CULINARY WALKING TOUR
Join us for a food, wine, and cultural walking tour of one of Budapest’s most delicious and charming neighborhoods. This tour will give you a taste of the traditional side of Hungarian cuisine, as well as the modern side and the artisanal producers and specialty food shops which are adding spice to Budapest’s food scene. The Central Market Hall, one of Europe’s largest and most spectacular indoor market halls, is a natural place to begin our exploration of Hungarian food. Here we will get an introduction to Hungarian food through the great variety and abundance of Hungarian ingredients. We will discuss the history of the building, the culture of eating in Hungary, and just what Hungarian home cooks do with all of that pork fat, paprika, and goose liver.
From there, we will make more stops in the surrounding neighborhoods which could include (depending on the day of the week): the city’s best spice/international food shop, a kosher bakery, a patisserie, a place which specializes in the art of Hungarian soup, a traditional coffee house, a candy manufacturer/shop, an artisan chocolate shop, a retro-style bar, and a butcher which serves meals. By this time you’ll be ready to rest your feet and relax. Our last stop will be a visit to a bar which specializes in wines from small Hungarian producers. We will end our tour by tasting three quintessential Hungarian wines with chocolate made by some of the country’s most interesting artisan chocolatiers. You will not be hungry after this tour!
The Culinary Walking Tour is four hours long (10am-2pm) with a two person minimum. The price is 60 euros per person. Wine will not be served to those who are under 18.
MARKET TOUR
There’s no better introduction to the culture of Hungarian food than visiting Budapest’s bustling markets. The 19th-century Central Market Hall is Budapest’s cathedral of food, and one of Europe’s finest market halls. It is an essential daily shopping stop for many locals, as are Budapest’s many other markets. Wandering the aisles of Budapest’s markets reveals how intensely important food and cooking are in Hungary. Seasonal produce still rules at Budapest’s markets and the full bounty of the Hungarian countryside is on display.
Taste Hungary’s market tour explores two of the city’s finest (though very different) markets. While navigating the market aisles we will see the variety of fruits and vegetables available in Hungary; butcher stalls filled with hunks of bacon, tubs of cracklings, rows of hanging salami, and wedges of goose liver; more types of pickled vegetables and sauerkraut than you knew existed; and farm fresh eggs and homemade country cheeses. Along the way we will talk about seasonal produce and eating habits; local traditions and specialties; recipes and the Hungarian eating style; and the culture of food in Hungary. We will talk about how food and wine fit into the lifestyle of Budapesters and how eating in Budapest is different than in the rest of the country. Best of all, we will get a taste of local life by experiencing how Hungarians do their day-to-day shopping, and tasting market staples along the way.
This tour is three hours long (10am-1pm) with a two person minimum. The price is 40 euros per person. Transportation between the two markets will be by bus or metro. Please bring a public transportation pass or tickets.
If you’d like to combine a market tour with a taste of the countryside and its wine, consider our Market + Wine Tour.
WINE BAR TOUR
Do you want to experience Hungarian wine but don’t have enough time to visit the vineyards in person? Thanks to the increasing number of wine bars, you don’t have to leave Budapest to become acquainted with Hungarian wine. But where to start and what to order? Let Taste Hungary help you put it all in context. On our guided Wine Bar Tour we will take you to two of Budapest’s most interesting, centrally-located wine bars. You will experience eight different wines from different regions of Hungary. Most wines will be from small producers, many of whom do not export their wines.
You will end the tour with much more than just a belly full of wine. You will have gotten a general overview of the wines of Hungary, their history, the country’s wine regions, and the most significant varietals. You will also have learned about Hungarian wine trends, styles, and culture. Wines that you might taste over the course of a tour can include sparkling wine from Budafok, dry furmint from Tokaj, welschriesling from Lake Balaton, sauvignon blanc from Pannonhalma, Juhfark from Somló, Bull’s Blood from Eger, kadarka from Szekszárd, cabernet franc from Villány, and aszú from Tokaj. A selection of cold local products (such as cheese, bread, cured meat, dips, etc.) will be served with the wine at one venue.
If you have a small group which is interested in exploring a particular aspect of Hungarian wine in more depth (such as sweet wines from Tokaj, native varietals, dry furmints, etc.) the evening can be customized to revolve around this theme. The price may increase, however, depending on the chosen wines.
The Wine Bar Tour is three hours long (5pm-8pm) with a two person minimum. The price is 60 euros per person. You must be 18 to participate.
DETAILS
Booking a Tour: Advance reservations are required. To confirm a tour, it must be paid for in advance through paypal. Please email us to find out whether the date you require is available, and we will reply with payment instructions and exact details about the meeting place with directions. Market tours and culinary walking tours are not available on Sundays.
When booking your tour please let us know whether you have any food allergies or dietary restrictions. Also, please tell us where you will be staying in Budapest and provide a contact phone number if you have one.
Group Size: Our tours require a minimum of two people, and a maximum of eight people. If you require a private tour or a different starting time, please let us know and we will try to arrange it. We also offer tours for larger groups (please enquire about group options and pricing). If you are a single traveler, enquire about the single supplement.
Children’s Discount: Children are welcome on the Market Tour and the Culinary Walking Tour if they are able to handle walking and being on their feet for the length of the tour. Up to the age of eight the price is 15 euros. From ages nine to thirteen the price is 25 euros.
Group discount: Groups of four adults booking together will receive a 25 percent discount.
Cancellations: All payment for tours is final and non-refundable. Although tours run rain or shine throughout the year we reserve the right to cancel tours due to severe weather conditions, interruption of public transportation, and other unanticipated emergencies. In this case, we will return your payment in full.
Disclaimer: By purchasing ticket(s) and participating in a tour the attendee(s) waive(s) all claims of liability against Taste Hungary and its owners for any illness/injury to anyone on this tour and/or loss/damage/theft to any attendee’s property while they are participating in the tour. All participants walk, eat, and drink at their own risk and waive any liability claims against Taste Hungary or its owners and/or any supplier and/or business associated with them.
