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Do you have plans to travel to Hungary soon? Great! You can complete that dream travel with the guidance of Go and Europe – The Europeans Travelers Guide, your best Europe travel guide tips that will guide you to the attractions in popular tourist destinations around Hungary.
Hungary makes tourists think of many different things, from the bright lights of Budapest to the small towns tucked into the hills. It is a country with many charming small towns and cities with historic landmarks, ruins, and old buildings. Mountains, lakes, and other beautiful sights in the country make hiking and other outdoor activities possible.
Budapest is, without a doubt, the most popular tourist destination in Europe in Hungary. Budapest is a cultural wonderland that often compares to Prague. It has beautiful buildings, thermal spas that have been popular since the Middle Ages, and ancient sites everywhere you look. The most popular tourist destination in Europe is the old city of Buda, which is on a hill and has the Castle Quarter and the Castle Palace. Exploring here for a day or even just an afternoon is a great idea. But the city’s beauty comes from many different things, like how the old and new parts work together and the bridges over the Danube River, among other things.
If you go outside the capital city, there are many exciting places and things to do. Just north of Budapest is Visegrad, an old town with much history. The Danube, it’s the most popular tourist destination in Europe for a day trip, and the two essential parts are the ruins of a royal palace from the 1500s and a citadel from the 1300s.
Szentendre is close to Budapest and has charming older homes in the Fo tér district, the Blagoveshchensk Church, built in the 18th century, and the Hungarian Open Air Museum, which shows how people lived in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The city of Pecs in the Mecsek Mountains and the city of Szeged, the capital of the Csongrád region, are two of the best places to go sightseeing in Hungary that are further away. Esztergom, one of the oldest cities in the country, is another excellent choice for people who want to get off the beaten path. Tourists might also want to check out the hill towns, some of which even have small ski areas in the winter, to see some of the beautiful scenery.
The official government’s official Italy currency is called the Hungarian forint (HUF).
Hungary is a pretty safe place to go. But criminals are attracted to many travelers, and pickpocketing is common on public transportation and other tourist spots.
The primary tongue used in Hungary is Hungarian.
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Hungary uses type C and type F plugs, with 230 V as the default voltage and 50 Hz as the default frequency. We recommend utilizing a converter for hair dryers and other hot instruments and buying a universal adapter (make sure it has surge protection).
Most places in Hungary accept credit cards, mainly Visa and MasterCard. When you go to a small business, it’s best to have cash on hand because they might not get cards or have a minimum purchase requirement. In this country, it’s free to use a credit card, so swipe away! It shouldn’t be hard to find an ATM if you need cash. Large ATMs owned by banks are better because they don’t have high fees or a scary exchange rate.
The best time to go to Hungary depends on how you like the weather, how many tourists there are, and how much money you have.
Spring and fall are often the best times to go because the weather is nice, expenses are lower, and there aren’t as many people. Any time of year is an excellent time to visit places like Budapest, Eger, and Tojak.
Summer highs in Hungary are usually between 83 and 85 F, which is not too hot. Since this is the busiest time for tourists, you can expect prices to go up, more people, and hotels to be complete.
Winters can be pretty cold, and tourists visit many places, such as hotels in smaller towns, which close down. It’s a great time to go to Hungary if you’re on a tight budget. Just make sure to bring extra clothes and make the trip worth it by stopping at a Christmas market.
Public Transportation
Hungary’s public transportation system is well-developed. In cities like Budapest, buses, trams, and underground systems are the norm. Depending on the town, a single trip ticket costs about 350 HUF and a day pass costs about 1,650 HUF.
You must check your ticket when you get on a public bus in Hungary. Validate your ticket before you ride since it is illegal to travel without a visa, and a fine will charge to you.
Trains
Hungary’s train system is still updating, and the comfort level on local, long-distance and international trains is very different. Most long-distance trips will stop at one of Budapest’s three train stations. The Hungarian rail system builds around the capital (Keleti, Nyugati, or Deli).
When travelling by train in Hungary, you have two options: the cheaper, slower local trains or the more expensive, faster InterCity rail services (if you pick the InterCity train, be sure to secure a seat in the passage).
