Rich with history, hearty food, a love for aquatic activities and some of the most spectacular architecture in the world, Hungary has plenty to offer and there is much more to recommend it than Budapest tourist information alone.
Our tour comparison Hungary includes a variety of itineraries, and with options to spend time only in Budapest or combine with other parts of the country or continent, we’re here to make sure your travel agenda is complete. Check out our list of must-sees and dos in Hungary!
Exclaim over Hungarian Parliament
The impossibly worded Országház building is enough to make London’s Westminster Abbey jealous. The Gothic revival façade on the banks of the Danube is nothing short of majestic, and is even nobler when illuminated at night. Inside St. Stephen’s Holy Crown is kept pillowed, along with gold-plated chambers in the hexadecagon-shaped central hall.
Enjoy the view in Budapest
The capital is spilt by the river into hilly Buda and flat Pest. Nicknamed the ‘Paris of the East’, where the architecture easily matches that of the City of Light, but with arguably grander bridges and wider boulevards. French Revolution is replaced with Communist rebuild and the Champs-Élysées with Heroes Square, with magnificent results. The Hungarians are very proud of this Queen of the Danube, and for good reason.
Beginner Hungarian lessons
The word ‘Magyar’ is Hungarian for Hungarian – and this is just the first step along the path to learning the difficult language. One of the most important words for your vocabulary will be cheers: Egészségédre!
Become a chess spectator at Budapest’s thermal spas
Buried under Budapest are thermal springs feeding the Art Nouveau bathing houses, where half-naked Hungarian pensioners while away steamy chess contests. The therapeutic cleanse is sworn by the locals, and at night in the colder months, Széchenyi Baths stay open in legendary music ‘sparties’ for the youngsters.
Dance up a storm at Sziget Festival
Every August, Óbuda Island in the middle of the Danube is flooded with European music lovers – a week-long festival spanning every genre from metal to jazz, pop to electronica. It is in fact a festival of festivals, with theatres, circus, exhibitions and Europe’s biggest multicultural bonanza! Welcome to the island of freedom.
See St Stephen’s mummified hand
You read correctly – the Holy Right Hand of St Stephen, King of Hungary, is kept in a dark box in a corner of St Stephen’s Basilica. A visit to Budapest is not complete without a glimpse of this somewhat gruesome site.
Fawn over Fisherman’s Bastion
The beautiful Fisherman’s Bastion is a neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque style terrace overlooking Budapest from its place near the Castle, on the Buda side of the city. This iconic piece of architecture is heavily featured in pictures of Budapest – just as it will be in yours.
Be arty in riverside Szentendre
A popular day excursion on tours from Budapest, Szentendre is easily combined with a trip to the Roman Aquincum ruins. Szentendre is a seductive little town with an artistic touch, and markets hanging racks of dried paprika next to souvenir Rubik’s Cubes.
Visit Central Europe’s largest lake: Balaton
Central Europe’s largest lake is dubbed the ‘Hungarian Sea’, and resorts host traditional gastronomic events frequently, designed to gorge and wash down with bottles of wine from the nearest vineyard. In winter, locals swap their sail boats for ice skates, while fishing for Hungarian carp is popular as long as weather allows.
Visit the House of Terror Museum
The House of Terror Museum is a sad yet fascinating journey through the fascist and communist regimes in 20th century Hungary. The Museum also serves as a memorial to these regimes’ victims, and is a member organisation in the Platform of European Memory and Conscience.
Courtney Gahan is a serial expat, traveller and freelance writer who has bartered with Moroccan marketeers, seen the sun rise at Angkor Wat and elbowed her way through crowds on NYE in NYC
