The handmade gift stalls are only open until Christmas Eve until 2pm, then the market is closed on Dec 25 and Dec 26.

From Dec 27 to Dec 31, only the gastro booths remain open, the folk art and design stalls are only open until December 24.

Attractions

Playhouse

Arts and crafts for the smallest ones in a heated house. Children can bake and glaze gingerbread, and prepare gifts for underprivileged children, with the help of a supervising teacher.

Free sessions between 2 and 6 pm on weekdays, and on weekends from 10 am to 1 pm, and between 4 and 7 pm.

Hand-crafted items

First and foremost, the Christmas market on Vorosmarty ter is a delightful sensory experience: full of colours, festive sounds, and enticing smells. Like an old picture postcard from your grandmother’s age, when street foods and choirs singing were so natural.

Food and Drink

The festive market stalls are ready to open in mid November, and the square turns into an old folk tale with its dozens of buzzing wooden market stalls, the concert stage, thousands of handmade gifts, the lovely smell of cinnamon pastries (Kurtoskalacs – Chimney Cake), sausages, mulled wine, grilled vegetables, street snacks like Langos, dodolle (potato dumplings), etc.

The lights of the Xmas market are not the dazzling commercial mall lights, and you will not see hugely sized Santa Clauses either. The lights and decors are more toned down, which makes the fair sort of nostalgic.

The nostalgia Christmas fair of Budapest will be both complemented and contrasted by the surrounding buildings on Vorosmarty square: while most buildings date back to the 19th century, like the popular Cafe Gerbeaud, there are also newer buildings. And what is new always reminds us that we are just visitors on a fairy tale Christmas island.

In the evenings, there will be festive light painting shows on Cafe Gerbeaud. The Christmas light painting on the facade of Cafe Gerbeaud is enchanting, puts you right into the middle of the Christmas story. In some years, Cafe Gerbeaud had a huge Advent calendar on its facade, but in the last few years, the concept has changed, favouring the laser ray painting.

Useful information

Stage Programmes

The square boasts not one but two stages; one where Váci Street begins (1), the other is in front of Gerbeaud House (2), each offering colourful productions.

Source: Budapestinfo.hu