| Sightseeing Tips for the Easter Weekend in Budapest | | | | reach. Price of Easter packages in 5 or 4 star hotels is |
| The Castle District | | | | around 300 EUR/double room/2 nights. |
| Budapest has historic sights and fine architecture at | | | | Public Transport and Opening Hours at Easter in |
| every corner. You can easily explore the top | | | | Budapest |
| attractions during the Easter Weekend. | | | | On Holy Saturday public transport vehicles run |
| The Castle District in Buda offers magnificent views | | | | according to Saturday schedule. Easter Sunday and |
| from the Fishermen's Bastion: the majestic Danube | | | | Monday are public holidays so public transport |
| with the Chain Bridge (Széchenyi | | | | operates according to holiday schedule. |
| Lánchíd) and the impressive Budapest | | | | On Good Friday and on Holy Saturday shops are |
| Parliament. | | | | open according to Friday and Saturday schedule. See |
| The Castle District forms the centre of historic | | | | opening hours of shops on this page. On Easter |
| Budapest and some of the most important cultural | | | | Sunday and Monday supermarkets and large stores |
| monuments stand in the area, like the Royal Palace | | | | are closed, however some shops and services that |
| and the | | | | are usually open on holidays will be open on Easter |
| Matthias Church. The narrow cobbled streets are ideal | | | | Sunday and Monday: |
| for romantic walks. The district has some fine | | | | - florists |
| restaurants and cafés. | | | | - sweet-shops |
| The Litea Bookshop and Tearoom on Hess | | | | - 24-hour (non-stop) shops |
| András tér, opposite the Hotel Hilton has | | | | - restaurants |
| a very relaxed atmosphere with books in English and | | | | - cafés and confectioneries |
| fine teas. In the House of Hungarian Wines you can | | | | - cinemas |
| taste delightful wines from the country's wine regions. | | | | The Weather Around Easter in Budapest |
| The Cable Car (sikló) takes you down from | | | | By Easter the city awakens from its winter sleep. The |
| the hill to Clark Adam tér in a few minutes. | | | | first buds on the trees appear and spring flowers |
| Near the Pest end of the Chain Bridge stand two | | | | adorn the parks and squares. The sun shines warmer |
| architectural masterpieces on Roosevelt Square | | | | and warmer, though the weather is rather |
| - the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and | | | | unpredictable in spring. Daily temperatures can vary |
| - the Art-Nouveau Gresham Palace | | | | from 2-15°C/36-59°F. At some nights |
| Vörösmarty Square and Váci Street | | | | temperature can go below 0°C/32°F. Usually |
| Walk down along the river on the Danube Promenade | | | | there are some rainy and windy periods in March and |
| and turn onto Deák Street at the | | | | April, so don't forget to pack in your umbrella and |
| Vigadó Hall. The street takes you to | | | | warm sweaters. |
| Vörösmarty Square, the heart of Budapest. | | | | Some Hungarian Easter Customs |
| The white carrara statue of the famous 19th century | | | | A 40-day lent precedes Easter, when people rarely |
| poet, Mihály Vörösmarty, dominates | | | | eat meat. Some have meatless meals only on Fridays. |
| the square. The prominent Gerbeaud Café | | | | Women clean the whole house, wash the windows |
| flanks the side of the plaza. Sit in for a cup of fresh | | | | and a few days before Easter they start baking |
| café with a slice of delicious Hungarian cake | | | | cakes and pastries and prepare kocsonya, a rich jellied |
| and absorb the traditional coffee house aura. | | | | soup cooked with pork meat, smoked meat and |
| The famous pedestrian and shopping street, | | | | spices. Egg painting is practiced mainly in the villages. |
| Váci utca opens from the south end of the | | | | On Good Friday afternoon religious people go to the |
| square. The street together with | | | | church to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus |
| Vörösmarty tér is a centre of social | | | | Christ. The church bells will remain in silence until |
| and cultural happenings that attract both tourists and | | | | Sunday, the day of resurrection. On Holy Saturday the |
| locals throughout the year. Fancy boutiques and chic | | | | religious commemoration continues with a procession. |
| cafés line the sides of the street that mainly | | | | Traditional Hungarian Easter dishes |
| target tourists. You can have better bargains at the | | | | Satuday evening marks the end of the Lent and |
| Great Market Hall at the south end of Váci | | | | people have traditional dishes: smoked ham with |
| utca. | | | | pickled horseradish, hard-boiled eggs and fresh white |
| After long hours of walking refresh yourself in | | | | bread or milk-loaf. |
| Budapest Spas. In the famous Gellert Bath you can | | | | On Easter Sunday morning the Easter bunny brings |
| admire the fine interior while you relax in the hot water. | | | | presents for the little ones. The master or the mistress |
| The grand Széchenyi Bath belongs to the | | | | of the house takes a basket packed with ham, eggs, |
| largest spa complexes in Europe. The water in the | | | | horseradish, milk loaf and a bottle of wine to the |
| outdoor pool is hot enough to enjoy bathing in even in | | | | church where the priest blesses the food. The content |
| cold weather. The baths are open on Easter Sunday | | | | of the basket varies slightly from region to region. |
| according to their Sunday schedule. On Easter | | | | The family eats all the blessed meat for breakfast, not |
| Monday all baths are closed. | | | | a crumb should be wasted because the blessed food |
| During the Easter weekend there'll be some great | | | | considered to possess magical powers. For example |
| parties in Budapest, so you won't be bored at night | | | | the crumbs of the milk loaf are given to the hens so |
| either. | | | | that they lay more eggs. |
| Where to Stay | | | | Mainly meat dishes (poultry, pork, lamb, rabbit) dominate |
| Most Budapest Hotels offer special Easter packages. | | | | the traditional Easter Sunday lunch with various |
| Note that you should book your accommodation well in | | | | garnishing. Many housewives bake beigli (pastry rolls |
| advance, because a lot of tourists visit Budapest at | | | | with walnut or poppy seed stuffing) not just for |
| Easter every year. Stay at a 5 or 4 star downtown | | | | Christmas but for Easter too. |
| hotel and everything important will be within easy | | | | |