Tours of the City
Walking Tours
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Budapest Tours (tel: 3021 18861; fax: (01) 266 1729; e-mail: imad@axelero.hu; website: www.budapestours.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. Tours cost between Ft3500 and Ft18-20,000 (for a minimum of two people). Most tours depart from the steps of the church on Károly körút, Déak tér.
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, departing Tuesday and Thursday at 1400, from Vorosmarty tér, Café Gerbaund and costing Ft3200 for three hours. 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 tours cost approxmately Ft3000 and run from 1030. The departure point is in front of the Dohány Synagogue, Dohány út, although the tour includes a hotel pick-up service. Booking is advisable.
Opera Tours (tel: (01) 331 2550) provides a Ft900 45-minute tour of the grand Opera House, built between 1873 and 1884, by Miklós Ybl. Tours depart daily at 1500.
Bus Tours
Budatours (tel: (01) 353 0558; fax: (01) 374 7077; website: www.budatours.hu) is one of many bus tour operators in the city. Departures are from Casino Gresham, V Roosevelt tér, at 1030 and 1330 in winter, as well as at 1530 from May to October and every half an hour from 0930-1730 July and August. The two-hour tour includes a quick stop at Heroes’ Square and the Citadella and costs Ft5300.
Chosen Tours, XII Pagony utca 40 (tel: (01) 355 2202), offers a two- to three-hour air-conditioned bus tour, ‘Budapest Through Jewish Eyes’, Sunday-Friday at 1400. The tour costs Ft4200 and departs from in front of the Dohány Zsinagóga, Dohány út.
Ibusz (tel: (01) 485 2700; fax: (01) 318 2805) offers 11 different bus and boat tours from Ft5000 and taking approximately four hours to one day. They depart from the Erzsebet tér bus station, near Deák tér, 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/fax: (01) 266 4190; website: www.legenda.hu) offers a one-hour boat tour with an optional one-hour walking tour of Margaret Island. Tours cost Ft3400 or Ft4000 (day or evening, including two drinks) and depart from Piers six and seven, in front of the Marriott Hotel, from April to September.
Ibusz (tel: (01) 318 1139; fax: (01) 317 9746; website: www.ibusz.hu) runs tours along the River Danube, past Parliament, the Academy of Sciences and around Margaret Island. The 90-minute trip costs Ft6000 and includes lunch on the Danube. Boats depart from the Vigadó tér pier at 1230 Thursday to Sunday from June to September. The company also provides a Folklore Evening tour (2000-2200) of the illuminated capital, costing Ft11,000.
MAHART (tel: (01) 484 4027; fax: (01) 266 4672; e-mail: tours@maharttours.hu; website: www.mahartpassnave.hu) offers cruises on the Danube, besides their regular service between Budapest and Vienna. Tours take approximately two hours and cost between Ft1500 and Ft4000 for a themed ‘Hungarian Wine Regions’ tour. Boats depart from the Belgrád rakpart terminal.
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General
