• 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, Magyar, Italiano, Français, 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 10 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

Cara

(About local Emoke)

3 June 2025

Emoke is friendly and well-spoken. She knows her subject really well so the tour was interesting and thorough. Emoke provided a wonderful Sissi tour

Unknown

(About local Andras)

18 May 2025

Andres was amazing. Ten out of ten

Harry & Virginia🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Andras)

11 May 2025

Andras was happy to adapt the tour itinerary to meet our preferences and preferred pace. He is very friendly and knowledgeable about Budapest and its history.

Antonia

(About local Gabor B.)

4 May 2025

Man merkt dass Gabor für seine Stadt und ihre Geschichte brennt. Er konnte uns einen guten geschichtlichen Hintergrund vermitteln und hat geschichtliche Details immer wieder in aktuellen Bezug gebracht. Er hat ein sehr umfangreiches Wissen über Budapest und Ungarn und kann geschichtliche Fakten spannend erzählen. In drei Stunden haben wir sehr viel gelernt und viel gesehen.Viele wertvolle Informationen

Grant🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Emoke)

1 May 2025

This was an excellent way to learn abut this incredible person and her influence in Hungary. Sisi is revered here in Hungary and this door really helps you to appreciate why this is the case. Emoke is a fantastic guide, full of information, flexible in her approach and has a great customer focus. Cannot recommend this tour highly enough with Emoke. Excellent tour - high;y recommended

John

(About local Beata)

18 April 2025

We have traveled often and are generally independent explorers. But wanted to try a small guided tour, to get more history and background about Budpest. Wow ... it was more than we ever hoped for! Beata was a wonderful guide -- friendly, informative, pleasant conversation, a delight in every way. My wife and I had a great experience, and we came away knowing much more about the City and able to plan for an another full day of exploring tomorrow (based on suggestions and background from Beata). I am a convert to private tours. And very grateful to Beata. Don't hesitate ... it's absolutely worth it.What a superb experience!

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!!!

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.

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!!!

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

Richard🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Emoke)

30 July 2025

Emoke was very friendly and knowledgeable about the history of Hungary. She showed us all the important buildings and gave some great tips and advice. Great tour!

Javier

(About local Emoke)

27 July 2025

Robbie🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Tiberiu)

27 July 2025

Tiberiu was very knowledgeable and his food selections were a hit. We would definitely do another tour with Tiberiu.Great Experience

david🇺🇸 United States

(About local Andras)

23 July 2025

We arrived in Budapest without knowing more than the basic information about it. We only had two days in Budapest and we decided to make the most of our tour so we hired Andras for 5 hours which wound up being closer to 5 1/2 hours. He loved every minute. Andras is truly a local. He was born and raised in Budapest. He is very knowledgeable, energetic and friendly. He was able to read us pretty well and took us to all the interesting places and then some. We were very happy with our experience. Great introduction to Budapest

Paul

(About local Zsuzsi)

18 July 2025

Zsuzsi was a great guide and spent a Saturday afternoon giving me exactly the overview of the city I was looking for. She was a very pleasant conversationalist and knew much about local history and culture. We had a wonderful lunch next to the skating rink and palace and then proceeded to tour much of the Old Town by car. It was a very nice afternoon and I had a good idea of what places I wanted to return to in order to explore in more detail. I would definitely recommend Zsuzsi to others visiting Budapest.Great afternoon

Theresa🇺🇸 United States

(About local Andras)

17 July 2025

My daughter and I loved our time with Andras. He was very knowledgeable about the history and architecture of Hungary and eager to share his knowledge with us. He took us to three stops, each one was a unique experience. His wine choices were excellent. Andras was easy going and fun to talk to. We would definitely recommend touring with him. Wine, Wisdom and Whimsy

Kathryn

(About local Nicholas)

16 July 2025

Nick managed to pack so much into our morning, showing us around Buda & Pest. It felt like he really tailored our tour to things most interesting to us. We would never have managed so much on our own. A truly fascinating morning. Great morning in Budapest

Kristin🇺🇸 United States

(About local Gabor B.)

