Discover Budapest

Welcome to Budapest! Grab a map from the hotel and head out for some exploration. If you arrive early in the day, take the time to soak your aches away at one of Budapest’s many thermal baths. Follow it up with a hearty meal at a local cafe.

This evening, meet your tour guide and traveling companions for a welcome dinner.

Budapest was actually once two cities. Today you will explore the very distinctive “Buda” section, starting with Buda Castle Hill. This is a UNESCO Heritage Site, overlooking all of Budapest. Take the Buda Hill Funicular up to the top of the hill.

Spend your afternoon touring the Buda Royal Palace, the Matthias Church, and the history museum. Watch the sunset from the top of the wall at an outdoor cafe, enjoying some fantastic goulash. If you wish, stay up late for a soak in the Rudas Thermal Baths.

Today, explore the Eastern bank of the Danube, the “Pest”. Start by visiting the Hungarian Parliament, the very distinctive Gothic-style structure along the river. Take a tour of the interior and dive deep into the history of this historical building. Take the time to visit the Holocaust Shoe Memorial before continuing on to the famous Andrassy Avenue. Stop by the Hungarian State Opera House for a brief but memorable performance.

Head to Nagy Vasarcsarnok, the Central Market Hall, for some lunch. Try the local sausages for a quick stop or go up to the second level for a bite at a restaurant serving traditional Hungarian food.

Continue on to the Jewish Quarter. Stop by Dohány Street Synagogue, the world’s second or third largest synagogue, depending on who you ask. View the cemetery next door, and hear the stories of Soviet soldiers who are buried beneath the synagogue. Visit the House of Terror to learn about Nazi interrogations, imprisonments, and hangings. Walk through the Quarter, learning about the occupation and slow recovery of this area.

After an afternoon rich with history, take a load off with a pint and a meal at one of Budapest’s ruin pubs. Your guide will tell you about these interesting spots and how they came to be. If you wish, take a pub crawl to view a view more of Budapest’s most famous pubs.

Take a walking tour of Heroe’s Square, Vajdhunyad Castle, and Szechenyi Thermal Baths. The latter has 21 baths and multiple saunas, carved in Romanesque and Greek styles. Stay for a soak if time allows.

Lunch on langos, a traditional flatbread covered with delicious toppings.

End your trip with a nighttime dinner cruise along the Danube with your guide and travel companions.