Hungary-Only Tours
If you’re sure you want to see only Hungary on your next tour, country-focused tour companies cater to this desire. You’ll also be able to take tours that focus on a particular area of Hungarian culture, including folklore, thermal baths, food, wine, and castles.HunCool Tours (www.huncooltours.com) offers a wide array of tour types, from adventure tours to culture tours of Hungary. Also choose from Hungary regional tours that will show you the country beyond the capital city.
Artisans of Leisure (www.artisansofleisure.com) provides private, luxury tours of Hungary customized to your interests. See the best of Budapest or learn about Jewish history in Hungary.
Taste Hungary (www.tastehungary.com) is a boutique tour company specializing in wine, food, and market tours of Hungary. Both group and private trips can be arranged through Taste Hungary.
Hungary Tour as a Part of a Larger Tour of Europe
Many tour companies that offer travelers a broad survey of Eastern and Central Europe include Hungary in their itineraries. You might only see Budapest on these tours, or you may stop at popular destinations such as Lake Balaton.Tour companies such as Gate1 Travel, Globus, and Adventures Abroad offer tours that include Hungary on larger tours of Europe. Often, these tours will include Hungary’s neighbors in the region, such as Czech Republic, Austria, and Poland. Danube River cruises also often include Hungary, so cruise travel is another option for visiting a number of countries within a limited period of time.
Budapest-Only Tours
If you’re only traveling to Budapest, you may want to take a tour of the city or some aspect of it. Companies such as Viator and Hungary Tours offer walking, bus, and other tours of the capital city.Preparing for a Tour of Hungary
Even though the best guides on tours of any city or country will tell you about significant cultural or historic facts, your experience will be more enjoyable if you know a little bit about the country you plan to visit first. When you book a tour of Hungary, look at the trip’s itinerary, and do a quick Internet search of the stops on the trip. You’ll get a preview of what you’ll see and learn on your tour, and you’ll be able to ask your guide questions specific to your own interests.Also be prepared to tip your tour guide. Multi-country pre-tour documents will often include suggestions for how much you should tip your main guide and bus driver. But you might also have individual tours of cities given by local guides who should also be tipped a couple of dollars per hour of their time.
Weather is also a big factor in your tour preparations. It will determine what you pack and how you dress each day. Hungary tends to be warmer than neighboring countries, which extends its tour season later into the fall and earlier in the spring. Have a look at the weather forecast or monthly averages in advance of your trip so you can pack appropriately.
Wear comfortable shoes. Even on bus tours and river cruises, you’ll do a lot of walking! Take shoes appropriate to the weather, but also keep in mind how comfortable they will be for long periods of time. Don’t try to break in a new pair of shoes while on your trip.
