Hungary What to Expect

Horse- and carriage riding, hiking, boating and fishing, observing of many different species of birds, nature-camps (great for kids!!!), craft-fairs.

Balaton - Hungary’s favourite summertime retreat! Lake Balaton – central Europe’s largest lake – offers 200km of shoreline, silky green water and a host of activities for young and old. Whether you’re after thrills and spills or gentle strolls, here you can enjoy life at your own pace. With volcanic hills and vineyards on the northern shore, friendly resorts to the south, and waterfront towns full of character all around, the beauty of Balaton is in its breathtaking diversity. The lake is perfect for family holidays, with safe beaches, shallow water and plenty to keep you entertained.

Head for one of the local spa towns and a warming wallow in the thermal waters of Hévíz or Zalakaros? There’s an embarrassment of riches for lovers of the great outdoors; take to the water for some sailing, windsurfing or fishing, or strike out into the national park for some horse-riding, cycling or birdwatching. And culture vultures can soak in the elegant ambience of Keszthely, visit Tihany’s abbey church or just settle at a pretty hillside restaurant for some fine food and a bottle of the region’s famous wine.

Not to be missed!!!
Balatonfured Wine Festival is held annually in mid August.
Open-air concerts and organ conerts in the Lutheran church during July and August
The Anna Ball

With an average depth of just two—three metres, the summertime water is warm as toast, and the gently sloping beaches of the southern shore represent a reassuringly safe playground.

This is a youngsters’ paradise. While the toddlers paddle and splash in the shallow water, the older children can shoot down waterslides, take to a pedalo, try their luck at fishing, join a game of volleyball or have a bash at wakeboarding, windsurfing or other watersports. Siófok is the liveliest spot. Away from the lake’s edge, water-babies might head for the massive aqua-park at Zalaegerszeg, complete with wave machines and a 300m-long artificial river, or for the more sedate pleasures to be enjoyed at the family-friendly spas of Zalakaros and Kehidakustány. At Tapolca, you can even go for a boat ride on a subterranean cave lake!

The varied landscape and bounteous wildlife provide a beautiful backdrop during a horse-riding tour or a day’s cycling. The Kápolnapuszta Reserve in the Balaton Uplands National Park is home to the traditional Hungarian buffalo. At Keszthely, the girls can wander around the Doll Museum while the boys revel in more bloodthirsty attractions at the Torture Museum. Alternatively, how about exploring the castles at Nagyvázsony, Sümeg or Szigliget, before watching displays of jousting and archery, and guzzling a medieval banquet?

Hungary is afloat on a rich reservoir of thermal water that breaks the surface through thousands of springs, and the Balaton region has more than its fair share of them. If you’re feeling stressed, have nagging aches or just fancy a lick of luxury to your bathing, this is the place to be. Furthermore, you don't need to come in summer – spa holidays can be taken all year round, and make a wonderfully different winter break. As well as enjoying a warming soak, you can also take advantage of a wide range of cheaply priced health and beauty treatments – from massages and mudpacks to physiotherapy and dental work. Put yourself in the hands of the qualified experts, and allow them to soothe your body and mind.

The spa town of Hévíz is nestled on the world’s second-largest thermal lake. The lake is open all year – the mineral-rich water rarely drops below 26ºC in temperature – and in winter you can wallow snugly as the steam rises from the surface. The thermal centres at Kehidakustány and Zalakaros are also open whatever the season, and are suitable for the whole family. Parents can indulge in treatments while the kids splash about in the ‘fun bath’. Zalakaros is recommended for the relief of arthritis thanks to a combination of medicinal baths and generations of expertise.

All these thermal complexes are well provided with spa hotels offering ‘wellness’ packages, and you’ll also find such hotels at Siófok, Balatonfüred, Bük and Tapolca – the latter perched above a deep cave whose humid air has long been known to alleviate asthma. there’s plenty for the wine buff or the gourmand. Take a trawl through the atmospheric cellars that stud the volcanic hills of the northern shore and sample some wonderfully refreshing white wines, before choosing a hillside restaurant in which to indulge in freshly caught Balaton fish and breathtaking views. Those truly in the know time their visit to coincide with one of the region’s many colourful festivals, when you can get a taste of traditional music, dance, crafts – and yet more food and drink!

i lived in Budapest with my family when i was a kid and i don´t remember that much. but i do remember this: the city is AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL!!!! i recently learned that it also has one of the most impressive underground cities in the world (something most locals don´t seem to know and we never heard about while we were there). i hope to come back sometime soon!

