Traveling to Hungary: a guide on how not to get bored on vacation by deep immersion in another culture. Cheat sheet for tourists: what you need to know about holidays in Hungary? Route by car to Hungary

27.12.2021Heading: Payment

Perhaps it is worth starting from the eastern part - the so-called Pusta, because this flat land is the closest to Ukraine. Translated from Hungarian, the word "empty" means steppe. Imagine: deserted regions, silk grasses, unhurried herds of large gray cows and “ratska” sheep, mirages sound in the air on hot days.

The Hortobágy National Park preserves this peace and quiet, but there are also the beautiful towns of Nyiregyhaza with a huge zoo; the second largest city in the country Debrecen, which since the Middle Ages has been the "Calvinist Rome", a city of students and a thermal resort with a Mediterranean water park, the "city of sunshine" Szeged, is famous for its grandiose summer festival, the legendary "Pik" salami, paprika and delicious fish soup "halasle" ... By the way, Szeged was practically reborn in the 19th century: the majestic Tisza River gave these regions vital moisture, and sometimes its spring waters swept entire cities off the ground.

In the twentieth century, people tamed the obstinate "blonde" - this is how Lake Tisza was born, a paradise for birds and fishermen. The local land is extremely rich in healing thermal waters.

A respected resort is Hajdúszoboszló - "The Mecca of Rheumatics". Gives a stamp? So be it, but the local golden-brown water has been healing people for almost 90 years! We add that it is also a "paradise of vacationers", starting from babies: a huge complex has numerous beach pools and two water parks! Standard water procedures are complemented by local ones, for example, with sheep and goat milk. By the way, most of Hungary's bio-products are produced in the east, from fruits to meat - and it is not surprising, because the sun loves Pustú. And the people here are warm: the Hungarians themselves say that the glorious Hungarian hospitality can be better felt in these places. However, from the border with Ukraine we can head to the north of Hungary.

Eger-tokay - the land of mountains and wine. Mountain ranges preserve unique natural, cultural and historical treasures.

Miskolc-Tapolce with unique cave baths and a huge arboretum, romantic Lillafured with stalactite caves, a narrow gauge railway, Lake Hamori between the mountains and the fabulous hotel "Palota" ...

The local stalactite caves of Baradla, the village of Holokyo, the town of Tokai belong to the World Cultural Heritage. And you will find a diverse creative people Paloczi and Mathieu consolation for the soul and body - excellent wines and healing waters. Undoubtedly, the architectural "pearl" of these places is the baroque town of Eger. But it is also a city-warrior! In 1552, the garrison of the Eger fortress resisted for almost a month in the twenty larger army of the Turks! This feat inspired the writer Geza Gardone to write the novel Stars of Eger and local winemakers to create a special wine. Or maybe the famous red wine "Eger bull's blood" got its name precisely thanks to the Turks: the attackers thought that the defenders of the Eger fortress drink bull's blood, remaining courageous and hardy. Feel the spirit of those harsh times on the walls of the Jaeger fortress, and especially during historical costume games. Listen to the organ singing under the majestic arches of the monumental basilica, admire the panorama from the Turkish minaret - if you overcome its 93 steps. However, you can relax in another attraction of Turkish times - baths. By the way, water contains endorphins, so a good mood is guaranteed. Hungry and thirsty? Well, then, to the Valley of Beauties, up to hundreds of wine cellars, just don’t go over: light local wines leave the mind clear, but the legs are poured with lead, and we have to travel further!

Pannonia is what we call the area west of the Danube, as the Romans called it. There are many architectural, spiritual and cultural treasures here - the ruins of Roman buildings and Turkish mosques, the magnificent Baroque Esterhazy Palace in Fertodi, the majestic thousand-year-old abbey in Panonhalmi, the unconquered fortresses of Köseg and Sümeg, Zsolnay and Herend porcelain, numerous thermal baths in Sarvar, Harkan, Bukua, national natural parks Ersheg and Lake Ferte.

The largest number of architectural monuments, most likely in the city of Sopron. We also advise you to visit the magical city of Pécs in the south. Even in the times of the Roman Empire, there were Christians here - evidence of this is the unique Necropolis, included by UNESCO in the World Cultural Heritage Fund. And thanks to the fusion of nationalities, colorful cultural life, in 2010 Pécs became one of the European Capitals of Culture.

Lake Balaton is worth a separate story. The Hungarians call it their sea - After all, it is not only the largest lake in Central Europe, here the rest is as bright and varied as on the sea. Beaches and rocks, yachts and surfing, wine and fishing - this is just a pinch of what Balaton has to offer.

Along the south coast, the beaches are sandy, the water is shallow and especially warm, come here with the kids! Along the northern shore, the waters of the lake are deep, and the relief pleases the eye with low mountains, the slopes of which are covered with vineyards. Light and fragrant white wines, healing mineral waters, fresh fish and fruits - both mood and health! Almost in the center of the northern coast is a magical place - the Tihany Peninsula. The panorama of the lake is breathtaking, and the aroma of lavender makes you dizzy. An elegant white church stands on a high hill, and near the church there is a monument to King Andras I and his wife Anastasia, daughter of Prince Yaroslav the Wise. Do not ignore the Balaton cities of the “northern capital” - the city of Balatonfured full of charm of the 19th century; Keszthely with the beautiful Baroque Festetics Palace, the "youth capital" of the southern coast of Siofok. Imre Kalman, the author of famous operettas, was born here, so boredom is gone!

During the day, the beach and surfing, and in the evening - foamy discos, conceptual clubs. By the way, the Balaton Sound music festival, one of the best in Europe, is held every summer in the neighboring village of Santod. And the water reflects not the moonlight, but the lights of the stages, and the musical "stars" of the first magnitude convene thousands of fans...

However, everywhere and all year round in Hungary it is never boring, which we sincerely want to see for you, together with our website!

Why did you choose Hungary this time when planning your summer vacation? There were several reasons for this.

I remember that my mother, back in the Soviet Union, went on a tour to Budapest and arrived completely shocked by the beauty and originality of the architecture of this city, and, of course, by the abundance of all kinds of goods in stores, which at that time was not surprising. And somehow it sunk into my soul that Hungary is something unusual, abundant, which is definitely worth seeing.

