Budapest Sightseeing – Sights, Tours, Guides
The best way to discover the city is by booking a Sightseeing Tour through Budapest and get all the information you need. Chose from the best tours and see Budapest exactly the way you want and the attractions you are interested in.
Budapest is stuffed with amazing sights, historical buildings, place to see and museums to visit. To find the best attractions and the most famous sights browse through the list and chose the most interesing for you incl. tour suggestion.
The best way to travel around the capital of Hungary with qualified guidance is a certified tour guide to show you around. No matter if by bus, boat, bike, walking or even by plane the tour guide gives you the right information.
With over 220 Museums in Budapest the choice is yours. The Austrian-Hungarian Empire or rather communistic Budapest? You can experience it all in the capital of Hungary. This is an overview of some of the best museums.
Budapest Sights and Attractions
Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is a very old and historical city with many influences from other cultures over the time of existence which is dating back to 1 AD (yes that is year 1) at least when it comes to the first settlements being built by the Celts. Over the years influences from West and East have continuously brought new architecture and sights to the city such as the Turks who brought the bathing culture or the Austrians who brought the coffee house culture to Hungary and of course also to Budapest.
This mix of cultures and influences brought many great places and monuments to see into the city which have become must see landmarks and represent the city ever since such as the Heroes’ Square or the Parliament Building. From North to South and from West to East you can find historical monuments and interesting artifacts of the capital of Hungary.
Over the past years of BudapestAgents existence I have collected detailed articles about many sights that are interesting to see or even to go into. It is also great to visit one of the more than 220 museums existing in Budapest. You definitely should check the Top 10 list below of the must see attractions and sights in the city that should be on your to do list for your stay. Also, if you need even more inspiration, I have written an article with 101 Things to do in Budapest. Furthermore if you are staying for a longer time e.g. as an expat or student you might even visit places outside of Budapest.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Budapest
Budapest as such including the Danube bank is an UNESCO world heritage site but there are more single sights in Budapest that are on the list of the most remarkable landmarks in the capital of Hungary. Further to the already listed site which you can find below the “Caves of the Buda Thermal Karst System” are on the tentative list currently among other landmarks in Hungary that are already on the list or still in the pipeline. The UNESCO World heritage sites in Budapest are are:
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Budapest Top 10 Sights
This Top 10 list of the must-see Sights and Attractions contains the most famous sights in Budapest which are visited by millions of tourists and interested people year by year. They are in no specific order so you should visit all of them during your stay. If you need advise how to squeeze them into a weekend trip check out this article.
- Heroes’ Square
- Hungarian Parliament Building
- Chain Bridge (and the Danube Bend) at night
- Citadella
- Castle District (Royal Castle, Matthias Church, Fishermen’s Bastion)
- The Grand Market Hall
- Andrássy út
- St. Stephen Basilica
- The Budapest Opera
- The Thermal Baths of Budapest
Obviously there are many more sights and attractions that are well worth visiting when in Budapest you can check out the above mentioned article with 101 Things to do or check out the entire list of attractions I have written about.
Budapest Sightseeing Tours
In the previous section you probably got a rough idea of how many places you should see in Budapest and how hard it is to get all those places ticked on your list. Apart from taking it on your own and travel by public transport or rented car from spot to spot you might take a Budapest Sightseeing Tour into consideration. As in many other European metropolis there are several large tour operators as well as small independent tour guides offering their knowledge to guide you around the city, certain parts of the city to special sights with the full injection of information about history and culture.
Depending on your preferences of what to see and how to experience there are several tours you can take. Also the factor time plays an important role, if you take a half day sightseeing tour you will see more than on a quick 2 hour trip. Up to now I have over 30 tours in and around Budapest for you that you can take, below you can find the last 5 and further below the top 10 tours you can chose from to see the most from Budapest with a fair budget.
Top 10 Budapest Sightseeing Tours
- Half Day Sightseeing Tour
- Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour
- Budapest Sightseeing Flight
- Danube Bend Day Trip
- Budapest City Walking Tour
- Budapest Parliament Tour
- Jewish Budapest Tour
- Budapest Night Walking Tour & River Cruise
- Memento Park Tour
- Budapest Bike Tour
Reasons: You see 10 top sights in 3 hours by bus, 3 departure times per day and with 20€ very cheap.
Reasons: 24 hours usage of all buses whith stop on all major sights for under 30€ incl. audio guide.
Reasons: A unique way to see the city and take amazing pictures from above.
Reasons: 10 hours beautiful landscape, historic sights inside and outside Budapest incl. lunch.
Reasons: 3,5 hours full of sights you will not see from the bus. Experience the inner city of Budapest.
Reasons: A wonderful, historical building with spectacular architecture and a lot to tell in 90 minutes.
