Essential Budapest

This is exactly what the title suggests: all that you should not miss when in Budapest, even if lacking the time to immerse in it.

In PEST we will visit Heroes’ Square and a little bit of the City Park, Andrássy Avenue along with the Millenium Underground and the magnificent State Opera House.

We can take a short coffee and cake break in an elegant, traditional café evoking the 19th century atmosphere of the Monarchy (on request, please see below) before we move on to see St Stephen’s Basilica (entrance on request, please see below).

We will be walking on through Liberty Square (such a special one!) to reach the Hungarian Parliament Building, from where we can also admire the splendid panorama of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Buda Castle District, the next area for us to be discovered during this programme.

We continue our tour in Buda, in the Buda Castle District on Castle Hill, once the seat of the Hungarian monarchs for long centuries. We will be strolling along streets of medieval origin, and I will also show you some little known bits, besides the emblematic Matthias Church, Fisherman’s Bastion and the Royal Palace quarter.

We can leave the Castle area either by taking a walk through the Castle Gardens down to the Castle Garden Bazaar by the Danube or by taking the castle bus to Adam Clark square to Chain Bridge or we can also take a ride on the old Buda Castle Funicular (here extra fee applies, though) down to the same place (Adam Clark square, Chain Bridge).

This tour covers:

PEST

 Heroes’ Square, with a little bit of the City Park

 Andrássy Avenue (also with some of its further highlights, besides the State Opera House)

 the Millenium Underground

 State Opera House

 St Stephen’s Basilica (entrance can be added on request)

 Liberty Square (among others the U.S. Embassy and U.S. related monuments as well)

 the Hungarian Parliament Building

BUDA – THE BUDA CASTLE DISTRICT as follows:

 Matthias Church on Holy Trinity Square (entrance to the church can be added on your request)

 Fisherman’s Bastion (without the upper terrace, where entrance fee applies)

 the Royal Palace area including:

 the seat of the PM of Hungary (the former Carmelite Monastery of Buda)

 the seat of the President of Hungary (the so-called Sándor Palace)

 the former Royal Palace building and its courtyards (Royal Riding Hall,

the building of the Royal Garrison and Matthias Fountain

 the Castle Gardens with the Castle Garden Bazaar or Adam Clark square with the Chain Bridge as a way to finish the tour

Price includes:

public transport

guiding service

Not included:

meals and drinks, entrance tickets, any personal expenses

ON REQUEST, we can add:

1. a visit inside St Stephen’s Basilica (open from 9-16.30 on Monday, Tue-Sat 9-17.45, Sun 13-17.45, ticket office closes 30 minutes earlier)

1200 HUF / person (about 3 €)

2. a coffee and cake break in an elegant, traditional café: a coffee or tea + cake

from about 2000-3000 HUF/ person (about 5-7,50 €)

3. a visit inside Matthias Church (normally open for visitors from 9-17.00 on weekdays, Sat 9-12.15, Sun 13-17.00, ticket office closes 30 minutes earlier; but the opening hours fo visitors may be modified due to events in the church and it’s closed on certain religious holidays)

2500 HUF / person (about 6 €)

4. entrance ticket to the upper terrace of Fisherman’s Bastion

1000 HUF/person (about 2,50 €)

5. Buda Castle Funicular (on certain days of the month not in use due to maintenance)

3000 HUF/person (about 7,50 € - return ticket, valid for both uphill and downhill)

I kindly ask you to let me know 2 days in advance if to add any of the extra options above (especially for the coffee break so that I can book a table, but also the church tickets and the Funicular can be purchased in advance to make it faster and more convenient).

GOOD TO KNOW:

• this is a walking tour combined with sections taken by public transport

• moderate amount of walking on easy terrain (but some cobblestones) combined with public transport travel

• comfortable shoes and clothing are advisable, also appropriate to the weather and also to the visit to the church, if requested

• not wheelchair accessible

• there might be circumstances beyond my control, for example any unforeseen closure/restriction or modification made to opening hours or prices, or to the accessibility of monuments or any conditions affecting the public transport

For any further details or tailor-made offer please do not hesitate to contact me, I will gladly help to customise it according to your request.

Looking forward to meeting you soon!

Kind regards,

Nelli