Budapest in the winter

You have to plan your travel dates for this: https://www.mohacsibusojaras.hu/

12 through 17 February in 2026.

Our interests are mostly in history museums, anything WWII related. I
know we will visit Castle in the Rock , Buda Castle, and the Terror
Museum

Its Hospital in the Rock. The Castle History Museum is very well done as is the Holocaust Museum ... but on that subject, just walking District VII opens eyes and there are a few hidden spots in the district.

You can get a ride in a soviet WWII plane, actually two. I know an interesting Cold War collectibles shop. Stalin ashtray anyone? I can point out some bullet holes in a building (maybe wwii, maybe '56). There is the hidden metro line. But thats cold war. Shoes on the Danube of course, Glass House, war vintage trains you can climb in, cold war retro Museum.

EDIT: take a look https://budacastlebudapest.com/buda-castle-ww2-tour-with-underground-cave-visit/ AND
https://www.lensofjen.org/the-must-visit-wwii-sites-of-budapest/ AND there are a number of WWII and Commie tours on GetYourGuide and VIator. Google the descriptions and try and track down the vendors websites if you can.

Thanks - Hospitals in the Rock.

We always travel during the winter and love coming across interesting processions and carnival traditions. Our stop prior to Budapest is Lucerne and our stay collides with their carnival (Fasnacht) with starts with fireworks at 5am. Regarding Busójárás, we will be there at that time (we land in Budapest in 15 February and depart the 25th from Vienna) BUT I was thinking Mohács may be too far out of the way for us just to maybe see a guy wearing a sheep. What do you think Mr. Ë?

I love the event. I might get with a few folks and charter a van. Its a 2 to 2.5 hour drive. But it is every part of a full day trip. On one of the days the rail company will do a special luxury train to the event. This year they ran the train in Shrove Sunday, so I presume the same next year. That would be 15 February so that probably wont work for you. It leaves from Kelenföld at 06:00 and returns at midnight. So its a long day. This year's train is described here: https://www.mavrailtours.hu/hu/programs/show/267 This is the Hungarian language page because the English language page isnt very complete. Click on the Fedélzeti szolgáltatások (Onboard Services) tab to see the carriages. Sort of nice. Tickets were about $60 to $90 depending on class....

Lots of choice for good food in Budapest!

Here’s a few to get you started.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/restaurants-in-budapest-revisited

For beer and sausages, definitely try Margaret’s (they have a nice beer sampler) - and maybe Bajor Sör-Ház.

For sausage you might want to check out Belvárosi Disznótoros. There are a couple of locations around town, but I like the one on Károlyi utca. Its sort of an institution and a refugee of a time past. Its a butcher shop with cooked meat that cooks and hands you a plate of grub. Very nice. Another popular sausage house is KOLBIZZ SAUSAGE & BEER HOUSE. Im not crazy about the location but the place has been getting good reviews. Finally, I bet you wont find a tourist here: Hentes falatozója / Butcher diner (and for that reason I will keep it that way and delete this is a week).

I’m thinking we will book at the Three Corners Downtown.

Its been getting a bit of interest lately. The marketing must be good. Stay and do a trip report. Not a bad looking post war building sitting in a neighborhood of pre-war buildings. In other words, nothing architecturally significant about it.

Dont expect the terrace to be open. Temperatures will be near freezing or they might be substantially higher, you never really know here. But .... what ever it is you will have a 5 to 10 minute walk to a tram or metro line. Not real ideal in that sense. In the high season its a bit of tourist mess, but in February you will have access to all those nice tourist restaurants with no crowds so thats good. And you are right around the corner from one of my favorite old world commie hangouts; Terv Bisztró which got its name from the annualy revised commie five year plan. You will like the style of food. Simple Hungarian.

I understand it will be cold, short days and possibly bad weather.

Well, there are definately better times to visit. BUT, short days means you get to enjoy the lights and they are beautiful in Budapest. Plenty of indoor activities too. This is a city that has fairly long, fairly hard winters. So they do their best to celebrate the season. Its not like an otherwise warmer climate where they just hide for the cold month. Music will be a good sure bet. Theaters and concert halls, classic and jazz and modern.

Bratislava and Vienna

Bratislava. If you have got tons of time, sure a day in Bratislava. It won’t be pleasant in February and it’s not among my favorite places in good weather.

The Archabbey at Pannonhalma. Better in my mind would be stopping at the Archabbey at Pannonhalma. Normally I say Gyor and the Archabbey, but it’s February. Gyor is a stop on the train halfway between Budapest and Vienna. You get off and take a taxi or the bus to the Archabbey. Sort of the Hungarian High Holly Site. https://youtu.be/fZagSs2gzf4?si=XfCr131hXXaWNGL9

Vienna, post on the Vienna forum. Lots of good help on the forum. I will suggest that in sheer size the sightseeing in Vienna is substantially smaller than Budapest and keep that in mind when counting nights in each. Also, I am not sure what the WWII sites are but I bet you get help on the Vienna forum.