Buda Castle Buda Castle, Budapest
Take a tour inside and outside the Buda Castle to enjoy the Royal Palace experience: St Stephen’s Hall can be visited at a pre-booked time with a guide. Your guide will show you around the Buda Castle building, courts followed by an inside live guided tour of the recently restored opulent St Stephen’s Hall in the Royal Palace in a 90 min tour (guide and headset included). The daily English tour is available in limited numbers, pre-booking is essential (booking calendar dates gradually available 3-4 weeks in advance, new dates become available closer to the date)
Inclusions in Buda Castle Tour
- 1.5 hour walking tour
- Professional English guide (live guide)
- Entry inside the Buda Castle (at a set time)
- Indoor Guided Tour (inside the Royal Palace: St Stephen’s Hall, which can only be visited in a timed guided tour)
- Outdoor Guided Tour (on the open air courts of the Royal Palace)
- Interactive Small-Group tours
- Audio Guide available in other languages (inside only)
- Bookable on our partner site (you will be redirected for Reservation)
- Group reservation available
- Open on Mondays!
Dates & Hours of Tour
Duration: approx. 1.5 hours
Days and Hours:
Daily tour: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday (older sources may mention Mon closed)
Dates in Calendar: The booking calendar opens from month to month. Later dates will become available approx. 4-6 weeks before a given date. Please make sure to check back if in doubt.
Hours: depending on the given day, most guided tours start at approx. 11 am or 4pm or 4.30 pm
Groups (15 or more guests): Please send us a group booking inquiry for the Buda Castle visit, St Stephen’s Hall and guided tour at info [at] budacastlebudapest.com. Group reservations need to be placed possibly 4 weeks in advance due to the tours in high demand.
Prices of Buda Castle Royal Palace Experience Tour
Approx. €24 / Adult or Student (subject to Currency rates)
No discount for Children (Tour not suitable under 12)
Book online now to secure your place on this popular walking tour including a Tour inside and outside, plus a Castle Ticket.
Highlights of Buda Royal Palace Experience Tour
- Buda Castle area, concise history
- Fun facts and intriguing stories about the Royal Palace
- Visiting St Stephen’s Hall (tour inside the Royal Palace)
- Visiting the Royal courts of Buda Castle (live guided tour)
- Visiting the Matthias Fountain (tour outside the Royal courts)
- Photo Opportunity with Panoramic View (Savoy Terrace)
- Interactive tour with a small group
Be immersed in the incredibly rich history of the Buda Castle and take in the most opulent and intricate designs of the peak of the Habsburg empire in the fascinating wealth of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. St Stephen’s Hall is the gem of the Buda Castle district: your scheduled guided tour in the museum inside the Royal Palace will give insights into the turbulent history of Hungarian nobility and the fortress/ castle atop the Buda Castle Hill. The Castle tour includes professional commentary from the live guide and you will also get a headset to improve audibility throughout the group visit. Kindly note that this Castle tour does not allow self exploration as the museum has a designated path with pre-booked time slots for each visitor (visits with tablets also available if you would rather visit the museum at your own pace). In the Royal Palace Experience tour, you will be guided in a group tour (similarly to the Hungarian Parliament visits) and you will have a chance to ask your own questions from the guide.
Note: Booking Calendar dates open month by month. Please check back if the date is not available yet.
Exclusions in Buda Royal Palace Experience Tour
- Entry to National Gallery inside the Buda Castle
- Entry to Budapest History Museum inside the Buda Castle
- Entry to Szechenyi Library inside the Buda Castle
- Entry to Palatine Crypt in the Buda Castle
- Entry to Panorama Terrace in the Buda Castle
- Pick up before Buda Castle Tour
- Drop off after Buda Castle Tour
- Gratuity
- Food and Beverages (you can buy food and drinks at the Cafe in the Museum)
Miscellaneous Details of Buda Royal Palace Experience Tour
Days of Castle Tour: every day except for Mondays (please note that most museums are closed in the Buda Castle district on Mondays)
Drop in: not accepted, please book in advance in the tour reservation form
Meeting point: the Tour starts at the Castle building. Kindly check your confirmation for the updated meeting point for the given date which of the below meeting point you are supposed to meet the guide.
