Morning
Walk over the Chain Bridge and take the funicular railway up to the historic Buda Castle district to discover fantastic views of the city and the many UNESCO World Heritage sites. Climb the Fisherman’s Bastion, explore the Royal Palace and have a coffee in a cosy café.
Noon
Stay in the Castle District for lunch at the popular Apetito Restaurant, famous for its high quality, fresh ingredients and state-of-the-art wine storage system. Dinners will be treated to legendary Hungarian hospitality at this modern restaurant that offers a unique, lighter twist on traditional food, plus a fabulous selection of Hungarian wines.
Afternoon
Take a leisurely afternoon on board a city sightseeing bus and see all of Budapest’s main sights in comfort. The guides on board will ensure you find out the history of the city, the significance of different buildings and places, plus lots of interesting tales! Highlight entertaining!
Evening
Enjoy some traditional gypsy music and delicious food and wine at one of Budapest’s oldest restaurants. Kárpátia has been a city institution since opening in 1877 and combines modern and traditional cuisine. The kitchen is led by a talented and creative executive chef who is a part of a new generation of Hungarian chefs seeking to put a new spin on old Hungarian recipes.
Morning
Take the 11am bus from Deák Tér out to Memento Park, 25 minutes out of the city for the chance to see this unique open-air museum, home to gigantic statues and momentos from Hungary’s communist past. Highlights include the 6-metre tall Liberation Soldier and the statue of Lenin at the entrance.
Noon
See how ‘strudel’ is made by watching the chefs at work at the ‘First Strudel House of Pest’ a restaurant serving plenty of varieties of the popular fruit strudel, as well as many other types of dishes from steaks to salads. Try a traditional raisin and cottage cheese or a morello strudel with cinnamon sauce and whipped cream.
Afternoon
For a birds eye view of the city and further a field treat your self to a helicopter ride over the city. A number of different tours are available from 20 minutes over Budapest (day & night) to 60 minutes travelling over Budapest and down the Danube to the towns of the Danube bend. A wonderful experience!
Evening
Get down with the hip and trendy and enjoy cocktails and dinner at one of the city’s newest and most stylish restaurants - Boom & Brass – on Vörösmarty Square. Once you have finished eating you could take a flutter on the tables as its right next door to Hungary’s largest casinos!
Morning
Explore the city’s Jewish heritage including the Great Synagogue, the largest in Europe, the Jewish Museum that opened in 1932 and the stainless steel weeping willow sculpture that commemorates the Nazi victims with thousands of names inscribed on its leaves.
Noon
Have lunch in the Jewish Quarter at a typical Jewish restaurant called Hanna.
Afternoon
Visit the Holocaust Memorial Centre and explore the various exhibitions that tell the harrowing stories of the suffering that Jews had to endure. The number of Hungarian Jewish victims during the Holocaust exceeds half a million people.
Evening
Visit the Citadella, an exhibition and restaurant complex on top of Gellért Hill on the Buda side with the famous giant liberty statue. The Citadella was an important military base during the war and one of the exhibitions is the 1944 waxworks museum in a World War 2 air raid bunker. Enjoy dinner in the Citadella Restaurant afterwards.
Morning
Admire the stunning Hungarian Parliament with a fascinating guided tour of its ornate rooms, precious works of art and jewels such as the Hungarian Holly Crown, used in state ceremonies. The building is design is based on the Gothic Revival style developed in England in the 1830s and is reminiscent of the British Parliament
Noon
Visit Hungary’s most famous coffee shop, Gerbeaud on Vörösmarty Square and enjoy a light lunch of sandwiches, coffee and cakes overlooking the square with its Christmas market in November and December. If you fancy a beer afterwards pop downstairs to the Gerbeaud’s very own micro- brewery!
Afternoon
For 29 years now the Budapest Spring Festival has been Hungary’s biggest cultural festival. The series of events is of international significance, too. It is noted in all countries; travel agencies receive the planned programme months in advance. In the last two weeks of March around 200 events await Hungarian and foreign tourists in 50-60 venues in Budapest. Besides classical music and jazz concerts, there are theatre performances, film screenings, open-air programmes and other festival-type events.
Evening
For a unique dinner visit the Symbol complex in Óbuda (Old Buda) a short taxi ride from central Pest. This is a gastronomic complex with a variety of restaurants and bars, plus a live music club situated in a 200-year-old building and is a great place to hang out in the evening!
Airport shopping
Use your very last minutes at the Airport and enjoy the discount with your BWI Card at Travel Value & Duty Free Shop. Shop around and take a piece of Hungary with you, make your friends and family envious about your fantastic trip to Budapest!
