Hungary City Breaks

Spend your days exploring the famous sights of Budapest! Step back in time at Castle Hill and Buda Castle and admire the Crown Jewels at the Hungarian Parliament Building. Witness panoramic views from the dome at St Stephen’s Basilica, Fisherman’s Bastion, and Ferris Wheel of Budapest. See the Millennium Monument in Heroes’ Square and seek out the chilling Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial. Delve into the artworks at Museum of Fine Arts and get up close to 1,070+ animal species at Budapest Zoo & Botanical Garden. Relax and rejuvenate in the thermal waters of Szechenyi Thermal Bath and Gellert Spa. Relish a performance from Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra and the Hungarian National Ballet at Hungarian State Opera House. Debrecan, Hungary’s second largest city, sits 220km east of Budapest, and is your gateway to culture at St Anne’s Cathedral and Deri Museum and family time at Aquaticum Debrecan Strand, Nagyerdei Park’s Water Tower Adventure Center, and Debrecan Zoo.

Visit Lake Balaton to experience wine tastings in nearby villages; swim in the 25°c waters at Lake Heviz at its western end; see Tihany’s 17th-century Benedictine Abbey and Inner Harbour; and relish Siofok’s vibrant nightlife and lakeside discos in the summer. Soak up stunning vistas of the Danube River from the Danube Bend and Esztergom’s Basilica. Meet the challenge of a cycling trek along the Danube Cycle Path through ever-changing scenery between Budapest and Vienna. Travel to Hortobagy National Park in Hungary’s eastern corner to catch sight of diverse wildlife and birdlife, stargaze in the dark sky preserve, and enjoy a horse-riding adventure. Explore Szentendre’s Hungarian Open Air Museum and the spa town of Eger’s amazing Eger Castle. Wander through the ruins of Visegrad Royal Palace on the Danube Bend and Pecs Cathedral in the fortified Old Town of Pec. Step deep underground to see the stalactites on a guided cave tour at the Baradia, Imre Vass, Beke, and Rakoczi Caves in Aggtelek National Park.

There’s plenty to tempt your taste buds food and drink-wise in Hungary’s towns and cities. Traditional dishes that feature on many menus include Gulyasleves (goulash soup), Halaszle (spicy fish soup with hot paprika), Csirkepaprikas (chicken stew with sweet paprika and cream or sour cream), Hideg Meggyleves (cherry soup), Hortobagyi Palacsinta (savoury crepe filled with veal stew), and Fozelek (traditional vegetable-based meal); with Kurtoskalacs (aka Chimney Cake - sweet dough wrapped and baked around a baking spit) and Dobos Torta (sponge cake layered with chocolate paste and glazed with caramel and nuts) for a sweet treat. You can also try Hungary’s national drinks – Palinka and Unicum – with Egri Bikaver, Tokaji, and Torley wines and Dreher, Soproni, and Kobanyai beers popular choices too.