A Winter’s Day with Uniworld in BUDAPEST

So you’re visiting Budapest in the winter, but you only have a day or so in town and don’t know how to spend it. Well, we’ve been docking our ships in this incredible city for decades, and it’s one of our absolute favorite places to experience during the holiday season. Read on for a few of our tips on how to make the most out of your wintertime stay in Budapest!

Christmas Market

Just walking around Budapest, you’ll find tell-tale clusters of wooden stalls indicating a Christmas market scattered throughout the city, but the largest and most popular of all is the one at Vörösmarty Square. Peruse hundreds of stalls to find unique handmade gifts, sip on mulled wine, and taste local treats like chimney cakes (delightful cones of cinnamon-sugar-dusted dough) and langos (deepfried bread topped with cheese and sour cream, though modern variations abound).

Great Market Hall

If getting to know the local cuisine is high on your to-do list, you won’t want to miss the Great Market Hall. A must-visit any time of year, this massive indoor market is considered by many to be one of the best in Europe. You can grab a delicious meal here and shop for authentic products to take home with you, such as Hungarian paprika or Tokaj wines.

The Thermal Baths

You may think the last thing you want to do in the icy weather is to take a swim, but the warm thermal baths of Budapest will change your mind. Clouds of steam beckon to the healing qualities of the mineral-rich water at the historic Szechenyi Baths— making this a site worth seeing even if you don’t plan on getting in.

Gellert Hill

We love bringing our guests to the top of Gellert Hill for beautiful views over the city, and it’s particularly awe-inducing during the winter months, when Budapest is sometimes romantically cast in a white layer of snowfall.

Andrassy Avenue

Drive by on our Panoramic tours or explore by foot. Andrassy Avenue boasts stunning architecture, accented by festive lighting during the month of December, making it one of the most beautiful streets in the world.

Visit Budapest during the holiday season on our Danube Holiday Markets, Enchanting Christmas & New Year’s, or Grand Christmas & New Year’s itineraries.

Main image: Budapest, Hungary

HAVE YOU SEEN THE NORTHERN LIGHTS?

This gorgeous natural phenomenon is on nearly everyone’s bucket list. Also known as the aurora borealis, the lights get their name from the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, and the Greek god of the North Wind, Boreas. While certainly worthy of myth and legend, the lights have a simple cause. When charged particles from the sun interact with Earth’s magnetic field, ribbons of glowing light are sent over the planet’s poles, which is why it can typically only be viewed in places with extreme latitudes like the Arctic Circle.

The best time to view the Northern Lights is during winter in the Arctic (roughly late September to early April), when the sky is dark enough for optimal viewing conditions. This also means visiting during the unique polar night phenomenon, when darkness can last for most, or even all, of the day.

Many travelers never have the luck to spot the Northern Lights in their lifetimes, but you can check this experience off your list with one of our Scandinavian customizable extension packages. Pair any of these with our Christmas Markets river cruises —or book as a standalone trip—and have your magical holiday trip conveniently organized for you.