Enjoy the Budapest Fireworks Show from the river Danube, offering one of the best spectacles of the celebratory Fireworks event paired with a versatile, all you can eat Buffet Dinner and all you can drink Open Bar. The culinary event is not only enhanced by the Fireworks Show but also enlivened by live music.
One of the most well known Danube river dinner cruises is the annual summer Budapest Fireworks Cruise scheduled for August 20, which is the oldest national holiday of Hungarians celebrated with a spectacular fireworks show (on par with a NYE show). The sparkling fireworks enlightens the unique riverbank sights in Budapest, as the cruise ship sails past the string of UNESCO Heritage attractions.
Book your Fireworks Cruise in advance as seats are limited and guaranteed to sell out.
This is the day when the city of Budapest attracts hundreds of thousands of extra visitors each year (many locals and foreigners pulled to Budapest for this single event), which means that the river side will be full of spectators (the ship offers a haven for visitors who wish to escape the hustle and bustle and also wish to make sure that entertainment and easy to access sanitary options are also available without having to mingle in the crowds).
Fireworks Dinner Cruise with Live Music Inclusions
The Fireworks Evening Cruise in Budapest includes the following:
- 155 minute program between 7 pm and 9.35 pm when all the sights are glowing in lights (the official fireworks show starts at 9 pm; during the show no ships are allowed to cruise, all are anchored)
- Budapest Fireworks show from 9 pm – enjoy the Fireworks from our boat tour on the river Danube!
- Buffet Dinner prepared by Peter Molnarka Hungarian star chef
- Live Music by the Hungarian Gypsy Trio
- Unlimited Drink Pack: the ticket includes the open bar – wines, beers, sparkling wine / prosecco, soft drinks (still and sparkling), tea, coffee
- No guide is included – kindly note that there is no commentary about the river sights on this dinner cruise
- E-Ticket via email (no printing needed, just show your digital voucher on your phone)
Schedule Fireworks River Cruise & Show
The Fireworks river cruise is one of the most special and most spectacular river boat tours in Budapest.
7 pm to 8.30 pm – Cruising: The Danube cruise is basically a 90 minute river cruise from 7 pm to 8.30 pm
8.30 pm – 9pm – Ship gets to allocated place. Please note that river vehicles are to be stationary between 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm on the inner city sections of the river Danube to make sure that the Fireworks Show is carried out in safety by minimising fire hazard (the precaution of the Budapest local government). During the Fireworks Show the boat will not be allowed to cruise. Therefore the sightseeing ‘tour’ part of the programme is scheduled before the fireworks show begins. But as many a thousand spectators crowd the riverbanks, you will have a perfectly convenient seat to watch the Fireworks Show from.
9pm – 9.35 pm Fireworks Show over the Danube. Right after the ships on the Danube get to their docks / allocated places, the river cruise program continues with watching the Fireworks show in the heart of Budapest city. Bring your best camera to cherish your memories of this one of a kind summer event.
approx. 9.40pm – The program finishes
Price of Budapest Fireworks Cruise Ticket
€99 / Adults
€99 / Students
€99 / Children
The tickets for the special edition boat cruise on August 20 are 99 Euros. Unfortunately no concession is available as the boats get pre-booked at full price in advance. Normally no tickets are available on the day of the national holiday, so we suggest pre-booking to secure your upfront Fireworks seats. Book now to get your river cruise tickets now.
Booking Budapest Fireworks Cruise Tickets
You can buy tickets online in advance via our online Fireworks Show & Dinner Cruise booking form:
Buffet Dinner Menu of Fireworks River Cruise
The all inclusive buffet style dinner menu made by the Hungarian star chef Attila Tanacs, includes various cold and hot meals, including vegetarian options as follows:
Starters / Appetizers
SOUPS on the Budapest Fireworks Cruise
- Goulash soup with handmade Egg Noodles in Alfold style (i.e. the Great Plain style in Hungary, which is the best of the many varieties of goulash soups in Hungary)
- Tarragon Veggie Soup with handmade Egg Noodles
MAIN courses on the Budapest Fireworks Cruise
- Mini Stuffed Cabbage
- Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
- Turkey Cutlets with vegetables in parsley sauce
- Csongrad style Pork in Garlic Sauce
- Chicken Breast Paprika
SIDE DISHES on the Aug 20 Fireworks Cruise
- Boiled Potatoes (V)
- Potato Lángos (V)
- Egg Noodles (V)
- Steamed Jasmine Rice with Corn (V)
VEGETARIAN DISHES on the Budapest Fireworks Ship
- Grilled Polenta terrine with Feta Cheese (V)
- Grilled Vegetables (V)
- Tarragon Soup (V)
- Many of the Salads, as seen below
SALADS on the Budapest Fireworks boat trip
- Corn Salad with Dill and Yoghurt Dressing (V)
- Vinaigrette Potato Salad (V)
- Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream Dressing (V)
- Caesar Salad (V)
DESSERTS on the Budapest Fireworks Ship
- Somlo style Sponge Cake pudding (V)
- Mini Tiramisu cup (V)
- Blueberry Fruit Cream with chocolate sponge cake (V)
- Chocolate Mousse (V)
Unlimited Drink Package of Fireworks River Cruise
The Open Bar on the Budapest FireworksDinner River Cruise contains the following beverages:
Wines – some of the best Hungarian wines from outstanding winemakers:
- Bardosi Pinot Grigio 2014
- Szekszárdi Civilis Cuvée 2013
- Jandl Soproni Kékfrankos 2013
- Juhász Kékfrankos Rosé 2013/14
Beers:
- Dreher
- Dreher Bak
- Dreher alcohol-free
- Miller
- Kozel
- Dreher (draft beer)
- Pilsner Urquell (draft beer)
Hungarian Sparkling Wine
- Dry Hungarian Sparkling Wine, Sweet Hungarian Sparkling Wine
Soft Drinks:
- Soda / Pops
- Juices (Toma and Rauch products)
- Bottled Mineral water (Szentkiralyi)
Hot drinks
- Coffee (Espresso) (Segafredo)
- Tea (Dilmah)
Dock Fireworks River Cruise in Budapest
The meeting point of the Fireworks Cruise can be on the Buda or the Pest side, depending on the ticket type you purchase. Please read your confirmation email carefully to see the actual ship and meeting point.
Please note that all seats on the cruise ship are pre-booked, no drop-ins are accepted.
Miscellaneous Info about the Budapest Fireworks
Please note that the fireworks are by nature a noisy event, which is not recommended for toddlers, smaller children and pets. If you have sensitive ears, and you are generally hurt by firework shows, we recommend using earplugs during the event of the Budapest Fireworks.
After the Fireworks the roads and streets are full of crowds, so it will definitely take more time to get to your hotel in Budapest or to other Budapest bars to further celebrate the event.
The Hungarian Fireworks show is rich in its colours and rhythms. That said, the national symbols, like the colours of the national tricolour of the Hungarian flag get more weight in the colour scheme (the Hungarian flag is red-white-green stripes, sort of like the Italian flag, but ours is horizontally striped not vertically).