• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Curious to know more about Budapest’s history? Join a local history expert on an insightful tour that will show you a side of the city that can’t be found in any book. This experience will open your eyes to the past and origins of Budapest from a local perspective as you learn about Sissi Era.

Destination

Budapest, Hungary

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

3 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Italiano, Français, Magyar, Deutsch, Română, Español

Included

• Private Guide
• Public Transport Costs
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Entrance to attractions

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 9 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at Platán Grill, Budapest - Budapest to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Sissi Era

   Your history tour in Budapest will focus on Sissi Era. Learn the impacts, insights and hear stories related to this historic event from your knowledgeable host. Discover the city as you retrace history and go in-depth on the effects this part of history has on Budapest

4. Historical Highlights

   Check out main landmarks related to the theme of your history tour and connect their relevance through fantastic stories and facts from your expert local host

5. Hidden Treasures

   During your tour, you’ll also uncover hidden gems that will show you a different perspective of history as you know it, something you can’t easily find in a history book!

6. Storytelling Journey

   As you discover the historical side of Budapest, you’ll be able to go back in time thanks to the amazing stories and storytelling skills of your local host. Feel free to ask any questions and feel as if you are relieving history in the present time

7. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Anne🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Zsofia)

18 November 2024

My friend and I booked this 3-hour private walking tour from Melbourne for our last full day in Budapest after finishing a river cruise, and we were not disappointed. The meeting location was easy to find. Zsofia was a fantastic guide and a wealth of information; and we got to see a lot of the sites and learn the history, on the Buda side of Budapest. She also took us to one of the oldest patisseries called Ruszwurm, for cake and coffee and managed to get an outdoor table before a queue appeared (very popular and worth the visit). One place we visited, the tower of a church ruin, enabled us to see a spectacular view across Buda. We walked up 273 steps on the spiral staircase to the top. It was worth it. Straight after the tour we were going to the Széchenyi thermal baths and because the EU heads were in town a lot of the roads were blocked, so a taxi was hard to get. Zsofia went out of her way to take us to a metro train station on the Pest side, bought us train tickets and got on the train to ensure we got there safely. She also recommended a fabulous restaurant near the baths called Gundel. It was spectacular. We highly recommend Zsofia for any tour in Budapest. You will love it Sisi History tour

Kurt

(About local Zsofia)

11 September 2024

We had a three hour walking tour with Zsofia. She was informative and a pleasure to be with. We strongly recommend her!Zsofia is fantastic

Jesse🇺🇸 United States

(About local Zsofia)

18 July 2024

My husband and I just visited Budapest for the first time. Without a doubt, a highlight of our trip was the tour with Zsofia! First, she was so knowledgeable, friendly, and funny. She touched on so many aspects of Hungarian history and life, giving us a new perspective on the region. Second, she was extremely considerate and thoughtful during the entire experience. She’s mastered the art of casual hospitality in such a cool way. Finally, I believe the tour happened on what may have been the hottest day of the year, and she was such a trooper. She made sure we stayed hydrated and modified the walk slightly so we were in the shade most of the time. It was the small touches that showed she cared, and it really meant a lot to us. Zsofia: we can’t wait to see you on our next visit and thank you again 1000 times.This tour should be rated “20” out of 10!

Christine

(About local Zsofia)

13 July 2024

Zsofia is a wonderfully friendly and knowledgeable guide. I requested a combination of the introductory tour and the Sisi era tour, and she did an amazing job of integrating the two for a 4-hour walk around the Pest side of the city. Zsofia knows so much about the history of the city and showed me many wonderful buildings and places that I wouldn't have otherwise discovered - we also stopped at a local eatery and tried some Hungarian snacks at the market hall. She answered all of my questions and helped me to find my way around the city, with some great local recommendations of places to re-visit. In addition, she was really flexible and helpful when I had to change my booking last-minute. Thank you so much Zsofia for such an amazing introduction to your beautiful city!Zsofia is amazing - 100% recommend!

