Hungary is a heart-stealer; it will lure you back again and again to sample its rich wines, lounge in its thermal spas, gaze at its birdlife and evocative landscapes and make one more attempt to master its hermetic language. It has all the luxury of western Europe with a Magyar twist and at half the cost. This small country is surrounded by a sea of Slavs, unique for its language, culture and ability to survive. Settled by the Magyars (a Finno-Ugric tribe who arrived via Russia in the ninth century), the country and its people have remained true to their heritage despite Mongol invasion in the 13th century, Turkish occupation in the 16th and 17th centuries, Austrian rule in the 18th and early 19th centuries, and communist domination in the mid 20th century.
Budapest, the capital, is a fantastic city split in two by the Danube. Buda is older, hillier, and more graceful, while Pest is the commercial centre dotted by gorgeous art nouveau buildings. Budapest contains the country's best bars and clubs, and has been a long time haven for writers, artists and musicians. Other centres, such as Eger, Pécs, Szentendre and Sopron, to name but a few, are vibrant cities with rich histories and stunning architecture.
Hungary sharese borders to the north with the Slovak Republic, to the northeast with Ukraine, to the east with Romania, to the south with Croatia and Serbia and to the west with Austria and Slovenia. There are several ranges of hills, chiefly in the north and west. The Great Plain (Nagyalföld) stretches east from the Danube to the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, to the mountains of Transylvania in Romania, and south to the Fruska Gora range in Croatia. Lake Balaton is the largest unbroken stretch of inland water in Central Europe.
The Puszta, a seemingly unending prairie topped by big skies, is the country's defining landscape, but Hungary's outdoor beauty doesn't stop there. There are 11 national parks and hundreds of protected areas to explore, along with Lake Balaton, Europe's largest body of fresh water, a multitude of meandering rivers and thousands of acres of vineyards and orchards. And at the end of a hard day sightseeing, there's no better place to relax than in one of Hungary's 150 thermal spas, some of which date back to Roman days.
KEY FACTS
Location: Central Europe
Population: 10 million
Capital: Budapest
Language Spoken: Hungarian (Magyar) is the official language. German and English are widely spoken by the older and younger generation respectively. Some French is also spoken, mainly in western Hungary.
Country Dialling Code: +36
Currency & Money: Forint (HUF; symbol Ft)
Currency can be exchanged at hotels, banks, post offices, bureaux de change, airports, railway stations, travel agencies and some restaurants throughout the country. Automatic exchange machines are available in Budapest and other main tourist centres. It is possible to withdraw cash by credit card at many post offices. American Express, Cirrus, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are accepted. Credit and debit cards can be used to withdraw money from ATMs, which are found throughout the country. Traveller's cheques are accepted in most post offices and banks. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in Euros or US Dollars
Weather: Hungary's climate is temperate, and the country can be divided into three climatic zones: Mediterranean in the south, Continental in the east and Atlantic in the west. In Southern Transdanubia, summers are long and winters mild and wet. The Great Plain has the most extreme seasonal differences, with cold, windy winters and hot, usually dry summers. In Budapest and Western Transdanubia summers can be very hot; winters are relatively short and often cloudy, although sometimes they can be brilliantly sunny. January is the coldest month, getting down somewhere around -2°C (28.4°F), and July the hottest, hovering around 28°C (82°F).
WHEN TO GO
Though it can be pretty wet in May and June, spring is just glorious in Hungary. The Hungarian summer is warm, sunny and unusually long, but the resorts are very crowded in late July and August. Like Paris and Rome, Budapest comes to a halt in August (called 'the cucumber-growing season' here because that's about the only thing happening). Autumn is beautiful, particularly in the hills around Budapest and in the Northern Uplands. November is one of the rainiest months of the year, however. Winter is cold, often bleak and museums and other tourist sights are often closed. Animal lovers might also want to skip this season: many of the women are draped in furry dead things throughout the winter.
TOP THINGS TO DO
• Hike in Hungary's mountains. The Zemplén, Bükk and Mátra ranges northest of Budapest are popular, with the latter containing Hungary's highest peak, Kékestetö (1,015m/3,329ft). For less strenuous walks head to the hills north and south of Lake Balaton.
