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Bonjour Monsieur Gauguin at the Museum of Fine Arts

30 October 2026 – 28 February 2027Museum of Fine Arts3,400 Ft – 7,800 Ft

The first large Gauguin exhibition in Hungary: about 80 of his works among 150, with loans from the Musée d'Orsay, on Heroes' Square until 28 February 2027.

Christmas Market at Vörösmarty tér

13 November 2026 – 31 December 2026Vörösmarty térFree

Budapest's oldest and largest Christmas market, on the square at the end of Váci utca, running from 13 November to New Year's Eve.

Advent at the Basilica

13 November 2026 – 1 January 2027Szent István térFree

The Christmas market on St Stephen's Square, with a light projection onto the Basilica facade and a small ice rink.

Lumina Park on Margaret Island

20 October 2026 – 7 March 2027Lumina Park, Margaret Island4,400 Ft – 5,300 Ft

An after-dark trail of more than 200 light installations on Margaret Island, on an Alice in Wonderland theme this season. Open until 7 March 2027, closed on Mondays.

Garden of Lights at the Botanical Garden

23 October 2026 – 3 January 2027ELTE Botanical Garden (Füvészkert)

An evening light trail through Hungary's oldest botanical garden, on a Beauty and the Beast theme this year. 23 October 2026 to 3 January 2027, closed 23–24 December.

Christmas in Budapest

13 November 2026 – 6 January 2027Vörösmarty tér, Szent István tér and across the cityFree

Christmas markets, light trams, skating and the Nutcracker: the whole season from 13 November to Epiphany in one place, with the dates and the Christmas Eve hours that matter.

The Nutcracker at the Hungarian State Opera

19 November 2026 – 10 January 2027Hungarian State Opera

Tchaikovsky's Christmas ballet in the Opera House on Andrássy út, with matinees for families: 19 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Rising Stars at Müpa

20–22 November 2026Müpa Budapest

Three evenings of chamber recitals by young musicians nominated by Europe's major concert halls, at Müpa Budapest.

Advent in Buda Castle

27 November 2026 – 3 January 2027Szentháromság tér (Holy Trinity Square), Castle DistrictFree

The Castle District's own Christmas market, on the square beside Matthias Church, with the Fisherman's Bastion a minute away. 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.

Christmas Light Trams

27 November 2026 – 6 January 2027BKV tram network

Every Advent, BKV runs trams covered in festive lights through the city at ordinary fares. The 2026 fleet had not been announced when this was checked; last year it ran from 28 November to 6 January.

Advent in Óbuda

27 November 2026 – 23 December 2026Fő tér and Szentlélek tér, ÓbudaFree

Óbuda's free neighbourhood Christmas fair on the baroque Fő tér, with its own free ice rink, Sunday candle-lighting and a gingerbread house for Santa. From 27 November 2026.

Advent in Szentendre

28 November 2026 – 7 January 2027Fő tér and Dumtsa Jenő utcaFree

The baroque riverside town north of Budapest keeps a small, unhurried advent market through December, on the main square and the street leading to it.

City Park Ice Rink

29 November 2026 – 28 February 2027City Park Ice Rink2,500 Ft – 4,500 Ft

Skating in front of Vajdahunyad Castle in City Park. The 2026/27 season opens in late November, on a date still to be announced, and runs to the end of February.

Handel's Messiah at Müpa

12 December 2026Müpa Budapest – Béla Bartók National Concert Hall7,200 Ft – 25,900 Ft

The RIAS Kammerchor and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, under Justin Doyle, perform Handel's Messiah in Müpa's concert hall on Saturday 12 December 2026.

New Year's Eve in Budapest

31 December 2026The Danube embankments, Vörösmarty tér and the central districtFree

The centre closes to traffic, the embankments fill, and the city sees in the new year along the river.

New Year's at the Opera: Beethoven 9

1–3 January 2027Hungarian State Opera

The Opera greets the new year with Beethoven's Ninth, in Mahler's arrangement, on 1 and 3 January 2027 at 20:00. In October fewer than a hundred seats were left for New Year's Day.

Busójárás

4–9 February 2027Mohács town centre and the Danube bankFree

National Day: 15 March

15 March 2027Hungarian National Museum, Petőfi tér and across the cityFree

The 1848 revolution is commemorated with speeches at the National Museum, cockades worn citywide and free museum entry.

St Stephen's Day: 20 August

20 August 2027The Danube embankments and across the cityFree

Hungary's founding king is commemorated with a procession, a river parade and, in most years, the biggest fireworks display of the year over the Danube. The 2027 programme has not been announced.