- Meeting Point 1, at the Matthias Fountain (Mátyás kút) on Hunyadi Courtyard (Hunyadi udvar)
- Meeting Point 2, Tourist Kiosk near the Eugene of Savoy statue on Savoya Terrace / Court (Savoy terasz)
Address: 3 Szent Gyorgy Street, District I, in the Buda Castle, Royal Palace. Please make sure to double check the Meeting Point information in your confirmation as there might be an updated place for a modified starting point. The Visitor Centre is called the Buda Castle Palace Information point as shown in the map above.
Tour finishes at Dozsa Gyorgy Court at Buda Castle, Royal Palace at the St Stephen’s Hall
Weather: the tour is in all weather conditions, rains or shines
Discounts: no discounts available on Buda Castle Highlights tour (places are limited and often overbooked)
Refund – Cancellation Policy: 24 hour Cancellation policy
(please check your confirmed tour details how to request a refund more than 24h in advance, e.g. we cannot accept a comment or a phone call). Note: the tour fee is non-refundable if the Customer cancels within 24 hours. If you miss the tour or arrive late to the meeting point, unfortunately, there will be no refund as the tour has been booked for you, excluding other guests interested in the same tour with limited group size.
Suitable for: tourists who are older than 12 years old and fit for 1.5 hour light walking
Accessibility: Due to the cobblestone covered courts, the Buda Castle Highlights tour is in part inaccessible for wheelchair users and visitors with limited mobility. The guided tour inside the Castle is accessible via the ‘accessible elevator’
Useful Information: Before starting your Tour of the Buda Castle Royal Palace Experience you can visit the Cafe inside the building. In the Gift Shop of the Buda Castle History Museum you can buy memorable gifts. Lastly, there is a Cloakroom for visitors (for coats, backpacks etc.) as well as Toilets (incl. an accessible toilet)
The Royal Palace of Buda Castle Experience tour organiser, Varkapitanysag Zrt, reserves the right to change the content of the tour and the cancellation policy. Before making a payment for the booking you will be informed about the up-to-date details, including the cancellation policy and general Terms and Conditions. Please make sure to read the updates before finalising your Buda Castle booking.
Last Updated Jan, 2026
Salve,
a fine febbraio visiterò Budapest con alcune amiche e ci piacerebbe visitare il castello di Buda in modo autonomo, senza partecipare ad un tour. Per evitare code ci piacerebbe prenotare i biglietti in anticipo online. Sarebbe possibile?
Grazie
Caro Martina,
Grazie per il tuo messaggio!
I biglietti possono essere acquistati direttamente sul posto il giorno della visita, online in anticipo, oppure tramite una visita guidata che include ingresso e guida: scegli l’opzione che preferisci.
Il Castello di Buda non è solo un monumento, ma un vero quartiere storico con molte attrazioni (Palazzo Reale, Bastione dei Pescatori, Chiesa di Mattia, Funicolare). Molte aree sono ad accesso gratuito, mentre i musei del Palazzo Reale richiedono il biglietto.
Puoi visitare il distretto in autonomia oppure partecipare a un tour guidato:
https://budacastlebudapest.com/budget-buda-castle-tour/
Salve, vorrei acquistare 3 biglietti online per visitare il Castello evitando di fare code nella giornata di venerdi 16 gennaio 2026 senza dover prenotare tour privati. Potete gentilmente indicarmi via e-mail come posso procedere? Inoltre vorrei sapere quali sono le opzioni differenti di acquisto in base alle diverse aree di visita. Grazie mille e cordiali saluti.
Caro Alessandro,
Grazie per il tuo messaggio!
I biglietti possono essere acquistati direttamente sul posto il giorno della visita, online in anticipo, oppure tramite una visita guidata che include ingresso e guida: scegli l’opzione che preferisci.
