My First Segway Tour in Budapest
My recent trip to Budapest was a blast - I did the Gellert baths, took a short Danube river cruise, strolled around the city taking in the stunning views, and partied until the wee hours of the morning.
One of the other things I did, which was a first for me, was take a Segway tour of the city. Let me just preface this by saying that I've always been one of the people who've made fun of people on Segways, but I had a slight change of heart when I saw a small tour whizzing by one day in Budapest and it just hit me that I had to do it. If anything, it would make for a great blog post!
So I spoke with the Four Seasons concierge and she highly recommended it and said that every guest that has been on the tour absolutely loved it. She called to make an appointment and they were all booked on Sunday, but she was able to get us a reservation after some negotiating with the company.
We chose to do a 2 hour tour of the Buda side, which is the, hilly, classic side of the city with fantastic views of the city. The total price per person was 65 euros with Budapest Segway Tours.
After we showed up and signed our lives away with waiver forms, our friendly tour guide Judith taught us how to use our Segways. They operate based on a gyroscope underneath and it's all based on your balance - if you lean forward slightly, you start to roll. Same with stopping - all you need to do is lean back - no pulling or use of your arms necessary.
In the beginning it was awkward and jerky as I shifted my balance back and forth (and a little bit scary!), but before I knew it I was feeling more and more comfortable and starting picking up speed as we began the tour throughout the city.
Judith ended up being a gem. She was born in northern Hungary, but has lived all over the world and was a great storyteller. While it is difficult to speak while we were in a line zipping through the city, we got enough information about all of the key stops on our tour.
Since we started the tour on the Pest side of the city, we had to cross the bridge to Buda, which was a mixture of fun and fright since it's pretty heavily trafficked. But we managed not to hit anyone (or anything) and came through to Buda unscathed. Plus the day was just perfect - gorgeous and sunny - so we had amazing views of the city and its monuments, as well as the river.
Once on the Buda side, we sped up and down its famous hills, dodging the lumbering tourist buses heading to the same sights as we were. Because of our mobility, we were able to maneuver around them, beat the crowds, and get in and out of places pretty quickly, so we weren't stuck in the usual tourist jam. It was also great to be out in the open air, alfresco, interacting with people, listening to Judith, and just generally getting a better sense of the place than we would have sitting in an overcrowded, over air-conditioned tourist bus with everyone else.
While on that side of the river, we got to hit the major attractions like the Royal Palace, the medieval Castle District, the Fisherman's Bastion lookout point, the Matthias Church, the street with all the famous Bauhaus architecture, and the old Main Square.
All in all, it was a fantastic way to spend part of our day, and a great way to get a feel for the old city. I'm not saying I'm a total Segway convert yet, but you won't hear me making fun of the helmeted hordes anymore.
For a quick look at one of the downhill portions of our ride (complete with Lori's signature hip wiggle), check out this short action video I shot.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.