A group trip to the Eastern European city of Budapest
Eastern Europe is becoming increasingly popular as a business group travel destination. One of the Eastern European cities to which we are increasingly organising incentive trips is Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Budapest is a blend of old and new, and boasts historical riches alongside contemporary conveniences. In this article, we tell you more about incentive travel to this versatile city.
Transport to Budapest
Budapest is centrally located in Hungary, on the River Danube, and has a population of around 1.8 million. Budapest has not always been the country's capital. Did you know that Hungary has had no fewer than 11 capitals over the past centuries? The city is divided into two parts by the river. The nine bridges connect the lower-lying Pest with Buda. Buda is the quieter part, with the Castle District and Gellért Hill. The centre is located in the Pest part and has wide roads and stately buildings. It is a lot busier here in terms of traffic.
From Amsterdam it is about a two-hour flight: very doable, then! Besides Amsterdam, we also sometimes fly from Eindhoven, Brussels and Charleroi, depending on your branch location or preference. For group travel, we arrange comfortable transfers from the airport to the hotel. These transfers will be waiting for your group upon arrival. From the airport it is about a 30-minute drive to the hotels in and around the centre and during the ride you will already get a small preview of Budapest.
Good to know
Hungary still uses the Hungarian Forint as its currency. Even so, Euros and credit cards are accepted almost everywhere. A small number of Hungarians do not yet speak English, particularly the older generations. You may well notice this quite quickly in small shops or supermarkets. You do not need to worry any further about the language. Our on-site project manager will arrange everything before and during your group trip to Budapest.
Activities during a group tour
For an incentive trip to Budapest, two full days are generally sufficient to see the most beautiful sights. Between the sights and activities, we know the best places to have lunch and recover from all the impressions.
Castle quarter
The Castle District is a kind of fortified town with many historic buildings, churches and narrow alleys. During a visit to the Castle District we include several highlights in our programme, including the Buda Castle (Budavári Palota), the Fisherman's Bastion, Matthias Church and walking around the streets within the castle walls. All these sights are located on Castle Hill and from here you have a fantastic view over the city.
Parliament building
The Parliament Building is situated on the Pest side of Budapest. There are normally extremely long queues to visit the Parliament and it is often sold out weeks in advance. Fortunately, we have our contacts in the city to ensure that we can guarantee our groups entry. We will then take you on a guided tour – led by a very experienced guide – who can tell you all about the building. The guide speaks English, German, French, Spanish and Italian. Our favourites are the richly decorated staircase, the Hungarian crown jewels and the Holy Crown.
Cruise on the Danube
We frequently take large groups on a boat tour of the legendary blue Danube. In a relatively short time, you will see the finest sights and monuments on both sides of the city. A time is always scheduled for a nice (Hungarian) drink. We choose a boat tour because it allows everyone in the group to sit together comfortably, which is less the case during a city walk (as groups often automatically spread out).
St Stephen's Basilica
St Stephen's Basilica is a beautifully decorated church in the centre of Budapest. The church is gigantic: the dome alone is almost 100 metres high. The interior is equally impressive, holding thousands of people, and the decoration inside is just as fascinating as on the outside. For us and our groups, it is definitely worth a visit. Participants who do not suffer from vertigo climb the dome for a magnificent view over the city.
Parliament Hotel
We often accommodate our guests in Hotel Parlement. This 4-star hotel is located in the centre of Budapest and primarily caters to business travellers. The hotel rooms are spacious and overlook either the street or the courtyard. The bathrooms are fully equipped with all modern conveniences. What makes the hotel so special to us is that the original Hungarian elements have been preserved while the entire hotel is still very stylishly decorated. A feast for the eyes!
Most of the sights we visit during a group tour are within walking distance of the hotel. In other cases, we use the metro or tram so that you can really soak up the atmosphere of the city! The nearest stop is a five-minute walk away. Public transport is exceptionally well organised in Budapest, which makes travelling by public transport with large groups completely trouble-free! After a full day's programme, you can enjoy a nice cup of coffee, tea or homemade fresh lemonades in the lobby (fun fact: Budapest makes some of the best lemonades around!). A wonderful way to discuss all your impressions after a busy day's programme!
With your group to Budapest
We have tried to highlight a few of the conveniences and highlights of Budapest. We are fans of this city and the possibilities it offers for incentive travel. During a goMICE incentive, we arrange your entire trip from start to finish, ensuring you are completely unburdened! Please feel free to contact us to discuss your questions and/or requirements via our contact form on the website!