Private Guided Tours of Budapest with Attila!
A Budapest resident for the past 23 years, Attila is still in love with his city and he takes every opportunity to explore a new corner of it and discover new hidden gems.
On every tour that he leads, Attila focuses on showing travelers an authentic, local side of Budapest, which goes beyond the sights in the guidebooks and takes you far from the crowds.
The founder of an alternative sightseeing company, Attila leads walking tours that focus on street art, off-the-beaten-path neighborhoods, and authentic Budapest. If you want to explore the local side of Budapest - culture, history, street art, and the city’s secret places - then you've come to the right person!
Check out a few of Attila’s most popular tours below.
Highlights and Hidden Gems of Budapest
Duration: 3 hours
Cost: $300 USD (per group)
Price includes: Your guide, one drink (coffee, wine, beer) per person
Max participants: 8
Note: All tours are private (only you and your group)
Cancellation Policy: Read our full terms here
The perfect introduction to Budapest for any first time visitor, this tour combines a mix of the city’s most iconic sights and landmarks with lesser-known spots that only the locals know about.
While exploring the city center, we’ll discuss Budapest’s history from the times of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (and before!) through to the modern day, we’ll admire its fabulous architecture and grand squares and boulevards, and will venture a bit off the beaten path to get a taste for what makes this one of the cultural hubs of central Europe.
We’ll meet in the heart of downtown Budapest, undoubtedly the liveliest district in the city, and will make our way over to the iconic St. Stephen's Basilica before heading to the city’s most iconic sight: the ornate and breathtaking neo-Gothic Hungarian Parliament.
From there, we’ll move on to the monumental Liberty Square, which has its own significant history and is lined by grand buildings in a variety of architectural styles.
Next up is the dynamic Jewish Quarter, where we’ll see the Dohány Street Synagogue (the largest in Europe), a mix of well-preserved and crumbling Austro-Hungarian era buildings, and more trendy ruin bars than you can count. Here, we’ll delve into Budapest’s WWII and communist history, some of which is quite dark, and will learn how the neighborhood has evolved and the heavy gentrification that it’s experiencing today.
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Now, having just seen some of the city’s main sights, it’s time to experience a more local side of Budapest. To that end, we’ll stop by a downtown courtyard that has some great local art to check out and a really interesting design collective, and will explore boutiques and workshops run by local designers.
We’ll also hunt down a collection of really interesting mini statues that were designed by a guerilla sculptor and which are hidden in plain sight all around the downtown.
We’re going to be walking a fair deal on this tour, so along the way we’ll pop in to one of my favorite local coffeehouses to grab a coffee and refuel our energy.
Highlights:
-A general overview of the city's structure and different neighborhoods (Buda vs. Pest side)
-An introduction to the city’s main architectural styles and influences (Medieval times, Art Nouveau, Bauhaus, etc.)
-Discussion of the city’s history - Roman times, Medieval period, turn of the 19th century, communism, present day
-The main architectural highlights of Budapest: St. Stephen’s Basilica, the Parliament Building, Opera House, and Grand Synagogue & the Jewish Quarter (all seen from the outside - interior visits not included)
-Lesser-known spots hidden away in downtown
Budapest Street Art Tour
Duration: 3 hours
Cost: $300 USD (per group)
Price includes: Your guide, one drink (coffee, wine, beer) per person
Max participants: 8
Note: All tours are private (only you and your group)
Cancellation Policy: Read our full terms here
Contemporary Budapest is a wonderful thing to behold, and nothing gives you a better insight into this side of the city than its street art – a scene that’s been boldly growing and constantly pushing creative boundaries over the last few years.
On this tour, we’re going to give you an insider look at the history, the culture, and the creative context. Of course, the bulk of this tour will be spent looking at murals, graffitis and other forms of street art.
The more you explore, the more you’ll find, dotted around the otherwise bare walls of the city’s Jewish Quarter.
But, we’re not just here to take photos. We’ll discuss each piece, the themes and their socio-political background, themes and the artists behind them.
With local artists dominating the scene – and using their work to celebrate ideas and items that locals hold precious – you’ll find yourself getting an accidental lesson in history and culture.
