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Private Tour of Communist Era Budapest
Private Tour of Communist Era Budapest
Private Tour of Communist Era Budapest
Private Tour of Communist Era Budapest
Private Tour of Communist Era Budapest

Private Tour of Communist Era Budapest

By Tamas Varga
Free cancellation available
Price is €360 per adult* *Get lower prices by selecting more than 2 adults
See tickets
Features
  • Free cancellation available
  • 10h
  • Mobile voucher
  • Instant confirmation
  • Selective hotel pickup
Overview

Take an all-encompassing and unique return of communist Budapest and get to know Hungary's amazing capital city from a completely different angle! This one-day private tour includes over 20 stops with hidden gems of Hungary's communist past, as well as important venues of the 1956 revolution against communist rule, where no other tour operator is likely to take you.

Beyond the regular communist round of the inner city, you'll explore lesser-known yet fascinating architectural gems of the era and then venture to the suburbs where communism truly thrived. Tour the communist housing estates, and explore the Csepel Iron and Metal Works, a crucial communist industrial stronghold.

The tour culminates at Memento Park, an open-air museum preserving Budapest's iconic communist statues, offering a powerful reflection on Hungary's turbulent past. This dynamic experience can be tailored to the weather, ensuring an immersive journey through Hungary's communist legacy, no matter the conditions.

Activity location

  • Szabadsag ter
    • Szabadsag ter
    • Budapest, Hungary

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • Szabadsag ter
    • Szabadsag ter
    • Budapest, Hungary

Check availability

Private Tour of Communist Era Budapest in English
  • Activity duration is 10 hours10h
    10h
  • Opening hours: Sat 08:00-18:00
  • English

Pickup included

Language options: English
Price details
€360.01 x 1 Adult€360.01
Total
Price is €360.01
Until Fri, 14 Mar

What's included, what's not

  • What's includedWhat's includedSoft drink/Pop
  • What's includedWhat's includedBottled water
  • What's includedWhat's includedSnacks
  • What's includedWhat's includedAir-conditioned vehicle
  • What's includedWhat's includedAlcoholic Drinks
  • What's excludedWhat's excludedLunch
  • What's excludedWhat's excludedAdmission Memento Park - Adult: 3000 HUF, Student: 1800 HUF, Child under 14: 1200 HUF, Under 6: N/A
  • What's excludedWhat's excludedAdmission Retro Museum - WEEKENDs: 6.500 HUF, WEEKDAYS: ADULT: 5.500 HUF, DISCOUNT: 4.500 HUF

Know before you book

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transport options are available nearby
  • Specialised infant seats are available
  • Transport options are wheelchair accessible
  • All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • About 10 more attractions that are less known will be shown from the car while driving around the city. The extra time not indicated in the itinerary will be used for travel
  • In accordance with EU regulations about consumer rights, activities services are not subject to the right of withdrawal. Supplier cancellation policy will apply.

