Self-Launched Budapest to Istanbul Adventure

Arrive in Budapest and check into your hostel or budget hotel in the heart of Pest. The city is split by the Danube into historic Buda and lively Pest — both sides are walkable and well connected by tram and metro. Spend your first evening getting your bearings: stroll along the Danube promenade, admire the illuminated Parliament building, and find dinner at one of the city's excellent lángos stalls or ruin bar restaurants. Budapest is one of Europe's most affordable capitals — eat well for under £10.

🚌Airport to city centre: Airport Shuttle Bus 100E to Deák tér ~£3, or BKK metro/bus combo ~£1.50

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in central Pest — e.g. Maverick Hostel, Wombat's Budapest, or similar. Dorm ~£15/night, private room ~£35-45/night

• →Arrive and check in — stay near Deák Ferenc tér for easy access to everything
• →Self-guided evening walk along the Danube promenade
• →Dinner at a ruin bar or local étterem (Hungarian restaurant) — budget ~£8-10

Join a highly rated free walking tour of Budapest (tip-based) to get a proper introduction to the city's history and highlights — these run daily from Deák Ferenc tér. In the afternoon, explore independently: soak in the famous Széchenyi or Rudas thermal baths (entry ~£15-18), visit the Hungarian Parliament building exterior, or climb up to Buda Castle for panoramic views. The city's day ticket for all public transport is around £5 and covers trams, metro and buses.

🚌BKK 24-hour transport pass ~£5

🛏Maverick Hostel or similar — as Day 1

• →Free walking tour of Budapest (tip ~£5-8) — book via GetYourGuide or show up at Deák tér
• →Afternoon at Széchenyi Thermal Baths — book direct online, ~£16
• →Optional: visit Buda Castle and Fisherman's Bastion (free entry to grounds)

Take an early morning bus from Budapest Stadionok bus station to Hollókő (~2.5 hrs, ~£5). This UNESCO World Heritage Palóc village is one of Hungary's best-kept secrets — explore its wooden architecture, hilltop 13th-century castle and traditional crafts at your own pace. After a couple of hours, catch a connecting bus or taxi to Pásztó and then a direct bus to Eger (~1.5 hrs total, ~£4). Eger is famous for its baroque old town and 'Bull's Blood' red wine — wander the cobbled streets and settle in for the night.

🚌Budapest Stadionok → Hollókő by bus ~£5; Hollókő → Eger via Pásztó ~£4 (Volánbusz)

🛏Senator-Ház Hotel or Offi-Ház Hotel, Eger — budget double ~£35-45/night

• →Explore Hollókő village and castle (castle entry ~£3) — free to wander the village
• →Self-guided walk through Eger's baroque old town
• →Optional: visit Eger Castle (entry ~£5) for panoramic views

Catch a morning bus or train from Eger to Tokaj (~2 hrs, ~£5-7). In Tokaj, book a cellar wine tasting directly with one of the town's many family-run wineries — Disznókő, Tokaj Kereskedőház or smaller local cellars offer tasting experiences from £10-15pp including snacks. After tasting, take a bus or train north to Nyíregyháza and then cross the border into Romania towards Sighetu Marmației in the Maramureș region (~3-4 hrs total, ~£10). Alternatively, book a pre-arranged transfer from Tokaj to Maramureș via a local agency (~£25-30pp on shared basis).

🚌Eger → Tokaj by bus/train ~£6; Tokaj → Sighetu Marmației by bus/train ~£10

🛏Pensiunea Rustic or Casa Iurca de Calinesti guesthouse, Maramureș — ~£25-35/night for a private room

• →Guided cellar wine tasting in Tokaj — book direct with a local winery, ~£12-15pp
• →Cross the border into Romania and arrive in the Maramureș region
• →Evening stroll in Sighetu Marmației town centre

Spend a full day exploring the extraordinary Maramureș region. Hire a local taxi driver for the day (~£30-40 for a full-day circuit) to visit the iconic Merry Cemetery in Săpânța — where vivid blue tombstones depict the lives of the departed with colour and humour — along with UNESCO-listed wooden churches at Bârsana, Budești and Ieud. These ancient timber churches, with their soaring spires, are among the most remarkable in Europe. You'll also pass through traditional villages where horse-drawn carts are still a daily sight.

