What's the weather like in Budapest in January
January is the coldest month of the year in Budapest, Hungary, with freezing temperatures. The days are usually shorter and cloudy and the average precipitation remains relatively low, around 40mm.
Rainfall
Rainfall doesn't vary much throughout the entire year and the amount of rainfall in January is slightly below the average. 40mm of precipitation is spread out across 11 days with rainfall. This means that, although it is fairly wet, there still are 20 dry days.
The chance that rainfall occurs decreases slightly in the course of the month. January 1 is the wettest day of the month with a 63% chance that it will rain, while January 31, with a 55% chance, is the driest day of the month. The most common type of precipitation in Budapest in January is moderate snow, observed on 35% of all days with rainfall. Other types of precipitation that may occur are moderate rain, light snow, light rain, drizzle and heavy snow, occurring respectively on 21%, 15%, 14%, 8% and 5% of the rainy days. January is the month with the most snowfall, with January 14 as the snowiest day of the yearhe chance of snowfall is 34% that day.
Temperature
With an average daily temperature of -1°C, January is definitely the coldest month of the year. It is the only month with an average temperature below freezinga href="http://www.holiday-weather.com/budapest/averages/february/">February and December both have an average temperature of 1°C. 1°C is the average high temperature in January. The average low temperature is -3°C, meaning that it freezes most nights. Both the average high and low temperature rise a tiny bit in the course of the month.
Sunshine Hours
January is not only the coldest month of the year; it is also one of the cloudiest. With an average cloud cover of no less than 92%, January is the second cloudiest month of the year, only after December. This high percentage of cloud cover makes January one of the least sunniest monthshere are 7 sunshine hours per day on average, a number that is also recorded in December and February and is exactly half of the amount of sunshine that is experienced during the summer months of June and July.
January is characterised by gradually lengthening days. January 1 is the shortest day of the month with 8.32 hours of daylight, while January 31 is the longest day with 9.30 daylight hours. This means that each day is 1.9 minutes longer than the day before.
The extreme cold in January draws in the least number of tourists compared with other months, so sightseeing becomes much easier and more enjoyable without the crowds.
Budapest Hotels in January
A wonderful place to base yourself when visiting Budapest is Hotel Palazzo Zichy, "the place where history meets present." It is a classy boutique hotel with a contemporary interior, housed in a historic building on a quiet square in the city's Palace Quarter. The area is dotted with nice cafés and restaurants, one of which is the Michelin-starred Costes Restaurant (see below). The hotel itself features many modern facilities, including a sauna and gym, lobby bar, breakfast room, meeting rooms and complimentary Wi-Fi. Locationwise, the hotel lies close to one of the subway lines, merely a block from the Grand Boulevard and a quick walk from the exquisite Hungarian National Museum.
If you're looking for somewhere fancy to stay, the 5 star Buddha-Bar Hotel is the place for you. The elegant, Asian-colonial design combines a hotel, 2 restaurants, spa and exclusive events all in one place. There are a range of rooms to choose from, including the plush Sauna Suites where a square hot tub will be located in the bathroom. Perfect for couples, families or friends looking for a luxurious delightful stay. The Buddha Bar restaurant is an absolute must visit, the sushi is divine and the Sunday brunch is recommended. It's not just the amazing food you'll love but the fabulous decor too. The hotel also boasts Baalbek, a Lebanese restaurant with mezze to die for and a great selection of cocktails and mocktails.
Bars and Restaurants
Costes Restaurant is one of the very best restaurants in Budapest, and even in Hungary. It truly is a world-class restaurant, with chefs trained in France and suppliers who are among the best in Europe. The beauty of this restaurant is that there is no dress code or formalities to conform to, which, combined with great service and the freshest ingredients available, makes for a restaurant that deserves its Michelin star. If you have the money to splurge on a memorable dinner, this would be the place to do it.
Budapest boasts a range of unique places to eat out that will be memorable for a life time. The For Sale Pub is one of these; the idea is to leave a post on the walls, floor or even ceiling of the funky note covered bar. The shaggy but cool interior attracts tourists from all over the world.
There is nothing better than accompanying a cocktail with a delightful view. At Gozsdu Sky Terrace you can do both these things, take in the views of Budapest's skyline on a comfortable sofa with a refreshing drink and a friends company. On weekends there are live DJs that create a buzzy atmosphere. Gozsdu Sky is perfect if you're looking for afforable drinks and a view.
Things to do in Budapest in January
Budapest provides a number of enjoyable activities and events in January. The New Year is celebrated with full zeal and enthusiasm. It is observed as a public holiday so all the interesting sites are closed. A number of events including concerts, cruise parties and dinners are held on New Year's Eve and Day. The whole city turns into a big bash with celebrations going on all over the place. The New Year's Day concert is usually held in Duna Palota; this event is celebrated annually. Aside from this, many carnivals and parties are arranged in the streets of Budapest, which include dancing, music, fireworks and a lot of fun.
Budapest also provides the events such as outdoor ice rinks, spa parties, exhibitions, opera concerts, carnivals and shopping. In winter, all the stores give sales up to 70% to clear out their previous season's stock. These sales start right after Christmas.
Start the New Year with a refreshing winter dip in the Gellert thermal baths. For those who love spas and wellbeing, Budapest the "Spa City" is the place for you. The Gellert Bath and Hotel opened in 1918 and combines historical heritage with modern developments. The baths are open from 6am to 8pm everyday, even on bank holidays. There are 10 pools overall and massage treatments, saunas, a geothermal pool and a terrace for sunbathing. Enjoy the natural healing powers of the geothermal water at the Gellert baths and feel fully revitalized after a dip.
Another wonderful place to visit is the Hungarian National Museum, it lies close to Hotel Palazzo Zichy is definitely worth seeing. It exhibits everything from the history and archaeology of Hungary to Hungarian art.
