The 10 Best Walking Tours in Budapest 2025 (By a Local!)
Looking for the best walking tours in Budapest?
I am originally from Budapest and exploring Budapest on foot is one of the best ways to see the city!
Budapest is a walkable city, with many tourist attractions in close walking distance of each other. Going on a walking tour is a great way to learn about the history and culture of Hungary.
The best walking tours in Budapest include the Buda Castle Cave Tour, the Vampire Walking Tour of Budapest, Budapest Jewish Quarter Tour, food walking tours, and the Budapest ruin bar tours.
The walking tours in Budapest usually last 2-3 hours and costs between USD 13-100.
There are also free walking tours in Budapest, that are free of costs, however, at the end, participants are recommended to tip their guide at least USD 5-10.
So, here are the best walking tours in Budapest!
Top 3 Walking Tours in Budapest
If you are short on time, here are the top 3 walking tours in Budapest:
- Free Walking Tour of Budapest: 4.9/5 on 2,914 Reviews
- Buda Castle District Walking Tour: 4.5/5 on 1,529 reviews
- Vampire Walking Tour of Budapest: 4.6/5 on 2,429 Reviews
Is a Budapest Walking Tour Worth It?
Yes, a walking tour in Budapest is definitely worth it! Budapest is a walkable city and it is great to explore the famous attractions on foot.
In addition, going on a walking tour with a guide helps you to learn about the history and culture of Hungary.
The walking tours in Budapest usually cover the most famous attractions, such as the Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, St. Stephen’s Basilica, and the Parliament.
If you are looking for something more adventurous, there are also walking tours for ruin bars, food, caves, or even vampire themed walking tours!
Type of Walking Tours in Budapest
There are different types of walking tours in Budapest, and when deciding which one to go on, it depends on your preferences and interests.
There are sightseeing tours that visit the most famous attractions, food tours, ruin bar tours, cave tours, and vampire themed tours.
Buda Castle Walking Tours
There are two main type of tours in the Buda Castle District.
One tour explores the famous attractions, such as the Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, and Matthias Church. While, the other tour is vampire themed.
The vamipre tour in Budapest also covers places like Buda castle and Fisherman’s Bastion, but it has a special focus on vampires and Hungarian folk tales.
The Vampire tour takes place in the evenings, while the Buda Castle District sightseeing tours are generally during the day.
Budapest Downtown and Jewish Quarter Tours
Apart from exploring the Buda side, there are also tours that explore places on the Pest side of the city. Walking tours in Budapest Downtown include the Parliament, St. Stephen’s Basilica, and the Jewish Quarter.
There are also tours that explore both Buda and Pest in one go, but that might be tiring to do in one day.
Thus, it could be best to split the sightseeing into 1 day in Buda and 1 day in Pest, so that you have more time to explore and don’t feel like it’s too rushed.
Budapest Food Walking Tours
A Budapest Food Walking Tour is the perfect tour if you want to indulge in Hungarian cuisine!
Hungarian food is mostly famous for goulash and paprika spice powder, but there is so much to it!
A Budapest Food Walking Tour is organized in small groups and you try various Hungarian dishes in local eateries.
A tour guide takes you to all the best places and recommends the best Hungarian food and drinks to try. It is a great way to learn about the food and culture of Hungary, as well as to get full on delicious food.
Budapest Ruin Bar Tour
Budapest is famous for its ruin bars, that are unique bars in the city centre of Budapest.
The ruin bars have a cool atmosphere with funny items, like bath tubs for chairs, and furniture stuck to the ceiling. The interior is designed in a colourful and unique way, and are popular places for hanging out for both locals and foreigners.
The Ruin Bar Tour in Budapest is a bit like a pub crawl, you go from one ruin bar to the next, and can try local drinks at each place.
The ruin bar tours run in the evenings, and include 6 free shots and drinking games.
Free Walking Tours in Budapest
There are also free walking tours in Budapest that explore the historic sites in the city. You can book the free walking tours without a fee, however, at the end of the tour, it is expected that you tip your guide.
The free walking tours are somewhat like a donation-based tour, where at the end, you can tip your guide any amount that you feel comfortable with.
Generally, it is expected that you pay at least USD 5-10 at the end of the free walking tours. Some people who really enjoyed the tour pay between USD 10-50, so USD 5-10 is the minimum you should tip your guide.
GuruWalk runs highly rated free walking tours in Budapest, and they have different tours to choose from that include the main attractions in the city.
The Best Walking Tours in Budapest
1. Buda Castle Cave Tour
Best for: Travellers who are up for an adventure
- Type of Tour: Cave Tour
- Price: USD 13-16
- Rating: 4.7/5 on 3,729 reviews
- Schedule: 1:20 pm (1.5 hours tour), 4:15 pm (40 minutes tour)
- Duration: 40 minutes, or 1.5 hours options
- What’s included: Guided tour
- What to wear: warm clothes, clothes that can get dirty
- Highlights: limestone cave, labyrinth-like cave system, learning about the history of the cave
The Buda Castle Cave Tour is one of the most fun tours you can go on in Budapest! It is a 3.3 km, labyrinth-like limestone cave.
