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Planning a trip to Budapest and need help with the itinerary? You’ve come to the right place!
Budapest is truly one of the best cities I’ve ever visited. The first time I went there, I had no idea what to expect, and I was wowed by what a magical city it is. With a dark but fascinating history, thermal baths, and a very underrated cuisine, there is so much to love about Budapest. So now, I’ve written this guide to help you make the most of your time here!
Together, we’ve had some amazing experiences in the city of Budapest, so keep on reading to discover the best ways to soak in the culture, history, and beauty of Hungary’s capital city. From day trips and beer spas to cheese tastings and vampire walking tours, there really is something for everyone.
Quick Pick: Our Favorite Activity
Don’t have time to read the full article?
Our personal FAVORITE thing we did in Budapest was this walking food tour! Not only did we get to see the local side of the city, but we also ate a ton of yummy traditional food and Hungarian wine! Check out the 500+ glowing reviews and book this tour here.
Tip: This tour is popular – secure your spot in advance and get FREE cancellation 24 hours before you go!
- Quick Pick: Our Favorite Activity
- Things to do in Budapest, Hungary
- 1. Enjoy a Danube River Dinner Cruise
- 2. Tour the Etyek Wine Country
- 3. Eat your way around the city
- 4. Tour the city by tuk tuk
- 5. Join a Hungarian Cooking Class
- 6. Join a luxury private tour of the city
- 7. Learn About the Dark History of Buda Castle District
- 8. See Budapest in a Day on this Walking Tour
- 9. Hungarian Cheese and Wine Tasting in the City
- 10. Soak in a beer spa
- Where to Stay in Budapest, Hungary
- Thanks for reading!
- Why We Book Tours with Viator
- Don't Forget Travel Insurance!
Things to do in Budapest, Hungary
1. Enjoy a Danube River Dinner Cruise
- Price: €69 – €109
- Duration: 2 hours
- Time: 7 pm
- Highlights: live music, folk dancing, traditional Hungarian food, cruise past major landmarks like Buda Castle, Gellert Hill, and the Chain Bridge
- Inclusions: boat cruise, 3- or 12-course meal (depending on option selected), wine tasting (if selected), welcome drink
- Rating: 4.5 stars (check 6,900+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: yes
This fantastic cruise combines sightseeing, culture, and delicious food in one magnificent evening! We were already excited at the prospect of doing a dinner cruise in Budapest, but when we saw that it included live folk music and dancing, we knew that we had to book it ASAP.
Budapest is an incredibly beautiful city, so unsurprisingly, we absolutely loved the views on this cruise. In my opinion, Budapest has one of the most stunning parliament buildings in the world, so seeing it lit up at night from the boat was spectacular! We also loved sailing under the Chain Bridge, which connects the two sides of the city.
You can opt for either a buffet or a plated dinner with this cruise, so we booked the 5-course plated meal and wine tasting. And let me tell you, we had no regrets! I especially loved the hearty goulash that we got for the main course and the Hungarian strudel for dessert.
The wine tasting was fantastic, too. Hungarian wine is currently pretty overlooked on the global stage, although I don’t think that will be the case for too much longer! It was really interesting to learn about Hungarian wine in general and we got to taste five different varieties. This tasting actually really helped us know what to order later on in our trip, so we’re glad we opted for it.
And last but not least, the folk music and dancing after dinner was the perfect note to end the evening on. Watching a traditional Hungarian dance performance is a must while you’re in the city anyway, so why not book this tour and do it on a boat?
Book this tour with thousands of 5-star reviews here, before it fills up!
2. Tour the Etyek Wine Country
- Price: €90 – €210
- Duration: 4 – 5 hours
- Time: 10 am – 3 pm
- Highlights: visiting family-owned wineries, tasting the region’s famous white and sparkling wines, 2-course meal, cellar tours
- Inclusions: hotel pickup and drop-off, 2-3 wine tastings, 2-course dinner, local guide
- Rating: 5 stars (check 1,200+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: yes
We love wine tasting, so exploring the Etyek wine region was a no-brainer for us, especially since it’s only around 30 kilometers (18 miles) outside of Budapest. Of course, we didn’t want to drive ourselves, so we booked this wine tour and had a truly incredible day!
Honestly, I don’t think that wine is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Hungary, but this tour certainly changed that for us! The Etyek region excels at producing white and sparkling wine, thanks to its cool climate and limestone soil, so if you like crisp, refreshing wine, then you really cannot miss the chance to visit.
