Free Walking Tour of Budapest

Meet at Madách Imre Square, just steps from the bow-tie towers of the Gate of Heroes, and head into the Pest side of the city that Hungarians built to announce themselves to Europe. Over roughly two and a half hours your guide connects the honey-colored dome of St. Stephen's Basilica, the wide 19th-century blocks that replaced the old town walls, and the riverside promenade that leads to the lace-like silhouette of the Hungarian Parliament Building.

Along the Danube you'll stop at the Shoes on the Danube Bank, a quiet row of iron shoes memorializing the Jews shot into the river during the winter of 1944–45 — one of the most sobering stops on any Budapest walk. From there it's a short stretch to views of Buda Castle across the water and the Chain Bridge that first linked the two riverbanks in 1849, before your guide sends you off with tips on where to watch the Parliament light up after dark.