• Spend hours wine tasting at the vineyards of the Szépasszony Valley, where visitors can sample the famous Bikavér (Bull's Blood) wine. Due east is Tokaj (website: www.tokaj.hu), the equivalent of Champagne as a wine-producing area. Alternatively, sample some of the country's best reds in and around Villány (website: www.villany.hu).
• Go horse riding on the Great Plain, which is home to several famous stud farms and stages regular horse shows. Take lessons or go on an excursion with riding schools all over the country.
• Relax in Budapest's thermal springs (website: www.spasbudapest.com) (there are over 100 in the city) and medicinal baths. Visit Király Medicinal Baths, which date from the Middle Ages, the historic Rudas Medicinal Baths or the splendid outdoor pools of Széchenyi Baths.
• Soak away the stress in the large thermal lake at Hévíz (website: www.heviz.hu) near Lake Balaton. The soothing waters rarely drop below 33ºC (91ºF).
• Fish in the River Tisza, widely regarded as one of Europe's premier angling spots. Accommodation for anglers is readily available, and guides can be hired if required. Species such as carp, bream, pike, trout and tench are abundant.
• Sunbathe on the popular sandy beaches (strands), or take a dip in the famously shallow waters of Lake Balaton. Take a boat trip and explore the many towns that border the lake shore.
• Follow the tourist trails in Kiskunság National Park (website: www.knp.hu), which preserves parts of the Danube Tisza Floodplain of Central Hungary in seven disconnected areas. Learn about swamps, migratory birds, alkali plateaux and lakes in this biosphere reserve.
• Visit the caves at the Aggtelek National Park, part of the Gömör Torna Karst area of cave systems which extends into the Slovak Republic.
• Watch the birds circle, prance and play in the Hortobágy National Park (website: www.hnp.hu). Around 350 species have been spotted here, including storks, warblers, eagles and herons. A guide is required for visits to some parts of the park, and motor vehicles are not permitted.
TOP THINGS TO SEE
• Visit Budapest (website: www.budapestinfo.hu). Explore Buda's elevated cobbled streets and soak up spectacular views from the Fisherman's Bastion. In Pest admire the Hungarian Parliament, Vajdahunyad Castle and Museum of Applied Arts, or unearth the treasures at the Hungarian National Museum. Take a trip out of town to the socialist statue graveyard, Statue Park.
• Follow the Danube Bend to the historic towns of Szentendre (website: www.szentendre.hu), Visegrád and Esztergom (website: www.esztergom.hu). Szentendre boasts a large artist's colony and a plethora of church spires, the ruins of a 15th-century palace and castle reside at Visegrád, and Esztergom is home to Hungary's largest basilica.
• Visit the delightful medieval hearts of Sopron (website: www.sopron.hu) and Kőszeg in the west of the country. Sopron boasts 240 listed buildings, including the Firewatch Tower, Storno House and the Gothic Goat Church, while Kőszeg's Jurisics tér contains a treasure-trove of baroque, renaissance and gothic architecture.
• Travel back in time at Hollókő, a World Heritage-listed site with around 60 wattle and daub houses and the substantial remnants of a 13th-century castle.
• Discover the country's remote northeast, home to tiny medieval churches and one of the country's most beautiful cathedrals, the Greek Catholic Cathedral of Máriapócs, where the iconic Black Madonna resides.
• Explore the northern shores of Lake Balaton (website: www.balaton-tourism.hu). Discover Tihany's Benedictine Abbey, Veszprém's celebrated Castle Hill and cobbled streets, 10km (6 miles) north of the lake, and Sümeg's imposing hilltop castle and frescoed Church of Ascension.
• Visit the vibrant university town of Szeged, an economic and cultural hub that is also home to Hungary's finest Greek Orthodox church (website: www.szegedportal.hu). Take a side trip to Kecskemét (website: www.kecskemet.hu), a centre for Hungarian art nouveau architecture.
• See the fifth-oldest university in Europe (1367) and the finest Hungarian examples of Ottoman architecture from Turkish occupancy (1543-1686) in Pécs (website: www.pecs.hu). Visit the Cathedral, the Mosque of Gazi Kasim Pasha and the Archaeological Museum.