The second reason: it happened that my very good friend, whom I had not seen for about 10 years, since she moved to live in another country, planned a trip to Budapest for a scientific conference and just in August.
And, of course, an important point was that such a trip could be organized quite on a budget, because. the price level in Hungary is very acceptable, and this is significant in the face of the fall of our ruble.

This is how it all worked out wonderfully!

As usual, we decided that we would travel by car. We have long given preference to this method of transportation, because. there are four of us, we love the road; in most cases, with the only exception (an older child), we perceive it with pleasure, and the advantages of having a car at the target points do not need to be described, this is understandable.

So our route is:
16.08.2014 – Moscow-Smolensk-Minsk
17.08.2014 – Minsk-Brest-Lublin (Poland)
18.08.2014 — Lublin
19.08.2014 – Lublin-Budapest (Hungary)
20.08.2014 – 25.08.2014 – Budapest, Budapest-Vienna-Budapest, Budapest-Santendre-Visegrad (bend of the Danube) – Budapest
25.08.2014 — 28.08.2014 – Balatonfured-Lake Balaton-Lake Heviz-Balatonfured
28.08.2014 — 09/01/2014 – Eger, Eger-Tokay-Eger;
09/01/2014 – Eger (Hungary) – Krakow (Poland)
09/02/2014 – Krakow – Brest – Minsk
09/03/2014 – Minsk-Moscow.

In total, the speedometer turned out to be about 5 thousand km (as always, they set zero, but they forgot to take the readings at the end of the trip).
Visa - Schengen - according to a good tradition, I received on my own directly at the Hungarian embassy. Unexpectedly, it turned out that the registration for the submission of documents was made VERY in advance (more than a month and a half), and after receiving a visa in the winter (just a week), I relaxed a little and fussed only 40 days before the expected departure date. I had to come up with all sorts of tricks in order to have time to get a visa on time and not pay at the same time, not even exorbitant prices, but dozens of times more than all sorts of intermediaries. Such a "joke" is in the case of Hungary for some reason. We must bear this in mind.

I booked hotels through Booking.com in advance, so everything turned out pretty well in terms of price-quality ratio.

Also, from Moscow, I also booked a 5-hour tour of Budapest with a Russian-speaking guide (great! More on that below), bought tickets for a tour of the Parliament (in Russian), and my friend booked cooking classes in one of the Hungarian restaurants in Budapest.

That's all. Yes, guidebooks for Poland, Hungary were also purchased or taken from friends, road maps, music were downloaded and on the road! Hooray! Vacation!

On the way to Minsk we stopped for lunch in Smolensk. It's a bit off the highway (about 30 km), but worth it. An original old Russian city: the Dnieper, however, is not at all the kind that “a rare bird will fly to the middle”, but still !; fragments of the fortress wall, the cathedral, squares - such a very atmospheric city, in my opinion. I have a lot to do with him at work, so we knew exactly where you can have a tasty, not expensive and beautiful meal, take a walk and drink coffee.

Then Belarus and a wonderful track to. In Minsk, we planned one night. We stopped in the very center of the city, rented an excellent "kopeck piece" for very "reasonable" money. Since none of us had been to Minsk before, we wanted to look around a little, to create, as they say, an impression.

The impression was created the next day, before lunch: a very clean, kind of spacious city, in which the Soviet past is acutely felt and the present is quite relevant with modern restaurants, shops, etc.
Further - Brest, the Belarusian-Polish border and Lublin.

We fell in love with Lublin right away.

This is a relatively small town with a rich history, a well-preserved Old Town,

all kinds of basilicas

historical gates (gates)

etc.
We spent a full day (2 nights) in this charming city. They settled, exactly, in the very heart of the Old Town, in the house of construction - attention! - XVI century! At the same time, with a very interesting interior design, modern filling of household appliances, just delight! The car was put in a city parking lot and they did not remember about it at all. We walked exclusively on foot, went through all the streets of the Old Town, looked into the Lublin Castle, climbed the Main Tower of the castle, examined the panorama of the city, and in the evening sat sincerely in a restaurant, in general, the time somehow flew by very imperceptibly - a good start to the vacation.
From Lublin we planned to immediately go to Budapest, but the owner of our apartments strongly advised visiting another small Polish town in the vicinity of Lublin (about 50 km) - Kazimierz Dolny, picturesquely located on the banks of the Vistula, a city that is famous for choosing it for itself Polish bohemia and actively settled there.

Here, the most daring of us (my husband, of course) tried a dish of national cuisine, about which we subtracted in the guidebook, called "flyaks". The guidebook said that it was a soup similar to our hodgepodge, tasty and rich. Why it was written that way, I still do not understand. In fact, it turned out that this is a very, very thick spicy soup, a joyless gray color, the main ingredient of which is ... intestines. True, thinly sliced \u200b\u200band in appearance resembling mushrooms, but ... intestines. Not customary, but .. this is national, I had to try. But in general, feeding in Poland is very plentiful and tasty, and at a price it is quite affordable.
Our question: "Where can you swim here?" - caused the local population at first misunderstanding, and then surprise. It turns out that no one has bathed in the Vistula for a long time. the water is heavily polluted. Like this. And the beaches are so sandy, white, and beckon ...

Farther. It should be noted that in Poland there are very narrow roads passing through a myriad of settlements, in which, of course, there is a speed limit of 50 km / h and a lot of video cameras, so the road through Poland turned into a real torment, took a VERY long time and required our dear driver of remarkable patience and endurance. This, of course, had to be taken into account when we made the decision to take a walk in Kazimierz, but who would have told ... But, as soon as we entered Hungary (already late, late in the evening), we very soon got on the autobahn and immediately broke away.

Finally, Budapest is the goal of our trip. Meeting place with friends!

Budapest is an unusually beautiful and interesting city! I highly recommend to everyone.

Due to the fact that in the history of Hungary there were many periods of all kinds of conquests, in particular, at the beginning of the millennium, the territory of the future Hungary was conquered by the Romans, then in the XIII century the Tatar-Mongols came, then, for more than 150 years, Hungary was under the Ottoman Empire, then under Austrian - in general, all these upheavals, of course, could not but affect the appearance of the city and, inevitably, led to a great diversity in architecture.

