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BudapestCulture & history

Our most recommended Budapest Culture & history

Budapest: Széchenyi Spa Full Day with Optional Pálinka Tour

1. Budapest: Széchenyi Spa Full Day with Optional Pálinka Tour

Book your full-day ticket to the Széchenyi Bath in advance and take advantage of complimentary tasting of Hungary's famous spirit "pálinka" on an optional guided tour inside the Pálinka Museum. The Széchenyi Bath is the largest thermal spring bath complex not only in Budapest but in Europe as well. It was built in 1913 in a Neo-baroque style. At the time it opened its baths were private, having separate steam baths for men and women, as well as different public baths for men and women. In 1927, the spa complex was expanded and today it comprises 3 outdoor and 15 indoor pools. After its expansion, the thermal artesian wasn’t adequate to supply the spa, so a new well was drilled. The second thermal spring dates from 1938. Towels and swimsuits are available for purchase only, no rental. Please note that swimsuits that cover the entire body are not permitted. During your visit, blow off some steam at the pools of Széchenyi Spa (built-in 1913.), which is Europe’s largest healing bath with its 15 indoor, and 3 grand outdoor pools. Pools are of varying temperatures, between 18 to 38 °C (64 to 100 °F). The complex covering 6220 square meters (67000 sq ft) also includes saunas and a steam bath. Afterward, discover a hidden gem in the city center to taste some Hungarian pálinka (spirits; non-alcoholic drinks are also available). Differently from whiskey or vodka, pálinka is made exclusively from different sorts of fruits and has an aromatic smell. Inside the Pálinka Museum's interactive exhibits, you will learn about its birth, tradition, and history. That’s why Hungary's Pálinka Act of Parliament exists which regulates and protects the production and quality of palinka.

Budapest: The Great Synagogue Skip the Line Ticket

2. Budapest: The Great Synagogue Skip the Line Ticket

Take a guided tour of Budapest's Great Synagogue to hear about the history and architecture of the largest synagogue in Europe and the second-largest in the world, as well as the fate of the Hungarian Jews before and after WWII.  Skip the lines and head straight to the security check to start your tour of the Great Synagogue. Visit the Heroes’ Temple, the graveyard, and the Jewish Museum. Honor Holocaust victims at the Emanuel Tree in the Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Park. Then use your ticket to enter the Hungarian Jewish Museum next to the Synagogue. Admire its red and yellow brick facade combining Romantic style with Moorish elements. Learn about the life of the Jewish people in Hungary through everyday objects.  See the famous Emmanuel Memorial Tree in the Synagogue's backyard. Admire this magnificent weeping willow's small metal leaves engraved with a name of a Holocaust victim and plaques honoring non-Jewish rescuers.  Then, finish your visit the graveyard in the backyard of the Heroes’ Temple, the burial site of those who died in the ghetto during WWII.

Budapest: Buda Castle Cave Walking Tour

3. Budapest: Buda Castle Cave Walking Tour

Explore a part of the network of underground tunnels under Castle Hill with your guide. Learn more about the history and role of the cave tunnels and their geology. Admire the natural limestone and the manpower that went into creating this labyrinth cave system. Meet for the cave tour either at Trinity Square (Szentháromság tér) or for the shorter tour option at Dárda Street, where you enter the Buda Castle underground cave system. After a short introduction, you will start your tour and learn about the history of the labyrinth-like of the cave system which once served as wine cellars, bomb shelters, and even a medieval prison. Admire the natural limestone caverns and the 800-year-old man-made cellars in one of the most unique caves of Hungary. The tour is a journey through time during where you will be able to learn a lot about not only the geology of the Buda Castle but also about the combined work of man and nature throughout many centuries.

