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[title]Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Budapest with a rooftop champagne party, dinner on the Danube or immersed in thermal water!
Among the many great ways to see in 2026, you can take the kids to an afternoon disco at the city’s most popular club, Be Massive with the city’s hottest DJs in the shadow of Buda Castle or go glam with the Brody crew.
Award-winning party spot A38 is staging a queer rave, there’s neon cabaret on Dob utca while Time Out Market Budapest is going full-on disco, prefaced by a champagne celebration the night before.
Where can I see the fireworks on NYE?
If you’re out and about, remember that you can’t let off fireworks in the city centre, and there’s no official display exploding over Budapest’s bridges at midnight. Pick your prime vantage point, however, Gellért Hill, Fishermen’s Bastion, a rooftop bar or a cruise boat on the Danube, and you’ll be treated to a random light show as locals take to their balconies across town to let off their own fireworks, as soon as darkness falls and long beyond.
Where to party like it’s 2026
Party-mad Budapest loves to push the boat out on New Year’s Eve. The crew at Be Massive has picked a prime spot to let its DJs spin you into 2026: the Várkert Bazár (Ybl Miklós tér 2-6, 1013 Budapest), the Castle gardens overlooking the Danube and riverside cityscape in the shadow of the former Royal Palace. Underground techno and house sounds crank up from 10pm. Tickets (Ft 9,990-12,090/€26-31.40) includes three hours’ free on-site parking on a first-come basis.
To rave than in the heart of Budapest, hit Carnival Countdown at the Akvárium Klub (Erzsébet tér 12, 1051 Budapest), three parties in one central square, in halls big and small and the intimate Lokál alongside. Dance tunes from the new century should see in 2026 with a bang – doors open from 9pm, advance tickets from Ft 12,990/€34.
Deep in Budapest’s party hub of District VII, Instant-Fogas (Akácfa utca 51, 1073 Budapest) a mega nightspot of six dancefloors and 18 bars, all soaked in ruin-bar vibes, suits groups looking to get their groove on whether it’s banging electro or Latin rhythms. A little planning helps, all the same, as pre-sale tickets for Budapest Panorama are Ft 16,000 (€41.50) and means you skip the queue of those having to wait in the cold to pay Ft 19,000 (€49) on the door. There’s even a late bird price of Ft 7,000 (€18) for those creeping in after 4am, when the place should still be rocking.
The Brody House (Bródy Sándor utca 10, 1088 Budapest) gang are greeting 2026 with a sparkle at their shiny Up Yer Glitter bash for NYE – think punk-glam-disco-revival at an arty retreat by the National Museum. Your evening may start with a three-course meal (Ft 30,000/€78 + service) from 7pm or you can cut to the chase and party with the cosmopolitan crowd from 9pm (Ft 10,000/€26) well into the New Year – secure your spot by emailing access@brody.house.
Nearby on Blaha Lujza tér, the NYE Disco Party by Absolut (Ft 4,990/€13 inc 2 drinks) at Time Out Market Budapest treats guests to classic dance hits below twirling disco balls, festive cocktails and champagne served at three bars, and varied quality eats at 11 dining outlets. The party rocks Corvin Palace between 6pm and 1am.
Baths & bubbly
Spa capital Budapest has been holding parties at its ornate Széchenyi Baths (Állatkerti körút 9-11, 1146 Budapest) for Saturday nights immemorial. For this NYE, Sparty shifts to Tuesday, December 30, 9.30pm-2am. You can still snag Premium (€105) and Express Superior (€195) tickets online, but do snap yours up pronto. And if you need to recharge and get ready for all the revelry to come, there’s a year-end sauna marathon at the Széchenyi on this Sunday, December 28, comprising three 15-minute sessions through the afternoon.
On December 31 itself, the Rudas (Döbrentei tér 9, 1013 Budapest) spa is ringing in 2026 in relaxed fashion (‘Bathe in the Old Year, Sparkle in the New Year’) with midnight champagne, dance and juggling shows, dinner optional, thermal soaking a given. Its panoramic Jacuzzi overlooking the Budapest’s spectacular skyline, this should be the most romantic option, provided tickets (€78/with dinner €122, both inc 3 drinks) haven’t already gone. The event runs 9pm-2am and you can borrow a towel when you’re there.
Wherever you’re overdoing it on December 31, the Rudas throws open its doors to all-comers from 10am on New Year’s Day with its special Hangover Ticket (€46), which also includes a glass of champagne (or lemonade) while you soak away your woes.
Champagne is the focus at the Winelovers’ Sparkling Night at the InterContinental Budapest (Apáczai Csere János utca 12-14, 1052 Budapest), where 100 brands can be sampled with a Danube view. All takes place on Monday, December 29, 5pm-10pm, pre-sale tickets Ft 15,900/€41 (Ft 29,800/€77 for two), Ft 18,900 (€49) on the door.