Il Castello di Buda non è solo un monumento, ma un vero quartiere storico con molte attrazioni (Palazzo Reale, Bastione dei Pescatori, Chiesa di Mattia, Funicolare). Molte aree sono ad accesso gratuito, mentre i musei del Palazzo Reale richiedono il biglietto.
Puoi visitare il distretto in autonomia oppure partecipare a un tour guidato:
https://budacastlebudapest.com/budget-buda-castle-tour/
Hi there,
I was just wondering whether the castle tour is fully booked for the next four weeks. All the dates appear to be blocked out on GetYourGuide, with the next available time slot showing as 9 February 2026.
Many thanks.
Dear Wayne,
Thank you very much for your message.
The reason the tour appears unavailable is that the St Stephen’s Hall Museum will be closed for maintenance from 12 January to 8 February 2026. During this period, tours that include this part of the castle are not operating, which is why the next available date on GetYourGuide is shown as 9 February 2026.
However, please note that the Castle Museum (Vármúzeum) and the Hungarian National Gallery remain open and can be visited as usual. Tickets for these exhibitions can be purchased directly on site.
Hi,
I was having a look at the website to purchase tickets and can see that tickets are not available beyond the 10th of January for the castle walk with st Stephen’s hall.
I wanted to clarify if tickets were available to purchase for the 19th of January? Or if they will be available at a later date?
Kind regards,
Ruby
Dear Ruby,
Thank you very much for getting in touch.
You are quite right – at the moment, tickets (inside – outside Royal Experience tour) are only visible on the website up to 10 January. The remaining January dates, including mid- and late January, will be uploaded shortly.
We kindly suggest checking back later this week, as we are hoping to have both January and February dates finalised and published in the coming days. Tickets for 19 January are expected to become available once the schedule for the upcoming season upload is completed.
Thank you for your patience, and please feel free to reach out again if you would like us to check availability for you once the dates go live.
Buongiorno, posso avere informazioni in merito alla visita autonoma del castello?
Grazie per il suo messaggio.
Per quanto riguarda i biglietti d’ingresso:
È possibile acquistarli direttamente al Castello il giorno della visita.
In alternativa, è possibile prepagare online in anticipo se si preferisce evitare le code.
Un’ulteriore opzione è partecipare a una visita guidata organizzata, che include sia il biglietto d’ingresso sia l’esperienza di visita guidata.
Tutte e tre le opzioni sono disponibili: dipende semplicemente da ciò che lei e i suoi amici preferite.
Buongiorno, è possibile acquistare i biglietti per visitare il castello in autonomia? Offrite delle audioguide in lingua italiana?
Grazie mille!
Cara Celine,
Grazie per il tuo messaggio e per aver condiviso i tuoi programmi di viaggio.
Per quanto riguarda i biglietti d’ingresso:
• È possibile acquistarli direttamente al Castello il giorno della visita.
• In alternativa, puoi pagarli online in anticipo, se preferisci evitare eventuali code.
• Un’altra opzione è partecipare a una visita guidata organizzata, che include sia il biglietto d’ingresso sia l’esperienza con guida.
Tutte e tre le opzioni sono disponibili: dipende semplicemente da quale preferisci tu insieme ai tuoi amici.
Bonjour
Il n’y a plus de billets disponible en ligne, existe t-il une billeterie sur place ? merci
Cordialement
Bonjour Azerty,
Merci pour votre message.
Nous vous confirmons que la Salle Saint-Étienne (St. Stephen’s Hall) peut être visitée du 27 au 30 décembre, entre 10h00 et 18h00.
Même si certains créneaux peuvent apparaître complets en ligne à un moment donné, nous vous avons déjà envoyé par email les instructions détaillées pour la réservation en ligne, qui reste la méthode recommandée afin de garantir l’entrée à l’horaire souhaité.
Veuillez noter qu’il n’y a pas de billetterie physique sur place pour la Salle Saint-Étienne ; l’accès se fait uniquement avec un billet horodaté réservé à l’avance.