Budapest: Guided Tour of the Parliament Building in Spanish

4. Budapest: Guided Tour of the Parliament Building in Spanish

With our guide in Spanish we will begin our tour at the statue of Ferenc Rákóczi in Kossuth Square, where we will talk about the protagonist to whom it owes its name, as well as being able to enjoy a unique panoramic view of the city. Our local Hungarian guides will reveal the best places to visit and the most relevant curiosities that you cannot miss on your visit to this incredible city. In our external visit we will visit the most important points of the enormous Kossuth Square and its surroundings, making reference to and reliving through our explanations all the historical events that took place in it. You will be shocked! We will visit the art deco Monument to the Hungarian victims of the red terror in Vertanuk tere, and we will be able to see the remains of the bullets of one of the most painful and important events for Hungarian citizens, the so-called Bloody Thursday of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. We will also visit one of the most innovative monuments in the city, the National Unity Monument, and we will tell you why its inauguration did not go unnoticed. We will end our exterior tour enjoying the history and views of the impressive façade decorated with huge columns and statues carved in stone of the Ethnographic Museum, which currently offers different temporary exhibitions. After our foreign visit, we will enter the Hungarian Parliament. On this audio-guided tour of the Budapest Parliament, you will be able to visit the most important rooms of the third largest parliamentary building in the world, which extends from the Chain Bridge to the Margaret Bridge. Once you are inside, you will find the grand Main Staircase, whose impressive decoration does not leave you indifferent: long red carpets, elegant chandeliers and luxuriously gold-plated ornamentation, a truly unique setting! You will also be able to see the Old Upper House, Councils of Deputies, the Hall of the Dome and the Crown Jewels. Do not miss this essential activity on your visit to the Hungarian capital! What will you discover on the tour? - Who was Ferenc Rákóczi? - What are the most important places you should not miss in the city of Budapest? - What is the Monument to the Victims of the Red Terror and what does it represent? - What was Bloody Thursday? - What does the new monument located in front of the Hungarian Parliament mean? - Who designed the Budapest Parliament? - What famous English palace is it inspired by? - What shape is the Upper House? - How many meters long is the building? - How tall is the Hall of the Dome? - Why is the Crown of Saint Stephen not a mere royal jewel?

Budapest: Light Art Museum Admission Ticket

5. Budapest: Light Art Museum Admission Ticket

Step into the modern Light Art Museum to become surrounded by colorful lights and optical illusions. Visit one of Budapest's most unique attractions and browse through a large collection of contemporary artworks. Immerse yourself in a fascinating, interactive, and vibrant space. Discover exciting installations and ground-breaking artworks in a fabulous hall that used to be a popular farmers' market. Come up close with a wide range of contemporary, historically significant, and modern art pieces. Bring the whole family along and be mesmerized by an exquisite selection of light artworks, projection mapping, immersive spaces, and site-specific installations. Snap amazing photos of unique pieces by pioneer light artist László Moholy-Nagy and op-art icon Victor Vasarely.

Budapest: Walking Tour of Buda Castle with a Historian

6. Budapest: Walking Tour of Buda Castle with a Historian

On this amazing 2.5-hour walking tour, get acquainted with the historical core of Buda, the oldest part of Budapest. Experience more than 1100 years of Hungarian history coming alive in front of you through your history buff tour guide's presentations, and learn all about the local significance of the Buda Castle: a district where thousands of people live and many more go for romantic strolls, enjoying the superb views and lights. You will walk through the winding alleys and experience breathtaking views from the ramparts. Be ready for the fascinating historical stories about Buda Castle from the Middle Ages to World War II.  Explore the whole complex of the Buda Castle District including the Royal Palace, Savoy Terrace, Matthias Fountain, Palace Gardens, Alexander Palace, the Hungarian Presidential Palace, Matthias Church, and get panoramic views of the Parliament & the Pest side from Fisherman's Bastion. As an added bonus to round off your experience, enjoy delicious coffee during the coffee stop.

