Danube Bend Private All Day Tour with Lunch, with entrance fees and cruise

My wife and I recently completed a day trip of the Danube Bend via ShuttlesFromBudapest.com, and our hats are off to owner, Zsuzsanna Vizvári, for the patience, support and determination to meet our every need in spite of the largest flood along the Danube in 20 years. If you’ve ever seen a Viking Cruise commercial, you know what the Danube Bend looks like, and they use it because it is the most photogenic location along the entire river. Throw in the Visegrád Castle (best viewpoint for the bend) and the lovely towns of Esztergom and Szentendre, and you have the makings of a wonderful daytrip out of Budapest. At first, I attempted to create my own daytrip and considered a variety of commercial offerings, and soon concluded nothing could compete with a private tour via ShuttlesFromBudapest.com. And, I quickly knew I was right, when Suzanna immediately responded to my first inquiry by asking all the right questions to make sure her tour would meet our needs. Finalizing the date and times was easy, and we were set to go – that is until the Danube suffered its second 100-year flood within 20 years, and this one crested on the date we had chosen for our tour. Suzanna had no choice but to cancel the tour; however, she asked if my wife and I might be available two days later? We were, and Suzanna spent the intervening time reaching out to colleagues and contacts along the river, to provide us updates and to turn the impossible into possible by rejiggering the tour specifically for us. The town of Esztergon was still under water, so, unfortunately, it was out. However, because our guide knew the local roads, we were able to have a full tour of Visegrad Castle with its wonderful views of “The Bend.” The roads into Szentendre were still closed, but our guide parked within a ¼ mile of the town and we were able to walk in and have a wonderful visit, which included a 3-course Hungarian meal at a quaint café right in the village center.. I mention these details, because they illustrate that I made the right choice from among several choices for our Danube Bend tour, and I’m so glad we did. Our visit to Budapest was a once-in-a-lifetime trip for us, and Suzanna’s determination to make sure we were able to reach the Danube Bend in the very worst of times, insured we would not return home disappointed. We may never have another opportunity to make use of Suzanna’s exceptional services, but, if in the area, I recommend considering a ShuttlesFromBudapest tour.

There were two tour guides on the bus for three languages, English, French and Italian. It was a mess because there was always one group speaking when a guide was not speaking their language. By coincidence, I also speak all three and the guides were telling different stories. The French and Italian guide spoke both languages quite poorly so it was no surprise that the French complained. The lunch spot was very pretty but the food mediocre.

A long drive but worth it. What a lovely town but lunch shouldn't be included as there are better restaurant options, alternatively, a better restaurant should be chosen.