• Head to Eger (website: www.eger.hu), one of the country's oldest and most colourful cities, which boasts around 200 historical monuments, including its 14-sided Minaret.
• Take in the spectacular ‘five-in-hand' horseshow at the Kiskunság National Park, where riders perform incredible feats on horseback.
TRAVEL TO HUNGARY
Flying
The national airline is Malév Hungarian Airlines (MA) (website: www.malev.hu). From London to Budapest is 2 hours 30 minutes; from New York is 8 hours 40 minutes.
Main Airports
Budapest Ferihegy (BUD) (website: www.bud.hu) is 16km (10 miles) from the city. To/from the airport: Regular coach and bus services are available to the city. The airport minibus runs to and from any address in the city by prior arrangement. The 93 and 200 buses offer an express service between the underground terminus at Kobánya-Kispest and the Ferihegy terminals. Taxis are available at all times (journey time - 45 minutes). Facilities: Duty-free shop, car hire, restaurants and bar, banks/bureaux de change, shops, hotel reservation desk and post office.
Ferry
Few visitors arrive by water in this landlocked country. Minor ports are located on the River Danube. From May to October there is a daily hydrofoil service run by MAHART website: www.mahartpassnave.hu) between Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest. The journey takes approximately 6 hours.
Rail
Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) operates Hungary's rail network; website: www.mav.hu). Direct services connect Hungary to over two dozen European cities including Basel, Berlin, Bratislava, Bucharest, Dresden, Ljubljana, Munich, Paris, Vienna and Zagreb.
Rail Passes
InterRail: offers unlimited second-class travel in up to 30 European countries for European residents (or non-European residents who have resided in Europe for over six months) with two pass options. The Global Pass allows travel for 22 days, one month, five days in 10 days or 10 days in 22 days across all countries. The One-Country Pass offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month in any of the countries except Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro. Travel is not allowed in the passenger's country of residence. Travellers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children's tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from InterRail (website: www.interrail.net).
Eurailpass: offers unlimited travel in 20 European countries. Tickets are valid for 10 days to three months. The Eurail Global Pass Saver ticket offers discounts for two or more travelers, while the Eurail Global Pass Youth ticket provides discounts for those under 26. The Eurailpass Flexi allows 10 or 15 travel days within a two-month period. The Eurail Selectpass is valid in three, four or five bordering countries and allows five, six, eight or 10 travel days within a two-month period. For five bordering countries, there is also a 15-travel-day option. The Eurail Regional Pass allows three to 10 travel days in a two-month period in two or three neighbouring countries. Children receive a 50% reduction. The Euro One Country Pass for Hungary entitles a person to five days of travel in a 15-day period or 10 days travel within a month. The passes cannot be sold to residents of Europe, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia or the Russian Federation. Available from The Eurail Group (website: www.eurail.com).
Road
It is possible to drive to Hungary from all of its neighbouring countries and from further afield. The most direct way route from Belgium to Hungary follows the E40, E35, E56 and E60 towards Vienna; from Vienna the E60 crosses into Hungary at Hegyeshalom, from where the M1 (E60/75) runs to Budapest. Anyone driving from the UK will have to travel via the Channel Tunnel in the UK; website: www.eurotunnel.co.uk).
Bus: Bus connections are available from most major European cities; contact Volanbusz for further details (tel: (1) 382 0888; website: www.volanbusz.hu). Eurolines in the UK; website: www.eurolines.com) runs regular coach services from the UK to Hungary. Coach passes: Budapest is one of 40 cities that travellers can visit with a 15- or 30-day Eurolines Pass. These can be brought online from Eurolines' website.
TRAVEL AROUND HUNGARY
Flying
There are currently no schedules flights within Hungary.
Flying
There are regular services on the Danube from spring to late autumn linking Budapest with Szentendre, Vác, Visegrád and Esztergom. MAHART website: www.mahartpassnave.hu) and Budapest Transport Limited (BKV); website: www.bkv.hu) also operate ferries in the capital's centre, the Roman Embankment (Római Part) and at some crossing points. On Lake Balaton, Balaton Shipping Co; website: www.balatonihajozas.hu) operates ferries between most of the major towns on the lake from April to October.
