Budapest Sightseeing - Tours, Sights and Tourguides in Budapest
Budapest is a city full of history and in the same time an evolving European metropolis. Because of this range the attractiveness of the capital of Hungary attracts millions of tourists year by year. In Budapest sightseeing is one of the main activities for people who want to see the beautiful sights, the historical museums and also the newly built parts of Budapest.Hop On Hop Off Bus Budapest
Hop On Hop Off Bus Budapest
The Hop On Hop Off Bus in Budapest is one of the best combinations of sightseeing and public transport. After buying the 24 or 48 hours ticket you are obliged to take any of the 3 lines (one of them is a boat) on their route at any time, wherever you are. That means you can take it to get from one place to the other or just sit inside and get your sightseeing Tour by Bus. Best however is the combination of both. You can get on the bus to start your city tour and if there is a sights that you consider to be interesting you hop off and visit the sight. After you had a look or guided tour e.g. in the Budapest Parliament you go back to the bus stop and carry on with your tour.
In this way you can easily spend the entire day seeing all the poplar and important places in Budapest while hving a comfortable ride in between with audio guide along. These hop on hop off bus tours are popular all over Europe, often you can find several offers in the same city. In Budapest you buy 1 ticket valid for 48 hours for 23 Euro per person and can take any of the 3 different lines.
Half Day Budapest Sightseeing Tour
The half day Budapest sightseeing tour gives you the perfect possibility to see the major sights of Budapest in a comfortable way within 3 hours. This tour is perfect for all first time visitors to get an overview of the city and its most famous sights. You have the chance to choose between 3 departure times in summer 10.00 a.m., 11.00 a.m., 2.30 p.m. and 2 departure times in winter 10.00 a.m. and 2.30 p.m. so you can book whenever you feel like having a half day sightseeing trip. Included in this tour is also a hotel pickup, the return is at Hotel Inter-Continental in the city center of Budapest. This tour is available in English as well as other languages. This trip gives you a good opportunity to get a great overview over the city.
Budapest City Walking Tour
If you are planning to visit Budapest for the first time, attending this tour is a perfect choice. The tour includes a 3.5 hours long walking tour leaded by a professional, English-speaking guide, and the tickets for public transport. The price is available from 8,50 euros and the departure is at 10:30 am. The tour begins with a walk around Heroes Square, then the group will go in the City Park, which is nearby the square. In this park you’ll see the Vajdahunyad Castle, a nice monument, built for the World Expo in 1896. After you’ll have a look at Széchenyi bath, which is the first spa of the city. Then your way goes back to the citycenter, by metro, where you are going to visit St. Stephen’s Basilica. The next stop of the tour is Ferenciek square, where you’ll get on foot. Then walk along the Váci promenade, which is an
elegant mall, and starts just from the square. Walking on the bank of the Danube, you have a gorgeous view of the Buda Hills, the Castle District, and the Gellért Hill. Your tour will end in the Castle District, in front of the Matthias Church, which is one of the most beautiful buildings of Budapest.
Included in this tour:
- Walking tour
- Professional guide
- Tickets on public transport during tour
Excluded:
- Entrance fees
- Food and drinks
- Hotel pickup and drop off
Additional Information:
- Confirmation will be received at the time of booking
Budapest Parliament Tour
The Budapest Parliament stands by the Danube, on the Pest side, on the Kossuth square. In Hungarian, the monument is also called Országház (the house of the country). It’s a beautiful white building, covered with limestone.
In 1882 they announced a competition for plans about the Parliament building, it was Imre Steindl, teacher of the University of Architecture who won the competition, so the edifice was built according to his plans. The building is of an eclectic style but the neo-Gothic style is predominant. In 1902, when they finished the works, the Hungarian Parliament was the biggest parliamentary building in Europe, nowadays it’s still the biggest building of Hungary. The crowning treasure is placed in the Parliament: except the crowning mantle, all the objects that were used at the crowning ceremony are exhibited here. The most famous of them is probably the Saint Crown.
If you participate in the tour to visit the Parliament, you will be escorted by a guide. There is a tour from 9:30 am during the whole year. However in the period of April-October there is another tour as well, from 13:15 pm. The price of the tour is availeble from 18.75 euros, it includes the entrance fee, the guide, and pickup at your citycenter hotel.
