This was one of our favorite trips we’ve ever taken! 15 incredible days visiting such different and unique places – it was the trip of a lifetime. Croatia, Slovenia, and Budapest should be at the top of your list for your next vacation. For a background on each of these locations, see our quick write ups here (Croatia), here (Slovenia), and here (Budapest/Hungary). We hope this itinerary will give you some ideas when planning your trip!
15 Days in Croatia, Slovenia, and Hungary
- Day 1 – Dubrovnik
- Day 2 – Dubrovnik Old Town and Panorama
- Day 3 – Ston, Oysters, and Wine
- Day 4 – Montenegro Day Trip
- Day 5 – Banje Beach and a Cooking Class
- Day 6 – Split
- Day 7 – Bosnia and Herzegovina Day Trip
- Day 8 – Catamaran Cruise to Hvar and Pakleni Islands
- Day 9 – Split to Ljubljana
- Day 10 – Lake Bled
- Day 11 – Vintgar Gorge and Lake Bled Round 2
- Day 12 – Predjama Castle and Trieste, Italy
- Day 13 – Budapest (mostly Buda)
- Day 14 – Budapest (mostly Pest), Etyek Wine Tour, and Ruins Bars
- Day 15 – Budapest
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Day 1 – Dubrovnik
The first day in Dubrovnik is dedicated to getting settled and finding your bearings in the city. We Ubered from the airport to the hotel, which took roughly 30 minutes and dropped us off right outside of the Pile Gate in Old Town. We then checked into the Kenova Apartments in Old Town and the location could not have been more perfect! It is located right inside the gate on the main street, so we didn’t have to worry about hauling our baggage throughout the city (and there are many steps depending on where you stay!).
Dubrovnik is an incredible city to visit and there is sure to be no shortage of fun during your stay. For a list of the best things to do in Dubrovnik, see our top 13 experiences in Dubrovnik list!
After checking in we decided to walk around Old Town. We stumbled upon Bar Dubrovnik and stayed for a few hours- highly recommend! It’s on the outside of the wall on the edge of the cliffs with an amazing view of the Adriatic and Lokrum Island. They have wine, beer and great cocktails.
After having our fill of Aperol Spritz, we wandered back into Old Town and found the famous “Walk of Shame steps” from Game of Thrones. We opted not to do one of the Game of Thrones tours which takes you to all the famous sites from the show, but if that interests you we think it would be a lot of fun!
After exploring, we ate dinner at Kamenice. They have excellent mussels and great local white wines including the Rucatak – a must try for wine lovers. After dinner we made our way back to our hotel for the evening.
Day 2 – Dubrovnik Old Town and Panorama
The next morning we stopped at Cafe Festival for breakfast and had an incredible omelet with croissants and jam to fill us up for a busy day.
A can’t miss activity in Dubrovnik is to walk around the immaculately preserved city walls. There are a few options for getting tickets to the city walls, with the most popular option being getting one of the Dubrovnik city passes good for 1, 3, or 7 days. This gives you access to the city walls along with other museums and sites throughout the city. We opted for the 3 day pass for 45 euros and started the city walls walk at the Pile Gate. The walk along the walls takes about 2 hours with stops for pictures, and there are even bars, ice cream shops, and bathrooms on the walls if you want to spend even longer admiring the incredible architecture!
We rewarded ourselves with pistachio ice cream after completing the walk around the walls and stopped in some of the shops along main street. We then used our city pass to explore Rector’s Palace, which at one time was home to the Rector (or executive power holder) of the Republic of Ragusa from the 14th Century until 1808.
After Rector’s Palace, we took the cable car up Srd Hill to have dinner and drinks at Panorama Restaurant. You can buy tickets at the station for the cable car and it only takes 5 minutes to get to the top.
