Exploring the Hungarian Art of Mulled Wine in Budapest 

 

Have you ever wondered why mulled wine in Budapest ( “forralt bor” in Hungarian)  is such a big part of Hungarian Christmas? Join our daily Free Budapest Tours as we explore the fascinating history of this warm and spiced holiday tradition. First things first before we show you the best mulled wine in Budapest, let’s discover its background a little bit:

 

History of the Mulled Wine 

 

Mulled wine is a mix of red wine with spices, berries, lime, and dried fruits, served in mugs for that extra cozy feeling. Ingredients like cinnamon, aniseed, cloves, and raisins add a special touch of flavor and warmth.

Let’s travel back in time to discover how mulled wine became a Christmas classic. The idea originated in ancient Greece, where they heated leftover wine with spices to make it suitable for colder weather. This aromatic concoction, named Hippocras after the father of medicine, Hippocrates, soon spread across Europe.

Rome embraced this elixir as Conditum Paradoxum, a recipe still enjoyed today. The concept reached Nordic countries, where enthusiasts added ginger and bitter orange to the mix.

By the Middle Ages, mulled wine had become a European favorite, especially during challenging times like the Great Plague. People believed that adding spices not only made the drink tastier but also provided health benefits. In a time of uncertain food and water quality, mulled wine became a comforting, nutritious treat.

Today, mulled wine continues to be a magical part of our festive celebrations. As you embark on your holiday adventures, consider adding a bit of merry mulled wine to your festivities.

Mulled Wine Recipe as Your Tour Guides Love

 

To make it even more special, here’s a simple recipe that will make your taste buds sing carols:-) 

Share it with your loved ones and spread the holiday cheer!

 

Ingredients:

 

• 1 bottle of red wine 
• 1/4 cup sugar (or more if you’ve been extra naughty this year)
• 1 orange (sliced, because even mulled wine needs a little Vitamin C)
• 1 apple (sliced, to strengthen your immune system while also helping to prevent heart and cardiovascular disease) 
• 8 whole cloves (your tour guides favorite spice, right after cinnamon)
• 2 cinnamon sticks (or 3 if you’re feeling spicy)
• 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg (because it’s not Christmas without a little nutmeg magic)
• half  teaspoon of red pepper (because you need a nice kick, you will feel more heat)
• A handful of star anise (for that extra twinkle in your cup)

 

Instructions:

• Pour the red wine into a pot.
• Add sugar and stir until it dissolves (like the snow on your driveway… or not).
• Squeeze the juice from the orange slices into the pot and then toss in the slices.
• Add apple slices, cloves, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, red pepper, and star anise. Stir it like you mean it.
• Heat on low for about 25 minutes. Don’t let it boil.
• Spoon the warm, spiced goodness into your favorite mug (preferably one with a witty Christmas pun on it).
• Garnish with an extra cinnamon stick because, let’s face it, you can never have too much cinnamon.

Of course, if you are here for the holidays there are plenty of great options to buy a mug of mulled wine while you are discovering our beautiful town! So let’s see our favorite spots to get mulled wine in Budapest:

Best Mulled Wine in Budapest

 

It is a relatively easy drink to make. The main secret of course is the quality of the base wine, so you can avoid the headache the next morning. Keeping that in sight we only picked places that take pride in their wine selection anyway, so you can enjoy that “one too many” extra mug of sweet-sweet mulled wine without worrying about the next day. The other big influencing factor in choosing our mulled wine sources is the general atmosphere of the place. So let’s see our favorites:

 

• The Christmas Markets: Let’s get over the most obvious option, the amazing Christmas market in front of the St. Stephens Basilika is a great place to warm yourself up with a little mulled wine. Always look for the Divino signs, it is the name of a Hungarian wine bar so they take pride in the quality of their wines.
• Csendes Létterem: Now this is more of the hip choice amongst the three. Csendes is one of the oldest ruin bars and student cafés, which is still pretty frequented by the locals. It is in front of our oldest and biggest liberal arts campus so the students are the regulars of the place. During the day it is a very cozy café and after the sun goes down it turns into an even cozier bar. Perfect place for a nice coffee or mulled wine!
• Városliget Café:If you haven’t heard about the ice skating ring of Budapest in the City Park, you are missing out! It is a great winter program with your friends or a very romantic date with your significant other. This park used to be the main leisure area of Budapest, so it has so much fun to offer. In 10 minutes’ walking distance, you can find the Zoo, Széchenyi Bathhouse, Vajdahunyad Castle, Circus, plenty of Museums, and many more…but after a while, you need something to warm you up, and the café at the ice skating ring has one of the best mulled wines in the city!

 

Enjoy responsibly, and remember: if your nose starts glowing, you’ve probably had one mug too many. 

Cheers to a holly, jolly Christmas! 

 

May your holiday season be filled with warmth, laughter, and the timeless joy of mulled wine!

 

Sip-sip Hooray!