🚌Local taxi hire for day circuit ~£30-40

🛏Pensiunea Rustic or Casa Iurca de Calinesti guesthouse — as Day 4

• →Visit Săpânța Merry Cemetery — entry ~£1.50
• →Explore UNESCO wooden churches: Bârsana Monastery (free), Budești, Ieud (~£1 each)
• →Day hire of local taxi driver for rural circuit — ~£30-40 shared between travellers

Take an early morning bus or shared minibus south from Sighetu Marmației toward Sighișoara (~4-5 hrs, ~£10-12). Sighișoara's UNESCO-listed medieval citadel is one of the best-preserved in Europe — explore the cobbled streets, 14th-century clock tower (entry ~£2), and the house where Vlad the Impaler was born. Enjoy lunch here (budget ~£7-10) before boarding a train to Brașov (~1.5 hrs, ~£5). Brașov is a gorgeous medieval city nestled in the Carpathian Mountains — explore the Gothic Black Church and the lively old town square.

🚌Sighetu Marmației → Sighișoara by bus ~£12; Sighișoara → Brașov by train ~£5 (CFR Călători)

🛏Kismet Dao Hostel or Roam Hostel, Brașov — dorm ~£12, private room ~£30-40/night

• →Explore Sighișoara citadel and clock tower — entry ~£2
• →Visit Vlad the Impaler's birthplace (now a restaurant/museum) — free exterior
• →Self-guided evening walk around Brașov's Piața Sfatului (main square)

Take a morning train from Brașov to Sinaia (~45 mins, ~£3), the gateway to Peleș Castle. One of Europe's most spectacular royal residences, this neo-renaissance mountain palace is open for guided interior tours (~£10) or you can explore the grounds and exterior at your own pace. After, board a train to Bucharest (~1.5 hrs, ~£5). Bucharest has an unfairly overlooked energy — check in and head out to explore the Lipscani old town area for dinner and drinks.

🚌Brașov → Sinaia by train ~£3; Sinaia → Bucharest by train ~£5 (CFR Călători)

🛏Pura Vida Sky Bar & Hostel or Nord Hostel, Bucharest — dorm ~£12, private room ~£30-40/night

• →Visit Peleș Castle, Sinaia — guided interior tour ~£10, or exterior/grounds free
• →Optional: visit nearby Pelișor Castle ~£5
• →Evening exploration of Bucharest's Lipscani old town

Join a free or low-cost walking tour of Bucharest (several depart daily from Universitate Square, tip-based) covering the city's fascinating blend of Belle Époque architecture, communist-era boulevards and contemporary art. The unmissable Palace of the Parliament — the world's second-largest administrative building — offers guided interior tours (~£8). In the afternoon, explore independently: visit the Village Museum (open-air ethnographic museum, ~£5), stroll through Cișmigiu Gardens, or browse the Obor flea market.

🚌Day metro/bus pass ~£3

🛏Pura Vida Sky Bar & Hostel or Nord Hostel — as Day 7

• →Free walking tour of Bucharest (tip ~£5) — departs Universitate Square daily
• →Palace of the Parliament guided tour — book direct, ~£8
• →Optional: Romanian Village Museum open-air museum ~£5

Take a morning bus from Bucharest's Filaret bus terminal across the Danube into Bulgaria, heading for Veliko Tarnovo (~4-5 hrs, ~£12-15). This hilltop medieval city, former capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, is one of the Balkans' most dramatic settings. Check in and explore on foot — the old Tsarevets Fortress (entry ~£5) sits on a dramatic hilltop with sweeping views over the Yantra River gorge. The cobbled Samovodska Charshia crafts street is great for browsing local artisan shops.

🚌Bucharest Filaret bus terminal → Veliko Tarnovo by bus ~£13 (Biomet or similar operator)

🛏Hostel Mostel Veliko Tarnovo or Hotel Comfort — dorm ~£10, private room ~£28-35/night

• →Tsarevets Fortress — entry ~£5, self-guided walk
• →Stroll through Samovodska Charshia artisan street — free
• →Optional: Sound and Light show at Tsarevets (seasonal evenings) — ~£5

Take a morning bus from Veliko Tarnovo to Sofia (~3.5 hrs, ~£8). Sofia is one of Europe's most underrated capital cities — compact, affordable and packed with history. Join a free walking tour (departs daily from in front of the Palace of Justice — tip-based) taking in Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the ancient Serdika Roman ruins (visible through the metro station), the golden-domed St Nedelya Church, and the lively Women's Market. Browse the Central Market Hall and grab lunch at a local mehana (taverna) for ~£6-8.