We had reservations for 4 at 6:30 and specifically requested seating along the railing to take in the views (for the best seats, we cannot stress enough the importance of making reservations months in advance). Panorama has a time limit of 2 hours and 15 minutes, though that was plenty of time to eat and admire one of the most stunning views of sunset you can imagine. Panorama would be worth it for the view alone, but the food is top notch as well. This was one of the highlights of our trip!
Day 3 – Ston, Oysters, and Wine
The next day we decided to venture out of Dubrovnik to the nearby town of Ston for an Oyster, Ston, and winery tour through Dubrovnik Food Tours. The tour company picked us up right at 9:00am outside the Pile Gate.
Our first stop was the historic small town of Ston, which is surrounded by the Great Wall of Ston – the second largest defensive fortification in the world behind only the Great Wall of China. You can pay to walk these walls just like Dubrovnik’s Old Town walls, though we did not because it is rather steep. Ston is famous for salt production as well, and we did explore the salt flats where salt is still made in the traditional fashion by pooling salty sea water and waiting for it to evaporate, leaving only salt behind.
After our stop in Ston, we drove a few more minutes down the road for our Oyster tasting experience. Ston oysters are famous in the region due to the conditions in which they are raised. We were taken on a boat out to the oyster farm, where our guide explained how oysters are raised and then harvested. He then shucked 5 oysters for each of us and even allowed us to try shucking some oysters ourselves! We then sat around the table on the boat and enjoyed the freshest oysters and mussels we’ve ever had. An experience we will never forget!
We were then treated to two traditional family wineries, Milos and Mairlais, where we enjoyed several tastings of white and red wine and olive oil. Croatian wine is very unique and delicious, and we ended up buying two wines and a bottle of olive oil (probably would have bought more if it wasn’t the beginning of our trip and we didn’t have weight limitations!).
We arrived back in Dubrovnik around 5 and then went to Buza Bar. Buza Bar is similar to Bar Dubrovnik in that it is on the cliffs on the outside of the wall. However, it’s a much younger vibe with loud music, they only serve beer and wine, and you can only pay in cash. This bar is also popular for cliff jumping into the Adriatic.
For dinner we went to Mea Culpa and had excellent pizza, another delicious food winner! After dinner, we went to the Culture Night Club. This club is located within the walls of Dubrovnik and is rated as one of the top 20 clubs in all of Europe. It is definitely pricey and you are allowed to smoke inside, but it was still worth a fun experience!
Day 4 – Montenegro Day Trip
Because of Dubrovnik’s proximity to other countries, we made it a priority to experience at least one during our stay. We ended up choosing this day tour to Montenegro so that we could see another country without having to actually move hotels. We were again picked up right outside the Pile Gate at 8:00am and began our journey to the Bay of Kotor. The entire journey would take about an hour and 45 minutes to the city of Kotor, though we stopped a few times to soak in the beauty of the Bay of Kotor.
We then were driven to the city of Kotor, which is a lovely small town initially established by the Romans nearly 2,000 years ago. We were given 2 and a half hours to explore the town, which was perfect for its size. We walked the entire town and explored each of the city gates, including the Sea Gate, the Northern Gate, and the Gurdic Gate.
Some of the highlights that you must see in Kotor include the St. Tryphon Cathedral and the Church of St. Luke, but honestly the charm of Kotor comes from just wandering the myriad of winding streets to see what you stumble upon.
There are plenty of shops and restaurants for souvenirs and refreshments as well! We chose a cute restaurant just inside the gate for a late breakfast omelet, and later had a delicious chocolate croissant from one of the local bakeries before heading back to meet our driver.
After we had explored Kotor, we were driven to a local restaurant called Veranda for lunch. While this was not included in the cost of the tour, the food was absolutely delicious and not pricey at all. Matt ended up getting a large seafood dish with multiple kinds of seafood and Emily got fish smothered in a creamy lemon sauce – so good!
After lunch we drove to a boat launch where we took a quick 10 minute ferry to Our Lady of the Rocks Island. An old church sits on this man-made island, where legend states that old seaman would return from voyages and toss a rock into the Bay at this spot, gradually creating an island big enough for the church. This tradition is alive even today, where every year on July 22 local residents gather around the island to toss rocks into the sea.