Included in this tour:
- Hotel pickup
- Entrance fees
- House of Parliament Tour
- Local guide
Excluded:
- Hotel drop off
- Optional gratuities
- Food and drink, unless specified
Additional Information about the Budapest Parliament Tour:
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Infant rates apply provided they do not occupy a seat
Puszta and Kecskemét Day Trip
The destination of this whole-day journey, is in the south-east direction from Budapest. This region is the sunniest one in Hungary. There are many lakes and rivers in the area as well, which attracts a lot of people who are passionte about fishing. There is a possibility of horse-riding too. The biggest town of the region is Kecskemét. It’s the first stop on the trip as well. After visiting the town, you will go to Lajosmizse, another settlement of the region, where you’ll have a traditional wellcome drink. Then the group will go to see the Puszta by carriage ride. The Puszta offers a view of a typical steppe landscape. The lunch will take place in a local tavern. It will consist of three courses and wine, and it will be accompanied by traditional gypsy music. All the programmes mentionned are included in the price of the trip, which is available from 60,63 euros. For this price you’ll also be provided with pickup and drop off at your downtown hotel. The group will be accompanied by a professional guide. Your bus will leave Budapest about 9 am, and arrive back at 5 pm.
Included in this Tour:
- Welcome drink
- Hotel pickup and drop off
- Local guide
- Typical Hungarian meal (3-course lunch with wine)
- Vegetarian option available
Excluded:
- Optional gratuities
- Food and drink, unless specified
Additional Information about Puszta and Kecskemét Day Trip:
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Infant rates apply provided they do not occupy a seat
Jewish Budapest Sightseeing Tour
This 3 hour long tour aims to present the traces of Jewish culture in Budapest. The departure time is10:00 am, but you should be ready at 9:30 am, because the hotel pickups start prior to the beginning of the trip. The tour starts with a drive along the Danube river. You’ll stop at St. Stephen’s park, to visit the World War II. Victims’ memorial. Then you’ll visit the Dohány Street Synagogue, which is the second biggest synagogue in the World. This building takes place in New Leopold town (a district of Budapest), which is the former middle class jewish district of Budapest. Your tour includes going to the Jewish garden, visiting the Jewish Museum, the Tree of Life, and the Temple of the Heroes as well. In the end of the tour there is a possibility to eat in a Kosher restaurant, trying traditional Jewish food, but this is optional, it’s not included in the price. The tour concludes at 1:00 pm, at the restaurant. This tour is available from 22.50 euros, the price includes the guide, the hotel pickup (from centrally located hotels), and the entrance fees.
Inclusions:
- Hotel pickup
- Entrance fees
- Local guide
Exclusions:
- Hotel drop off
- Gratuities (optional)
- Food and drink, unless specified
Additional Information:
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Infant rates apply provided they do not occupy a seat
Historical Revolution Walking Tour
This tour of 3 hours starts from Deak square, where you’ll meet your group, and your professional guide. The programme starts with a short overview of the revolutions in the hungarian history, in the last 200 years. The most important events were, the war of independence in 1848, where hungarians fought against Habsburgs, the revolution of 1956, and the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989. First you will go to Szabadság square, to visit the Soviet Memorial. After, you will see the Parliament area, which was an important place in the story of the revolution of 1956, and also visit the Memorial of Imre Nagy, who was the prime minister of Hungary during this period. You will walk through the area, which used to be the Ghetto, during the nazi occupation in the World War II. Visiting a fully furnished flat, showing how people used to live in the period of communism also makes part of the programme. The departure time is 3:00 pm, and the tour takes about 3 hours. This programme is available from 8.50 euros and the price includes the tickets for the means of public transport during the trip.
Included in this tour:
- Guided walk tour of Budapest (3 hours)
- Local guide
- Tickets on public transport during tour
Excluded:
- Entrance fees
- Food and drinks, unless specified
- Hotel pickup and drop off
Additional Information about the Historical Walking Tour in Budapest:
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Budapest Photography Walking Tour
If you are fascinated about learning how to get the most out of a scene, this tour is for you. You will be escorted by a guide, who is a photographer too, and they will help you with taking pictures. The most important techniques to learn are: the rules of composition, lighting and exposure, how to provide everyday scenes with artistic values. You will also learn how to use the functions of your camera, so as to avoid the constant use of „auto mode”. The meeting point is on Batthyanyi square, in front of the church. The departure time is 9:30 am. Your way will lead along the bank of the Danube, where you will get a marvelous view of the Parliament. Next you’ll go to the Castle district, there are many protected monuments around. You’ll also see the residence of the Hungarian president, called Sándor Palace, and the
National Gallery. Then you’ll descend from the hill, to go to the Taban district. The next stop is Gellért hill, where you’ll visit the Citadel and the Statue of Liberty, which is a nice topic for a photo. From this hill you’ll get a great view of the bridges crossing the Danube. Your tour concludes at Gellért hill, at about 13:00 pm. The price is available from 125 euros. The participation of children aged under 12 years, is not recommended.
