Budapest

Top Budapest landmarks

Private All Day Danube Bend Tour From Budapest with lunch, entrance fee, cruise

Budapest, Hungary

From $175.50

Price varies by group size

Select Date and Travelers

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

8 hours
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Visiting the Danube cities of Esztergom, Visegrad, and Szentendre from Budapest in one day is tricky without a car. On this private full-day tour, travel to all three in an air-conditioned vehicle. Accompanied by a guide, explore the cathedral in Esztergom. Take in the views in Visegrad and enjoy a local lunch. Stroll through the scenic streets of Szentendre. During the warmer months, take a river cruise back to Budapest.

Hassle-free pickup and drop-off from your Budapest hotel
Travel comfortably in an air-conditioned vehicle
Learn about the area from your guide
Enjoy a local lunch

What's Included

Lunch
Local guide
Hotel pickup and drop-off
entrance fee to Visegrad castle and to Esztergom Basilica
70 Min long River cruise back from Szentendre(30. April-17 Sept) except Mondays, Tuesdays Thursday
Transport by private air-conditioned minivan/car
30 April-17 Sept 70 Min long Danube river cruise in Budapest center on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays
No cruise October-April

Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Start time

09:00 AM

Pickup details

Pick up service is available from any hotels or from any private addresses in Budapest.

What To Expect

Esztergom Basilica / Cathedral

1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included

Visegradi Fellegvar

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Szentendrei Duna-part

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Danube River

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Infant seats available
Comfortable walking shoes are recommended
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation

Transportation is wheelchair accessible
Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
We are serious about taking extra precautions to stop the spread of this virus by practicing regular hand washing and sanitization, we regularly sanitize and clean our equipment and work areas, we make hand sanitizer readily available to our guests and team members, and practice social distancing measures through providing private tours and private transfers.We will check the health of employees every day, wear masks and thoroughly disinfect our hands, equipment, vehicles and changing areas.
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.5

51 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 51 reviews

Didn’t like it.

Mohinder_G, Sep 2023

Terrible experience. Driver didn’t give correct information as what he is going to cover. We found out later that cruise is not availability that day. Once we called the number on voucher, operator mentioned don’t worry we will give you cruise from city center. Lunch offered was very uncourtious and did not like it at all. It looked like waste of time and money.

Don’t waste your money on this one

Irene_R, Sep 2023

I’m a big Viator fan - this is my first ever negative review. This tour was an overpriced ripoff. We paid almost twice the ‘starting from’ price advertised, which made this quite expensive. Not clear why. But ok - I figured the experience will be worth it. Nope - tour started with the guide saying that we pretty much won’t see anything at the first stop since it’s under major renovation and most things are scaffolded or covered. Why is it on the tour then?? She also told us that the ‘good’ cruise doesn’t run on Mondays; I knew that but figured there would be an equitable substitute. Nope, we were offered the standard 15 euro cattle call city cruise that everyone does downtown (and that we had done the day before) - nothing private or special about it. We did enjoy the Visegrad ruins, that part was cool. The final stop was an ok lunch in a completely unmemorable town that was billed as a picturesque shopping opportunity (it wasn’t). On the whole I would’ve been ok with this trip if it wasn’t so ludicrously overpriced. For what we paid I would’ve e expected a good bit more.

Fantastic day away from the city

Eary_W, Sep 2023

Our guide for this tour was Susanne (Zsuzsa) and she was EXCELLENT. Her knowledge of history, culture, economics, religion, architecture, and geopolitics was impressive and was reflective of her lengthy experience as a tour guide. She also has extensive knowledge of the U.S. (and idiomatic English) which made her aware of how we view things which made the tour a conversation rather than a lecture. It would be too easy to spend an entire vacation in Budapest so we turned to this tour as a forcing mechanism to see some of the countryside. Szentendre appears to have a hard bend toward tourists, which is great for souvenir shopping. However, if you venture away from the main street you'll begin to see that it has more to offer. The key for us was the river cruise back to Budapest. There's the obvious romanticism behind sailing / steaming down the Danube, but it is also a great way to get a different perspective of the city. This was a day well spent and we can't thank Susanne enough for her time, energy, and attentiveness.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Thank you for your kind words. We are happy to hear you were satisfied with the tour with Susan. Hope to hear from you again, when you come back to Budapest!