We then began the journey back to Dubrovnik but our guide pulled off the road at a friend’s farm and allowed us to sample local cherries that we picked directly off the trees!
Once we arrived back in Dubrovnik, we had some free time to continue exploring Old Town before our dinner reservations at 7:30pm at Dubravka 1836. This is another restaurant that we highly recommend, as the food, cocktails, ambiance, and view were each amazing!
Day 5 – Banje Beach and a Cooking Class
For our last full day in Dubrovnik, we made breakfast reservations at Gradska Kavana Arsenal at 10:45am. The view and food were once again excellent, and their dinner menu looked great as well if you’d rather grab dinner there.
After breakfast, we headed to Banje Beach to relax and soak in the beautiful sun. Banje was only about a 10 minute walk from our hotel and is located just outside of the southern city walls. A must for visiting Banje – bring water shoes! The sand is not fine grain and soft, but rather is a bit rough as it is made up mostly of tiny pebbles.
There are several options for lounging on the beach including bringing a towel and setting up on the ground (free), renting a cabana, or renting padded lounge chairs for $25 for the entire day. We rented a lounge chair each, which was well worth it! If you go this route, there are servers from which you can order drinks and have them brought to you. You can also go to the full service restaurant located just behind the cabanas.
After our fill of fun in the sun, we went back into Old Town and made sure to get any remaining souvenirs we wanted.
In the evening, we booked a traditional cooking class in a home in the countryside of Dubrovnik. This was one of our favorite experiences on the trip! It is a family run experience, and the husband picked us up from Old Town and drove us the 30 minutes back to his house, giving us the opportunity to get to know him and his story. Once we arrived at the home, we were treated to a sample of homemade liqueur before beginning to cook the 4 course meal.
Two things really stood out about this cooking experience – 1) we picked several of the ingredients we used directly from the family’s garden including potatoes, beans, lettuce, and even strawberries! 2) We fed and milked goats, and were able to hold some adorable bunnies!
Overall, we can’t recommend this tour enough. The host family is wonderful, the food and wine delicious, and the overall experience incredibly memorable. This was the perfect way to end our time in Dubrovnik before heading to Split. For a full list of our 13 favorite things to do in Dubrovnik, check out this post!
Day 6 – Split
While there are options for public transportation from Dubrovnik to Split (including a bus or private car service), we chose to rent a car as we would need it for later in our trip. Check out our “how to” guide for renting a car in Europe! The drive from Dubrovnik to Split takes about 3 hours, but it is beautiful scenery the entire way and the drive is very easy.
Driving in and parking in Split, however, is on the more difficult side. Split’s roads are rather narrow, many of them one way, and several had construction preventing access when we were there. Our hotel provided a recommendation for where to park, and while it was convenient it was expensive. For just 3 nights the parking was 99 euros! The proximity to the hotel did at least make up for that, but we still had about a 10 minute walk since there was no car access to our hotel.
In Split we stayed at the Le Premier Luxury Rooms and we highly recommend this hotel! It had very nice rooms, comfortable beds, and was located centrally in Old Town which made it an easy walk to every location we wanted to see.
Once we were checked in, we headed to the Riva Promenade and got lunch at the Antique Bar & Sushi restaurant. If you like sushi or Asian fusion, this is a wonderful option for you. The drinks were not only delicious, but unique as well.
After lunch we explored more of the Riva Promenade and then entered Diocletian’s Palace – although really, the entire Old Town of Split is technically his Palace. Originally built for Diocletian as a retirement home (the only Roman Emperor to retire!), the parts of the Palace still standing speak to the might and wealth of the Roman Empire during the late 3rd Century. One of the best parts of the Palace is the Cellar, where Game of Thrones fans will recognize the basement in which Daenerys kept her dragons.
