Budapest Travel Information » Sightseeing Tours

Hop On Hop Off Bus Budapest

BudapestAgent — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:17:32 +0000

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.

The audio guide is offered in the following 16 languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Greek, Finnish, Swedish, Dutch, Russian, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Hebrew and Hungarian (The boat line tour is only offered in English and German). The bus lines start every 30 minutes and you can buy the tickets online or in any of the bus lines for approximately 23 Euro.

Routes of the 3 Hop On Hop Off Bus Lines

Red Bus Line

The Red Bus Line is the longer of the 2 bus lanes and goes far more outside the city, e.g. to the city park. It also takes you to the spectecular view on Gellért Hill which you should not miss. The Red Bus Line is for sure the more popular one because it passes more of the famous sights.

1. József Nádor Tér (See on Map)
The József Nádor Tér is on the backside of Café Gerbeau from where you can have a nice walk along Vaci Utca, to Chain Bridge or to Basilica. All in a walking distance of 5 minutes.

2. Erzsébet Tér (See on Map)
Erzsébet Tér is not far away from József Nádor Tér, you can easily reach the Basilica, take a walk on Andrássy Út or take a beer at Gödör Club.

3. Andrássy Út (See on Map)
World famous Andrássy Út is perfect for a nice walk on a sunny afternoon with many cafés and restaurants. Also worth a visit is the Opera.

4. Opera (See on Map)
The Opera itself is of course worth a visit otherwise there is not much to say what hasn’t been said above already.

5. Liszt Ferenc Tér(See on Map)
On Liszt Ferenc Tér I recommend to visit one of the bars and restaurants around which are especially interesting in the summer time when the entire square is filled up with tables, chairs and of course people.

6. Heroes’ Square (See on Map)
Heroes’ Square is one of the main monuments in Budapest and a must see for every tourist. Beautiful at night and impressive there is no way around visiting Heroes’ Square in Budapest.

7. Eastern Railway Station (See on Map)
The Keleti Pályaudvar is an impressive building but not really worth a visit. I guess it is nominated as a stop to catch people arriving by train to Budapest.

8. Astoria (See on Map)
The Astoria is one of the major junctions in Budapest and is named after the Hotel Astoria which is situated there. From here you are in walking distance to the Hungarian National Museum and the Synagogue.

9. Funicular (See on Map)
one of the fanciest ways to get up to the castle district is the Funicular, which is owned and operated by the BKV, the Budapest Public Transportation company. The Funicular is a tram which is going very steep up and down the hill. Worth a ride though often very crowded and pricey.

10. Castle District (See on Map)
A must see in Budapest, you have the best view over the city including a perfect look on the Budapest Parliament. The Castle District is a nicley populated area with bars, cafes, restaurants and even supermarkets. You chould not miss the Matzas Church.

11. Citadella (See on Map)
On top of the famous Gellert Hill you can find the Citadella, one of the main monuments in Budapest. From here you have an awesome view over Pest. Many people come here for that one picture.

12. Marcius 15. Tér (See on Map)
Not particularly worth visiting but the Marcius 15. square is close to famous vaci Utca as well as many hotels which are located at the Danube. It might be a get on or off point but not really worth a full stop.

13. Parliament (See on Map)
Must See, beautiful, impressive. The parliament in Budapest is again one of the main attractions for tourists and I recommend you to have a stop there and take the Budapest Parliament Tour.

14. Back to József Nádor Tér
See point nr. 1 above

Yellow Bus Line

The Yellow bus line is going through the city center as well as on the Buda side. Compared to the Blue Line it is shorter and stopping at the interest points which are in the city like the Synagogue or the Great Market Hall.

1. Erzsébet Tér
See Blue Bus Line point Nr. 2.

2. Synagogue (See on Map)
The Synagogue is the symbol for the strong Jewish community in Budapest. The enitre area around has a Jewish touch and the Synagogue itself is very beautiful and point of interest for many tourists in Budapest.

3. Astoria
See Blue Bus Line point Nr. 8.

4. Dózsa György Tér (See on Map)
The Dózsa György Tér is a good point to walk up to the Castle District or to go throught the tunnel (even though I wouldn’t recommend to go there by foot) otherwise there is not too much to see around.

