The Magic of Christmas comes to Vörösmarty Square

Some claim it's what Eastern European cities were made for - the magical, fairytale Christmas market with sizzling sausages, mugs of warm, frothy mead and hot wine and stalls laden with enough homespun treats and trinkets to keep Santa in business until the New Year. And Budapest's extravagant Christmas market does it just as well as anywhere else - if not better.

This year the fair opened on 20 November in Vrsmarty Square and was thronging with hordes of locals and tourists from day one eager to snap up that unique Hungarian special something and it'll stay open until just before New Year on the 29 December. Adding to the magical feel, everyday between 1 and 24 December the Gerbeaud Confectionary, which faces the square, will become the festival's very own giant Advent Calender. At 5pm on each day a modern work of art will be unveiled from one its windows to the chimes of Szilvia Krszy, until all 24 are displayed by 24 December, creating an original and eye-catching highlight to the festivities.

Stalls will be selling typical Hungarian crafted goods included leather goods, glass, ceramics, wooden toys, furs, rugs, fabrics, hand-blown glass figures, wrought-iron goods, candles, bags. If you're feeling peckish then make a bee-line for one of the grill stalls where you can munch your way through Tki pompos, a Hungarian bread dough baked in a clay oven and Krtskalcs, a traditional hollow, cylinder-shaped pastry. All the old favourites will be on sale including roasted chestnuts, mulled wine, palinka, grilled meat with onions and apple strudel.

Daily entertainment from Hungarian folk bands will give you the chance to warm-up by doing a little jig by the centre stage, and puppet shows, gingerbread cookery demonstrations and, of course, old St.Nicholas himself dropping by, should him appease any little ones.

And finally, this being Eastern Europe and not slushy South London, you can bet on a few seasonal snowflakes to make this one event that'll be picture postcard perfect.