Reasons: Budapest has the second biggest Jewish community worldwide and the Jewish quarter is very trendy.
Reasons: Budapest by night is spectacular, seeing the Danube bend covered in lights is magic, a must-see either way.
Reasons: See very impressive, historical, communist statues all collected in one place.
Reasons: Budapest is getting really bike friendly, take the chance to move fast within the city while on the fresh air.
Last 10 added Sightseeing Tours on BudapestAgent.com:
Wine Tasting in Eger with Start in Budapest
Enjoy the beautiful wine region of Eger with its classy wines and beautiful landscape. You will visit the Basilica and a 16th-century castle which is visible from almost everywhere in the beutiful town of Eger. The heart is the view of traditional wine cellars in Eger including a three-course restaurant lunch before tasting five wonderful wines from the region Eger in a local and private wine cellar. Eger is a wine region that is underestimated and not well known due to the famous Tokaj wine region which is not far away but the wines are very good and tasty so this tour will give you an insight and of course you will have the chance to boy some wines for home. Included in the Tour : Guided excursion to the wine region of Eger Admission to the Basilica and castle Three-course lunch with wine Tasting of five local wines Commentary from your guide in English and German Roundtrip transportation via coach Hotel pick-up in Budapest Important Information Start: 9 a.m….
Sunday Morning Hangover Tour through Budapest
See a new face of the ruin bars! You thought ruin bars are equal to nightlife? It is time we showed you that there is really more the ruinbars than just drinking beers in the coolest designed locations ever. We’ll show you the charming morning faces of these bars, where jazz plays softly in the background, you can browse antique and retro objects that conjure up the past. Join a tour with a real local insider and expert who will handpick the best programs for your Sunday. You can taste the delicious products of local gardeners on the farmers market. Yes, you have heard right, you can buy tomatoes on the same spot where you got tipsy a few hours before in the night. We will offer you exquisite coffee to charge you full of energy at one of the best coffee places in town. Chill out with us in the nicest gardens and courtyards, see the synagogues, discover the amazing new–wave street-food culture and get a glimpse on local…
Wine Tasting & Danube Cruise in Budapest
A great opportunity to start the evening, spend a refreshing afternoon on board! Be the part of a special „wine tasting” cruise, relax in the company of the most famous Hungarian wine selections. Hungarian wine culture and hospitality are well known all around the world, join us and we show you why! The spectacular view of the always vibrant Budapest will make your cruise more memorable (The bank of the Danube is the part of UNESCO World heritage). During the trip you can taste 7 different type Hungarian wines from variant organic wineries includes the famous Tokaj wine! The cruise lasts 1 hour 30 minutes, and our bar on board is open for the purchase of further Hungarian wines, Tokaj wines /other beverages. Between two sips from two different wines we offer you scones to have the taste better. We guarantee all the ingredients for having a memorable time! Price Includes limited (8 cl) tasting from 7 different types of Hungarian wine. Wine list to taste: Tokaji Furmint Grand Selection…
Budapest Boat Party Cruise
Every Friday and Saturday you have the unique chance to join the Budapest Boat Party Cruise and combine a unique sightseeing experience with party, flirting, dancing and drinking. From 11 at night you will ship up and down the river Danube for 1,5 hours and view the UNESCO World Heritage protected “Banks of the Danube” by night while having drinks and dance on deck with friends and those who might be in future. This is an ideal party or tour to start into the vibrating Budapest Nightlife which kicks off after midnight only. It is magical to see the Danube shore by night and combining this with fun and party is even better. Included in the price is the regular ticket (14€) for the Party Cruise as well as one welcome drink but you can also purchase a “extra beverage ticket” which includes a voucher for extra 5.000HUF drinks for only 31,06€ which obliges you to drink all drinks from the bar during the 1,5 hours of the tour. After…
Cocktail & Beer Cruise Budapest
This Cocktail & Beer Cruise is a great opportunity to explore the city on a boat during a Budapest River Cruise while having some refreshing drinks with friends and maybe soon-to-be friends. Next to a selection of cocktails or a beer you will be offered a unique experience to explore the city from its center, the river Danube. The Banks of the Danube are a UNESCO World Heritage site so you will see a lot of great sights and attractions of Budapest during this cocktail & beer cruise. This cruise is a very good opportunity to start the evening and get in the mood for a long night out in the famous Budapest nightlife. The ticket includes either 2 cocktails of the list below or 3 pints of beer (0,5l) for the duration of the tour which lasts 1,5 hours. Of course you can order more drinks if the included cocktails or beer are not enough for you. Next to your drinks you will be served some snacks. The choice…
3 Hour Budapest Bus Tour
