Page 39 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Hungary

HUNGAR Y THROUGH THE Y EAR  37

Average Monthly Temperature
Temperature Chart
°C °F July and August can
30 90 boast up to 10 hours
of warm sunshine
25 80
per day, with average
20 70 summer temperatures
15 60 a comfortable 22 °C
(71.6 °F). Winters are
10 50
cold, especially on the
5 40 Great Plain, where bitter
winds tend to blow in
0 30
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec from the east.
Christmas Gift Markets (Dec),
Winter Sopron and Budapest.
Snows can arrive as early as Throughout December, Fő tér in
November, and by Christmas Old Sopron and Vörösmarty tér
the country is often covered in in Budapest are the enchanting
a white blanket. The big freeze settings for Christ mas Gift
does not, however, stop the Markets, attracting shoppers
outdoor fun, and natural ice from afar as well as locals.
rinks, such as that in Városliget January
park, Budapest (see p110-11),
are very popular. Szilveszter (New Year’s Eve)
New Year’s Eve in Hungary is
December
traditionally celebrated on the
Christmas Eve (24 Dec), streets. People eat early, grab a
countrywide. In Hungary this is bottle of sparkling wine and Revellers in menacing costumes at the
the main, most intimate day for head for the free concerts in Busójárás Carnival, Mohács
Christmas celebration, when most city centres. The largest is
close family members have their in Vörösmarty tér, Budapest, Busójárás Carnival (end Feb),
festive dinner and exchange while there is also a massive Mohács. During the occupation
presents. Life in Hungary street festival in Szentendre. of Mohács by the Turks, the
therefore normally comes to a February citizens would dress in menacing
halt at noon on the 24th, but in masks and costumes in an
many cases the whole day is Kapos Carnival Days (early Feb), attempt to frighten the occupiers
taken as a holiday. Kaposvár. The whole of Kaposvár away. Today, people still dress
Mikulás (6 Dec). As in many (see p189) appears to take part in up in spooky outfits for Carnival,
countries in central Europe, this festival of Kapos culture, the which is now a far wider event,
Mikulás (aka St Nicholas or highlight of which is the parade featuring performers of trad-
Santa Claus) visits children on of costumed stilt-walkers. itional and modern music
this day. Traditional presents Renaissance Carnival Gyula alongside the costume parade.
given on St Nicholas’ Day tend (2nd weekend of Feb), Gyula. The
to be of the edible and sugary grounds of Gyula Castle (see Public Holidays
variety, with larger toys now p245) play host to this medieval-
reserved for Christmas. style pageant yearly. New Year’s Day (1 Jan).
Anniversary of the
Revolution of 1848 (15 Mar)
Easter Monday (Mar/Apr)
Whit Monday (May/June)
May Day (1 May)
National Day (St István’s Day)
(20 Aug)
Anniversary of the 1956
Hungarian Uprising and the
proclamation of Hungary’s
democratic constitution in
1989 (23 Oct)
All Saints’ Day (1 Nov)
Christmas (25–26 Dec)
Christmas Gift Market, Budapest

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