Advent Feast at the Basilica Named “Best Christmas Market of All Time”

Budapest achieved a historic success in the European Best Destinations online vote, as the Advent Feast at the Basilica was awarded the title of “Best Christmas Market of All Time,” the organizers announced.

This year, the Advent Feast at the Basilica in Budapest did not take part in the annual competition, but still received an unprecedented recognition as it reached the top of the list of the “Best Christmas Markets in Europe All Stars Edition,” writes Csodálatos Magyarország. This title was awarded for the first time, as a special edition celebrating the best of Europe’s Christmas fairs.

The European Best Destinations (EBD) organization has been ranking Europe’s best Christmas fairs for more than 20 years, based on the votes of millions of travelers. The Advent Feast at the Basilica has been at the forefront of the annual awards for many years, and has deservedly been included in the new All Stars Edition.

The Budapest fair has been regularly entered by the organizers in previous years and has usually achieved huge success.

Last year, it won the title of Europe’s Best Christmas Market for the fourth time, beating London, Vienna, Brussels, and Prague by a record number of votes.

Budapest’s most decorated Christmas market awaits visitors with a beautiful winter wonderland in front of St. Stephen’s Basilica until January 1st.

This year, the Advent Feast at the Basilica – opened on November 15 – welcomes visitors with a stunning new layout and exciting new features to get into the festive spirit. At the heart of the fair is a beautifully decorated 12-meter tall Christmas tree.

The area in front of the Christmas tree is also a delight for music lovers, with live festive performances several times a week.

The most popular feature of the market is still the 3D light painting projected onto the façade of the Basilica that enchants visitors every half hour.

In between, visitors can use interactive selfie points to project their own designs and Christmas messages onto the building and share them with their loved ones.

On Sundays, the candles of the large Advent wreath in the square are lit in an intimate ceremony, reminding everyone of the true spirit of the holiday.

This year, the organizers have made a special effort to offer a budget-friendly selection of food and drink. The daily menus are available at a fixed price of HUF 1,600 (EUR 3.86), while the themed gastronomic weekends are available at a maximum price of HUF 2,500 (EUR 6).

Via Csodálatos Magyarország, Featured image: Facebook/Advent Bazilika