Budapest Parliament Tours

In addition to learning about Hungary's political organisation, you can admire one of Europe's most beautiful buildings up close, which offers incredible night-time views. Without a doubt, this is one of the essential activities when deciding what to see and do in Budapest.

For a place like this, it is ideal to take a guided tour with an authorised guide. The "Pearl of the Danube" or the "Paris of the East" has a lot to offer, and it is best to have an expert accompany you so that you don't miss a thing. Take note of these recommendations for the best guided tour of the Budapest Parliament.

The best option

Budapest Tour with Parliament Visit

Discover the Parliament of Budapest with a professional guide in Spanish.

A comprehensive tour of Budapest's most important sights, ending with a tour inside the Parliament building.

From £53 at Hellotickets

This option offers you a tour of the city in a private vehicle, so you can appreciate some of the sights on the Pest side and enjoy the panoramic views from the hills of Buda, among other stops. The tour ends with a guided tour of the interior of the parliament.

Recommended if... you don't want to miss a visit to one of the most impressive buildings on the European continent, with the option of having an expert guide who will explain every detail of the parliament in Spanish.

A guided tour of the Parliament is well worth it, as it is an official, historic building and one of the symbols of Hungary. Keep in mind that the tour inside the parliament is always accompanied by official multilingual guides. The advantage of booking an organised tour, such as the one I described at the beginning, is that you have the opportunity to see more places before entering the building, which in many cases saves you money and time, as you do not have to buy the ticket to the building yourself, as it is already included in the tour.

These tours usually have agreements with the Parliament, so they are authorised to admit groups at the time of the visit.

Without a doubt, visiting the Budapest Parliament on a guided tour in your own language will be an unforgettable experience. This place is steeped in history, and its architecture and details will make it even more appealing. It is definitely a must-see on your list ofthings to do in Budapest.

Advantages of the guided tour

• You can take advantage of the opportunity to discover more of the city with an expert guide, in addition to the guided tour inside the Parliament.
• Save time by booking this experience online, as you'll skip the queues at the ticket office.
• You can always choose the time and organise the tour in your language to ensure availability at a time that suits you best.

The Parliament has an official website where you can buy tickets, which include a 45-minute guided tour with professional guides who will accompany you throughout the tour and answer your questions. The cost of tickets for European Union citizens is 3,200 Ft. (Hungarian forint), approximately £8.

There are different types of tickets to the Budapest Parliament, depending on whether you are an EU citizen, i.e. a national of one of the European Union countries, or not. There is also a difference if you are an EU student or a non-EU student. Children under 6 years old enter the Parliament free of charge.

• EU adults: 3,200 Ft. (Hungarian forint), around £8.60 and £9.
• EU students aged 6 to 24: 1,600 Ft. (Hungarian forint), around £4.30
• Non-EU adults: 6,400 Ft. (Hungarian forint), approximately £5.50 to £5.75.
• Non-EU students aged 6 to 24: 3,200 Ft. (Hungarian forint), approximately £8.60 and £9.

What types of guided tours are available at the Budapest Parliament?

The Budapest Parliament offers a guided tour lasting 45 to 50 minutes, with professional guides who speak different languages, including Spanish. If you book an organised tour, in some cases it includes admission to the Parliament, which authorises entry for tourist groups. Once inside, you will join the official tours and follow the established route.

More than 700,000 people visit this place every year, one of the symbols of this country, its democracy and political organisation. The visit to the Parliament takes you on a tour of the Main Staircase, the Dome Hall, the hemicycle and the Hall of the House of Peers. The tour provides architectural details about the building and some of the works found inside.

It is important to note that the Parliament also offers tours for people with visual and physical disabilities. To ensure access for all, the email address idegenforgalom@parlament.hu is available to schedule these types of visits in advance.

Visiting Budapest with children offers many possibilities, including taking them to the Budapest Parliament. There are no guided tours exclusively for children, but a family ticket is available and children under 6 years old enter free of charge. The Parliament office offers various events and programmes for children and young people from local schools throughout the year, as well as special summer programmes.

Please be aware of the regulations when planning your visit and check with your guide about any details you need to bear in mind so that children can enjoy the parliament without any problems.

Visiting the Budapest Parliament is undoubtedly on your list of the best things to see and do in this city. This guided tour takes you on an informative journey. It is an experience for lovers of history, architecture and world political organisation. The tour is divided into different sections, and in each one you will learn special details about this historic building.

• Main staircase: the red carpet on the main staircase of the Parliament will give you a hint of what you are about to see. A majestic setting that reveals neo-Gothic and Baroque details from the moment you step inside. It was designed by architect Imre Steindi.
• Dome Hall: here you can see the interior of the dome and various statues of the kings of Hungary, including Saint Stephen or Stephen I, the first king of this country.
• Old Upper House: currently used only for tourist purposes, where you can imagine what the old parliament was like.
• The Council of Deputies, where the members of the Hungarian parliament currently meet, is also located in these premises but cannot be visited by tourists.

The guided tour of the Parliament in Budapest lasts 45 to 50 minutes. I recommend choosing a morning time slot for your visit so you can enjoy the area around the parliament and get the most out of your visit.

Depending on the parliament's opening hours, you can also take the tour in the afternoon and then enjoy the wonderful night views that this building offers along with the majestic Danube. From there, you can also take incredible cruises to see the city at night and the illuminated Parliament.

It all depends on your availability. I always recommend looking for less crowded seasons or when the weather is milder, such as spring and autumn. However, summer also offers many possibilities and, in addition to the Parliament, you can visit other places and make your visit to Budapest unforgettable.

If you decide to come during this season, you will find many things to enjoy in Budapest in summer, one of the most active and exciting times of the year.

I also recommend that you always check the official opening hours, as in some cases, due to official programming, the Parliament closes its doors to the general public.

If you decide to take a guided tour of the Budapest Parliament, keep the following recommendations in mind:

• If you take an organised tour that includes a visit to the Parliament, make sure that the guided tour you book is guaranteed and that it has all the necessary authorisations to enter the Parliament and take the tour.
• Read a little about the history of the Parliament. This will give you an idea of what you will see and allow you to get more out of the professional guide by asking about specific things that interest you.
• Remember that this is an official building, so security measures are strict, and you will have to go through a security check.
• If you purchase your tickets and guided tour on your own, I recommend doing so online through the official website. Remember that tickets at the parliament ticket office are limited, so it is best to purchase them in advance.
• For security reasons, you will not be allowed to take photographs in the Great Dome Hall. You will be able to take photographs during the rest of the tour and, depending on the location, you may be able to use cameras and video cameras.
• Be prepared for strict security checks at the entrance to the parliament. Avoid carrying large bags, suitcases, packages or anything else that may prevent you from entering.
• There are areas accessible to people with disabilities, and you can always notify us of any special needs before your visit so that parliament staff can assist you upon arrival.
• Visitors to the parliament who are undergoing treatment with radioactive isotopes for medical purposes must also provide certain medical documents before their visit.

Book your Budapest tour with a guided tour of the Parliament

The Parliament building is open every day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Group tours start at the Visitor Centre. There may be special dates throughout the year when it is closed to the general public, so I recommend always checking before planning your visit to make sure it coincides with the time of your visit.

If you decide to visit the Parliament on your own instead of taking an organised guided tour, make sure you have everything you need to get your tickets without any problems and don't miss out on this experience steeped in history. It is one of the city's must-see attractions, along with a visit to Buda Castle or a trip to the interior of Gödöllo Palace, to name just a few of the alternatives in this fascinating city.