Included in this Tour:
- Walking tour
- Professional photographer guide
Excluded:
- Camera and film
- Entrance fees
- Gratuities (optional)
- Hotel pickup and drop off
Additional Information about the Budapest Photography Walking Tour:
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not recommended for child aged 12 and under
- Participants must have a basic knowledge of their camera
- Tours operate in a weather conditions and the route may be changed based on local conditions
- Adult pricing applies to all travelers
Budapest Night Walking Tour and River Cruise
Budapest shows a beautiful face at night. The important buildings are illuminated in a nice way, so a walk in the late hours is totally enjoyable. What’s more you’ll have the possibility to take wonderful pictures along the way. This programme has two parts. The first is a two hour long walk, escorted by a professional, English-speaking guide, who will talk about Hungarian history, and tell interesting stories about the sights you’ll pass by. The second part of the tour is a one-hour river cruise along the Danube. On the boat you’ll recieve a wellcome drink and one more drink of choice. From the boat you will see both the Danube Promenade,
on the Pest side, and the Castle District on the Buda side. The tour starts at 8:00 pm, but you should be at the meeting point at 7:45 pm. The meeting point is on Deák square, in front of the church. The tour will conclude at Astoria, where there is a metro station as well.
The price of the tour is available from 23.40 euros. For children under 7 years the participation is free. If you wish to participate, you should make a reservation at least 48 hours before the trip.
Included in this Tour:
- One hour boat cruise on the Danube
- Escorted by an English speaking guide
- Guided night walking tour of Budapest (2 hours)
- Stops along the way for fantastic photo opportunities
- Welcome drink and an additional drink of choice
- Extensive commentary offered on all the Budapest insider tips!
Excluded:
- Entrance fees
- Public transport tickets
- Hotel pickup or drop off
- Food and beverages unless otherwise stated
Additional Information about the Budapest Night Walking Tour and River Cruise:
- This product must be booked at least 48 hours in advance of your travel date
- Confirmation for this product will be received at the time of booking
- Tour is operated in English unless otherwise stated
- Tour is operated in all weather conditions
- Infants aged 7 years and under are free of charge
- Child prices are applicable for children aged 8 to 15 years
Folklore Show with Dinner in Budapest
This evening programme takes place in one of the traditional restaurants in the Buda Hills. Before the meal you’ll recieve an aperitif. The dinner consists of three courses, and it is accompanied by wine, as Hungary is famous for its wines. After the dinner you’ll see a folkloric show of typical Hungarian music and dances. On your way back to the city, you will see the beautiful view of the illuminated city from the Castle Hill. This view of Budapest by night, with all the lights, is a really nice experience.
At the end of the programme you can choose either to go back to your hotel, or to go in the Casino, where you’ll be provided with a voucher for free admission. The price of the evening is available from 56,88 euros. It includes pickup and drop off at your downtown hotel as well (after a previous accordation). The beginning of the dinner is at 7 pm, so the bus will pick you up before this time, and the end of the programme is at about 11 pm.
Inclusions:
- Pre-dinner drink
- Hotel pickup and drop off (selected hotels only)
- Live entertainment
- 3-course dinner with wine
- Free admission voucher to the Casino
Exclusions:
- Gratuities (optional)
- Food and drinks, unless specified
Gödöllő Tour
Gödöllő Tour
Gödöllő is located in the northeast of Budapest approxiamtely 30 km among the highway M3. The city has approximately 21.000 inhabitants and is very popular among tourists because of its history. Gödöllő used to be the residenz of Franz Josef , emperor of Austria, and his wife Sisi. Their residence, the Gödöllő palace, is one of the reasons so many tourists are going there. Apart from the Gödöllő Palace there are several other things to see such as the Szent Istvan University, the Museum of Agricultural Machinery and so on. To get more information about Gödöllő I receommend to visit the official website which gives really good information on the sights, the history, restaurants and hotels in the city and much more or you can check the Wikipedia article.
Szentendre Tour
Szentendre
Szentendre is a really nice destination for a day trip. Right next to the Danube in the north of Budapest you find the small viallage Szentendre which is year by year visited by thousands of tourists from all around the world. It is a very good place to get out of Budapest and enjoy the village life for a day and to see something else than only sights of Budapest. I guess that a trip to Szentendre is best for people who stay in Hungary for a week, if you stay for a weekend only it simply takes too much time.
