Discover the Amazing Hungary Culture and Festivals
Chaitrali Datar
A landlocked country in Central Europe, Hungary is filled with classic architectural landmarks and stunning neo-classical buildings.
Hungary shares its borders with Austria, Slovakia, the Ukraine and Croatia. Its capital is Budapest.
Hungary is a fiercely proud country which protects its culture and festivals.
We take a look.
Family
Hungarians value family life tremendously and is the center of social structure.
Though presently, nuclear family is the norm, still elders form a distinct part of the family structure.
The grandparents normally live close by.
And they play a major role in raising the grand kids!
Personal Communication
Hungarians are direct communicators and freely express their opinion or disagreement.
They also tend to ask personal questions very easily, however they are not ill-intended.
Hungarians are emotive speakers and often use stories and jokes to state their point. They do not like vague statements and socializing is an important part of their culture.
Business Communication and Etiquette.
For meetings, appointments are very necessary and should be made 2 days in advance in writing.
Punctuality for a meeting is extremely important.
Initiate small-talk before discussing business.
Unless a serious emergency, do not cancel a business meeting at the last minute. It may ruin your deals.
Business is conducted very slowly and is detail-oriented.
Hungarians are skilled negotiators.
Avoid confrontational behavior during a sales-pitch.
It is customary to have a formal drinks party before closing in on any deal.
Hospitality
Most of the dinner and lunch meets are pre-planned.
Do not arrive more than 30 min late for the gathering.
Most common gifts: Chocolates, Flowers, Liquor.
Do not begin to eat until the host/hostess starts.
Beer and Wine are the most common drinks to have with a meal.
In the Hungarian customs, you should never clink the beer glass.
Hungarian Festivals
Balaton Festival
A very popular music festival in Hungary.
Hosted in the month of June or July.
Location: Zamardi, Hungary.
All the top music artists, from all over the world perform at this festival in various genres (hip-hop, electronic music and others).
Holloko Easter Festival
Oldest festival in Hungary.
Celebrated in month of Easter in April.
This festival is child-friendly and takes place at Holloko.
There are various folk dance forms and Hungarian songs.
You will get to taste the traditional Hungarian food here!
Budapest Festival of Folk Arts
Celebrated in the month of August in Budapest.
There are local talent with international artists performing.
Numerous art and craft workshops are conducted along with great food and drinks.
This festival is a great opportunity to learn about Hungarian customs and culture and definitely should not be missed!!!
Romantic Reform Era
It is a 19th century classical European dance form.
Location Vesprem County.
Various aspects of the traditional Hungarian culture are celebrated in this festival such as the costumes, food, music and art.
Paprika Festival
Hungarians are extremely fond of Paprika and have dedicated an entire festival for the plant.
Location Kalocsa, Hungary.
Various fun events are held here, along with wine tasting and cooking competitions.
It is held in the month of May.
Lavender Festival
Spread across a beautiful landscape of lavender fields, it is celebrated in honor of the blooming lavender flower. Location: Tihany.
The festival includes a flower show and an art event celebration as well.
With so many interesting festivals and a fascinating culture, Hungary should definitely be on your wanderlust list!
Best time to visit Hungary: March to May and September to November.