Great Guide -

Nancy_P, Sep 2023

The all day tour was over-priced, in our opinion. The tour guide was fantastic, but the car we were driven in was small and not great for a full day of touring. I think this tour could be cut in half, with only a visit to the local village. The lunch was ok - the entree was very dry, over-cooked chicken. We skipped the cruise back as there is really not too much to see along the river, until you get to Budapest. The cruise would have been one hour. Again, the best part of this tour was Tibi, our guide. The itinerary and restaurant should be adjusted by the local tour organizers.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Dear Nancy, thank you for your feedback regarding Tibi, your guide. Our guides go above and beyond to please our guests. We appreciate your positive comments about his warmth and knowledge. Regarding the tour itinerary we do not plan to update it as our guests love to see the three most historical cities along the Danube river. It gives a perfect view for all the visitors about the Hungarian history. The cruise at the end of the tour is the cherry on the top of the cake, very popular and relaxing trip late afternoon. We do offer shorter-half day trips, there are several choices for those who does not prefer the whole day trips. Regarding the vehicle on the tour-the guide used a new Mazda 6 5 seater car, which is very comfortable with huge legroom for 2 persons for this one hour long journey from Budapest. However we do not understand your feelings about our pricing as the tour includes 3 different private city tours with entrance tickets, lunch with extra drinks, Danube river cruise, lots of services in one package. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, it was a pleasure to meet you. We would be happy to welcome you on one of our half day trips in the future! Thank you for choosing us during your stay in Budapest!

Best Budapest Day Trip

Larry_G, Jul 2023

The best part of the tour was spending the day with our tour guide Steve. He is an excellent guide and a really nice and patient person. He gave us great insight into both historical and modern day Hungary.

Danube River Bend Tour

Kirk_L, Jun 2023

Thomas was a knowledgeable and engaging guide for the day. Had a great time on this private tour. Highly recommend.

Not as advertised, no cruise back

Lucinda_C, May 2023

We expected a Danube cruise back after a car ride to destination. Told that there’s not been a cruise back since Covid and it is still being advertised! We got a local river ride after we drove all the way back to Budapest! This did not make up for the discrepancy.

Response from Host, May 2023

Dear Lucinda, Thanks very much for taking the tour with us and for your review. I'm sorry to hear that the tour didn't fully meet your expectations. I do understand how you feel about the tour, as you can see from all the positive reviews, we always try to to our best to provide the best possible experience. We kindly ask you not to mislead our future guests by saying we do false advertising. The ONE hour long river cruise from Szentendre city is the real part of the excursion at the end of the day on the indicated days. In special occasions (stormy weather, level of the Danube,technical reasons, works on the Danube, goverment restrictions) the cruise can be cancelled, which is out of our control. You participated on our most popular 8-9 hours all day tour, visiting the most historical cities in the countryside. We are very sad you did not mention anything about the real value and experience of this all day tour, only about the last 60 Minutes river cruise part, which was cancelled by the cruise company owned by the Hungarian government. Not to miss the cruise experience we offered an exclusive, high quailty, one hour long Danube river cruise with complimentary drinks at the end of the day. The essence of this whole day tour is to visit the three most historical parts of the Danube bend, that was provided for you with a professional guide, all the entrance tickets, lunch with drinks, hotel pick up and drop off, as it was advertised. I am so sorry that you feel disapponted about the whole day, however you got an excellent service from our guide. Hope to be able to welcome you back one day and help you overcome that first impression.

The tour to take for Hungarian country side towns!!

Vasudevan_P, May 2023

This was a wonderful trip to the Hungarian countryside. To begin, Susanna from the tour company answered all our questions and arranged a wonderful vegetarian lunch for us taking into account our dietary requirements. The original tour vehicle had an issue but Susanna immediately arranged another vehicle and a wonderful guide in Geza who was very knowledgeable and friendly, patiently answering our questions. He went into detail in each of the tour stops linking them to the Hungarian history. Great guide! Susanna even gave us a complimentary boat tour for the slight delay in tour start. All in all, if you are looking into exploring the Hungarian countryside small towns, this is the tour!

Disappointed

anthony_d, Apr 2023

This is a two part review. Nora, our guide was super as nothing was too much trouble to her. The tour without the return by river cruise represents a very overpriced tour. Our river return to Budapest was not possible (The pope’s visit was the given reason). We did receive a compensation offer of a night river tour of Budapest which we enjoyed. The lunch stop was good. The soup and dessert were very good. The key point though is the price of the tour which, I feel, was distinctly overpriced. If we had known that there was no return by river beforehand, we would have canceled. I think the tour company has that responsibility to inform if the cruise cannot be done.

