What to do in Hungary in winter. Budapest in winter on your own, review

11.02.2022

Hungary is a distinctive European country, interesting for tourists in many aspects. Richest cultural heritage, natural attractions, and features of the national temperament are combined for Russians with an economic component that allows them to plan without hindrance budget travel. The main difficulty for Russian tourists is language communication; the Hungarian language (belonging to the Finno-Ugric group) contains practically no familiar words, including when written in Latin. Quite a lot of service personnel understand Russian, and the number of Russian-speaking guides is growing.

An example of a typical combined tour would be the eight-day autumn Hungarian Pearls excursion. From the train to Brest, tourists, after going through customs, transfer to a comfortable bus, on which they cross Slovakia. The excursion program in Hungary begins with Miskolc-Tapolc, a unique cave complex in which thermal baths are built, decorated with lighting effects. Tourists are provided with excursion time and possibly a healthy swim in the hot springs, for which you need to pay extra.

Many tourists gladly agree to an additional excursion to Vienna, which needs to travel 240 kilometers from Budapest. On the way back to the Belarusian border, tourists stop near the numerous castles of Hungary. There will be a stop in Lublin and a tour of the historical center of the city.

Buda Castle;
King Matthias Cathedral;
Fisherman's Bastion;
basilica of st. Istvan;
Vajdahunyad Castle;
Hungarian Parliament;
Royal Palace;
Heroes Square.

Travel goals

Among the resort areas around the huge lake, the town of Siófok stands out. The most popular, comfortable resort has also become the center of social life, a place of active youth tourism. The surrounding area is decorated with the picturesque Shio River, the beach area is equipped with many well-maintained beaches, cafes, restaurants, nightclubs, and discos. From the village of Santod it is easy to move to the uncrowded Tihany Peninsula. Popular entertainment of the aristocratic Santod are horse riding parades and equestrian sports.

For budget tourism the most expensive city will be Budapest, although you can find an inexpensive hotel here too. Of the two thousand, the cheapest booking prices are offered by hotels without an international rating and one-star hotels. In the hostels “Sleepover City”, “Pesti szálló”, guest house “Jáde Panzió”, apartments “Artist Residence” you can stay, with varying degrees of comfort, for 1000 – 2000 rubles (in hostels - one visitor).

Bratislava castle, Slovakia

For Russian tourists, the most popular neighboring countries are Austria, Slovakia, Serbia. Among the proven routes for Russian-speaking guides, the first place is a one-day excursion to Vienna.

Articles about budget holidays in Hungary:

";s:8:"cat_comm";i:3304;s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"description";s:0:"";s:8:"keywords ";s:0:"";s:8:"descrtop";s:38842:"Hungary is a distinctive European country, interesting for tourists in many aspects. The richest cultural heritage, natural attractions, and national characteristics are combined for Russians with an economic component that allows them to easily plan a budget trip. The main difficulty for Russian tourists is language communication; the Hungarian language (belonging to the Finno-Ugric group) contains practically no familiar words, including when written in Latin. Quite a lot of service personnel understand Russian, and the number of Russian-speaking guides is growing.

Visa difficulties, travel to Hungary

To travel to Hungary you need a Schengen visa. The peculiarities of obtaining a Hungarian visa permit were some additional documents (an extensive questionnaire, a certificate - a referral from a doctor, a confirmed hotel reservation). The independent hassle of filling out documents and visiting the embassy can be facilitated by visa centers and travel agencies that deal with individual tours. A simplified visa regime will also ensure multiple visits to the Schengen countries.

If you independently prepare documents at the visa center (permanent, long-term visa), tourists themselves can take care of travel to Hungary:

Most tourists prefer a two-hour flight to Budapest (1,569 km) to crossing several borders. When ordering a ticket two weeks in advance, the cost of the ticket will be 20,300 - 22,800 rubles. If you book early, you can find flights much cheaper.
If air travel is not possible due to health reasons, you can get to Budapest by rail. A direct compartment car for the Moscow-Prague train takes thirty hours to Budapest, the ticket costs 14,184 rubles.
In terms of prices, the most attractive are combined tours (train to Brest, bus around Europe), which can cost about 26,000 rubles (excluding visa costs), last minute tours. The intense program of the combined tour does not provide time for passive, resort holiday, subject to daily travel.

An example of a typical combined tour would be the eight-day autumn Hungarian Pearls excursion. From the train to Brest, tourists, after going through customs, transfer to a comfortable bus, on which they cross Poland and Slovakia. The excursion program in Hungary begins with Miskolc-Tapolc, a unique cave complex in which thermal baths are built, decorated with lighting effects. Tourists are provided with excursion time and possibly a healthy swim in the hot springs, for which you need to pay extra.

The next stages of the trip are a visit to Eger (with a sightseeing bus tour of the city), moving to Budapest. On the way, you can stop at the “Valley of Beauties,” have lunch in a wine cellar, and taste vintage wines.

Your stay in Budapest includes a sightseeing bus and walking tour of the Hungarian capital, optional excursions, a trip on the Evening Danube motor ship, a free day that can be spent in independent walks, shopping, go on an additional excursion to Bratislava (200 km.).

Many tourists gladly agree to an additional excursion to Vienna, which needs to travel 240 kilometers from Budapest. On the way back to the Belarusian border, tourists stop near numerous castles in Hungary and Slovakia. There will be a stop in Lublin and a tour of the historical center of the city.

