Budapest Hammer & Sickle Communist Times Tour
Price
66 €
Duration
2,5 hours
⭐️ Highlights
Small-group walking tour with an expert guide
Discover Hungary's communist history
Visit Liberty Square and learn about the secret bunker beneath it
See the Liberation Monument to the Soviet Red Army
Learn about the 1956 Revolution at the Parliament and visit a related exhibition
Walk along the Danube embankment to see statues with fascinating stories
Visit the memorial of Imre Nagy, prime minister during the 1956 revolution
Enjoy a café stop in a retro bar
⏱️ Duration
2.5 hours
💶 Prices
Adult: 66 €
Student with ID: 56 €
Not recommended for children under 14
Click on the image for the full gallery
📍 Meeting Point
Deak Ferenc ter in front of the Lutheran Church
🏁 End Point
City center, near the Parliament
✔️ Inclusions
Licensed English speaking expert guide
Refreshment stop with a beverage
Public transport tickets during the tour
❌ Exclusions
The tour does not include interior visits to churches or buildings
Pick-up or drop-off
📖 Know before you book
Due to the topic, it is not recommended for children under age 14
This tour involves two hours of continuous walking on high curbs, stairs, and slippery surfaces, making it unsuitable for people with limited mobility.
The tour runs in all weather, so please dress appropriately
No audio equipment or headphones are used on this tour.
📋 Tour details
The way it was, comrade! This tour takes you back in time to experience life under communism and discover how Big Brother shaped everyday life.
We invite you to join us on a comprehensive overview of Hungary's communist era behind the Iron Curtain—from how children were raised to family life, travel restrictions, black markets, and banana lines.
Your tour begins in the city center, passing St. Stephen's Basilica, where your guide will explain how churches operated and whether people could practice their faith in a faithless regime. You'll discover Liberty Square and learn about the secret Cold War bunker beneath it, along with the last remaining Soviet liberation monument in Budapest—a tribute to the heroes of the Red Army. You'll explore the dark years of the Stalinist era and the communist government appointed after World War II, whose policies sparked the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.
The journey continues to the Hungarian Parliament, where on the second day of the uprising, a volley of shots that killed several people triggered the revolution, inspiring more citizens to join the fight against the occupying Soviets. When open, you'll visit an exhibition of related archives.
A scenic walk along the Danube path offers fascinating views of the Buda side and Margaret Bridge. Along the way, your guide will show you statues of lesser-known politicians who resisted the regime and share their stories and the challenges they faced. You'll pass the Hungarian "White House," which served as the headquarters of the State Defence Unit from the fifties and later, until the transition, housed the Communist Party.
Near Margaret Bridge stands the statue of Prime Minister Imre Nagy, who led Hungary during the 1956 revolution. He was captured and imprisoned, and in 1958, he stood trial alongside hundreds of others and was executed as part of the reprisals that followed the revolution. His reburial in 1989 was an important moment marking the end of communism in Hungary.
Your guide will take you on a tram ride along the scenic Danube bank to the Chain Bridge, and the tour concludes with a relaxing coffee break in a retro bar.
📍 Itinerary
Deak Square
Elisabeth Square
St Stephen's Basilica
Liberty Square
Soviet Monument
Parliament
Danube Path
Olimpia Park
Margaret Bridge
Chain Bridge
Cafe Stop