We loved exploring the picturesque countryside and driving through adorable rural villages. Our guide, Peter, was so friendly, and he knew all of the winery owners well. This meant that we got really warm and personal treatment at each of the three wineries we visited, and the owners were always happy to answer our questions and give us a cellar tour. We even got to taste wine straight from the cask!
As it turns out, tasting pours are very generous in Etyek, but thankfully we had a hearty Hungarian meal to soak up all of the alcohol… although this was paired with another wine tasting! We definitely felt pretty tipsy by the end of the tour, so we do recommend booking the afternoon tour if you can.
Secure your spot here and get FREE cancellation options 24 hours before you take off.
3. Eat your way around the city
- Price: €109
- Duration: 3 hours
- Time: 10 am
- Highlights: discovering local hotspots, trying lots of traditional foods, drinking Hungarian wine, seeing famous landmarks
- Inclusions: food tastings, wine, coffee, English-speaking guide
- Rating: 5 stars (check 500+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: yes
A few days in Budapest is simply not enough time to get to know the city’s food scene properly, so we booked this food tour to ensure that we got to try as many local specialties and traditional Hungarian dishes as possible! It turned out to be an excellent decision because this tour allowed us to skip the tourist traps and truly eat like locals.
And, as it turns out, Budapest locals eat very well indeed! Our guide, Zoltan, took us to four different restaurants where we tried a ton of amazing food. Some of our favorites included goulash, strudel, and lángos, which is a Hungarian flatbread topped with cheese – yum! Better still, we also got plenty of local wine to wash down our food with.
As Zoltan led us between restaurants, we also got to spot some of the city’s best-known landmarks, such as the beautiful St. Stephen’s Basilica, and Liberty Square. So this tour not only helped us to get a better picture of Hungarian cuisine, but it was also a fantastic way to get our bearings in the city. We also really appreciated Zoltan’s restaurant recommendations, which definitely came in handy during the rest of our time in the city.
I would honestly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Budapest. We joined the small group tour, which was a great way to get to know some new people in the city, but there’s also the option to book a private tour if you’re in Budapest with family or a group of friends. Either way, you’re in for a real treat with this one!
Check availability and book this top-rated food tour in advance here.
4. Tour the city by tuk tuk
- Price: €109 – €119
- Duration: 2.5 hours
- Time: 10 am – 3:30 pm
- Highlights: Gellert Hill, exploring the Castle District, the Fisherman’s Bastion, Mattias Church, Hungarian Parliament Building, river cruise (if selected), private tour
- Inclusions: hotel pickup and drop-off, tuk tuk transport, English-speaking guide, boat ride (if selected)
- Rating: 5 stars (check 900+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: yes
Touring Budapest in a tuk tuk is a whole lot of fun! There’s something so exciting about riding around in a tuk tuk, and it’s ideal if you don’t want to do a ton of walking. We also loved that we got to do this tour just the two of us. The itinerary was flexible so we were able to skip the things we had already seen and spend longer at the places that interested us the most.
Our guide, Greg, was so friendly and energetic, and we had a blast with him! He made us laugh as we zoomed around the city and shared lots of fun anecdotes with us.
We loved visiting the citadel and statue on top of Gellert Hill, but for me, the best part was exploring the Castle District. The architecture was just beautiful, and Greg shared stories and explained the history of the area. I also really enjoyed visiting Mattias Church and the Fisherman’s Bastion, both of which were super impressive.
For an extra €10, we could include a boat cruise along the Danube with this tour. We had already done the dinner cruise on our first night in the city, but for €10, we figured why not do one in the daytime, too? Relaxing and taking in the views from the river was the perfect end to the tour.
This is our top pick for sightseeing tours in Budapest. Riding around in a tuk tuk is such an adventure, and we really couldn’t have asked for a better guide! We covered a ton of ground in just a few hours, so we especially recommend it for those who are short on time in the city.
Book this tour with over 850 5-star reviews here so you don’t miss out!