As I wrote above, we booked in advance a sightseeing tour of Budapest with a Russian-speaking guide Eduard Surovtsev, called "Budapest through my eyes" - it takes about 5 hours. The guide is absolutely amazing! Didn't regret a second. If someone is going to Budapest, go to his website, you will find a lot of interesting information, processed personally by the author, and if possible, be sure to take at least one tour of Eduard, very, very informative, not standard, just brilliant!

With Eduard we, as promised in the announcement, on his car, looked at Heroes Square,

Photo — Filippova Ksenia

Vajdahunyad castle (this is such a difficult Hungarian language),

Andrássy Street or "Champs Elysees" of Budapest", Parliament,

Royal Fortress, Matthias Church, Fisherman's Bastion,

Citadel, panorama of the city from Gellert mountain.

They formed the main impression of the city.
Our guide spoke about all the sights from the point of view of his experience and the many years he lived in Budapest, it turned out very vividly.
On the same day we visited the Parliament - certainly "one of the most beautiful and majestic buildings in Budapest" (from the guide). Probably worth doing, but from the outside it makes a much greater impression than from the inside. We, apparently, are spoiled by the palaces of Russia, therefore, what for the Hungarian woman who led the tour caused wild repeated delight: the original gilding wherever possible, somehow remained just “for information” for us.

A separate topic is the baths of Budapest or thermal springs. You can't visit Budapest without visiting at least one of its famous baths. We visited two (and more than once): Gellert and Lukacs. We did not go to the most famous Széchenyi baths, because understood that this is the most popular place among tourists and did not want to push.

What is good about such a holiday? After an intensive cultural program on the beauties of Budapest, go relax by taking a variety of water treatments - just super! Usually a ticket to the baths includes a stay there for several hours (morning, evening hours and a day pass are separately allocated): this is swimming in thermal baths (of different temperatures and mineral composition, as a rule), in pools (open / closed), visiting saunas / baths. Massages and all kinds of spas are available at an additional cost. All this happens in the most beautiful interiors, without fuss, hustle, in a word - relaxation and pleasure. For children, for example, in Gellert, there is a pool with an artificial wave - also a complete delight.

Separately, I would like to tell you about cooking classes in one of the restaurants in Budapest.

Our program included the preparation of three dishes of national cuisine. You could choose which ones. We unanimously chose goulash, paprikash and for dessert - an apple pie and some delicious cake soaked in rum, with nuts and cream.
Under the strict guidance of the chef, a charming girl, we have prepared all this very successfully,

for about two hours, and as much as they could, they ate. Cakes were wrapped for us. Such an unusual experience.
It should be noted that these classes did not pass by, on arrival in Moscow I made a birthday present for my husband and cooked paprikash. It turned out original and tasty (according to the guests, of course).

Even in Budapest we happened to visit an operetta. Well, how could one not go if they offered tickets, and Hungary, as we know, is the birthplace of Imre Kalman ... However, the show itself left much to be desired, it was very, very like a village amateur performance, but we noted the interiors of the theater itself with pleasure.

One more thing. Back in Moscow, we were told about a wonderful breed of dogs that was bred in Hungary - puli dogs. That, supposedly, you can meet them only here, and they have an absolutely amazing view. I remembered it all the way, but I didn’t meet anything that fit the description and worried about it from time to time. BUT, we were lucky, and we still met such dogs, here they are:

Photo — Filippova Ksenia

Absolute wonder and charm!

There was also a trip to the bend of the Danube: Santendre - a city of crafts, artists, etc., Vysehrad - a very beautiful view of the Danube, the ruins of the castle - definitely worth seeing (both cities are within 40 km from Budapest).

We had Lake Balaton ahead of us, two overnight stays, with the prospect of going around the whole lake around and visiting Lake Heviz with its famous radon baths.

Balaton is the largest lake in Europe, its length is about 80 km, but the depth let us down - the average, only about 3 m. After reading the forums, I opted for Balatonfured. The resort town is located on the northern shore of the lake, which is famous for its deeper, but rocky bottom. The town is very cute, truly resort.

Our hotel provided bikes, so we rode along the coast, very perky! There are many hotels and campsites for car tourists, if anyone is interested in such a vacation.
We devoted one day to a detour around Balaton along the perimeter (about 200 km) with a stop at Lake Heviz, which is very popular with Russians. The signature feature of this lake is pink and lilac water lilies growing in the water. Nice. Only it is not recommended to stay in the water for a long time precisely because of the presence of radon in the silt of the lake.

And Lake Balaton itself shocked me with the color of the water - such a soft turquoise, very beautiful! The water in Balaton was quite cool, but when did it stop anyone. We swam, sunbathed, took catamarans, and our dad dared to try water skiing.

As a result, an injury to the ligamentous apparatus of the knee joint, but hunting is worse than bondage! Despite the fact that he is the only driver with us ... and ahead is a 200 km transfer to Eger. Thank God, the left knee (we have a mechanic), somehow finished it off. By the way, we were provided with medical assistance in Eger absolutely free of charge, plus a preferential prescription for an orthopedic knee brace. Such is communism in a single European country.

About Eger. This is the north of Hungary, the region of the famous Tokaj. Again, I deliberately chose Eger, seemingly unfamiliar to our ears, to stop. significantly more sights were announced in it than in Tokai. And of course we didn't regret it.

Tokay is, by and large, a village located at the foot of a small mountain, on which, in fact, grapes are grown, from which the famous Tokay wine is obtained. In turn, what is really worthy is the sweet Tokay wines, the famous Asu, for example, and others (it is almost impossible to pronounce the names).

Dry wines turned out to be much better, just in Eger, than we regularly used.

In Eger, we completely relaxed. The ratio of the cultural program and bathing holidays has radically changed in the direction of bathing holidays.
There is a very large recreational and entertainment complex, which includes a large park area, thermal baths, swimming pools, and an aqua park. You can completely calmly spend the whole day (these are especially talented comrades, and we have a record of 4 hours), having fun, relaxing, or you can arrange for yourself sports leisure: there are volleyball courts, a sports pool (50 m), etc.