5. Batthyány Tér (See on Map)
The Batthyány Tér itself is not an outstanding place to be but what this square is famous for is the one picture you want to take from the Budapest Parliament. Batthyány Tér is located directly opposite of the Parliament across the Danube so you have the perfect location for your picture.

6. Margit Bridge (Buda Side – See on Map)
This is the best stop if you want to have a look or walk on Margaret Island, located in the middle of the Danube. Since stopping or parking on margaret island is not too easy you have to take a little 5 mins walk to get to the island.

7. Parliament
See Blue Bus Line point Nr. 13.

8. Vigadó Tér (See on Map)
The Vigadó Tér itself is not spectecular at all but it is a perfect stop if you would like to take a walk along the Danube, jump into the city (Vaci Utca) for shopping, christmas market or a bite to eat and it is also very close to many Budapest Hotels next to the Danube.

9. Market Hall (See on Map)
The Gand market Hall at the end of Vaci utca is the perfect place to see Hungarian culture, cuisine and life in one place. Though very touristic it is worth to check the fruits, vegetables and meat sellers and maybe have a quick snack in one of the fast food stands in there.

10. National Museum (See on Map)
I haven’t been to the National Museum so I cannot say much about it but from what I have heart it is worth a visit especially if you want to know more about Hungary and its history.

11. Back to Erzsébet Tér

Blue Boat Line

The blue boat line of course differs from the 2 bus lines because it is going on the water but also the stops are just 3 different, the Vigadó square, the Batthyány square and the Margaret Island. I recommend to you to take the boat in the evening when it is dark or getting dark because you will see the shores of the Danube and the brigdes lighted up by tens of thousands of lights.

1. Vigadó Tér
See Yellow Bus Line point Nr. 8.

2. Batthyány Tér
See Yellow Bus Line point Nr. 5.

3. Margaret Island
Different from the stop Margrit Bridge of the Yellow Bus line with the boat you are stopping directly at the Margit Island and can start your walk or your visit to one of the bars or restaurants.

4. Back to VigadóTér
See point Nr. 1.

As I mentioned before I thinkt that the Hop On Hop Off Bus in Budapest is one of the greatest ways of exploring Budapest and you can adjust your tour to what you want to see while not missing any point of interested or a must see.

Half Day Budapest Sightseeing Tour

BudapestAgent — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 10:30:23 +0000

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.

What you will see on the Half Day Budapest Sightseeing Tour

On this tour you will visit both sides of Budapest, the Buda side and the Pest side. On Buda you will see the Royal Castle in Castle district as well as the Fishermans Bastion and the Matthias Church. Furthermore you will go up to the Gellert hill where you can see the Citadella and from where you also will have a great view above the entire city. Here you will have the chance to take fantastic pictures. Your way will cross the Danube and on Pest side you will see the city park, Hero square, the Basilica, the Opera and much more. So again which top spots you will visit on this half day Budapest sightseeing tour:

Castle District
Fishermans Bastion
Royal Castle
Matthias Church
Gellert Hill
Citadella
Opera
St. Stephen’s Basilica
Hero Square
City Park

Half Day Budapest Sightseeing Tour Details

Duration:
~ 3 hours by bus

Price:
Approximately 20€

Departure Point:
Your Hotel

Departure Time:
10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. (only in summer), 2:30 p.m.

Budapest City Walking Tour

BudapestAgent — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 14:27:34 +0000

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

BudapestAgent — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 12:07:23 +0000

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

Jewish Budapest Sightseeing Tour

BudapestAgent — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 08:38:06 +0000

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

BudapestAgent — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 08:33:31 +0000

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

BudapestAgent — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:13:19 +0000

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

BudapestAgent — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:12:41 +0000

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

BudapestAgent — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 08:07:15 +0000

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

Budapest Wine Tasting including lunch

BudapestAgent — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:53:40 +0000

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.

What you will get on the wine tasting tour

The wine tasting takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes and takes place in a restaurant in the city center. You will get the above mentioned lunch as well as the wine as well as an English speaking guide. The tour starts at 11:30 a.m. on Déak Tér. So again here is what you will get on this tour:

Large bowl of Goulash
Hungarian lunch
Dessert
Market visit to see the local food varieties
Wine, wine, wine

Wine Tour Details

Duration:
~ 2 hours 30 minutes

Price:
Approximately 27€

Departure Point:
Déak Tér

Departure Time:
11:30 a.m.