Valentine’s Day is beautiful. Many people make special programs for this day, which has become a worldwide celebration of love. Are you spending Valentine’s Day in Budapest this year? Are you looking for program suggestions and ideas for where to eat? This is your guide to Valentine’s Day in Budapest.
Many think Valentine’s Day lasts from 18.00 until midnight on February 14th. That isn’t true, so why don’t you make Valentine’s Day a fantastic day with romantic programs from early morning? Have you ever thought about how your heart beats faster if you are full of adrenaline or feel anxious if you do something scary? If you are in love with someone, you will often experience similar feelings for a very different reason. You might feel anxious or feel your heart beating much faster as the person shows up. These emotions can often get mixed up. If you take a person to a program where they feel anxious and get scared, they might mix it for being in love. A boring program might not have the same effect. In other words, why not bring forth feelings that might give you an advantage this year?
Romantic Budapest programs for Valentine’s Day.
Let us first look at some cool programs that will bring forth lovely feelings in both of you (hopefully) on Valentine’s Day in Budapest.
A romantic cruise on the Danube.
This program will not give you an adrenaline boost (unless you are afraid of boats). It will, however, give you a fantastic experience of Budapest, especially if you travel in the evening when the buildings are illuminated. It is possible to combine this program with a dinner on the Danube. This is one of the most romantic programs you can do in Budapest on February 14th.
- You can read more about river cruises on the Danube right here.
Some companies have special trips available on Valentine’s Day in which they decorate the boats with hearts and special decorations. If you want to upgrade to a special Valentine’s Day river cruise in Budapest, you should consider such opportunities.
Visit a dripstone cave in Budapest.
Doesn’t it sound romantic and a little scary to walk around in a dripstone cave in Budapest? The cave was discovered at the start of the 20th century, and hundreds of thousands of visitors have visited it since then. A tour of the cave lasts for approximately 50 minutes.
- You can read more about the dripstone cave in Budapest right here.
Visit the Opera in Budapest or enjoy some other cultural program.
Valentine’s Day is special, but for many, it is business as usual also on this day. If you are lucky, you might be able to buy tickets for a performance in the Hungarian State Opera, something that would give you an unforgettable experience. Suppose you don’t like opera or there are no free tickets left (or maybe there is no performance on February 14th). In that case, you can look at our Budapest Calendar to see if there are any other programs available in Budapest on this special day.
Visit the Margaret Island.
One of the most romantic places in Budapest is the Margaret Island, especially when the weather is nice. If you are lucky, you can experience early spring weather in Budapest on February 14th with sunshine and 10 Celsius. If that is so, hurry up and visit the Margaret Island. Here you can walk hand in hand, bring some snacks and picnic in the grass, or rent a bike and discover the island while riding the bike together. At this time of the year (until March 1st), you can only rent bikes in the northern part of the island, not far from the Árpad bridge and the two hotels.
If you like history, you can discover ruins from the 13th century on the island, along with a mini-zoo, a Japanese garden, and much more.
What about a romantic massage?
Is there a better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with a romantic massage in Budapest? Why not visit one of the many spa salons in Budapest and receive a treatment that will lighten you up and fill you with positive vibes and good feelings? There are different options available, but you can read more about an option very close to the synagogue in Budapest where you can receive a couples treatment or standalone massage treatments right here.
If you don’t feel like getting a massage, you will still get some plus points with your girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse if you buy them a treatment for Valentine’s Day!
Visit a thermal bath in Budapest.
The thermal baths in Budapest are amazing. The most popular is Szechenyi thermal bath, which is amazing, especially in the evening. Here you can swim in warm water outside all year around. The warmest outdoor pool is approximately 37 Celsius. What is the result? When the sun goes down, and it gets cold outside, you will be covered by steam from the water. The combination of hot water, steam, and illuminated pools is one of the most romantic combinations you will find in Budapest.
The picture above is from the Szechenyi bath, the most popular and famous in Budapest. If you’d rather visit some other thermal bath you should consider Gellert or Rudas, both located in the center of Budapest.
Go to the cinema.
Are you a movie freak? Or would you like to do something romantic in Budapest on Valentine’s Day? Why don’t you go to the cinema? That might sound boring, but you can do a couple of things to boost the experience.
- You can go to a Premium cinema where you sit in big chairs and enjoy unlimited consumption of popcorn, nachos, drinks, and other stuff during the movie. You can also eat and drink different food for 30 minutes before the movie starts.
- Several cinemas in Budapest have double chairs in which you can sit together without anything separating you from one another. That immediately makes it more romantic and different from a normal cinema experience.
You can read more about the different cinemas in Budapest right here.
Do not forget lots of movies are dubbed, meaning it is essential that you reserve tickets for a movie with audio in a language that you understand.
Go ice skating in the city park.
Budapest has one of the world’s nicest and most romantic ice skating rinks. It is located in the City Park of Budapest, next to the fantastic Vajdahunyad castle. It looks especially beautiful in the evening, and it is very romantic to hold hands while ice skating, especially if one lacks practice and needs a lot of help. It is possible to borrow ice skates by the entrance to the area. All in all, a fantastic program.
