Night Cruises on the Danube

The Danube River is the soul of this European city, besides being the point from where travelers are located in the Hungarian capital, as the river separates Buda and Pest, the two symbolic buildings of the city.

Taking a cruise in Budapest, both day and night, will be the perfect opportunity to see the city and delight you with its beautiful postcards. Here are my favorite options to enjoy the river and the landscapes of the city when night falls.

Booking a Danube cruise with dinner and music is one of my favorite options, as I consider it very complete. Gastronomy is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects to know the history and tradition of a destination, and with this activity you can discover it while you see the beautiful city from the waters.

Many of the Danube cruises offer dinner included, with a haute cuisine experience, as a perfect complement to the panoramic view along the river. And this is considered one of the best tours in Budapest.

If you feel like sharing an evening full of flavors while enjoying a cruise through this city declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, you can not miss this option.

Information of interest

• Duration: between 1 and 2 hours.
• Price: from 70€ per person.

When the night comes to Budapest, some of the city's sights come alive and offer you another perspective of this immersive destination. Therefore, booking a night cruise on the Danube can be an excellent alternative to welcome your evening, which can then continue with a delicious dinner in the surroundings.

In this quick cruise option you will take a night sightseeing tour and witness the magic that awaits you at night in Budapest. In addition, you will enjoy the colors of the sunset and appreciate the night illumination of the Parliament and all the magic of the night.

Sites you will see during the tour

• The famous buildings along the river. The beautiful banks of the Danube are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Margaret Bridge.
• Buda Castle.
• Hungarian Parliament building.
• Pesti Vigado.
• Castle Garden.
• Gellert Hill.
• Citadel
• The Whale.

Information of interest

• Duration: 1 hour.
• Price: from 21€ per person.
• What's included: audio guide in different languages and welcome drink.

The thermal waters of Budapest are undoubtedly one of its great attractions, specifically those of the Széchenyi Spa. This public bath is the largest in Budapest with 18 indoor and outdoor pools in addition to having steam baths and saunas under baroque style domes.

Although you can visit it on your own, I propose something better: book a spa day at the Széchenyi Spa with an evening dinner cruise in Budapest in a pack.

An option certainly complete and relaxing that you can enjoy on your last day in Budapest, after having toured the city and explored all its corners. The best thing is that in many cases includes a massage service.

Information of interest

• Duration: the cruise lasts 2 hours and the massage 20 minutes, but you can stay in the spa longer.
• Price: 101€ per person.

You will probably want to visit some of the best ruin bars in Budapest, but how about doing this on board of a cruise and accompanied by the incredible night views of Budapest?

This type of cruise is an option for those who are looking for a more lively night and of course for lovers of wine and other beverages such as beer.

Interesting information

• Price: from 12€ per person
• Duration: 2 hours approximately.
• Capacity: 200 travelers maximum approximately.
• What's included: wine tasting, beers of 5 different specialties, signature cocktails and other drinks.

If you like walking this can be a good and very complete option. This type of cruise starts with a walking tour of Budapest and ends with a cruise on the majestic Danube.

In most cases it includes an English speaking guide who will show you the best of the city. This is a comfortable alternative that is organized for groups of no more than 15 people, which guarantees you quality time and the possibility of knowing more about this city from the hand of an expert.

I find it a tempting option if you visit Budapest for 1 or 2 days, because you will have the opportunity to know the city in a tour with a private guide and close your day letting yourself be amazed by the night.

Interesting information

• Duration: 2 hours approximately for the walking tour and 1 hour for the cruise.
• Price: from 40€ per person.

Without a doubt, booking a night cruise on the Danube allows you to see the main sights of the city from a unique perspective and appreciate places that may come alive at night. With so much to see and do in Budapest, a night cruise is an excellent alternative.

If you plan to visit the Budapest Parliament, you won't want to miss its beautiful illumination at night either. A night cruise on the Danube offers you that, plus delicious dinners, wine, live music and the company of other travelers, who like you, want to explore one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.

It depends on which cruise you choose. Also, the night tour may change depending on the day. Generally the cruises take you on a tour of the most famous bridges of the city, such as:

• The Chain Bridge
• The Liberty Bridge
• And the Elizabeth Bridge.

What I guarantee is that from any boat you will be able to enjoy the night illumination of the Budapest Parliament. The sightseeing also includes Buda and Pest, the two ends of the river with its two landmarks, the Buda Castle in Buda and the Hungarian Parliament on the Pest side.

It will also depend on which option you choose, because in some cases you will have the alternative of being picked up at your accommodation and not having to travel to the starting point of the cruise.

In many cases the departure point is between the Széchenyi Chain Bridge and the Parliament (near the Shoe Monument). At the time of booking you will receive all the information, in case you have to travel to the departure point on your own.

In any case, don't worry, mobility and distances in Budapest will not be a problem for you.

If you choose the option with dinner, the schedules of the night cruises in Budapest start at 7 pm. The last night cruise in the city is usually scheduled for no later than 22:30 hours.

Keep in mind the schedules when booking a Danube night cruise so that you can coordinate your itinerary for the day and have no problems to be at the appointed place and time to depart on your night cruise.

• Book in advance and check the departure times of the cruise of your choice. This will allow you to better schedule your itinerary to be on time at the departure location.

• The Budapest Parliament is not usually illuminated on Sundays, so it may be best to book a night cruise on the Danube on a different day so you don't miss out on the wonderful postcards it has to offer.

• If you have the time and feel like it, book the Danube cruise in the daytime as well, so you can get both perspectives of the city.

• Enjoy the views instead of spending time taking pictures. Then you can go to places like lookouts to capture those pictures you want to take back home.

There are many Danube cruise options available to you. Choose yours according to what you like best and what kind of entertainment and activities you want on board. This tour is sure to leave you with amazing travel memories that you can come back to again and again.