Hungary
Updated October 19, 2026
Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe, in the Carpathian Basin, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia, with about 9.6 million people. The Danube divides its capital, Budapest, into hilly Buda and flat Pest, and the city is famous for its Parliament…
Popular Cities in Hungary
Must-See Places in Hungary
Hungarian Parliament Building
A neo-Gothic masterpiece on the Danube, completed in 1904, home of the Holy Crown of Hungary.
Eger Castle
A hilltop fortress famous for its heroic defence against the Ottomans in 1552.
Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs
Painted Roman-era burial chambers from the 4th century, listed by UNESCO.
Lake Hévíz
The largest natural thermal lake in the world suitable for swimming, warm all year.
Tihany Abbey
A Benedictine abbey on a peninsula above Lake Balaton, founded in 1055.
Szeged Votive Church
A twin-towered church built after the great flood of 1879, on Dóm Square.
Hortobágy National Park
The great steppe of the Hungarian Plain, with herdsmen, grey cattle and a nine-arched bridge.
Sopron Fire Tower
A medieval watchtower above the old town of Hungary's most loyal town.
Must-Visit Attractions in Hungary
Győr, in north-western Hungary, between Budapest and Vienna, with abou
Its old town has squares, such as Széchenyi Square, Baroque churches, palaces and colourful houses with corner balconies. The Basilica, on Chapter Hill, keeps the Herm of St Ladislaus, a gold reliquary bust from the 15th century, and a weeping Virgin icon. The city is home to the Audi Hungaria plant, one of the largest engine factories in the world, and a university. Nearby, the Pannonhalma Archabbey, founded in 996, a UNESCO site, is one of the oldest Benedictine monasteries in the world, with a library of about 400,000 volumes and a winery. Győr has a thermal and adventure bath, Rába Quelle. Insider tip: walk along the rivers at sunset, visit the Basilica's treasury and take a day trip to Pannonhalma Archabbey, about 20 km away, for its library and wine.
Unique Experiences in Hungary
Soak in Budapest's Thermal Baths
Bathe in Budapest's historic thermal baths, such as the neo-Baroque Széchenyi, the Art Nouveau Gellért and the Ottoman-era Rudas, with hot mineral pools, saunas and steam rooms.
Drink in a Ruin Bar
Spend an evening in one of Budapest's ruin bars, romkocsma, set in abandoned buildings in the old Jewish Quarter, filled with mismatched furniture, art and music, such as Szimpla Kert.
Cruise the Danube at Night
Take an evening boat cruise on the Danube to see the illuminated Parliament, Buda Castle, the Chain Bridge and the Gellért Hill, a view listed by UNESCO as part of the Banks of the Danube.
Taste Wine in Tokaj or Eger
Visit the wine regions of Tokaj, Eger or Villány, tasting Tokaji aszú in cellars covered with noble mould, or Bull's Blood in the Valley of the Beautiful Women in Eger.
Swim in Lake Balaton
Swim in Lake Balaton, the largest lake in Central Europe, with shallow, warm water on the southern shore and volcanic hills, vineyards and villages on the northern shore, such as Tihany and Badacsony.
Travel Tips for Hungary
Pay in Forint
Hungary uses the forint, HUF, not the euro, although some tourist places accept euros at poor rates. Cards are accepted …
Buy Public Transport Passes
Budapest's public transport, BKK, is excellent, with metro, trams, buses and trolleybuses. Buy a 24-hour, 72-hour or wee…
Look Beyond Budapest
Budapest is the highlight of most trips, but explore other regions, such as Lake Balaton, Eger, Pécs, Szeged, Sopron and…
Book Thermal Baths Online
Popular thermal baths, such as Széchenyi and Gellért, can have long queues, especially on weekends and in summer. Buy ti…
Watch for Tourist Scams
In Budapest, avoid bars and restaurants where strangers invite you, as some charge huge bills. Check menus and prices be…
Learn a Few Hungarian Words
Hungarian is difficult, but a few words are appreciated, such as szia, hello, informal, jó napot, good day, köszönöm, th…
Must-Try Local Dishes
Gulyás
Gulyás, goulash, Hungary's national dish, is a soup, not a stew, made with beef, onions, paprika, potatoes, carrots and caraway, originally cooked by herdsmen in cauldrons over open fires on the Great Plain. It is served with bread and hot paprika paste. A bowl costs about 2,500–4,500 HUF in restaurants. Try it at a traditional csárda, a roadside inn.
Paprikás Csirke
Paprikás csirke, chicken paprikash, is chicken cooked in a sauce of onions, sweet paprika and sour cream, served with nokedli, small egg dumplings, similar to spätzle. It is one of the most popular home-cooked dishes in Hungary. A portion costs about 3,500–5,500 HUF. Try it in a family restaurant, étterem.