Une des perles de l'Europe de l'est.
Les bains publics sont superbes je vous interdit d'aller a Budapest sans y faire un tour se serai trop dommage.
Le palais ou siège le parlement est aussi très intéressant on le voie en passant dans sur les quais du Danube.
Pour les fan de musique en tous genres, l'été, une festival a lieu sur une île au milieu de Budapest (au milieu du Danube) le sziget est un petit peut le woostock de l'Europe.
Un musée de statues de l'ex URSS peut aussi intéressés certains d'entre vous.

Unfortunately don't remember much from my trip there, apart from the fact that the restaurant Gundls was amazing, especially its famous pancakes!

They have great parties in winter when the lake is so frozen that you can walk on it!!! Food is great, try one of their familiar ranches!!

Situated on the Danube Bend, Szentendre makes a great day trip from Budapest. A haven for painters sculptors, wander its cobbled streets visit one of its many galleries.

Try a chicken burger as you dine with the ghouls in the Darkness restaurant off St Istvans

Une des perles de l'Europe de l'est.
Les bains publics sont superbes je vous interdit d'aller a Budapest sans y faire un tour se serai trop dommage.
Le palais ou siège le parlement est aussi très intéressant on le voie en passant dans sur les quais du Danube.
Pour les fan de musique en tous genres, l'été, une festival a lieu sur une île au milieu de Budapest (au milieu du Danube) le sziget est un petit peut le woostock de l'Europe.
Un musée de statues de l'ex URSS peut aussi intéressés certains d'entre vous.

Unfortunately don't remember much from my trip there, apart from the fact that the restaurant Gundls was amazing, especially its famous pancakes!

They have great parties in winter when the lake is so frozen that you can walk on it!!! Food is great, try one of their familiar ranches!!

Situated on the Danube Bend, Szentendre makes a great day trip from Budapest. A haven for painters sculptors, wander its cobbled streets visit one of its many galleries.

Try a chicken burger as you dine with the ghouls in the Darkness restaurant off St Istvans

A most wonderful city, the Pearl of the Danube! Buda and Pest, situated on the two banks, are great, one being mountainous with castles and old mansions, and the other being low with parks, restaurants and nightlife. It is a true spa-city, one of the main attractions being the thermal baths. Make sure you visit the Szecsenyi Baths: old beautiful building (newly renovated), healing water with lots of minerals and micro-elements and fountains/waves/jakuzzi for fun! Can be visited around the year as the water is warm/hot, so you won't freeze even in winter in the open-air pools. Bliss!
Gellert Baths (in Gellert hotel): probably the most expensive baths located in a fancy hotel on Buda side with a pool on the roof. It has separate sections for men and women for those who consider it fun :)
Underground: the yellow line ("Foldalatti") is over 100 y.o. and is the oldest on the continent! It is 11 stops long and runs through the centre of the city on Pest side. There are 2 more longer lines (looking exactly like trains in Moscow!), and a 4th is being constructed now.
Hungarian cuisine is famous for gulyas, paprika and halaszle (fish soup), which I recommend trying in small family-owned restaurants you will find all over the place.
And after a dinner, take a walk in the night city: take Szecsenyi Chain Bridge to cross the Danube from Pest to Buda or back And as you are walking at night, you can see many lights glittering in the sky - they are in Buda hills calling you up to enjoy the panorama of the night city. Go up the Gellert hill and enjoy the purple -pink colors of the city when it is waking up in the morning...

I spent 3 years there and keep coming back. I love the city and hope you will enjoy it, too.

Budapest my lovely city. My big love...!!!its sooo beautiful, amazing, mysterious, and lovely city...I have no expressions do describe that city!!!i love it!!!

Well, right on the border of Hungary and Ukraine....be careful....you know what I mean.

historyczne miasto (57 tys. mieszkańców) na Węgrzech , położone nad potokiem Eger, między Górami Bukowymi i górami Mátra . Stolica komitatu Heves . Znane przede wszystkim z wina Egri Bikavér oraz z powodu słynnej obrony zamku przed Turkami . Uzdrowisko - źródła wód termalnych .

Shopping, history, nature, health/wealth - Budapest has it all. Stay on the most cheap and hip side of the river, Pest. Take at least 3 whole days here. The city is well known for its health care and spa resorts.