Nous restons bien entendu à votre disposition si vous avez besoin d’aide pour finaliser la réservation.
Cordialement, Buda Castle Budapest guide
Dear Azerty,
Thank you for your message.
We would like to confirm that St. Stephen’s Hall can be visited between December 27 and 30, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Although some time slots may temporarily show as sold out online, we have already sent you detailed booking instructions by email, as advance online booking is the recommended and official way to secure entry at a specific time.
Please note that there is no on-site ticket office for St. Stephen’s Hall; entry is only possible with a pre-booked timed ticket.
Should you need any assistance with the booking process, we remain at your disposal.
Hi, we want to visit the castle, we are 3 adult person.
We stay in Budapest from 18 to 21.12.2025. We do not need guide so we need ticket for entry and to visit the castle. Where we can buy only ticket online?
Dear Franko,
Thank you for reaching out.
We have contacted you by email with detailed information regarding ticket purchase.
St. Stephen’s Hall: Timed-entry with a 15-minute tablet guide available in multiple languages.
Budapest Castle Museum: Features medieval, Habsburg, WWII, and post-war exhibitions. No audio guide is available, but a live guide can be arranged (recommended for groups of 10 or more). A combined ticket for St. Stephen’s Hall & the Castle Museum is available. More details: https://budacastlebudapest.com/budapest-history-museum/
Wishing you a wonderful holiday visit to Buda Castle!
Hello,
I would like to prepay tickets for the castle (without a ride) but it’s impossible to find on the site! can you tell me exactly on the site?
I would also like to know if the castle is closed on December 26?
Best regards
Perrine Trumer
Dear Perrine,
For Christmas Opening hours, please visit: https://budacastlebudapest.com/christmas-buda-castle-budapest/
Buda Castle, unlike most castle ruins in Europe, is a residential district with over a dozen highlights and outstanding attractions, one of which is the Royal Palace (besides the Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, Castle Cave system, Funicular to name but a few).
The museums inside the Royal Palace, a top attraction among the Buda Castle buildings, can be visited with a ticketed entry.
In contrast, the Buda Castle District, can be entered free of charge in several areas, you can find restaurants, shops, galleries etc. in the historical district going back to the 13th century, also, in this protected hilltop zone of the city, with thousands of residents).
Buongiorno, siamo una famiglia di 4 adulti ed una neonata di 13 mesi e saremo a Budapest nell’ultima settimana di dicembre 2025. Vorremmo acquistare i biglietti per effettuare la visita al Castello in autonomia senza passare dai tour privati (costo di ingresso). Sul vs sito non ci è chiaro come procedere. Potete indicarci il percorso o fornirci un indirizzo mail ed i rispettivi costi cosa comprendono. Dalle informazioni che abbiamo il biglietto dovrebbe costare € 17,00 per adulto. Ringrazio e porgo cordiali saluti.
Buongiorno Franco,
grazie per il vostro messaggio. Vi informiamo brevemente che abbiamo inviato una risposta dettagliata via email, con tutte le informazioni su biglietti, costi e modalità di visita autonoma del Castello.
Buonasera,
saremo a Budapest dal 20 al 24 dicembre e vorremmo avere maggiori informazioni sui biglietti acquistabili per visitare autonomamente le diverse aree del Castello.
Grazie.
Hi, I am hoping to book tickets for Buda Castle without also booking a tour. From other comments, it appears to be possible to do this. Can you kindly provide directions on the website from where to pre-book entry tickets, without also booking a tour.
Thank you in advance.
Dear Matt,
Thank you for your message and for sharing your travel plans.
Regarding entry tickets:
You can purchase them directly at the Castle on the day of your visit.
You may also prepay online in advance if you prefer to skip queues.
Alternatively, it is possible to join with an organised guided visit, which includes both the entry ticket and a tour experience.
All three options are available — it simply depends on which you and your friends would prefer.
Hope you have a fantastic time in Budapest!