Danube Cruise Archives - Budapest Guide

Is a Brunch Cruise on the Danube a good idea?

Posted on July 5, 2024July 5, 2024 by Budapest Guide

A few months ago, one of the companies arranging boat trips on the Danube in Budapest launched a new trip called a “Brunch Cruise.” On this trip, you can enjoy a brunch on the boat while enjoying the views of Budapest from inside the boat, or from the terraces on the boat. Is it a good idea? Should you consider a boat trip on the Danube with brunch as you come to Budapest?

How does it work? How long does the boat trip last? What can you eat? Are drinks included? You might have many questions, and here we will share what we have learned about the trip based on our own experience.

What is the brunch trip on the Danube like?

The trip takes place on a very traditional and elegant boat on the Danube. It is a big boat, so you will have plenty of space, and the interior makes you feel like you are on an old-fashioned boat, while keeping it elegant and nice. All tables have easy access to the windows, and there are also seats outside on both sides of the boat which makes it ideal to sit outside in the sun or to go out to make photos of popular sights such as the Hungarian Parliament, the beautiful bridges of Budapest, the castle, and all the other sights you will see during the trip.

This might change in the future, but currently you can arrive at the boat from 10:30. You will then be escorted to a table, and you can immediately start serving yourself from the brunch buffet. The boat stays by the pier until 12:00, meaning that if you arrive at 11:45, you can still get onboard and eat from the buffet. At 12:00, the boat leaves the pier and you can enjoy the beautiful attractions along the Danube for approximately one hour before you arrive back and the trip is finished at 13:00.

It is recommended to arrive early, because then you will mostly be finished with your eating before the boat trip starts, and you can feel more relaxed and simply enjoy the spectacular view as the boat leaves the pier.

What’s included in the program?

Everyone gets a welcome drink upon arrival, either a glass of champagne or a glass of orange/apple juice. You will later get one more drink served at the table. Beyond this, there is a bar in the boat where you can order whatever drink you might be interested in during the rest of the trip. There is also an option in which you include unlimited Prosecco, so if you feel really thirsty, then that is an option worth considering.

You can eat as much as you want from the brunch buffet throughout the entire trip (from 10:30-13:00). In the buffet you will find eggs in many variations (scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, sunny-side-up eggs, and more), there are traditional Hungarian creams made of cottage cheese, all sorts of jams, vegetables, chicken liver paté, a wide selection of cheeses, ham, salami, fruits, and sweet pastries, and even including pancakes.

The pictures above should give you a slight feeling about what you can choose from, but there are even more things you can eat during the brunch cruise and there might be changes from time to time, so these should just give you an idea of what you can expect if you decide to try a boat trip trip on the Danube with brunch once.

They also try to make the trip more entertaining for children by having a pirate onboard. He doesn’t do a lot, but sometimes he walks around, speaks with the kids, and it is possible to make pictures together with the pirate and more.

What will I see from the boat during this trip?

The boat starts from the Chain Bridge (very close to the bridge) and travels towards the Margaret Bridge first. You will then get a fantastic view of the Parliament, the Margaret Bridge, and also the Castle, the Matthias Church, the Fishermen’s Bastion and more along the way. As you reach the Margaret Bridge the boat turns around and travel to the most southern bridge in Budapest. Along the way you will pass under beautiful bridges, you will see the Gellert Hill, the Grand Market Hall, the Gellert hotel, the Technical University, the National Theatre, the Palace of Arts, the athletics arena (where the World Championships was arranged in 2023), and much more.

Above you can see some pictures we made during our brunch trip on the Danube in May 2024.

Can we recommend a boat trip on the Danube with brunch?

We tried this trip and came with fairly high expectations. It is easy to be disappointed when you come with high expectations, but mostly, the trip was one we can warmly recommend. There is plenty of food to choose from, and they are constantly refilling the buffet as something gets empty. In other words, it might be that you will have to wait for some minutes for some scrambled eggs if you are unlucky, but you don’t have to worry, because more is coming throughout the trip.

The selection of sweet pastry is ideal for those who want an easier breakfast (or kids), and the pancakes were a big hit.