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Thank you for your review. I am sorry about your experience. I understand how you feel about the tour, but as you can see form all the positive reviews, we always try to to our best to provide the best possible experience. Unfortunately the river cruise returning back was cancelled due to some official restrictions,which is out of our control. We got this information in the last minute, as you wrote we offered a Danube evening river cruise with drinks on the same night. But I really do not agree with the fact you think the tour was overpriced. Instead of a simple one hour long river cruise from Szentendre city at the end of the day , you got much more exclusive Danube Evening cruise tickets with drinks which are double priced than the ones which were originally included. The essence of this whole day tour is to visit the three most historical parts of the Danube bend, that was provided for you with a professional guide, a V-class VIP Mercedes bus, all the entrance tickets, lunch with drinks as it was advertised. I am so sad that you feel disapponted about the whole day, however you got an excellent service from our guide. We hope you had a great time in Budapest!

Full Day Excursion

Anna_L, Apr 2023

The tour guide Steve was the most memorable for me. Steve is a life long Hungarian who had intimate knowledge of the history of the area, Steve took us through the country side safely to three different villages. We got to see a spectacular church in Esztergom. Steve was a experienced tour guide who knew when and where to stop for food, bathroom breaks, souvenirs etc…. The tour company picked us up at our hotel and we had a choice or returning in the tour van or on a boat ride on the river Danube. We chose the boat trip it was fabulous. We have used Viator on all our vacations and never have been let down. I highly recommend Steve as a guide and Viator as the guide service Mike and Anna 4/27/2023

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Dear Anna, Thank you so much for your lovely words! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the tour with us. We wish you all the best, Susanna and Steve

Great trip down the Danube Bend

Michelle_D, Jan 2023

Steven was an excellent tour guide. We saw 3 different towns in one day, got a taste of great Hungarian food at a local restaurant and still had time left over for shopping. Plenty of things to entertain our 9 year old. Would recommend this tour and Steven!

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thank you very much for your excellent review! We are very glad you were satisfied with our services and you have had a great time during your tour. I hope that you have had a wonderful time in Budapest! We are staying at your service at any time in the future!

Great tour

Daniel_K, Oct 2022

Sophia is an excellent guide and let us tailor the tour to our needs. She was very friendly and also incredibly knowledgeable. One of the best tours.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thanks so much for taking the time to leave Sofia a a 5-star rating – it’s much appreciated! We’re glad that you enjoyed your tour as it is a great introduction to the Danube bend. Please spread the word about us

Wonderful and memorable experience

Ryan_K, Aug 2022

Susanna made our trip memorable! She was very informative and taught us a lot about the Hungarian History. She was very accommodating and worked around our schedule that day. We loved all of it and would recommend the trip as well as Suzanna as a guide.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us our guide. We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay in Budapest and could learn much about its sights. Please, don’t hesitate to visit us if you return.

Countryside and Outside Budapest Jewels to Visit

Paul_S, Aug 2022

This was a private tour for 2 people. Suzanne is a wonderful tour guide with years of experience and extensive knowledge of Hungary and the locations (Esztergom, Visegrad, and Szentendre) visited by this tour. She picked us up and returned us to our hotel. She speaks fluent English and is very easy to understand. She is an excellent, safe driver. She is very friendly and easy to talk to and can discuss historical and current day events of Hungary at any depth you want. On the way to Esztergom she took us through the countryside and provided a good history lesson and information on current events of Hungary and its leaders throughout the Holy Roman Empire years, the following eras up to WWI and the effects and perspective of Communism post WWII. At Esztergom she took us across the river to Slovakia to view the Basilica from the other side of the Danube river. It is a stunning structure from afar, atop the cliff/mountain. She explained the historical background and what has happened throughout the years at the Basilica. There is renovation occurring at the Basilica, apparently the largest of its type, so you can expect to be continually awed by improvements in the structure, which is in excellent condition. Inside, there are many artifacts to see. Suzanne pointed out the key ones and provided background on their significance, artistic relevance, and answered questions. The paintings and statues are gorgeous. This is an active mass church. We were fortunate to experience a mass being conducted, though we did not participate. They accommodated visitors throughout the mass. They have a nice gift shop in the back that does take credit cards and has some very affordable mementos to take home or share with friends. Similarly, on the way to Visegrad, Suzanne explained the significance of the Visegrad Castle. It has been rebuilt from the ruins. Again, a phenomenal structure. Suzanne walked us through the castle, provided the historical perspective of the king and his reign. There were very good artifacts to see and a complete explanation of the crown replica contained within. Suzanne shares her knowledge very effectively on this historical period. From Visegrad, we traveled to Szentendre. Along the way, Suzanne explained the significance of the community. Here we were provided lunch at an excellent restaurant with a massive wine cellar that is essentially a museum on the wines of Hungary. The food was traditional Hungarian and very good in a charming outdoor setting. This is included in the tour. Once we finished lunch, Suzanne pointed out the historical structures to visit and we walked around the town. This gave us some free time. Szentendre is a nice market area to shop. The people are very friendly with quality products that are fairly priced, many of which are handmade in Hungary, some by the shop owners themselves. We were at Budapest as part of a river cruise extension. We decided to do this tour versus the offered options in Budapest. We wanted to see the countryside. We had been to Szentendre as part of a river cruise excursion the day before, but glad we were able to go back. On the way back to Budapest from Szentendre, Suzanne made sure we experienced the breadth of the Roman Empire ruins for an entire city uncovered. While the excavations continue, it is easy to see the expanse of the city. She provided a recap of the details known about the city, Aquincum, which was for the people. The Roman soldiers were located elsewhere. Suzanne provides a very personalized tour to these locations based on your interest and ability to walk the structures. Her friendly and engaging approach makes the experience enjoyable for an 8 hour day. We would gladly tour with her again.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Shambles