A huge advantage of such a trip is the constant presence of a bilingual guide. In addition to telling you about the sights, cities, and places included in the program, a good guide will tell you the best shops, cafes, and help you choose unfamiliar dishes and communicate with waiters and service providers. The guide’s recommendations are also important when choosing additional excursions, places to visit on your own, and inexpensive souvenirs typical of a given region.

Organized tours, selection of the best offers

Most offers from tour operators concern organized tours to Budapest. They are divided by duration, intensity excursion services. In Moscow, the “WEEK-END in Budapest” tour (4 days) can be purchased for 100 euros (excluding flight costs). Eight days sightseeing tour“Brilliant Budapest” costs 170 euros under the same conditions.

The main objects included in excursions in Budapest:
Buda Castle;
King Matthias Cathedral;
Fisherman's Bastion;
basilica of st. Istvan;
Vajdahunyad Castle;
Hungarian Parliament;
Royal Palace;
Heroes Square.

Experienced tourists who have already visited Budapest are interested in other places in Hungary. They can choose an eight-day tour that includes visits to Budapest and four Hungarian provinces. To the cost of the tour (400 euros) you need to add the price of plane tickets.

Currency exchange, food prices, shopping

The Russian ruble costs about 4 forints (more precisely 4.2-4.3 HUF). Accordingly, for 100 dollars you will receive 28 thousand forints, for 100 euros - 31,000. Currency exchange in Hungary does not bring difficulties, but you need to carefully monitor the best rates, commissions, and avoid exchange offices at airports and train stations where rates are inflated. Almost all hotels shopping centers accept bank cards Visa, MasterCard. The exceptions are small shops and market sellers.

In terms of product prices, Hungary can be classified as the best countries Europe. In summer and autumn, prices for fruits and vegetables are much lower than in Moscow. Selected apricots, peaches, pears, and apples cost 50-60 cents (per kilogram). Elite varieties of gourmet table grapes are sold for about a dollar.

Numerous taverns, pubs, cafes, and restaurants also have affordable prices. There are many international, Hungarian fast food establishments that are difficult to recommend to gourmets. The Hungarian kurtoskalács is a popular fast food option. Dough with various toppings, roasted on coals, costs 600 forints. A large strudel costs the same. Ice cream is sold individually for 250 forints.

National Hungarian cuisine, which experts consider very tasty, prevails on the menu of most cafes and restaurants. The consistently high level of culinary experts is amazing. Even in budget cafes there are no tasteless dishes. The basis of Hungarian cuisine is various types of meat (pork, game, poultry). Among the vegetables, sweet peppers, tomatoes, onions, and potatoes come first. Hungarians are reserved when it comes to desserts; a typical menu includes two or three simple salads.

Classic dishes of national cuisine combine the first and second. These are the favorite dishes of Hungarians - goulash, lecso (thick soup made from onions, paprika, tomatoes, boiled smoked pork sausage). Only in Hungary can you try real pörkölt – a mixture of several types of meat prepared in a special way. Its ingredients can be veal, rabbit, pork, lamb, wild boar meat. Paprikash is prepared from the same ingredients, stewed in sour cream.

Hungarians are very fond of goose liver in all forms (foie gras, medallions). Traditional desserts include “palacsinta” (thin puff pastry pancakes stuffed with sweet filling) and Dobos cake.

Huge portions do not allow ordering multiple dishes. Without mentioning trendy, expensive restaurants, it must be said that you can have a full dinner in an average Budapest restaurant for $20. The same price will cost a modest dinner without wine at the famous Gundel restaurant, where they serve signature pike perch in Handel’s style and Gundel pancakes (“palacsinta” stuffed with nuts and dipped in chocolate, famous throughout Hungary). In youth restaurants, you can limit yourself to beer, the most expensive dish (goose liver medallions, complemented by a complex side dish). All this costs 2500 forints.

Traveling around Budapest is most economical using public transport (metro, bus). One trip costs 350 forints. You need to buy a ticket at a kiosk, the payment to the driver is more expensive - 450 forints. For a large number of movements, a day (1650 HUF) or three-day (4150 HUF) pass is convenient. A two-week pass (7000 HUF) is suitable for some intercity buses and trains.

As souvenirs, Russian tourists buy elegant national dolls, marzipan figurines (3 euros), Tokaj wines (8 euros), fruit vodka (palinka), delicious herbal balm "Unicum" (11 euros), ceramics, porcelain vases, figurines (25 -30 euros). Embroidered tablecloths and napkins in the national style are very beautiful, which are best bought in the provinces.

Travel goals

The main goals of a trip to Hungary are educational, health, medical, and youth tourism. Having no access to the sea, Hungarian tour operators offer extensive programs for beach, resort, and health holidays on Lake Balaton.

On the north coast for family vacation Balatonfured is popular. The city has many green areas and healing springs. The nearby Tihany Peninsula is notable for its historical architectural monuments. In the towns of Szigliget and Badacsony you can visit cozy restaurants with fine wines and explore the ruins of the Castle Hill fortress.

Many tourists are attracted by the possibilities of effective treatment in Hungary. The country is distinguished by a huge number mineral springs. Among the resort areas, Harkany (treatment of skin diseases), unique lake Heviz.