5. Join a Hungarian Cooking Class
- Price: €89
- Duration: 4 hours
- Time: 1 pm
- Highlights: shopping at the local market, learning how to make several Hungarian dishes, sit-down meal at the end,
- Inclusions: all ingredients and equipment, lunch, soft drinks, wine, snacks, souvenir postcard
- Rating: 5 stars (check 150+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: yes
We loved trying lots of different Hungarian foods while in Budapest, but nothing beats actually learning how to make them yourself! So booking this Foodapest food tour was a must. Besides, Hungarian food is so warm and hearty, so it tastes even better when it’s home-cooked.
We met our guide, George, outside the Great Market Hall. This is the city’s largest and most historic indoor market, and it’s super traditional, so we really enjoyed exploring and shopping with George. He taught us about typical ingredients in Hungarian cooking, and how to choose the freshest produce. Not only was this interesting, but it also reassured us that we would be cooking with the best ingredients!
Then, we all went back to George’s apartment, where we sat down as a group to get to know one another and snack on local cured meats and cheeses before the cooking began. George taught us how to make his traditional family recipes, from both Hungary and Transylvania. We especially loved making Transylvanian-style stuffed cabbage rolls – trust me, they taste WAY yummier than they sound! We also learned how to make the most delicious paprika chicken and spicy beef goulash.
After we had finished cooking, we sat down to enjoy the hearty meal we had created, family-style! It was so delicious, and truly one of the best meals that we had in Budapest. Better still, we got to wash it down with some Hungarian white wine, which is always a treat.
This was such a fun and wholesome cooking class, and we enjoyed every moment of it. George is a fantastic host and booking this tour is a great way to support a local business, as well as gain a deeper appreciation for the local cuisine. We loved that all of the recipes we made had been passed down through several generations of George’s family. If you’re looking to experience authentic local food, it really doesn’t get much better than this class!
Reserve this tour now and pay later when you book online here!
Why We Book Tours with Viator
Viator is a trusted online booking system for tours around the world! We almost always book our tours using Viator for a couple of reasons:
- Free cancellation on most tours – Most of the tours on Viator allow you to cancel and get a full refund up to 24 hours in advance. This is handy in case plans change, or if booking an outdoor activity, the weather forecast is looking grim.
- Reserve now and pay later – You can secure your spot on some of the most popular tours well in advance and not pay until closer to the day of the tour.
- Lowest price guarantee – If you happen to find the same tour at a lower price elsewhere, Viator will refund you the price difference.
- Pay in your chosen currency – Avoid costly international transaction fees by choosing to pay in your home currency.
- Peace of mind – When booking with tour operators you find in person on the street or in small booking offices, you are often promised one thing and given another. This online platform holds tour operators accountable with a written description of inclusions as well as the opportunity for customers to leave reviews.
Check out the Viator website here! Or, for more info, read our detailed review about Viator here.
6. Join a luxury private tour of the city
- Price: €76 – €200 per person
- Duration: 4-6 hours
- Time: 9 am – 2:30 pm
- Highlights: customizable itinerary, St. Stephen’s Basilica, Fisherman’s Bastion, Parliament, Buda Castle Complex, Heroes Square, Central Market Hall
- Inclusions: private guide, transport in luxury vehicle
- Rating: 5 stars (check 300+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: yes
Luxury travelers, listen up! If you’re more concerned about getting the most out of your time in Budapest than your budget, then we highly recommend booking this private sightseeing tour. And since it involves traveling in a luxury car or minibus, it’s ideal for those who don’t want to do a lot of walking.
My favorite thing about this tour is that it has a fully customizable itinerary. The base itinerary is fantastic and covers Budapest’s most magnificent buildings, such as St. Stephen’s Basilica, Parliament, and Fisherman’s Bastion. However, if you’ve already seen some of these places or just have another area of interest, you can speak to your guide and they’ll be more than happy to tailor the itinerary accordingly!
I also like that you can choose a 4 or 6-hour tour depending on what suits you best! I think this tour is an excellent choice if you’re the kind of person who prefers to take things at your own pace. You get the freedom of choosing what you want to do, while still benefiting from having transport and a local guide to show you around, teach you the city’s history, and ensure that you don’t miss anything.
Check availability and book this private tour here, before dates fill up.
7. Learn About the Dark History of Buda Castle District
- Price: €21
- Duration: 2 hours
- Time: 7:45 pm
- Highlights: ghost and true crime stories, learning about the “real” Dracula, passing key landmarks such as Buda Castle and Matthias Church
- Inclusions: English-speaking actor guide
- Rating: 4.5 stars (check 800+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: yes
This is our favorite night tour in Budapest! We always enjoy ghost tours because they really do show you a different side of any given city, and we love discovering the ghost stories that don’t make it into the guidebooks. This dark history walking tour is no different, and it’s based in the beautiful Buda Castle District, so it was very atmospheric.