The train ride from Budapest to Lake Balaton costs 2,000 HUF and takes about an hour and a half. From Budapest to Pécs, the trip only costs 4,000 HUF and takes about two and a half hours. If you want to go to Slovakia by train, the journey from Budapest to Bratislava takes about 2.5 hours and costs 3,500 HUF.
Bus
Volánbusz is an essential bus company in Hungary. It is cheap and sometimes even faster than the train. Flixbus connects nearby countries like Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Austria. The trip from Budapest to Pécs takes about 4.5 hours and costs about 3,500 HUF. The bus ride from Budapest to Bratislava takes about 2.5 hours and costs about 3,200 HUF.
Budget Airlines
Unlike taking the train, flying around Hungary won’t save you time or money. Ryanair or Wizz Air flights to nearby countries like Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland cost less than 18,000 HUF.
Car Rental
You can rent a car for as little as 6,500 HUF per day for a few days, but because buses and trains in this area are so cheap, this isn’t always the best way to save money. You’ll need an international driving permit (IDP) to rent a car if you drive.
This country in Eastern Europe has a strong sense of history and tradition everywhere you look, from its many charming towns and beautiful landscapes to its magnificent capital city, Budapest, Hungary, also known as “the city of lights.” Like Prague and Paris, Budapest has become the most popular place for tourists to visit in the country.
Traditional historical landmarks have kept Hungary’s cities and towns of all sizes from losing their charm. Many show the apparent influence of different cultures, from the Turks who took over to the Italian Renaissance artists.
Some of the most beautiful views in all of Europe can be found in Hungary. The Danube runs through Hungary, so you may see beautiful mountains, lakes, green valleys, and picturesque river landscapes wherever you go. Outdoor adventure sports fans who like to hike, bike, climb, and camp will find many great things to do in these beautiful places.
Make sure to check back often on our list of the best things to see and do in Hungary to make sure you get the most out of your trip to this beautiful European country.
Hungary has a lot to offer if you want a trip that is both relaxing and culturally rich. Across the country, several famous spa towns and institutions provide everything from short soaks in healing waters to extended stays in luxurious spa resorts.
When the Romans were in charge, Hungary’s hot springs and baths got a reputation for being good for your health. In the 1600s, Turks built many of the Turkish baths that still use today.
More than 1,000 springs supply natural and medical spas with thermal and healing water. One of the most well-known is Lake Hévz, whose water is usually 25 degrees Celsius annually. This beautiful place is home to Europe’s largest ecologically active thermal lake.
Visitors to Budapest can get an excellent spa package at the beautiful Szechenyi Thermal Bath (Széchenyi gyógyfürdo), which opened in 1913, and other places around the city. Spending the day at Szechenyi and its beautiful gardens is easy.
In Budapest, it’s hard to miss the beautiful Országház, the Hungarian Parliament Building. Whether you look at it from a tour boat on the Danube (highly recommended) or from Castle Hill on the other side of the river, you’ll be amazed by how grand and big it looks. At night, when it’s all lit up beautifully, it’s a real treat.
The Ministry of Agriculture building and the Museum of Ethnography, both beautiful, are close by. Even if you can’t stay for long, it’s fun to look around the outside and admire one of the essential parliament buildings in Europe, even if you can’t go inside.
If you have time, you can go to the tourist centre and ask if there are any guided tours, as long as parliament isn’t meeting. You can find them in English, and they are pretty good. It will show you more than 690 rooms, the main entry hall, and the main lobby in less than an hour. You will also get to see some of the country’s crown jewels.
People who go to Hungary recommend going to Sopron, an old city. It is famous for day trips because it is close to the eastern foothills of the Alps. It is only 64 kilometres south of Vienna and 8 kilometres from the border with Austria.
Its charm comes from its beautiful setting and the many well-kept medieval and Baroque buildings. With 240 facilities, 115 of which are legally protected monuments, Sopron has one of the most important groups of protected buildings in Europe.
All of the buildings in the Old Town are inside the medieval town wall, which builds on Roman ruins. When you explore, you never really know what to expect because many of these buildings have parts from different times.
From north to south, the beautiful Danube River flows through Hungary. When it gets to Budapest, it cuts the city in half. From the Freedom Bridge, you can see the sunset over the river and Buda and Pest. It’s the most popular tourist destinations in Europe for locals, who can often see watching the show and boats go by from the bridge’s big cables (though at street level).