Of the attractions - Eger Castle, the Old Town, the Eger Basilica - the Cathedral, one of the most prestigious educational institutions in Hungary - the Eger Lyceum (XVIII century), the minaret (a legacy left by the Turks), etc. You can see everything in a day if you set a goal. Unfortunately, the pictures died when transferred to the computer, but in general, very beautiful!
From here we drove radially to Tokai (about 130 km), where, of course, we tasted wine in one of the private wineries.

From Eger, we went in the opposite direction, home. They paved the way in a slightly different way, in Poland they decided to stop already in Krakow, where they allocated around noon to see the sights (not much, of course, but at least something).

In Krakow, it makes sense to take a tour on an electric car, which took us in 2 hours to the most interesting places in Krakow, accompanied by a Russian-speaking audio guide, you can stop wherever you want, go out for a walk, take pictures - very convenient when there is a shortage of time.

Well, that's all, the way back lay again through Brest, Minsk (overnight) and further, without stops to Moscow. As always, we arrived already at night, because. we always use the very, very last minutes in favor of travel.

This is how this trip turned out this time around the wonderful small country of Hungary - very beautiful, very original, with a pronounced national cuisine, and, as, probably, everywhere else, fussy and harsh in big cities, but very welcoming in its province. Of course, I would like to come back! And that says a lot.

P.S. Yes, I completely missed that during our stay in Budapest we managed to go to Vienna for one day (also about 200 km). We took a sightseeing bus tour and drove around the city. Beautiful, very pompous, but Budapest, nevertheless, is nicer and more beloved.

Even novice car tourists can go by car to Hungary, as this country has everything for independent travel. Wonderful European highways, excellent service for foreign tourists, delicious cuisine and a huge number of attractions - your holiday in Hungary will turn out to be complete, even if you don’t plan too much.

What can we say, if planning a route by car in Hungary will take you some time, and you will be able to combine several places of interest to you in one vacation.

The beauty of car tourism is that you can consider several alternatives, so let's choose the really best for you.

Tourist route in Hungary with a base in Budapest

Be sure that your first trip by car to Hungary will be an introductory one. It is impossible to see all the important Hungarian sights in one trip, only sightseeing walks around Budapest can take 5-7 days. Therefore, we will improvise, and it will be easy if we plan all the overnight stays in Budapest.

Our goal is Budapest, it will be the starting and ending point of all travel by car in Hungary. Book a hotel in the capital in advance, choose the option with car parking or have an underground garage nearby. It should be noted that here you will find housing absolutely for every taste and price, whether it be a hotel, apartment, hostel or even camping.

Budapest is good because within one day you can get to many popular tourist places, carry out sightseeing tours there and have time to return before dark. We offer you the following travel options:

to the capital of Austria - Vienna;
to the capital of Slovakia - Bratislava;
to Gyor - a city rich in historical sights;
to Lake Balaton with a visit to the famous resort of Heviz.

Embankment on Lake Balaton

If you plan a seven-day driving route in Hungary, it is quite possible to drive through each point and leave three more days for hanging out in Budapest itself.

Attention! Despite the fact that both Vienna and Bratislava are close to each other, you should not combine trips to these amazing European capitals. Each city deserves to be allocated at least a day to visit them.

You can save a day if you visit Gyor before Bratislava. The town is on the way. A couple of hours is enough to see its main attractions, but if you are a lover of antiquity, museums, spa holidays and water parks, then you need to allocate more time to Győr.

Where to park when visiting city centres?

Planning a route by car in Hungary includes such an important component as parking when visiting cities. In Budapest and other large European cities, when sightseeing in the city center on foot, use only indoor parking.

You will never know in advance how much time you will need for a walk, and if you leave your car in an open paid parking lot, you will not know how much to send to the parking meter. As a result, you will not pay extra or you will overpay. And most likely you will not get the proper pleasure from the tour, as you will constantly look at the clock.

Széchenyi baths in Budapest

Indoor parking differs from open parking lots in that you don’t have to pay extra here - you pay only for the actual time spent. In Hungary, everything is well established and it is not difficult to find good parking near popular attractions.

When you go for a walk, do not forget to take a proven navigator with you and fix the parking place in it so as not to get lost in an unfamiliar place and not lose precious minutes during your vacation.

Important! Never leave your car just on the street unless you know for sure that you can park in this place without paying. In Budapest, on weekends, you can park for free in any place where parking is in principle provided, but on weekdays, parking is already paid.

What to see in Budapest?

The capital of Hungary leaves pleasant memories for all tourists. Even a simple walk along the Danube will give an indelible impression, not to mention traveling by water bus or amphibious bus, visiting numerous museums and just shopping for friends and relatives.

Evening Budapest

All novice road travelers make the same mistake - they miss some important sights that guides will definitely show organized tourists. Let your first tourist route by car in Hungary be not ideal, be sure to plan to visit several well-known metropolitan attractions.

What you must see in Budapest:

Hungarian parliament;
Castle Hill;
Vaci street;
Margaret Island;
Heroes Square;
Vaydahunyad Palace;
St. Stephen's Basilica;
Budapest Zoo;
thermal baths Széchenyi;
the first European subway.

Street to St. Stephen's Basilica

All these tourist sites are good because there are covered parking lots nearby and you will not waste time on public transport. It is possible that you will not immediately find the entrances to the covered garages, so you will have to go around every quarter again. Without nerves, navigating a new place is difficult even for an experienced motorist-traveler, so take it for granted.

Self-guided walking tours in Budapest are notable for the fact that here you will meet many Russian-speaking groups and you can join them if you wish. If the words of the guide do not interest you, you can always leave, but you will already receive basic information about the attraction.

Note! A sightseeing tour of the capital of Hungary can be made on a sightseeing bus, where there is almost always a language service. Many museums conduct Russian-language excursions, therefore, when planning a route around Hungary by car, you need to find the relevant sites of attractions and find out the schedule of excursions.

Options for medical and recreational holidays in Hungary

If a wellness holiday is your priority, there are a lot of opportunities for this in Hungary. Heviz, Miskolc or Hajdúszoboszló are popular European thermal resorts. You can book accommodation at any resort you like, and drive to the place of rest by your car.