Eva🇧🇪 Belgium

(About local Csilla)

18 January 2020

We had a wonderfull walk with csilla. She was a warm person and gave us a good idea of how the life of sissi was al about. Cold but fun

Fabrizio

(About local István)

25 November 2019

Istvan is very nice, friendly, and flexible enough to go where you prefer. I just didn't like the fact that he left me more than half an hour before the end of the tour. However, I had stuff to do, so it wasn't a big deal after all. Very friendly

Steve🇺🇸 United States

(About local Claudia)

11 July 2019

Claudia was outstanding. She spoke very good english and was very knowledgable about the history of Budapest and all the surrounding monuments

Beata🇭🇺 Hungary

(About local Csilla)

13 June 2019

The Sissi tour with Csilla was very interesting. It is a great way to explore hidden jams in Budapest and learn a lot about Sissi era. It is a pleasant and practical way to see behind the scenesSissi Tour with Csilla

Sandra🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Csilla)

2 April 2019

Great tour thanks a lot Csilla Historic Budapest: Sissi Era Private Tour

Anne🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Juli)

11 March 2019

Juli was a really nice host and we had a very nice time together. She shared many interesting insights about the city and the life of Sissi. I can absolutely recommend the tour.Sissi Tour in Budapest

Diane🇺🇸 United States

(About local Csilla)

23 October 2018

We were a group of 4 and Csilla was wonderful! She personalized our tour and took us to areas of the city that were delightful. We had some wonderful bakery and her knowledge of Sissy and the city was above and beyond our expectations. I would highly recommend Csilla!Tour of Budapest

Ciro🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Kitti)

31 August 2018

Very interesting tour with a professional nice local guide. Very good English and social skills.Pleasant tour

Frans🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Kata)

20 August 2018

I enjoyed the tour with Kata, ferry friendly and good suggestions. Customized it a nice way, and we did some part of the tour biking. Customized

Jing🇺🇸 United States

(About local János)

7 August 2018

The tour was excellent. Janos was a great guy with passion. Since just my husband and I were in the tour group, we were able to customize our routes based on our own interests. We spent good time inside of Vigado (which was not included in the tour plan), had coffer on the patio with great view of the Buda side and the beautiful river, which was a true pleasure. The only regret was the Opera house was under construction so we were not able to see the auditorium but we did enjoy the guided tour and a mini concert inside of the Opera House. Budapest is a great city, there were lots of sites to see, do not expect to see everything Sissi in three hours. I would suggest that do your own tours before or after the Tour withlocals. Sissi Era Private Tour

Susan

(About local Csilla)

18 July 2018

I've booked private tour guides all over Europe. This is the first time I've been disappointed. For the first 3 hours we only visited the outside of Baths. Sometime I said I did not want to do. I will give her credit for the fact she stayed longer than the tour was booked and we finally saw a couple churches. I think she would be a great food guide. I had private tours booked in Vienna and Salzburg. Nothing like this tour.Too much confusion

HELEN

(About local János)

12 June 2018

Great guide. Was very eager to show the town and to help with anything.Historic Budapest: Sissi Era Private Tour

Cristal

(About local Kitti)

6 June 2018

Kitty without any doubt is one of the most incredible host I've ever have. She is friendly, easy going and makes communication very simple so you don't have to worry about anything. Kitty truly is an amazing host, but most important, a very kind and beautiful person. Thanks Kitty!!!"Historic Budapest: Sissi Era Private Tour

Jack

(About local Csilla)

1 May 2018

The tour brought us to many nice and interesting places in Budapest. Friendly Csilla know a lot about the history of Budapest and of course Sissi. It was really nice, that we could do this tour with her! Thanks!!!Fantastic tour with really friendly host

Olga🇳🇴 Norway

(About local Csilla)

7 February 2018

Csilla was amazing. Friendly, with profaund knowledge of Budapests history. We spend a really great time exploring the city. Thanks Csilla!Great guide

isabelle🇫🇷 France

(About local Csilla)

4 December 2017

Nous avons passé quelques heures avec Csilla pour une expérience sur-mesure qui mêlait découverte de l'histoire de Budapest et food-tour : une manière géniale de mieux comprendre la culture hongroise ! Csilla est très sympa, et ses connaissances en histoire sont justes parfaites pour approcher le riche passé de la ville. Csilla connait plein d'anecdotes pour une visite hors sentiers battus ! Côté food, nous avons été gâtés : entre viennoiseries, chocolat chaud dans le restaurant le plus réputé de la ville (avec visite privée des salles de réception), déjeuner sur le pouce dans des lieux alternatifs, visite de ruin bars etc....., la journée a été bien remplie, et nos estomacs aussi ! A refaire lors d'un prochain séjour à Budapest ! Découverte historique et food tour

Nicholas🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Dalma)

15 November 2017

Dalma is a delightful lady and brought to life an interesting era of Hungarian history as well as showing us the major sits of the city. She explained everything most carefully and we thoroughly enjoyed our tour and the overall experience. Sissi tour with Dalma

Kirsty

(About local Attila)

5 August 2017

I really enjoyed the Sissi tour. Attila was prepared and he has an amusing style. It was a really special walk with fascinating stories from the past. I am glad I took part and will definitely return. A great story telling in a great tour!!

