TOURS, EXCURSIONS IN BUDAPEST

Walking tours in BUDAPEST

Perhaps the best way to explore Budapest is on foot. Being part of the crowd in the streets, we get a real insight to what life is like for the residents of Budapest. We also have a chance to use the public transport: buses, the famous yellow tram, and the undeground, including the 'little underground', which is more than 100 years old, and is the second oldest underground in Europe (after the London tube).

All tours include detailed explanations of the places, the times, and relevant stories, anecdotes, myths. Below are some thematical tours on offer:

• Exploring Buda and Pest (4-5 h)

Walking tour passing the main sights of the city: the main pedestrian zone, Váci street; the Market Hall; the Danube Promenade; St Stephen's Cathedral; the Parliament. We take the more than 100 year-old Funicular to the top of Buda hill, and explore the Castle District. With the Little Underground we reach Andrássy Avenue, and walk around Heroes' Square and the City Park, including Széchenyi Spa and Vajdahunyad Castle.

• Communist Walk (4 h)

Discover the communist history and heritage of Budapest. We see the only two public monuments which remain from the time, the Red Army Memorial and Liberty Statue, on top of Gellért Hill; the Museum of Terror, the former headquarters of the Soviet secret police; and what life used to be like, in typical socialist stlye block houses.
1956 Revolution Walk (3 h)

We visit the areas of Budapest where the most important events of the 1956 Revolution took place: Bem statue, the Parliament, the Hungarian Radio, Corvin köz, the Universities, the place the Stalin statue once stood. We finish the tour at the statue of Imre Nagy, leader of the Revolution.

• Jewish Walk (2.5 h)

A visit of the Jewish Quarter of Budapest, including Europe's largest synagogue, the Jewish cemetery, the Wallenberg memorial and Holocaust Memorial tree. We also see other places of worship, jewish schools, kosher restaurants and shops.

• "Turn of the Century" Walk (3 h)

At the end of the 19th, beginning of the 20th century, Hungary was part of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. During the walk, we discover the monuments and other sights related to this era: beautiful Art Nouveau buildings, cafés popular among Hungarian writers and artists of the time, we will also follow the steps of Sissi, Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary.

• Pub Prawl (min. 3 h)

Discover the best pubs of the city, including the highly popular and trendy ruin-pubs, which have become a special attraction of Budapest.

Bus tours in BUDAPEST

• Budapest City Tour (3.5-4 h)

We visit the major sights of the city, including Heroes' Square, the most monumental square of Budapest, the City Park, with Széchenyi Spa and Vajdahunyad Castle. Continuing on Andrássy Avenue, belonging to the World Heritage of Unesco, we pass the House of Terror and the Opera House. Reaching downtown Budapest, we pass such monuments as the Gresham Palace, Chain Bridge and the Parliament building. Crossing the river Danube on Margaret Bridge, we take a glimpse of Margaret Island and the bridges on the Danube. On the Buda side of the city, we take a look at an old Turkish bath, and the Castle district, including Matthias Church, Fishermen's Bastion and the Royal Palace. Final stop of the tour is Gellért Hill, from where we can admire the magnificent view of the whole city.

• Budapest By Night (4 h)

Spend an unforgettable evening in the glittering Budapest and come to know the city's traditional side! Firstly you can get a little taste of the Hungarian folklore in a traditional, athmospheric restaurant being warmly welcomed by Hungarian specialities. "Barack pálinka" which is apricot brandy, is one of the typical Hungarian shots and 'pogácsa', a cheese cake is also very popular in every Hungarian household.

After the aperitif a delicious 3-course menu is served for you accompanied by good wines and a varied folklore show. Hungarian folk dance performance and gipsy music provide memorable entertainment. Leaving the restaurant you can have a marvellous view on the illuminated city from the Citadel.

You can partake in the breathtaking spectacle of the Budapest downtown area, including the riverfront, bridges and architectural wonders as the Castle, Chain bridge, the Parliament and the St. Stephen Cathedral, all illuminated for the night. The lights on the monuments and bridges gleam in the dark like jewels.

• Budapest City Tour with Opera House (4 h)

The Regular City Tour is followed by the interior visit of the Opera House. The Opera House, which took nine years to build, was Europe's most modern opera house - a building which combined the artistic with the practical. It was opened amid great pomp and ceremony in 1884, what was a long-awaited moment in the Hungarian opera life. Even if you aren't an opera fan the Opera House's building in itself worth a visit. Its fine neo-Renaissance architecture will enchant you. During Budapest City Tour there will be stops at: Castle District, Citadel, Heroes' Square and at the Opera House

• Sightseeing from Boat on River Danube (1 h)

One of the world's most pleasantly sited cities, Budapest is divided into two distinct parts by the River Danube. Buda and Pest are connected with spectacular bridges. Take a guided boat tour of this beautiful city and see the nicest bridges and monuments from the middle of the river.

You can spend a pleasant hour on the board of the boat, sailing among the splendid vision of the following sights; on the boat tour you can see the Parliament building (built between 1884 and 1902), Margaret Island ("lung of the city"), Castle District (including the Mathias Church, Fishermen's Bastion and Royal Castle), Gellért Hill with the Citadel and Liberation Monument, the National Theatre's modern and beautiful building and the Palace of Art giving home to numerous cultural programs.

The audio guided sightseeing cruise between the Vigadó Square and Margaret Island includes two drinks. With a glass of of beer, wine or soft drink in your hand, you will be able to experience how the legends of Budapest come alive.