The volcanic origin of Lake Heviz allows the water to be constantly renewed (every 28-48 hours). This phenomenon is unique to the same lake in New Zealand. Lake sludge contains a natural antibiotic and is suitable for mud therapy. Swim in the lake better in winter(about 26⁰C), in summer the water is too hot (33-34⁰C).

Heviz sanatoriums are specialized in the treatment of arthritis, gout, rheumatism, gastric diseases, and gynecology. Successfully undergoes treatment of skin diseases, endocrine disorders, rehabilitation after operations.

Wine tours in Hungary are popular at all times of the year, and are especially successful in the fall. Tokaj is considered the center of elite winemaking. The Tokaji and Oxblood wines are unique in taste. Thanks to grapes growing on volcanic soil, Badacsony wine, popular in Hungary, has a unique taste. Other original Hungarian drinks include sweet raisin wine and apricot vodka.

Best seasons to travel to Hungary

The climate of Hungary is characterized by rather hot summers and cold winters. In winter, tourist activity decreases significantly; only trips to Budapest are relevant. Good weather begins in mid-April, the tourist season ends in the second half of October. From an economic point of view, the beginning and end of the season are profitable, although the lowest prices in tourist regions occur in winter.

Summer prices are highest (catering, accommodation). This is due to the influx of foreign tourists and Hungarian holidaymakers. Wonderful spring Hungary is preferable for educational tourism, when excursions are not tiring and are accompanied by blooming nature.

In the fall, after the peak of prices has subsided, Hungary is open to gastronomic and wine tourism at a minimal cost. In May and October it is easy to find inexpensive accommodation (motels, hostels, campsites, boarding houses), which is problematic in the summer.

Independent trip around the country

Few enthusiasts dare to take a long independent road trip to Hungary across several borders, although a small group of tourists can see the most by car. An alternative option would be to rent a car; there are quite a lot of “rent car” points in Hungary. Average European rental prices (80 - 100 dollars) make it rational for constant movement (saving on transport), dividing costs among four participants, and a well-thought-out program that reduces the cost of excursion services.

The recognized advantages of car travel are obvious: freedom to choose a route, the ability to search and select inexpensive hotels. You will have to spend time at home preparing the route. A thorough study of materials and historical places will allow you to include in the route the maximum number of attractions, interesting natural areas, castles located near the main route of the trip.

Gasoline prices in Hungary tend to be European, A-95 gasoline here costs 1.22 euros (more expensive than in Poland and the Czech Republic), diesel fuel can be purchased for € 1.16. In spring and autumn it is easy to find inexpensive motels and campsites where you can spend the night for twenty euros.

Budget accommodation in Hungarian hotels

For budget tourism, the most expensive city will be Budapest, although you can also find inexpensive hotels here. Of the two thousand hotels in Budapest, the cheapest booking prices are offered by hotels without an international rating, one-star hotels. In the hostels “Sleepover City”, “Pesti szálló”, guest house “Jáde Panzió”, apartments “Artist Residence” you can stay, with varying degrees of comfort, for 1000 – 2000 rubles (in hostels - one visitor).

If you book in advance (a month in advance), you can book budget accommodation in provincial Balatonfüred, choosing from 136 hotels. Three-star hotels “Park” and “Panorama” offer accommodation for two vacationers in September for 4,200 – 4,800 rubles. The best prices for accommodation are offered by apartments and private boarding houses. In provincial Buk you can book accommodation for September at affordable prices. Apartments "Janza Apartmanház" offer a one-room studio for 1,480 rubles, "Gerti Haus" provides apartments with two bedrooms for 1,630 rubles.

Possible excursions to neighboring countries

Bratislava castle, Slovakia

For Russian tourists, the most popular neighboring countries are Austria, Slovakia, Serbia, and Croatia. Among the proven routes for Russian-speaking guides, the first place is a one-day excursion to Vienna.

To the program have an interesting trip includes travel in a minibus, sightseeing tour around the Austrian capital, visiting the buildings of Parliament, Town Hall, and Opera. The pedestrian part usually includes the courtyards of the Hofburg and the City Park. Other places to visit are the Belvedere Palace, the Baroque Karlskirche Church, Otto Wagner's pavilions, the Hundertwasser House, and ancient Viennese cafes. Individual tour for two or three people it costs 300 – 400 euros.

An excursion to Bratislava allows you to explore the historical center and climb to Bratislava Castle. Tourists visit the New Bridge, St. Martin's Cathedral, Fisherman's Gate, the National Theater of Slovakia, and the Old Town Hall. On the way to Bratislava excursion program usually the ancient Győr is included. The cozy town is considered the Hungarian center of the Austrian Baroque. In urban architecture there are beautiful churches, palaces, well-groomed parks. The price of the excursion for 50-70 euros often includes lunch.

In winter, before Catholic Christmas, heading to fabulous Prague, we also stopped by Budapest.
Budapest is the capital of Hungary, and, according to travelers, is considered one of the most beautiful cities Europe. Let's check if this is true :)

Flight to Budapest

We were lucky: we managed to find tickets to Budapest for our dates at truly low prices. As always, we booked tickets on the Aviasales website - a convenient interface, you can subscribe to the newsletter about price changes. The most important thing is that you can immediately see what luggage is included in the price. If you are flying with a low-cost airline, this is important :)

We flew from Larnaca on an evening flight with Wizz Air. It is worth paying attention to Wizz Air's hand luggage requirements in advance. and print boarding pass, since excess baggage and printing a ticket at the airport cost a lot of money. There is no food on board.

