I’ll tell you where to find activities and tours in Budapest and in Hungary, what kinds there are, their unique aspects, and prices. I’ll share tips and hacks to help you choose, maybe even saving you time and money. Budapest’s tour scene is thriving, offering options for every taste, preference, and budget. However, there are some weaker offerings that should be avoided.
Tours in Budapest and Hungary: general information, nuances
Important points and specifics to consider when picking tours in Budapest. Sometimes, prices may seem the same, and the itinerary identical, but there are a few hidden pitfalls to watch out for:
- The primary languages used in 90% of Budapest and Hungary tours are Hungarian and English. Finding tours in German isn’t too challenging due to the influx of tourists from Germany and Austria.
Key point:
At Hungarian landmarks with audio guides, you’ll find English and German options. There’s quite a selection of attractions with audio guides.
- For tours in Budapest, many guides accept payment in euros, which is quite convenient.
- Always clarify what’s included in the price: entrance tickets, drinks, lunch, etc. Sometimes, entrance fees cost more than the tour itself, which can be an unpleasant surprise. Generally, in Budapest, admission to paid attractions averages at least 7 euros.
From personal experience:
Our friends purchased a Pest tour at two places for 50 euros each. However, one guide didn’t include entrance tickets, traditional snacks, and drinks in the price, while the other did. During the tour, they ended up paying an extra 15 euros for tickets and tastings when they could have saved by choosing the option that covered these expenses.
A comprehensive overview of Hungarian alcoholic drinks and wine, a must-try for tourists.
Major providers of group and individual tours in Budapest
Today, this niche has moved online. Unlike five years ago when dozens of tour vendors in Budapest’s center offered their programs, that’s no longer the case. Now, these tour vendors battle it out online.
Here are the main, most significant providers of tours in Budapest and Hungary. Your booking is secure here, no scammers or frauds, and all guides undergo at least some form of filtering and selection.
- Viator – the largest provider of tours and activities in Hungary – offering over 1000 tours. There are many individual tours and unique programs, including those covering wine regions and all of Hungary.
- GetYourGuide – Here, you can buy tickets for many attractions at discounted rates, cheaper than at the ticket office. For example, for Széchenyi and Gellért Baths. And the best part, no queues. There are around 500 tour offers here.
- A detailed overview of Budapest’s attractions will help you plan your ideal route. You can easily explore much of it independently and learn which locations might benefit from a guide. Armed with this information, you can easily select the right tour for yourself.
Popular Excursions in Hungary and Budapest
Let’s delve into what excursions mean in Hungary. I’ll outline the main trends and you can decide what appeals to you most and which tour you’d like to buy. All of these options are available through the links provided.
- Sightseeing Tours in Budapest.
- By Bus: The coolest bus tours are the Big Bus Budapest Hop on | Hop Off. You buy a ticket and can hop on and off at any stop along the route as many times as you want. These buses cover all the major attractions, making it a fantastic option for those with limited time wanting to see as much as possible in half a day. You can find more details about this bus in the Budapest transport article.
- Walking Tours in the City Center.
There’s a vast array of walking tours, from standard group tours covering the city’s main attractions to individual ones exploring non-touristy spots you might not know about. There are even walking routes focusing on the smallest monuments in Budapest.
- Specialized Tours for Food and Drink Enthusiasts. There are entire gastronomic tours dedicated to Hungarian cuisine and national fast food. Similarly, there are alcohol-focused tours, including visits to Budapest’s famous ruin bars.
- For wine enthusiasts, Hungary boasts 31 wine regions with PDO status, signifying protected origin wines. There are fantastic individual one or two-day tours with guides by car to private wineries and cellars across different wine regions of the country, not just Tokaj.
- For instance, there’s a half-day tour to the wine village of Etyek in the Budapest suburbs, including visits to two private wineries. It’s an individual tour, just for you, and it’s reasonably priced.
- The most popular type of excursion in Budapest is undoubtedly the river cruise along the Danube. There are hundreds of options and programs. This excursion is a must for all tourists. Here’s what you need to know about river cruises in Budapest:
- The language of the tour doesn’t particularly matter here.
- There are simple sightseeing cruises for 60 minutes. There are those with alcohol for 2 hours. Some even last 3-4 hours, featuring dinner, musicians, and dancing.
- You’ll sail through the heart of Budapest along the Danube, getting a view of all the sights along the riverbanks.
- Through the link, you’ll find around a hundred of river cruises on the Danube, starting from 10 euros for a one-hour trip. These Budapest tours are only available for booking online. On-site, you won’t have much choice as each cruise company docks at different places. Physically, you won’t be able to visit all of them and choose the one that suits you best.
Tip:
When booking, try to choose evening cruises during sunset. The city center of Budapest looks stunningly lit up at night. Your experience during such a stroll will be significantly enhanced in the evening.
- A highly popular excursion route includes three northern beautiful cities near Budapest: Visegrád, Szentendre, and Esztergom. If you have a car, visiting them on your own is easy and highly recommended. You can find an overview of these cities, what to see, and where to eat through the provided link. You can cover the route in a day, but two days would be better.
In conclusion: the choice of excursions in Budapest, and in Hungary, is vast. If you speak English, finding a program to your liking is no trouble at all; there are thousands. The coolest and most popular excursion programs include gastronomy and alcohol routes through Budapest and Hungary with wine or pálinka tastings. And the Danube river cruises at sunset, with or without dinner, that’s up to you.
Wishing you vibrant discoveries and emotions on these unconventional tours in Budapest!
IMPORTANT: Below are useful links that will help organize your trip to Hungary and Budapest:
- Flight: Aviasales – compares prices for flights among 30+ airlines flying to Budapest.
- Tours and excursions:
- Viator and GetYourGuide – the best services for finding tours in Budapest and Hungary with the largest database of activities in Hungary. They offer river cruises on the Danube, tickets to baths, and 1000+ tours (available in different languages).
- Accommodation, apartments, hotels, hostels:
- Car rental: DiscoverCars – the leading and largest car rental service in Hungary.
- Travel Insurance: EKTA.
- eSIM – Airalo virtual SIM card in Hungary.
- Taxi and airport transfers: Intui.Travel