Budapest Castle Christmas Holidays Attractions December

Christmas in Buda Castle Budapest 2024

Many of the major Buda Castle Attractions welcome Budapest visitors at the end of December with special Christmas and New Year’s Eve programmes and holiday opening hours. Find out more about Christmas in the Buda Castle Royal Palace and the Castle District.

Budapest Castle Xmas Reconstruction Buda Castle Hills Hauszmann Program — Budapest Castle Reconstructions – Hauszmann Program

If you are visiting the capital city during the Budapest Christmas holidays and are exploring the Budapest Christmas Markets, you can pre-book many of the best Castle tours and activities that make the Royal Palace of Budapest so fascinating even in the cold season. During the tours, you will see the Christmas fair by the Fisherman’s Bastion and the Matthias Church. The market is not as grand as the one by the Basilica, but perfectly fits the medieval Castle hilltop.

To get more information about Budapest Christmas and Budapest New Year ideas, programmes and activities you can visit the December festive guides for things to do in the Hungarian capital on a winter break.

Programmes in Castle District Budapest – Christmas & New Year

Budapest Christmas Market Matthias Church Buda Castle District — Christmas Market Matthias Church

If you are planning to explore the Buda Castle District during your Christmas holiday by yourself, you can freely roam on top of the Castle Hill, or join a guided tour to see the Buda Royal Palace interior and learn about the historical building. But there is so much more to do than that!

Dec 1-23 Tours & Events in Buda Castle in December

11 am Buda Castle Entry with Guided Tour: the Royal Experience from €15 (Entry included)
10 am – 4pm Buda Castle Cave Tour from €12/ Ticket (Entry to Cave & Tour, Hours change) – Most popular
10 am Buda Castle District and Budapest City Tour with Live Guide €30/ Ticket
10 am Buda Castle & City Tour with Parliament Entry (Bus + Walking Tour, Parliament Entry & Tour included)
10 am Castle District & Budapest Bus Tour with River Cruise €45/ Ticket
2pm Value Buda Castle District Tour with Pro Guide (Top Rated) €10/ Ticket (no Entry to Castle) – Lowest Price!
10 am – 4pm Buda Castle Cave Tour from €12/ Ticket (Entry to Cave & Tour, Hours change) – Most popular
2pm Budget Castle District Tour €12 / Ticket (no Entry to Castle) Daily Tour
2.30pm Castle & Citadel Scooter Tour €49 / Ticket
2pm Hospital in the Rock Tour from €38/ Ticket
4pm Buda Castle Entry with Guided Tour: the Royal Experience from €15 (Entry included)
Daytime Hop On Hop Off Bus Ride €18/ Ticket (no Entry to Castle)
Daytime Budapest Hop on Hop Off Big Bus City Tour (going past the Buda Castle Gardens)€ 32.4/ Ticket
Night Castle Night Tour: Vampire Mystery & History € 19/ Ticket

Dec 24 Christmas Eve Tours & Events in Buda Castle

10 am Buda Castle District and Budapest City Tour with Live Guide €30/ Ticket
10 am Buda Castle & City Tour with Parliament Entry (Bus + Walking Tour, Parliament Entry & Tour included)
10 am Castle District & Budapest Bus Tour with River Cruise €45/ Ticket
2pm Value Buda Castle District Tour with Pro Guide (Top Rated) €10/ Ticket (no Entry to Castle) – Lowest Price!
2pm Budget Castle District Tour €12 / Ticket (no Entry to Castle) Daily Tour
2.30pm Castle & Citadel Scooter Tour €49 / Ticket
2pm Hospital in the Rock Tour from €38/ Ticket
Daytime Hop On Hop Off Bus Ride €18/ Ticket (no Entry to Castle)
Daytime Budapest Hop on Hop Off Big Bus City Tour (going past the Buda Castle Gardens)€ 32.4/ Ticket

Most museums and attractions are closed on this day including the museums inside the wings of the Buda Castle and Matthias Church. However, Fishermans Bastion will stay open.

Dec 25 Christmas Day Tours & Events in Buda Castle
10 am Buda Castle District and Budapest City Tour with Live Guide €30/ Ticket
10 am Buda Castle & City Tour with Parliament Entry (Bus + Walking Tour, Parliament Entry & Tour included)
10 am Castle District & Budapest Bus Tour with River Cruise €45/ Ticket
2pm Value Buda Castle District Tour with Pro Guide (Top Rated) €10/ Ticket (no Entry to Castle) – Lowest Price!
2pm Budget Castle District Tour €12 / Ticket (no Entry to Castle) Daily Tour
2.30pm Castle & Citadel Scooter Tour €49 / Ticket
2pm Hospital in the Rock Tour from €38/ Ticket
Daytime Hop On Hop Off Bus Ride €18/ Ticket (no Entry to Castle)
Daytime Budapest Hop on Hop Off Big Bus City Tour (going past the Buda Castle Gardens)€ 32.4/ Ticket
Night Castle Night Tour: Vampire Mystery & History € 19/ Ticket

Most museums and attractions are closed on this day including the museums inside the wings of the Buda Castle and Matthias Church. However, Fishermans Bastion will stay open.

