Budapest’s largest and longest-running Christmas market, with hundreds of stalls, awaits you at Vörösmarty Square. Selling everything from souvenirs, ornaments, toys and sweets, crafted by native artisans, it’s the perfect way to get into ye olde karácsony (Yuletide) spirit.

Not far away, the St. Stephen’s Basilica Christmas Market (pictured here) is smaller but has been voted Europe’s best, including nightly light shows are projected onto the church’s façade, synched to emotive music under a glittering canopy of lights.

At both you’ll be spoiled for choice with traditional food and drink aplenty: roasted chestnuts (pörkölt gesztenye), mulled wine (forralt bor), apple strudel (almás rétes), potato pancakes (tócsi), stuffed cabbage rolls (töltött káposzta), and fried flatbread (lángos).

Outside the capital, some of the other cities and towns with noted Christmas markets include Győr in northwest Hungary, Pécs in the southwest, and Szentendre just a half hour north of Budapest.

Read more in our post 6 of Hungary´s Top Winter Pleasures.

Photoservice