Klara

(About local János)

3 August 2017

So many great things to say about our time with János. By far the most inspirational person we met in Budapest. Having an intimate relationship with the city, he showed us many places we would have never found without a local. We have got a real in depth explanation of Hungary's history and present, which changed our view of the place completely. A lovely and enthusiastic host!!

Peigi

(About local Júlia)

2 August 2017

Julia was super knowledgeable due to her background in Publishing she knew a lot about the city. She was very warm and welcoming and answered our many questions about Budapest and how it came to be the city it is today. I would recommend her!!! I will tell all my friends that go to Budapest to choose Julia!!

Gerard

(About local Attila)

2 August 2017

Wow!!! My time in Budapest with Attila felt as if I was spending time with the most knowledgeable and insightful man in the city. You can really tell that he is a history teacher because when he told stories he really painted the perfect word-picture that I really imagined I was in the era of Sissy. I began the tour having some interest and general insights of Sissy and the Austrian empire and I left as a self-proclaimed expert!10 out of 10 for Attila's tour - So insightful and interesting!!!

Andras

(About local Júlia)

1 August 2017

We had a fantastic time at the tour, fascinating and fun, like walking in this wonderful city with a friend. I have the feeling Budapest will show me another angle if I go to walk with Julia again. Great experience.Julia really knew her stuff when it comes to Budapest!!!

Cosmina🇷🇴 Romania

(About local Csilla)

1 August 2017

Csilla took us around the city giving us insight into it's interesting past in the era of Sissy. She was clearly very interested and knowledgable about her city and it's past and I am so glad that we chose her to share her passions with us. Not only do I have a better understanding of Hungary and it's juicy past but also of Budapest's streets. We also learned how to use one the of the oldest underground systems in the world. An interesting walk into Budapest's past with an enthusiastic local.

Jean

(About local János)

28 July 2017

János is the kind of guy you will definitely not forget once you've got to know him. He is one of the smartest and funniest persons I've ever met. Great story-teller with an open mind and a great deal of sensitivity. WOW - Such a great guy doing such a great tour!!

Steve

(About local János)

27 July 2017

Janos is the top guide we have ever met. He is funny and friendly and super knowledgeable! He shared the story of the Sissi and showed us around the places related with her life. He gave us a lot of local advice. He is a journalist and has a perfect sense of humour. Koszonom! A knowledgable host and great tour - I recommend !!

Andras

(About local Dalma)

23 July 2017

Dalma is a great host, very knowledgeable and at the same time a fun person to be with. She can offer endless stories and authentic historical details, so you will surely learn a lot from her. Also, she looks after her guests and pays attention to every detail to make sure that you get what you're most interested in.A great way to delve into Historic Budapest

Joanna

(About local Nicholas)

7 March 2025

Nicholas was recommended by my family, who did a food tour with him last year. I would highly recommend doing one, a great introduction to some popular Hungarian foods and an opportunityto learn more about the country. Nicholas was a great host, it was a highlight of our trip!Kickstart food tour

Stephen

(About local Emoke)

6 March 2025

Emoke was both informative and friendly.A lovely lady.Had a great afternoon of snacks and drink and really enjoyed the casual approach.Lots of food and was happy we had skipped breakfast as we couldn't have finished all the lovely treats.Would recommend Emoke to anyone looking to encounter a look at the food and history of Budapest.Top class and very enjoyable.........and filling. Great introduction to Budapest

Thorsten

(About local Tiberiu)

2 March 2025

Tiberiu ist sehr freundlich, spricht hervorragend Deutsch, hat ein umfassendes Wissen über die Sehenswürdigkeiten und die Geschichte Budapests und hat mit vielen Ideen dafür gesorgt, dass auch unserem neunjährigen Sohn nie langweilig wurde. Auch im Nachgang gab er uns viele Tipps zur weiteren Gestaltung unseres Aufenthalts. Vielen Dank! Experienced, competent and versatile tour guide, especially - but not only - for families with children. Highly recommended!Perfect tour for the whole family