🚌Veliko Tarnovo → Sofia by bus ~£8 (Etap-Address or Biomet)

🛏Art Hostel Sofia or Hostel Mostel Sofia — dorm ~£12, private room ~£30-38/night

• →Free walking tour of Sofia (tip ~£5) — departs Palace of Justice area daily
• →Visit Alexander Nevsky Cathedral — free entry
• →Serdika Roman ruins at the metro station — free to view
• →Borisova Gradina park stroll — free

Take a morning bus or train from Sofia to Plovdiv (~2 hrs, ~£5-7). Plovdiv is one of Europe's oldest continuously inhabited cities and was a European Capital of Culture in 2019. Book a local guided walking tour of the Old Town via GetYourGuide (~£10-12) to visit the remarkably preserved 2nd-century Roman amphitheatre of Philippopolis, the Roman stadium on Dzhumaya Square, Nebet Tepe archaeological hill, and the colourful National Revival-era houses of Kapana. The historic district is entirely walkable and admission to most sites is low-cost or free.

🚌Sofia → Plovdiv by bus or train ~£6 (BDZ trains or Etap-Address buses)

🛏Hostel Old Plovdiv or Hotel Noviz — dorm ~£10, private room ~£28-35/night

• →Guided walking tour of Plovdiv Old Town via GetYourGuide — ~£10-12
• →Roman Amphitheatre of Philippopolis — entry ~£3
• →Kapana Creative District self-guided wander — free
• →Dzhumaya Mosque and Roman Stadium — free exterior

An early start for the journey to Istanbul. The most budget-friendly option is a direct bus from Plovdiv to Istanbul (~5-6 hrs, ~£15-20) operated by Metro Turizm or Nilüfer. Alternatively, take a bus to Sofia and catch a direct overnight bus or the daily train from Sofia to Istanbul (~10 hrs by train, ~£20-25 — book via Trainline or directly with BDZ/TCDD). Arrive in Istanbul and check into your accommodation in the Galata or Sultanahmet area. The city is immediately intoxicating — even a short evening walk reveals grand mosques, spice-scented bazaars and the shimmering Bosphorus. Grab dinner at a lokanta for classic meze and kebabs (~£8-12).

🚌Plovdiv → Istanbul direct bus ~£18 (Metro Turizm or Nilüfer — book at bus station or online)

🛏Cheers Hostel, World House Istanbul, or Mia Casa Hotel, Galata area — dorm ~£14, private room ~£35-45/night

• →Travel day — bus from Plovdiv to Istanbul with Metro Turizm or Nilüfer ~£18
• →Check in and evening walk around Galata and Karaköy waterfront
• →Dinner at a traditional lokanta — budget ~£8-12

Dedicate the day to Istanbul's unmissable Sultanahmet district. Book a guided walking tour via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£15-20) to visit the Blue Mosque (free entry, modest dress required), Hagia Sophia (entry ~£12), Topkapı Palace (entry ~£20), and the Grand Bazaar (free to enter). Alternatively, do it independently — all are within easy walking distance of each other. In the afternoon, cross the Galata Bridge to explore the spice-scented Egyptian Bazaar (~£0 entry). In the evening, treat yourself to a farewell dinner at a rooftop restaurant in Sultanahmet with views of the Blue Mosque and Bosphorus (~£18-25).

🚌Istanbul tram day pass ~£4 (covers Sultanahmet to Karaköy route)

🛏Cheers Hostel or Mia Casa Hotel, Galata — as Day 12

• →Guided Sultanahmet walking tour via GetYourGuide — ~£15-20 (or self-guided)
• →Blue Mosque — free entry (modest dress required)
• →Hagia Sophia — entry ~£12
• →Topkapı Palace — entry ~£20
• →Grand Bazaar and Egyptian Bazaar — free to enter
• →Farewell dinner at a rooftop restaurant — ~£18-25

Your adventure ends in Istanbul. Depending on your flight time, you may have a morning free to explore further — take a Bosphorus ferry (one of the world's great £2 journeys), browse Kadıköy market on the Asian side, or simply enjoy a final çay (Turkish tea) watching the city wake up. Istanbul Airport is connected by metro and Havaist bus (~£5-8 depending on route). If you want to extend, Istanbul is a superb base for day trips to Bursa, the Princes' Islands, or further into Cappadocia.

🚌Hotel to Istanbul Airport: Havaist bus ~£5, or metro + transfer ~£6

🛏Check out

• →Optional: Public Bosphorus ferry crossing — ~£2 (use Istanbulkart)
• →Optional: Kadıköy morning market on the Asian side — free to browse
• →Transfer to Istanbul Airport by metro/Havaist bus ~£5-8