Budapest is a historian’s dream — from the Celts and the Romans to the Mongols and the Habsburgs, this beautiful city on the banks of the Danube has seen it all. This fabulous tour is a mix of one of our most popular tours, the Buda Castle Explorer, plus we're throwing in lunch and even more historic gems in the afternoon, allowing you to explore the city's top highlights all in one day! 

Your Budapest adventure begins with a short ride via public transport to the grand entrance gate of the Castle District. Together we’ll pass by some of the city’s most stunning historical buildings, which appear at first glance to be silent and sleepy, but your guide will bring them to life for you with scintillating stories of the goings on behind the historic walls. 

Next up, we will pass by the oldest confectionary shop in the city and admire its colourful creations before paying a visit to the first private art gallery to emerge in Hungary. 

We'll then admire the breathtaking views from atop the hill, before ambling back to the residential part of the Castle District... where we have a surprising discovery for you! Then we’ll have a look around the exquisite Matthias Church, one of the prettiest buildings in the city. 

This will be followed by lunch in the heart of the Castle District in a bistro beloved by locals. Over lunch, we’ll have a chance to get to know one another better and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to ask your guide any questions you may have about the city. The menu changes depending on the season and what’s available that day but there are always traditional dishes on the menu; expect chicken paprika with dumplings, beef stew, goulash soup, stuffed cabbage, stuffed peppers, pancakes and so on. 

Once you are sufficiently full, we’ll hop back on the public bus and make our way to the ‘Pest’ side, which makes up part of the inner city. Here we’ll pass by Saint Stephen's Cathedral and the lively pedestrian streets around it. 

Then we’re off to discover Europe’s oldest electrified underground line, dating all the way back to 1896, before arriving at the famous Heroes’ Square, which is full of iconic monuments for you to swoon over. Here we will stop to talk about the city’s more contemporary history. We’ll also take a look at the City Park before heading back to the inner city via a peaceful and now mostly residential avenue lined with attractive art nouveau villas. 

Arriving back at Andrássy Avenue, we’ll take the old metro line up to the Opera House where a coffee and a slice of delicious local cake awaits you in an old, authentic café. 

Your tour ends here but before you go, don’t forget to tap up your local guide for more tips on what else to see, do and eat during your stay in beguiling Budapest.