Walking is a great way to get to know a city. Whether it's the main sights or smaller details, walking tours are likely to show you something surprising and leave you bursting with new facts and anecdotes. Knowledgeable guides lead walks to unusual spots and reveal places you might not otherwise see. On top of that, tour leaders can answer many questions about Budapest, too.
1/13
-
Here's our roundup of Budapest's most interesting walking tours. Manage to get through these and you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of what makes this city tick, along with a wealth of fun stories and trivia to share with others.
3/13
Galleries and Art Scene
Backstage Tours Budapest is organizing special personalized tours in July and August providing a sneak peek at Budapest’s arts and culture scene. Listen to short presentations by gallerists and artists, get an inside look at the best galleries and art pieces, and see art campuses and urban design labs. There’s a huge variety of artist-run project spaces to find out about and hear about the city's for-profit gallery boom. This so-called 'Inspiration Walk' is tailor-made based on the best shows currently on offer.
The Inspiration Walk is about 2.5 hours long and must be arranged in advance, and costs 18 euros (about 5,500 HUF).
4/13
Free Walking Tours
Free Budapest Walking Tours offers three free walking tours that cover the Jewish quarter, the communist era, and a general introduction to the city.
The general Budapest walk takes in some of the city's main sights, such as St. Stephen's Basilica, the Chain Bridge, and the Castle District, and provides an overview of Budapest's history, architecture, legends, stories, daily life, and hidden treasures. Guides also offer insight into Hungarian society beyond the stereotypes, and there's plenty of time for questions. Guides can also give you options for what to do and where to go once the tour ends.
The walk that guides you through the 7th district or what's also known as the Jewish district includes sights of cultural importance, local traditions, where the last Jewish Ghetto in Europe was, and the areas with hidden Jewish symbols. Meanwhile the communism walk offers interesting insight into life behind the Iron Curtain.
The general intro to Budapest walks start daily at 10.30am and 2.30pm, while the Jewish district and communism tours start at 3.30pm. Meet at Vörösmarty Square near the lion fountain for the three-hour tours. There’s no need to book, just turn up – even by yourself.
This tour company also offers a pub tour that starts nightly at 8pm, also at Vörösmarty Square. It’s about four hours long and takes you to about four different ruin pubs in District VII, and includes a few free drinks.
These tours are all free, but if you had a good time make sure to tip your guide at the end.
5/13
Ghost Tour
This 'Ghost Tour' features everything eerie about Budapest, from the city’s brutal secrets and mysteries to stories of black magic, vampires, and witches.
Run by Free Budapest Tours, it reveals true stories and legends of Budapest’s creepy side. And to make things even better, the guide is an native-English actor dressed in a scary costume and delivering tales in an entertaining style.
Tours are 90 minutes long and must be booked in advance. The cost is 13 Euros (approx. 4,000 HUF) per person for groups of four and more. Meet at Sütő Street near the McDonald’s at Deák Ferenc Square at the prearranged day and time.
7/13
Budapest Records and Crimes in the Castle
Tours run by Imagine Budapest are a cool collection of oddities not found at your typical tour company. The 'Budapest's Records' tour shows you 'the bests and the mosts' and other broken records the city has achieved. Meanwhile, the 'crime and History in the Buda Castle' tour will entertain with stories of old crimes and executions, as well as other historical tidbits from the past century.
Other tours include an introduction to Budapest's secret gardens and squares.
The price is 15 Euros (4,500 HUF) per person, and tour dates are set a few weeks in advance. You can book a spot online.
10/13
Secret Sights and Cultural Insights
There's no shortage of hidden secrets in Budapest, but the 'Secret Sights' tour by Budapest Beyond Sightseeing does its best to show you some sights that you'd otherwise be likely to miss. It takes you to a city wall from the Middle Ages, an unusual memory of communism, secret short cuts, and the mysteriously deserted Párisi Courtyard along with much more. It's an interactive tour with funny games, hosted by friendly and intelligent guides who ensure walkers have a good time.
Another Budapest Beyond Sightseeing tour is the Socio-Cultural Walk, a three-hour tour designed to show you how 'real' Hungarians live. Feel the contrast between the luxury palace district and the worn-down areas of the more grungy parts of the city.
Private tour times must be prearranged, and prices depend on your group size.
11/13
A closer look at 'Liberty Square'
Many pass by 'Liberty Square' (Szabadság tér in Hungarian) and its beautiful buildings without realizing the history that has taken place there. Budapest Walk Shop organizes a Liberty Square tour that explores the square and its surroundings, revealing the city's only church built in a fascist style, the secret bunker of a feared communist leader, and showcases the last Soviet monument in Budapest, along with much more.
This tour shows how footprints of Hungary's turbulent 20th century history have all left their marks on this famous square.
Budapest Walk Shop organizes tours in both English and Hungarian; English tours must be prearranged.
12/13
Pub Crawl
This one might start as a walk but could end in a crawl, but all the same it will show a crucial part of Hungarian life: the pub.
The mission of Budapest Pub Crawl is to introduce you to the real Budapest nightlife, so buckle up. There are different tour options – you can choose pubs, nightclubs, or bars, and if you don’t want to muck around with spirits and wine, there’s even a specific beer tour.
The guides are locals who speak a range of languages including English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, and even Turkish. The meeting point is Deák Ferenc Square in front of the white church at 9pm. The basic Pub Crawl costs 10 euros (approx. 3,000 HUF).
