Hungary is grandeur on the Danube.
Hungary is not often thought of as a holiday destination, but
ask anyone who’s been there and they won’t be able to recommend it highly
enough. It is a small landlocked country sharing its borders with seven
neighbouring countries. Originally it was inhabited by the Magyars, an
equestrian nomadic tribe, and it still upholds its Magyar traditions, culture
and arts, whilst at the same time attentive to what is new and fashionable in
the outside world.
The capital, Budapest, is undoubtedly
what the country is most famous for. It is an intensely beautiful city, with
incredible baroque architecture, and seemingly endless art works and treasures.
Split by the Danube, it is actually one city made of two
halves - Buda and Pest. Buda is the older, more historic part of the city which
is hillier and somehow more graceful. Pest on the other hand is the lively
modern sector, a commercial centre peppered by stunning art nouveau buildings.
Wonderful as Budapest is, there is far more to Hungary than
just its capital. Hungary is also home to historic towns and evocative
landscapes, not to mention quality
wines, rejuvenating thermal
springs, and a thriving arts and
music scene. As a country it has long held a reputation as a bohemian
haven, with cities such as St Andrew's
(Szentendre) and Pecs becoming
home to some of Central Europe's most famous writers and artists.
Hungary also has 11 national
parks and hundreds of protected areas to explore, along with Lake Balaton, Europe's largest body of
fresh water, rivers and thousands of acres of vineyards and orchards.
Hungary’s currency is the Hungarian Forint (Ft). Currency can
be exchanged at hotels, banks, post offices, Bureaux de Change, airports,
railways, travel agencies and some restaurants as well as automatic exchange
machines. ATMs are found throughout the country and all major credit cards are
widely accepted. If you are going to use Traveller’s Cheques, they are accepted
in most post offices and banks but you are advised to take either Euro or US
Dollar ones to avoid any further exchange rate charges.
The Thermal Baths of Budapest
Before travelling to Hungary you should check the Visa and Passport requirements at https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.