The 3 Hour Bus Tour through Budapest starts from the beautiful chain bridge and will first pass the Parliament building and cross the river Danube via the Margaret bridge to reach the Buda side. You will now drive up to the Castle District and stop for a short walk to visit the main attractions such as the Matthias Church, the Fishermen’s Bastion from which you will have a spectacular view over Budapest to take pictures. After hopping back on the bus you will be drive by bus back to the Pest side and cross the Elisabeth Bridge to watch the Central Market Hall, the The Synagogue (the second biggest Synagogue in Europe) and than reach the city park. Around the city park you will see the world famous Széchényi Baths, the Budapest Zoo and of course the iconic Heroes’ Square where you will stop to watch the statutes of the most famous Hungarian kinds and dukes. After getting back on the bus you will drive along the Andrássy út and…
Coffee Cruise on the Danube
The Coffee & Cruise tour along the Danube shore offers you a great opportunity to see the historical sights among the Danube including the Bank of the Danube which in itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Within 1 relaxing hour accompanied with a cup of coffee, tea or a beverage you can enjoy the beauty of the capital of Hungary and the river Danube by daylight. Also you will be served little snacks to eat such as nachos chips, bread and dripping and bread with a Hungarian speciality – “Körözött”. This tour is a wonderful opportunity to spend an unforgettable day discovering Budapest and be on the fresh air. Of course if the weather is nice you will be able to sit on deck and have the perfect view on all the sights that are located among the Danube including all historical buildings, beautiful hotels, the Budapest bridges and the beautiful Margaret Island. Coffee Cruise Budapest Information The cruise starts at 12:00 and lasts for 1 hour. Coffee Cruise…
Budapest Food & Wine Tour
The Hungarian cuisine is boiled down by stereotypes to Goulash Soup, Salami and Paprika but it has so much more to offer. To show you the diversity of the Hungarian kitchen the Budapest Food & Wine Tour is a perfect 3 hour program. During this program you will see the Central Market Hall, one of the most impressive market halls in Europe, and the products available in Hungary which are not only paprika, tomatoes and salamis. Afterwards be invited to a 5-tier wine tasting of great Hungarian wines, a 3 course menu cooked for you as well as an informative session about the secrets of the Hungarian kitchen and recipes that you can cook at home. What will happen on the Food & Wine Tour in Budapest? The Budapest Food and Wine Tour takes approximately 3 hours and consists of 6 major parts to inspire your mind and kill your hunger. You will get an 360 degree insight in the Hungarian cuisine which will make use of all your six…
Danube River Cruise & Dinner incl. Live Music
The Danube River Cruise takes you among the Budapest panorama which was added to the World Cultural Heritage List by UNESCO. On this Danube Cruise you will see why it is on the list, especially at night when the Danube banks are lid up. A magical and unforgettable tour is waiting for you! The River Danube is starting in Germany and ends in the Black Sea while flowing through several capitals and important cities on the way. So it does through the center of Budapest as well which offers you a perfect view on one of the most beautiful panoramas in Europe. Among this trip you will see many sights that make Budapest what it is today. What will I see during the Danube River Cruise? The Danube River Cruise takes you along the famous Gellért Hill with the Citadella on top, among the Buda Castle district with the Royal Castle, the Fishermen’s Bastion and the Matthias Church and on the other side you will see for example the Hungarian…
Retro Budapest Photo Trip
What do you learn during this tour? To look for touching details To create good inside photos To make close-ups To control depth of field To edit photos in Instagram or Facebook Features of this walk: We will walk through the busy city centre Flat surface, no stairs or steep streets Suitable for every experience level, also beginners without photography knowledge Suitable for all types of camera. Smartphone is nice for Instagram conversions, but also has its limitations. Think about shooting in darker situations and creating a blurry background. For these purposes a DSLR is much better. The choice is yours. Retro is trendy, in Budapest too! And the city is still (and again) packed with retro. Although there were many modernisations in the last decades, you can still find lovely retro elements from the sixties, seventies and eighties. Old buses, metro stations, buildings and details, such as shop windows and billboards, which have come unharmed from the 20th century, all over the place! But in addition you can also…
Budapest Sightseeing by Bus
There are several ways in Budapest to see the city such as by bus, boat, bike or walking. Yes you can even take a helicopter tour or decide to drive around on a Segway. The most comfortable and easiest way to get around is for sure by bus. Budapest Sightseeing by bus can take you nearly anywhere, cross the Danube, get up on the Buda hills and in the meantime you are listening to either live or off the take sightseeing instructions comfortably in your cozy seat. Also during the colder months of the year the bus is the best way to see the Hungarian capital at its glance.
