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One of Eastern Europe's most beautiful countries, Hungary has a huge amount to offer, from its many quaint villages, fantastic scenery, strong sense of history and tradition to well preserved classical old historical attractions. Wherever you are in Hungary, you're never far from spectacular mountains and lakes, beautiful river scenes and lush valleys. No trip here would be complete without a boat ride on the beautiful blue Danube River.

TOP 8 PLACES TO VISIT

1.BUDA CASTLE

This historic, UNESCO World Heritage Site ranks right up there with Versailles in terms of its majestic proportions and wonderful design. The castle is built on the site of a palace destroyed during the Siege of 1686. Rebuilt in the 18th century for the Habsburg monarchy, the spectacular symmetrical layout focuses on the lovely 61-meter-high central dome facing the Danube. The original medieval buildings the Buzogany Tower and the impressive 15th century South Tower have been reconstructed. Amazing views from the castle can be enjoyed.

2.AGGTELEK NATIONAL PARK

The park is about a three-hour drive north of Budapest in the northern Hungary. The park is home to the largest stalactive cave in Europe.Some part of the park is off-limits to tourist as it is a protected area, tourist must remain on marking hiking trails. The park is a good place to see flora and fauna, tourist can visit the quaint villages within its boundaries. A special cave experience is listening to concerts inside Baradla.

3.HISTORIC SPA TOWNS

The many historic spa towns and facilities throughout the country is offering everything from simple bathing to longer stays in the spa resorts. The hot springs and baths dates back more than 2,000 years to the Romans, who highly valued the healing effects of Hungarian thermal waters. More than 1,000 springs provide medicinal and thermal water to natural and medical spas.

4.THE CAVES OF LILLAFURED

Lillafüred in the Bükk Mountains is famous for its many spectacular caves, all within an easy walk of the town. Explore the most interesting cave, Istvan Cave with its fantastic stalactite formations and the Petofi Cave, famous for the impressions of extinct plant species left in the limestone walls. Take the trail to Szeleta Cave with its relics from the Ice Age, including skillfully made arrow and spears for a more adventurous hike. You can also take a ride on the old narrow-gauge railway through one of the most rugged part of the mountains.

5.EGER CASTLE

The Bukk Mountains. During the 16th century the new design was based on an contemporary Italian fortress, and later more was added when the Turks took over in 1596. The remaining towers high above the town and the many ruins can be explored by tourists. It also serves as a convenient place from which to explore the old medieval and Baroque architecture in the lower town.

6.CATHEDRAL OF ST. PETER

The cathedral founded in 1009 was built on an ancient Roman burial chapel in the northwest corner of the fortified Old Town of Pecs. The cathedral, like so many historic attractions in Hungary, shows influences from many different cultures. During the 12th century the church was rebuilt but again suffered more damages due to Mongol attached. The church served as a mosque and a arms store until it was completely rebuilt in 1891. Many unique religious artifacts throughout Hungarian history, as are a number of graves from the Early Christian cemetery is on display.

7.VISEGRAD ROYAL PALACE

The ruins of Visegrad Royal Palace and the old citadel is located above the old town of Visegrad in the Danube Bend, 40 kilometers north of Budapest. During 1361 the first royal palace was built under Charles I. A hundred year later the palace was extended with many Italian flourishes, gaining it a reputation as one of the finest palaces in all of Europe. The legendary palace was only rediscovered in 1930 and is largely ruins. Incredible views over the Danube and surrounding areas can be seen from the palace ruins.

8.FISHERMAN’S BASTION

Designed by architect Frigyes Schulek and built between 1899 and 1905, the white-stoned bastion is a combination of neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque architecture. It was built on the site of an old rampart and was defended during the Middle Ages by a guild of fishermen. It is one of the city's biggest tourist attractions, and is located right behind the Matthias Church in the Castle District. The bastion is made up of seven towers - each one symbolizing one of the seven Magyar tribes that, in 896, settled in the area now known as Hungary. A monumental double stairway, decorated with reliefs of coats-of-arms and various motifs, connects the bastion with the streets below. An old fish market also sat at this location during medieval times.

OTHER PLACES TO SEE

Lake Balaton
Szechenyi Thermal Bath
Hungarian Parliament Building
Matthias Church
St. Stephen’s Basilica
Great Market Hall
Margaret Island
Gellert Hill – Monument and Cave
Hortobagy National Park
Vajdahunya Castle
House of Terror
Hungarian National Museum
Hungarian National Gallery
Liberty Bridge
Memento Park
Museum of Fine Arts
Festetics Palace
Ethnographic Museum
Museum of Applied Arts
Hospital in the Rock

The best way to get around in Hungary is by bus. Other transport available is trolleybus, train, boat, metro, taxi, tram, hitch-hiking, car and motorcycle.

The best times to visit Hungray are between March to May and between September to November. The climate is always relatively mild, with temperatures rarely exceeding bearable levels. Tourists flood the city in summer, despite it being the hottest and wettest of seasons.