Rail
Services are operated by MÁV; website: www.mav.hu). All main cities are linked by efficient services and the most popular tourist rail routes are: Budapest-Kecskemet-Szeged and Budapest-Siofok-Lake Balaton. Supplements are payable on express, EuroCity (EC) and InterCity (IC) trains, with reservations compulsory for the latter. The website www.elvira.hu has up-to-date travel, price and timetable information.
Rail Passes
Hungary Pass: available to those who reside outside Europe, the CIS, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The pass offers unlimited first or standard class train travel for five days in a 15-day period, or for 10 days in one month. Available through the European Rail Guide (website: www.europeanrailguide.com) and Rail Europe in the USA; website: www.raileurope.com).
InterRail One-Country Pass: offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month within Hungary. Travel is not allowed in the passenger's country of residence. Travellers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children's tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from InterRail (website: www.interrail.net).
Cheap fares: Concessions are available for groups, children, students, families, pensioners and people with certain disabilities. Children under six and pensioners over 70 travel free. Season tickets are also available. Contact MÁV for details. The Hungary Card (website: www.hungarycard.hu) offers discounts on rail, bus, taxi and MAHART ferry services, as well as accommodation, restaurants, museums and road tolls. The Hungarian National Tourist Office can provide further information (see Contact Addresses).
Road
There are eight arterial roads in the country; all but the M8 start from central Budapest. From Budapest the two main highways are the M1 to Györ and Vienna and the M7 along Lake Balaton. The M3 connects Budapest with eastern Hungary. Generally the quality of roads is good. Tolls are payable on some roads and all motorways. Traffic drives on the right.
Coach: Volanbusz; website: www.volanbusz.hu) services link Budapest with major provincial towns.
Car hire: International and local car hire firms are located in all of Hungary's main towns.
Regulations: Speed limits are 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas, 90kph (50mph) on main roads, 110kph (62mph) on highways and 130kph (75mph) on motorways. Seat belts must be worn. Children of 16 years and under must sit in the rear and child seats are compulsory. It is obligatory to keep headlights dipped when driving, and the use of handheld mobile phones is prohibited.
Emergency breakdown service: Magyar Autóclub (the Hungarian Automobile Club) (tel: 188; website: www.autoklub.hu) operates a 24-hour service.
Documentation: Pink format EU licences are accepted but an International Driving Permit is required if an EU licence is not held.
Town and City Transport
Almost all towns and cities in Hungary have a well-established and efficient public transport system that consists of buses, and occasionally trolley buses. Budapest, Debrecen, Szeged and Miskolc also have trams.
Budapest: Budapest Travel Limited (BKV) operate buses, trolleybuses, trams and underground trains in the capital. Tickets must be purchased in advance and validated for travel. The city also has a night bus service and a suburban railway (HEV). Day passes and season tickets are available.
Debrecen: The Public Transport Company of Debrecen operates trams and trolleybuses in Hungary's second city. Hajdu Volan run Debrecen's bus service.
POPULAR PLACES TO VISIT
Budapest: Hungary's capital with its incredible architecture and rich cultural heritage, deserves its reputation as the 'Paris of Central Europe'. It has a complex identity, somewhere between Western luxury and simple traditions. The city is split into two by the curve of the Danube and broad avenues, leafy parks and elaborate bathhouses occupy its grounds. It also has a turn-of-the-century feel to it, for it was then - during the industrial boom and the capital's heyday - that most of the city was built.
Eger: is a beautifully preserved baroque town with a relaxed, Mediterranean feel. Flanked by two of the Northern Uplands' splendid hill ranges and home to the celebrated Egri Bikavér (Eger Bull's Blood) wine, there's no doubt Eger is worth that long daytrip from Budapest.
Pécs: is blessed with an illustrious past, a mild climate, superb museums and some of the finest Turkish monuments in the country. Lying equidistant from the Danube and the Dráva rivers in Southern Transdanubia, Pécs is certainly one of the most interesting cities in Hungary.
