The 8 Best Day Trips To Take From Budapest

If you’re looking for a Budapest experience that goes beyond Fisherman’s Bastion and the Széchenyi Thermal Baths, venture out of the city centre on a day trip.

Inevitably, magnificent Budapest tends to steal the spotlight when visitors plan a trip to Hungary. While the Hungarian capital has made a name for itself as a prime city-break destination, a key advantage of basing yourself in Budapest is the abundance of day-trip options on your doorstep. Excursions to take from Budapest include discovering the best of Hungarian wine in Etyek and escaping the city by the waters of Lake Balaton.

1. Round the bend: A journey on the banks of the Danube

Art Gallery, Historical Landmark

This adventure along the banks of the River Danube takes in Esztergom, with its majestic basilica; Visegrád, with its Medieval citadel; and Szentendre, famed for its colourful artists’ colony. Each stop on this journey on the Danube Bend displays a different facet of Hungary’s rich heritage – an ideal tour for anyone wanting to broaden their horizons and discover history and culture outside the Hungarian capital. This full-day tour includes a three-course lunch, a stop in Slovakia and a one-hour cruise back to Budapest.

2. In the footsteps of Sisi: Royal Palace of Gödöllő tour

Park, Historical Landmark

Just 30 minutes outside Budapest lies the resplendent Royal Palace of Gödöllő – the former residence of the Habsburg emperors and the second-largest Baroque palace in the world. Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth of Austria, known as ‘Sisi’, spent their autumns and springs here in the late 19th century. Today, the beautifully restored palace and its 26-hectare (64-acre) English garden are open to visitors. Catch a glimpse of and learn about the emperors’ luxurious lifestyle while marvelling at the Baroque details in this stunning former royal residence on a three-hour tour leaving from Budapest.

4. Beat the heat at Lake Balaton

Spa

a view of buildings and villages on the banks of lake balaton, hungary

Located in western Hungary, Lake Balaton is Central Europe’s largest lake and an absolute favourite destination among those who wish to escape the city in the sweltering summer months. Before feasting your eyes on its crystal-blue waters from the shores of the historic Tihany Peninsula, stop off at the Herend Porcelain Manufactory to take in the artistry and craftsmanship of this brand that dates back to 1826. Once at the lake, the spa town of Balatonfüred awaits you with its famous carbon-acid thermal spring. This full-day private tour includes a three-course Hungarian lunch and transport to and from Budapest.

5. A colourful getaway: Szentendre Artists’ Village

Art Gallery

The picturesque village of Szentendre, Hungary

The charming boho town of Szentendre is just a stone’s throw from bustling Budapest. Picture-perfect winding cobbled lanes and colourful Baroque architecture welcome visitors to this riverside town, which is known as an artists’ colony and has been home to some of Hungary’s most prominent painters, writers and sculptors since 1929. Szentendre is brimming with quaint, independent craft shops, galleries – including Szentendre Gallery, which showcases local artwork – and museums. The town’s riverside promenade is idyllic and the perfect spot to enjoy a delicious lángos (traditional Hungarian fried dough). In the warmer months, this four-hour tour includes a boat ride back to Budapest for a leisurely and highly enjoyable return journey.

6. Art Nouveau architecture in Kecskemét and an equestrian escapade

Architectural Landmark

A walk through downtown Kecskemét is bound to offer up a bounty of Instagrammable shots. Its Art Nouveau City Hall for one, with its ornate floral facade, is a wonder to behold, capture and share. Only a short drive from Kecskemét, set in the serene Hungarian Puszta (or Pannonian Steppe), lies a traditional farm where horsemen are ready to welcome you with a shot of barack pálinka (apricot schnapps) and a pogácsa (savoury scone). Here, you can travel on a horse carriage through the Puszta, watch a traditional horse show and ride a horse yourself. If you work up an appetite, you can look forward to a hearty three-course lunch (included in this full-day tour), accompanied by Hungarian folk music.

7. The ultimate Austro-Hungarian experience

Architectural Landmark, Historical Landmark

View of the south facing side of the Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna

If you’re looking to explore Central Europe further, then why not pay a visit to the neighbouring Austrian capital of Vienna? Visit landmarks such as the unmissable Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens, St Stephen’s Cathedral and the MuseumsQuartier. In your free time, be sure to take a stroll in the elegant first district lined with luxurious boutiques and historical cafés, where you can spoil yourself with a slice of the world-famous Sachertorte (chocolate cake).

8. Discover an architectural treasure trove in Eger

Architectural Landmark

Cityscape of the Old Town of Eger, Hungary.

The northeastern city of Eger, a must-visit for lovers of Baroque architecture, is just a short hour and a half away from Budapest. Its beautifully preserved centre boasts a Medieval minaret (the northernmost Ottoman minaret in Europe), a 13th-century castle and a Neoclassical basilica. No trip to Eger would be complete without a visit to the ‘Valley of Beautiful Women’ wine region, where its famous Bikavér (‘bull’s blood’) wine is produced. This full-day tour features a two-course lunch together with a tasting of local wines.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.