Lángos
Lángos is deep-fried dough, crispy outside and soft inside, topped with garlic, sour cream and grated cheese, a favourite street food at markets, beaches and festivals, especially at Lake Balaton. A lángos costs about 1,500–3,000 HUF. Try it at the Great Market Hall in Budapest or on a Balaton beach.
Halászlé
Halászlé, fisherman's soup, is a spicy, bright red soup made with river fish, such as carp, catfish and pike, cooked with plenty of paprika, a speciality of Szeged and Baja, on the Tisza and Danube rivers. It is traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve. A bowl costs about 3,000–5,000 HUF. Try it in Szeged.
Töltött Káposzta
Töltött káposzta, stuffed cabbage, is cabbage leaves filled with minced pork, rice and spices, cooked with sauerkraut and smoked meat, and served with sour cream. It is a traditional dish for Christmas and weddings, and tastes better reheated. A portion costs about 3,500–5,000 HUF. Try it in winter at a traditional restaurant.
Dobos Torta
Dobos torta, created in 1884 by the Budapest confectioner József C. Dobos, is a sponge cake with layers of chocolate buttercream, topped with a hard caramel layer, designed to keep fresh longer. Other famous Hungarian cakes include Esterházy torta and Rigó Jancsi. A slice costs about 1,500–2,500 HUF. Try it in a historic café, such as Gerbeaud.
Kürtőskalács
Kürtőskalács, chimney cake, is sweet dough wrapped around a wooden spit, roasted over charcoal until golden and caramelised, then rolled in sugar, cinnamon, walnuts or cocoa. It originated among Hungarians in Transylvania and is sold at markets and Christmas fairs. A cake costs about 1,500–2,500 HUF. Eat it warm. Watch it being baked.
Tokaji and Hungarian Wines
Hungary produces excellent wines, such as sweet Tokaji aszú, the red Egri Bikavér, Bull's Blood, from Eger, bold reds from Villány and whites from the volcanic soils around Lake Balaton, such as Somló and Badacsony. Pálinka, a strong fruit brandy, is also popular. A glass of wine costs about 900–2,500 HUF. Visit a wine cellar for a tasting.
History
The Magyar Conquest and the Kingdom of Hungary
Before the Hungarians, the Carpathian Basin was home to Celts, the Roman province of Pannonia, with towns such as Aquincum, now part of Budapest, and Sopianae, now Pécs, then Huns, Avars and Slavs. The Magyars, a semi-nomadic people speaking a Finno-Ugric language, arrived from the east around 895, led by Prince Árpád, an event Hungarians call the honfoglalás, the conquest of the homeland. For decades, Magyar horsemen raided Western Europe, until their defeat at Lechfeld in 955.
Saint Stephen and the Árpád kings
On Christmas Day in 1000, Stephen I was crowned the first king of Hungary, with a crown sent by Pope Sylvester II, and he converted the country to Christianity, founding bishoprics and monasteries, such as Pannonhalma Abbey, today a UNESCO site. He was later declared a saint, and his day, 20 August, is the national holiday. The Árpád dynasty ruled until 1301, building a powerful kingdom. In 1222 King Andrew II issued the Golden Bull, limiting royal power, one of the earliest constitutional documents in Europe. In 1241–1242 the Mongol invasion devastated the country, killing perhaps a quarter of the population, and King Béla IV rebuilt it, constructing stone castles, such as Buda Castle.
Climate & Best Time to Visit
Spring
2–22°C
March to May is mild and increasingly sunny, with temperatures rising from about 11°C in March to 22°C in May, blossomin…
Summer
15–28°C
June to August is hot and sunny, with days of about 26–28°C and frequent heatwaves above 35°C, especially on the Great P…
Autumn
3–22°C
September to November brings warm days of about 22°C in September, falling to about 8°C in November, colourful vineyards…
Winter
-4–4°C
December to February is cold, with days of about 1–4°C, nights below freezing, occasional snow and fog. Christmas market…
Fascinating Fun Facts
A country built on thermal water
Hungary has more than 1,000 thermal springs, and about 80% of its territory has thermal water underground. Budapest alon…
The first metro on the continent
The Millennium Underground, line M1 of the Budapest Metro, opened in 1896 for the celebrations of the 1,000th anniversar…
Noon bells for a Hungarian victory
Church bells ring at noon across many Catholic countries partly because of the Siege of Belgrade in 1456, when János Hun…
A language like no other nearby
Hungarian is a Finno-Ugric language, distantly related to Finnish and Estonian, but not to the Slavic, Germanic or Roman…
Inventors from Hungary
Hungarians have invented or developed many things used around the world, such as the Rubik's Cube, created by Ernő Rubik…
The wine of kings
Tokaji aszú, a sweet wine from the Tokaj region of north-eastern Hungary, made from grapes affected by noble rot, has be…
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