From Diocletian’s Palace we walked up to the Marjan Hill Viewpoint that offers stunning views of Split. The walk from Old Town will take roughly 25-30 minutes, but the view at the top is well worth it. Vidilica is a restaurant up top as well that looked very good, but reservations are necessary for dinner. Since we didn’t have reservations, we weren’t able to eat there but we were able to get a table long enough to have a drink and enjoy the overlook.
Another highly recommended restaurant for dinner is Bokeria, which unfortunately we did not make it to. It is very popular though so reservations are necessary! Instead, we stopped by a small restaurant for dinner and grabbed gelato from one of the smaller stands to end the night.
Day 7 – Bosnia and Herzegovina Day Tour
While in Split, we also wanted to see Bosnia and Herzegovina since it is so close to the city. Technically you could do a day trip from Dubrovnik as well, as they are about equal distance from the city of Mostar. This was a long trip but well worth it.
We booked this tour to Bosnia and Herzegovina and were picked up at 7:00am. Make sure to bring your passport and some cash for the border crossing fee and for souvenirs in Mostar as some places are cash only. The only frustrating part of this day was that it took about an hour to cross the border each way as Bosnia and Herzegovina are not part of the EU and they check everyone’s passport closely.
The first stop of the day is Pocitelj for about 30 minutes. It is a very, very small town and we were able to get a local coffee and some baclava before getting back on the bus and heading to Mostar.
We started with about an hour walking tour in Mostar with a local guide who shared a lot of great history and culture. Afterwards, we had 3 hours to explore Mostar on our own.
The most iconic landmark in Mostar is the Stari Most, a famous bridge built by the Ottoman Empire in the 16th Century that was destroyed in the Balkan Wars but was subsequently rebuilt and has become a major draw for the city. Every year Red Bull hosts a bridge jumping competition from the Stari Most, and we even saw a few brave souls take the 75+ foot plunge to the river below. While we opted not to, if you are interested the local professionals will train you to jump!
We found a little wine shop offering wine tastings just over the bridge, so naturally we had to try Herzegovinian wine! We were able to try different vintages of a white and red, and they were both amazing. We ended up buying a bottle of each completely unplanned!
We then grabbed lunch at Restaurant Sadrvan after it was recommended by our local tour guide as a great place for authentic food, and she definitely knew what she was talking about as it was outstanding! The food was so delicious and had some of the biggest portions you can imagine for very cheap. They were very fast and nice. We did platters where we got to try a lot of different local and traditional food and it was one of our best meals of the entire trip so we highly recommend it!
One of the most fun parts of Mostar is perusing the local markets and haggling for souvenirs, clothes, or goodies like Turkish delights!
Also a must do if you are a coffee lover is to go to Cafe de Alma. They make great traditional Bosnian coffee and explain the entire process of making it and how to properly drink it. This was one of the experiences Emily was most looking forward to and it did not disappoint!
We loved Mostar and would have spent even more time there if we could have! Next time we plan to stay the night to experience it further. After Mostar we headed to the Kravica waterfalls, a gorgeous national park filled with natural beauty. From the parking lot there is a gentle path that takes 5-10 minutes to reach the bottom.
You can bring a bathing suit if you want to swim at the waterfall but we opted not to as the water is very, very cold. If you do decide to swim (or think you might want to) make sure you bring a towel and change of clothes!
Day 8 – Catamaran Cruise to Hvar and Pakleni Islands
It would be a travesty to go to Croatia and not spend a least one day on the water! Our last day in Split we booked an island hopping boat tour to Hvar. We chose this cruise because it included a chicken salad lunch, beer and wine, water, and would have 3 swimming breaks throughout the day!
We had to be at the Obala Lazareta 1 Harbor at 8:30am, but thanks to the hotel’s central location it was only about an 8 minute walk for us. It was still on the chilly side when we departed, but the water was beautiful and the boat ride was lovely.
