Hungary Travel Guide.

Sopron and Köszeg in the west of the country are both worth a visit. Sopron has 240 listed buildings including a Firewatch Tower, Storno House and Gothic Goat Church. Köszeg has baroque, renaissance and gothic architecture, which can all be enjoyed on a short visit. With so many places to visit and activities to occupy you, holidaying in Hungary is a fantastic experience.

Hungary Tourist Board: The official website for the Hungarian National Tourist Office – a useful resource for planning your trip to Hungary.

Know Before You Go: Travel advice for Hungary from the FCO.

Things to see and Do

• Hike in Hungary's mountains; popular areas are the Börzsöny, Pilis and Mátra ranges north of Budapest.
• Fish in the River Tisza, one of Europe's premier angling spots.
• Relax in Budapest's thermal springs and medicinal baths. There are over 100 thermal springs and around 50 swimming pools and medicinal baths.
• Try wine tasting in the Szépasszony Valley.
• Visit the caves at the Aggtelek National Park.
• Go bird watching in the Hortobágy National Park.
• Go horse riding on the Great Plain, home to several famous stud farms and regular horse shows.
• Take a dip in the shallow waters of Lake Balaton and visit Siofok on the south shore of the lake which has some of the sandiest beaches and has good facilities for tourists.
• Visit the beautifully preserved baroque town of Eger. It is home to the celebrated Egri Bikaver (Eger Bull's Blood) wine. A great place to explore on foot, it has several protected buildings and monuments and is closed to traffic.
• To relax after all the sightseeing, visit the large thermal lake at Hévíz, which is close to Lake Balaton.
• Visit the historic towns of Szentendre, Visegrád and Esztergom. Szentendre has numerous church spires, and Visegrád has ruins of a 15th century palace and castle. Esztergom has got Hungary’s largest Basilica.
• The country’s northeast has tiny medieval churches and one of the country’s most beautiful cathedrals – the Greek Catholic Cathedral of Máriapócs.
• Enjoy a short break in the city of Budapest. The city is split into two parts by the Danube. Buda is the older part of the city and Pest is the commercial centre with art nouveau buildings.

Festivals and events

• The Budapest Spring Festival is the largest annual cultural event in Hungary, made up of orchestral concerts, jazz, contemporary dance, and film screenings. (March to April)
• The Budapest International Wine Festival showcases the best wine. (September)
• Budapest Autumn Festival a festival of modern music and performance brings contemporary works to the stage. (October)
• Visit the Budapest Art Fair, and delight in the works on art on display. (November)

Time difference

GMT +1