The tours take between 40 minutes to 1 hour, depending on which time slot you book. It is cold inside the cave, so it is good to wear warm clothes.
Also, your clothes could get dirty in the cave, so make sure you wear something you don’t mind to get dirty.
✅ Book the Buda Castle Cave Tour here!
2. Walking Tour of Buda and Pest
Best for: Exploring the main attractions in Buda and Pest
- Type of Tour: Walking Tour
- Price: USD 110 for small group, USD 124 for private tour
- Rating: 4.8/5 on 1,247 reviews
- Schedule: 10 am (small group), private tour: 10 am, 1:30 pm, 2 pm, 2:30 pm
- Duration: 3 hours
- What’s included: Guided Tour
- What to wear: comfortable walking shoes, clothes appropriate for the weather
- Highlights: Hungarian Parliament, St. Stephen’s Basilica, Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion
Budapest is split into two parts (Buda and Pest) by the River Danube and there are famous attractions on both side.
The Walking Tour of Buda and Pest explore attractions on both side of the city. If you have a short time in Budapest, this tour is perfect to see the main attractions in 1 day.
However, it can be tiring and feel rushed to see so many sites in one day. So if you have more time, it can be good to split the days, and explore Buda on one day, and explore Pest on another.
✅ Book the Walking Tour of Buda and Pest here!
3. Vampire Walking Tour Budapest
Best for: those interested in vampire stories, Hungarian folk tales, and want to see the Castle District at night
- Type of Tour: Vampire Walking Tour
- Price: USD 21
- Rating: 4.6/5 on 2,432 reviews
- Schedule: 8 pm
- Duration: 1 hour 50 minutes
- What’s included: Guided tour (Guide dressed in period costume)
- What to wear: comfortable walking shoes, clothes appropriate for weather
- Highlights: tales of vampires, Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, House of Houdini
If you like vampire stories, gothic fiction, or want to hear Hungarian folk tales, then the Vampire Walking Tour in Budapest is the best choice for you!
The tour is led by a guide who is dressed in period costume. The guide takes you through the main points of attractions in the Castle District, all while telling stories about vampires and medieval tales.
It is run in the evenings, so you also get to see Budapest in the evening lights, which is a really beautiful sight!
✅ Book the Vampire Walking Tour here!
4. Food Walking Tour Budapest
Best for: Foodies
- Type of Tour: Food Walking Tour
- Price: USD 71
- Rating: 4.9/5 on 310 reviews
- Schedule: 5 pm
- Duration: 2.5 hour
- What’s included: traditional Hungarian food at local eateries, 3 alcoholic drinks, guided tour (history of Hungarian cuisine)
- Vegetarian option: available (vegan and gluten-free options not available)
- Highlights: Hungarian food and drinks
Budapest is a heaven for food and going on a food tour is a great way to immerse yourself in a new culture.
The Budapest Food Tour takes you through local restaurants where you can try traditional Hungarian dishes.
The guide gives you recommendations on the best food to try and there is also an opportunity to try Hungarian drinks.
Some of the must-try Hungarian dishes include the goulash soup, pörkölt (beef stew), lángos (deep-fried dough with sour cream and cheese), and chimney cake. As for drinks, Hungary is famous for pálinka (fruit brandy) and the Tokaji wine.
✅ Book the Budapest Food Walking Tour here!
5. Budapest Ruin Bar Tour
Best for: Travellers who want to try Hungarian drinks in the famous ruin bars
- Type of Tour: Ruin Bar Tour
- Price: USD 25
- Rating: 4.8/5 on 623 reviews
- Schedule: 8:45 pm
- Duration: 5 hours
- What’s included: guided tour, 6 free shots, drinking games, 1 hour of unlimited drinks, photos
- What to bring: copy of ID or passport
- Highlights: Budapest ruin bars, free shots and drinking games
Budapest is famous for its ruin bars, that are fun, colourful bars in the city centre. The ruin bars have funny furniture and an overall unique atmosphere.
The Budapest Ruin Bar Tour takes you through some of the most popular ruins bars and you get to try Hungarian drinks. It is like a pub crawl with some free drinks and drinking games.
✅ Book the Budapest Ruin Bar Tour here!
