Vajdahunyad Castle is conveniently located beside the big Ice Skate Rink and ToPart Palace. Getting there by the M1 yellow metro is a breeze from the city center. Get off on Heroes’ Square and take a short 5 min walk following the towers of the castle.

Christmas Market Opening Hours

Old and skilled craftsmen as well as contemporary artists and designers sell their Christmas goods and gifts if you should be looking for some special Hungarian Christmas gift.

• Monday: from 12 pm (noon) to 8 pm
• Tuesday: from 12 pm (noon) to 8 pm
• Wednesday: from 12 pm (noon) to 8 pm
• Thursday: from 12 pm (noon) to 8 pm
• Friday: from 12 pm (noon) to 8 pm
• Saturday: from 10 am to 8 pm
• Sunday: from 10 am to 8 pm

Programs: 2012 Vajdahunyad Castle Christmas Festival

Christmas Market and Christmas Concerts: take a stroll on the courtyard of the Castle to see some traditional handmade crafts and modern Xmas designs, grab a mug of mulled wine and enjoy the music of the fair: Karen Caroll Gospel singer from Chicago, and many Hungarian bands will play the music at the Christmas market: Mystery Gang, the children’s favorite Vilmos Gryllus, Budapest Bar, the fantastic Besh o droM playing world music, well known Hungarian folk bands like Téka and Tatros, etc..

The heated Gingerbread House, the Baroque Hall of the Castle, the Book House, etc. offer warm refuge from the cold winter weather with many programs.

Live Bethlehem with real animals in the Christmas Pet Zoo of the Vajdahunyad Castle Christmas Fair is a real attraction for younger children.

Children and adults can have a nice time together in the kids arts and crafts workshops, making Christmas decorations and gingerbread cookies.

Advents Sunday Concerts in the Jaki Church Chapel of the Vajdahunyad Castle: each Sunday during the Advent, from December 1 to Dec 23, you can listen to beautiful choir songs in the Sunday concerts. The venue is the chapel of the castle, which was modeled after the Romanesque style 13th century church of Jak village in medieval Hungary.
Dec 15, Luca Day: when the Shepherds meet… The Day of Luca (officially on December 13) is a day surrounded by Christmas rituals, old beliefs and strange traditions in Hungary. At the Castle, Luca Day will be dedicated to the Hungarian shepherds, and the traditional lifestyle and culture of shepherds on Dec 15, 2012.

Detailed Programs of the 2012 Christmas Market:

December 13 Thursday, 2012
10:30 Ginger-puppet tale of the Gingerbread House Palace
3:00 p.m. to 4 pm Hungarian book show of Young Writers
Zoltan Papp performs 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

December 14 Friday, 2012
Home made jams at Vajdahunyad Christmas – Veronika Lajtavary Photo
10:30 Ginger-puppet tale of the Gingerbread House Palace
16:00 to 5:00 p.m. Hungarian Book show
17:30 Concert: Bokros band’s album release concert
19:00 Concert: Mississippi Big Beat

December 15 Saturday, 2012
11:00 Ginger-puppet tale of the Gingerbread House Palace
12:00 to 20:00 daily Shepherd Luca Meeting
15:00 Podium Literary Association – Hungarian Book show
17:00 Concert by Magonc
18:30 Concert: English pipers and Tekerõsök Christmas concert

December 16 Sunday, 2012
11:00 Advent in the Jaki Chapel – the PRESTO Chamber Orchestra Concert
11:00 Ginger-puppet tale of the Gingerbread House Palace
16:00 Concert: Gryllus Vilmos: Christmas angels
17:00 Lighting the Advent Candles
18:00 Concert by Mentes Maskent Trio
18:30 Concert by Tamas Érdi concert pianist ( in the assembly hall of the Vajdahunyad Castle)
19:00 TukemO Katesz Balogh Roma dance and Dance Group

December 20 Thursday, 2012
10:30 Ginger-puppet tale of the Gingerbread House Palace
15:30 to 17:30 Hungarian book show and literary events
17:30 to 18:00 Zoltan Papp evening

December 21 Friday, 2012
10:30 Ginger-puppet tale of the Gingerbread House Palace
14:30 to 15:00 The Young Writers program and the Thomas Jozsa Guitar School Jubilee Concert
15:00 Plectrum Quartet: Classical music concert guitar, Bach, Mozart, Vivaldi, and Monti Korsakov’s works
15:30 Tamas Jozsa Guitar School Christmas Concert
15:30 Tamas Jozsa Guitar School Christmas Concert
19:00 Jozsa Thomas Blues Band

December 22 Saturday, 2012
11:00 Ginger-puppet tale of the Gingerbread House Palace
16:00 Trotuş concert
17:30 Sic Transit Concert
18:30 Trotuş dance

December 23 Sunday, 2012
11:00 Advent in the Jaki Chapel – Petra Varga concert organist
11:00 Ginger-puppet tale of the Gingerbread House Palace
17:00 Lighting the Advent Candles
17:30 Advent Library Concert
19:00 Concert Vera Tóth and Gábor Sharp Trio

Source: szazadoroksege.hu

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