Transfer from airport to Budapest

How to get from Budapest Airport to the city center? From international airport Ferenc Liszt (Ferihegy Airport) you can get to Budapest by bus, taxi or choose a group shuttle transfer

We arrived in Budapest late at night, and the hotel we booked is located in the center of Budapest. So we booked and paid in advance group transfer from Budapest airport to the city center.

How to book airport transfer to Budapest?
Booking a transfer from Budapest Airport to your hotel is easy.

On the MiniBud website you need to select the date and flight, as well as your hotel in Budapest. For us, the cost for two was 4900 forints.
Upon arrival, go to the MiniBud counter, show your printed confirmation, and in return you will be given a boarding ticket.
Next you are looking for a bus :)
This is the most interesting! Once every 5-10 minutes, a driver runs into the waiting room and collects clients from the list. Each bus goes in a certain direction, that is, each driver goes to a specific area of the city. We waited for almost half an hour: a driver approached us, who had our hotel on his list. The journey from Budapest Airport to the city center takes 20 minutes.

How to find a hotel in Budapest

Budapest is a favorite of tourists of all ages and nationalities. There are a great variety of hotels to suit every taste and budget in the city. We liked the Thai style hotel :) Why not?

Andrassy Thai Hotel located next to St. Stephen's Basilica on Andrassy Avenue:

Photo from booking.com

What’s absolutely incredible is that the Andrassy Thai Hotel occupies part of a 19th century palace! The walls breathe history. Some rooms are decorated in Thai style, some in Hungarian style. I can definitely say that we made the right decision when choosing a hotel in Budapest. Cool place!

On the first morning in Hungary, a free sightseeing tour of Budapest was planned.

Free tour of winter Budapest

Did you know that in many cities around the world you can book a free city tour?

Free tour format we fell in love back in . Such excursions are paid for by donations at the end of the excursion. When everyone leaves as much money as they want, if at all. The guides are interested in the success of the business, so usually the excursions are fun and interesting. Free tours are almost always walking.

For some reason, this format does not attract Russian-speaking tourists - during three excursions we never saw our compatriots. As a rule, the British, Americans, Canadians, and Asians sign up for free tours. Tours are conducted in English.
Our tour was led by the cheerful Hungarian Angie :)

Angie took us through the sights of winter Budapest. We started from the embankment.

Tram route No. 2 goes through the most tourist places in Pest - from the Parliament and along the Danube embankment to the central market and beyond. They say that on Christmas the tram is decorated in a special way, but we didn’t see anything like that. A tram is like a tram.

Bronze statue on the Danube embankment in Budapest. And no, this is not a clown boy, as you might think, but a princess girl (Kiskirálylány) :)

In general, the Hungarian language (or Magyar) is just tough. It is not like anything else: continuous hissing abrupt sounds. Langosh, Goulash, Paprikash, Kyooseonyoom, Indulaash, Shegichen and thousands of other scary and incomprehensible words...
The guide told us that there is a version about the Asian origin of the language and taught us a few words in Hungarian.

We make our way through the Christmas market at St. Stephen's Basilica:

The smell of fried sausages and mulled wine and Christmas songs can be heard from everywhere. It's December 23rd. We have never heard as many Christmas songs as in Budapest and Prague these days anywhere.

Hungarians are very fond of unusual sculptures - they can be found throughout Budapest.

Like many countries in Eastern Europe, Hungary's 20th century legacy was communist. In addition to various things that led to hostility towards this regime today, the communists gave the Hungarians a dish called lángos - a flatbread with garlic and sour cream sauce. True, Wikipedia says that lángos came to Hungarian cuisine from the Turks :)

Here's another example of Hungarian street food with an unpronounceable name. Among the neighboring Czechs such a tube is called trdelnik.

Having passed Chain Bridge, we find ourselves on the Buda side, zero kilometer and funicular.
Queue for the funicular:

The climb up the mountain to the Royal Palace of Budapest will take about two minutes, but the queue for the funicular will take about 10 minutes.
View from the Royal Palace of the Danube, Szechensky (Chain) Bridge and Pest:

On the left is the Hungarian Parliament building, lost in the fog on this winter day.

In fact, this weather is quite typical for Budapest in winter. Above zero, but chilly and humid, cloudy, no sun. In December-January in Budapest, almost all days are like this. Bright sunny days are rare in Budapest in winter.

From here we moved to our next point in Budapest, Fisherman's Bastion. From the hill along the road there is a view of one of the fashionable quarters of Budapest. Angie said that ordinary Budapest residents call the rich residents of this area lucky bastards :)

St. Matthias Church, located on Buda Hill next to the Fisherman's Bastion:

The snow-white church was built in the Gothic style.

The fishermen's bastion and seven conical towers, which symbolize the seven tribes that founded the Hungarian state:

And again the Hungarian parliament, floating in the winter fog:

🔥 So, here's a link to a free tour of Budapest! 🔥
You can book a free tour of the city on this website.

