National Holidays in Hungary

New Year's Eve (Szilveszter) and New Year's Day (Újév)
Besides the standard merry-making, there is also a New Year's ball and concert at the
Hungarian State Opera House in Budapest. Stalls on the streets of Budapest sell masks
and noisy paper trumpets.

March 15
1848 Revolution Day - 1848-as Forradalom és Szabadságharc
The “Hungarian spring” - a bloodless fight for freedom against Habsburg domination which later led to war against Austria and its allies  Each year on March 15, the Hungarian tricolors of red, white, and green are prominently displayed all over the country.

Easter Sunday and Monday – Húsvét
Easter is an important religious holiday in Hungary. The day before families with children
paint easter-eggs of all styles and color. Children find small gifts beside their beds early
Sunday morning. A traditional breakfast follows of easter-eggs, ham, braided cake bread,
horse-radish and hot chocolate. Many families go to church this morning to celebrate the
resurrection of Jesus Christ.

On Monday, many people carry on the tradition of "sprinkling". While once young men
used to pour buckets of water over young women's heads, today they spray perfume or
water and then ask for a kiss and a red egg. Painted eggs as well as chocolate-ones are
exchanged.

Mother's Day – Anyák napja
Mothers receive flowers, sometimes hand-picked, and other presents, usually handmade
from their children on this day.


May 1
Labor Day – A munka ünnepe
Workers unions organize a celebration in Városliget (Budapest's City Park) with
speeches, acrobats, clowns, food and music.

Children's Day - Gyermeknap
Parents take children on special outings to places such as the Zoo, fun fairs, or on family
nature walks (kirándulás) in the Buda hills.

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August 20
St. Stephen's Day - Szent István napja

In the year of 1000, Hungary’s first king, the Christian St Stephen, was crowned this day,
and the Hungarian (Magyar) state was founded. Traditionally, the first bread from the new harvest is baked for this day. Parades and music are among the festivities, and an impressive fireworks show is  launched over the Danube at night.

October 23

1956 Uprising Memorial Day – Az 1956-os forradalom emléknapja
This national holiday commemorates the outbreak of the people's uprising against Soviet
domination in 1956. The new prime Minister, Imre Nagy withdrew from the Warsaw Pact of “communist” countries. Soviet troops invaded. In November, after lots of bloodshed, the Hungarian revolution was put down by the powerful Red Army of the Soviet Union. Imre Nagy and many other leaders and participants were executed by the soviet regime. Soviet troops stayed in Hungary  until 1991. The country also celebrates Hungary's new constitutional status in 1989.

December 6
Santa Claus (St. Nicholas') Day  - Mikulás
Children put their clean boots on their window-sills the night before. In the morning,
“Good” children find candy, nuts and fruit, sometimes even small toys in their boots, while
“bad” ones get bunches of twigs (virgács). Mikulás, however, never finds entirely wicked
children in Hungary.
Most kids then receive both candy and virgács.

Christmas - Karácsony
The traditional family Christmas celebration, dinner and  exchange of gifts takes place on the eve of December 24th.  The 25th and 26th are public holidays when relatives visit each-other. Hungarians set up their Christmas tree on the 24th, and leave it on until it lasts.Vörösmarty tér features a large Christmas tree, and there is a cheerful and cosy outside Christmas market there. Live music is often heard in the city.


 

Budapest

The Story of Budapest:
 About 2 million people live in the capital. It is a European city. During its long history it was destroyed several times, and its citizens exterminated; yet it has always risen again, evolving and becoming ever bigger and more colorful.

The Danube, Europe's highway, determines the life of Budapest dividing it into two and yet connecting both sides of the city. Not only the Danube, but also the hot springs under the city have had a significant role in the area's development. The first city, Aquincum (in the area of today's Óbuda) with a significant number of citizens was founded by the bath loving Romans.

Budapest was created by the unification the three cities of Buda, Óbuda and Pest in the year 1873.
 
 
Sights of Budapest
I think I would take the visitor to Gellért Hill frist, because this is the best point from which to see the panorama of the city. There is also a fortress on the top of the hill, called the Citadel. It is a white-stoned fortress from the 19 th century on the top of Gellért Hill, crowned by the 14 m tall Liberation Monument, a striking statue of a woman holding a palm leaf of victory. You can enjoy from here a wonderful panorama of the whole city.

Then I would take the visitor to the centre of Buda where we can find the Castle Hill. You can find Buda Castle here. This was the residence of Hungarian kings. The fortification system and palace, built in the 13th century following the Mongol invasion, was destroyed and rebuilt many times.
In the central square there stands Matthias Church. This was the coronation church of Hungarian kings since King Matthias. It was built in the 13th century in Gothic style. Next to it we can see the bronze statue of King Stephen I.
Behind the church the Fishermen's Bastion can be found, from which there is a magnificient view of the Danube with the Houses of Parliament on the opposite bank. The construction of Parliament began in 1885 according to plans by Imre Steindl. Completed in 1904 it is one of Europe's most splendid Parliament buildings, and at the same time it is one of the landmarks of the capital.

The most popular park for people living in Budapest is the beautiful Margaret Island, which is right in the middle of River Danube. It got its name after Princess Margaret who lived here in a convent in the 13 th century. Today medicinal thermal baths, an open-air theatre and fine restaurants attract thousands of tourists each year.

One of the best known monuments in Pest is the one in the Heroes’ square. It was built for the Millenium Celebrations of 1896, celebrating the 1000 years of Hungarian history. Near the monument you can find The Hungarian National Museum. It was built in 1847 according to plans by Mihály Pollack. Treasures of Hungarian history, including the coronation insignia are displayed here. The staircase of the Museum is adorned by the frescoes of famous Hungarian painters.
To the left of the Millenary Monument stands the Museum of Fine Arts by architect Albert Schickedanz. Most notably, the "Old Picture Gallery" holds masterpieces by Spanish painters like Murillo, El Greco and Goya. It contains also a special Egyptian exhibit.
In the City Park you can find Széchenyi Bath, the largest thermal bath of Budapest. Its thermal springs were discovered in 1879 - they are the deepest and warmest thermal wells in Budapest. It is a vast complex of indoor and outdoor pools, situated in the middle of the City Park near the Budapest Zoo and The Amusement Park which all tourist with children should also visit.
In Pest tourists should also visit St. Stephen's Basilica. Dedicated in 1905, with a dome 96 m high Basilica holds up to 8500 persons. St. Stephen's statue of Carrara marble by Alajos Stróbl stands in the Sanctuary.

Hungary has various tourist attractions. Beside enjoying the wonderful sights in Budapest, tourists can relax on the numerous beaches of Lake Balaton. They can go and see the lovely Hungarian villages where traditions of folk art are preserved and treasured. Or they can visit some of the smaller but beautiful towns like Veszprém, Kőszeg, Eger, Szeged, Sopron etc.