Budapest Cruises on Aug 20

Enjoy a relaxing daytime cruise or a spectacular evening Fireworks Cruise on Aug 20, and celebrate Hungary’s birthday!

Due to the preparations for the evening Fireworks Show, daytime cruising stops after 5pm. The Fireworks Cruises (with or without dinner) start at 7pm or 7.30pm. Please note that during the Fireworks Show (approx. 9-9.45pm) the ships are not allowed to cruise by law.

What do Hungarians celebrate on August 20?

August 20 is the Magyar national holiday, the fireworks and all the Budapest events on this day are a triple celebration: we are here to celebrate the birth of the Hungarian State (our Constitution).

Secondly, this is also the day of the first Hungarian saint: the first Hungarian King, St Stephen (Szent Istvan), who turned the less civilised Magyar tribes wandering for many centuries into settled down Christians (with many bloody sacrifice, as you will see the Gellert Monument – Bishop Gellert was thrown from the Gellert Hill by the pagans…).

Thirdly, August 20 is also the day when we celebrate the birth of the new bread. Yes, and the new bread is consecrated with great promenades and festivities in the Buda Castle on the Castle Hill of Budapest (it is a must do to visit the Buda Castle for its special celebrations before your river Danube night cruise).