Hungary

Travel to Hungary during spring break to explore this European gem. Walk along the Danube, visit coffee shops and museums, and learn about Hungarian culture and history while in the capital and the countryside.   

This trip starts in Budapest, a beautiful city with parks, walking paths, and museums.  We have arranged private tours of some of the most popular sights, including the newly-renovated Opera House. We will also learn about the history, from the early kings to modern times, to help put what we see into context. 

After Budapest we will travel by private bus to the town of Veszprém, where we have the opportunity to spend time with Hungarian university students. We share meals and talk about aspects of American culture at their America Week conference. Getting to know Hungarian students and their families is often talked about afterwards as the most special part of the trip.

Finally, we will visit the picturesque Lake Balaton on our return to Budapest, where we spend a few more days seeing sights and visiting the marketplace before returning to Rochester.

This program is open to undergraduate and graduate students in all majors.

SPARK Grant:

Qualifying freshman, sophomore, and transfer students can use their SPARK Grant for this short-term study abroad program.

Program Details

Program Dates

Future program dates are to be determined for 2027. 

Program Itinerary

This was the itinerary in 2025. It is subject to change in 2027.

This program takes place during Spring Break week in March, when the weather has begun to warm up but the cities are not yet crowded. We pack in as much fun and adventure as we can, and because of the travel time to Europe we typically leave on the Thursday right before spring break, and return on the final day of the break. Students will need to check with their professors that they are able to miss the classes immediately before Spring Break, but this has not posed any difficulty in the past. We would be happy to work with you on this.

Thursday: Departure from US to Hungary
• Depart from Rochester.

Friday: Arrival in Hungary
• Arrive in Budapest, and travel to our hotel.
• Stroll through downtown Pest.
• Dinner together at a local restaurant.

Saturday: Tour of Budapest
• Breakfast at our hotel.
• Attend talk on this history and culture of Hungary
• Lunch together at a local restaurant
• Tour of Heroes Square and Buda Castle (e.g. the Hungarian National Museum)
• Dinner together at a local restaurant

Sunday: Additional sites, travel to Veszprém
• Breakfast at our hotel.
• Religious Service at St. Stephen’s Basilica
• Tour of Jewish Budapest and the Dohány Street Synagogue
• Lunch together near the synagogue
• Visit to Memento Park outside Budapest
• Travel together by private bus to Veszprém
• Dinner together with local hosts

Monday-Wednesday: America Week Conference in Veszprém
• Attend the America Week Conference
• Meals either together or with local students
• One dinner will be a Traditional Hungarian dinner

Thursday: Return to Budapest via Lake Balaton
• Breakfast in Veszprém
• Travel together by private bus to Lake Balaton
• Lunch together at a local restaurant, and continue to Budapest
• Dinner at the world’s fanciest McDonald’s (other options available)

Friday: Budapest
• Breakfast at hotel
• Discussion of Hungary during and after World War II and a visit to the House of Terror
• Lunch together
• Visit House of Music, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Ethnography Museum, or other place based on interest
• Dinner together

Saturday: Budapest
• Breakfast at Hotel
• Morning at Nagy Csárnok (the Great Market) to buy gifts and souvenirs
• Lunch in town
• Tour of the Hungarian State Opera and short concert
• Walking tour of Pest, including visits to the Memorial to the 1956 Hungarian Revolution
and a memorial to victims of the Holocaust
• Farewell Dinner

Sunday: Return to the United States
• Depart from Budapest
• Arrive in Rochester

 

 

 

Program Costs & Funding

The total cost for this trip in 2025 was $3,200.00. This is subject to change in 2027. 

The program fee Includes:

  • Round trip airfare
  • All hotels and accommodation
  • Most meals 
  • All in-country transportation
  • Museum visits, tours and presentations
  • Travel Insurance

Not Included:

  • Passport (must be valid at least 6 months past the return date of the program). 
  • Some meals
  • Miscellaneous expenses (such as souvenirs, personal care items, etc.)

Funding Sources:

For SPARK eligible students, you will receive the $1,500 SPARK Grant from the Center for Life's Work.

For non- SPARK eligible students, you will be able to receive some funding from the Center for International Education.

Payment Timeline

Payment timeline is to be determined for 2027. 

Views from Abroad

    At A Glance

    Semester: Spring Break 2027

    Program Level: Undergraduate and Graduate

    Program Types: Experiential Learning

    Major(s): Open to all majors

    Language Requirement: None

    Minimum GPA Requirement: 2.5