6. Buda Castle District Walking Tour
Best for: Travellers who want to learn about historic sites in the Castle District (Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church)
- Type of Tour: Walking Tour
- Price: USD 10 (standard group), USD 62 (small group), USD 77 (small group tour with a visit to the atomic bunker museum)
- Rating: 4.5/5 on 1,529 reviews
- Schedule: 2 pm, 2:30 pm
- Duration: 2 hours (standard and small group), 3 hours (small group with visit to the atomic bunker museum)
- What’s included: Tour guide (entry tickets to museums not included)
- What to wear: good walking shoues, clothes appropriate to weather
- Highlights: Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church
The Buda Castle District Walking Tour focuses entirely on the attractions located in and around the Buda Castle.
The advantage of taking the Buda Castle District Tour is that you can spend the afternoon exploring the area (Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church) and not feel too tired afterwards.
There is also an option to include a visit to an atomic bunker museum as part of the tour which is a special addition to the general tour.
✅ Book the Buda Castle District Walking Tour here!
7. Budapest Downtown and Jewish Quarter
Best for: Travellers who want to explore famous attractions on the Pest side (including the Jewish Quarter)
- Type of Tour: Walking Tour
- Price: USD 26
- Rating: 5/5 based on 284 reviews
- Schedule: 10 am
- Duration: 2.5 hour
- What’s included: guided tour
- What to wear: comfortable walking shoes
- Highlights: Hungarian Parliament, St. Stephen’s Basilica, Jewish Quarter, ruin pubs
The Budapest Downtown Tour focuses on the attractions on the Pest side of the city, including the Parliament, Shoes on the Danube and the Jewish Quarter.
It is a great tour to learn about Budapest, and the culture and history of Hungarians.
✅ Book the Budapest Downtown and Jewish Quarter here!
8. Free Walking Tours in Budapest
Best for: Budget travellers
- Type of Tour: Walking Tour
- Price: Free, however, a minimum USD 5-10 tip is recommended to pay your guide at the end of the tour
- Rating: 4.9/5 on 2,801 reviews
- Schedule: 11 am
- Duration: around 2 hour 30 minutes
- What’s included: guided tour
- What to wear: comfortable shoes, clothes appropriate to weather
- Highlights: Parliament, St. Stephen’s Basilica, Shoes on the Danube, Chain Bridge
There are many free walking tours in Budapest that cover the most famous attractions in the city.
GuruWalk runs many free walking tours in Budapest and you can choose between various tours, depending on your preference. There are tours that cover both Buda and Pest, and tours that cover only specific locations.
You can book the free walking tours without paying any costs, however, at the end of the walking tour, a tip is generally expected. Participants can pay any amount they feel comfortable with, but usually at least USD 5-10 is recommended.
✅ Book a Free Walking Tour in Budapest here!
9. The Great Synagogue Tour
Best for: Travellers who want to learn about the history of Jewish people in Hungary
- Type of Tour: Great Synagogue Tour
- Price: USD 33
- Rating: 4.4/5 based on 5,002 reviews
- Opening hours: check the opening hours here
- Duration: 30 minute guided tour, then free to explore on your own
- What’s included: skip the line ticket, guided tour of the Synagogue, the Heroes’ Temple, the Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Park, and the graveyard
- Guide: Included
- Highlights: Learn about the life of Jewish people in Hungary before and after WWII
The Great Synagogue Tour focuses only on the synagogue itself. The Great Synagogue is the largest synagogue in Europe and it is a complex of buildings.
The tour helps you learn about the history of Jewish people in Hungary and you also get to visit other buildings within the area of the Great Synagogue, such as the Heroes’ Temple, the Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Park, and the graveyard.
✅ Book the Great Synagogue Tour here!
10. Hungarian Parliament Tour
Best for: Travellers who want to explore the Hungarian Parliament
- Type of Tour: Hungarian Parliament Tour
- Price: USD 38 (EU citizens), USD 62 (non-EU citizens)
- Rating: 4.5/5 based on 1,007 reviews
- Schedule: 12 pm, 2 pm
- Duration: 1 hour
- What’s included: Audio guide
- What to bring: Passport or ID card
- Highlights: Hungarian Parliament Building, Assembly Hall, the Main Staircase, the Hall of the Dome
The Hungarian Parliament is not just the home to Hungary’s legislative body, but it is also an iconic building.
The Tour of the Hungarian Parliament includes an audio guide and you get to explore the building inside, such as the Assembly Hall, and Hall of the Dome.
The audio guided tour of the Parliament takes around 45 minutes, and there is also an additional audio which is about the area surrounding the Parliament.
✅ Book the Hungarian Parliament Tour here!
FAQs: The Best Walking Tours in Budapest
How much do you pay for a free walking tour in Budapest?
You don’t have to pay for the free walking tour in Budapest but it is expected to tip at least USD 5-10 for your guide at the end of the tour.
The free walking tours in Budapest are like donation-based, and at the end of the tour, you can tip your guide any amount you feel comfortable with. Usually, at least USD 10 is expected.
Is Budapest good for walking?