Which Hungarian resort to choose? It all depends on the ailments that need to be treated, so your planning for a car route in Hungary will largely include searching for truthful information about balneological resorts, healing properties and the composition of local thermal springs.

Thermal lake Heviz

Since you are by car, the presence of attractions around the selected resort will also matter to you, since the treatment will not be carried out all day. In most cases, motorists choose Hajdúszoboszló, as it is a great option to combine relaxation, excursions and treatment.

Benefits of the Hajdúszoboszló resort:

developed infrastructure, including the most sophisticated travelers;
summer beach complex, water park and swimming pools;
modern car camping;
proximity to Debrecen, the second largest city in the country;
opportunity to organize fishing;
tennis courts, football fields, flying club.

Bath Miskolc-Tapolca

It is really possible to combine holidays in both Hajdúszoboszló and Miskolc. One resort is interesting for some features, the other for others. Miskolc is primarily famous for its thermal complex located inside a cave and an old park with natural lakes and attractions.

On the way to the resort or on the way back, you can plan a visit to Budapest, but you can plan a visit to the capital as a separate trip. You probably already realized that Hungary can become your permanent holiday destination.

Hungary is in the shadow of its more famous neighbors in Europe - from everywhere you can only hear about trips to Prague, Paris or Vienna. But do not underestimate Budapest, this city can surprise you a lot. It has everything you need for a successful trip: centuries-old history, beautiful architecture, incredibly tasty and hearty national cuisine, nightlife, excursions to castles and fortresses, national reserves and parks located nearby, and much more interesting things - you just have to choose a good company and hit the road!

Another undoubted advantage of a trip to Hungary is its cheapness. Even in the tourist places of Budapest, prices compare favorably with prices in neighboring countries, and a hotel and a flight will cost, even at the current euro exchange rate, quite budget. In this article, I will detail how to plan your trip to Budapest, buy tickets, book a hotel, and what to do when you are already there.

Visa to Hungary

To travel to Hungary you will need a Schengen visa. It’s good when you already have a visa, but if not, then you shouldn’t despair and turn to travel agencies. Applying for a visa on your own is not at all a laborious process, which, moreover, will not take much time - thanks to the optimization of the work of visa centers in European countries, you will not have to stand in an exhausting queue. In addition, travel agencies do not guarantee that you will receive a visa, they will only charge you additional money for mediation.

To begin with, I advise you to read the article on our website "", there is also a list of documents required for obtaining a tourist visa. And then go to the official website of the Hungarian Visa Application Center in Moscow or the Hungarian Embassy in the Russian Federation www.mfa.gov.hu to find the missing information you need. There are visa centers of Hungary not only in Moscow, but also in St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg. In some other cities of Russia visa centers of other countries accept applications for a Schengen visa to Hungary. This should be clarified by calling the Consulate General in the Russian Federation.

The cost of a Schengen visa to Hungary is 35 euros, plus the fee of the visa center - 1200 rubles. You must make an appointment to apply for a visa in advance through the website of the visa application center. Then your application will be assigned a personal number, which must be saved somewhere. You can submit an application no earlier than three months before the date of the proposed trip. The official term for consideration of the application is 10 calendar days, but as practice shows, it usually takes no more than a week. You should not count on this, and the sooner you submit your application, the calmer you can then prepare for the trip.

How to buy a ticket to Budapest

You can buy a ticket to Budapest via the Internet, having only the data of a foreign passport (and more often just a name and surname in Latin) and a credit or debit card. There are a great many sites offering their services for the sale of air tickets, just as there are a great many airlines that fly from Russia to Budapest. To sort through this variety of offers, special promotions and airline names, I usually get help from one of the aggregator sites that compare prices for most of the flights available for booking. One of these resources is, with the help of which I will now show you examples of prices for flights to Budapest from Moscow and back. You can right now enter the dates you are interested in and click the "Find" button in this search form below:

By the way, the site, like many others like it, has a number of other advantages - whether it is a “Low Price Map” or a “Low Price Calendar” for those who can’t decide on dates, a vacation spot, or just want to save money. For those who are thrifty, one more piece of advice - when searching for tickets, it is better to mark "+ -3 days" in order to compare ticket prices for neighboring dates.

So, let's go to Budapest for a week - from April 7 to April 14, 2015. gives us the most budget option - 9000 rubles, the flight is operated by WizzAir - a low-cost company originally from Hungary. The flight lasts two and a half hours, without transfers. Direct flights at reasonable prices can also be found with domestic airlines, but other cheap options will most often be with transfers in other European cities.

I would like to remind you that the earlier the ticket is bought, the higher the probability that you have made a profitable purchase - after all, as the departure date approaches, the cost of tickets only increases. The exception is various discounts and promotions held by airlines, but specifically waiting until the last minute is a big risk, and you should only take it if you know for sure that this or that special offer for tickets will be carried out by a certain company. And if you still decide to buy a ticket in advance and already calmly wait for the trip, then be aware that many carriers make tickets available for sale no earlier than six months before the date of the flight. So it’s not worth rushing much - find your golden mean.

How to get from Budapest airport to the city

Getting from Budapest airport to the city is not difficult. Transport links with the capital are established not only during the day, but also at night. There are many options: taxi, transfer, car that can be rented directly at the airport, bus, tram or train. The official website of the airport - www.bud.hu/pyccko/ is available in Russian, and here you can find all the information you need about how and by what mode of transport to get to the city. Prices for public transport from Budapest Airport start at around a few hundred forints, that is, from about 200 rubles per ticket.