Danube Bend & Szentendre with Lunch: Day Tour from Budapest

7. Danube Bend & Szentendre with Lunch: Day Tour from Budapest

This full-day tour of the mighty Danube is ideal for people who want to combine history with nature and would like to enjoy some of the most beautiful countrysides in Hungary. You will see historic monuments and art memorials while your guide provides a lively narrative of Hungarian life. You will visit the 750-year-old Royal Residence at Visegrád where you will learn about life in the Middle Ages while enjoying spectacular views of the Danube Valley. At Esztergom, the northern gate of Budapest, you will pause at the largest cathedral in the country and see the burial sites of famous cardinals as you gaze across the water towards Slovakia. Cross the river and border into Slovakia to see the stunning view from the opposite side.  You will stop at an artists' village in Szentendre, a baroque city located where the Danube River meets the Pilis Mountains. Wander the narrow streets to soak up the magical atmosphere and catch panoramic vistas of the river. You will have time to visit some of the museums, such as the world-famous Margit Kovács Ceramic Museum or the Confectionery Museum, where the buildings and people are made of marzipan. Browse the shops of the village if you prefer, before the return journey to Budapest. Travel during the months of May until the 1st of October will be on a magical boat cruise, a fitting way to arrive back in the city center. In case of low water levels, the return to Budapest will be by bus.

Budapest: Classical Music Concerts in St Stephen's Basilica

8. Budapest: Classical Music Concerts in St Stephen's Basilica

Visit St. Stephen's Basilica in the heart of Budapest and delight in an outstanding classical concert. The venue itself is one of the most beautiful buildings in the city, but this is not all that will be breathtaking during the evening. Listen to excellent artists performing the best of the best in classical music. Choose from 3 different concerts and 4 different seating categories, depending on your preferences and budget. The program for the concerts, depending on the day, is the following: Requiem: • W. A. Mozart: Requiem in D minor k 626 • I. Introitus - Requiem • II. Kyrie • III. Sequenzia - Dies Irae, Tuba Mirum, Rex Tremendae, Recordare, Confutatis, Lacrimosa • IV. Offertorium - Domine Jesu • V. Sanctus • VI. Benedictus • VII. Agnus Dei • VIII. Communio - Lux Aeterna Organ concert: • J.S. Bach - Toccata, Air • G. F. Handel - Oratorio Messiah, Rejoice • T. Albinoni - Sonata di Chiesa • G. F. Handel - Xerxes, Largo • A. Vivaldi - The Four Seasons, Largo from winter • Ch. Gounod - Ave Maria • C-M Widor - Toccata from the Organ Symphony No. 5 Op. 42 No. 1 • F. Liszt - Ave Maris Stella • T. Albinoni - Adagio • C. Franck - Panis Angelicus • J. Massenet - Thais Meditation • F. Schubert - Ave Maria • W. A. Mozart - Alleluja from Exultant, Jubilate Ave Maria Air Alleluja II: • J.S. Bach - Air • G. F. Handel - Oratorio Messiah, Rejoice • T. Albinoni - Adagio • A. Vivaldi - The Four Seasons, Winter • H. Purcell - Dido and Aeneas, When I am laid in Earth • Ch. Gounod - Ave Maria • G. F. Handel - Xerxes, Largo • F. Schubert - Ave Maria • Vivaldi - Violin Concert G Major • C. Franck - Panis Angelicus • J. Sibelius - Impromptu • J. Massenet - Thais Meditation • W.A. Mozart - Requiem, Lacrimosa, Alleluja from Exultant, Jubilate Ave Maria Air Alleluja II: (25th and 31st of December) • J.S. Bach - Air • G. F. Handel - Oratorio Messiah, Rejoice • T. Albinoni - Sonata di Chiesa • G. F. Handel - Xerxes, Largo • A. Vivaldi - The Four Seasons, Winter • Ch. Gounod - Ave Maria • C-M Widor - Toccata from the Organ Symphony • F.Liszt - Ave Maris Stella • T. Albinoni - Adagio • C. Franck - Panis Angelicus • J. Sibelius - Impromptu • J. Massenet - Thais Meditation • F.Schubert - Ave Maria • W.A. Mozart - Requiem, Lacrimosa, Alleluja from Exultant, Jubilate

