Budapest: Thursday Organ Concert in St. Stephen's Basilica

The Basilica is the rented venue. More than one production company can rent a night. Each production company can use a different platform to sell tickets. So from that perspective, they are all 3rd party sellers as the Basilica and the production company dont sell tickets. Okay, this is mostly my perception from buying and attending a couple.

What's you dates and there might be some other worthwhile entertainment in town (but I will look up a few on the Basilica in a minute).

Thanks for your info. We'll be there October 5 -14...with an evening Legenda cruise and this organ concert on a Thursday. That may do it for us, but feel free to send other items our way! (But only if you want to.) (Oct 11-12 include an overnight birding trip to Hortobagy via train and with a tour guide.) It seems you enjoy all the planning, so go for it!

Ticket vendors referenced on the basilica website https://bazilikabudapest.hu/en/allando-koncertek/ are:
https://www.organconcert.hu/hu/events/penteki-orgonakoncertek-110/var/ri-0.l-L2/
https://concertsinbudapest.com/

You might also want to check out these and see if they offer anything better.
https://www.classictic.com/en/sitesearch/
https://budapestconcert.com/classical-baroque-string-and-organ-concerts-in-st-stephens-basilica-budapest

You should join our little party on the 7th (I think its the 7th?). Anyway.

Church concerts are great, but if I had the opportunity for anything at the Grand Hall at the Liszt Academy, I would do that first: https://concert.lisztacademy.hu/programs

Or if you really wanted to be part of the city, go see Evita: https://madachszinhaz.hu/en/schedule That would be freeking wonderful. If you go, let me, know, might join you.

The Operett has two productions while you are in town. I haven’t seen either. But the venue always does a good job and this one at least looks pretty amazing: https://operett.hu/kepgaleria/a-ciganybaro-masodik-szereposztas-kepgaleria Tickets: https://operett.jegy.hu/

And no, this doesn’t take long for me to find, because I kept all my notes. If anyone wants a copy.

Finally:

Thanks for the reminder. I need to buy my tickets for the Vingardium and finalize plans for the Piknik. These are two great events. The Vingardium is just an easy way to spend the night, but the Piknik is pretty wonderful. It takes a bit of planning but I have that figured out.

October
9 - 22 Liszt Fest Cultural Festival https://lisztunnep.hu/en
10 Vingardium in the City Wine Tasting Event at the BÁLNA on the river front. https://vingardium.hu/
🍷10, 11 Etyek Piknik (wine event) https://etyekipiknik.hu/

I have only done this myself once - in Oct. 2022, I just bought my ticket a couple of days ahead at St. Stephan’s. There is a ticket window there (not the window for entry tickets). Last year in October, two friends bought their tickets earlier in the same day for the Thursday concert when we were there seeing the Basilica. Although a lot of people attend, neither time was there a problem with seating.

Edit: P.S. Several of us will be in town at the same time and are having dinner at Cork Breakfast and Wine on Oct. 7th at 7pm. Let Mr. É know if you’d like to come - I am sure he’ll be making a reservation. Besides the great company (ha!), the food is good and it’s near the Opera House.

Here is the meet up thread:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/hungary-rs-forum-members-meetup-thread

Hello! this post was super helpful! Is it recommended that you purchase tickets in advance? We will be in Budapest arriving on Monday, and departing on Friday, so I'm looking at one night next week and wondering if I ought to purchase them in advance or if you can typically arrive at the venue and buy a ticket.

I think Evita is pretty much sold out during our stay and will stay with our organ concert. Organs have a special place in my heart.

Can we leave the 7th open as to whether we join you or not? Or it is too difficult to add a person or two late (same day?) to your reservation? We just aren't sure how we'll feel after potential jet lag and a full day exploring the city. And if it doesn't work out...so be it. Regardless, the visit to Budapest will be good, and enlightening.

I have no idea if I was just lucky but I visited St. Stephen's on September 9 (Wednesday) in the afternoon. I just bought a general admission ticket that included the main hall and tower. While I was visiting inside the hall (around 3:30pm) there was a live organist. It was beautiful.
Then, a soloist/singer joined in with Ave Maria. Her voice was out of an opera, so beautiful. She sang another song too. I didn't know if that was just a lucky coincidence of if they have these from time to time during visiting hours. Or maybe they were just practicing for a later concert?

Mary, for the organ concerts at St. Stephan’s, I think you can buy that evening but it might be worth it to buy it a day or two earlier just to be sure. And seating is first come first serve for the regular concerts so you might want to be there early enough for your choice of seating.

I am going to see the show Mr. É linked (The Gypsy Baron) with a couple of friends at the Operette. I wouldn’t try to wait to buy one of those tickets - you need to do that as soon as you can if any are left.

Joy, I love serendipitous moments like that!

Joy, I love serendipitous moments like that!

So do I !! I first thought it was a pre-recorded organ music, but then I noticed all the phones pointed at the organ. So I took mine out and zoomed in and saw the organist. He was amazing!

I walked around and suddenly the “Ave Maria” came on. I looked back up there and saw the soloist in a long black dress. It was magical.
I sat on one of the open pews and just took it all in.

🚩Wednesday 7 October 19:00.
Cork Breakfast & Wine.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/my6Do8qSdgsKi7Sn6?g_st=ac.

• Andrea’s Bro,
• TexasTravelMom x 2,
• Elana.
• Mr E.
• Susan x 2 (maybe)

I reserved a table for 6, so with Susan x 2 is just adding one more, shouldn’t be a problem. But Susan, I will send you a PM with a WhatsApp number. When you know, let me know.

For concerts, theater, etc, they all sell out fast. Especially the things of interest to locals. If you want a more local experience at the Opera or the Oprett, go on Friday or Saturday evening. If you really, really, want to feel like a local go to a theater.

• Performance Venues: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/updated-budapest-performance-venue-list
• Events in Budapest: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/updated-budapest-events-for-january-june-2026