How to book a hotel in Budapest

So, you have decided on the dates and bought plane tickets to Budapest. Now you have one more task - to find and book accommodation in the capital. As with tickets, this is a simple matter, and finding and choosing a hotel or apartment can be really exciting. To choose a hotel, hostel, apartment or room, the easiest way is to use sites like or airbnb.ru. How to find an apartment on the second resource is described in the article "". At the stage of choosing a temporary roof over your head, I advise you to read not only the description given on the sites, but also the reviews of the guests. They can be found on the sites listed above, on tripadvisore and on a dozen other online sites. But with the search for the best price, sites like will help, which compare the cost of living for your chosen dates in hotels according to all popular booking systems. Check the cost of hotels in Budapest right now, just click the "Search" button in the search form below:

I will give an example of hotel prices in Budapest for the same dates from April 7 to April 14, 2015 for two guests that I found on the site. In total, the system gave me more than two thousand options available for booking, among which there are both five-star hotels and hostels with shared rooms, as well as less biting prices. So, in all respects, one of the leading positions is occupied by a four-star hotel Starlight Suiten, the price for 7 nights is 33,360 rubles. that is 4700 rubles per day for two. Based on reviews on the Internet, its rating is 9.3 out of 10, and it is located in the very center of the city. Not bad, isn't it? And here is a cheap option for those who come to the hotel just to sleep and start exploring Budapest in the morning with renewed vigor: the two-star Marco Polo hotel, which is also located in the center, but offers us a double room already for 6517 rubles for seven nights, that is, less than 1000 rubles per day. Almost nowhere is cheaper. For lovers of chic and luxury service, Budapest has also prepared several hotels, but here the prices are already limited only by your requests.

Currency of Hungary

The official currency in Hungary is the Hungarian forint HUF. The euro is also in use here, but only in a limited number of tourist places, so it is better to have the national currency with you. The HUF exchange rate against the ruble as of February 2015 is approximately 1:4, that is, you can buy 100 forints for 25 rubles.

Changing rubles to forints in Russia is not easy, and it is useless, it is best to exchange rubles for euros here and go to Budapest with European currency. And already in Hungary, at the airport or, even better, in the city, buy forints with euros brought. There are quite a lot of exchange offices and banks in the center of Budapest, so nothing will stop you from spending half an hour looking for the best exchange rate. The main thing is that in no case should you buy forints from your hands, at best it will be unprofitable, and at worst, scammers will leave you without money at all. If, in addition to cash, you plan to take a card with you, then in order to avoid double currency conversion, immediately take a card in euros, unless, of course, you have one. Cards in Budapest are accepted almost everywhere, so there will be no problems with paying for services and goods.

Weather in Budapest

The winter months in Budapest can be called cold compared to some other European countries: the air temperature from December to February here drops below zero at night, and during the day it warms up to a maximum of plus 7-8 degrees Celsius. In the summer in Budapest, on the contrary, it is hot, although not so hot as to spend the day in an air-conditioned room. Above 30, although the temperature occasionally rises, many people tolerate the heat better than in smoky large cities. Otherwise, the climate of Budapest is considered temperate, which allows tourists to travel here all year round.

Transport in Budapest

Budapest is not a very big city, and yet, sometimes, to get to its remote attractions, you will have to use public transport. The good news is that the transport system of Budapest is simple and does not frighten guests of the city with complex and intricate schemes. The operating time of all transport in the Hungarian capital is from 4:30 to 23:00, except for some bus routes that operate at night.

Here are a few options on which it is convenient to move around Budapest and beyond:

1. Metro. There are four subway lines in the city: red, blue, yellow and green. By the way, the yellow metro line is the oldest in the entire continental part of Europe. Trains run at intervals of 2 to 15 minutes, depending on the time of day. Metro tickets can be purchased at the box office at the stations or in special stalls on the streets of the city. The cost of one trip is 350 HUF (valid for 60 minutes from the date of purchase), one trip with a transfer - 530 HUF (valid for 90 minutes from the date of purchase). Transfer tickets, by the way, must be punched twice: during the first landing and during the transfer. There are also travel cards for 1,2,3 days or for a week, which will be beneficial for those who are going to move around the city a lot. Or you can save a little and buy a booklet of 10 one-time tickets for 3000 HUF right away, just remember that you shouldn’t pull tickets out of it, it is only valid in its entirety.
2. Buses, trolleybuses and trams. This type of transport covers almost the whole of Budapest, and also covers all day due to night routes. Tickets can, unlike the subway, be bought directly from the driver (this will be about 100 HUF more expensive).
3. Funicular. The easiest way to get to the Buda Castle, and indeed to the center of Buda, is the funicular. It works from 7:30 to 22:00 and runs every 5-10 minutes. The ticket costs HUF 1000 one way and HUF 1700 return.
4. Intercity and international buses. Since Hungary is located almost in the center of Europe, it is convenient to get to other countries from it, for example, the journey from Budapest to Vienna, the capital of Austria, will take no more than 3 hours. Buses are also convenient for moving around Hungary itself, for example, for a trip to Lake Balaton. These buses depart most often from the bus stations Nepliget, Nepstadion and Elzhbet Square.
5. Electric trains and trains. Trains depart from three main stations in Budapest: East, West and South. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket offices of railway stations or in advance via the Internet on the website of the Hungarian Railways (maximum one week before the trip) www.mav.hu or here elvira.mav-start.hu.
6. Taxi or car rental. Traveling by car makes you independent of public transport schedules, but it will hit your wallet harder. There are several taxi stands and rental offices at the airport and in the city center, and you can also ask for a taxi service at your hotel reception. When renting a car, it is worth remembering that you need to have an international driving license with you, and your age must be at least 21 years old.

The main attractions of Budapest

Parliament

This is, without exaggeration, the most popular building in all of Hungary. Its images adorn the lion's share of souvenirs, and most of your friends will guess from the photographs of the Parliament in which country you spent your vacation. The best view of it opens from the opposite side of the Danube - from the Fisherman's Bastion, for example. Well, the most curious can also visit the Parliament to see the interior. The cost of the entrance ticket is 3500 HUF.

The majestic fortress, the former residence of the Hungarian rulers, still towers over the city from the side of Buda. There is no such tourist who would not have reached the Buda Castle during his entire trip to Budapest - this is a mandatory point of any route around the city. The interest is also added by the fact that today two important museums for the capital are located within the walls of the building - the National Gallery and the Museum of History. They are open from 10:00 to 18:00 every day of the week except Monday.

This is part of the Buda Castle, which, along with the previous sights, is the hallmark of the Hungarian capital. In addition to the fact that the bastion itself is a well-preserved constituent structure, now it is also one of the best viewing platforms in the city. Another nice point is that visiting the Fisherman's Bastion is absolutely free.

