Hanukkah Lights Up Miskolc And Budapest

Celebrate Hanukkah in Budapest, Szentendre, and Miskolc with candle lighting, donuts, skating, HanuCaravan, workshops, and family fun across historic squares and synagogues. Join nightly festivities and community joy.

when: 2025.12.14., Sunday - 2025.12.21., Sunday, Szentendre

where: Hungary, -

web: zsidoprogramok.hu 🕎

Hanukkah gets its “festival of lights” nickname for a reason. In the darkest stretch of winter, we’re all craving brightness and simple joy, so this year the plan is to bring down the stars themselves to light up every festive evening.

Miskolc: Let’s Light Up Downtown

2025.12.14. — The flames of Hanukkah carry hope and optimism through the dark. Let the hanukkiah’s candles glow inside, while LED jugglers’ torches dazzle outside in Miskolc Center. Address: 3525 Miskolc, Széchenyi István Street 111.

Szentendre: Outdoor Glow and Synagogue Escape

2025.12.14. 16:00 — Light, donuts, candlelight — that’s the Hanukkah mix. A winter celebration of perseverance, hope, and miracles, the story and its eight days of oil still speak today. Szentendre won’t go without the holiday vibe or programs. Schedule at Flowers and Wishes Square (Virágok és Kívánságok Tere) and Jewish House Szentendre (Zsidóház Szentendre, 2000 Szentendre, Pátriarka Street 6): 16:00 outdoor candle lighting with prayer, donuts, hot chocolate, mulled wine, and fun; 16:45 walk to the synagogue by candlelight; 17:00 synagogue escape room with a Hanukkah theme; 18:30 program ends; 19:00 doors close.

Hanukkah Nights in Szentendre

2025.12.14.–12.21. — Join every evening at Flowers and Wishes Square (Virágok és Kívánságok Tere) to kindle the lights together. Expect songs, donuts, and hora dancing. Times: 12.14. 16:00; 12.15.–12.18., 12.20.–12.21. at 17:30. Host: Jewish House Szentendre (Zsidóház Szentendre), 2000 Szentendre, Pátriarka Street 6.

Budapest: Hello Buda, Hello Hanukkah

2025.12.15. 18:00 — The energetic Hegyvidék community meets at Hello Buda for skating, kosher hot chocolate, tea, mulled wine, tasty donuts, and, of course, a glowing hanukkiah. Address: 1025 Budapest, Törökvész Road 93/A.

Party Robot Crashes the Party

2025.12.16. 18:00 — Artificial intelligence is everywhere, but an artificial human only hits this bash. Hanukkah means joy: candles, the triumphant story, donuts, cocoa, tea, and serious dancing. A guest straight from the future? The Party Robot is celebrating too — and won’t miss the city’s best party. Location: Móricz Zsigmond Square (Móricz Zsigmond körtér).

Hanukkah Gift Stand, Nyugati Square

2025.12.14.–12.21. — Opening hours: Dec 14–18, 12:00–19:00; Dec 19, 10:00–14:00; Dec 20, 17:00–19:00; Dec 21, 12:00–19:00. Address: Nyugati Square (Nyugati tér).

Kids Bake and Make

2025.12.17. 16:00 — Kiddietime’s first Hanukkah bash blends your favorite kids’ program with your favorite winter holiday. Bake Moroccan donuts, sfenj, and craft a hanukkiah. Free, registration required: titkarsag@zsidogimnazium.hu. Venue: Maimonides Elementary and High School (Maimonidész Általános Iskola és Gimnázium), 1036 Budapest, Tímár Street 16.

Budapest HanuCaravan

2025.12.20. — Fire up the season with a glowing car convoy that has brightened Budapest’s winter streets for years. Bring your car to the Óbuda parking lot at 8 Galagonya Street (Galagonya u. 8) and turn it into a rolling hanukkiah in minutes. The convoy cruises to the central hanukkiah at Nyugati Square (Nyugati tér), where the first light is kindled on arrival. Start: Óbuda, 8 Galagonya Street. Finish: Nyugati Square. Organizer: EMIH office.

Miskolc Candle-Making Workshop

2025.12.21. — Make candles to amp up the glow. Register by email at zsidohaz.miskolc@zsido.com; limited spots. Ticket: $5.49 per person. Venue: Jewish House Miskolc (Zsidóház Miskolc), 3525 Miskolc, Kazinczy Ferenc Street 12.

Buda Castle Lights and Skates

2025.12.21. 16:00 — Time again to light up Buda Castle. Join us for candle lighting, donuts, dancing, and soaring spirits by the hanukkiah at Kapisztrán Square (Kapisztrán tér), Buda Castle District. Then, 21:00 — HanuSkate at City Park Ice Rink (Városligeti Műjégpálya), 1146 Budapest, Olof Palme Promenade 5. Own the rink, the donuts, and piping-hot tea. Perks: kosher donut and hot tea; prize for the sharpest Hanukkah outfit. Free for kids under 6.

The organizers reserve the right to change times and programs.

2025, adminboss

Pros

Family-friendly vibe with donuts, skating, kids’ crafts, and an escape room that keeps all ages happy

Multiple dates and cities (Budapest, Szentendre, Miskolc) give you options to fit a winter itinerary

Budapest and Buda Castle are iconic and well-known to U.S. travelers, so the main venues feel familiar and safe

Jewish holidays and Hanukkah are widely known in the U.S., making the theme easy to connect with even if you’re not observant

Little to no Hungarian needed: events use simple rituals, and Budapest’s Jewish community often provides English-friendly support

Easy transit: venues like Nyugati tér, Móricz Zsigmond körtér, and Buda Castle are on major public transport lines; rideshares and taxis are plentiful

Compared with holiday light festivals elsewhere, the mix of religious ritual, public dance, skating, and a car “HanuCaravan” feels unique and Instagrammable - Smaller cities like Miskolc and Szentendre are less known to foreign visitors, so planning logistics may take extra research

Cons

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Some activities happen outdoors in December cold; families with toddlers may need quick warm-up options

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A few items require registration or have changing times, so spontaneity is limited

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Compared to big U.S. Hanukkah or Christmas markets, vendor variety and scale may feel more local and modest