Tripology

Day 1 – Budapest
• Arrival in Budapest
• Private transfer to hotel
• Overnight at the Kempinski Hotel in downtown Budapest
• Balance of the afternoon on your own
• Evening: A private wine-tasting at the House of Hungarian Wines

Day 2 – Budapest
• Buffet breakfast at the hotel
• Walk to Grand Central Market to shop for your cooking class experience at the end of the Vaci Utca (Pedestrian Zone)
• Cooking class (featuring chicken paprikash) at Kacsa Restaurant

• Afternoon at leisure, perhaps a chance to go to Szentendre (Artist’s Colony)
• Evening: Dinner at one of the local restaurants, featuring wine and gypsy music
• Overnight at Kempinski Hotel in downtown Budapest

Day 3 – Budapest-Eger
• Buffet breakfast at the hotel
• Guided city tour of Budapest
The tour starts from Chain Bridge, passes by Parliament and takes Margaret Bridge over to the Buda side. You will stop in the Castle District, and during a short walk you will see the main attractions of the area. Walk to Matthias Church and to Fishermen’s Bastion (from where you can enjoy the beautiful panorama). Next, drive to Gellért Hill (Citadel) to see the most spectacular view of Budapest. Continue over Elisabeth Bridge to Pest, and drive by the famous Central Market Hall and the largest synagogue of Europe. Proceed to City Park. Pass by Europe’s largest thermal spa, Budapest Zoo and the amusement park, then stop at Heroes’ Square (with statues of the most famous Hungarian kings and dukes). Continue on Andrássy Avenue to downtown Pest; pass by the opera house and St. Stephen’s Basilica.
• Departure for Eger, a famous wine-growing area
Eger’s famous wine is Bull’s Blood, a beautiful red. There are dozens of wine cellars in the Szepasszony Volgye (Valley of the Beautiful Women), southwest of the city’s historic center.
• Dinner with wine tasting
• Overnight Eger, a four-star hotel

Day 4 – Eger–Tokaj/Tarcal
• Buffet breakfast at the hotel
• Guided city tour of Eger
It so happens that in Eger in 1552, a handful of Hungarian soldiers—and local women—defended the castle and stopped the Turkish army’s advance further into Europe. Leaving Eger, we drive among the castle-spotted hills of Zemplen. Vizit Vizsoly and its small church to see the first Bible translated into Hungarian. Visit Castle of Fuzer and the historic town of Sarospatak. Afternoon arrival in Tokaj, one of the major wine regions of Hungary, home of the famous aszu wine. French King Louis XIV called the Tokaj wine “the wine of kings, the king of wines.” (Tokaj is famous for its white wines.)
• Wine-tasting and dinner in Tarcal
• Overnight Tarcal, Grof Degenfeld Castle Hotel

Day 5 – Tarcal–Szeged
• Buffet breakfast at the hotel
• Travel
Drive to Kalocsa—home of the Hungarian Kalocsa paprika spice—via Kecskemet, birthplace of the famous Hungarian composer Zoltan Kodaly. Kecskemet is also home of the traditional apricot brandy. Walk around in Kecskemet to see the Art Nouveau Town Hall building and the neoclassical Great Church dating back to the 13th century. Continue to Szeged.
• Walking tour of Szeged
The Great Hungarian Plains most important city, Szeged is situated along the Tisza River. The symbol of the city is the Votive Church, lending an impressive background to the Summer Open Air Art Festival. On Szechenyi Square, you will find a great number of historic buildings, among them Old Town Hall. Culinary treasures of the city include
the Szeged paprika spice, Pick salami and fish soup, made of Tisza river fish.
• Typical fish soup dinner at a local restaurant
• Overnight in Szeged , a four-star hotel

Day 6 – Szeged-Pecs
• Buffet breakfast at the hotel
• Travel
Drive to the city of Pecs to visit the former mosque, which features Hungary’s largest monument to the Turkish Age and considered the most romantic city of the Transdanubia region.
• Afternoon Wine-tasting in Siklos, a 30-minute drive from Pecs
• Overnight in Pecs , 4-star hotel

Day 7 – Pecs-Budapest
• Buffet breakfast at the hotel
• Return to Budapest to spend a leisurely afternoon with shopping and additional sightseeing
• Dinner cruise on the Danube
• Overnight in Budapest at the Kempinski Hotel

Day 8 – Budapest
• Buffet breakfast at the hotel
The entire day is at-leisure. You might want to visit one of the famous baths of the city for a swim or to take a massage. Szechenyi Bath is located in City Park, close to the zoo and the popular amusement park (Vidam Park). Two museums are also nearby, the Museum of Fine Arts and the National Gallery.
• Farewell dinner in a traditional Hungarian Restaurant
• Overnight in Budapest at Kempinski Hotel

Day 9 – Budapest
• Buffet breakfast at the hotel
• Private transfer to the airport