From Széchenyi Bridge you can walk to the main market of Budapest in about 20 minutes. It's simple: cross two bridges to the south and you're there. On the way, it is worth taking a walk along the pedestrian street Vaci.

Located in a building similar to a train station. There was no authentic or Christmas atmosphere, just a noisy indoor market.
On the ground floor there are shopping arcades with products:

There are a lot of rows with fresh meat. The spectacle is not for the faint of heart. Either a dead pig will be dumped on the counter, or a skinned head of a goat with dark glasses on - to attract attention. A couple of photos:

In one of the guidebooks, preparing for a trip to Budapest, I read that “In the central market of Budapest you can eat your fill just by walking from stall to stall” and trying all sorts of goodies. So, this is not true :) They won’t just give you anything to try at the Budapest market, and there’s nothing special to try. In addition to trays with frozen meat, the market has fruit counters, paprika products (all in packages), and a couple of counters with baked goods (buns and pies). There are also sausage counters, where you can try a slice of sausage, but you’ll hardly be able to get enough of it.
On the second floor of the market in Budapest there are souvenirs and a food court.

Advice: there is no point in going to the Budapest market. Eat lunch elsewhere. Prices at the Budapest market are high, but there is nowhere to sit: you will have to eat while standing in front of people scurrying back and forth. We bought two goulash, a small bottle of water and a fried sausage with paprika, and it cost us about 25 euros. For this money in Budapest you could have a tasty and tolerable lunch even on the tourist street Vaci, in a warm cafe with Wi-Fi and comfortable chairs, and not in a cold market :)
All in all, Budapest Central Market was a waste of time.

It's better to have a snack somewhere on the streets of Budapest. Fortunately, there are a lot of interesting establishments in the city :) We wanted to go to Icebar, but we were too cold to sit on the ice chairs.

From the market we head towards the Hungarian Parliament. Both of these places are located on the Pest embankment, which means you can get there by tram number 2.
We buy a ticket:

Hungarian Parliament building(in Hungarian Országház) - business card Budapest. This is the same huge white building in the neo-Gothic style with a crimson roof that looks at you from all the postcards.

Near the parliament building in Budapest there is another monument, unusual and sad.

This shoes on the Danube embankment- monument to victims of the Holocaust. Budapest had one of the largest Jewish communities that suffered greatly during the Nazi occupation in 1944-1945. At this place, on the banks of the Danube, the Nazis shot the unfortunate people. They put several dozen people in a row, forced them to take off their shoes (a scarce product, the shoes were then sold or for the needs of the fascists themselves), they chained people together and fired a bullet at one of them. The man fell into the water, dragging the others with him...

We walked from the embankment to the hotel, as we were pretty cold. On the way we stopped again at the fair at St. Stephen's Basilica. The evening lights have already come on here:

In general, our route around Budapest that day looked like this:

By the way, there are a lot of homeless people and beggars on the streets of Budapest, especially in the central part. At night they sleep right on the sidewalks. They may come up and tug on your clothes.

After a walk around winter Budapest, it’s time to head to the baths for which this city is famous. Let's go to the famous Széchenyi Baths.

The Széchenyi Baths in Budapest are beautiful and ancient, open until 10 pm and have outdoor pools with hot water. Surely you saw them in photographs when planning a trip to Budapest.

We arrived at the baths at 7 pm (it was Friday) and bought an evening ticket with a separate cabin, one for two. The cost of visiting the Széchenyi baths totaled about 10,000 forints for two.
The opening hours of the Szechenyi Baths and the cost of visiting can be checked on the official website of the baths.

The Széchenyi Baths in Budapest are located at the Hősök tere metro station next to the zoo. As you approach the baths, you notice clouds of steam billowing from behind the building:

After changing clothes, the first thing we did was to explore the outdoor pools of the Széchenyi baths.
There are three of them: with warm water and centrifugal flow, a pool with hot water (38 degrees) and a swimming pool.

Széchenyi Baths in winter- this is extraordinary! Take the time to visit them if you find yourself in Budapest.

You sit in hot water, and steam swirls around you. There are silhouettes of people around in the fog :) It seems warm, but the top of my head is cold. After serving the required number of minutes (each pool has a sign with recommendations for visiting), you need to get out into the cold, put your feet in icy wet slippers and quickly run to the next pool or inside the bathhouse.
The stones around the pool are icy and slippery, you need to walk carefully. If you want to visit Széchenyi's outdoor pools in winter, try not to catch a cold.

💙 To visit the Szechenskie Baths in Budapest you will need: swimsuit, slippers and towel. You can buy or rent. We took towels from the hotel and disposable hotel slippers. Of course, plastic slippers are more comfortable. The cap is only needed for the swimming pool. At the swimming pool, in a booth, an employee keeps an eye on the vacationers.

💙 Which cabin should I take? When visiting the Széchenyi Baths, you can take a private cabin. We paid for one private cabin for two and took turns changing there. They did not take valuables (camera, etc.). The cabin is locked with an electronic bracelet, like in a water park. We left the towels in the cabin. Some took towels and a robe with them and wrapped themselves in them as they ran from one pool to another. But keep in mind that terry clothes quickly get wet and become icy in winter, so in this case the towel will be disposable 🙂 You won’t be able to dry yourself with it.

