The Budapest Wine Festival is a great opportunity to taste award-winning Hungarian and international wines, champagnes, cavas, local gastronomy, or just relax and admire the fantastic view from the terraces of Buda Castle.
This is one of our most favourite festivals in Hungary which we try to visit each year. This year the event will be held at a larger, more spacious area of the renewed castle with more places to sit.
Quick Links:
Why Should You Go? – Opening Hours – Getting There – Tickets – Tasting Prices – Payment – Main Programs – Gastronomy – Concerts & Other Programs
Why Go To The Wine Festival?
The wine festival in Buda Castle is one of the biggest and most prominent events in the Hungarian capital – organised for the 31st time in 2022 – so if you happen to be visiting our city at the beginning of September do include it in your program.
It offers countless programs at a must-see, historic location that you would drop by anyway.
Even if you are not a wine lover you will find something that picks your interest:
- Fine food – there’s a series of food booths offering quality streetfood and culinary specialties- do viist the Chef Market Gourmet Food Court
- Concerts, and Cultural programs,
Overall a wonderful atmopshere within a historical setting!
During The Festival You Can
- Taste delightful wines and local and international gastronomy specialties
- Learn about the history of Hungarian wines and wine growing,
- Meet renowned wine makers,
- Listen to folk music and other concerts performed on two stages,
- Enjoy the scenic view from the terraces of Buda Castle
- Meet and/or make friends.
Every wine maker in Hungary that counts will be present so don’t hesitate to go up to the castle and explore the Taste Of Hungary stands.
Wines in Buda Castle – Best Of Hungary & 3 USA States
Besides local wines – around 200 wineries from all parts of Hungary – several foreign wine distributors exhibit their products as well.
The biggest names come from 3 wine growing states of the USA:
- California: Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, Lodi, Monterey
- Orgeon: Willamette Valley, Walla Walla Valley and
- Washington: yakima Valley, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills, Cold Creek Vineyard.
This is the place also to sample the Vinagora Award Winners, a prestigious wine contest for Hungarian wine makers.
Opening Hours:
- 08-09, Sept, Thurs – Fri: 14.00 – 24.00
- 10. Sept, Sat: 12.00 – 24.00
- 11. Sept, Sun: 12.00 – 22.00
Cashiers close at 1 hour before closing time!
Venue
- Terraces of the Royal Palace in Buda
- Address: Budapest 1014
Getting There:
- Bus No. 16 from – Note: Pest due to the reconstruction of the Chain Bridge you can get on the bus at Clark Adam Square (buda end of the Chain Bridge/Lánchíd
- Buses No. 16. , No. 16A, and No. 116 from Széll Kálmán tér in Buda (M2 metro or tram 6 stop)
- Funicular from Clark Adam tér (Buda end of the Chain Bridge).
TIP: Learn more about the Budapest International Wine Festival’s main venue, the historic Buda Castle District.
Ticket Prices:
Included Are In The Day Tickets
Upon validating your ticket at the entrance you’ll receive
- A crystal tasting glass, a
- Small glass holding bag
Ticket holders can visit the permanent exhibits of the Budapest History Museum free of charge (housed in the Royal Palace, building “E”).
- Daily Ticket Thursday: 5 900 HUF,
- Daily Ticket Friday: 6 400 HUF,
- Daily Ticket Saturday: 6 400 HUF,
- Daily Ticket Sunday: 5 500 HUF.
Note: Entry is free for children under 14 – they will receive a special wristband at the cashier.
Tasting Prices
- Depending on the wine maker and the quality of the wine, price of 1 dl wine starts from around 1 200 – 1 500 HUF.
- For a pricier glass you will pay around 2 000 – 3 000/dl, or more
Payment At The Festival
The festival is cash-free meaning that you can only pay with:
- Contactless Bank Card (Mastercard payPass, Visa Paywave) or with
- Festipay card that you top up with as much money as you want at the designated Top-Up Points. There is a minimum balance of 2 000 HUF, and a 500 HUF deposit will be deducted that you will get back upon returning the card back.
- You can add more money to the card at any time and as often you want but there is a fee of 200 HUF if you use bank card. No fee is charged if you top up with cash.
- The remaining balance will be refunded when you return the Festipay card.
- There is a top up fee of 200 HUF when you top up your card with a debit/credit card.
Programs 2022
Wine Exhibition & Fair
Venue: Buda Castle – Palace terraces,
More than 200 wine distributors exhibit their products from Hungarian wine regions and foreign countries as well.
A novelty this year that thematic routes help visitors find their way around the dazzlingly wide selection of local wineries and wines.
Chef Market Gourmet Food Court Offering Delicacies
A series of top quality restaurants and street food places will be present at the festival.
So if you feel like splurging and tasting fine bistro food or just having burger you have both options.
Grab some tasty street food between two glasses of wine on the gastro promenade
(Click to enlarge the map of the food court, opens in ne window):
Those who wish to have lighter snacks can choose from
- Strudel,
- Scones,
- Töki pompos (a flat bread-like pastry baked in oven), and
- A selection of cheeses.
Bobajka
A newly opened restaurant in Tarcal (Tokaj wine region) – they specialize in Hungarian and international dishes prepared in modern from.
YAMA Restaurant – Asian-Fusion Food
A newcomer in Budapest’s restaurant scene YAMA offers Asian-fusion cuisine.
FELIX Kitchen & Bar
FELIX combines fine gastronomy and bar culture with contemporary art.
They are located at Várkert Bazaar, the beautifully restored historic series of buildings at the foot of Buda Castle.
See their website for the menu.
Arany Kaviár Restaurant
Arany Kaviár is one of the top fine dining places of Budapest.
Trattoria Notte
This cozy ristorante from zsámbék town brings Italian flavours to the courtyard of Buda Castle.
Smokey Monkies BBQ
Barbecue meat, burgers.
Black Box BBQ
New wave, gourmet burgers perfectly matched with wines.
Ami Burger
A variety of tasty hamburgers.
Dr. Ignácz Sausage Manufacture
Polezhaev Tradition, Caviar and smoked fish
Premium category caviar products and smoked fish.
Sellyei Quail “Elite Smoked Flavor!”
Dziugas – Cheese
High-quality Lithuanian, matured cheeses.
Bolka Chocolates & Desserts
At the booth of this small manufacture you can have delicous chocolate and other sweet creations.
Coffer & HERZ New York Coffee Roasters
If you need a caffeine shot these to specialty coffe roasters will provide you with a nice cuppa. Made from high-quality, freshly roasted small batch origin Arabica beans.
At Coffer you can also quench your thirst with refreshing lemonades and fruit spritzers made from real fruit.
The Gerbeaud Confectionery provides for the desserts usually offering a novelty besides their assortment of cakes, pastries and ice cream.
Concerts and Other Programs on the Main Stage
Come to the Hungarian capital in early September, and enjoy not only the warm and sunny end-of-summer weather but the programs of the Budapest Wine Festival!
And taste great Hungarian wines!
TIP: See also recommended places for wine tasting in and outside Budapest! Find more program and things to do recommendations for September 2022.
More Wine Tasting Options
Visit also some of the top wine bars in Budapest!
More Events & Festivals:
Jewish Summer Festival – Folk Art Festival in Buda Castle – Budapest Summer Festival – Sziget Festival – Beer Festivals in Budapest
