Page 67 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Budapest

BUD APEST THROUGH THE Y EAR  65

Average Monthly Temperature Temperature Chart
Seasons in Budapest are
°C °F sharply defined. Day time
25 80 temperatures rise rapidly
from March onwards. By
20 70
June, the thermometer
15 60 often reaches 30°C (90°F)
10 50 and more. September
sees cooler weather,
5 40
with temper atures
0 30 falling rapidly to lows
of well below freezing
-5 20
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec in January.
The climax of the season is
Winter the spectacular Opera Ball and
Despite the cold weather, a masked procession, on the
winter can be an exciting time last Saturday and Sunday
to visit Budapest. Open-air before Lent, respectively.
ice-skating takes place from (www.operabal.com)
November, roast-chestnut
sel lers appear on the streets
and a Christmas tree is erected
in Vörösmarty Square.
December
Budapest Christmas Fair
(26 Nov–24 Dec) continues.
Silver and Gold Sunday
(2nd-to-last Sunday before
Christmas). All the city’s shops
stay open for this Sunday of
serious Christmas shopping.
Mikulás (6 Dec). On Mikulás, or Traditionally decorated Christmas tree in
St Nicholas Day, children leave Vörösmarty Square
their shoes on the win dow sill
for Santa Claus to fill. Szilveszter (31 Dec). Budapest
Christmas (24–26 Dec). celebrates in style on New Year’s
The city shuts down for three Eve, with music in Vörösmarty
days on 24 Dec. Although it is and Nyugati Squares until Winter ice skating in City Park
not an official public holiday, dawn, street parties, and
shops and offices close early. fireworks. Public transport Public Holidays
For the majority of Hungarians, runs all through the night.
the most important and sacred Public holidays mainly
event is the family meal on the January follow the Christian calen dar.
evening of 24 Dec. This is also New Year’s Gala Concert Two days mark cata clysmic
when Christmas presents are (1 Jan). This occasion is an events in Magyar history.
brought by Little Jesus. excellent way to start the
new year. Out standing New Year (1 Jan)
Hungarian and foreign Spring Uprising (15 Mar)
artists perform excerpts from Easter Sunday (Mar/Apr)
European opera and musicals,
providing a lively evening Easter Monday (Mar/Apr)
of music at the Hungarian Whit Monday (May/Jun)
State Opera.
May Day (1 May)
February St István’s Day (20 Aug)
Masked-Ball Season (Feb). Remembrance Day (23 Oct)
Budapest forgets the cold
weather to welcome the All Saints’ Day (1 Nov)
coming of spring, and the Christmas Day (25 Dec)
Seeing in the New Year, a stylish affair arrival of the farsang, or fancy Boxing Day (26 Dec)
in Budapest dress masked-ball season.

064-065_EW_Budapest.indd 65 15/09/16 10:32 am