The Danube River, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe to visit and have fun in the country, is another excellent place to see this beautiful river. Here, the river winds through the heavily wooded Visegrád Mountains before making a sharp turn south (the “knee” of the river) and heading toward Budapest. The area is popular with hikers and people who like to be in nature, and it is also part of some of the best river cruises that go up and down the Danube from neighbouring Austria.
Active travelers like to use the Danube Cycle Path to see how the river winds through the hills between Budapest and Vienna. You’ll see beautiful places along the river like the elegant Esztergom, the Roman fort of Kelemantia, and traditional Hungarian villages like Szigetmonostor. The river runs from Germany to Budapest.
Lake Balaton is the most extensive freshwater lake in Central Europe. It is also called the Hungarian inner sea, which is a cute name for it. It is popular for foreigners and locals to visit because of its beaches and volcanic hills. In Tihany, you will see the Benedictine Abbey from 1065 CE (admission is 1,200 HUF). In the north of the lake, there is a place where wine is made, wetlands, and some of the best hiking trails in the world. Over 1,000 hot springs here are known for being good for your health and helping you relax, and one of the most popular is Héviz Lake; it also has a spa where people can get various treatments. A 30-minute massage costs as little as 2,100 HUF.
This UNESCO World Heritage site is only a few hours from Budapest. It was built in the 4th century. It is the biggest cemetery in Europe, and people can visit several burial chambers, some of which are on more than one level. It costs 1,700 HUF to get in.
Hungary is known for its leaders’ cruelty when they were under Nazi and Soviet regimes. This structure is both a memorial and a museum. It honors the thousands of people who were tortured and killed brutally here. It’s not a fun way to spend an afternoon, but you’ll learn a lot about the complicated history of Hungary. It costs 3,000 HUF to get in.
Hungary is home to more bird species than you might think. Kiskunság, Hortobágy, Bükk, Lake Ferto, Lake Tisza, and the Zemplén Mountains are all great places to watch birds. In these places, you might see great bustards, sakers, imperial eagles, pygmy cormorants, woodpeckers, or even Ural owls. Several companies can set up trips for small groups to these places. Tours aren’t cheap, however. Multi-day tours can cost as much as 240,000 HUF, so if you’re on a tight budget, you might want to go on your own.
One of Europe’s most extensive music festivals is the Sziget Music Festival. It happens every year in August on Budapest’s Margaret Island, right on the Danube River, for a week. Because Budapest is so big and well-known worldwide, tourists and people who live there go to see the sights. There are more than 1,000 performances, so there is something for everyone. Online, you can book your tickets. For a one-day pass, prices start at 24,000 HUF.
This park is on the site of an old stone mine that shut down in 1907. Slowly, nature has taken over, and water has filled the huge gorge. In 2011, the area was named the most beautiful in Hungary. It is a unique place to spend the day because it is a protected area with many individual plants and animals to see. The preserve is in the northeast of the country, close to Sarospatak. It is only 20 minutes from the border with Slovakia.
In the countryside of Hungary, there are more than 1,243 miles (2,000 km) of bike paths, and there are 125 miles (200 km) of bike paths around Budapest. A popular bike route goes all the way around Lake Balaton. If you want to go on a trip that lasts more than one day, the paths in Hungary connect to routes in Germany and Austria. The paths are easy to follow, but you can also take many guided tours if you’d like. Each person pays between 22,220 and 55,550 HUF for a one-day guided tour. In Hungary, you can take a train with your bike if traveling with it.
Hungarian food is both tasty and filling. Take a food tour if you like food like I do and want to try the most popular dishes in the country while learning about their cultural significance. Food Tour Budapest gives in-depth, guided tours around Budapest that show you the best words in the area and explain how they were made. Tours start at 27,000 HUF and last a few hours.
The National Gallery opened in Budapest in 1957 and is in the Royal Palace. It has works by well-known Hungarian and European artists. Many paintings, sculptures, and altarpieces from the 1400s are displayed here. You can also look out over the city from the dome of the building. It’s not a big gallery so you can see everything in a few hours. A person costs 3,200 HUF to get into the gallery, and an audio guide costs 800 HUF.
