Facts
you should know about Hungary before you plan your trip
Welcome to
Budapest & Hungary
Stunning
architecture, vital folk art, thermal spas and Europe's most exciting city
after dark are the major drawcards of Hungary and its capital, Budapest.
Super Structures
The beauty of
both Hungary and Budapest is not all God-given; humankind has played a role in
shaping these pretty faces too. Architecturally, Hungary is a treasure trove,
with everything from Roman ruins and medieval townhouses to baroque churches,
neoclassical public buildings and art nouveau bathhouses and schools. And you
won't just find all that in Budapest. Stroll through Szeged or Kecskemét,
Debrecen or Sopron and you’ll discover an architectural gem at virtually every
turn.
In Hot Water
Hungarians have
been 'taking the waters' supplied by an estimated 300 thermal springs since togas
were all the rage and Aquincum (Roman Budapest) was the Big Smoke. They still
do – for therapeutic, medicinal and recreational purposes – but the venues have
changed somewhat. Today they range from authentic bathhouses dating from the
Turkish occupation and art nouveau palaces to clinical sanatoriums straight out
of a Thomas Mann novel. More and more popular are ultramodern wellness centres
offering a myriad of treatments.
Eat, Drink & Be Magyar
Hungarian food
remains the most sophisticated style of cooking in Eastern Europe. Magyars even
go so far as to say there are three essential world cuisines: French, Chinese
and their own. That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but Hungary's - and
especially Budapest's - reputation as a food centre dates largely from the late
19th century and the first half of the 20th and, despite a fallow period under
communism, Hungarian cuisine is once again commanding attention. So too are the
nation's world-renowned wines, from the big-bodied reds of Eger and Villány and
white olaszrizling from Badacsony to honey-sweet Tokaj.
Folk Culture
Hungary has one
of the richest folk traditions still alive in Europe. With exquisite folk
paintings found on the walls and ceilings of the tiny wooden churches of the
Bereg region and the wonderful embroidery that the women of Hollókő stitch to
decorate smocks, skirts and slippers, this is often where the country comes to
the fore artistically. Traditional music, played on a five-tone diatonic scale
on a host of unusual instruments, continues to thrive as well, especially at táncházak
(dance houses) – peasant 'raves' taking place regularly in Budapest and other
cities, where you'll hear Hungarian folk music and learn to dance too.
Budapest's Nightlife
Budapest can now
claim to be the number-one nightlife destination in
Europe. Alongside its age-old cafe culture and hallowed music halls, it offers
a magical blend of unique drinking holes, fantastic wine, home-grown firewaters
and emerging craft beers, all served up with a warm Hungarian welcome and a
wonderful sense of fun. Unique are the romkocsmák (ruin bars) and kertek
(gardens) that pop-up all-over town in the warmer months.
Architecture
Hungary’s
architectural waltz through history begins with the Romans in Budapest and
Sopron, moves to the early Christian sites in Pécs, climbs up to the castles of
the Northern Uplands, and into the many splendid baroque churches across the
land. Neoclassicism steps in with some fine public buildings in Debrecen. But
taking centre stage is the art nouveau/Secessionism found in abundance in
Budapest, Szeged and Kecskemét.
Budapest Wander through
Budapest’s historical heart and see how many different architectural styles you
can spot within several blocks.
Pécs Home to the most
significant architectural relics of Turkish rule, an early-Christian World
Heritage Site and baroque structures.
Kecskemét This city claims
a stunning assemblage of art nouveau and Secessionist buildings on its leafy
squares.
Synagogues There are some
fine example of Jewish houses of worship, especially in Szeged, and places like
Pécs, Eger and Esztergom.
Castles Some of the best
castles can be found in northern Hungary, at Hollókő and Eger.
Plan Your Trip
Eat &
Drink Like a Local
It’s not difficult to live like a local while
travelling in Hungary. The natives are friendly, the food is excellent (and
never too strange) and the wine even better. And there are lots of things here
that many people everywhere like: fresh produce, sweet cakes and
fruit-flavoured brandy that kicks like a mule.
The
Year in Food
Food festivals
take place year-round, celebrating everything from asparagus and honey to the
lowly pumpkin (vegetable marrow, if the truth be known) and, of course, the
grape.
Winter
(Dec–Feb)
The selection of
fresh vegetables and fruit is not great but the hunting season is on, and
mushrooms and nuts have been collected. Budapest's Christmas markets are
excellent places to nosh.
Spring (Mar–May)
A late-winter
menu of preserved foods is consigned to the rubbish heap as the spring begins,
starting with lettuces, spárga (asparagus) and then all the soft fruits. Ham
figures largely at events like the Hollókő Easter Festival.
Summer
(Jun–Aug)
The bounty continues
with strawberries, raspberries and cherries giving way to plums. Count on lots
of grills and gulyás (a thick beef soup) cooked in a bogrács (cauldron) at the Hortobágy Bridge Fair.
Autumn
(Sep–Nov)
Dozens of wine
festivals occur during the harvest. The most important one is the Budapest International Wine Festival.
Food Experiences
There is so much
fresh produce in Hungary and so many interesting and unusual specialities that
you might need some guidance. Fine-tune your culinary radar with the following
edible musts:
Meals of a Lifetime
Ikon, Debrecen Arguably the
most inventive restaurant in provincial Hungary; unforgettable foie gras and
rabbit cooked in lecsó (savoury mix of peppers, tomatoes and onions).
Padlizsán, Esztergom A
dramatic setting below a cliff, soft music at night and modern, very
imaginative Hungarian dishes.
Macok Bistro & Wine Bar, Eger
An award-winning, very stylish eatery at the foot of Eger Castle with a
top-notch menu and wine list.
Zeller Bistro, Budapest
Enlightened traditional dishes of meat, fish and produce sourced from the Lake
Balaton area, served in a lovely candlelit cellar.
Zsolnay Restaurant, Pécs
Flawless service, an award-winning menu of creative Hungarian dishes and an
emphasis on local ingredients.
Baraka, Budapest
Beautifully presented seafood dishes with Asian, French and Hungarian elements,
along with a stellar bar and wine list.
Cheap Treats
Some hentesáru
boltok (butcher shops) have a büfé (snack bar) selling boiled or fried kolbász
(sausage), virsli (frankfurters), hurka (blood sausage/black pudding), roast
chicken and pickled vegetables. Point to what you want; the staff will weigh it
and hand you a slip of paper with the price. You usually pay at the pénztár
(cashier) and hand the stamped receipt back to the staff for your food. You pay
for bread, mustard – even water.
Food stalls sell
the same sorts of things, as well as fish when located near lakes or rivers.
One of the more popular snacks is lángos, deep-fried dough with various
toppings (usually cheese and sour cream), available at food stalls throughout
Hungary. Pogácsa, a kind of dry, savoury scone introduced by the Turks, is the
favoured snack among beer drinkers.
Dare to Try
Hungarians will
happily consume libamáj (goose liver) and, to a lesser extent, kacsamáj (duck
liver) whenever the opportunity presents itself, be it cold zsírjában (in its
own fat), roston sült (pan-fried) with apples, or as pástétom (pâté), but they
generally eschew other forms of offal. The most unusual Hungarian dishes are
meatless and quite inviting. Cold fruit soups such as meggyleves (sour cherry
soup) or less-common fahéjas-almaleves (cinnamon apple soup) are a positive
delight on a warm summer's evening. Dishes such as makós metélt (vermicelli
topped with poppy seeds) may look bizarre and fall neither in the savoury nor
sweet category, but you won't soon forget the taste. Clean your teeth
afterwards!
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