Budapest itinerary advice

Most of the major sites would take 3 days just to walk past. If i had the details of the 2 Viking tours, I could direct you to what they miss. Without that its pretty hard to make suggestions.

The best i have for you is If you aren't doing any theater or music that might be an option if its of interest to you, or a bath house, or the inside of a museum or gallery.

Do remember since you are 65 all public transportation is free and interesting and sort of fun and its a big, big city. So would be helpful to learn the routes a bit.

For restaurants: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/restaurants-in-budapest-revisited

Details of tours:
The Viking tour says: Meet your guide for a panoramic tour, beginning in modern Pest. Along the elegant Andrássy Avenue, admire the National Opera House. Pass Heroes’ Square, a spacious plaza of monuments and statues commemorating the Magyar state. Across the river, explore the more traditional Buda side of the city. Here, visit the Castle District with its massive hilltop castle complex, the turreted Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church. From the heights of Buda Hill, take in views of the famous Chain Bridge. Afterward, enjoy free time to explore the enchanting Buda Hill Castle area at your leisure.

The Walking tour: Meet at Budapest Eye, Elizabeth Square.
Stop At: St. Stephen's Basilica (does not enter Basilica)
Stop At: St. Stephen's Square, View public art, fat policemen with shiny belly.
Stop At: Jozsef Nador Ter, You will learn about the most Hungarian Habsburg and will see the world’s most prestigious hand-painted porcelains called Herendi and beautifully glazed colorful ceramic masterpieces called Zsolnay.
Stop At: Vorosmarty Square (Vorosmarty ter), This great park area for people watching is located at the end of the famous pedestrian street Vaci utca. We introduce you to neo-classical-style buildings the posh Gerbaud café and tell you what Hungarians are like.
Stop At: Korzo - Danube Embankment (Dunakorzo), We show you the first non-Communist statue in Budapest, the most panoramic tramline in Central Europe, the main riverside buildings, the wonderful view of the Castle Hill including Matthias Church, Fisherman’s Bastion, Buda Castle, and Gellert Hill with Citadel. Majority of the above sights are listed on UNESCO World' s Heritage List of Sights.
Stop At: Little Princess Statue, Danube Promenade, Budapest Hungary
Stop At: Vigado Square (Vigado ter), Vigado Ter, Budapest Hungary. This is the place where Franz Joseph’s and Sissy's coronation banquette was held in the XIX century and where the most outstanding Central European musicians like Franz Liszt, Debussy and Brahms were playing.
Stop At: Szechenyi Lanchid, The Chain Bridge. We have a short stop here to learn about the history of Pest and Buda told through the story of the Chain Bridge the first permanent bridge built in the city.
Stop At: Gresham Palace, We show you this exceptional secessionist building built in the golden age of Budapest at the turn of the century and speak about the history and major ornaments of Art Nouveau style.
Stop At: Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szechenyi Istvan ter 9
Stop At: Shoes on the Danube Bank, Id. Antall Jozsef Rkp
End at Parliament Building

Food Tour:
Stop At: The Fat Policeman Statue,
Pass By: St. Stephen's Basilica
Pass By: Liberty Square
Pass By: Nemzeti Bank
End at Parliament Building
I know some of this is redundant, but presumably we'll be eating along the way!

Mr Ɛ 🇺🇸 🇺🇦, the info about free metro is stellar! Thanks! I haven't done a deep dive on using public transport in Budapest, figuring we'd use our feet, but I imagine I will have to get a pass of some kind. I think if we went into a theater, opera or museum after flying all night it would be hard to stay awake! Maybe a museum, if you can recommend an especially interesting one?

If you are over 65 all you need is a photo ID with your birthday. A drivers license will work. Show it if asked.

I will read the tours tomorrow

I read it. The first is a bus tour. Has to be as it goes from one extreme end to the other in town. The second is Pest but skips a lot.

Since you like the idea of the trams and they are free, and since your arrival is in the morning I suggest take a taxi from the airport. 35 min ride about 11.000 forints. After checking in to yiur hotel, and when you are ready:

Walk from your hotel down Kiraly utca (street) to Deak Ferenc ter (square) and take the 47/49 Tram one stop to the Great Synagogue and do the tour. Then back on the same tram 2 stops to the river. Get off and visit the Great Market Hall. Dont miss the fish and pickles in the basement. Now go outsude and down the stairs in frint of the bridge and under the bridge to the 2/2B/23 Tram. Take it left to right. This is the one with the famous views of the Buda castle across the river. 3rd stop, get off and eat lunch, or just sit with a drink and enjoy the views at the DunaCorso Restaurant.

Back on the tram to the Parliament. If you are tired, or it's late, you stay on the tram to its end stop. There, you will find the 4/6 Tram that goes to your hotel. If you still have energy and it's not 6 pm yet, you might want to get off the tram at the second stop behind the Parliament and walk up Falk Miska utca and visit some antique shops. My favorite is the basement of one called Pinter. At the end of Falk Miska is the 4/6 Tram home. Close to your hotel my favorite restaurants are N28 and Cork.

Updated above

Thank you so much for such specific advice! Much appreciated!

Mr E has brilliant advice. We used his tips extensively, along with Texas Travel Mom's. Thanks again, you two!

Only thing I would add: Google maps worked beautifully for us. Say you're at the Opera House and you want to get to the Market Hall. Just google the Market hall, then directions, using the bus icon. It will combine walking and using public transportation, even includes what time the next tram will come along etc. So we just noted the places we wanted to visit that day, and google maps helped us get there seamlessly.

She is correct. It's all i use to check a route someplace.

But the BudapestGo app does a little better job with bus and tram times and pinpointing the stop locations and will notify you if there is service disruption.

Oh, thanks, Joan!

I agree with Mr. Ė about BudapestGo, but I am a little lazy and basically just use Google Maps. I will say, though, that it thinks I can walk Opera to Deak ferenc faster than taking the M1 - so it never gives me the M1 option and doesn’t ask me if I am tired and want to sit instead of walk. 🤣

Thank you to all: Mr E, Joan, Texas Travel Mom! I have travelled in Europe before, but never in Eastern Europe, so I will confess to a bit of first-tune nerves going to Budapest (and on to Bucharest and Istanbul). But great advice increases confidence!

Budapest will be no different than Western Europe except maybe a bit safer and quite a bit less expensive ..... oh and a lot classier and a lot more beautiful ..... did I mention more interesting?

Just spent a week in Bucharest and busses and metro are good. Budapest is easier. Let me know if you have specific questions about Bucharest when your brain gets there.