SPECIAL & ADVENTURE TOURS IN BUDAPEST

• Cooking tour (3.5 h)

Cooking tour is a great way to combine your love of gastronomy and travel into an extraordinary experience. Cooking tour through the Hungarian kitchen provide you with the opportunity to explore delicious traditional foods and special ingredients.

Hungarian culinary specialties with an international reputation include goulash, various refreshing fruit-based cold soups, chicken paprika, stuffed cabbage, foie gras, roast duck, and letcho (a combination of green peppers, tomatoes and onions). Soup is a very important meal in Hungarian cuisine thus a perfect Hungarian lunch and sometimes dinner starts with some kind of soup.

If you want to try how to make traditional Hungarian dishes, attend our organized cooking course in Budapest. Talented and friendly chefs tell you all you need and want to know about Hungarian cuisine and show you all cooking practices and tricks so that you'll be able to treat your family and friends to a fantastic Hungarian dinner in your homecountry. 3-4 dishes will be cooked by your group, then comes the eating and drinking.. 1 hour guiding in the Great Market Hall before cooking, visit of the market and shopping is alo included!

Adventure Cave Tours in Budapest (5 h)

Discover the city's unique natural beauties under your feet! Budapest is one of the world's very few cities where almost 200 smaller and bigger caves can be found within the municipal area. These caves were formed by the same springs that today supply the thermal baths. The majority of the caves were discovered at the beginning of the 20th century, when house buildings and drainage construction works were carried out.

Budapest has 9 strictly protected caves and 3 are open to the public. There is a cave on the southeastern side of Gellért Hill which gave the city half of its name. Seeing the hollow in the hill, and the other caves that underlie the Buda Hills, the Magyar conquerors from Asia - with no word of their own for cave - borrowed the Slavic word "pest" from tribes living in the area. They named what is now Gellért Hill "Pest Hill" - or hill of caves. In 1926 a lovely chapel, known as Rock Chapel, was built inside the hollow of Gellért Hill and can be visited today. This will be our first stop during the tour.

Rock Chapel:

First we visit the beautiful Rock Chapel, which has its entrance in the hillside 75 feet above the level of the River Danube. Archaelogical evidence has shown that primitive man inhabited the Buda hills' caves 4 000 years ago. In the 1920s Paulite monks converted the cave of Gellért hill into a pilgrims' chapel. The chapel is one of the most interesting ecclesiastical monuments of the capital.

The Labyrinth of Buda Castle:

After our visit in the Rock Chapel we continue our tour to the Buda Castle. The enchanting Castle District with the panoramic Danube view are parts of the world heritages. Here we can find the marvellous, medieval sights within walking distance, the Fishermen's Bastion, Matthias Church, the Royal Palace and many other historical sights are waiting for the visitors. In the Castle we can have a breathtaking view onto the entire city and take a fabulous visit in the amazing Labyrinth.

The Labyrinth of Buda Castle is the longest and most well-ordered visitable part of the cave system under the Castle Hill in Budapest. It is run by a cultural establishment since 1983 and has become known worldwide in 2000. At the present time it belongs to the top 10 sights in Hungary and it is one of the world's most interesting underground wonders.

The unique calcareous tufa caves of Castle Hill were created as an effect of the hot water springs at the dawn of the history of the Earth. These caves then served as refuge as well as hunting ground for the prehistoric man appearing half a million years ago. The labyrinth of caves and tunnels which stretch for over 10 kilometres beneath Castle Hill are said to have been joined together by the Turks during the middle ages for military purposes. In the 17th century, parts of the catacombs were used to store wine. More recently, the immediate area under Úri utca served as an air-raid shelter during World War II. Today, about 1.5 kilometres are open to the general public.

Pálvölgyi Cave:

After having a look at the wonderful, remarkable sights of the Buda Castle, we arrive to compelling Pálvölgyi Cave, to our last stop during the tour.

Legend says that the cave was discovered by a grazing sheep that got lost. This is the most beautiful and the longest cave in Buda Hills with its 18 km length, which can by visited by the public since 1919. The cave is famous for its unique dripstones, but the narrow, canyon-like corridors, the cauldron-like dissolve formations and the large level differences are also very typical. Some formations are particularly popular with children, such as the animals and the chamber of Snow White and the seven dwarfs. 40 m can be visited with a guide, but it's rather demanding because of the great differences of height.

The route has lately been modernized and adjusted for the highest requirements. Ladders and steep stairs help you to move forward. The tour takes you to the most astonishing stone formations, drip stones, glittering calcium-crystals and prints of primeval shells.

Before and after it you have the opportunity for relaxation in the nice buffet or in the souvenir shop. Don't forget the warm cloths! 

Restaurant and gastronomic services:

• elegant restaurants
• panorama restaurants
• restaurant for large groups
• hungarian folklore restaurants
• meal accompanied by live music
• fast food restaurants
• confectioneries
• cafe houses
• cellars
• Torley champagne factory
• special pubs

Hotel services:

• hotels 1-5 *
• hostels
• wooden houses
• campings

• rent a special bus (any type and size)
• rent a cars
• limuzins
• privat airplane
• helicopters
• special beer car
• carriages
• special party carriages
• rent a special electric for groups
• Danube ships

Ticket services:

• theater tickets
• concert tickets
• festival tickets
• program tickets

For further information please contact us.