After the first swimming stop we pulled into Hvar’s Harbor and spent the next 2 hours exploring this charming town. We first went to Fig restaurant for a small bite to eat (since lunch wouldn’t be until we were back on the boat), then meandered through the streets. We then chose to walk up to the top of the hill where there is an old fortress that offers beautiful views of the island.
After exploring Hvar, we returned to the boat for lunch and two more swim stops in the Adriatic. At this point the water was perfect and we had a blast jumping off the boat and enjoying the refreshing sea.
The boat ride back to Split was basically a dance party that was so fun! The crew was amazing and we had a blast. We even met some Australians who we met up with later this evening for dinner thanks to the fun we had on the boat. Overall, this or a similar cruise is a must do in Split!
Day 9 – Split to Ljubljana
At this point, the couple we were traveling with had to head back to the US, so we dropped them off at the airport and they said it was a very easy airport to navigate.
We drove on to Ljubljana, Slovenia which was about 4 and half hours away. This is a very easy drive that features rolling green hills and quaint homes and farms. We could not help but comment multiple times on Slovenia’s incredible natural beauty. The entire drive had no traffic and there were many pit stop areas that had clean bathrooms and even healthy food options. The drive alone was a wonderful introduction to Slovenia.
Once we arrived in Ljubljana, we checked into the Hotel Petkovsek Rooms and Apartments which may very well be our favorite hotel we’ve ever stayed in. It’s not an exaggeration to say it is in the perfect location right along the Ljubljanica River, it features clean and updated rooms, and comes with breakfast which consisted of a coffee or a tea, fresh squeezed orange juice, and either a ham and toast or a chocolate or apricot jam filled croissant. One of the best ways to start the subsequent mornings!
We explored around Ljubljana and Preseren Square where the pink church is and found Ljubljana to be so charming. Immediately we fell in love with the city, and it just might be our favorite place we’ve ever been. There are many different beautiful bridges that cross the Ljubljanica River, including the famous Dragon Bridge and Triple Bridge, each just a 5 minute walk from our hotel. The city was alive with locals walking their dogs or out with their families, which we enjoyed as it made the city feel smaller and more homey. We even saw some people stand up paddle boarding in the River if you are feeling adventurous!
After exploring the river walk, we took the funicular up to Ljubljana Castle and had a gorgeous view over the city. The funicular itself costs 6 euros roundtrip, or you can pay 16 euros and have entry to the castle included as well. There is a winery at the top called Grajska Vinoteka that we popped in and did a wine tasting of Slovenian wines, cheeses and meats that were so fresh and delicious. We finally got to try orange wine for the first time and we really liked it!
After the wine tasting we headed back down to the city via the funicular. For dinner we went to Tokyo Piknik as we were really wanting some Asian food to mix it up and as we walked by earlier in the day this place was always busy, so we assumed it must be good. Our assumptions were correct as it was delicious and we ended up coming back again another night!
Day 10 – Lake Bled
First things first, we had to get breakfast at our hotel and it was just lovely! We just don’t have enough good things to say about our hotel and Ljubljana in general.
After breakfast we headed to Lake Bled, which is an easy 45 minute drive from Ljubljana. There are plenty of places to park around Lake Bled, though the parking lots right on the lakeshore tend to be fairly expensive by the hour. Instead, we paid to park in the town and have a short walk since we were going to make a full day of it.
From town, we walked along the right side of the lake until we reached a small shop where we could rent a rowboat to paddle out to Bled Island. The row boat was 20 euros an hour and rowing out to the island took about 15 minutes once we got the hang of it!
Bled Island is fairly small, but you can visit the Assumption of Maria Church (for a fee) and there is a small gift shop and café. We spent some time in the café sampling different desserts, including the famous Bled Cream Cake, and wine while we waited for a storm to pass, then we rowed back to the shore.
