2025 Budapest

** Unfortunately, this tour was canceled due to low enrollment. **

Come join us as we explore beautiful Budapest, the capital city of Hungary. In our ten days together we will learn something of the fascinating and unique history of Budapest and Hungary: its language, culture and politics.

The history of Hungary has been marked by its domination by other powers: the Mongols, the Turks, the Hapsburgs, the Germans, and the Russians. We will learn a bit of how that history has influenced the present-day psyche of the Hungarian people as we experience Budapest and its surroundings.

Budapest straddles the famous Danube River of central Europe. On the western side of the Danube is the hilly Buda region, while the eastern side is the plains-like Pest area. We will begin our journey of exploration with a short walking tour of Pest, enjoying vistas of the Danube and the bluffs of Buda on the other side. Later on we take train and ferry and bus to visit the Visegrad castle located up the Danube from Budapest and offering a panoramic view of the river and surrounding hills. On the way back to Budapest we visit the art galleries, museums and shops of Szentendre with a chocolate-tasting stop at one of the shops.

Other sojourns outside of Budapest include trips to the historically important city of Eger and to Lake Balaton, the largest lake in Central Europe. In Eger we will visit the Astronomical Museum, take a tour of an Ottoman minaret, and enjoy a wine-tasting stop. Later on we will travel to Lake Balaton and take a ferry to the Tihany peninsula, where we will visit a Benedictine Abbey built in 1055. We will also explore several shops and museums in the area. 

Our time in Budapest will include concerts, museum visits and lectures, and discussions on Hungarian music, history, politics and language. And, for the young at heart, there will be a ride on the Children’s Railroad. This charming little railroad is run by children (except for the engineer!) from 10 to 14 years old and travels through the hills and forests of Buda. Not to be missed!

There will also be plenty of free time set aside for wandering through the city and exploring on your own, visiting one of the many thermal baths or stopping by one or more of the “ruin pubs” in the evening – named after the abandoned warehouses and buildings these pubs call home.

Our time together caps off with a farewell dinner cruise on the Danube. We are excited to be offering this trip and hope you will join us!

This trip takes place entirely in Budapest, with excursions to nearby sites and towns on certain days. You can view – and download and print, if you wish – the most up-to-date itinerary here.

Our intention with each tour is to provide an itinerary that introduces you to key elements related to your destination or the educational theme, while also providing some free time for you to pursue your own interests or have some down time. The balance can vary from day to day, and from tour to tour.

Bruce Hanson retired from the St. Olaf department of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science in January 2023 after 41 years of teaching. He was born and raised in beautiful Duluth Minnesota, attended St. Olaf for his undergraduate education and received his Ph.D at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Bruce was a Fulbright scholar in Budapest during the spring of 2018, and has led 9 student Interims, also all in Budapest. He loves being in  Europe where he has spent over 4 years of his life. This gives him an opportunity to pursue his passion for learning foreign languages. Other interests include singing and playing guitar, riding his bike, hiking and enjoying time with friends and family. 

Expect to be dazzled by this old European city and a country rich with tradition.

Movement between cities will be by air-conditioned private motor coach. Movement within each city and at cultural/historic sites will be on foot, requiring a lot of walking and standing, often over uneven ground. You should be capable of walking a mile or more at a time and up to five to seven miles per day, often over uneven terrain, of climbing stairs that may not have handrails, of climbing in and out of various types of transportation, of keeping pace with an active group of travelers on long days of traveling, of dealing with the emotional highs and lows that can occur when experiencing different cultures, and of being a considerate member of the group (prompt, courteous and flexible).

Any participant who has demonstrated an inability, in the opinion of the tour leader, of keeping up with the group or of safely participating in program activities may be prohibited from participating in certain activities.

You will be responsible for carrying your own luggage throughout the tour. Traveling lightly is highly recommended.

Hotels will be tourist class (four-star or superior rating) with private baths, air conditioning, and English-speaking staff.

Inclusions and exclusions vary by tour, so please read the following information carefully. We try to strike a balance between nickel-and-diming you once on the tour and allowing you some freedom in your price point (for meals, for example). A variety of modes of transportation tends to be pricier than a single bus throughout the tour. Highly rated guides are essential and should command higher wages.

The tour price is $3,588 per person, based on double occupancy. The supplement for single occupancy is $950.

Inclusions: discussions led by Bruce Hanson; full time guide; for the duration of the tour; accommodations, meals, entrance fees, and activities listed in the itinerary; private motor coach transfers (except airport transfers on arrival and departure); non-alcoholic beverages with meals; gratuities for all local guides, drivers, and meals; and some limited medical coverage while overseas.

Exclusions: Airfare to and from Budapest is not included. Participants are solely responsible for all expenses not specifically included in the tour fee. Examples of excluded expenses are: international airfare; airport transfers; any passport and visa fees; any recommended immunizations or vaccinations; alcoholic beverages; laundry, dry cleaning, phone charges, room service or other items of a personal nature; expenses incurred during free time or non-group activities; and any meals not specifically included on tour itinerary.

This schedule is based on payments St. Olaf College must make to tour vendors to guarantee group rates. We highly recommend that you purchase additional trip cancellation insurance at the time of registration to recover your payments should you need to withdraw from the tour.

Deposit due:                  $500 upon registration
Refund if you cancel:   $450 if you cancel on or before December 31, 2024. If the deposit is made after December 31, 2024 there is no refund.

Balance due:                   March 1, 2025
Refund if you cancel:   None, unless the tour is full and your place can be resold

Cancellations must be in writing.

Read the Terms & Conditions and Release & Waiver.

Review the latest information on recommended immunizations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Look at the International Travel section of the U.S. State Department, including Before You Go, Country Information, While Abroad, and Emergencies.

Check your passport to ensure that it has at least 6 months’ validity past the tour return date. Should you need to renew, visit the U.S. State Department for instructions. (Note: no visa is required for Costa Rica.)

Take time to prepare for your adventure by checking out a variety of resources, including frequently asked questions, general health information, included travel insurance, safety overview, and more.

Hold the dates May 8–19, 2025, but do not book non-refundable air until we can confirm the tour is a go. Meanwhile see our tips on Booking Your Flights.