Derin🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Zsofia)

1 March 2025

Really good experience as a first time visitor in Budapest. Booked the 5 hour tour and it was a nice experience. Zsofia took the time to show me round the city with quite a few delightful detours. Cabbage strudel in one of the markets, the beautiful library, the Paris passage and the ruin bar in the Jewish district. And she was so kind, waiting with me for a while to get a taxi. Zsofia has a very chill calm energy which worked very well. The hours went by so quickly and very enjoyable. Would recommend spending the day with Zsofia to show you round. Great tour with Zsofia

Thomas🇺🇸 United States

(About local Nicholas)

26 February 2025

Nick gave my daughter and I a great and comprehensive tour of Budapest. Really appreciated his perspective. We did a full city tour -- which is a long day. Nick was always conscientious and checking in to make sure we were feeling okay. Would definitely recommend a tour with him.Above and beyond

Paul🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Dalma)

20 February 2025

We had a 3 hour your with Dalma on our recent trip to Budapest and found her very knowledgeable and engaging with us as a family. We saw enough and took time for a break which the children needed as it was pretty cold out. Highly recommended if you find yourself after a tour in Budapest.Great tour, knowledgeable guide.

Lisa

(About local Beata)

19 February 2025

Neil

(About local Zsofia)

18 February 2025

Zsofia calmly introduced us to the heart of the Pest side of the city whilst providing some key history to put things into context.....we even found some local food sampling which we wouldn't have on our own!! Highly recommend Relaxed intro to Budapest

Debbie

(About local Emoke)

11 February 2025

Emoke took us for a 3 hour tour in Pest which included a metro ride and a visit to the most incredible cafe, the cakes were to die for. Her commentary was really interesting and we loved hearing all about the country’s history. Would definitely recommend Emoke. Great tour from a knowledgeable guide

Susan🇺🇸 United States

(About local Beata)

11 February 2025

What a great way to begin our visit to Budapest! Beata was so knowledgeable and fun — the three hours flew by! Her love for the city really shone through. I highly recommend this tour and would take again! Great Introduction to Budapest

Carmen

(About local Dalma)

9 February 2025

Éramos un grupo de viajes organizados y yo era la coordinadora. Por lo que escribo en nombre de todas las clientas. Queríamos a alguien local y no participar del negocio de las grandes empresas y por eso contratamos con withlocals, pero fue decepcionante. 1- LLEGADA: Dalma llegó 45 min tarde y todo ese tiempo estuvimos esperándola en la plaza pasando mucho frío. Aunque escribió diciendo que iba de camino 15 min antes del tour, a las 12.00h (hora de inicio del tour), no pude contactar con ella, a pesar de escribirle varios mensajes. Respondió muy tarde, diciendo que venía de camino, y luego, media después de la hora de inicio, volvió a contactar diciendo que le quedaban otros 10 min y que podíamos entrar en un café. Para ese entonces ya estábamos muertas de frío. No pasa nada si una guía está enferma, todos somos humanos y nos enfermamos y podemos llegar tarde, pero debe AVISAR al cliente, sobre todo cuando la temperatura es de 5°C , y también debe CONTACTAR con el cliente y atender los mensajes. Yo soy guía profesional en mi ciudad y estoy acostumbrada a dar ese trato. A todas nos pareció una falta de profesionalidad y una falta de respeto al cliente. Cuando llegó por fin, apenas tuvimos una muy simple disculpa. Se presentó y empezó a explicar directamente, sin preguntarnos de dónde veníamos, si era la primera vez que visitábamos la ciudad y esas cosas que esperas de un tour privado. 2- EXPLICACIONES: fue un tour en el que faltaron muchas cosas por ver. Es un tour de 3 horas en las que sólo visitamos la Plaza de los Héroes, la Ópera, la pastelería y la Basílica. Yo he estado en Budapest anteriormente y sé que tiene mucha más historia que esto. El tour no incluyó el Parlamento, los zapatos en la orilla del Danubio, el río, explicación de la zona de Buda, el mercado central o la sinagoga. Ni siquiera explicó anécdotas como por ejemplo las estatuas de gente corriente por la calle o algunas cosas sobre el holocausto. Es cierto que las explicaciones de lo que vimos fueron interesantes, por eso he puesto algunas estrellas, pero siento que para 3 horas de tour fue absolutamente incompleto. 3- BREAK: hicimos una parada para comer. Aunque lo que estaba previsto para comer eran pasteles, a las 14.00h teníamos mucha hambre (empezamos el tour con casi una hora de retraso) y debíamos comer el almuerzo, así que pedimos de comer. Sinceramente, todas hubiéramos preferido emplear ese tiempo en explorar la ciudad y así habríamos comido algo antes del inicio del tour. Ese tiempo Dalma lo empleó en escribir las fechas importantes de la historia de Hungría y darnos un mapa con los lugares para visitar, algo que no estuvo mal. En general, esperábamos muchísimo más de un tour privado con un guía local. La próxima vez, si el guía está enfermo y no puede realizar el tour, creo que debe dar la opción al cliente de hacerlo en inglés con otro guía o cancelar. Decepcionante