Budapest Winter Christmas Walks in Buda Castle District

Dec 26 Boxing Day Tours & Events in Buda Castle
10 am Buda Castle District and Budapest City Tour with Live Guide €30/ Ticket
10 am Buda Castle & City Tour with Parliament Entry (Bus + Walking Tour, Parliament Entry & Tour included)
10 am Castle District & Budapest Bus Tour with River Cruise €45/ Ticket
2pm Value Buda Castle District Tour with Pro Guide (Top Rated) €10/ Ticket (no Entry to Castle) – Lowest Price!
2pm Budget Castle District Tour €12 / Ticket (no Entry to Castle) Daily Tour
2.30pm Castle & Citadel Scooter Tour €49 / Ticket
2pm Hospital in the Rock Tour from €38/ Ticket
Daytime Hop On Hop Off Bus Ride €18/ Ticket (no Entry to Castle)
Daytime Budapest Hop on Hop Off Big Bus City Tour (going past the Buda Castle Gardens)€ 32.4/ Ticket
Night Castle Night Tour: Vampire Mystery & History € 19/ Ticket

Most museums and attractions are closed on this day including the museums inside the wings of the Buda Castle . However, Matthias Church and Fishermans Bastion will stay open.

Budapest Castle Xmas Pastry Beigli Asztalka — Budapest Castle Xmas Beigli Asztalka

Dec 27- Jan 1 End of Year and New Year Tours & Events in Buda Castle

Buda Castle in Winter - photo by Neil Howard — Buda Castle in Winter – photo by Neil Howard

December Opening Hours of Castle Attractions

National Gallery in Buda Castle Opening Hours around Christmas:

Dec 1-22: Open as usual (10 am – 6 pm, closed on Mondays)
Dec 23: Open 10 am – 6 pm
Dec 24: Closed
Dec 25: Closed
Dec 26-29: Open as usual (10 am – 6 pm)
Dec 30: Open 10 am – 6 pm
Dec 31: Open 10 am – 4 pm (latest entry at 3 pm)
Jan 1: Open 12 pm – 6 pm (latest entry at 5 pm)

Budapest History Museum in Buda Castle Opening Hours – Christmas holidays:

Dec 1-23: Open as usual (10 am – 6 pm, closed on Mondays)
Dec 24: Closed
Dec 25: Closed
Dec 26: Open 10 am – 6 pm
Dec 27-29: Open as usual (10 am – 6 pm)
Dec 30: Closed
Dec 31: Open 10 am – 2 pm
Jan 1: Open 12 pm – 6 pm

Matthias Church in Castle District – Opening Hours – Christmas celebrations:

Dec 1-21: Open as usual (Mon-Fri: 9 am – 5 pm, Sat: 9 am – 12 pm, Sun: 1 pm – 5 pm)
Dec 22: Open 1.25 pm – 5 pm
Dec 23: 9 am – 2 pm
Dec 24: Closed
Dec 25: Closed
Dec 26: 1 pm – 4.30 pm
Dec 27-30: Open as usual (Mon-Fri: 9 am – 5 pm, Sat: 9 am – 1 pm, Sun: 1 pm – 5 pm)
Dec 27, 2024: 19:00 Concert in Matthias Church: String Orchestra
Dec 30, 2024: 19:00 Concert in Matthias Church: String Orchestra
Dec 31: 9 am – 5 pm
Jan 1: 1 pm – 5 pm
Jan 2, 2025: 19:00 Concert in Matthias Church: String Orchestra

Funicular in Buda Castle, Budapest — Funicular in Buda Castle, by Matt

Funicular by the Castle – Opening Hours during Christmas holidays

Note: every odd week Monday is closed for maintenance

Maintenance Days: December 2, 16, 30, 2024

Dec 1-23: Operates as usual (7.30 am – 10 pm)
Dec 24: closed all day
Dec 25-31: Operates as usual (7.30 am – 10 pm)
Jan 1: 3 pm – 10 pm

The frequency of the Funicular is about 5 – 10 minutes. One coach is going up while the other is going down and vice verse. One coach can carry approx. 30 guests. In peak time there may be a queue uphill.

Budapest Buda Castle Fishermans Bastion Christmas

Fisherman’s Bastion Opening Hours – open at Christmas:

Dec 1-23: Open as usual – 00:00-00:00 (all day)
Dec 24: Open as usual – 00:00-00:00 (all day)
Dec 25: Open as usual – 00:00-00:00 (all day)
Dec 26: Open as usual – 00:00-00:00 (all day)
Dec 27-30: Open as usual – 00:00-00:00 (all day)
Dec 31: Open as usual – 00:00-00:00 (all day)
Jan 1: Open as usual – 00:00-00:00 (all day)

More details about New Year’s Eve at Fishermen’s Bastion are here.

St Stephen’s Hall Opening Hours – open at Christmas:

St Stephen’s Hall is the lavishly restored part of the Buda Castle where the palace’s former glory comes to life with exquisite craftsmanship, as part of the restorative project in the Buda Castle district called the Hauszmann Program. There are still several parts in the district where you will see ongoing works, cranes and bare walls (like some former wings of the National Gallery) but there is plenty of beautiful buildings to see and breathtaking view to take in.

St Stephen's Hall in Buda Castle — St Stephen’s Hall in Buda Castle

Dec 1-23: Open as usual – (Mo-Fri 10 am – 6 pm Sat-Sun 10-11)
Dec 24: Closed
Dec 25: Closed
Dec 26: Closed
Dec 27-30: Open as usual – (Mo-Fri 10 am – 6 pm Sat-Sun 10-11)
Dec 31: 10 am-1 pm
Jan 1: 12-5 pm

Last updated: Dec 16, 2024