💙 Money and payment. You pay for the changing cabin along with the ticket. You cannot pay with a bracelet in the Széchenyi baths, as in water parks, for example. It only serves to close the booth. There is a buffet at the outdoor pools, and you will have to go back to the locker room to get money.

In the interior of the Szechenyi Baths, we liked the large sauna, a pool with ice water to plunge into after the sauna, as if in an ice hole, and also slides of snow inside for rubbing. Very cool!
The sauna was open even after 7 pm.
The water in the Szechenyi Baths comes from thermal springs more than 1200 meters deep!

The next morning we were scheduled to leave for Prague.

Report on a trip to Prague in winter:

If you have questions about the free free tour in Budapest or visiting the Széchenyi Baths, ask them in the comments below.

Winter in Hungary is quite short and relatively warm. The influence of the Carpathian Mountains is felt, holding back cold air currents from the north and northeast. Open to warm air currents from the west and northwest into winter period, Hungary differs from countries located to the east in higher temperatures. The average temperature in January does not fall below minus 1°. IN mountainous areas the northeastern part is slightly colder - up to minus 4 °. Typically, the passage of cold fronts is accompanied by heavy snowfall, although such events are quite rare. Stable snow cover can last from 30 to 40 days, but it does not always form on the plains. In mountainous areas, winter is colder, there is more precipitation, and the mountains are covered with snow for all three months (December, January, February). Frosts are possible from November to April.

The Danube is especially beautiful in winter, which is particularly high-water and powerful during this period. Only occasionally, when air temperatures reach record lows, does the river become covered with a thin crust of ice.

Thermal springs

During periods of snowfall and frost, Hungarian nature is under the warm protection of thermal springs. There are a lot of them in Hungary, about 1300 - waters of different temperatures, chemical composition and healing properties, persistently making their way to the surface from the depths of geological faults. More than a hundred such sources are located in the area of the Hungarian capital - Budapest. The largest and most famous balneological resorts in Hungary are located in the area of Lake Balaton and Lake Heviz, on the basis of the thermal healing springs of Margaret Island, as well as at Mount Gellért, near Miskol-Lillafüred, and in Alfeld (Hajdúszoboszló). Particularly unique in this regard is Fr. Heviz, whose waters even in the most severe frosts warm up to a temperature of +23 - +24 ° C. In winter, the lake is hidden in a cloud of thick steam formed as a result of a sharp temperature change.

Winter Budapest

In winter, the Hungarian capital is transformed into a sea of bright lights and garlands. At this time of year the famous Christmas markets take place here. In the very center of the city, another fabulous city appears for several months, with numerous shopping arcades and concert venues. Here you can buy various souvenirs, Christmas sweets, decorations, or simply find yourself in a whirlwind of traditional folk festivities, various attractions, and see performances of nativity scenes and puppet theaters.

Active winter holidays

Holidays in Hungary in winter are full of romance and vivid impressions. The best place for ski slopes is considered mountain range Matra. Snow stays here for up to a hundred days, which is ideal for winter sports enthusiasts. Interesting for winter holiday ski slopes on the slopes of the Bükk massif. Resorts and recreation centers in the mountains are equipped with cozy wooden houses, the terraces of which offer magnificent views of the surrounding mountain landscapes.

Hungary is located in a temperate climate zone, so you can choose absolutely any period when you travel to Hungary. Basically, it depends on your hobbies and the immediate purpose of the trip. High tourist season in Hungary it starts in May and ends closer to September. The main influx of tourists is observed in July–August.

The low tourist season in Hungary begins immediately after New Year's holidays. The influx of tourists is decreasing not only due to the fact that all the mass celebrations are taking place, but also due to the deterioration weather conditions. In addition to the low temperature, walking down the street is not comfortable due to high humidity and fog.

Holidays in Hungary in spring

If you want to make your trip unforgettable and romantic, find out when is the best time to vacation in Hungary. Experienced tourists know that for this purpose it is better to go to Hungary in the spring. Holidays in Hungary in the spring are characterized by a period of flowering, nature comes to life, and prices for holidays remain at the same level as in winter.

Despite the general enthusiasm for spring break, remember that the weather in Hungary in spring can be quite changeable. May is considered one of the rainiest of the year.

Features of summer holidays in Hungary

If you are interested in the weather in Hungary in the summer, then from June the sultry heat sets in throughout the country. Only occasionally can a meteorological report show bad weather and slight cold snaps. Due to the fact that the average air temperature remains at +26°C, huge flows of tourists flock to Hungary on holiday in the summer.

The summer months are considered to be the best time to travel to Hungary for active recreation. Indeed, during this period, there is a large number local festivals.

Target: spend a vacation in Europe, but not expensively (without euros); see parliament.

Travel time: February 1-13, 2015. We didn’t regret that we went in winter - the weather was good, the grass was green, there were a lot of sunny days.

Flight cost : very cheap if you book in advance (RUB 16,738 for two round-trip) with wizz air - cheap airline, where you have to pay extra for everything (baggage, large hand luggage etc.).

Accommodation: for 12 days 17100 rub. (RUR 1,175 per day plus site fee). The apartment was booked on airbnb - the site has been checked more than once, the apartment has reviews. While choosing, we noticed that it is fashionable for them to have a bed on the second level - under the ceiling. We decided to see what it was like. They also looked at the availability of wireless Internet (to communicate with home, plan routes for the next day) and seating besides the bed. We took an apartment closer to the center, but it turned out that the terrain was also important. The city is located on a river and one of the banks (Buda) is high - we took an apartment there, and it turned out that we often walked uphill, which could have been avoided if we had taken an apartment in the lower part of the city (Pest).