Yes, Budapest is good for walking. Budapest is walkable, and it has a well-built system of sidewalks and pedestrian crossings.
Many historic attractions are located in close, walking distance of each other in Budapest, thus, it is great to explore the city on foot!
Can you walk around Buda Castle for free?
Yes, it is free to walk around the Buda Castle, however, the Buda Castle also houses some museums. If you want to visit the museums inside the Buda Castle, you have to pay an entry fee to the exhibitions.
How much to tip for a free walking tour in Budapest?
It is expected that you tip your guide at least USD 5-10 at the end of a free walking tour in Budapest.
The free walking tours in Budapest are like donation-based and at the end of the walking tour, you can pay as much as you feel comfortable with.
People who really enjoyed the tour pay between USD 10-50, but you should prepare to tip the guide at least USD 5-10.
Is a walking tour in Budapest worth it?
Yes, a walking tour in Budapest is definitely worth it! Budapest is a walkable city and it is great to explore the famous attraction on foot.
In addition, going on a walking tour with a guide helps you to learn about the history and culture of Hungary than if you just visited by yourself.
The walking tours in Budapest usually cover the most famous attractions, such as the Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, St. Stephen’s Basilica, and the Parliament.
If you are looking for something more adventurous, there are also walking tours for ruin bars, food, caves, or even a vampire walking tour.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the walking tours in Budapest are definitely worth it! Budapest is a walkable city and it is great to explore the famous attractions on foot.
In addition, going on a walking tour with a guide helps you to learn about the history and culture of Hungary.
The best walking tours in Budapest include the Buda Castle Cave Tour, the Vampire Walking Tour of Budapest, Budapest Jewish Quarter Tour, food walking tours, and the Budapest ruin bar tours.
The walking tours in Budapest usually last 2-3 hours and costs between USD 13-100. There are also free walking tours in Budapest, that are free of costs, however, at the end, participants are recommended to tip their guide at least USD 5-10.
The walking tours in Budapest usually cover the most famous attractions, such as the Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, St. Stephen’s Basilica, and the Parliament.
Hungary Quick Guide
How to get from the Budapest Airport to City Center?
The 3 easiest way to get from the Budapest Airport to the city center is by taking the airport shuttle bus, taxi, or pre-booking a private transfer.
For more information, check out how to get from the Budapest Airport to city center here.
Should I get a Hungarian SIM card?
If you don’t get free roaming in Budapest, then the best thing to do is to get an Airalo eSIM for Hungary.
They have packages for 7, 15 or 30 days and the prices are affordable.
Are there any useful mobile apps I can use in Hungary?
Yes! There are a couple of mobile apps that come handy when travelling in Hungary, including apps for booking taxis, using public transport, ordering food, or translating.
Check out my list of the most useful apps in Budapest for travellers.
What is the currency in Budapest? Can I pay by cash or card?
The official currency in Hungary is the Hungarian Forint (HUF).
You can use both cash and cards in Budapest. Card payments are widely accepted all over Budapest and it is only the small shops or street vendors that take only cash payments.
Is the public transport good in Budapest?
Yes! The public transport in Budapest is well-connected and affordable.
The main modes of transport in Budapest are the metro, buses, HÉV trains, trolley buses and there are even public boats!
If you want to save some time or comfort, taking a taxi is a good option. When booking a taxi in Budapest, you can either hail a regular taxi or book one through a taxi app (Uber or Bolt).
Can I drink tap water in Budapest?
Yes, it is safe to drink tap water in Budapest (and all across Hungary).
The tap water goes through a strict water treatment process in Hungary which makes it safe to drink for everyone.
Do they speak English in Budapest?
Yes, people speak good English in Budapest, especially the younger generation.
The older population may not speak English that well, so if you have to ask for information, the best is to approach someone who is younger.
In most tourist places, hotels, restaurants and bars, the staff has a good level of English, so you will get by easily.
Hungary Trip Planning
✈️ Book Flights to Hungary:
Find the best flight deals on Skyscanner or Kiwi.com!
🏠 Book Hotels for Hungary:
Booking.com: best budget, mid-range and luxury hotels.
Hostelworld.com: best for cheapest hostels!
(P.S: The best areas in Budapest are District 5 and 6, right in the city center)
🥘 Book Activities for Hungary:
Book the best activities, tours and day trips on GetYourGuide and Viator. There is everything from river cruises, thermal baths and walking tours to food tours and pub crawls!
🎒 Get Travel Insurance for Hungary: Be on the safe side and get a SafetyWing Travel Insurance – one of the most affordable international travel insurances!
💳 Get Your Travel Cards: Wise and Revolut have travel cards that you can top up with multiple currencies. They have great exchange rates and you can easily use them for payments in shops and restaurants worldwide.
✅ Check out my complete list of travel resources to plan your trip!