And, to wrap things up, we’ll stop at a local coffee shop. Budapest’s café scene has transformed in the last few years – they are now vibrant hubs, serving artisanal coffee to the city’s young and creative – and this will be the perfect setting for us to sit and chat about what we’ve seen on the tour.
Ruin Pubs, Street Art, and Local Gems
Duration: 3 hours
Cost: $300 USD (per group)
Price includes: Your guide, one drink (coffee, wine, beer) per person
Max participants: 8
Note: All tours are private (only you and your group)
Cancellation Policy: Read our full terms here
Did you know that the Budapest ruin pubs originated only a decade ago in the diverse and historically interesting Jewish Quarter? Going forward ten years they have completely reshaped the city’s cultural and nightlife landscape, firmly putting Budapest on the map.
On this tour, you’ll get to know the backstory of Budapest’s most intriguing district, learning about its former inhabitants, its tragic downfall during and after WWII and how it managed to rise from the ashes as the epicenter of Budapest’s nightlife and alternative arts scene.
Along the way, we’ll visit the best ruin pubs and learn about their history.
Aside from dipping into the city’s drinking scene, we’ll also check out all the other things that make this district one of the city’s most vibrant. As we walk the city, you’ll get a chance to take in the atmosphere, hear unique stories, the neighborhood’s ubiquitous street art explore some of the best local designer shops, galleries and bookstores.
This is more than just a simple pub crawl – you’ll come away with an understanding of Budapest’s unique underground culture and how the party got started here. The tour takes place in the early evening hours which, and perfect way to see the area’s changing pace as it turns from day to night.
Alternative Neighborhood Sightseeing Tour
Duration: 3 hours
Cost: $300 USD (per group)
Price includes: Your guide, one drink (coffee, wine, beer) per person
Max participants: 8
Note: All tours are private (only you and your group)
Cancellation Policy: Read our full terms here
Once a posh quarter filled with striking palatial buildings, Budapest’s District VIII devolved into a run-down neighborhood. But in recent years it’s come alive again, blossoming with quirky arts venues and good-looking cafes and restaurants. Gentrification today often has a negative connotation but in District VIIII, where a rebirth is currently underway, the quarter’s colorful charm remains intact.
District VII, aka the Jewish Quarter, gets the lion’s share of attention in Budapest, with its stunning synagogues, ruin bars, murals covering firewalls, and boisterous party atmosphere. But 20 years ago it was untouched and ripe with potential, just the kind of enticing vibe one feels in District VIII now. Take a break from hectic District VII and visit this neighboring quarter, where you will see locals from all walks of life reveling in the district they call home.
This tour will introduce you to District VIII’s rapidly growing creative side, with visits to galleries, shops, cafes, and bars, but you’ll also see crumbling old buildings, some still bearing bullet holes from the 1956 revolution, as well as other historic sites. Here, the old and new beautifully collide.
The Hidden Statues of Budapest
Duration: 3 hours
Cost: $300 USD (per group)
Price includes: Your guide, public transport tickets, a coffee (per person)
Max participants: 8
Note: All tours are private (only you and your group)
Cancellation Policy: Read our full terms here
Scattered around Budapest, Kolodko’s mini statues complete the existing “normal-sized” monuments with a visible pinch of irony. Some of them represent important figures in Hungarian history, others are just as cute as a cartooned rabbit.
Each artwork has its own meaning and background, making this tour of the mini statues a great way to learn about Budapest’s history, architecture, politics and society.
Although the mini statues are located mostly close to the main touristy sights of Budapest, they are not easy to find without a guide. First of all, they are really tiny(!), and secondly, they are well hidden in the urban design.
On this tour, we will find 7 of them, while covering various areas of Budapest, both walking and with public transport (tickets are included in the tour price).
If you like art and history, but you don’t want to spend time inside of a museum, and if you want to know more about Budapest’s culture, past, art, and lifestyle, in an alternative way, this tour will be the perfect experience for you.
Custom Tours
Looking for something a bit different?
All of Attila’s tours can be fully customized to you, your interests, and travel style. If you’d like something totally unique, you can work one-on-one with Attila to co-create a one of a kind tour.
To get started, request a custom tour below and provide us some initial ideas about what you’re looking for. Attila will then reach out to you directly to start planning your tour together.