Honey. insurance: 1321 rub. for two at Tinkoff. We took it online and simply printed out the papers - it was fine for a visa.

Visa: 35 euros per person plus 2600 rub. for service visa fee. I had to go to Moscow. All documents can be given by one relative, but it is necessary to have the original (and a copy) of the relationship document (marriage certificate).
We bought a three-day card in advance Budapest map (Budapest card, 4074 rub. for two) [hereinafter referred to as “card"] - when purchased online there was a discount on it. Unfortunately, there are few places with free admission, mostly small discounts, but for the sake of free travel it’s very good to take it (although there is a travel card and separately).

Car rental: 8500 rub. for 4 days plus 35.56 euros for driving on motorways (toll roads). 900 euros were blocked for the duration of the rental, but were returned on time. The car was booked with Enterprise. There are also local car rental companies, but they have very negative reviews (for example, they charge extra money for minor scratches). Gasoline cost 85 rubles at that time. liter and 1200 km. we spent approximately 7000 rubles.
Business lunches - about 300 rub. The average bill per person when ordering local cuisine and alcohol is 1000 - 1500 rubles.
In the end it didn't work out cheap. Tickets to museums and excursions - from 500 rubles.
But we were very pleased, because Budapest is a beautiful European city, with good weather, helpful people who speak English. And plus a great bonus - THERMAL SPRINGS.

There is a free tour in Budapest , however, in English. More details:http://www.triptobudapest.hu/v2/tours/the-original-tour/ . We recommend going! We learned a lot about the history of the city and the country, and also got our bearings in the city. At the end of the tour, the guide asks if we would like to give some money. The guides are excellent, so you can give them. There are two separate free excursions on the map - in Buda and Pest.

Website public transport - specify the addresses of the place of departure and arrival and the route is drawn on the map indicating transport, final and intermediate stops:http://www.bkk.hu/en/timetables/ . The cost of 1 journey is 80 rubles. But all the main attractions are within walking distance - we recommend walking. For trips, it is better to take passes for a day or a couple of days.

Briefly about the sights and our impressions of them:

Fisherman's Bastion - very beautiful building and SUPER view of the city day and night!

Historical Museum - free with a map, nothing special, but the palace in Buda, where this museum is located, is worth a stroll.

Hungarian National Gallery - this is a must for art lovers! Located in the same palace as the Historical Museum in Buda.

Matthias Cathedral - It’s very beautiful from the outside, but we haven’t been inside.

Labyrinth - it's worth going, but take a flashlight!

Funicular - expensive and no card discount.

Parliament - there are 2 daily excursions in Russian - worth going, although expensive - 1000 rubles. per person.

St. Stephen's Basilica - it’s worth coming in, walking around, looking. We also went to an organ concert - nothing special.

Opera House - you can go inside and see how beautiful it is for free.

Great Synagogue - we entered the territory for free, looked in, but did not go inside - there is a fee there.

Adrashi Street - you can take a walk.

Miniversum (mini layout railway and towns "from Hungary to Austria") - we really liked it, it was interesting for both adults and children

House of Terror - it didn’t touch us, and without an audio guide (for an additional fee) there’s nothing to do there - there are very few worthwhile exhibits.

Heroes Square - interesting, if with history and explanation (on excursions they take you there on a map and tell you about it).

Városliget - beauty! Inside is the Museum of Agriculture - the entrance is expensive.

Gul Baba's grave - a unique structure, and there are very picturesque residential neighborhoods around. You can look there on the way to the Baths of St. Lucas, which is free with a map.

Margaret Island - nothing special, not worth your time.

Mount Gellert - stunning views, but it’s not worth going to the Citadel. It’s worth climbing the mountain only if you have extra time.

Cave church in Mount Gellert - funny, but expensive.

Statue Park - few statues, not very picturesque and far to get to.

Vintage car museum - yes yes yes! A huge number of luxury American cars! You can take pictures. Far from the center.

Oceanarium and tripicarium - small and nothing special. Far from the center.

Samlekhedi and Palveldi caves - very picturesque caves, worth a visit! If you buy a ticket to visit both at once, it will be cheaper, and between them it will be a 20-minute walk.

Cafe with cats (Budapest, Damjanich utca 38, 1071) - you can stop by after visiting the Szechenyi Baths. An anti-cafe type cafe - you pay to be there and get tea and a piece of pie. Just four lazy but helpful cats.

BATHING IN BUDAPEST
A great bonus for a traveler. We highly recommend going at least two. 2 hours is enough for a visit, but you will get more than enough relaxation and pleasure. Bring a swimsuit, flip-flops, a towel, a cap (for some pools it is required, but you can do without it) and a robe, preferably in the cold season.
- expensive and very beautiful inside and out, clean and nice. In winter the outside outdoor pool is very small.
- cheaper, but a huge number of pools and a huge outdoor pool. We highly recommend it, but the thermal indoor pools closed at 7:00 p.m. - it’s not clear how to plan this in advance; there was no information on the website. Advice - don’t put off your visit until later.
Bath of St. Lucas - free with card. There are few thermal pools and a lot of people - the impression is negative. The external pools are cold and a cap is required.
Royal Bath - dirty and small, creepy SCOOP. There is no external pool (there was a barrel of water for 4 people), an internal one - one large and one small.
All baths have saunas.
Hairdryers are everywhere.

