Hungary Tours & Holidays
Hungary offers travellers a slice of classic, Central European grace and grandeur.
With cobbled streets, charming castles, magnificent concert halls and historic churches, Hungary is all class. But what might surprise travellers is that Hungary is also a burgeoning wine-producing region, home to bucolic villages, thermal lakes, steaming hot springs and markets filled with organic produce - what's not to love?
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Hungary at a glance
CAPITAL CITY
Budapest (population 2 million)
POPULATION
9.9 million
CURRENCY
HUF
LANGUAGE
Hungarian
TIME ZONE
(GMT+01:00) Belgrade, Bratislava, Budapest, Ljubljana, Prague
CALLING CODE
+36
ELECTRICITY
Type C (European 2-pin) Type F (German 2-pin, side clip earth)
Learn more about Hungary
Best time to visit Hungary
July and August are the busiest months for tourists in Europe, outside of these times it tends to be less crowded. The Hungarian summer is warm, sunny and unusually long, but the tourist areas tend to get very crowded in late July and August, so some of the best months to visit are May, June and September. Hungary can be a little wet in May and June, but spring is just glorious. Autumn is beautiful, particularly in the hills around Budapest and in the Northern Uplands. Hungarian winters are typically cold and bleak, with museums and other tourist sights often closing.
Geography and environment
Located in Central Europe, landlocked Hungary shares borders with Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria. While most of Hungary is flat, there's some mountainous terrain to be found in the north and near the Austrian border. While Hungary has no coastline, the country is rich in rivers, brooks, lakes and hot springs, with the Danube and the Tisza flowing through, as well as other tributaries. Blessed with a vast amount of arable land, Hungary has an extensive agriculture/viticulture industry, with vineyards, orchards, farms and grazing livestock a common sight when travelling out of the city.
Top 5 classic castles of Hungary
1. Vajdahunyad Castle
A blend of many different architectural styles, this urban castle located in Budapest showcases Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque and Renaissance features. Modelled on a Transylvanian castle, this unique building is now home to a museum dedicated to Hungarian agriculture, wine making and forestry.
2. Fisherman's Bastion
Providing exceptional panoramic views of Budapest, this white stone castle-like structure was built in 1905. Retaining a distinct 'Disney-like' air, this charming building has winding staircases, towers, parapets and a conical roof - hallmarks of all good fairytales!
3. Festetics Palace
This Baroque palace located in Zala County may technically not be a castle but definitely has all the opulence and grandeur of one. Built in the 18th century for the wealthy Festetics Family, this palace is now home to a coveted book collection (considered the greatest surviving aristocratic library in Hungary) as well as a museum and concert hall.
4. Castle of Eger
This ancient castle has survived invasions, explosions and the ravages of time to become one of Eger's most popular attractions. Surrounded by cobbled streets, the panoramic views from atop the fortress walls are splendid in clear weather.
5. Brunswick Castle
Built in 1775 for Count Antal Brunswick, this grand neo-gothic castle once played host to Beethoven. Now surrounded by a nature reserve and home to a museum, church and research institute, this impressive castle just outside of Budapest is well worth a day trip.
Further reading
| Title | Author |
| The Hungarians: A Thousand Years of Victory in Defeat | Paul Lendvai |
| Enemies of the People: My Family's Journey to America | Kati Marton |
| Upon the Head of the Goat: A Childhood in Hungary | Aranka Siegal |
| Made in Hungary: A Life Forged by History | Maria Krenz |
| The Melancholy of Resistance | Laszlo Krasznahorkai |
| Fatelessness | Imre Kertesz |
| Skylark | Dezso Kosztolanyi |
Hungary travel FAQs
Tipping is generally expected by service workers in Hungary. A tip of around 10% is sufficient for taxi drivers, wait and hotel staff.
Travellers will be able to access the internet at cyber cafes and hotels in Hungary's cities. Regional and rural areas may have less internet access, but overall, Hungary is well connected to the web.
Mobile phone coverage is good in most parts of Hungary. Be sure to activate global roaming on your phone before leaving home if you wish to use your mobile.
Most toilets in Hungary are of the modern, flushable variety. Public toilets are quite scarce in Hungary and expect to pay a small fee when visiting, as is standard practice in many other Central European countries.
The tap water in Hungary is considered safe to drink unless otherwise marked.
Major credit cards are usually accepted by large hotels, restaurants, boutiques and shops. Smaller retailers like family-run restaurants, market stalls and small shops may not accept credit cards, so always carry enough cash to cover smaller purchases.
Travellers will be able to find ATMs throughout most of Hungary, especially in large cities and regional towns.
Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.
For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance
Intrepid takes the health and safety of its travellers seriously and takes every measure to ensure that trips are safe, fun and enjoyable for everyone. We recommend that all travellers check with their government or national travel advisory organisation for the latest information before departure:
From Australia?
Go to: Smart Traveller
From Canada?
Go to: Canada Travel Information
From the UK?
Go to: UK Foreign Travel Advice
From New Zealand?
Go to: Safe Travel
From the US?
Go to: US Department of State
The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information.
Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. Trips to this country directly support our global Intrepid Foundation partners Eden Reforestation Projects and World Bicycle Relief. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.
Eden Reforestation Projects
Eden Reforestation Projects are helping to mitigate climate change by restoring forests worldwide; they also hire locally and create job opportunities within vulnerable communities. Donations from our trips support restoration across planting sites in 10 countries around the globe.
Find out more or make a donation
World Bicycle Relief
World Bicycle Relief provides people in low-income communities with bicycles to mobilise school kids, health workers, and farmers in far-out areas – giving them access to vital education, healthcare, and income. Donations help provide Buffalo Bicycles – specifically designed to withstand the rugged terrain and harsh environment of rural regions – to those who need them most.
Find out more or make a donation