Budapest: Classical Music Concert in St. Michael's Church

9. Budapest: Classical Music Concert in St. Michael's Church

Visit Saint Michaels's Church in Budapest and listen to the most beloved compositions of classical music by artists such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Vivaldi with these concert tickets. Take your seat in this historic baroque church with much of its original design intact. Listen to the music artists from the Danube String Orchestra and choose from different seating categories, depending on your preferences. The program for the concert is as follows: Vivaldi's 4 Seasons: • J. Pachelbel - Canon • A. Vivaldi - Gloria • T. Albinoni - Adagio • F. Schubert - Ave Maria • W.A. Mozart - Church Sonate in D major Ave Verum • Saint-Saens - The Swan • W.A. Mozart - Alleluja • A. Vivaldi - The Four Seasons - Summer, Winter, Spring, Autumn Mozart's Requiem: • W. A. Mozart: Requiem in D minor k 626 • I. Introitus - Requiem • II. Kyrie • III. Sequenzia - Dies Irae, Tuba Mirum, Rex Tremendae, Recordare, Confutatis, Lacrimosa • IV. Offertorium - Domine Jesu • V. Sanctus • VI. Benedictus • VII. Agnus Dei • VIII. Communio - Lux Aeterna Organ Concert: • J.S. Bach - Toccata, Air • G. F. Handel - Oratorio Messiah, Rejoice • T. Albinoni - Sonata di Chiesa • G. F. Handel - Xerxes, Largo • A. Vivaldi - The Four Seasons, Largo from winter • Ch. Gounod - Ave Maria • C-M Widor - Toccata from the Organ Symphony No. 5 Op. 42 No. 1 • F. Liszt - Ave Maris Stella • T. Albinoni - Adagio • C. Franck - Panis Angelicus • J. Massenet - Thais Meditation • F. Schubert - Ave Maria • W. A. Mozart - Alleluja from Exultant, Jubilate

Organ Concert in St. Stephen's Basilica

10. Organ Concert in St. Stephen's Basilica

St. Stephen's Basilica is one of the most beautiful neo-classical buildings of Budapest and is the venue for the organ concert. The arias of the program are performed by Kolos Kováts, one of the most famous and talented concert and oratorio singer in Hungary. He received the Liszt Ferenc prize, Merit of Art and the Kossuth Prize. Flute performance is added to the concert as well, it is played by Eleonóra Krusic who had been playing many times and in many orchestras in Hungary and abroad during the last years.  Program Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791): Fantasie in F minor K 506 Alessandro Stradella (1639-1682): Pietà Signore Tomaso Albinoni (1671-1751): Adagio Liszt Ferenc (1811-1886) - Camille Saint-Saёns (1835-1921): Legend in A major (St. Francis of Assisi's Sermon to the Birds) Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901): Prayer of Fiesco from opera Simone Boccanegra Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Polonaise, Minuet and Badinerie from Suite in B minor BWV 1067 Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor BWV 565 I Category ticket - row 1 to row 6 II Category ticket - row 7 to row 16 III Category ticket - row 17 to row 26

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Overall rating

4.7 / 5

based on 7,627 reviews

Beautiful thermal bath - we went an hour after opening which was perfect and not too busy. Highly recommend spending the couple extra dollars for a private changing room to store your things and change in. No need to pay for 2 cabins if you’re okay with sharing a changing room.

Make sure you don't miss this programme in Budapest! You can meet really nice people. Vivien, the tour guide, was very funny and took us to some really cool places. We tasted some delicious local spirits!

I learned a lot about Jewish history. The entire experience was amazing, Noémi Csutak did a great effort on this trip and made us unforgettable memories. Highly recommend it

This tour is fantastic! I couldn’t recommend it more. The tour guide was lovely and very passionate which completely made the tour! Would definitely recommend to anyone!

Julia was excellent… very entertaining and educational. She made the tour..ties everything together from the varied historical periods, artists, folklore and stories.