The weather was beautiful (as always in beautiful), and even though we have been on lots of trips on the Danube, the city never fails to impress. The city is beautiful, so anyone coming to Budapest should go on a boat trip on the Danube. But, it isn’t enough to travel on the Danube once. It is recommended to do it once during daytime and once during nighttime. And as a daytime cruise, the option in which you combine breakfast and lunch while enjoying the splendors of Budapest is a great idea!

How much does it cost? Where can I buy my ticket?

The price for adults for such a trip is approximately €55, while the children price is €39. Children under the age of 6 can travel for free. You can book the trip through our booking page, or you can also use pages such as GetYourGuide to book the trip through them.

If you consider the fact that you get a very nice combination of breakfast and lunch and a stunning view of Budapest at the same time, this is a program worth the money. It is also a bonus that the boat is elegant and has lots of space, something boosting the experience even more.

If you have comments, questions, or any feedback, please use the comment field below and let us hear from you!

Pizza Cruise on the Danube in Budapest – Should you buy a ticket?

Posted on May 21, 2024May 21, 2024 by Budapest Guide

There are many fantastic boat trips available on the Danube in Budapest. The river is fantastic and the view is even more awesome. Can you imagine watching the beautiful attractions of Budapest illuminated in the evening while eating the best food on earth… pizza? That sure sounds nice, doesn’t it? It is no wonder so many people are interested in buying tickets for the popular pizza boat trip on the Danube. But, is it worth it?

Recently, we published an article about a Dinner Cruise with Live Music on the Danube. In the article, we wrote that even though we are located in Budapest and help book tickets for different boat trips on the Danube in Budapest, we do not necessarily say that all trips are equally good. In fact, if there are boat trips we think you should skip, then we will tell you. So, what is the reality when it comes to the Pizza Boat Trip on the Danube arranged by Silverline in Budapest?

Our experience eating pizza on the Danube in Budapest.

The trip we are discussing is the one you can book tickets for above using the GetYourGuide widget. If you visit the page, you can see several positive and some negative reviews. Here are our thoughts!

The trip itself is great. The Danube is beautiful, and the service on the ship is good. You can drink as much as you want which is ideal if you are thirsty, meaning you can get unlimited soft-drinks, ice-tea and some other drinks.

But, why do you buy tickets for a boat trip on the Danube where they serve you pizza? Because you love pizza. And if you love pizza, then you want the pizza to be good. Unfortunately, that was not so on this ship.

We attended the boat trip with a group of six persons, and you can choose from four different pizzas (that must be done upon booking). We tasted three of the four pizzas (we skipped the Hawaii pizza as none of us appreciate pineapple on pizza).

The pizzas were served, and we were looking very much forward to eating pizza while enjoying the view.

The pizzas came and upon first look we felt disappointed. It looked like the cheese and the ham and the ingredients were the cheapest of the cheapest at the nearest super market. Unfortunately, the taste didn’t tell us otherwise. We were then having serious discussions about whether we were actually served a frozen pizza with a basic tomato sauce, and then they just added toppings according to the orders, but we didn’t really come to a conclusion (even though I still believe it was a basic frozen pizza with some toppings added before added on the ship).

We traveled with kids, so our kids had a wonderful time on the Danube, one of my son even makes jokes about this being the best pizza he has ever eaten, but I guess that says more about his attitude than the pizza.

All in all, we will remember the trip, and we had a good time. But, if the goal is to combine a trip on the beautiful Danube in Budapest with a delightful pizza, then you should bring the pizza yourself and not eat the one you are served onboard.

What are your thoughts? Do you have any questions?

This is our experience, but we know from reviews on GetYourGuide that many people have truly enjoyed the trip. Would you like to share your thoughts about the trip? Or do you have any questions?

Please use the comment field below and let us hear from you!

Danube Cruise with Hungarian Dinner and Live Music – Is it worth the money?