The ice skating rink normally opens in November. It remains open until late February. If it is cold outside, it might open earlier and stay open longer. During its opening times, it normally opens around 10.00 and stays open until 14.00 and then again between 17.00 and 21.00 in the evening. You can find the exact opening times, prices, and more here.
Visit the zoo in Budapest.
Wouldn’t it be nice to walk hand in hand while looking at zebras, giraffes, elephants, crocodiles, lions, and other animals in Budapest zoo? The zoo is located in the city park of Budapest, one of the best places to be in Budapest. Besides visiting the zoo, you can visit the Szechenyi bath, the Vajdahunyad castle, the Gundel restaurant and walk around in a beautiful environment.
We have now given you some ideas for romantic programs in Budapest for Valentine’s Day. Most of them can also be enjoyed throughout the year so don’t worry if you only read this article in March or any other month.
After a day full of awesome activities, what should you eat in the evening? Here you have some suggestions for romantic dinner opportunities in Budapest.
Romantic dinner opportunities in Budapest for Valentine’s Day!
Would you like to enjoy a romantic dinner in Budapest? Where should you go? Here you have some romantic dinner suggestions for Valentine’s Day in Budapest.
A romantic dinner in Gundel.
The Gundel restaurant is in the City Park, near the zoo and the Szechenyi bath. It is one of the most famous restaurants in Budapest and it is the place to go for traditional Hungarian courses in a very fine dining environment. While most restaurants in Budapest don’t have a dress code, Gundel is where you dress up in your nicest clothes for a magnificent dinner in a royal environment. It isn’t a coincidence that the Gundel restaurant has served guests such as Pavarotti, Angelina Jolie, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and many other celebrities and state leaders.
A Hungarian dinner accompanied by romantic gypsy music in the background.
Would you like a fantastic Hungarian meal in the center of Budapest in an area known for brilliant restaurants and fine dining? Visit the Aszu restaurant or Rezkakas Bistro. They are located near one another and close to the St. Stephens Basilica. In both restaurants, you can listen to gypsy music in the background, and if you have a particular favorite song, you can tell them, and they will do their uttermost to play it for you during the dinner. The food is upper-class in both restaurants, but if we had to pick one, it would probably be Aszu.
A romantic dinner in a restaurant with Michelin stars?
Budapest has several restaurants with Michelin stars. If you want to dine in such a restaurant on Valentine’s Day, hurry up and reserve a table as quickly as possible. You are not the only lovebird who would like to dine in a restaurant with a Michelin star in Budapest on February 14th. It might be easier to get a table in such a restaurant on another day, but you should book your table months in advance no matter what time of the year you plan to visit such a restaurant.
There is only one restaurant in Budapest with two Michelin stars: Stand. It is easier to get a table in one of the restaurants with one Michelin star, and a recommendation from us is to try and get a table in either Borkonyha or Essencia. Both restaurants are located on the same street as Rezkakas and Aszu, mentioned earlier in this article.
Prove that you are a knight in Sir Lancelot.
Would you like a very different dinner in Budapest? Visit the restaurant Sir Lancelot. It isn’t very romantic, but it will give you an experience you will remember. In this medieval restaurant, you normally eat from giant plates using a mixture of your hands and a knife and a fork. The experience is accompanied by live medieval music (flute and guitar), belly dancing, and sword battles during the evening. Maybe this is your chance to prove that you are a real knight. Some people call this a tourist restaurant while others call it a genuine and awesome experience in Budapest. Are you willing to take the risk?
Sir Lancelot is often fully booked during weekends and special occasions like Valentine’s Day. It is recommended to book a table as early as possible if you want to dine here. Since the restaurant has a genuine medieval atmosphere, almost all tables are made for larger groups. As a result, a romantic dinner for two will often end up being a romantic dinner for four as you have to share the table with others. Who knows, maybe more people means more fun?
Dinner on the Danube.
We mentioned it in the start of the article, but let us mention it once again. A wonderful way to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Budapest is on a river cruise with dinner. If you are a lover of fine dining, you should probably eat somewhere else, but if you don’t care and want to combine a fantastic view with good food, wine, and maybe some live music, a river cruise with dinner equals success!
Are you ready to celebrate love in Budapest?
We hope the suggestions in this article have inspired you and given you some brilliant ideas for celebrating Valentine’s Day in Budapest. We have mentioned it several times, and it is essential to know that most programs mentioned here are available throughout the year. In other words, you can enjoy a romantic dinner on the Danube, a couples massage, a romantic swim in a thermal bath, and all the other programs in every month of the year, not only on February 14th.
If you have comments, questions, or ideas for other programs, write them below. We would love to hear from you!
We wish all our readers a happy Valentine’s Day!
Did you know Valentine’s Day was named after the Christian saint Valentinus? The most popular martyrology associated with Saint Valentine was that he was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and ministering to Christians persecuted under the Roman Empire. During his imprisonment, he is said to have healed the daughter of his jailer Asterius. (source: Wikipedia)
We have great news for classic rock music fans, because the popular band Deep Purple will give a concert at one of the biggest stadium in the Hungarian capital, the Papp László Budapest Sport Arena at 17 February 2014!
