Festive fun at Budapest's Christmas Market

Take a festive break in Budapest and be dazzled by one of Europe’s most beautiful capitals in winter time. The annual Budapest Christmas Market takes place this year from 20 November until 29 December 2009 and is the biggest outdoor event of the winter season.

Visitors to the capital during this month long festival will be treated to an array of Christmas themed stalls; all lit up in the attractive Vörösmarty Square, selling unique artisan gifts and adornments, as well as delicious food and mulled wine.

The square will be decorated with a huge Christmas tree, packed with lights and decorations, an advent calendar and there are regular visits by Santa Claus that will delight both children and adults alike. Budapest in the winter is as charming as during the summer months with lots to do, from ice skating under the stars next to the fairy tale castle of Vajdahunyad, to taking a dip in one of the many outdoor steaming hot spas.

Keeping with the magical atmosphere include a stay at the 4* Danubius Hotel Astoria (danubiushotels.com/astoria), an Austro-Hungarian, period small boutique hotel that has been the setting for many films. It is popular because of its traditional ambience and its central location, close to the main shopping street, Váci Utca, and the Christmas market.

The hotel is offering ‘three nights for the price of two’ during the winter and a three night stay, including breakfast is from €110 per person, based on two people sharing a room in December. Guests also get the added bonus of a 15% discount off the special seasonal a la cart Xmas menus in the Empire Restaurant.

Those on a tighter budget this year could stay at the recently renovated 3* superior Danubius Erzsébet City Centre hotel (danubiushotels.com/erzsebet) located next to Váci Utca and offering a lively Latin American restaurant.

The hotel is also offering ‘three nights for the price of two’ during the winter and a three night stay in December is from €62 per person, based on two people sharing a room.

For those that want to splash out try the opulent 5* Boscolo New York Palace hotel (boscolohotels.com), a contemporary hotel located in a building dating back to 1894 that has all the Italian design flair one expects of this luxury hotel group. The hotel has rooms from €120 per room per night in early December, not including breakfast.

Fly there with Easyjet from Luton and Gatwick, Malev from Gatwick, BA from Heathrow, Wizzair from Luton, Jet2 from Manchester and Ryanair from Bristol, Dublin, East Midlands or Glasgow.

For more information on Hungary visit gotohungary.co.uk.