World City Guide

Tours of the City

Walking Tours
Absolute Tours (formerly known as Budapest Tours) (tel: 3021 18861; website: www.absolutetours.com) offers a selection of daily walking tours, for which reservations are not usually necessary. These take from two to five hours and cover Budapest’s major sights, the ‘Hammer and Sickle’ sights (such as 1956 fighting areas and Statue Park), Jewish Budapest and more. Most tours depart from the steps of the church on Kroly krt, Dak tr.

The Original Budapest Walks (website: www.budapesthotels.com/touristguide/programs/walks.htm) offers a number of tours in English, which take place from April-October. The Highlights of Pest tour includes the Chain bridge, Danube Promeade and St Stephen’s. Times and departure points of other tours are published online.

Chosen Tours (tel: (01) 355 2202) provides a one-and-a-half to two-hour guided tour (Sunday-Friday) of Jewish Budapest. The departure point is in front of the Dohny Synagogue, Dohny t, although the tour includes a hotel pick-up service. Booking is advisable.

Bus Tours
Budatours (tel: (01) 353 0558; website: www.budatours.hu) is one of many bus tour operators in the city. City tours typically last for two hours and depart from Casino Gresham, V Roosevelt tr.

Chosen Tours, XII Pagony utca 40 (tel: (01) 355 2202), offers a two- to three-hour air-conditioned bus tour, ‘Budapest Through Jewish Eyes’. The tour departs from in front of the Dohny Zsinagga, Dohny t.

Ibusz (tel: (01) 485 2700; website: www.ibusz.hu) offers different bus and boat tours taking four hours to one day. They depart from the Erzsebet tr bus station, near Dek tr, although there is also a hotel pickup service 30 minutes before the tours. A pamphlet entitled ‘Budapest Sightseeing’, is available from Ibusz offices, Tourinform and most hotels.

Boat Tours
Legenda (tel: (01) 266 4190; website: www.legenda.hu) offers a one-hour boat tour with an optional one-hour walking tour of Margaret Island. Tours (day or evening, including two drinks) depart from Piers six and seven, in front of the Marriott Hotel, from April to September.

Ibusz (tel: (01) 318 1139; website: www.ibusz.hu) runs tours along the River Danube, past Parliament, the Academy of Sciences and around Margaret Island. The 90-minute trip includes lunch on the Danube. Boats depart from the Vigad tr pier Thursday to Sunday from June to September. The company also provides a Folklore Evening tour of the illuminated capital.

MAHART (tel: (01) 484 4013; website: www.mahartpassnave.hu) offers cruises on the Danube, besides their regular service between Budapest and Vienna. Tours take approximately two hours. Boats depart from the Belgrd rakpart terminal.