Our guide, Joe, was an actor and he brought so much flair to the tour! He kept our group super entertained as we explored historic landmarks and learned the grizzly stories behind each one. We discovered that Vlad the Impaler, the man who inspired Count Dracula, was actually imprisoned for 14 years in an underground labyrinth! I won’t spoil too much, but I will say that if you’re into dark history, you do not want to miss the chance to hear these stories for yourself.
The tour was also just a fantastic way to explore the Castle District, and we racked up quite a lot of steps! However, there is the option to take the funicular to avoid a lot of the uphill walking. We loved seeing the castle lit up at night, and we got fantastic views of the city from the top of the hill. All in all, we absolutely loved this tour and think that it’s the perfect way to spend an evening in Budapest!
Don’t miss out on this unique tour – book your spot here.
8. See Budapest in a Day on this Walking Tour
- Price: €72
- Duration: 3.5 hours
- Time: 10 am
- Highlights: Strudel House, Andrassy Avenue, Heroes Square, Varosliget Park, Soviet Memorial, Parliament Building, Chain Bridge, Buda Castle District, Mattias Church, Fisherman’s Bastion
- Inclusions: English-speaking guide, strudel and coffee, public transport tickets
- Rating: 5 stars (check 1,100+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: yes
If you’re looking for the perfect walking tour of Budapest, don’t worry, because we found it! This walking tour offers a fantastic introduction to Budapest, so it’s ideal to do on your first day in the city. And if you’re only here for a few days, the comprehensive itinerary will ensure that you don’t miss any of the most important areas or landmarks.
Our guide, Anna, was fantastic and gave us a great overview of both Buda and Pest. We learned about the distinct character of each side of the city. We began on the Pest side of the river and visited St. Stephen’s Basilica, which is honestly one of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen. We also went to Heroes’ Square, the City Park, and we even got a quick peek into the famous Szechenyi baths! Perhaps best of all, though, we stopped at the Strudel House for coffee and pastries, which was such a treat.
Then, in Buda, we explored the historic castle district and visited several important landmarks, including the Castle itself, before wrapping up the tour with beautiful city views at Fisherman’s Bastion, which was the perfect note to end on, because the city views from here are just stunning. We learned so much about the history of Budapest along the way, and Anna was a fantastic guide who paced the tour perfectly and answered all of our questions with ease!
In our opinion, this tour is the perfect way to see the city on foot. We loved being in a super small group, because it was easy to keep up and hear everything our guide was saying, and we didn’t feel as though we were being herded around. We really can’t fault it!
Book this top-rated tour here to receive FREE cancellation options.
9. Hungarian Cheese and Wine Tasting in the City
- Price: €47
- Duration: 1.5 hours
- Time: 3 pm
- Highlights: guided wine tasting, cheese and charcuterie snacks, learning about the Hungarian wine regions
- Inclusions: professional sommelier, 5 glasses of wine, cheese and charcuterie board (vegetarian available), mineral water, bread,
- Rating: 5 stars (check 400+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: yes
Hungary actually produces some pretty incredible cheeses and wines, so why not have your fill of both with this guided cheese and wine tasting session? We loved getting the chance to taste cheese and wine from all over the country, without even having to leave Budapest! For that reason, this is an ideal way to do a wine tasting if you don’t have time to visit the Etyek wine region.
This tasting takes place in a cozy wine cellar, and we were immediately impressed by the setting. Things only got better as we sat down to do our wine tasting with Jonathan, a super-friendly professional sommelier. He taught us about Hungary’s different wine regions and guided us as we tasted a very diverse range of wines.
We got a delicious cheese and charcuterie board to go with our wine tasting, and Jonathan gave us tips about which cured meats, cheeses, and fruits paired well with each wine. I was also so impressed with how diverse the wines were, and I really enjoyed learning more about the Hungarian wine industry. The industry really suffered under the Soviet Union, but is now more than making up for lost time – watch this space!
I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who enjoys a good glass of wine! It’s easy to fit into your itinerary, and even though we had already taken a day trip to Etyek, I’m so glad that we did this wine tasting as well because we got to taste wines from all over the country. We would definitely book it again!
