Budapest Bike Tours

When it comes to touring the city, Budapest has different ways designed to facilitate the mobility of its citizens and to make the experience more enjoyable for tourists. Despite the many options, one of my favorites will always be the traditional bike tour, and exploring Budapest by bike is incredibly easy.

Would you like to know the options of tours for travelers that you will find in the city? Here is an introduction to each of them, and as you will see once you read the article, there is an experience for every type of traveler and every budget. Let's get started!

When you arrive in Budapest for the first time or if you are visiting the city for a few days, a classic bike tour is a quick and fun way to see the best of the city.

You will find many companies that offer this service, and while it is true that the itinerary may vary depending on the company that contrast; it is also true that most of them usually include stops to know or pass through the following destinations: large green areas such as Margaret Island and the City Park; important monuments such as the Parliament building, St. Stephen's Basilica and the Great Synagogue; areas of great tourist interest as the Castle District, Heroes' Square, Andrássy Avenue and the Chain Bridge.

What do these tours include?

This type of excursion to visit and get to know the best of Budapest starts from a central point in the city and takes a group of tourists through the most important tourist sites. In addition to the guide's accompaniment throughout the tour, the experience includes a bicycle suitable for the participant's height, a refreshing drink such as mineral water and the necessary safety equipment.

Variants When doing your research on bicycle tours in the city you may find alternatives similar to this tour that are done on electric bicycles; some even contemplate one in an important café in the city. These added services increase the price by a few euros.

Useful information

• Price: Starting at approximately 25€.
• Duration of tour: You should reserve 3 to 3.5 hours for this tour.
• Recommended if... You are looking for an affordable and fun alternative to see the best of Budapest. This tour is especially charming if you are visiting the city for the first time and want to quickly fall in love with its appeal.

If you are a curious explorer and your interest is not only to tour the city but to really learn about its history and customs, a private tour is the perfect option for you. Although the guide in charge of the excursion will offer you an itinerary designed to show you the most important places in the city, you will always have the alternative to customize it and negotiate the integration of any stop that is especially interesting for you.

The pre-designed tour may include one or more of the following places of interest: Hereoes Square and the City Park; Andrassy Avenue with the beautiful buildings that characterize it such as the Hungarian Opera House; You will pass by the Chain Bridge, Margaret Bridge and Margaret Island; You will explore the Castle District and also the Budapest Parliament building.

What do these tours include?

The most interesting thing about this type of experience is the inclusion of an expert guide entirely focused on giving you the best possible experience; this includes answering all the questions that may arise.

The bicycle and safety equipment necessary for the tour is included in the price and in most cases a stop for coffee and cake at a nice place in the area is stipulated; the place is chosen by the company you hire.

Useful information

• Price: This type of experience is usually around 85€ per person.
• Duration of the excursion: You should reserve about 4 hours for the tour. Rest stops are included.
• Recommended if... You want to avoid the crowds and experience a tour of Budapest in a more personalized and flexible format. It is also recommended if you have visited the city on other occasions and now you are interested in getting to know it in more depth.

On the outskirts of Budapest, specifically just 30 minutes from the center of the capital, is a small and charming town known as Szentendre, characterized by its Mediterranean atmosphere, it is well worth a day trip to see its beautiful medieval baroque architecture, its Hungarian folklore stores and its traditional art scene.

From the center of Budapest you will find excursions whose program of activities includes cycling from the center of Budapest and cycling all the way along the Danube to Szentendre. The tour takes about two hours due to stops to see interesting places. In the village you can explore the area, learn about the history and eat a delicious traditional Hungarian lunch. The way back is done aboard an energy-saving cruise on the Danube.

What do these tours include?

This excursion is done in small groups in order to guarantee the personalized treatment and care of the travelers by the guide who accompanies them. The chosen route includes routes free of cars and especially suitable for the use of bicycles. In addition to the accompaniment of the guide, the boat ticket to return to Budapest, the bicycle with the necessary safety equipment and lunch in the village of Szentendre are included.

Useful information

• Price: This type of experience is usually available from 75€ per traveler.
• Duration of the tour: This is an 8-hour experience so you will need to reserve a full day of your itinerary.
• Recommended if... If your travel plans include a long stay in the city such as 5 days in Budapest or more. Otherwise you might miss out on more interesting destinations.

