GUIDED TOURS
Sustainable tourism in Hungary
Helping you Discover, Love and Understand Hungary - since 2008
WELCOME TO BUDAPEST !
Hungary has become a major tourist destination for many good reasons : Budapest and the Danube, splendid architecture spanning thousands of years, UNESCO world heritage sites, the summer residence of Sissi in Gödöllő, lake Balaton (the 'Hungarian sea'), museums and festivals, folklore and gastronomy, centuries-old spas. And you can enjoy all that at very reasonable prices !
A guided tour is always a good idea at the start of your stay. With my advice, you will soon break the language barrier and find your bearings in a vast environment (e.g. use of public transport). And the information I provide will help you make sense of what you see, during and after the tour.
If it's your first visit, a full-day (or two half days) guided tour will acquaint you with the highlights of Buda and Pest. You will have enough knowledge to understand the context of today's Hungary.
On a second visit or if you wish to explore further, I will show you other gems of Budapest and Hungary, sadly neglected by mass tourism : some in plain sight like Turkish and Habsburg heritage, some less obvious and off the beaten track, much closer to the life experienced by the locals.
Whether you travel with your family or friends, on a school or company trip, all tours are PRIVATE and EXCLUSIVE : find ideas for a tour that's right for you and contact me to organise your stay !
YOUR GUIDE
Call me a 'Hungarian from the West' ! I have lived in Hungary for half of my life, yet I am still attached to England and France, and I have travelled a lot. The benefit is on your side, with a guide who is local yet masters your language and can make objective comparisons e.g. between East and West.
Being a licensed, professional tour guide is a passion and a responsibility. I use an informal tone to animate the tours, but never at the expense of objectivity and information to the best of my knowledge.
From the first contact, I assist you with the planning of your guided tour, and I welcome you in Hungary with a touristic and linguistic assistance. Whatever the lenght of your tour, I have three objective : make you discover, love and understand Hungary. You only have to enjoy your stay !
More about me on the PROFILE page.
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
Living from tourism doesn't mean I agree with everything it stands for : I too resent overtourism, stag parties and segways. I am a strong advocate for public transportation, and for choosing a train ride over a short flight : it is more ecological and restores a long-lost sense of distance.
Because sustainable tourism is also my responsibility, I reward my guests with a 20% discount (see prices & conditions below) if you can show proof that :
✦ You are staying in Hungary for 5 nights or more,
✦ OR you will arrive in Hungary by train or coach,
✦ OR you book a visit off-season (November 1st to March 31st).
NB : the offer is not cumulative.
My tours use sustainable means of transportation whenever possible : walking obviously, but also the rich variety of public transportation in Budapest. I even host 'running tours'.
PRICES & CONDITIONS
Unless otherwise specified, the prices below are given per tour (PRIVATE and EXCLUSIVE) ; they include VAT, but exclude additional costs that may arise during the tour (e.g. public transportation or entrance tickets).
FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS (from 1 to 8 participants)
✦ Highlight tour (3 hours) : 120€
✦ Half-day tour (5 hours) : 170€
✦ Full-day tour (7 hours) : 190€
✦ Additionnal hour : 25€
FOR GROUPS (9 people and more)
✦ Contact me for a personalised quote.
See you soon in Budapest !
Ivan.
IDEAS FOR YOUR TOUR
FIRST STEPS IN BUDAPEST
Classic and wonderful
Discover the castle of Buda on the hills, turn-of-the-century monuments along Andrássy avenue and the Heroes' square in Pest, walk on majestic bridges and alongside the Danube in a panorama protected by UNESCO.
VISIT THE MONUMENTS
Palaces of cultures and spas
Besides the unmissable Matthias church and its Art Nouveau interior, why not visit the second largest parliament in the world or the largest synagogue in Europe, the national opera house or many other museums or monuments ?
HISTORICAL HERITAGE
Traces of 2000 years of History
Budapest offers a rich heritage : from Roman amphitheatres to Turkish spas, the Hasburg influence, the golden age of the austro-hungarian empire, followed by the devastations of the 20th century, between wars and communism.
CRUISE AND LEISURE
RDV on Margaret island - on a boat
Take a panoramic boat tour on the Danube under the majestic bridges of Budapest, and discover the treasures of an island named after a Hungarian princess and transformed into a city garden for a Russian princess - today a large cultural and sports centre in the heart of the city.
BUDAPEST CHAMPION
Team-building sporting challenge
Find out who the fittest is among your friends or colleagues in an friendly amateur competition full of sporting challenges. Score points after each event and become Budapest Champion. Prize-ceremony and partying aren't forgotten in this team-building event !
PICNIC AT NORMAFA
Excursion to the roof of Buda
Not so far from the busyness of the town, you will use unusual means of public transport, and discover the hills of Buda during the (easy) hike up to breathtaking panorama points over Budapest and the Buda hills. A great spot to enjoy a taste of Hungarian food, don't you think ?
OUTSIDE BUDAPEST : SISSI IN GÖDÖLLŐ
The high-life à la Hungary
An hour away from Budapest, visit the former sumer residence of the Habsburg, including the appartments of Sissi and Franz-Joseph, and other exhibitions and gardens recounting the history of the largest baroque palace in Hungary.
OUTSIDE BUDAPEST : LAKE BALATON
Cruise on the Hungarian sea
Enjoy a cruise on the largest lake in Central Europe in the first national parc of Hungary, reknown for its rich folklore and delicious wines. The view over the lake and the lavender fields from the Tihany peninsula is one of the most popular in the country.
OUTSIDE BUDAPEST : THE CRESCENT OF EGER
A town of wines and heroes
The student town of Eger keeps the charm of a baroque town, rich in history and delicious wines. Visit the medieval castle that had resisted for so long against the Ottomans, take a walk in the old town and taste the local wine in the Valley of the Beautiful Lady
