Beautiful Hungary

The Danube River flows from north to south, passing through the capital Budapest, and splitting the city in two. Danube Bend is one of the country's most popular recreational and excursion spots. Here the river winds through the heavily wooded Visegrad Mountains. It is an area for hikers and nature lovers. You can get a cruise on the Danube and travel to neighboring Austria.

The Danube Cycle Path is a great way to see the river as the Danube winds through the hills between Budapest and Vienna. You'll pass elegant Esztergom, the Roman fort of Kelemantia, and traditional Hungarian villages like Szigetmonostor.

Esztergom Basilica dominates the skyline of Esztergom, one of the oldest Hungarian towns. It sits on Castle Hill overlooking the Danube River. This impressive Catholic church is officially known as the Primatial Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary Assumed Into Heaven and St. Adalbert. It is Hungary's biggest religious structure and the tallest with a dome rising 100 meters into the air. Among the highlights is the epic altarpiece, a nearly 14-meter-long artwork of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary which holds the record as the world's largest painting. It is also home to Hungary's largest organ built in 1856. English language tours are available.

Tihany is one of the most popular holiday resorts on Lake Balaton. It sits on a tiny peninsula and is a designated nature reserve with the southwestern section closed to traffic, You can explore it along well-marked trails.

A most lovely and impressive landmark on Tihany is the 17th century Benedictine Abbey offering fantastic views of the lake and surrounding area.

Take a walk from the abbey to the beautiful Inner Harbor with moorings for passenger ships and a lakeside promenade.

Lillafured in the Bukk Mountains is a popular spa destination. It is also known for its amazing caves within walking distance of the town. Among the places to explore are the Istavan Cave, with stalactite formations, and the Petofi Cave is known worldwide for the impressions of extinct plant species on its limestone walls.

The trail to Szeleta Cave will provide you with an adventurous hike. Here you can see an amazing collection of relics from the Ice Age.

Take an enjoyable ride on the old narrow-gauge railway through one of the ruggedest parts of the mountains.

Visit the world-class Hungarian Open Air Museum only 23 km from downtown Budapest. Visitors can see traditional life over the ages. The museum is divided into eight sections all connected by lovely walking trails. Some of the highlights are working stables, barns, and workshops. Children can enjoy riding an authentic old steam train.

The historic town of Sopron is located just 64 km south of Vienna, Austria, and eight km from the Austrian border. There are many lovely medieval and Baroque buildings. The town has 240 protective buildings with 115 officially listed monuments, making it one of the largest such collections in Europe.

You can read more about Sopron here:

Visit Eger Castle in the lovely spa town of Eger on the southern slopes of the Bukk Mountains. This castle once protected the gateway into northern Hungary. Visitors can explore the remaining towers and many of the ruins. The town has many excellent cafes and restaurants.

Sts. Peter and Paul's Cathedral Basilica stands in the northwest corner of the fortified Old Town of Pecs. It was founded in 1009 and the original church withstood into the 12th century and then was rebuilt. The church was completely rebuilt in 1891. Here you can see many unique religious artifacts from Hungarian history.

Also in Pecs is the Mosque of Yakovali Hassan Pash with a 22-meter-high minaret and museum.

The Old Town of Visegrad is in the Danube Bend, 40 km north of Budapest. Here you can see the ruins of the Visegrad Royal Palace with many Italian decorations. It has the reputation of being one of the finest palaces in all of Europe. Even though it is now in ruins it offers fantastic views over the Danube and surrounding area.