After the boat ride, we walked back towards town along the same side of the lake before coming across a path that would take us up to Bled Castle. The hike up took about 30 minutes and was not overly strenuous, but the reward is well worth it. You can also park very close the entrance if you’d rather not walk up the hill to it. Bled Castle cost 17 euros to enter, but the entrance fee includes access to different museums/displays and the ability to walk the entire grounds. There are different restaurants at the top (one most likely requiring reservations), and we enjoyed a small snack at one of the cafes while listening to traditional music. Oh, and the view from the top is post-card worthy!
We then hiked back down to the lakeshore and picked up our car to drive around to the other side of the lake and park near Blejska Sladoglednica ice cream shop, which offered one of the best views of Bled Island. We found a wooden walking trail and followed that along the lake to soak in all the amazing views. If our weather was better, we also would have hiked up Mala Osojnica from this location for even more incredible vistas of Lake Bled and Bled Island.
We then drove back to Ljubljana for dinner. This evening we ate at Gostilna Sokol, which offers traditional Slovenian food and was always packed (including a line waiting for open tables!) when we walked by. Their posted menu also included pictures of their food, which only wet our appetites even more. We tried the homemade cheese roll (highly recommend!) and then each had a traditional meat/sausage dish that were both excellent as well.
We then walked around downtown for the evening and got drinks at a cute restaurant right along the river. We recommend taking some time to enjoy sipping a cocktail or wine right along the banks of the Ljubljanica in the evening. Trust us, you won’t regret it!
Day 11 – Vintgar Gorge and Lake Bled Round 2
Our plan going into the day was to explore Triglav National Park through a few hikes, however rain changed those plans. Instead, we decided to have a relaxed morning in Ljubljana by doing some souvenir shopping before heading to Vintgar Gorge for an easy 3 mile hike.
In the morning, we stopped by the local market to get some fresh fruit. The fruit was so delicious, fresh, and cheap! We also had to make sure to get a few dragon themed souvenirs as well.
The drive to Vintgar Gorge took a little less than an hour. Parking cost 5 euros and the ticket cost 10 euros each. From the parking lot we hiked down into the gorge along a path that alternated between dirt and manmade wooden bridges. The gorge itself is about a mile, then you loop back around (the gorge is one way) to the parking lot through the forest and a small country town. At times we weren’t sure if we were going the right way since you are on an actual road for some of it, but for the most part the path is well marked. After about 2 more miles we were back in the parking lot.
Even despite the rain, we enjoyed the Vintgar Gorge. At this point, we had some extra time and since Triglav National Park is not too far from Lake Bled we decided to drive back over there to since we enjoyed it so much the day before. We parked in town again and walked to Vila Preseren Bled for a light lunch. Thanks to the rain, there was almost no one there and we enjoyed a peaceful afternoon right along the lakeshore.
After lunch, we drove back to Ljubljana for another beautiful evening in the charming city.
Day 12 – Predjama Castle and Trieste, Italy
In the morning we drove about 50 minutes to Predjama Castle. Predjama Castle is an engineering marvel, built into a cave on the side of a cliff. Even if castles are not your thing, this is a must see for its uniqueness alone. The back of the castle opens into the cave itself, providing an avenue of escape and supply for its inhabitants in the face of a siege. We thought it was fascinating and well worth the 12 euros for entrance.
After exploring Prejdama, we made our way to the Skocjan Caves just a bit further down the road. When we arrived we found out they only do guided tours at set times in large groups, and the next one was not for several hours. We decided to skip the caves to save time, though it did look incredible especially if you are interested in caves. Just plan ahead and try to be there on the hour for a tour. Alternatively, there are caves at Predjama as well that also looked very interesting, though we did not go in them.
Instead, we made the short 45 minute drive over to Trieste, Italy for lunch and to explore a new Italian town. This was a spur of the moment decision and it was so fun! Even from Ljubljana it is only an hour away and is situated right on the coast, leading to beautiful views and an interesting blend of Istrian and Italian architecture and culture.
