We were lucky enough to visit the Tokaj wine region last week, this is one of my favourite tours. We were able to sample some truly amazing wine in Tokaj and Mád, visited the fairytale castle of Boldogkő, saw a beautiful rainbow over the vineyards and had also the chance to see the Mád synagogue.
This was a tour to remember, I hope I can show more and more travellers this beautiful part of Hungary.
The golden age of Budapest’s famous coffeehouses was at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. Today, we are once again seeing a renaissance of coffeehouse culture — and Budapest remains a city where cafés are deeply connected to everyday life, culture, and history.
Hungarians have always loved their coffee, but cafés here have traditionally been much more than places to drink it. I explore this unique relationship in more detail in my main article, We Love Our Coffee – And Our Coffeehouses, Too, which looks at why coffeehouses have played such an important role in Budapest for generations.
On my Budapest Foodie Tour, we usually visit different historic cafés, giving travelers the chance to enjoy Hungarian coffee and cakes while discovering the stories behind these iconic places.
Book Café has always been one of the most special and memorable café spaces in Budapest. Hidden inside a 20th-century department store on Andrássy Avenue, it surprised visitors with a breathtaking historic interior — high ceilings, ornate frescoes, and a grand atmosphere that felt more like a palace than a café.
Sitting in Book Café was an experience in itself. It was the kind of place where you could easily forget time, surrounded by books, elegant architecture, and the quiet hum of conversation. For many visitors, it was one of the most unexpected highlights of Budapest’s café scene.
Unfortunately, both the building and the café are currently closed, and at the moment there is no confirmed reopening date. Although it cannot be visited right now, Book Café remains one of the most talked-about historic café interiors in Budapest and an important part of the city’s coffeehouse heritage.
I sincerely hope that this beautiful space will reopen in the future. Until then, Book Café lives on in memories — and in stories I love to share when talking about Budapest’s rich and ever-evolving coffeehouse culture.
With over 250 tours I delivered last year I can’t tell how fortunate I am to show my travellers around the city and the country I love the most. This is my home, my birthplace and I’m looking forward to introducing it to even more people in 2020!
I’ve just had a look at which my most popular tours were last year:
Hungarian strudel is one of those pastries that quietly wins everyone over — and it’s always a favourite on my Foodie tours in Budapest.
Many visitors arrive already knowing Apfelstrudel from Austria or Germany, but the Hungarian version has its own character. The dough is stretched paper-thin, the fillings are generous but never heavy, and the result is not too sweet, just perfectly balanced.
Whether filled with apples, cherries, poppy seeds, or cottage cheese, strudel is a wonderful example of our home-style baking. You can taste it in traditional pastry shops — or, if you’re curious, even try making it yourself and experience the magic of stretching the dough until it’s almost transparent.
This weekend’s Foodie Tour turned out to be a little unusual — and very memorable. Instead of moving between markets and small food shops across the city, we dedicated the day to one single event: a Pig Slaughtering Festival in Budapest, held on a bright, sunny autumn weekend.
It was intense in the best possible way.
From the moment we arrived, we were surrounded by the unmistakable aromas of grilled meats, freshly made sausages, and slow-cooked Hungarian classics. Stalls lined up one after another, each offering its own version of traditional pork dishes, prepared with pride and confidence.
Hungarian cuisine is deeply rooted in pork — and this festival was a perfect snapshot of that tradition. Over the course of just a few hours, we tasted an astonishing variety of sausages, cuts of meat, and rich, comforting flavours. By the end of the tour, I realised I had probably eaten as much in four hours as I normally would in an entire week.
And honestly? I had no regrets.
If there’s one thing I always recommend to visitors, it’s to try mangalica sausage. Made from Hungary’s famous curly-haired mangalica pig, it’s rich, flavourful, and truly in a league of its own — for me, it’s the absolute best of Hungarian sausage-making.
