Veszprém’s Castle District is welcoming winter with candlelit charm, award-winning exhibitions, and guided walks that open spaces usually closed to the public. December’s festive schedule brings short days and long shadows to the Baroque streets, with bells echoing around Holy Trinity Square (Szentháromság tér) and soft light washing the façades. The Archdiocesan Tourism Center invites visitors not just to stroll Castle Street (Vár utca) but to step inside palaces, chapels, and exhibitions that trace a thousand years of history. The Biró–Giczey House is the Baroque gateway to it all: the starting point for guided tours, home to the gift shop, and host to free exhibitions including the 2025 Exhibition of the Year winner “Bogáncs és liliom – Magdolnák virágai” (Thistle and Lily – The Flowers of the Magdalenes).
Festive Opening Hours
December brings special hours across the district. Doors stay closed from December 22–26. From December 27–30 (Saturday–Tuesday), everything runs 10:00–18:00, then on December 31 (Wednesday) from 10:00–15:00. Outside the holidays, it’s business as usual: Monday closed; Tuesday–Friday 17:00–19:00; Saturday–Sunday 10:00–18:00. The gift shop at the Biró–Giczey House is open on weekends 10:00–18:00. All exhibitions are free during opening hours.
Guided Castle Walks
Weekends feature the most popular program, with departures at 11:30, 14:00, and 16:00 from the Biró–Giczey House. These walks open doors you can’t access on your own:
– Archbishop’s Palace: Baroque interiors, renewed spaces, and special artworks.
– Gizella Chapel: One of the district’s oldest sacred spaces, where medieval fresco fragments create a quiet, timeworn mood.
– St. Michael’s Cathedral and crypt: The city’s defining basilica, where the story of Veszprém unfolds through the cathedral’s past and the crypt’s medieval details.
– St. George’s Chapel: An ancient memorial site in the heart of the castle, visitable only with a guide.
What’s Inside the Biró–Giczey House
Every exhibition is free to enter:
– Bogáncs és liliom – Magdolnák virágai (Thistle and Lily – The Flowers of the Magdalenes): The 2025 award-winner pairs objects, engravings, and contemporary reflections on Mary Magdalene with thoughts from Blessed Mária Magdolna Bódi.
– “Pantry Exhibition” – Details from the Cathedral’s past: Baroque-era objects, liturgical elements, and photographs over 100 years old.
– “Not a Chapter Head” – Interactive: A playful, clear look at who the canons were and how the Veszprém chapter worked.
– Archaeological exhibition: The Castle Hill’s evolving settlement history and finds, staged with striking installations.
Day-by-Day: December 27–31
December 27–28 (Saturday–Sunday): Guided Castle Walks at 11:30, 14:00, 16:00. Themed routes:
– Walk of Light and Devotion: Archbishop’s Palace + Gizella Chapel at 11:30 and 16:00.
– A Thousand Years’ Path: Cathedral + crypt + St. George’s Chapel at 14:00. Starts at the Biró–Giczey House.
December 29 (Monday): Same schedule—11:30, 14:00, 16:00. Tickets and info in the gift shop.
December 30 (Tuesday): Same themed departures—11:30 and 16:00 for Light and Devotion; 14:00 for A Thousand Years’ Path. Tickets and info in the gift shop.
December 31 (Wednesday): Final day of the year with two tours only—11:30 (Light and Devotion) and 14:00 (A Thousand Years’ Path). Group size capped at 25. Exhibitions remain free.
What’s Next in Veszprém
December 31, 2025: Old Year’s Ramble with a toast.
January 17, 2026: Menopause Tour, tickets from USD 28 to USD 71.
March 27, 2026: Lord of the Dance – 30th Anniversary Tour, tickets from USD 33 to USD 55.
May 24, 2026: 4th Veszprém Triathlon Festival.
July 10–19, 2026: Rosé, Riesling and Jazz Festival (Rozé, Rizling és Jazz Fesztivál).
July 15, 2026: Juanes – VeszprémFest 2026, tickets from USD 52 to USD 77.
July 15–18, 2026: VeszprémFest, tickets from USD 5 to USD 77.
July 16, 2026: Beth Hart – VeszprémFest 2026, tickets USD 68.
July 17, 2026: Kraftwerk – VeszprémFest 2026, tickets from USD 52 to USD 71.
July 18, 2026: Pink Martini – VeszprémFest 2026, tickets from USD 52 to USD 71.
July 23–25, 2026: Veszprém Street Music Festival.
August 3–9, 2026: Auer Festival.
August 13–19, 2026: 30th Cell-Cup Veszprém International Handball Festival.
