Tourist Places To Visit In Hungary

Hungary is a country in central Europe and shares borders with countries like Slovakia, Romania, Austria etc. This landlocked nation is a rich, sophisticated land of ancient monuments and baroque structures, with people speaking Hungarian (a mix of Estonian, Finnish and Siberian with Germanic and Roman roots). A holiday in Hungary will be promising, from the capital city of Budapest to the Lake district Balaton, from Eger to the 'pan-European picnic point' of Sopron. Described below are some of the most coveted tourist places to visit in Hungary, to make your travel planning easier.

The capital city of Hungary, Budapest is divided into two by River Danube and is home to many beautiful bridges connecting one side of the city to another. These bridges become tourist attractions, like the iconic 19th Century Chain Bridge connecting Buda district to Pest. You will also enjoy visiting the Parliament building, the Royal Palace, Lion’s Courtyard, Budapest History Museum and Matthias Church. The Fisherman’s Bastion gives you some of the most sweeping views of the city and Hunyadi Garden houses fountains and bronze statues that take your breath away. Other interesting sightseeing places are Vajdahunyad Castle, House of Terror (former Nazi headquarters) and the State Opera House.

Located in the north of Hungary, Eger is a beautiful city with the tree-lined street of Kossuth Lajos at its centre. This city centre boasts of the County Hall, Eszterházy Károly College and the Astronomical Tower. The city is served by Eger River and houses the great Eger Castle along with thermal baths, Hungarian red wine-making and selling shops and minarets that are the remains of the Turkish rule here. Visit the Gothic Palace of Eger to discover the history of Turkish siege and the aftermath of that siege. The Minaret of Eger is the most medieval northernmost structure of its type in Europe and a must visit. Also, do visit Ráctemplom (Serbian church) and Lyceum.

As the name suggests, this area is settled around a lake. Lake Balaton marks the west side of Hungary and is a major vacation spot with its resort towns, plush hotels, spas, thermal springs, beaches and volcanic hills to explore. The northern shore of the lake is a very fertile wine-growing land and home to many vineyards while the hikers prefer to head to Balaton Uplands National Park. You will also enjoy a day-trip to the walled town of Veszprém with its frescoed homes and chapels. Other places to visit in Lake Balaton are Szigliget Fortress, Tihany Town, Héviz Spa (200 years old Roman baths), Festetics Palace and the coveted Lake caves. Activities like sailing, windsurfing and swimming are quite popular here.

The Hungarian city of Sopron is very close to the Austrian border and boasts of the title of the ‘Pan-European Picnic’ spot, or the place where Iron Curtain between Austria-Hungary was lifted back in 1989. Its heritage dates back to the Romans and the wealth of its baroque architecture and medieval paintings are owing to its beautiful surroundings. There is Lake Ferto as well as marshes and forests surrounding Sopron, coupled with a sanctuary near the lake protecting great crested grebes, wild geese and white egrets. In the town, you can explore places like the Fire Tower museum, Baroque main square (Christmas market spot), Old Synagogue, St. Michael Church and the Mining Museum in Palais Esterhazy.

The ancient city of southern Hungary, Pecs lies close to the Croatia-Hungary border and was also founded by Romans. It was a Christian land later and boasts of some of the most stunning frescoes on church ceilings. You will also be amazed to find that this town also hosts a beautiful domed mosque that is called Mosque of Pasha Gazi Kasim, built 400 years ago during the Ottoman occupation of this Christian land. There are also many Turkish ruins in Pecs, enhancing the haunted art of the city. Other places worth visiting are Zsolnay Visitor Center, The Barbican & The Cathedral and Király Street.

Gyor lies in the middle of two capital cities of Austria and Hungary. One of the most important cities, Gyor is the mid-point between Vienna and Budapest, and marks an important centre on the road though central Europe. The place has historic roots of Romans as well as the Celtics, the Mongos as well as the Turks. It was given the status of ‘Free Royal Town’ by the then queen and became a hub for schools, churches, hospitals and monasteries. It is a university hub today and hence boasts of great nightlife, with youth teeming everywhere. Some places to visit here are Káptalan Hill, Reliquary of King Ladislaus I, the neo-classical City Hall, Bishop’s Palace and the Basilica of Győr.

Also widely popular as the ‘capital city of the Great Hungarian Plain,’ Debrecen is the second largest settlement in Hungary. Home to museums, colleges, churches and monasteries, the city was built in the middle of nowhere, with no readymade roads or rivers for transportation. But the Great Plains made everything possible, from infrastructure to easy transportation. The most famous attraction in Debrecen is the two-towered Reformed Chruch, followed by the main square of Kossuth Tér and the Museum of the Reformed College. The Déri Museum is another beautiful host of archaeological and ancient exhibits of local arts, crafts and artefacts. You will also love a quaint afternoon at the city park of Nagyerdő.