Hungarian Fall Colors

Budapest is actually two cities separated by the Danube. The old city of Buda and the imposing Royal Palace dominate the city with stunning views across the Danube to the commercial heart of Pest. Our city tour includes the Castle District, St. Mathias Church and a panoramic view of the city from Gellert Hill. We will also see the Citadel, the Opera House, St Stephen’s Cathedral, Heroes Square and the City Park.

The rest of the day is at leisure. Stroll along the banks of the Danube, visit the historic Great Market Hall with its endless variety of delicious foods and wines, or head to one of the city’s famous thermal baths for a rejuvenating dip. Alternatively, relax at the hotel and indulge in the hotel’s luxurious spa.

Following breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Budapest Nyugati station to enjoy a morning drinks reception in the impressive Royal Waiting Room before boarding the Golden Eagle Danube Express.

A brass band strikes up as the Golden Eagle Danube Express slowly draws into the adjacent platform. The uniformed train staff will then escort you to your en-suite cabin. As you settle in, our train will thread its way out of Nyugati station we’ll make our first journey through the autumn landscapes of Hungary to Balaton Uplands National Park. Emerging from the National Park we’ll arrive in Keszthely perched at the very western end of Lake Balaton. This picture-postcard town is filled with grand townhouses and famously the site of Festetics Palace, a lavish baroque home fit for royalty where we will have a short tour of the house and gardens.

In the morning, enjoy a relaxed walking tour in the historic old town centre of Sopron, with the 13th century Fire Tower as its central landmark. Return to the train in time for lunch on board and spend an afternoon traveling through the autumnal landscapes of the Hungarian countryside.

Arrive in the afternoon to the World Heritage Site of Holloko, which is a traditional Hungarian ‘Paloc’ village of white-washed houses with verandas, wooden balustrades, and hipped roofs. Enjoy a special dinner in the heart of the village with a taste of traditional Paloc flavours and cooking.

In the morning, enjoy an early visit to the Hortobagy National Park, a vast steppe in Eastern Hungary, where Hungarian native animals such as the grey cattle still live. An excursion in the area will familiarize you with traditional pastoral life and, if we are lucky, will reveal thousands of cranes that migrate through the area at this time of year.

In early afternoon arrive to the Tokaj region of Hungary for a private wine-tasting tour at one of the area’s famous cellars. Its wine-making history dates back thousands of years with its cellars and vineyards nestled at the foothills of the Zemplen Mountains.