Posted on May 17, 2024May 17, 2024 by Budapest Guide

The Danube is beautiful, but if you come to Budapest, it is especially beautiful. While it is only a river flowing through Vienna without making a big impression, it is maybe the most important thing when it comes to the beauty of Budapest. The city is built on both sides of the river and during a river cruise on the Danube, you can enjoy beautiful buildings and it is a stunning experience, no matter how many times you have done it before. Are you considering whether or not you should try the “Danube Cruise with Hungarian Dinner and Live Music” while in Budapest? This program is available for booking on our page about boat trips on the Danube and you can also book it on popular pages such as GetYourGuide. Is it worth the money?

First of all, many people ask whether they should travel on the Danube in Budapest during daytime or nighttime. That is a valid question to which there is one good answer: “Do both!” If you feel like that is an expensive answer and you need to choose, then a boat trip on the Danube in the evening (when it’s dark outside) is the best experience.

Budapest is a magical city in the evenings with all the buildings illuminated, and the best place to enjoy this is on a boat trip on the Danube. But, if you decide to buy tickets for a river cruise on the Danube in the evening… should you buy a ticket for a cruise with or without food included in the price?

In most cases I would say that food makes everything better. Something good to drink boosts the experience. Not only do you enjoy the experience because of what you see, but at the same time you feel sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and savory on your tongue. At the cruise with Hungarian Dinner, you also listen to Hungarian music, making sure that even more senses receive satisfaction. So, is it worth it?

The trip in itself is amazing!

This trip is normally arranged on a large boat named Grof Széchényi. It starts not far from the Chain Bridge in Budapest, and the trip lasts for two hours in total. During the trip you travel in the area between the Margaret Bridge and the Rákoczi Bridge, meaning you can see famous buildings such as the Castle, the National Theater, the Parliament, the Matthias Church and the Fishermen’s Bastion, the Gellért Hotel, the Palace of Arts, and you also see the Liberty Statue at the top of the Gellért Hill and much more.

But, there are cheaper trips available in which you don’t listen to live music and don’t eat food. Should you rather travel with such a boat, or does this trip give you good value for your money?

What about the food and the music?

As you sit down and the boat starts, so does “An der schönen blauen Donau” by Johan Strauss. The music is played by very good musicians on the boat, and throughout the trip they will play this and many other famous classical songs, sometimes combined with more modern music. During the trip, they sometimes walk through the room offering to play songs by the different tables (if you have any requests), so don’t be surprised if they show up by your table during the trip.

The music isn’t disturbing, which means you can easily have a good conversation by the table without shouting. If you like this type of music led by a violinist, accompanied by a person playing the cimbalom and another on a contrabass, this will for sure increase the satisfaction you experience during such a trip.

The food is served in a buffet, which means you have to stand up and walk to the buffet table to get your food. This might remove some of the focus from the attractions outside the window, but if you wait for a few minutes, then the lines are gone and you can easily grab your food within a few minutes, meaning that you will not miss out on any of the important attractions in Budapest.

The quality of the food is good and you get the chance to taste traditional Hungarian Goulash soup, a typical Hungarian beef stew with homemade dumplings, and various strudels for dessert. Besides this, you get a welcome drink and one more selected drink during your meal.

Are you worried about the quality of the food? If you are in love with Michelin stars, this might not be your place. But, if you are happy to taste traditional Hungarian meals prepared in a tasty way, and like the thought of dining from a buffet, then this shouldn’t disappoint you.

All in all, this is a fantastic experience if you want to see Budapest by night and combine it a dinner-buffet with live music.

Is this article an advertisement for the trip? Not at all! Even though we love boat trips on the Danube, there are some trips we would rather avoid, and if you read other blog posts, you will see that are not afraid to give out warnings when needed.

Would you like to book a river cruise like this in Budapest? You can reserve tickets at our page about boat trips on the Danube in Budapest, or you can use the GetYourGuide widget below and do your booking there.

Have you tried this trip yourself? Do you have any questions regarding the trip? Write a comment or a question using the forms below.

Budapest is opening again!

Posted on June 3, 2020June 3, 2020 by Budapest Guide

Budapest is opening to tourists once again. As a result, you can once again enjoy a boat trip on the Danube, and you can once again visit all your favorite restaurants in Budapest.

This is good news for everyone who would like to come and visit Budapest in the coming week and months. We have recently received news from many restaurants, and they are all telling us that they are opening once again. They are following all rules and regulations, meaning that waiters’ were masks and gloves (often), and they have also made changes in order for the guests to keep the distance needed.

