Eastern Europe- which country/city will be best during Christmas?

They would all be equally good to be in on Christmas Eve and Christmas day; which is a good thing and a not so good thing. Let’s start with not so good. Central Europe closes at noon on the 24th and isn’t fully re-opened until the 27th. The good news is that there are no absolutes. We have spent a couple of Christmas’ in Budapest and will again spend Christmas and New Year’s Eve this year. Here are our plans, but you can find similar in Prague or Vienna. Slovenia might be a little harder. http://global-writes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Budapest-by-night.jpg

First, my wife and I will stay in an apartment with a Christmas tree. My three kids (20 to 26) will stay in an apartment next door. My wife and I and the kids arrive on the 21st. Three of us stay until the 4th of January and two of the kids head home or off to other regions to play right after Christmas. If you are new to Budapest then a good introduction requires at least three full days in addition to the Christmas activities. That has been generally true with most of the major cities we have visited. We spend a lot of time in Budapest so I am not going to list the daily activities because they differ a lot from what a first time tourist would be doing. The things in the ( ) aren’t in our plans but thought you might be interested.

21st

pooped out from the trip. Send out for pizza delivery

Drinks at Kadarka winebar about a block away until bedtime. We do this almost every night. We know the owner and the staff and they treat us like royalty when we are in town. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g274887-d2293155-Reviews-Kadarka_wine_bar-Budapest_Central_Hungary.html

(The Hungarian State Opera, one of the grandest opera houses in Europe has the Nut Cracker showing both afternoon and evening performances http://www.opera.hu/en/itezmeny_tortenet )

(Liszt Academy has Händel: Messiah http://zeneakademia.hu/en/classic/-/program/the-kings-consort--handel-messiah-en-20141221-1930 )

22nd

Great Market Hall to stock up on food for the Apartments. http://budapestmarkethall.com/best-time-to-visit-the-great-market-hall-in-budapest

Christmas Markets. The merchandise sold in the Budapest Christmas market has to be approved by a cultural committee which results in a lot of really good quality Hungarian crafts. This is about the crafts, lots of food, drink and music: http://www.budapestinfo.hu/xmas/index.php?id=home_en

There is so much good food in Budapest that finding a memorable place is never hard. But must be a place with live music, of which there are dozens. http://visitbudapest.travel/budapest-restaurants/ everything else being equal we will probably end up at Macesz Huszar http://maceszhuszar.hu/eng.html in the old Jewish Ghetto District one night, maybe Torfea Grill one night http://kiraly.trofeagrill.eu/ and Haxen one night http://www.haxen.hu/ , Paparika one night or afternoon http://www.paprikavendeglo.hu/ . Lugas http://lugas-etterem.com/

(Liszt Academy: W. A. Mozart: The Magic Flute; Fantastic and beautiful venue: http://zeneakademia.hu/en/all-programs )

23rd

More Christmas Markets. Two days isn’t overdoing it at all.

A family tradition is a place called Sir Lancelot’s Okay, it’s kitsch and it isn’t particularly Hungarian, and it’s ………well the family has a lot of fun. Especially when my wife stares down the belly dancer then drives a knife tip down into the table top. The kids laugh as the belly dancer moves quickly on…. I almost didn’t want to confess that we go here http://sirlancelot.hu/?lang=en

(Hungarian State Opera: Nut Cracker)

23rd
More Christmas Markets. Two days isn’t overdoing it at all.

A family tradition is a place called Sir Lancelot’s Okay, it’s kitsch and it isn’t particularly Hungarian, and it’s ………well the family has a lot of fun. Especially when my wife stares down the belly dancer then drives a knife tip down into the table top. The kids laugh as the belly dancer moves quickly on…. I almost didn’t want to confess that we go here http://sirlancelot.hu/?lang=en

(Hungarian State Opera: Nut Cracker)

24th
A lot depends on the weather. Maybe Ice Skating in the city park

http://budapest-card.com/files/partners/109.jpg

Most of Budapest closes at noon today. I am pretty sure the New York Café will be open so that might be lunch http://www.newyorkcafe.hu/bemutatkozas?lang=en

Dinner at RÉZKAKAS BISTRO http://www.rezkakasbistro.hu/en/?menu=gallery This is Budapest and Budapest is best served with music.

(Hungarian State Opera: Nut Cracker)

25th

Most of Budapest remains closed until at least the evening, then things slowly beginning opening with almost everything back in action by the end of the day on the 26th. But there are still some interesting options, like the bath house. Indoor, or for more excitement outside where 100F water touches 30F air. You will find us at Szechenyi Baths. http://www.apartmentsbudapest.info/files/image/winter/budapestwinter4.jpg

Dinner is at HALÁSZBÁSTYA ÉTTEREM http://eng.halaszbastya.eu/gallery/ which is a pretty upscale restaurant inside of the Fisherman’s Bastion in Buda. http://www.apartmentsbudapest.info/files/image/Sights/fishermensbastionbudapesthungary1024.jpg

26th

We are taking a morning train to Sopron. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srztOd-9rE8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68VmeT8juHo then take an evening train home after dinner: Erhardt's http://www.erhardts.hu/
(Hungarian State Opera: Nut Cracker)
(Klezmer Band at Spinoza’s Café. Well worth the time and effort)

27th

Probably Ice Skating in City Park http://budapest-card.com/files/partners/109.jpg

Maybe hang out at Alexandra Book Café in the old Paris Department Store http://visitbudapest.travel/budapest-restaurants/bookcafe/

28th

29th
We have tickets for the Liszt Academy Concerto Armonico Budapest

30th
(Liszt Academy: Great Christmas Folk Music with Ági Szalóki)

31st
We have tickets for the New Year’s Eve Gala at the Hungarian State Opera; have to go buy a tux ;-(

There are street concerts for New Year all over town. But this isn’t as big and dramatic a place to spend New Year Eve as some cities are. http://visitbudapest.travel/budapest-events/new-years-eve-in-budapest/