Last verified: 7 October 2026. Christmas market dates are confirmed on both organisers’ official sites; bath prices are 2026 tariffs from each bath’s own website.
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Budapest in November is the start of the thermal bath season, and two weekends are worth building a trip around. On 13–15 November the Christmas markets at Vörösmarty tér and St Stephen’s Basilica open on St Martin’s weekend, when the city eats goose and tastes the new wine. On 27–29 November the first weekend of Advent adds the Óbuda market and the first candle-lighting. Both weekends sit one walk or one metro ride from Rudas or Széchenyi.
The short version
- The Vörösmarty tér and Basilica Christmas markets both open on Friday 13 November 2026. Entry is free.
- St Martin’s Day is Wednesday 11 November. Goose menus and new wine run through the week around it.
- For bathers, Budapest in November means the quietest month of the year at the baths and the cheapest hotels.
- Gellért is closed and will be until around 2028. Rudas and Széchenyi are the two baths to pair with the markets.
- The sun sets at about 16:00 by late November, so an ordinary afternoon ticket becomes a night bath.
What is on in Budapest in November 2026?
Budapest in November 2026 is built around three things: St Martin’s Day on 11 November, the Christmas markets from 13 November, and the first Sunday of Advent on 29 November. The table below lists the dated events we could confirm on 7 October 2026.
| Dates | Event | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Nov (Sun) | All Saints’ Day, public holiday | Citywide | Baths keep weekend hours |
| 2 Nov | Mozart: Requiem | St Stephen’s Basilica | Ticketed (jegy.hu) |
| Around 11 Nov | St Martin’s Day: goose menus and new wine | Restaurants citywide | Menu prices |
| 13 Nov – 31 Dec | Vörösmarty tér Christmas market | Vörösmarty tér, District V | Free entry |
| 13 Nov – 1 Jan 2027 | Advent Bazilika Christmas market | Szent István tér, District V | Free entry |
| 14 Nov | St Martin’s Day dance house | Wekerle Cultural House, Kispest | 2,380–7,550 HUF (~€6.50–21) |
| 14–15 Nov | St Martin’s new wine festival and goose feast | Skanzen open-air museum, Szentendre (~30 km) | Ticketed |
| 20–22 Nov | Rising Stars: six concerts by young European soloists | Müpa, Festival Theatre | 3,000–5,000 HUF (~€8–14) |
| 27 Nov onwards | Advent in Óbuda, with a free ice rink | Fő tér, Óbuda | Free |
| 29 Nov (Sun) | First Sunday of Advent: candle-lighting at the markets | Vörösmarty tér, Basilica | Free |
One correction worth making, because many listings still get it wrong: the Christmas markets do not open on 14 November this year. That was the 2025 date. In 2026 both central markets open a day earlier, on Friday 13 November, according to adventbazilika.hu and vorosmartyclassicxmas.hu.
The City Park Ice Rink, next to Széchenyi, reopens “in November” according to its own site. The 2026–27 opening date had not been published on 7 October 2026; we will add it here when it is.
When do the Budapest Christmas markets open in 2026?
The two central Budapest Christmas markets open on Friday 13 November 2026. Advent Bazilika in front of St Stephen’s Basilica runs until 1 January 2027, and the Vörösmarty tér market until New Year’s Eve. Both are free to enter; you pay only for what you eat and drink.
| Vörösmarty tér | Advent Bazilika | |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | 13 Nov – 31 Dec 2026 | 13 Nov 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Mon–Thu, Sun | 11:00–21:00 | 11:00–22:00 |
| Fri–Sat | 11:00–22:00 | 11:00–23:00 |
| Best for | Crafts, the oldest market in the city | Food, the light show on the Basilica façade |
| Nearest bath | Rudas, ~20 min walk; Széchenyi, M1 direct | Széchenyi, M1 from Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út |
Opening hours as published for the 2026 season and collected by Hungary Unlocked on 3 October 2026. Holiday hours from 24 December differ; check the market’s own site the week you travel.
Typical market prices in 2026: mulled wine (forralt bor) about 1,500 HUF (~€4), a goulash soup 4,500–5,500 HUF (~€12–15), and chimney cake (kürtőskalács) 2,800–3,300 HUF (~€8–9), according to Hungary Unlocked.
What is St Martin’s Day, and where do you eat goose?
St Martin’s Day (Márton-nap) is 11 November, the Hungarian feast of goose and new wine. Tradition says that whatever you eat on Martin’s Day, you eat all year, so the menu is roast goose leg, goose liver and red cabbage, with the year’s first young wine. It is the food highlight of Budapest in November: in 2026 the day falls on a Wednesday, and restaurants typically run goose menus through the surrounding week.
Two dated events make it worth more than a dinner. On Saturday 14 November the Wekerle Cultural House in Kispest holds a St Martin’s dance house with games, storytelling and folk dancing, tickets 2,380–7,550 HUF (programturizmus.hu). On 14–15 November the Skanzen open-air museum in Szentendre hosts a new wine festival and goose feast. It is a half-day trip by HÉV suburban train, and it puts St Martin’s in a village setting rather than a restaurant.
Which bath do you pair with November events?
