Legenda

Legenda Ltd. (Legenda Kft.) is a Budapest shipping company that runs tourist cruises on the Danube all year from pier 7, on the Pest bank, next to Vigadó tér. It is one of the companies that works best for a first trip on the river: panoramic boats, frequent departures and an audio guide that also speaks Spanish.

Who they are and what boats they sail

The website gives neither the founding date nor the names of the owners, but it says that its panoramic boat, which made its first cruise in summer 2004, was designed from fifteen years of experience on the river and what its passengers asked for. Today the fleet has four boats, all with two decks, with a kitchen and bar on board and with the deck open or closed and heated depending on the weather:

• Legenda (2004): 150 passengers in winter and 180 in summer.
• Delfin I (2006): 120 in winter and 150 in summer.
• Delfin II (2007): 70 passengers, designed for receptions and events.
• Gondola (2018): 160 in winter and 250 in summer.

The glass roof of the panoramic boat is withdrawn in good weather, and the sound system plays the recorded programme in 30 languages, Spanish among them, while a film is shown about the monuments you see from the water.

What they do

The daytime trip lasts an hour and ten minutes and includes a drink; on the departures marked with "+" you can get off at Margaret Island, spend about 45 minutes there and return to the centre on a later boat. In the afternoon and at night the route is the same, with the bridges and the Parliament lit up. The dinner cruise lasts two and a half hours, with an à la carte menu and live music, and has a children's menu for ages 3 to 12. For companies, weddings or birthdays they hire out the boats by the hour: the client chooses the time, the boarding point, the food and the music.

Safety and licences

According to its safety statement, all its boats are licensed by the navigation office of the Capital Government (Budapest Főváros Kormányhivatala), which renews it every year, and are classified as class A1 passenger vessels, with periodic inspections. The skippers hold the river skipper's qualification and the VHF radio certificate, and are in contact with the river police and the navigation control centre. Each boat carries a skipper and a crew member trained in first aid and rescue, as well as life jackets, lifebuoys, a first-aid kit and fire extinguishers.

How to book and how to get there

Booking is not compulsory, but they recommend it if you already know the day and time. They have sold online since December 2009 and also at the ticket offices on the pier. If you cannot go, the ticket can be moved to another day and time subject to availability, but only in person at the Legenda pier, not by phone or online; the website does not publish a refund policy. Groups of 20 or more have a special rate by calling +36 30 944 5216 or +36 30 335 2338 beforehand, and they also sell gift cards.

To get there, the most convenient is the yellow metro line (M1) to Vörösmarty tér: at Vigadó tér you go down the steps towards the river, cross at the traffic light and turn left for about 50 metres to the Legenda signs. At the pier there are few parking spaces, paid until 18:00.