We explored around the harbor and ate lunch at one of our favorite restaurants the entire trip called the Pier. It was a beautiful restaurant right on the water with some of the most amazing seafood and white wine. We loved the wine so much we bought a bottle. The beauty of visiting Trieste is just to walk around, see Unity Square and some old Roman ruins, and take in a new city.
Another option for a day trip from Ljubljana is Venice, which is about 2.5 hours away. While on the top end of distance we are willing to day trip, Venice is one of our favorite cities and ultimately we probably would have gone there if we had planned to leave earlier in the day.
After returning to Ljubljana in the evening, we got dinner at Pop’s Pizza and Sport for dinner. Their pizza was outstanding and this place was very popular, so we highly recommend it if you are looking for something more like that. After dinner, we meandered along the river until we came to the Suklje Wine Bar for a Slovenian wine tasting to end the evening and time in Ljubljana.
Ljubljana is probably our favorite city we’ve ever been to, and we could have easily spent more time there. Check out our list of best things to do in Ljubljana to help you plan your stay!
Day 13 – Budapest (mostly Buda)
This morning we made our way to our last stop, Budapest. Budapest is about a 5 hour drive from Ljubljana, but it is also extremely easy with no traffic and beautiful scenery the entire way. We had looked at trains, but they took longer and it was actually cheaper for us to return the car in Budapest rather than Ljubljana.
We first checked in to Budapest Eye Boutique Suites. In a big city like Budapest, it can be difficult to figure out where to stay but we liked this hotel for the location right next to the Budapest Eye (ferris wheel) and they gave us meal tickets for a restaurant down the street which offered a wonderful breakfast. We would usually share an omelet and strawberry pancakes along with orange juice and coffee.
We started exploring Budapest on the Buda side of the Danube, even though we were staying on the Pest side. From the Pest side, we crossed over the river on the Szenchenyl Chain Bridge and then took the funicular up to the Royal Palace to have one of the best views of the city. Then we walked over to Matthias Church and the Fisherman’s Bastion, each of which will top lists of things to do in Budapest.
After exploring the top of the hill, we hiked back down to the Danube River but before crossing back we stopped for dinner at Leo Bistro while still on the Buda side. We wanted to sit on their rooftop, but unfortunately it was full so we sat in the lower restaurant area. This was our first taste of Hungarian Goulash and it did not disappoint. In general the food was fantastic, and they also had a fun game where they would pick a drink for you based on which stone you blindly chose. The drinks they chose for us were so good we each ordered another!
We were going to go to Gerbeauds, a fancy coffee and pastry shop which we had heard was amazing, for dessert back on the Pest side near where our hotel was but instead we just went for a stroll along the Danube under the city lights.
Day 14 – Budapest, Etyek Wine Tour, and Ruins Bars
This morning we explored Budapest before our wine tour to Etyek in the afternoon. The first thing we saw was St. Stephen’s Basilica, which was a stunning church that dominates Pest. We were going to go inside, but we were both wearing shorts and they, like many European churches, have a dress code (covered knees and shoulders) so we decided to come back the next day. Even if you don’t go in, the outside is beautiful and is worth seeing.
We then continued on to the Danube Promenade along the riverside. We walked along the Danube towards Parliament and came upon the Shoes on the Danube Memorial. This is perhaps the most simply, yet most profound, monument dedicated to the memory of the Jews that were murdered by the Nazis in Budapest. The origins of the memorial are that Jews were forced marched to the edge of the river, forced to take their shoes off, and then shot so that their bodies would be carried away by the river. This was a powerful memorial to the estimated 20,000 Jews executed in this way and is a must see so that this history is not forgotten.
Walking further long the Danube we came to Parliament, one of the most beautiful and magnificent buildings in Europe. During the evening once Parliament is lit up it becomes even more spectacular and is a must see! We unfortunately did not have the opportunity to tour the building as you have to purchase tickets ahead of time and when we decided we wanted to go they were sold out. If you are traveling during peak season (i.e. June-September), then you’ll want to book your tour at least a couple weeks in advance to guarantee your spot seeing this historic building.