Activity itinerary

Szabadsag ter
  • 30m
We will start our journey on beautiful Szabadság Square in city centre Budapest. At the Memorial for Victims of the German Occupation, I will give you a short overview of the history of Hungary and the events that led to the Communists assuming power here. At the memorial of the Soviet liberation of Hungary in World War II from Nazi German occupation, I will briefly tell you about the beginning of the communist era in Hungary and the Stalinist dictatorship of the late '40s and early '50s that marked one of the darkest eras of Hungarian history. From here, we will go to a nearby square which has some of the few remaining examples of Socialist Realism, also called Stalin Baroque - a huge residential complex which has some interesting reliefs in its inner courtyard - and even a statue of a bear riding a scooter (!)
House of Terror Museum
  • 15m
We'll pause at the House of Terror Museum, located at 60 Andrássy Avenue. This iconic building was once the headquarters of the fascist Arrow Cross Party during World War II and later the central office of the communist secret police (ÁVH). While we won't enter this time, the building itself symbolises the dark periods of 20th-century Hungarian history under totalitarian regimes. Travellers interested in a deeper exploration can visit the museum independently later.
Bem Jozsef Memorial
  • 30m
Our next major stop will be Bem Square on the Buda side, where the Hungarian revolution of 1956 started. Here, I will tell you about the history of the revolution and the significance of this square in the protests, which then spread out from here all across the city. You can also have a drink at a nearby coffee house/bar from communist times which has been preserved in its original form.
Hotel Budapest
  • 15m
Our next stop will be an iconic building of Budapest which, despite its significance and uniqueness, is often missed by tourists: a circular-shaped hotel, officially named Hotel Budapest, which stands out as a skyscraper among the hills of Buda and is visible even from planes flying over the city. Completed in 1967, the communists sent sent a clear message with this development: socialist countries are also capable of building skyscrapers, and in this case, with a truly unique design. Here, besides some interesting stories related to the hotel, I will tell you about Hungary's communist history after the '56 revolution: an era called "Goulash Communism," when Hungary turned into the Communist Block's "happiest barrack".
Liberty Statue
  • 30m
The Liberty Statue atop Gellért Hill, a symbol of Budapest, has stood for 77 years. Unveiled on April 5, 1947, the statue was intended to symbolise victory and peace, though many associated it with the Soviet occupying forces. Originally named the Liberation Monument, its inscription read: "In memory of the liberating Soviet heroes." The statue, holding a palm branch, was modelled on a young nurse, Erzsébet Gaál, whose role as the "living Liberty Statue" turned out to be both a blessing and a curse for her. I will tell you more about the monument and her storey during the tour. The statue and the citadel where it is located are currently under renovation (expected reopening: December 2025). Nevertheless, the area around the citadel has several lookout points with breathtaking views of the city - a great photo opportunity!
Budapest University of Technology and Economics
  • 15m
The Technical University's H, T and R buildings are probably the largest examples of the few remaining Socialist Realist buildings in Hungary - and are actually quite well-designed, especially the facade of the R building, our next stop. During weekdays, we can also enter the building, and inside, as somebody put it, Moscow awaits...
Fehérvári Way
  • 30m
The market hall on Fehérvári Street is quite a special one - and not only because my father often took me on shopping trips here when I was a kid (I will also share a few personal stories from communist times during the tour). Originally a distinctive 1977 brutalist building, it was later covered with a bland white box-like exterior—a transformation that symbolises Hungarian architecture's misunderstanding and rejecting the design principles of brutalism, an architectural style that the Soviet Union was especially fond of. While having a look at the characteristic concrete surfaces and innovative ramps inside the market hall, you will also have a chance to browse and shop some original Hungarian goods, should you wish. Opening hours: Nyitvatartás Mon: 06.30 – 17.00 Tue – Fri: 06.30 – 18.00 Wed: 06.30 – 15.00 Sun: 7.00 – 14.00
Bikas Park
  • 30m
Here you will have the opportunity to visit a typical Hungarian communist tower block estate and its urban centre, which also has characteristic architecture. I will briefly tell you about the construction and characteristics of communist housing estates, and what's it like to live in the prefabricated tower blocks. The statue of three bulls nearby offers a great photo opportunity.
Memento Park
  • 1h
  • Admission ticket not included
Stepping into Memento Park is like stepping back in time to the final moments of Hungary's communist dictatorship. This open-air museum serves as a powerful historical archive, preserving the imposing statues and monuments that once stood as symbols of the regime around Budapest. Here, you can get immersed in a thought-provoking, emotional journey - from the striking symbolism encoded within the artworks to the visceral sensation of seeing these colossal relics of a bygone era decaying under the elements. The park offers a unique opportunity to reflect on Hungary's turbulent past and the complex, bittersweet process of transition to democracy. Oh, and you can sit into a real East-German Trabant - probably the worst communist car ever made!
District XXI.
  • 1h
Our next stop is the Csepel Island in the Danube, which earned the nickname "Red Csepel" during the communist era due to its significant role as an industrial hub and a stronghold of the working class in Hungary. Here, we will visit the Csepel Iron Works, a massive industrial complex that was a symbol of Soviet-style industrialisation in Hungary. The factory employed tens of thousands of workers and produced a wide range of products, including steel, machinery, and vehicles. Interestingly, the workers of Csepel played a crucial role in the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, and held out even when everything else had fallen. The factory is surrounded by one of Budapest's largest communist style tower block housing estates, where we will pass while looking at some other surviving examples of socialist realist art and architecture.
Gubacsi Way
  • 15m
Our last stop will be the Gubacsi Road Housing Estate, an interesting hidden time capsule from Hungary's post-war era. Nestled along the tranquil Ráckevei-Danube riverfront, this residential community offers a rare glimpse into the architectural and social transition from socialist realism to modernism during the 1950s. Besides the buildings, here you will have a chance to see some rare, intricate and colourful ceramic reliefs that evoke the area's industrial and communist past.
Budapest Retro Interactive Museum
  • 1h 20m
  • Admission ticket not included
Always dreamed of being a broadcaster or driving a Communist Era police car? In the Budapest Retro Interactive Museum, it's all possible! Open daily, explore Hungary's rich history through interactive exhibits. Experience life during Communism and other eras, from wartime to everyday objects and even space adventures. This fun and engaging museum offers a warm journey through the past, complete with a Communist era bistro to enjoy after your nostalgic trip. Make unforgettable memories and take plenty of pictures!

Location

Activity location

  • LOB_ACTIVITIESLOB_ACTIVITIESSzabadsag ter
    • Szabadsag ter
    • Budapest, Hungary

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • PEOPLEPEOPLESzabadsag ter
    • Szabadsag ter
    • Budapest, Hungary

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