Let me give you 3 Bus Tour recommendations:
1) The Hop On Hop Off Bus
The Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour is a concept that is popular in any European metropolis and so it is in Budapest. The Hop On Hop Off Bus is paid for 24 hours and you can get on or off the bus any time and as often as you want. So you can a) use it as public transportation and b) as a sightseeing bus including audio guides in several languages. There are 3 bus providers but here is the one I would chose:
2) A 2 Hours Bus Tour
A quick way around the city with an injection of all information you need to know and enough time left on the clock to do other things such as visiting a bath or going out for some drinks is the 2 hours bus tour through Budapest. From the City Center you will go up to the Budapest Castle District and after to Gellért Hill with a stop and short walk on both hills to take amazing images of (mainly) the Pest side.
3) A 4 Hours Private Bus Tour
4 hours on the road, stops here and there and all main sights included you can get on this tour. Half a day to spend on sightseeing fits in any timetable, even if you are coming for a weekend trip. Don’t go home without pictures of the most important sights and essential information you should know about them. This leaves you still enough time to tick other points on your list.
Budapest Sightseeing by Boat
There is almost nothing more romantic that shipping up and down the Danube at night with the city lights on. The bridges are illuminated, the Danube bend is lit up and the sights on top of the hills are shining bright while you are enjoying a drink or even an entire dinner on a sightseeing boat in Budapest. When I visited Budapest for the first time this was one of the program points and an unforgettable, beautiful moment.
You should not expect the best ever eaten dinner or cheap prices for drinks on the boat but this is anyways incidental. There are also budget variants to see Budapest from a boat which I will come to in a second. It is about seeing the Danube shores by night, which you can also do from the shore on the other side, and see the illuminated monuments of Budapest.
Here are 3 ways to ship up and down the Danube:
1) Budapest by Boat Sightseeing Tour
A classical sightseeing tour by boat is the choice if you want to see the most and get the most information about what you see. These trips can vary between 1 hour and 10 hours, with live music or without or on public holidays to see the fireworks. The Danube is a very important part of Budapest compared to other cities you can see a lot of sights and history during all one of the tours. Here are 3 tours that I recommend:
- Party on the Danube
- 8 Hours Danube Bend Tour (incl Szentendre, Visegrád &Esztergom)
- Coffee & Cruise or Dinner & Cruise (incl. Live Music)
There are many operators waiting for tourists next to the Danube who offer smaller 1 hour tours as well with audio guide. You can just go there, pay and get on the boat. Most of them depart hourly.
2) Public Transport Boat operated by BKV
Within the public transport network of BKV (Operator of the public transport network) there is a boat cruising up and down the Danube making several stops between Kopaszi Gát (South) and Romaifürdő (North). During the way you will go all along the Danube right through Budapest and the near water sights such as the Parliament, all bridges, The Buda Castle, Gellért Hill and many more. For only 850 HUF you can go all the way. Of course you will not be served with drinks, you can bring your own though, and will not get any audio guidance but the value is unbeatable.
3) The Bus on the Water
The so called River Ride Tour is a floating bus which is taking you through the city and than at some point enters the water to take you for a Danube Cruise. Sounds a bit like in a James Bond movie but it is reportedly an awesome trip through the city. The price for a 2 hour ride (4 departures per day) is 7.500 HUF.
Sightseeing Flight over Budapest
When you arrive to Budapest by plane you will see the beauty of the city from above while approaching Liszt Ferenc International Airport even though you are still on a high altitude and going fairly fast. If this moment caught you and you would like to see the picture again from a lower height I absolutely urge you to take a 30 minutes sightseeing flight over Budapest. Take a stunning birds eye view on the historical, UNESCO world heritage sights along the Danube and over other parts of the city. You will not get any better pictures and impressions of Budapest than on this tour.
Fully flexible in terms of departure the flight is taking off on Budaörs airport. You will be picked up and welcomed with a glass of champagne. After takeoff you will stay in the air for approximately 30 minutes and your route takes you over the Buda side, along the Danube where you get the best possible moments for pictures from above.
Prices range between 160€ for 1 person to 232€ for 3 persons (only 77€/person!)
Budapest Sightseeing Tour Guides
A top tourist destination as Budapest is has a lot to offer and so there are many tour guides offering their services to show you around the capital of Hungary and elsewhere in the country. But where to start to search for a tour guide? Which guides are good, which tours are worthless? I am in frequent contact with several guides and tour operators and can judge them as trusted and good even without ever being on one of their tours.
There are 3 questions that you need to answer for yourself to find an appropriate tour guide.
- What do I want to see from Budapest?
- How much time do I have for the tours?
- How much am I willing to spend for a guidance?
After answering yourself these 3 questions the amount of tour guides and tours to chose from have narrowed down dramatically and allow you to pick the right tour guide, no matter if private or group guide.
So I have collected a few tour guides in Budapest here and also obviously all listed Sightseeing Tours are provided by professional tour guides with who I am not in direct contact but only with their operator.