If you are one of those people who are looking for the complete traveling experience, including art, history and gastronomy, this type of tour is perfect for you. This type of tour is a group type excursion that includes a traditional bike tour of Budapest with a stop to enjoy a meal and, best of all, it usually only costs a few extra euros.

Generally, the city tour includes the most interesting tourist, historical and cultural points; this involves several of the following points: the beautiful Andrássy Avenue to see the architecture and the Opera House, reach the Heroes' Square, ride through the City Park and the beautiful buildings that are there, cross the Chain Bridge, visit Margaret Island, pedal along the banks of the Danube to see the Parliament and much more.

What do these excursions include?

The group of travelers has an expert local guide who takes them through the highlights of the city. The transportation vehicle (bicycle) and the necessary safety equipment for your protection are always included; additionally the traveler is given a refreshing drink during the trip. This gastronomic experience in Budapest includes a lunch and beverage in a place previously selected by the tour company; however I recommend those that offer traditional dishes such as Hungarian Goulash.

Useful information

• Price: This type of experience is available from 28€ per participant.
• Duration of the excursion: The minimum time of the excursion is 5 hours; you should reserve half a day of your itinerary for this experience.
• Recommended if... You want more than the traditional sightseeing tour. This tour is ideal for people looking to save on their trip since the price difference with traditional tours is really minimal.

If you want to enjoy panoramic views and fresh air the elevated Normafac Park located in the Buda Hills is a place in Budapest that you should not miss. In this area are carried out all kinds of activities focused on the most adventurous travelers: bike rides, ice skating during the winter in Budapest, hiking during the spring and summer in Budapest and many other activities more.

Although the itinerary may be modified depending on the company you hire, generally a tour of this type begins with an adventure in the city to see the most important historical monuments and other sites of interest such as the Hungarian Opera House, St. Stephen's Basilica and the Parliament building of Budapest, then crosses the Danube by one of its most important bridges to lead the group of travelers to the Castle Hill.

From here you drive to Városmajor and then to the János-hegy Cable Car Station, to climb uphill for about 20 minutes. After a walk in the forest, the route back to the city starts.

What do these tours include?

The main thing is a specialized traveling guide who leads the group not only through the historical tour but also through the mountain tour; the tour is usually conducted in small groups of no more than 10 people, to ensure personalized attention.

Necessary equipment is provided including a specialized mountain bike with gears, protective gear, the ticket to go up the cable car and refreshing drink along the route.

Useful information

• Price: From 50€ per person.
• Duration of tour: Book at least 5 hours for this exciting adventure through Budapest and its nearby forests.
• Recommended if... You are a lover of nature, cycling and outdoor excursions. Highly recommended if you are in Budapest for several days and want an adventure off the beaten tourist track.

If the pearl of the Danube seems to you a beautiful city during the day, Budapest at night will seem spectacular thanks to the night illumination of its most important monuments. This type of excursion is designed so that you can enjoy this spectacle by cycling through each of the most important buildings and places of interest in the city.

The route may be slightly modified depending on the company you hire for the excursion, but in general it usually includes one or more of the following destinations: A panoramic view of the city from the Fisherman's Bastion; you will see the illumination of the Buda Castle, the city bridges and the beautiful Parliament Building; finally you may be taken to see some cozy alleys with older architecture.

What do these tours include?

The best thing about this experience is the possibility of being able to enjoy it in small groups, which allows the accompanying guide to spend time explaining in detail the doubts of each traveler.

The groups are usually a maximum of 6 or 7 people. In addition to the guide, a bicycle is provided for the tour, the necessary safety equipment and a refreshing drink for each participant. If the tour takes place in autumn or the months close to cold weather, a hot drink such as a traditional Hungarian tea can be included.

Useful information

• Price: Approximately 45€ per person.
• Duration of the tour: 2 hours.
• Recommended if... you are attracted by the idea of an evening stroll through the city and are looking for a quick tour that you can complete in a few hours. This is one of the shortest cycling experiences you will find in Budapest.