101 Things to See and Do in Budapest
The full list of things you must see and do in Budapest
There are some things you have to see or do in Budapest. Some are in the Budapest guides, some not so here is an all complete list of things to see in Budapest! The points will have small comments what it is about or why you have to do it, most of them have links for further, more detailed information. This list will be updated constantly and if you have any suggestions about what to see or do please leave a comment.
Kopaszi Gát Budapest
Kopaszi Gát in Budapest is a very nice recreation area on Buda side richt at Lágymányosi híd. The half island was built up after the flood in 1838 as a protection against flood for the near by industrial buildings and factories. Already some years ago there were some clubs and bars located which than moved on to other places. For some years this half island was unused even though it was a really nice spot in Budapest. Right next to the Danube, fairly calm and with a little bay between the island and the industrial area this was a perfect place to be rebuilt and give it some attractions.
Budapest Wine Tasting including lunch
This wine tasting tour in Budapest is perfect for all wine lovers and such with an interested in Hungarian wine and food culture. This is not a simple wine tasting in Budapest but you will also be offered a lunch. Hungarian wines (at least most of them) are really of good quality but fairly expensive. That is the result of small wineyards who don’t export wines and just offer it on the local market. To keep the quality up and the name good they ask for sometimes redicolous prices for a bottle of wine. If you take a normal bottle of medium quality red wine you will pay approximately 3 times as much as a same quality wine from France or Italy.
Anyways this tour will give you a very good inside into Hungarian wine making culture and also the Hungarian traditional food. Next to the wines you will get offered a 3 course meal including the traditional Hungarian Goulash Soup. You will see how the food is made and what ingrediants you need to prepare it at home. The soup is followed by another traditional meal which is not fixed and some dessert typically eaten in Hungary. During that time you have the chence to tast a lot of wines from different regions in Hungary such as the famous Villany or Tokaj wines. You will also visit a market to see the local food variety.
Danube Bend Day Trip
The Danube Bend Day Trip, starting and ending in Budapest, is a perfect way to see Budapest, Visegrad, Esztergom and Szentendre from the Danube and enjoy the beauty of the Hungarian nature in a relaxing way. On this 10 hour tour you will visit the above mentioned cities and see the historical sights in each city and discover Hungary apart from just Budapest. During the way by boat you will get served a 3 course meal on the boat. Furthermore you will be picked up from your hotel and you don’t even have to pay entrance fees for sights in the city you visit.
In Visegrad you will see the medieval citadel and romantic ruins of the former royal residence. In Esztergom the historical cathedral is waiting for you. After the lunch you will visit the artist city of Szentendre and its Baroque city center with a guided tour. Your tour will end on the Danube Bend in Budapest.
Grand Market Hall Budapest
The Grand Market Hall in Budapest (Hungarian: Vásárcsarnok) is one of the main attraction for tourists. If you go to a foreign country I think markets are a great way to discovers the culture and food preferences of the country. If I am on holiday usually half a day is reserved to go to a market and check out what is offered there.
It is probably the same in the Grand Market Hall in Budapest because you find typical Hungarian things such as paprika powder, goose liver or Pálinka. At least that is what the tourists should think about Hungary and their eating habits and I guess that is similar in any other touristic market in the world, they try to make you believe what is traditional. But of course Hungary is not only about paprika, Goulash and Salami even though that is what you mainly find in Grand Market Hall.
Hungarian State Opera House
The Hungarian State Opera in Budapest on the Pest side was built between 1875 and 1884 by Miklós Ybl. It is decorated richly, from the inside it is a wonderful and therefore it is the masterpiece of Miklós Ybl. Formerly called Budapest Royal Opera House it is still supposed to be one of the most beautiful and elegant opera houses in the world.
Parliament Budapest
The archetype for the Parliament in Budapest was the Westminster Abbey in London. The architect of the bulding was Imre Steindel who built the Parliament between 1885 and 1904. The building itself consists of to mirrored parts with exactly the same partition of rooms, stairs and halls. One side of the Parliamant in Budapest is used by the government of Hungary, the second part is for visitors and tourists.
Basilica Budapest
The Basilica in Budapest was inducted in 1905. The Hungarian name of the Basilica is Szent István Bazilika and offer place for 850 persons. The church is dedicated to King István. The inside of the Basilica is very impressive. On the ceiling is 96 meters high and has a painting of jesus, god and different angels. More information about the building and history you can find here.