Experiences like this are exactly why I love customising my Foodie Tours. Sometimes it’s about discovering hidden bakeries or wine bars; other times, it’s about diving headfirst into a local festival and embracing Hungarian food culture at its most authentic and unapologetic.
Food events like pig slaughtering festivals are not staged for tourists — they’re for locals, families, and producers who care deeply about tradition. Sharing this kind of experience with my travellers is always a highlight.
If you’re curious about Hungarian cuisine and want to explore it beyond restaurant menus, I’m always happy to tailor a custom Foodie Tour around seasonal events, markets, or local specialities.
Every year around 20 August, on St. Stephen’s Day, the cobbled streets of the Buda Castle District fill with colours, textures, and the quiet magic of Hungarian folk art. This is the time when some of the country’s most talented folk artists and designers come together for the Summer Folk Art Festival, turning the historic castle area into an open-air celebration of tradition.
What I love most about this festival is that it’s not staged or artificial. Many of the artists you meet are continuing techniques that have been passed down through generations—sometimes within the same family. Their work reflects regional styles from all over Hungary, each with its own patterns, colours, and stories.
As you wander through the festival, you’ll find beautifully crafted pottery, ceramics, wooden objects, jewellery, embroidered textiles, and woven fabrics. These are not souvenirs made for tourists, but authentic pieces created with patience, skill, and deep respect for tradition.
One of the highlights is that visitors can often try the crafts themselves. Whether it’s weaving, sewing, or embroidery, watching the process (and giving it a go) makes you appreciate just how much work and precision goes into each finished piece.
Of course, no Hungarian festival would be complete without food. Alongside the artisan stalls, you can taste traditional Hungarian treats, making this event just as enjoyable for food lovers as for art enthusiasts.
Set against the backdrop of Buda Castle’s historic walls and panoramic views over Budapest, the Folk Art Festival is a wonderful way to experience Hungarian traditions in a relaxed, joyful atmosphere. Even if you’ve visited before, it feels slightly different every year—and that’s part of its charm.
Yes, I agree — the Central Market of Budapest has become a major tourist attraction over the years. And yet, it may come as a surprise that it is still one of the favourite shopping places of locals.
Despite the crowds, the market remains a living, breathing part of everyday Budapest life — and that’s exactly why it’s such a fascinating place to visit.
I first visited the market with my grandmother when I was around five years old. At that age, I couldn’t tell the difference between the “aisle of the rich” and the “aisle of the poor” — but I was completely captivated by the smells, colours, and endless variety of products.
That sensory overload is still very much part of the experience today.
The Central Market, officially known as the Great Market Hall, opened more than 120 years ago and quickly became the heart of Budapest’s food trade.
The iron structure and glass roof often remind visitors of a 19th-century train station, while the colorful Zsolnay roof tiles make the building unmistakable from the outside.
Inside, you’ll find:
Fresh fruits and vegetables from across Hungary
Hungarian sausages, salami, and cured meats
Paprika in every form imaginable
Local cheeses, honey, and preserves
Traditional Hungarian pastries and street food
If you’re curious about Hungarian gastronomy, this market is one of the best places to understand it.
The Central Market showcases:
Seasonal Hungarian ingredients
Regional food traditions
Everyday eating habits of locals
The contrast between traditional stalls and modern food counters
It’s lively, noisy, sometimes chaotic — and absolutely authentic.
A visit to the Central Market is part of my Budapest Food Tour (except on Sundays, when the market is closed).
During the tour, I’ll:
Help you navigate the market beyond the obvious tourist stalls
Explain what locals really buy and why
Introduce Hungarian food traditions and shopping habits
Make sure you taste one of the best sausages and a proper Hungarian strudel
The market is not just about food — it’s about culture, history, and everyday life.
Many guests choose to combine their market experience with a food and wine-focused day, pairing the Budapest food tour with a countryside escape such as the Etyek Wine Tour, Hungary’s closest wine region to the capital.
It’s a wonderful way to connect Budapest’s culinary scene with local wines and rural traditions.