If you’re already hungry for Hungarian cheese and wine – book this tour here!
10. Soak in a beer spa
- Price: €113
- Duration: 3 hours
- Time: 11 am – 5 pm
- Highlights: relaxing in thermal water, drinking unlimited beer, fun atmosphere
- Inclusions: 45 minute beer spa session, bottomless beer, fast track tickets to the Szechenyi Spa
- Rating: 4.5 stars (check 300+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: yes
Doesn’t soaking in a beer spa just sound so fun and unique? That’s what we thought, too, so we booked this tour! This way, we not only got to soak in a beer spa, but we also got full-day tickets to the famous Szechenyi baths to use wherever we wanted, so it was a real win-win.
In the beer spa, we got to soak in thermal water that was infused with hops for 45 minutes, while drinking as much beer as we could. The yeast, hops, and malt in beer are all said to be fantastic for the skin, and some people even wash their hair in beer to make it shinier, so we were keen to see the benefits for ourselves!
This was definitely more of a party experience than a relaxing one, but we loved it! It’s perfect for groups of friends visiting Budapest together. The city is a popular destination for bachelor and bachelorette parties, and this would be absolutely ideal for that kind of occasion. We also had a blast just the two of us and ended up meeting some fun people.
We saved our visit to the Szechenyi baths for another day, but we loved those too. These thermal baths are one of Budapest’s biggest attractions, so visiting them is an absolute must while you’re in the city. But honestly, we think that the beer spa is just as worthy of a visit!
Book this fun beerspa here and get flexible payment and cancellation options!
Where to Stay in Budapest, Hungary
When choosing a place to stay in a city as large as Budapest, it can easily become overwhelming! Luckily, there are heaps of good options in hotels and areas. The city is well connected via public transit, so it’s easy to get around no matter where you end up staying. Here are my top three recommendations for a luxury, mid-range, and budget stay:
Luxury – $$$
Aria Hotel Budapest is a luxury hotel with an eclectic music themed design. The rooms are exquisite and vary in options so you can choose one that fits you perfectly. I love the rooftop bar with views of Budapest, and you can enjoy the spa with pools and hammam’s. This hotel is located in downtown Budapest, near St. Stephen’s Basilica and the Opera House.
Prices start around €350 and can surpass €1,000, depending on which room you choose. Check out all the options and book this stay on Booking.com.
Mid-range – $$
Radisson Blu Béke Hotel is perfect for those looking for a nice place to stay at a moderate price point. Located in the downtown area, it’s very close to Nyugati Train Station and other popular neighborhoods. The rooms are modern and comfortable and the staff is friendly, taking care of everything you’ll need! The quality is high for how well-priced this hotel is.
Rooms start at €100 and can reach €400 if you choose a luxury suite. Check availability and book this stay on Booking.com.
Budget – $
Dean’s Home Budapest is a great budget hotel, it’s comfortable, trendy, and very clean. You can book a double, superior queen, or superior double, and most stay under €100 all year. There’s a lovely garden and terrace to enjoy, and an onsite gym. It’s in a good location, walkable to top sights and close to the metro.
Check availability and reserve a room on Booking.com.
For more options, check out all the hotels in Budapest here.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance!
If you’re looking to save money on travel insurance, we currently use and recommend SafetyWing. We’ve been using their coverage since 2018 and they’ve had our backs when we needed emergency flights and got sick overseas.
SafetyWing is one of the cheapest providers out there and covers everything from medical costs to lost luggage, travel delays, and emergency flights. A huge difference we’ve found between them and other companies is that they let you take out a policy AFTER leaving your home country. We’ve also found it handy that it’s a monthly payment rather than a lump sum, and you can get a refund for unused time.
SafetyWing has helped us out in some scary situations before and their affordable coverage has given us peace of mind. You can read our honest review of SafetyWing for all the pros and cons.
Thanks for reading!
Budapest is certainly a unique city to explore. It’s full of history and stunning architecture, amazing food and wine, lovely locals, and one of a kind experiences. We absolutely loved our visit here and already planning our next trip! If you try just a few of these top activities, I know you’ll love Budapest as much as we do.
If you found this blog helpful, be sure to check out our other travel blogs. We’ve been all over the world and love sharing our experiences and expertise with fellow travelers. Here are a few related reads that might be helpful as you plan your next adventure!
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