Direct flight
Lisbon to Budapest and back.
3 nights with breakfast
A 3 or 4-star hotel, your choice.
Christmas markets open
On Vörösmarty Square and outside the Basilica.
Baths close by
The Benczur is under a kilometre from the Széchenyi.
from€247per person, in a double room
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See the next datesThree nights in Budapest, 8 to 11 December, with a direct flight from Lisbon and breakfast at the hotel, while the city’s two big Christmas markets are open. Your choice of hotel shapes the days. The 3-star Benczur is 400 metres from Heroes’ Square and under a kilometre from the Széchenyi Baths; the 4-star Hotel President is about 300 metres from St Stephen’s Basilica, where one of the markets sets up. The outbound flight lands after midnight. You lose the first evening, but on the current timetable it is the only direct flight that day, and it is what keeps the price down.
What’s included
- Direct flights
- 3 nights
- Essential: 3* hotel with breakfast
- Premium: 4* hotel with breakfast
What’s not included
- Airport transfers: the 100E bus costs 2,500 forints (around €7), paid on board by card
- Lunches and dinners
- Large cabin bags and hold luggage: this fare includes one small item up to 40 × 30 × 20 cm, under the seat
- Travel insurance (we quote it separately)
- Tourist tax, collected by the hotel: each district sets its own (4% of the room price or a fixed amount per night), and under-18s are exempt
Day by day
Evening flight
The direct flight leaves Lisbon at 19:35 and lands in Budapest at 00:30 local time, which is an hour ahead of Lisbon. Straight to the hotel and to bed. Current timetable, which may change before you book.
Pest and the markets
A free day on the Pest side. Andrássy Avenue runs from Heroes’ Square into the centre, and the yellow metro line follows the same route underneath it. Late afternoon is market time: Vörösmarty Square and the Basilica, where the light show on the façade starts at 17:30. The sun sets just before 16:00, so daylight goes early.
Buda and the Danube
A free day across the river. Our pick is the Castle District and the Fisherman’s Bastion, with Parliament facing you on the Pest bank. If you want the baths, the Széchenyi opens at 7:00 on weekdays, and a day ticket costs 13,200 forints from Monday to Thursday, around €36.
One more night, the baths and a Danube cruise: Budapest at ChristmasLast morning and home
The morning is yours. The return flight leaves at 16:00 and lands in Lisbon at 19:00. For the airport, the 100E bus leaves from Deák Ferenc Square and takes about 40 minutes.
Questions about this trip
How much is a Budapest city break?
From €247 per person in a double room at the 3-star Benczur, or €327 at the 4-star Hotel President. That covers the direct return flight and 3 nights with breakfast; airport transfers, hold luggage and the tourist tax are extra. Prices worked out on 5 November 2026 and confirmed in your quote.
When do the Budapest Christmas markets open?
In 2026 the two main markets open on 13 November. The one on Vörösmarty Square runs until 31 December, from 11:00 to 21:00, or 22:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. The Basilica market runs until 1 January and closes an hour later, at 22:00, or 23:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. The light show on the Basilica’s façade starts at 17:30.
Is 3 days enough for Budapest?
For the markets and the main sights, yes. With these flight times you get two full days and the morning you leave: one day in Pest, with the Basilica, Andrássy Avenue and the markets, and one in Buda, with the castle and the Fisherman’s Bastion. If you don’t want to miss the baths or a Danube cruise, our Budapest at Christmas trip has one more night and includes both.
What is the weather like in Budapest in December?
Cold, and short on daylight. Hungary’s weather service describes December as the month with the shortest and cloudiest days of the year. Averages for 2020 to 2024 from ERA5, the climate record of the EU’s Copernicus programme, put the daily high around 5 °C and the low just below 0 °C. Around these dates the sun rises at about 7:20 and sets at 15:52, so pack a coat, a hat and gloves for the evenings at the markets.
How do I get from the airport to the city centre?
The easiest way is the 100E bus, which runs around the clock to Deák Ferenc Square, where the three metro lines meet, in about 40 minutes. A ticket costs 2,500 forints, around €7, and you pay on board by tapping your bank card or phone on the reader by the driver. After midnight, as with this trip’s flight, buses run every 30 to 40 minutes on average. By taxi, the airport’s official partner charges 2,100 forints to start plus 520 per kilometre, and every car takes cards.
Do I need forints, or can I pay in euros?
Hungary’s currency is the forint, and the euro is not legal tender, so each shop decides whether to take it. Cards work almost everywhere, but Budapest’s tourist board suggests carrying some cash for the markets and small shops.
Can I fly from Porto or another city, or travel on other dates?
Yes. The prices on this page are for these dates and for departure from Lisbon. To change the days, fly from Porto or another airport, or bring children, ask us on WhatsApp and we will quote the trip.
Budapest city break
Price per person in a double room, worked out from prices checked on 5 November 2026. The price is confirmed in the quote: flights, hotels and tickets change with demand and are only guaranteed once booked. Children, single rooms and other dates are quoted on WhatsApp.