Throughout Hungary, and throughout Budapest, there are dozens of thermal baths where people come from all over the continent - someone to improve their health, and someone just to lie in warm water and go for a couple of pleasant procedures. The bottom line is that you need to visit the baths, as this will become one of the most memorable moments of the trip, even if you just decide to relax there for a couple of hours between "raids" on the sights. The Széchenyi bath is also distinguished from others by its architecture - the pools are surrounded by beautiful baroque facades.

This is one of the most relaxing parks in Budapest, which, in addition, can be called a botanical garden. In addition to walking, you can visit the museum, which is located in the Vajdahunyad castle, which is in the park, or walk to the statue of Anonymous, an unknown Hungarian chronicler.

A country where the legacy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire coexists with ruined bars, European purposefulness is complemented by Balkan openness, and cozy peaceful Buda combines with bustling and rich Pest to form the most beautiful city on the Danube - Budapest. Majestic and democratic - Hungary is just that. Why is it worth taking a swimsuit to this country without the sea, and why is goulash not at all the dish you think of? Look for answers in the material prepared Traveling. by together with the specialists of the tour operator "Mouzenidis Travel".

Experienced travelers who once visited Hungary are fiercely arguing over two issues. First: which city is more beautiful - Prague or Budapest. And most often Budapest wins. Second: which part of Budapest is better - Pest or still Buda. Two old towns, separated by the Danube, united quite recently - a little less than 150 years ago. But these lands were seen by the ancient Romans - it was the Romans who laid the stones in the foundation of the very first baths, having discovered thermal springs in these places. As history has shown, the Romans had an excellent instinct - today in Hungary more than one and a half thousand thermal springs are known, tourists from all over the world fly to the local healing waters of Lake Heviz, the resorts of Hajdúszoboszló, Miskolc-Tapolca, Zalakaros, Tapolca, Sarvar took a place on the tourist Olympus as one of the best health resorts in Europe.

But one and a half thousand sources may seem like a joke in comparison with almost four thousand castles, very different, not similar to one another: the neo-Gothic Brunsvik, located at the foot of the Köszeg Alps, the century-old Vajdahunyad ... Plan your trip to visit at least five Hungarian fortresses - and along with with them you will see that lovely provincial Hungary that you can miss behind the stunning views of the Parliament from the board of the boat on the Danube River, behind the museums and old streets of Budapest.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU TRIP

There is a myth that it is difficult to find a common language with Hungarians. But its appearance can be explained not by the closed nature of people, but by the language barrier - the Hungarian language is reputed to be one of the most difficult to learn, while not all residents of this country speak English. Although recently the situation has been changing for the better - every fifth person speaks English. And if your new acquaintance speaks well in a foreign language, then be sure that already at the second meeting he will invite you to visit, he will be open and sociable. Hungarians appreciate everything related to the family, they are loyal and reliable. If they began to tell you about your family and show photos, then this means that you are trusted and allowed into a close circle.

Hungarians are not easy-going and yet they will support you in your ideas, they will gladly keep you company and take you to their favorite bath or ruin bar.

Things to remember: smoking and drinking alcohol in Hungary is prohibited on the street, in public places, including restaurants - an impressive fine awaits you for this.

HOW TO GET TO HUNGARY

Between Minsk and Budapest there is a direct flight of the Belavia airline. The flight operates three times a week on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays. Travel time is 1 hour 45 minutes.

VISA TO HUNGARY

To visit Hungary, Belarusians need to apply for a Schengen visa. There will be no difficulties with obtaining it - the Hungarian embassy is located in Minsk at the address. Platonova, 1B, the visa application is also handled by the Visa Application Center of Hungary at the address. Railway, 33.

7 things to do in Budapest:

1. Ride the tram number 2 along the Danube embankment, which is under the protection of UNESCO, and get off at the stop near the largest building in Hungary - the Parliament, built in neo-Gothic style on the model of the Palace of Westminster),

2. Walk along Andrassy Avenue, appreciating its Art Nouveau architecture, and then dive into any courtyard and see another Budapest,

3. Play chess with pensioners in the outdoor pool of the Széchenyi baths. And then visit the Rudas, Kiraly, Lukacs baths and choose your favorite,

4. Visit Szimpla, one of the most popular ruin bars in Budapest, which turns into a farmer's market every Saturday morning,

5. Take a look at Memento Park, where after the departure of the Soviet government, all city monuments reminiscent of this historical period were transferred,

6. Take a blanket, sandwiches and climb Gellert Hill, from where you can enjoy the best view of Budapest,

7. Visit the Budapest Zoo - one of the oldest zoos in Europe.

SHOPPING AND EXCHANGE IN HUNGARY

Hungary is not the kind of country where you should go shopping malls. If you are in Hungary, go to the market! Best of all - to the Central Market of Budapest, which contains "three in one": historical value as an architectural landmark, a market with all kinds of shops and shops on the ground floor and a cafe on the second. Be sure to go up to the second floor for lunch - here you will be treated to dishes prepared from fresh products that have just been brought by farmers. Yes, the very ones that sell their products on the first floor.

What is worth buying in Hungary?

rosemary,
foie gras (Hungary has the right, along with France, to produce this delicacy using a special technology),
paprika
Tokay,
fruit vodka "palinka",
marzipan figurines,
herbal balm "Unicum",
halash lace,
Rubik's cube (a symbolic souvenir, because the Rubik's cube was invented in Hungary!).

If the markets don't satisfy your shopping cravings, then you can head to the shopping malls of Budapest - West And City Center (over 500 boutiques!), Mamut (over 700 boutiques!) or Arkad (over 700 boutiques!).

The national currency of Hungary is the Hungarian forint (HUF). Currency should be changed at special exchange offices. There is a small fee for the operation.

CUISINE OF HUNGARY

Hungarian cuisine is spicy, hearty, rich in flavors and aromas. The favorite spice of Hungarian housewives is paprika - a sweetish red pepper seasoning with a noticeable bitterness. Hostesses generously add it to lecho, paprikash, halasele soup (reminiscent of fish soup) and, of course, goulash.

Hungarian goulash is the talk of the town among tourists, especially from post-Soviet countries. After all, many of us are used to the fact that goulash is meat with gravy. But Hungarian goulash - remember! This is soup and only soup. And you should not check with the waiter - whether he served you a dish. Another dish that is cooked amazingly in Hungary is trout. It is grown here, in the mountain lakes of Hungary.

