten path compared to some of the other markets, Advent Óbudán is well worth the trip to get there.

A warm welcome

This traditional market is much more quant and less touristy than the larger Christmas markets throughout Budapest. The cobblestone streets, medieval architecture and nearby ancient ruins provide a unique setting to the festive atmosphere of the market.

When you arrive, you’ll walk through a small street with local artisans displaying their unique handicrafts, distinct from the larger markets in the centre of the city. People sell all kinds of mulled wine from charming wooden huts, their warmth and inviting smells whisk through the crisp winter air.

As you finally stroll into Fő Square, you’ll encounter a courtyard fully transformed into a Christmas paradise, aglow with shimmering lights, enriched by an enormous tree that sets the perfect stage for holiday fun. In the centre, an ice rink sparkles, while vendors surround the square, offering a variety of local street food. Meanwhile, at the corner of the square stands a large stage, offering live performances throughout the Christmas season.

The best langos

With Advent Óbudán being located a little further out from the city centre, you’ll find that it has a more local feel to it than the other Christmas markets in Budapest. It’s smaller, but trust us, there’s no less Christmas cheer here. The warm welcome of the local people and the historic atmosphere of the square truly make this market a special one. There’s even a must visit lángos shop just around the corner from here that you cannot miss if you’re in this part of the city.

For us, the local atmosphere and these hidden gems are what we live for. Of all the Budapest Christmas markets you can visit, we highly recommend taking the train for the short trip out to Advent Óbudán. As far as the best Christmas markets in Europe go, this is one you won’t regret visiting!

Name: Advent Óbudán
Address: Budapest, Fő tér, 1033 Hungary
what3words: ///exacts.sung.metals
Entry: Free
Market Dates: December 1-23, 2024

Corvin Sétány Christmas Fair: a truly local experience

Last, but certainly not least, is our honourable mention, the Corvin Sétány Christmas Fair. This little market can be found along Corvin Sétány, within the Corvin neighbourhood in District VIII. Most notably, it’s just outside the large Corvin Plaza shopping mall.

This lovely little local market along the arcade boasts a number of stalls selling handicrafts from artisans in the neighbourhood, as well as delicious local Hungarian Christmas food. Here, you’ll find cured meats, Hungarian sausage, mulled wine, strudel, beigli, chimney cakes, cabbage rolls and of course lángos (our personal favourite).

The best Christmas markets in Europe

The best part about the Christmas season in Budapest is finding all the little markets that pop up around the city. Many of them are local for that specific neighbourhood, so aren’t advertised or well-known. The best way to find them is to do your own exploring and discover them yourself.

One of the benefits to exploring the city for these smaller, less touristy Christmas markets is the price. We tasted the lángos here because, well, we couldn’t resist. It was twice the size and half the price of lángos from the other popular Christmas fairs in Budapest! That’s a definite win-win in our books.

Name: Corvin Sétány Christmas Fair
Address: Budapest, Futó u. 38, 1082, Hungary
what3words: ///polo.announce.evenly
Price:Entry: Free

Tips when exploring the Christmas markets in Budapest

A few last minute tips when visiting Budapest for some of the best Christmas markets in Europe. Make sure to wander around the city. You’ll find loads of little, local Christmas markets scattered along the way. These are the true hidden gems during Christmastime.

Explore

Explore the streets around the centre of the city in and around St. Stephen’s Basilica and Vörösmarty Square. Walk along Deák Ferenc utca, also known as Fashion Street by Vörösmarty Square, and Zrinyi utca, which leads away from St. Stephens Basilica. Both streets are full of lights and decorations, as well as a few extra stalls selling all kinds, from sweet and savoury treats to unique gifts.

Truly the best part about this time of year in Budapest, and Europe for that matter, is exploring the streets and getting into the festive spirit. Each street has something new to experience and admire. At this time of year, European cities transform completely, creating something you have to see to believe. So, get out there and roam the streets with no set destination in mind. You’ll be surprised at what you might find.

Cash or Card?

As of writing, most, if not all, of the popular markets do not accept cash; you can only pay by card. This is important to note if you’re visiting from another country. Make sure you have a good credit card or pre-paid travel credit card with no foreign exchange fees. This will make your spending experience a happier one.

Entrance

Lastly, all the Christmas markets listed are free to enter. So, it doesn’t matter what your financial situation is, you’ll be able to experience the magic of these enchanting Budapest Christmas markets no matter what.

The best Christmas markets in Europe are in Budapest

As the city transforms into a festive wonderland filled with charming markets and the most delightful aromas, it’s safe to say that Budapest truly shines during the Christmas season. From the renowned Advent Feast at St. Stephen’s Basilica, to the vibrant Vörösmarty Square Market and the quaint Advent Óbudán, each market offers a unique blend of local Hungarian foods, handcrafted gifts, and holiday cheer. These are amongst the most magical Christmas markets in Europe, and we promise you don’t want to miss them!