10 July 2025

It was incredible to get to know Budapest through Gabor. He is very interested and embedded into the local cultural scene as well as very knowledgeable and passionate about his city and country. Our tour was focused on history and architecture and I think we only scratched the surface of Gabor's knowledge. Gabor was very respectful of our time, ensuring we were able to see the most important places in our limited time together. He even stayed with us an extra hour to allow us to see more.

Laurel

(About local Zsuzsi)

8 July 2025

I can highly recommend Zsuzsi . She took my husband and I on a tour to the 3 main towns of the Danube Bend. She was very easy to work with and was very personable. She had wonderful suggestions on things to do in each town. She is a great photographer, and we also discovered that she has a fantastic singing voice. This came to light because the acoustics at the top of the Estergom basilica are really good and she sang an entire Hungarian folk song. It was beautiful! She wound up calling and making a lunch reservation at Gundel Restaurant for my husband and me for the following day, and over the next few days, she What’s Apped me to see how the rest of our trip was going and continued to give suggestions on things to do and places to go, which in my mind is all above and beyond. If you book a tour with Zsuzsi, you will not be disappointed!Fantastic Tour guide

Charles🇺🇸 United States

(About local Gabor B.)

7 July 2025

Gabor was excellent at showing us the best of Budapest. Both the major sights and the subtle cultural and historical aspects of the city. He provided great recommendations and is full of knowledge. He is deliver and tailored his tours to our interests. We came away with a deeper understanding of the culture of this part of the world. Gabor’s tours were fully authentic and as in depth as we wanted to go. CB and MB travellers

Deborah🇺🇸 United States

(About local Emoke)

7 July 2025

Em was a fantastic guide—so friendly and welcoming from the start. She shared wonderful stories and local insights that really brought Budapest to life and made my first day unforgettable. Her knowledge and passion for the city made the tour feel personal and engaging. I highly recommend booking a tour with Em to kick-start your visit!Worth It!

Sara🇺🇸 United States

(About local Gabor B.)

5 July 2025

We had a 3-hour walk with Gabor around Budapest and it was amazing. He asked us questions when he first met us to know what we preferred to hear about and throughout the walking tour he would modify his talk based on what we knew and what we still had to learn. It was a perfect morning. We heard about Hungarian history (and the history of all Central Europe) and he gave us specific notes about buildings and restaurants that was very helpful to understand the city. We had 2 adults and 2 teenagers and we all loved it. Take a tour with Gabor - you will very much enjoy it. History, Culture, and People

Tom

(About local Beata)

5 July 2025

Beata was a great guide who taught us a lot about Hungarian food (since it was a food tour.) She found us easily and made sure we didn’t get too hot in the above normal temperatures. She also shared her love of Budapest and her life with us, which was wonderful. Her English was great and very understandable. Afterwards, we wished that we had spent more time with her talking about life in Hungary. We would recommend her as a guide without any reservations. Knowledgeable, charming guide in Budapest

Ralph🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Emoke)

5 July 2025

Our tour with Emoke was one of the true highlights of our time in Budapest. With her warm personality, deep local knowledge, and an eye for detail, she made the city come alive in a way no guidebook ever could. guided us through the city with ease and passion – from iconic landmarks like the Chain Bridge and the Great Synagogue to charming backstreets and hidden gems we’d never have discovered on our own. She didn’t just show us buildings – she shared the stories, history, and local culture behind them in a way that was engaging and personal. Her recommendations for food, sights, and cultural tips were spot-on and really enriched the rest of our stay. If you want to experience Budapest not just as a tourist, but through the eyes of someone who truly loves and understands the city, a tour with Emoke is the way to go. It was personal, insightful, and absolutely memorable – highly recommended!You Are Going to Experience It All