For Budapest in November, pair the Christmas markets with Rudas or Széchenyi, and choose by geography. Gellért is not an option: it has been closed since October 2025 and is not expected to reopen until around 2028.
| Bath | Pair it with | Why | Weekday / weekend ticket (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rudas | Vörösmarty tér market | ~20-minute walk across Elisabeth Bridge; rooftop pool above the Danube | 12,000 / 15,000 HUF (~€33 / €41) |
| Széchenyi | City Park Ice Rink; either market by M1 | Rink and bath share City Park; M1 metro to Vörösmarty tér in under 15 minutes | 13,200 / 14,800 HUF (~€36 / €40) |
Budapest in November is the best time to visit both. November is the quietest month of the year at Budapest’s baths, Széchenyi’s outdoor thermal pool stays at 36–38 °C, and the air is cold enough for steam without the January bite. For opening hours, the 22:00 late-night rota and a full winter comparison, see Budapest thermal baths in winter.
Buy Rudas tickets directly from the bath’s own site. It is cheaper than any packaged alternative, and the night session is sold nowhere else. For Széchenyi, a skip-the-line ticket valid all day lets you arrive mid-afternoon and stay past dark: compare Széchenyi ticket and cabin options →
The scheduling trap nobody flags
St Martin’s Day is a men-only day at Rudas. The Rudas Turkish bath is men only all day on Wednesdays and women only all day on Tuesdays, and 11 November 2026 is a Wednesday. If you planned goose lunch and then the Ottoman dome, and you are not a man, the Turkish section is closed to you that day. The swimming pool, the rooftop pool and the wellness area are unaffected.
The market opening day is safe. On Fridays the Rudas Turkish bath is men only until 10:45 and co-ed from 11:00, so an afternoon or evening visit on Friday 13 November works for everyone.
Can you do a Christmas market and a thermal bath in one evening?
Yes, and Friday is the night to do it. Two versions work on Friday 13 November, the night both markets open.
The Pest version: Széchenyi, then the Basilica. Széchenyi is open until 22:00 on Fridays, so go in at 16:00 and watch the lamps come on over the outdoor pool. Leave by 20:30, take the M1 to Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út, and walk to Advent Bazilika, which stays open until 23:00 on Fridays.
The Buda version: Vörösmarty tér, then Rudas after dark. Spend the evening at the Vörösmarty tér market, which closes at 22:00 on Fridays. Walk about 20 minutes across Elisabeth Bridge to Rudas, where the night session runs from 22:00 to 03:00 on Fridays and Saturdays for 15,000 HUF (~€41). Night tickets sell online only, and the saunas and massages do not run at night.
What is the weather like in Budapest in November?
Budapest in November is cold and short-dayed: air temperatures usually run 2–9 °C, and the end of the month is colder than the start. The clocks go back on 25 October 2026, so the sun sets around 16:30 in early November and around 16:00 by the end.
That darkness is the point for bathers. The baths stay open until 20:00 (Széchenyi until 22:00 on Fridays), so a ticket used from 15:00 gives you the outdoor pool in daylight, at dusk and after dark. Bring your own towel: Széchenyi’s price list states that towel and robe rental is suspended. Our what to wear at the thermal baths guide covers the rest.
Early November has the emptiest pools; late November has the markets as well. If you want both, aim for 13–29 November.
Getting there and where to stay
Hotels are at their cheapest in Budapest in November, and staying in City Park puts you one M1 ride from both markets. Compare hotels near Széchenyi Baths on Booking.com → or see Budapest hotels with thermal baths, where the thermal water is in the building.
Landing for the market opening on Friday 13 November? How to get from the airport to the city centre compares every route. A transfer booked in advance costs the same at 22:00 as at noon and waits if the flight is late: compare fixed-price Budapest Airport transfers →
One more November evening worth booking: the Danube from the water, with Parliament and the Castle lit up. Choose a cruise with a heated, glassed-in deck at this time of year. Compare Danube evening cruises →
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the Budapest Christmas markets open in 2026?
Both central markets open on Friday 13 November 2026. The Vörösmarty tér market runs until 31 December and Advent Bazilika at St Stephen’s Basilica until 1 January 2027. Entry to both is free.
Is November a good time to visit Budapest?
Yes, if you come for the thermal baths. Budapest in November has the quietest baths of the year and the cheapest hotels, and from 13 November the Christmas markets are open too. Days are short: the sun sets around 16:00 by the end of the month.
Are the outdoor thermal pools open in November?
Yes. Széchenyi’s outdoor thermal pool runs at 36–38 °C all year, and Rudas keeps its rooftop pool open. With air temperatures of about 2–9 °C, November is when the steam starts to rise off the water.
Which thermal bath is closest to the Christmas markets?
Rudas is about a 20-minute walk from the Vörösmarty tér market across Elisabeth Bridge. Széchenyi is on the same M1 metro line as Vörösmarty tér, under 15 minutes away.
What is St Martin’s Day in Hungary?
St Martin’s Day (Márton-nap) is 11 November, when Hungarians traditionally eat goose and taste the year’s new wine. In 2026 it falls on a Wednesday, and many Budapest restaurants run goose menus around it.
What is the weather like in Budapest in November?
Budapest in November usually has air temperatures of 2–9 °C, colder towards the end of the month. The clocks go back on 25 October 2026, so the sun sets around 16:30 in early November and around 16:00 by the end.
Read next: Budapest thermal baths in winter · The best thermal baths in Budapest · Rudas Baths guide · Széchenyi Baths guide · Budapest in September · Things to do in Budapest
Sources, checked 7 October 2026: Christmas market dates (adventbazilika.hu, vorosmartyclassicxmas.hu) · market hours and prices (Hungary Unlocked, updated 3 October 2026) · Rising Stars 2026 programme (mupa.hu) · St Martin’s events (programturizmus.hu) · City Park Ice Rink (mujegpalya.hu) · bath prices, hours and the Rudas single-gender schedule (each bath’s own site, re-checked 1 October 2026 for our winter guide) · EUR conversions at 366.71 HUF.