The Central Market Hall is Budapest’s cathedral of food and one of Europe’s largest and most spectacular indoor markets. We’ll introduce you to Hungarian cuisine through the great variety and abundance of ingredients (mostly local and seasonal) on display. We will discuss the spectacular building, the culture of eating and drinking in Hungary, the ingredients, the dishes commonly made from them … and just what it is that Hungarian home cooks do with all of that pork fat, paprika, and goose liver. As we walk the market aisles we’ll taste a selection of foods (and have an aperitif to fortify us).

We'll pass by this bridge, one of the several spanning the Danube.

We explore the Palace Quarter (a vibrant university area known for its splendid old palaces, where aristocrats built their palatial homes in the 19th and early 20th centuries), and pass by the Hungarian National Museum, on our way to the wine tasting cellar.

The tour concludes with a wine and cheese tasting at an independent wine tasting cellar and shop. A sommelier will introduce us to the Hungarian wine regions, varietals, and styles, helping you put the Hungarian wine scene in context. We’ll end with a taste of the spectacular golden-tinted Tokaji aszú wine, one of the world's finest sweet wines.

We'll explore this neighborhood market, one of the city's fines, where chefs and locals alike shop daily.

We explore the Ferencváros neighborhood, around the Central Market Hall, on our food exploration of Budapest.

We explore the Újlipótváros area (a charming neighborhood, almost like a village within the city, with café-lined streets, art deco buildings, spacious parks, and cute shops), and taste our way through the neighborhood's most lively street.