The next day, December 30, Time Out Market Budapest (Blaha Lujza tér 1, 1085 Budapest) hosts a pre-New Year’s Eve Champagne Master Class, live music provided by Jazzpiknik. Tickets (Ft 24,500/€63.60) entitle you to ten samplings, water also provided. The event runs 6pm-11pm.
Cruises & luxury dining
For those happy to splurge, NYE in Budapest means luxury in a five-star setting, whether that’s in the heart of town or sailing along the Danube. There are still places available for a €200/head booze cruise, leaving 10pm from the Chain Bridge, with unlimited drinking but only snacks at midnight. A live DJ keeps the party going inside until 3am, with an open terrace to take in the sights. For dinner, too, there are still tickets (€352) remaining for another boat leaving Vigadó tér (Dock 5) at 8pm, returning at 2am. For the more party-minded, it’s got a bar, DJ and dance floor.
Other options may still be available from the same website, but hurry!
Reservations for luxury dining at Budapest’s high-end hotels also sell out fast – you should still be able to book a place at Robert De Niro’s Nobu at the Kempinski, where a seven-course Omakase menu comes with live Latin sounds. Full pre-payment of Ft 100,000/€260 + 15% service is required when you reserve. Dinner is served at 9pm. Under the same roof, a five-course menu is being served at The Living Room (Ft 90,000/€234 +15% service, full pre-payment required), which becomes a Champagne Salon for the occasion, top-quality brands poured to your heart’s content until midnight.
The NYE Gala at the Aria (Hercegprímás utca 5, 1051 Budapest; Ft 159,000/€413) is a moveable feast, from the Music Garden on the piano-themed ground floor to rooftop partying at the High Note Skybar from midnight onwards. In between, there’s a six-course dinner and unlimited drinking until 2am. Lucy Márkus and her band provide jazzy sounds downstairs, a DJ and saxophonist accompany the rooftop cityscape.
There’s still a handful of tickets – literally! – going for the Let’s Gatsby party at the Orfeum in the Corinthia (Erzsébet körút 43-49, 1073 Budapest), where guests will be treated to a whole evening’s live entertainment (7.30pm-midnight) from the Roaring Twenties, dancing, cabaret and music. After that, a DJ takes over. Tickets (Ft 64,900-79,900/€168-208) include a buffet meal and welcome drink). Note that these are standing places at assigned tables – and dressing-up Twenties’ style is encouraged!
Family-friendly NYE fun
Be Massive DJ legends might be banging out tunes way past midnight at the Várkert Bazár (see above Where to party) but BM spinmasters Metha, Avika and Mesterházy offer a taste of what’s in store with a few hours of child-friendly techno at the PomPom NYE’25 party on December 31 between 4pm and 7pm. Budapest’s youngest swingers will be throwing shapes at the downtown Akvárium Klub (Erzsébet tér 12, 1051 Budapest) – before the music starts, there’s a creative workshop and a dolls’ playroom. Individual admission is Ft 4,300/€11, Ft 13,000/€33.75 for a family of four. Babes in arms/prams enter free.
For fun from the morning on, Hello Buda Daytime (Törökvész út 93A, 1025 Budapest) starts up at 11am and runs for 12 hours straight, combining skating, live music and DJ sets, plus meaty delights provided by Buja Disznók and CAFAT Pulled Pork & BBQ. The first champagne corks start popping at noon… Admission prices depend on when you can make it, starting from Ft 3,000/€8 up to 3pm, and rising to Ft 10,000/€26 for the evening session.
Woo hoo! Wild and wonderful NYE events
If fine dining and champagne sampling sound a bit mainstream and you’re looking for something out there, then board the good ship A38 for its Garçons + Hello Budapest New Year’s Eve party, involving sexy dancers and the city’s coolest drag queens on two dance floors and a big floating lounge. The A38 is exceptional whatever the occasion, part cargo vessel part party boat with a huge hull/unique live venue and decks for DJ decks moored on the Buda side of Petőfi Bridge once the Garçons and Hello Budapest teams get their mitts on it, it becomes one of most magical queer-friendly events in the calendar. Gangplank opens at 10.30pm, then garçons keep swinging until 5am. Entry is a snip at Ft 12,000/€31, VIP tickets Ft 25,000/€65.
Drag artists, zombies, Christmas witches and Santas share the stage at the New Year's Eve Revue by Red Neon, a cabaret troupe dreamed up by leading local theatre company Kultúrbrigád. Evoking the atmosphere of pre-war Budapest nightlife, Vörös (‘Red’) Neon perform their song, dance and comedy routines at a recently opened spot (Dob utca 1, 1074 Budapest) at the gateway to the Jewish Quarter. While the show isn’t particularly English-friendly, it does feature some of the most revered names treading the boards today. Curtain rises for the main act at 11.15pm but the party gets going from 5pm, and the Winter Dream swings into action from 6pm. Mingle and you’ll meet a bunch of interesting people. Advance tickets start at Ft 4,990/€13 or it’s Ft 6,990/€18 on the door.
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