If you want to enjoy a boat trip on the Danube with food, that can also be fixed. Are you looking for an airport transfer, we are already doing that. So, if you need a taxi driver to pick you up at Budapest airport and drive you to the hotel, just let us know.

Not everyone is welcome to Budapest

Before you come to Budapest, make sure to check the regulations when it comes to arriving at Budapest from your country. If you live in Slovakia, Austria, Slovenia, or in the Czech Republic, you can easily visit Budapest, and you do not even need to go into a 14-day quarantine upon arrival.

But, if you live in Sweden and want to come to Budapest, or maybe somewhere else, a quarantine is what you can expect, and that will ruin your holiday. In other words, make sure to check whether or not you are allowed to visit Budapest before you come.

If you have any comments or questions or need help to find out about what regulations are valid for you, write a comment!

5 activities you must try while in Budapest

Posted on September 20, 2013 by Budapest Guide

There are lots of compilations about what tourists have to see while in the capital of Hungary, Budapest. This article would like to give advices about what you should do, try or taste in the most amazing city of Eastern Europe.

1. Hungarian gastronomy / Langos

First of all we would like to mention the Hungarian kitchen. I am sure everyone has heard about the Goulash soup. But you need to know that the Hungarian kitchen is not only about Goulash, there are better and better soups, main courses, desserts and snacks too. What you definitely should try is ‘lángos’. This traditional meal is the Hungarian pizza. Originally it is a circle shaped dough made in plenty of oil, they put garlic, sour cream and/or cheese on it. Nowadays there are lots of versions; you can get pizza lángos, gyros lángos, bacon lángos and more. If you are in Budapest and run into a buffet where they sell lángos, do not miss it, taste this delicious meal.

2. Danube Cruise

Another activity that will let you see the most basic sights of Budapest in a delightful way is a boat trip on the Danube. In Budapest there are a lot of fantastic attractions, and these are mostly located at the two sides of the Danube. Tourists can watch these walking on either the Buda side or on the Pest side, but there is a way that is much better, a Danube Cruise. You can read more about it on this website if you click here. From the famous international river there is fantastic view to both side of Budapest. The best time for this program is at the evening, when the sun goes down and Budapest’s light are on.

Like this article? Read about the Top five attractions in Budapest or read about five hidden treasures in Budapest.

3. Taste Hungarian drinks

Our third recommendation relates to gastronomy enjoyments again. As most people know, Hungary is famous for its drinking culture. The Hungarian beers, wines and short drinks have worldwide fame. Dutch young people usually come to Budapest from the home of Heineken, because they enjoy the Hungarian beers more than their own. Nowadays several pubs make their own home made beers, which are very delicious and not too expensive: you can buy half liter for a price between 200 Forint and 1000 Forint (check out our Brewery Tour if this sounds cool). We need to talk about Hungarian wines too. The closest wine area to Budapest is Etyek, and this is the youngest wine region too, moreover the home to the grapes behind the most famous Hungarian champagne, Törley. Those who like strong drinks, have to try the Hungarian national drink, pálinka. This short drink made from every fruit what you can imagine, Hungarian people usually used to say: “If you can make jam from a fruit, you can make pálinka too.”. Consume it with responsibility, because it is a strong drink.

4. Visit a ruin pub

If you want to find the best place for the third point, the fourth point can help a lot. In Budapest there is a special pub type, the ruin pub. The point is that they made safe night clubs from little bit ruined, old buildings, but they left the abandoned feeling of them. These are perfect places for a drink, a good chat with friends or maybe to meet up with new people. Most ruin pubs can be found in the seventh district of Budapest, close to the Synagogue (Zsinagóga). Moreover, you can read about some of them in our website, if you click here.

