A Weekend in Budapest
‘Buda’ & ‘Pest’
Hungary
Oldest Country in Europe
Hungary, a landlocked country in Central Europe with Budapest as its capital, is bisected by the Danube River. Turkish and Roman influence on Hungarian culture includes the popularity of mineral spas, including thermal Lake Hévíz. Hungary is also known as the birthplace of many famous people, including Erno Rubik, who invented the Rubik’s Cube in 1974 and also the magician Harry Houdini was born in the country’s capital, Budapest.
Whilst most people only visit Budapest, there is so much more to Hungary, boasting beautiful landscapes, rich history, hearty food, nightlife, stunning national parks, historic city centres, and friendly people.
The Danube is a beautiful river to experience, known as the second-longest river in Europe (the Volga is the longest). It runs through the entire country, and you can see many small towns lined along the coast, and if you have time, you can even cruise into Germany.
You must visit the country to experience its unique culture, of Western Europe and the Central Asian Steppe. There are dozens of cities for you to explore and countless palaces to see, including architectural landmarks and thermal spas.
Hungary is a beautiful European capital that is worth the visit.
THE BEST TIME TO VISIT
Hungary has a beautiful summer with clear skies and hot weather, so spring and autumn are usually the ideal time to visit.
The high season is during the summer months between June and August, and it can get quite busy and crowded with tourists.
Climate:
Hungary has a continental climate, with hot summers, low humidity levels but frequent showers and cold, snowy winters. The average temperature is between 10°C (50-52 °F) to the extremes temperatures of 30°C (85°F) in the summer and −5°C (23.2 °F) in the winter.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Language:
Hungarian is the official language of Hungary spoken primarily in Hungary and Slovakia, Romania, and Yugoslavia.
English is not a language spoken in Hungary except for some tourist areas.
Currency: Hungarian Forint (HUF)
Banks & ATMs:
The central bank of Hungary is Magyar Nemzeti Bank.
ATMs are widely available at airports, bus, train stations, shopping centres and banks.
Plugs and Sockets:
There are two associated plug types, types C and F.
Plug type C is the plug that has two round pins.
Plug type F is the plug that has two round pins with two earth clips on the side.
Hungary operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.
Safety:
Hungary is a very safe country. However, there is a considerable petty crime rate, particularly in Budapest. The most common form of a crime you’ll probably encounter is pickpocketing or bag snatching.
Malév Hungarian Airlines is the national carrier of Hungary and Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport is the airline’s central hub.
The following airlines fly into Budapest:
Emirates, Turkish Airlines, Wizz Air, Lufthansa, KLM, Air France, British Airways, Air China, Qatar Airways, Iberia and Finnair (to name a few)
Search on Skyscanner for great flight options.
Search on Booking.Com for accommodation deals.