Trip around Hungary
We rented a car and went to 4 directions. We left in the morning and returned to Budapest in the evening. You can park your car near the house for free from 18:00 to 8:00 (this is not everywhere, check with the locals), there were also free places on the river embankment.
Having a navigator, enter the address there “tourinform” of the corresponding city, come there. You pay for parking your car - all parking is paid and the fine for violation is large! Come inTurinformpoint, ask for any information in Russian/English (maps, brochures), ask what to visit in the city and after 10 minutes you have a clear plan where to go!
We highly recommend visiting the following cities:

North of Budapest:

Szentendre (tourinform address: 2000 Szentendre, Dumtsa Jenő u. 22) - a cute town with the most famous Marzipan Museum, perhaps worth a visit!

Visegrad (tourinform address: 2025 Visegrád, Fő Street 81) - picturesque, but small castle high on the mountain. Very beautiful view to the Danube River and the surrounding area from the castle walls.

Esztergom (Basilica address: 2500, Esztergom, Szent István tér 1) - giant cathedral, excellent view of beautiful city and the river, to the bridge-border with Slovakia. And also to the Slovak city. The border is open, you can cross.

East of Budapest:

Eger (addresstourinform: 3300, Eger, Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Endre 9) - beautiful fortress on a hill in the city center, we walked along the walls. On the outskirts of the city, the Valley of Beautiful Women (Kulacs Csárda Panzió,) - a place where representatives of wineries come to sell their products - we tasted and bought Hungarian wine (sold by the glass).

Miskolc (addresstourinform: 3525 Miskolc, Városház tér 13) - the city itself is not very interesting, but the Barlangfürdő bathhouse in the suburb of Miskolc-Tapolca (http://www.thermal.hu/miskolc-tapolca/ ) is very worth a visit! It's a cave bath!

This area east of Budapest - Tokaj district- the birthplace of wine and the main development of the wine industry. You can also go to the town of Tokaj, but one day is clearly not enough to do everything. Driving with even a low blood alcohol level is prohibited in Hungary, so it’s worth traveling to these places for at least a couple of days.

West of Budapest (towards Lake Balaton):

Tapolca (addresstourinform: 8300, Tapolca, Fő tér 17) - a city with a lake underground - you can go boating (http://www.tavasbarlang.hu/index.php/en ) - an unforgettable experience! Before this, you really have to go around the museum (a la local history museum) - it’s a good museum, and they show a film in 3D, but the total visit time increases to an hour (of which about 20 minutes by boat). Still in the same city beautiful lake with an old water mill.

Keszthely (addresstourinform: 8360, Keszthely, Kossuth Lajos u. 30) - a city on the shore of Lake Balaton, where it is most convenient to approach the shore and touch the water, admire the lake and ducks.

Heviz (addresstourinform: 8380, Hévíz, Rákóczi utca 2) - town and swimming lake! A small thermal lake where in winter the water temperature is 24C. On the shore of the lake there was an indoor swimming pool and a park - very beautiful!

What other cities have we been to, but we didn’t like it:

Gyor (addresstourinform: 9021, Győr, Baross Gábor út 21) is just a city where all the sights can be visited in 1 hour.

Sopron (addresstourinform: 9400, Sopron, Liszt Ferenc utca 1) - you can climb the old fire observation tower and admire the charming old town. You can walk along the old fortress walls. Nice, but nothing special.

What to try in Hungary (national dishes of Hungarian cuisine)

Goulash soup ( Gulyas leves- they read “guyash”) - delicious meat soup, a lot of meat, large portions

Goulash

Fish soup ( Halasz leves) - usually brought in a pot and with a ladle, you serve it yourself, very tasty

Fried goose liver ( Rantott libamajszeletek, Libamaj) - a la foie gras, tasty, but expensive

Pancakes ( Palacsinta) - they are pancakes in Africa too

Lecho ( Lesco) - without meat, there is often a lot of meat in this dish, and very tasty

Langos - their “fast food” is a dough fried in oil with a diameter of 20 cm and a thickness of 1.5 cm on which they put the filling as desired - we recommend just sprinkling with cheese!

Pleskavica be sure to drink

Tokaj ( Tokaji) - buy in any stores, try, very tasty wine.

Cafes and restaurants in Budapest:
We can recommend
Horgásztanya Étterem - Budapest, Fő u. 27.1011 - there are national dishes, delicious food, good service
WinstonS Kft. (Kiado Kocsma) - Budapest, Jókai tér 3, 1061 - we saw a recommendation for this cafe on the Internet, they say there is a large selection of national dishes there. But we weren’t able to visit; on a weekday evening there were so many people there that there was a line. Everything in the neighboring cafes was free - that says something!
But we don’t recommend going to the next restaurant, they learned to deceive our brotherJ. If you go (and there are national dishes and a large selection of Pleskavica), ask for a receipt and check everything: Vigadó Restaurant- Budapest, Markovits Ivan u. 4, 1011