If you’d like to explore the Central Market of Budapest with a local guide and truly understand what you’re seeing — and tasting — I’d be happy to show you around as part of one of my private food tours.
Hungary’s food and wine culture is something I’m incredibly proud of, so it always makes me happy to see how popular my food and wine tours are with travellers. Over the years, many guests have asked me to take them beyond Budapest — to the heart of Hungary’s most famous wine region.
That’s how my private day trip to Tokaj Wine Country was born.
Tokaj is probably the best-known Hungarian wine region, and for good reason. This UNESCO-listed area in northeastern Hungary is the birthplace of Tokaji Aszú, Hungary’s legendary sweet white wine once praised by kings, poets, and composers as “the wine of kings, the king of wines.”
But Tokaj is much more than dessert wine.
Rolling vineyards, quiet villages, centuries-old wine cellars, and a deep sense of history make this region one of the most atmospheric places in the country.
This full-day private Tokaj tour from Budapest is designed for travelers who want a slow, authentic experiencerather than a rushed tasting schedule.
During the day, we:
Visit small Tokaj villages with traditional architecture
Meet local winemakers and taste wines directly in family-run cellars
Learn about Tokaj’s unique grape varieties and winemaking traditions
Enjoy the peaceful countryside far from the crowds
The focus is always on quality, storytelling, and personal connections — exactly the kind of experience I love to share as a private guide.
One of the lesser-known but deeply fascinating aspects of Tokaj is its Jewish heritage. Jewish merchants and winemakers played a crucial role in building Tokaj’s international reputation in the 18th and 19th centuries.
On this tour, we also explore:
Historic Jewish sites and cemeteries
The role of Jewish families in wine trade and culture
Local traditions that shaped the region’s identity
This cultural layer adds meaningful depth to the wine experience and helps travelers understand Tokaj beyond the glass.
This private Tokaj wine country tour is ideal for:
Wine lovers curious about Hungarian wines
Couples and small groups looking for a romantic countryside escape
Travelers interested in culture, history, and gastronomy
Guests who prefer customised private tours over large group trips
If you’d like to learn more about this Tokaj Wine Country day trip from Budapest, I’d be happy to send you detailed information, including itinerary ideas and customization options.
I’ve received this article from three guests of mine at different occasions – and thank you so much guys for your preparations before your actual trip to Budapest. I need to tell that most of the places recommended by The New York Times are both fun and nice, still, I have the impression I can show you so much more when you come to visit my beautiful city.
Feel free to ask for my special recommendations!
The Hungarian “Székelykáposzta” is a great dish combining sauerkraut and pork stew, a nice meal to warm your body and soul on a cool day.
Drain 2.2 pound sauerkraut in a colander, rinse it gently under cold water and let it sit in the colander for a few minutes. Put half of the cabbage in a large saucepan, put in 1.3 pound diced pork rib and cover with the other half of the cabbage. Add 4 bay leafs and water to cover it and cook gently for 2 hours on low.
Heat 5.25 oz lard in a large saucepan on medium heat. Toss in 2 large chopped onions, cook them with a pinch of salt until they soften up. Remove saucepan from heat, stir in 3 teaspoon paprika powder with the onions until they’re fully coated. Put the saucepan back on the heat, turn it up to medium-high, and add 1.3 pound diced pork shoulder or leg. Cook until all the meat has browned. Once the meat is browned, add 1 tablespoon paprika paste or cream, 1 large chopped tomato and 1 diced bell pepper. Pour in water until it covers the meat, bring it up to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook slightly uncovered stirring occasionally for about 90 minutes.
Pour the pork stew in the cabbage stew, cook on medium low for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Heat 1 tablespoon lard in a small saucepan on medium high. Add 2 tablespoon flour, stir until it’s browned, add 1 teaspoon paprika powder. Add 1 cup cold water, mix it and add the flour mixture to the cabbage. Add half of the sour cream, bring it up to a simmer.
You can serve the cabbage dish with the other half of the sour cream.