Eszterháza is a vast palace near Austria’s border and is often considered the Hungarian version of France’s Versailles. The palace was built in the late Baroque style over the 18th century. It was ordered by Prince Nikolaus Esterházy, who wanted a great place to stay when he went hunting. The palace has 126 rooms, and the library has more than 22,000 books. There are daily English tours if you want to see this luxurious place for yourself. Admission is 5,300 HUF, and guided tours are 6,350 HUF.
The Royal Palace in Budapest is called a castle, but it is more of a palace complex than a real castle. Even though it was built in the 1300s, the massive Baroque complex you see today was built from 1749 to 1769. Nazi and Russian troops went through the palace during World War II and stole everything of value. It is now home to some museums. Under the castle is a scary labyrinth that people used to be able to walk through, but it’s now closed, which is a shame because it was incredible!
The towns of Bokod and Oroszlány are about 80 km from Budapest. Cottages and cabins on stilts line the shore of Lake Bokodi, where the towns are located. The cabins and cottages are popular with the locals in the summer months, though some fishermen also spend time here in the winter (the lake is famous for rarely freezing, even though Hungary has cold winters). It’s a destination that occasional tourists visit.
If you like wine, you should go to the area of Eger in northern Hungary. It is where the best wines in the country are made. You can tour, try, and buy wine in many vineyards. A private wine tour and tasting can cost up to 60,000 HUF, so if you are on a friendly budget, keep an eye out for special wine-tasting evenings. Here, you can tour the cellars and try many free samples. The Gál Tibor winery and the Bolyki Pincészet winery are two of the most popular places to visit.
It is the biggest protected area in Hungary and the country’s eastern part. The park was made in the 1970s, and in 1999, it was named a World Heritage Site. The grassy plains, also called steppes, are home to cattle, horses, and water buffalo, which are cared for by traditional herdsmen. Some rarest animal breeds can be found here, including great bustards, lesser white-fronted geese, white-tailed eagles, and falcons. The landscape is incredibly stunning.
The Great Market Hall is at the top of Vaci Utca, Budapest’s most touristy shopping street. It is the country’s oldest and biggest indoor market and was built in 1897. Its impressive outside is made of ceramic tiles covering Matthias Church’s roof on top of Buda Hill, and walk through the aisles and look at the local food and handicrafts, buy local spices like paprika, and try some delicious food. It is a great place to eat lunch, watch people, and buy souvenirs. A two-hour food tour starts every Saturday at 11 a.m. and costs about 9,000 HUF. The market is available from Monday through Saturday.
The Caves of Aggtelek Karst are part of Aggtelek National Park, one of the country’s only places to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Between Hungary and Slovakia are 712 caves spread over 138,000 acres. The site comprises seven parts, five of which are in Hungary and two in Slovakia, which is right next door. Some of Europe’s biggest stalactites and stalagmites can be found inside the caves. You can also sign up for a tour that will take you across the border to Slovakia to see the caves there. You can only get into the caves if you are on tour. It costs 2,200 HUF to get in. Check out the official website to find out more about tour times.
Don’t miss going to the Cave Bath at Miskolctapolca if you like spas and want to be pampered. The water here is said to be healing because it comes from a cave system that is two hours east of Budapest and is full of natural minerals. The water is a soothing 86°F (30°C), and several pools and spa treatments aren’t too expensive. The baths are open all year (except for January), and it costs 3,500 HUF to get in.
This festival is held every year in the town of Mohács on the days before Ash Wednesday. During this time, people from the town dress in traditional clothes and wear demonic masks as they walk through the streets. There are two very different stories about where the tradition came from, depending on whom you ask. One story says that it started as a way to scare the Ottomans away. The other reason is that it’s a pagan way to scare away winter. In either case, it’s a fun festival to check out. Each year, the dates of the festival change so that they fall around Easter.
Budapest Travel Guide Tips
Have you ever been to Hungary, or it’s your first time visiting the country? If so, I’m sure you’ve heard of some of Hungary’s attractions in popular destinations. You have arrived at the right place; our Hungary travel guide tips will give you all the guidance you need to know about this country.
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