Ruin pub in Budapest — Picture from RomKert in Budapest, one of the famous ruin pubs

5. Do a wine trip to Etyek

The fifth and last recommendation, what you should try while in Budapest is wine tasting in Etyek. As we mentioned in third point, Hungarian wines are famous in the entire whole world and Etyek is a very upcoming region. If you contact us, you could have an unforgettable wine tasting experience in Etyek. On such an excursion you will meet a local wine maker, see the production area, get to know how it all started and the challenges they face in the every day life, and of course – taste the best wines from their production. Etyek is first of all a white wine area, so you will mostly taste whites, but do not be surprised if a rose or a red wine should be presented as well!

We hope you liked our compilation presenting five activities you must try while in Budapest. If you don’t want to spend your whole vacation in museums, choose one or more from the list and you won’t be disappointed! Have a great time!

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Is it possible to do river cruises on the Danube now?

Posted on June 23, 2013December 2, 2013 by Budapest Guide

Yesterday we received a question from one of our website visitors asking whether it is possible to do river cruises on the river Danube in Budapest this summer due to the flood.

Short answer: Yes

Long answer: Everything is back to normal state in Budapest and has been so for 5-6 days. Again this means that all river cruise boats are operating as usual with normal schedules and programs. All roads near the Danube are open for traffic, which again means that taxis, buses and cars can drive you all the way to the different boats.

Enjoy Budapest 2013 — Enjoy Budapest during the summer of 2013 – also on the Danube!

All in all everything is set and ready so that you can enjoy your summer holiday in Budapest in 2013. If there is something you should be warned about it is that the amount of mosquito’s in Budapest often rise quite a lot of floods, and based on observations the last few days it seems to be true in 2013 as well.

Information on Budapest cruises

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Budapest Guide

Many people coming to Budapest look for information on cruises on the Danube. The beautiful river flowing through numerous European capitals is probably more beautiful than anywhere else as it flows through the borders of Budapest. From the boat you can enjoy the panorama on the World Heritage List of UNESCO as you pass under the Margaret Bridge and enjoy the view towards the Hungarian Parliament, the Castle, the Gellert Hill, the Matthias Church and the Fishermen’s Bastion, and let us not forget the bridges; the Chain Bridge and the Elisabeth Bridge. An amazing and stunning view.

Some people who are not too much into geography might wonder if it is possible to travel on the Danube all the way until the Mediterranean sea, and then continue on one of the many Med Cruises there, but the answer to that question is no. For the patient traveller the Danube ends up in the Black Sea, but it is in no way connected to the Mediterranean Sea.

Most cruises available for tourists and suitable for tourists are those running on daily basis within the borders of Budapest. These tours normally last 90 minutes, and you get to see the most famous buildings and the panorama as mentioned above on these tours. We can warmly recommend such a tour in the evenings, because Budapest is at its most beautiful in the evening!

There are tours daily during the main tourist season to Szentendre, Visegrad and Esztergom as well, and for those who want to leave Hungary, there are opportunities to visit Bratislava and Vienna as well. The only problem with such tours are the fact that they last for such a long time, that you can not do a t/r trip in one day, which means you need to sleep one night at the destionation, or find another way of returning to Budapest again in the evening.

If you are looking for more information about a Danube Cruise, and would like to book a dinner cruise with live gipsy music or so on, take a look and read more about these options at our Danube Cruise page.

Danube opened for boat traffic again

Posted on February 17, 2012June 4, 2021 by Budapest Guide

Two days ago we wrote that the Danube has been closed for boat traffic for some days. Now it has been opened again, so if you are ready for a Danube Cruise on the Danube with live music, lunch/dinner and beautiful view – the chance is hereby given. If you are planing to visit London, you can read more about cruises on the River Thames here.

Enjoy Budapest and in these days it seems as if the very cold weather is leaving the Hungarian capital again, so hopefully the spring is waiting for us just around the corner!

No Danube Cruises because of the ice

Posted on February 15, 2012June 4, 2021 by Budapest Guide

It is cold in Budapest currently, and because of the cold there is lots of ice on the Danube. And because of the ice there is no boat traffic on the Danube at the moment. It has been so for almost a week, and we expect it to stay the same way for some more days. If you would like to go on a Danube Cruise still, you can do so, only the boat will not move, but stand at the same place. For booking of such a Danube Cruise, go here.

We will come back with an update as soon as the Danube is free of ice and boats are allowed to travel again.

London Dungeon – London musicals