On the back side of Parliament (the non-river facing side) there is the Memorial of the Hungarian Uprising museum that we highly recommend going to as well, though we unfortunately did not have time. If you want to learn more about the Hungarian Uprising, one of the best books on the event (and one of our favorite books in general) is Goodbye to Budapest by Margarita Morris. We can’t recommend that book enough as it is extremely well written and informative, while being entertaining at the same time.
Afterwards, we hustled to the First Strudel House in order to sample some fresh strudel before heading to meeting point for our wine tasting. If you like strudel, look no further than the First Strudel House!
The meeting point for our half day wine tour to Etyek was the Ritz Carlton right across the street from our hotel, and the pickup was easy and painless. We then had only a 30 minute drive out to Etyek. We ended up going to 3 beautiful wineries and tasted at least 4 incredible wines (including more orange wine!) at each winery. The last winery included a traditional 2 course Hungarian dinner that was excellent as well.
All in all we view this as a must do tour in Budapest, assuming you like wine. This was easily one of the best wine tours we’ve done in Europe, and it was so close to Budapest yet still removed enough that the natural Hungarian countryside beauty was all around us. The wine, our tour guide, and the entire experience was unbeatable.
We met some really wonderful people on our wine tour and we all decided to meet up at one of the ruins bars, Szimpla Kert, that Budapest is famous for. Szimpla Kert is the first and probably most famous of the ruins bars, an idea born out of the entrepreneurial spirit where bars and pubs were opened in abandoned buildings, saving them from demolition and breeding this unique experience. We recommend stopping into a ruins bar, even if you visit during the day.
Day 15 – Budapest
This morning we made our way to New York Café for breakfast, a stunning historical café that has live classical music and a certain charm that is hard to capture in words. While it may seem touristy, this is a venue that you must see. Just note – they don’t serve food between 11am and 12pm, so make sure you arrive prior to that for breakfast or afterwards for lunch.
After breakfast we went to the House of Terror Museum, which is potentially the best museum we’ve ever been to. This Museum focused on the terror inflicted upon the Hungarians by both the Nazis and then the Soviets/communists, where secret police terrorized the population. The Museum is housed in the building that at one point served as the headquarters of the State Protection Authority (in Hungarian, the AVH) and was extremely well laid out and informative. Throughout the Museum there is a feeling of dread encapsulated by the displays but also ominous music that changes from room to room. The tour ends in the basement where men and women were in-prisoned, tortured, and executed by the Communist regime. This is an absolute must see and will give you a greater understanding of what life under terror is truly like.
After the House of Terror, we headed back to St. Stephen’s Basilica so that we could go inside (you need tickets to enter) since we were appropriately dressed this time. The inside was splendid and we took the stairs up to the top of the dome for a wonderful view of the city.
After seeing the inside of the Basilica we walked over to the Great Market Hall to get some souvenirs and lunch. This is a a must see, though we wouldn’t recommend eating there as it is very crowded, there are very few places to sit, and the food is on the pricier side. Instead, choose any of the Hungarian restaurants along the street in front of the market.
After lunch, we meandered through Budapest and spent the rest of the afternoon seeing the rest of the city we fell in love with.
We ended the night with a light dinner at 0,75 Bistro. We loved this restaurant as it has a view of St. Stephens Basilica, great ambiance, and the food was delicious. We shared a soup, arugula salad with pesto and burrata, and a pasta dish.
To end our evening (and our trip) we did a final evening walk around the city at night to see the buildings lit up in all their glory.
We didn’t have time to visit the Szechenyl Thermal Baths or do a Prosecco cruise on the Danube in the evening, both of which were highly recommended to us by people we talked to. That’s ok though because that just means we’ll be going back to one of our favorite cities one day!
That’s a wrap on our incredible 2 week trip to Croatia, Slovenia, and Budapest! Check out these related posts for more info on these 3 incredible places and leave a comment or suggestion below! Thanks for reading!