Why Go?Hungary is just the place to kick off an Eastern European trip. A short hop from Vienna, this land of Franz Liszt and Béla Bartók, paprika-lashed dishes and the romantic Dan-ube River continues to enchant visitors. The allure of Bu-dapest, once an imperial city, is obvious at first sight, and it also boasts the hottest nightlife in the region. Other cities, too, like Pécs, the warm heart of the south, and Eger, the wine capital of the north, have much to offer travellers, as does the sprawling countryside, particularly the Great Plain, where cowboys ride and cattle roam. And where else can you laze about in an open-air thermal spa while snow patch-es glisten around you? In Hungary you’ll find all the glam-our, excitement and fun of Western Europe – at half the cost.

When to Go

May Spring is in full swing, which means reliable weather, cool temperatures and flowers.

Jul & Aug Sunny but very hot, so decamp to the hills or Lake Balaton (and book ahead).

Sep & Oct Sunshine, mild temperatures and harvest festivals; perhaps the best time to visit.

F DNOSAJJMAMJ

Budapest°C/°F Temp Rainfall inches/mm

0

10/250

4/100

6/150

8/200

2/50

0/32

-10/14

-20/-4

20/68

30/86

10/50

Budapest ...................... 379Szentendre ...................398Vác ............................... 400Esztergom ....................402Győr ..............................403Sopron ..........................405Lake Balaton ................407Pécs ............................... 411Kecskemét ................... 415Szeged ...........................417Eger .............................. 421Debrecen ......................425Understand Hungary ... 427Survival Guide .............. 431

Best Places to Eat»» Ikon (p426) »» Padlizsán (p403) »» Imola Udvarház Borét-

terem (p423) »» Kisbuda Gyöngye (p391) »» La Maréda (p404)

Best Places to Stay»» Four Seasons Gresham

Palace Hotel (p390) »» Fábián Panzió (p416) »» Tisza Hotel (p419) »» Hotel Senator Ház (p423)

Hungary

©Lonely»Planet»Publications»Pty»Ltd

378

Hun

gary

Hun

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One»WeekSpend at least three days in Budapest, checking out the sights, museums, cafes and romkertek (outdoor clubs) On your fourth day take a day trip to a Danube Bend town: see the open-air museum in Szentendre or the ca-thedral at Esztergom. Day five can be spent on a day trip to Pécs to see the lovely Turkish remains and check out the many museums and galleries in town. If you’ve still got the travel bug, on day six try some local wine in Eger, a baroque town set in red-wine country. On your last day recuperate in one of Budapest’s wonderful thermal baths.

two»WeeksIn summer spend some time exploring the towns and grassy beaches around Lake Balaton. Tihany is a ram-bling hillside village filled with craftsmen’s houses set on a protected peninsula. Keszthely is an old town with a great palace in addition to a beach and Hévíz has a ther-mal lake. Try to see something of the Great Plain as well. Szeged is a splendid university town on the Tisza River, and Kecskemét is a centre of art nouveau. Finish your trip in Tokaj, home of Hungary’s most famous sweet wine.

ConnectionsHungary lies at the heart of Central Europe and is easy to reach by rail, road or even boat. Rail connections are par-ticularly good to and from Vienna; high-speed express trains cover the 260km between the Austrian capital and Budapest in just under three hours. Rail connections are also good to Bratislava and Prague, with continuing services to popular travel destinations like Berlin and Kraków. Rail connections to Croatia, Serbia and Romania are less frequent, though they’re also reliable with some advance planning. Buses fan out in all directions from Budapest, and nearly all corners of Europe can be reached within 24 hours. Regular hydrofoil services link Budapest with Bratislava and Vienna. Budapest is the country’s only practical destination by air but is well served by commercial and budget carriers.

Essential Food & Drink»» Gulyás (goulash) Hungary’s signature dish, though here

it’s more like a soup than a stew and made with beef, onions and tomatoes.»» Pörkölt Paprika-infused stew; closer to what we would

call goulash.»» Halászlé Recommended fish soup made from poached

freshwater fish, tomatoes, green peppers and paprika.»» savanyúság Literally ‘sourness’; anything from mildly

sour-sweet cucumbers to almost acidic sauerkraut, eaten with a main course.

at»a»GLance»» currency Forint (Ft)»» Language Hungarian»» Money ATMs

abound»» Visas None for EU,

USA, Canada, Australia & New Zealand

Fast Facts»» area 93,030 sq km»» capital Budapest»» country»code 36»» emergency Ambulance %104, emergency assist-ance %112, fire %105, police %107

Exchange RatesAustralia A$1 248Ft

Canada C$1 234Ft

Euro Zone €1 303Ft

Japan ¥100 252Ft

New Zealand

NZ$1 199Ft

UK UK£1 359Ft

USA US$1 238Ft

Set Your Budget»» Budget»hotel»room

9000Ft (15,000Ft Budapest)»» two-course»meal

3500Ft (4500Ft Budapest)»» Museum»entrance 900Ft»» Beer 500Ft»» city»transport»ticket

320Ft

Resources»» Budapest»sun (www.

budapestsun.com)»» Hungarian»national»

tourist»Office (www.goto-hungary.com)»» Hungary»Museums

(www.museum.hu)