Christmas in Budapest: 1–4 Day Hour-by-Hour Itineraries

In Budapest 24 December is busy until midday: the Vörösmarty market closes at 2 pm, Advent Bazilika at 3 pm, and the metro stops at 6 pm. Our routes put the markets in the morning and Christmas dinner near your hotel, and keep 25 December for open-air sights like the Castle and places open on the holiday, like the baths. There are two paces: relaxed and balanced–packed.

Plan with your own dates

Enter your arrival and departure; the route adapts to that day’s opening hours, markets and your flights.

Itineraries by length

What’s open on 24 December?

In Hungary Christmas Eve is spent with family, and the city goes quiet in the afternoon. Our routes are built around that.

Christmas markets: Vörösmarty 10 am–2 pm, Advent Bazilika 11 am–3 pm.
St Stephen’s Basilica: Last year the church was open 9 am–midnight, with an organ concert at 3 pm and Midnight Mass at midnight. The 2026 programme is due in December.
Shops: Most close at noon or 2 pm.
Public transport: Buses and trams stop at 3–4 pm and the metro at 6 pm; after that, night buses.
Restaurants: Most are closed; those that open serve set menus. Book near your hotel, in October or November.

When are the Christmas markets open?

Scroll the table sideways →

Market	Dates	Hours
Advent Bazilika (Szent István Square)	13 November – 1 January	Mon–Thu and Sun 11 am–10 pm, Fri–Sat 11 am–11 pm; 11 am–3 pm on 24 December; 11 am–8 pm on 25–26 December; 11 am–3 am on 31 December; 11 am–6 pm on 1 January
Vörösmarty Square	13 November – 31 December	Mon–Thu and Sun 11 am–9 pm, Fri–Sat 11 am–10 pm; 10 am–2 pm on 24 December; noon–6 pm on 25–26 December; 11 am–3 am on 31 December. The craft stalls stay until 28 December.

Open and closed over Christmas

Scroll the table sideways →

Place	23 December	24 December	25–26 December
Advent Bazilika market	11 am–10 pm ✓	11 am–3 pm ✓	11 am–8 pm ✓
Vörösmarty market	11 am–9 pm ✓	10 am–2 pm ✓	noon–6 pm ✓
St Stephen’s Basilica	9 am–6 pm ◷	9 am–midnight ◷	1–5:45 pm ◷
Basilica panorama terrace	9 am–7 pm ◷	9 am–2 pm ◷	9 am–6:45 pm ◷
Parliament (guided tour)	8 am–4 pm ✓	not published !	not published !
Széchenyi Bath	8 am–8 pm ✓	7 am–1 pm last year ◷	8 am–8 pm ✓
Dohány Synagogue	10 am–4 pm ✓	closed ✓	closed (the 26th is a Saturday) ✓
Shops	open ✓	until noon–2 pm ◷	closed ◷
Public transport	normal ✓	metro until 6 pm, then night buses ◷	holiday timetable ◷

Official for 2026
Last year’s information; 2026 schedule pending
Not out yet; check before you go

Tips

The Advent Bazilika market runs 13 November – 1 January and the Vörösmarty market 13 November – 31 December (2026, official). On 24 December Vörösmarty closes at 2 pm and the Basilica market at 3 pm; on New Year’s Eve both stay open until 3 am.
On 24 December most shops close at noon or 2 pm; they’re closed on 25–26 December and 1 January. On 31 December they close between 2 and 4 pm (2025 arrangement).
On 24 December buses and trams stop at 3–4 pm and the metro at 6 pm; after that only night buses run. On New Year’s Eve the metro and trams 4 and 6 run all night (2025 arrangement; the 2026 notice comes out in mid-December).
There are no official city fireworks at New Year; the sky fills with private ones. The best places to watch are the Danube bank and Gellért Hill; the Chain Bridge itself gets crushed.
Buy Széchenyi Bath tickets online and bring a swimsuit, flip-flops and a towel. The Gellért Bath is closed for renovation. Széchenyi tickets
Some places close on holidays; check your ticket date against the opening days.
The Parliament can only be visited on a guided tour, and December days sell out ahead. The Dohány Synagogue is closed on Saturdays. Parliament tours
Some places close on holidays; check your ticket date against the opening days.
On the evening of 24 December most restaurants are closed; book Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve dinner in October or November. Restaurants usually add a 12–15% service charge.
The currency is the forint (HUF). Cards are widely accepted; avoid street exchange booths, and when asked "euro or forint", choose forint.

Frequently asked questions

When are the Budapest Christmas markets open?

Advent Bazilika runs 13 November – 1 January and Vörösmarty 13 November – 31 December (2026, official). They open at 11 am and close at 9–10 pm, an hour later on Fridays and Saturdays.

What’s open in Budapest on 24 December?

Vörösmarty is open until 2 pm and Advent Bazilika until 3 pm. Most shops close at noon or 2 pm, and the metro stops at 6 pm. Book dinner near your hotel.

What’s open on 25–26 December?

Shops are closed. The markets are open (Advent Bazilika 11 am–8 pm, Vörösmarty noon–6 pm), and the Széchenyi Bath 8 am–8 pm. The Castle and Fisherman’s Bastion are open-air; the upper towers are free from 24 to 31 December.

Can I visit the Parliament over Christmas?

Yes, by guided tour, daily 8 am–4 pm in winter; December days sell out ahead. The holiday schedule isn’t published, so our routes don’t go inside on 24–26 December.

Is the Széchenyi Bath worth it in winter?

Absolutely: the 38 °C outdoor pool steams in the cold air. Bring a swimsuit, flip-flops and a towel; online tickets skip the queue.

What should I eat at the markets?

Kürtőskalács (chimney cake), lángos, grilled sausage and stuffed cabbage, with mulled wine (forralt bor) or hot apple juice.

Sources

Hours compiled from official sources (25 October 2026). The marks in the table show each time’s status: confirmed for 2026, based on the last season, or not yet published. Holiday hours can change; check the official websites before you go.