Over the last few years we’ve been trialling lots of European cities in the winter - the recipe for a good time: thermal tights, comfy boots, and lots of cinnamon coated baked goods.

We visited Budapest on the first weekend of December for, what has now become, our annual winter weekend. It was a great way to kick start the season and filled us with Christmas spirit.

We’d heard a lot about Budapest being filled with Stag and Hen parties, maybe it was the cold keeping people away, but we didn’t find that during our time there and really enjoyed our time in the city. Whilst bigger and more spread out than Prague it was incredibly walkable and there was plenty to see during over the long weekend.

A Walking Tour + Fisherman’s Bastion

We started our time in Budapest with a free walking tour - we always find that it’s a helpful overview of where to go and gives you the history of the city without having to flick through guide books. We took this one and whilst the tour itself wasn’t one of our all time favourites (we had hoped for a bit more history) it did help us get started. The tour ended in Fisherman’s Bastion, one of the most beautiful spots in Budapest. The view over to parliament is magical and we went back most days during the day and at night to enjoy it.

Christmas Markets

There is no short supply of lovely Christmas markets clustered across Budapest. The biggest is in the heart of the city in Vörösmarty tér, which is filled throughout December with wooden chalets selling Christmas decorations, presents, sweet treats and Hungarian street food. About 10 minutes walk away is one of the other largest markets. Set out in front of St. Stephen's Basilica it has an ice skating rink at the centre festooned in fairy lights. If you visit at night, projections turn the Basilica into a gingerbread palace and make it an extra special Christmassy sight.

One of my favourite markets was a tiny one we stumbled upon when walking up to Fisherman’s Bastion. Set in front of Hagyományok Háza, the Hungarian heritage centre, this market was small but filled with lovely homemade decorations and food. We were lucky enough to arrive as a choir were singing some Hungarian folk songs, making it a perfect stop. Top tip: if you go to a market definitely enjoy a Chimney Cake - they’re doughy sweet cakes cooked around a spit and coated in sugar and cinnamon and are absolutely delicious…

Christmas decorations at Budapest Christmas Markets

The Baths

You can’t visit Budapest without visiting one of the thermal spas. Known as the ‘city of baths’ there are plenty to choose from but we headed to the largest, Szechenyi Baths. We visited late in the afternoon so it was dark (and very cold) when we arrived. Be warned - despite quite a few people taking very instagramable shots in the misty water this is not your traditional glamorous spa experience but it is lots of fun. There are indoor and outdoor pools but we spent almost all of our time bobbing in the heated water outside and watching the mist rise into the cold sky. The spa provides you with towels, dressing gowns and slippers and there are plenty of lockers to leave your clothes and bags inside.

Coffee Culture

One of the things that surprised us about Budapest was the mixture of both traditional and modern coffee houses and restaurants. We had a full list of coffee shops we wanted to visit and all were fantastic. We’ve included our favourites in a list below. We really liked how many people around us were playing chess and drinking coffee throughout the afternoon.

Szimpla Kert: Ruin Bar

There are many “ruin bars” across Budapest — eclectic bars housed in previously abandoned industrial spaces. Szimpla Kert is the biggest and most well known of these bars. Once inside the rambling space is packed with various rooms housing Shisha bars, wine bars, cocktail bars and lots of live bands and music. It’s a really fun place to spend a night and we enjoyed wandering the different spaces and changing atmosphere.

Most of our time in Budapest was spent walking and exploring. It’s a city full of beautiful buildings and picturesque spots. Without much of an agenda we found it easy to discover interesting parts of the city. The fairytale architecture, Christmas markets, and delicious food made it the perfect winter escape. We’ve included our top tips and places to visit below.

OUR TOP TIPS AND FAVOURITE PLACES:

EAT

Rosenstein: We would really recommend this for a traditional Hungarian meal. No frills service but incredibly tasty food. We walked but it is further from the centre so a bus or Uber might be useful!

Cafe Csiga: Another nice spot for traditional Hungarian food. There’s a nice atmosphere and piles of boardgames to play as you wait.

Retro Langos: A tiny takeaway place next to a metro station but highly recommended for Lángos (fried pizza dough topped with cheese, sour cream and garlic). Ivan’s absolute favourite and an absolute must try food in Hungary.

Borkonyha WineKitchen: A Michelin stared restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere doing modern takes on Hungarian food. More expensive.

Veritas Winebar: Stopped here for a last minute dinner and drinks. Nice atmosphere and good food and wine.

COFFEE AND BREAKFAST

Espresso Embassy: Great coffee and very cool set up in a really nice part of town that is definitely worth a wander.

Fekete Kavezo: Close to the main square and the heart of the city we visited here for breakfast. Lovely coffee, delicious food (I would really recommend the vegan oatmeal) and a nice spot.

Madal Cafe: There are a few of these across Budapest. Beautifully set up and great coffee.

New York Cafe: Recommended for the insanely beautiful interior more than the coffee. A cafe with a big history and lots of charm - it was like stepping into a scene from the Nutcracker.

THINGS TO DO

Take a free tour: We tried this one. An good overview of the city and a guide to all the main sites.

Walk up to the Matthias church and Fisherman’s Bastion to get the best views of the city.

Visit the Central Market: a good place if you want to pick up some Hungarian food.

Visit the baths: we tried Szecheny Baths but were recommended Gellert Spa too.

Enjoy a ‘ruin bar’: We visited Szimpla for a fun night out and went back again to their Sunday food market during some heavy rain (a nice chance to see the space in daylight).

WHERE WE STAYED

New York Palace Hotel: This hotel is near the city centre about 10 minutes walk from the main Christmas markets but with restaurants and bars close by. It smelt like oranges and cloves and sparkled with lights. A perfect base for a Christmas treat.

The New York Cafe. Christmassy perfection.