Gundel is considered one of the most famous restaurants in Budapest, but be sure that you will be treated to excellent authentic cuisine in almost any Hungarian chard.

The best fast food snack during a walk through castles and museums will be langosh - a flatbread with various fillings, more often with cheese. Try different types in different places and pick your favorite. But they say that the owner of Retro Bufe near the Basilica of St. Stephen prepares langos to the conscience.

No dinner in Hungary is complete without wine from the Eger or Tokaj valleys. It was Tokay wine that Louis XIV, a well-known connoisseur of this noble drink, called "the king of wines and the wine of kings." But do not deny yourself the pleasure of tasting Badachoni Riesling or Surkebarat, Kekniel or Ottonell Mushkotay, take a bottle of Medina or Cabarnet Franc with you. It is best to taste and buy wines directly in the vineyards - wine tours in Hungary are very popular.

For sweets, indulge in a chestnut mass with cream, and if you want something more classic, then take a piece of Dabosh cake, a retesh roll or just a strudel - the heritage of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, amazingly embodied in a piece of apple pie.

GUIDE TO CITIES AND RESORTS IN HUNGARY

Budapest

The only European resort capital, a city of baths and ruin bars, Budapest makes tourists fall in love with it at first sight. In this, the majestic Parliament building, St. Stephen's Basilica, where you should definitely go up to the observation deck, the two-hundred-year-old Chain Bridge, the Royal Palace and the Fisherman's Bastion, come to his aid. A control shot right in the heart is a night boat trip along the Danube, when the capital is reflected in the waters with all the lights, appearing before your astonished gaze in its grandeur.

A special place in Budapest, in its very heart, is Margaret Island. There are not only chic hotel complexes with thermal waters, but also a practically protected park, where you can safely walk, enjoying the silence, desertedness and beauty of nature. If you are a fan of long city walks, then you should choose one of the economical hotels in the center of Budapest.

City Hotel Atlas 3 *, breakfasts - from 420 EUR,
Kings Hotel 3 *, breakfasts - from 425 EUR,
City Hotel Ring 3 *, breakfasts - from 425 EUR,
City Hotel Matyas 3*, breakfasts - from 455 EUR*.

HOTELS IN BUDAPEST

When choosing a hotel in Budapest, decide on your plans - do you want fun evenings among the crowds of tourists or quiet walks near mountains and forests, in the fresh air? In the first case, you should choose accommodation in Pest, in the second - in Buda. In addition, hotels in Budapest can be divided into two categories: thermal and non-thermal complex.

Action from the company "Mouzenidis Travel"!

Sightseeing tour of Budapest as a gift when booking accommodation in the following hotels (program "Eureka! Epochs and Treasures of Budapest"):

Hungaria Hotel City Center 4*, breakfasts – from 470 EUR,
Benczur 3*, breakfasts – from 488 EUR,
Ibis Heroes Square 3*, breakfasts – from 492 EUR,
Danubius HSR Helia 4* (with health and wellness complex), breakfasts – from 540 EUR,
Mercure Budapest City Center 4*, breakfasts – from 565 EUR,
Dabubius Health Spa Resort Margitsziget 4* (the best health and wellness center in Europe with its own thermal spring), breakfasts – from 565 EUR*.

If you wish, you can order additional excursions and create an excursion program along your unique route - the specialists of Mouzenidis Travel will help you with this.

Heviz

Heviz is a lake with healing water, around which a resort area has formed, a small European town with clean streets and a measured rhythm of life. The water in Heviz warms up to +38 degrees in summer, and up to +22 in winter. There is no greater pleasure than on a frosty day from warm water to watch steam swirling over its surface and snowflakes that do not have time to reach the lake, melting in the air.

Thanks to underground sources, the water in the lake is completely renewed in two days and there are practically no such ailments that it cannot cure.

Palace Hotel Heviz 4 *, breakfasts - from 665 EUR,
Hunguest Hotel Panorama 3 * , breakfasts + dinners - from 740 EUR,
Danubius Health Spa Resort Heviz 4*

*Tour price per person based on double room stay, 6 nights/7 days, airfare included

Balaton

Balaton is the largest freshwater lake in Central Europe, the shores of which are “overgrown” with small cozy resorts: Tapolca, Santod, Keszthely, Siofok, Fonyod… Some of them have sanatoriums with mineral springs. Thanks to this, rest at Balaton can be combined with recovery. That is why Europeans love this lake-resort so much - large families come here on vacation.

In summer, Balaton perfectly replaces the sea, which is not in Hungary: the southern coast is equipped with sun loungers, those who wish to play beach volleyball, swim, take sunbaths.

Hajdúszoboszló

One of the most popular resort centers in Hungary - Hajdúszoboszló won such love thanks to the warm healing water that rises from a depth of 1100 meters. You can safely go here with your children - the resort has the largest water park in Hungary.

In addition, the city hosts music and gastronomic festivals, there are a lot of attractions, and the Hortobad steppe national park is located very close.

Hunguest Hotel Hoforras 3 * , breakfasts + dinners - from 507 EUR,
Silver Hotel 4 * +, breakfasts + dinners - from 615 EUR,
Hunguest Hotel Apollо 4 *, breakfasts + dinners - from 695 EUR,
Aqua–Sol Hotel 4*, breakfasts+dinners – from 825 EUR*.

*Tour price per person based on double room stay, 6 nights/7 days, airfare included.

ENTERTAINMENT IN HUNGARY

When you have tried the warm waters of the baths, your favorite wine has been chosen, the castles have been inspected, there will still be a lot of everything in Hungary that can interest you. A few years ago, the country loudly announced itself with the Sziget international festival - today musical youth from all over the world flock to it. Every year Hungary grows with interesting events - be it a gastronomic holiday or an art festival. But after a few days in the capital, you will definitely want something else, so you should include in your itinerary a visit to the Bend of the Danube - a place where the river abruptly changes its direction, along the banks there are such picturesque towns as Esztergom, Szentendre or Vysehrad. And without visiting the vineyards of the Tokay Valley, consider that you have not been to Hungary at all and have not tasted its best gifts.