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Trip Report
Road Trip in Hungary
A 5-day road trip to explore cities outside of Budapest in Eastern Hungary. We saw castles, tried different Hungarian wines, visited cute towns, and even climbed to the highest point in Hungary.
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EuropeHungary4 days / October 2020
Highs & Lows
All the museums were free on the first day of the road trip since it was a Hungarian National Holiday.
Too many kids & people at the Miskolc cave bath. The valley of Beautiful Women was too touristy. We got a parking ticket.
Itinerary Overview
Who can name a city in Hungary that is NOT Budapest? Before I arrived in Budapest, I know that I couldn't. Yet a mini road trip is a great way to check off items for a Hungary bucket list and learn about other cities!
Note: Any portion of this road trip can be a day trip from Budapest.
Quick Overview of the cities:
-Szentendre: Cute, small town that is only 30 minutes from Budapest. It's easy to take the train here. Most places open around 10 am, and you can take a couple of hours to walk the picturesque streets. (This photo is from Szentendre) Tip: if you are looking for a spontaneous activity, check out the Marzipan Museum and find sculptures made from marzipan.
-Visegrád: Known for its castle. An hour from Budapest and it's possible to visit by boat!
-Eger: A place known for wine, 1.5-2 hours from Budapest
-Miskolc: Relax in a thermal bath...in a cave! 2 hours from Budapest.
-Tokaj: Another wine region famous for its sweet wine.
-Kékes: the highest mountain in Hungary. An hour from Budapest.
If you only had time for one of these days trips, would you vote for Szentrendre (small/colorful town), Visegrád (explore a castle), Eger (discover Hungarian wines), Miskolc (thermal bath in a unique setting), or Kékes (hiking)?
Szentendre Cute atmosphere and close to Budapest.
Szentendre is super close to Budapest and is also accessible easily via public transportation. We arrived around 8 am, but I recommend to arrive around 10 am because that's when most shops opens. This town is super cute to walk around and has many picturesque seats. If you are looking for a random activity, check out the marzipan museum. This city is known for it's marzipan and in the museum there are sculptures completely made out of this sweet treat.
We also went to the Traditional Museum in Skanzen. Since it was a national holiday there was no entrance fee. This museum showed what life was like for traditional Hungarians. It's an outdoor museum that takes around 2 hours to explore. My favorite part was the farm section and I got to see all the traditional Hungarian animals.
Eger The castle and to visit the valley of beautiful women
The Valley of Beautiful Women.
When I visited Eger, Hungary & discovered 24 wine cellars in a part of town named "The Valley of Beautiful Women," I instantly wanted to visit. One, because I love wine, and two, the name makes me smile. I feel more beautiful by being in the Valley of Beautiful Women.
Visiting the wine cellars that are carved into rock was a fun way to spend an evening. The Valley of Beautiful Women was built for tourists, but sometimes touristy attractions are worthwhile.
I asked one of the wine owners how COVID has affected the business and was happily surprised to hear that there has been more business this fall than the previous year. Once I thought about it, I realized that local tourism is increasing in Hungary since the countries borders are closed.
The Details of Visiting
The average cost for a glass of wine is 350 HUF / $1.10. Make sure to order the ruby-red Bull's blood wine, which the region is famous for. It's a 20-minute walk from the center of Eger, or take the choo-choo train. I highly suggest making a Wine Crawl!
The city of Eger is also worth a visit and you can see one of Hungary's famous castles. Related: 5 Cheese and Wine Destinations
Miskolc Visiting the cave bath
Miskolc is the 4th largest city in Hungary and reminds me of Budapest but with fewer cars and quieter, which is a win in my book. Also, I loved the city's food options, and we even found a great Mexican place (say what?!). The Cave Bath is a big attraction here, and I would've loved it if it weren't that crowded. Tip: Go on a weekday either at 9 am or after 4 pm to avoid a crowd.
Kékes To hike to the highest point in Hungary
Walking to the highest mountain in Hungary. The hike only took 1.5 hours up and is not strenuous. I think this is a great hike for expats, but you can skip this hike if you are on holiday. Related: Favorite Hikes in Europe
Visegrád To go bobsledding and see the castle
Visegrád: This is the easiest day trip from Budapest since the city is only an hour away. The view of the Danube River from Visegrad castle is worth the trip! I also like that there's a bobsled next to the castle - which is a random activity.
Q & A
What would you have changed?
I would've gone to Miskolc caves either first thing in the morning or after 4 pm. The caves were pretty, but it was not enjoyable since there were lots of kids and yelling. Also, the water was colder than expected.Anything go wrong during the trip?
We ended up getting a parking ticket. Make sure to look out for parking signs, so you know when you have to pay.Restaurant recommendations?
Gringos Amigos in Miskolc. Hungary is not known for Mexican food, but this hole in the wall was delicious and had amazing service.Tips you would give a friend?
In Eger, make sure to get a central hotel, so you can walk to the Valley of Beautiful Woman and not need a designated driver.
Transportation Tips?
It's important to purchase a pass for the highway. If you don't have a special pass, then you will be fined. You can pick up a pass at a gas station.
Lodging
Airbnb - we rented an Airbnb in another town because there was no accommodation available in Eger. It's easy to access Eger from other towns via the public bus.
Airbnb. It was very central and adorable