As you explore the bustling market squares steeped in centuries of history, discovering hidden gems off the beaten path of course, you’ll find that Budapest is not just a destination at this time of year. It’s a true celebration of the magic of Christmas.

The post Budapest, Hungary: The Best Christmas Markets in Europe appeared first on Hungry Two Travel.

In Budapest there are loads of places that do a mean lángos (pronounced lan-go-sh). We’re here to tell you the best place for lángos in the city is at Krumplis Lángos. This hole-in-the-wall shop is a local favourite, meaning great taste and quality ingredients made with love.

What is lángos?

Lángos is quite possibly the most popular Hungarian street food. If there’s one Hungarian food you need to eat when you visit Budapest, it’s lángos.

Lángos is best described as deep-fried dough, similar to a Canadian beaver tail, except savoury. Proofed balls of dough are stretched into discs and fried in oil until golden brown. Crispy on both sides and soft and light on the inside, lángos is the ultimate Hungarian comfort food!

The dough itself is very simple, made of milk, flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Some places even add potato to their dough for a different texture, and Krumplis Lángos is one of them. The Hungarian word for ‘potato’ is krumplis, leading to their name!

You’ve gotta have toppings!

Lángos is served with a variety of different toppings, with the most traditional and popular being sajtos-tejfölös (garlic sauce, sour cream and grated cheese). This is the preferred choice with Hungarians. It sounds a bit strange at first, especially since the cheese is cold and not melted, but trust us, it’s the perfect flavour combo.

It’s important to note that they’re traditionally brushed with a slathering of strong, fiery garlic (fokhagyma) mixed with oil, so you’ll need to specify whether you want it with or without this, depending on your tastes. You definitely want it though!

Served to you straight out of the bubbling oil, they’re best eaten hot when they’re at their freshest.

The best lángos means exceptional quality with affordable prices

The price of lángos within the main city centre of Budapest is expensive. Within this area you’ll be paying anywhere from 1500-2500Ft ($4.30-$7.20USD) for the most popular lángos, sajtos-tejfölös. This is pricey considering lángos is traditionally known for being an affordably priced quick snack.

The prices at Krumplis Lángos represent more of a local price, not one that’s been inflated by the high prices of the touristy areas.

Lángos here range in price from 650-1050Ft ($1.80-$3.00USD), with many options to choose from. The cheapest option is your plain sima lángos, with or without garlic, coming in at 650Ft. The most popular sajtos-tejfölös (cheese and sour cream) for 920Ft, and the most expensive sajt-tejföl-bacon-hagyma (sour cream, cheese, bacon and onion) for 1050Ft. The latter is absolutely covered with ingredients and cheaper than the sajtos-tejfölös served at most other shops in the city centre.

Not only is the price definitely right, but the quality that you get for what you pay is beyond anything you’ll find in the city. This is truly where to eat the best lángos in Budapest. The size of them alone is one of the biggest, and the friendly ladies who run the shop are extremely generous with the toppings.

How many different lángos are there to choose from?

Okay, so we’ve covered cost and quality. Now it’s time to talk about variety and all the delicious tastes and flavours of this popular Hungarian food.

There’s more variety here than you’ll see at many other places throughout the city. With 14 different kinds of lángos to choose from, you’ll be spoilt for choice! Another reason why this is where you can eat the best lángos in Budapest.

As we mentioned above, they start out with your ‘plain jane’ sima lángos and work their way up, adding toppings as you go down the left side of the menu. The mid-range lángos are your one topping options of just tejfölös (sour cream), sajtos (cheese), or sonkás (ham).

The second half of the menu is where things really pick up!

You’ve got your most popular lángos, which is the sajtos-tejfölös (garlic, cheese and sour cream). There’s every combination you can make out of ham, cheese, and sour cream, all the way down to the most covered in toppings… The pièce de resistance, the sajt-tejföl-bacon-hagyma aka garlic, cheese, sour cream, bacon and red onion.

Which ones we tried

We tried two different lángos off the menu on our multiple trips to Krumplis Lángos, and we highly recommend them both.

The classic sajtos-tejfölös is deliciously flavourful and an absolute must. Creamy, cheesy and garlicky all on top of the crispy fried bread, stomach officially grumbling.

Our number one go to, however, became the fully loaded sajt-tejföl-bacon-hagyma. Now this one, this one was truly special and will leave you with the best breath you’ve ever had!

There’s something about the crispy soft bread, spicy garlic, velvety sour cream, salty bacon, savoury cheese and crunchy raw red onion that just completely works as a fusion of texture and flavour. Okay, now we’re drooling!

The vibe

It’s a quick grab and go affair here. There’s no tables and chairs to sit and eat, but a bar where you can stand and devour your lángos. To be honest, when indulging in something like this, sometimes it feels better to stand and eat. They’re so good it won’t last long anyways!