Matthew_C, Aug 2022

Shambolical Museum closed and cruise not operating on the day of booking Lunch cafe also seemed hostile like we didn’t have booking

Response from Host, Aug 2022

Dear Matthiew, thank you for taking the time to write a review. We work hard to organize professional tours for all of our guests as you can read all of our 5 stars reviews! Our guide waited for you at your hotel promptly, she is very knowledgeable, informative and she showed you all the sighseeing points including entrance tickets as it was advertised. The Visegrad Castle entrance fee was included originally ( not the Museum ticket) but as your wife had a hip surgery recently and lot of stairs are leading to the castle it was not a choice for her to see it. The guide immediately customized the programme accordingly and instead of the Castle she invited you to Marzipan Museum, you visited it inside. The restaurant was booked and lunch was served immediately, they were waiting for you. In the tour description it is CLEARLY written that the tour includes Danube river cruise from Szentendre city every day except Mondays, maybe you did not read it when you booked our tour. But not to have any bad feelings our guide was so kind, that she arranged a one hour Danube river cruise ticket for you in Budapest center for free, however we did not make any mistake and it was not included. We are very disappointed and taking into account what extra care and extra services you got we think it is unfair and misleading to rate our tour like this. We hope you had a great holiday in Budapest. It was nice to meet you here.

Fun time...the rain didn't stop us!!

Kelli_M, Jul 2022

Great tour with a really fun guide, Sofia. Even on a rainy day the views were unbelievable. Great way to see some sites outside of Budapest.

Great trip out of the city.

Boyd_E, Jul 2022

Great tour. Sophia was very informative and took us to some great sites and places to eat. Would recommend this tour to get out of the city.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thank you for your positive review. It has been always a pleasure to read satisfied feedbacks about our guides and the tours. Hope to see you in Budapest again!

GREAT TOUR GUIDE

KENNY_C, Jun 2022

Our lady guide was very informative, knows her country and history very well. We had problems walking due to injuries and she was very helpful and accommodating. She gave us really good restaurant recommendations for dinner. Great goulash! Great service overall! Heartwarming hugs for good bye:) Highly recommended!

Don’t miss the beauty and history of the countryside around Budapest!

Stephen_B, Jun 2022

This was a beautiful, informative and delightful tour of the Danube Bend. My guide, Nora, had a wealth of information and history of the area. The villages we visited were each special in their own way and we had a delicious lunch in a quaint restaurant under a grape arbor. Lots of fun places to shop. I highly recommend this tour if you want to explore the beautiful countryside outside of Budapest. Nora was a wonderful guide and very responsive to my needs and wishes!

enjoyable tour with excellent guide Susan

Radoslav_R, Jun 2022

Our guide Susan is the best in the business. She was knowledgeable in every aspect of Hugarian history and culture, with excellent command and pronunciation in English, very careful and safe driver. What makes her standout is Susan personality, her attention to the needs of us, not rushing us, but keeping the schedule, accommodating us in a very relaxed way. Thank you Susan. You made our Hungarian experience memorable. Next time I will travel only with Susan and nobody else. I highly recommend Susan as a guide for you. She is worth any penny and more you paid for the trip