Nikki 🇺🇸 United States

(About local Beata)

1 February 2025

Beata was an amazing guide. We booked a 3 hour your way tour and it was perfect. She listened to our wants and tailored everything to our needs. She noticed all the things we got excited over and found more of these sites to share with us. She was polite and very informative without giving us so many dates we wouldn’t remember. I highly recommend this tour! Thanks Beata for the perfect day. Nikki BakerBest guide in Budapest

Carmen🇦🇹 Austria

(About local Nicholas)

28 January 2025

We were extremely lucky to have Nick as our guide in Budapest. We very much appreciated his flexibility concerning time and what to see, so we really got to know far more than we expected related to history, culture and everyday life in Hungary. As Nick is bilingual, his English is immaculate and his profound knowledge provided us with memorable insights. Can't think of any better way to explore the city of Budapest. Just perfect

Johan

(About local Beata)

26 January 2025

Book Beata as a guide! That's the summary. The long version is: we have been to Hungary and Budapest already a few times so, we know the classic stuff. And Beata added nice local hidden gems to the tour, looked for less obvious stuff - even if it was a detour. She really personalised our experience to our interests and wishes, which we appreciated very much. During the tour she told about many different topics and we immediately had a good connection and laughed a lot. In short, the perfect guide. Splendid foodtour evening!

Glenys

(About local Beata)

25 January 2025

It was wonderful being hosted for the day by Beata. She was a delight and full of interesting information on a range of topics relating to the city and the country. We walked to the various locations then travelled by tram and the Metro, which was impressive. Later we enjoyed a delicious lunch in an established, authentic Hungarian restaurant that I would never have found, where the service was professional and friendly. The price was extremely reasonable. Our tour was, without doubt, the highlight of my short trip and a very happy memory. I was so sorry our time had to end! Don’t hesitate- just book this! A treat. AMAZING!

Tanja

(About local Zsofia)

21 January 2025

We had a really good city walk with Zsofia, who knows both the history and the present. Before the tour we also got a few recommendations for restaurants, which helped make our trip even better. Zsofia gets our best recommendation. Zsofia gets our best recommendations

Anastasia🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Emoke)

15 January 2025

Our experience with Emoke was truly exceptional! She was incredibly knowledgeable, personable, and made every moment of the tour engaging. Emoke’s passion for Budapest’s history and culture shone through in every story and recommendations. She went above and beyond to make sure our experience was tailored to our interests, and we left with a deeper appreciation for the city and history of Hungary. The tour was well-organized, and we felt like we were exploring Budapest with a friend who genuinely cared about our experience. We highly recommend Emoke to anyone looking for a unique, insightful, and enjoyable way to discover this beautiful city!A Wonderful Tour of Budapest with Emoke

Jean🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Beata)

15 January 2025

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour. She was good company, knowledgeable, cheerful and enthusiastic. We had some interesting food and drinks to try and a nice meal in the restaurant. A Great Tour with Beata

Amy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Gabor B.)

14 January 2025

Gabor was a pleasure to spend the day with-he was open to sharing his city & his experiences (I’m always full of questions) and tailored the day to what I expressed interest in. I learned a tremendous amount in our short day together & had a wonderful time doing it. I couldn’t recommend him more.

Daniel

(About local Gabor B.)

13 January 2025

Incredible personal tour of the city through the eyes of an expert. Recommend!Excellent tour/knowledgeable guide