If you do want to sit down and enjoy your lángos, however, the park just outside of the underpass has some seating.

Location of this must visit spot

Krumplis Lángos is located in one of the most unassuming and unsuspecting places. Found almost underground in an underpass, it’s not quite where you’d imagine to eat the best lángos in Budapest. Mind you, it’s in these off the beaten path places like underpasses and down small alleys where you find the best lángos. Either way, this is exactly where you want to be.

The location itself is a little far from the centre of downtown Budapest, but extremely easy to get to. Public transport is so prolific in the city, and Krumplis Lángos itself is along multiple train, tram and bus lines. So, wherever you’re coming from in the city, you’ll have no trouble getting here.

How to get to Krumplis Lángos

Budapest is divided into districts, and you’ll find Krumplis Lángos in District III, also known as Óbuda.

From Pest side

From the centre of downtown Budapest at Deák Ferenc tér, the best way to get to Krumplis Lángos is to take the M3 (blue) subway towards Újpest-Központ.

Hop on at Deák Ferenc tér station and head to Göncz Árpád városközpont. Disembark here and make your way above ground to the eastern side of the intersection. Take the 1/1A Tram from Göncz Árpád városközpont M towards Bécsi út/Vörösvári út, disembarking at Flórián tér.

Since almost all the Metro (subway) lines cross the 1/1A tram line, you can easily get to Krumplis Lángos from all areas of the city, no matter where you start out from.

When you come from Flórián tér, it’s a bit more of a direct, less scenic route than from the Buda side.

You’ll get off at the Flórián tér tram station, and on the north side of the street you’ll see a large mall called ‘Flórián’. Cross the road in the direction of the mall, past some interesting Roman ruins. Then, head down below the street into the underpass on your right, you’ll see the sign for Flórián tér. As you enter the underpass, you’ll see Krumplis Lángos directly to your right, about fifty metres or so down.

From Buda side

If coming from the Buda side after exploring the castle, take the H5 from Batthyány tér towards Békásmegyer/Szentendre (it’s the first stop on the H5 line so it can only go in one direction). Be aware that Batthyány tér station is underground and the H5 is a proper train, so don’t be alarmed that it’s not a metro car. Disembark when you reach Szentlélek tér.

Once you arrive at Szentlélek tér, you’ll disembark and head northwest past Vasarely Museum and through Fő tér. The quaint square of Fő tér is surrounded by beautiful old buildings and is a sight in itself. You’ll probably want to take a moment to snap a few pics. As you exit the square from the northwest corner, you’ll continue along Kórház Street, past local apartments, until you stumble upon a large road overpass.

As you see the overpass come into sight, the only way to cross it is underground. You’ll take the stairs that lead down below the road and turn left. The underpass is quite long, so continue until about half way down and boom, you’ll come upon Krumplis Lángos on your left.

Luckily, it’s not hard to miss when coming from either direction. There’ll most likely be a queue of people looking for their fill of steamy hot lángos, just like you.

Getting around while in Budapest

Public transport in Budapest is extremely convenient and affordable. Depending on how long you’ll stay and how you plan to spend your days, the Monthly Budapest-pass is the way to go. It works on every form of transport in the city; bus, tram, trolley, train and metro.

We found it super convenient because you can take any form of transit without having to worry about tickets, fumbling with money, or how often you want to use transit throughout the day.

Budapest itself is extremely easy to get around because there’s transit pretty much everywhere you could possibly want to go. It’s one of the most accessible cities we’ve ever been to in terms of all the different modes of transit and how far they reach.

Below is a list of transit prices so that you can make the most informed decision based on the length of your trip and needs while in Budapest:

• Single ticket (valid for one ride) 350 HUF
• 24-hour Budapest-travelcard 2 500 HUF
• 72-hour Budapest-travelcard 5 500 HUF
• 15-day Budapest-pass 6 300 HUF
• Monthly Budapest-pass 9 500 HUF

Check out the official ‘BKK’ Budapest transit website for more info.

The best lángos in Budapest is at Krumplis Lángos

Recommended by locals, the mouth-watering lángos at Krumplis Lángos is one of the top places to get lángos in Budapest. Nothing beats the taste of their freshly made lángos, covered in spicy garlic, smooth sour cream and salty cheese. Yum!

So, if you’re looking for an affordable, local, delicious lángos made with quality ingredients, you’re gonna want to head to Krumplis Lángos. This is the place to eat the best lángos in Budapest by a long shot, the most popular Hungarian street food.

Name: Krumplis Lángos (LÁNGOSOS – Flórián tér aluljáró)
Address: Budapest Aluljáró szint, Flórián tér 1, 1033, Hungary
what3words: ///backward.runner.bunks
Price: 650-1050Ft

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