Where to Go from Budapest

Where to visit from Budapest for 1 day or more? Interesting attractions and cities near the capital of Hungary, what to see and how to get there?

Every traveler who visits Budapest not for the first time will certainly think about whether he should go somewhere from the city? Especially considering the fact that the distances in Hungary are small, and there are enough beautiful places in the country?

Our site decided to deal with the issue. And made a list of places in the vicinity of Budapest you need to visit in the first place. From our point of view, of course!

Where to Go Near Budapest

Szentendre is a cozy town located on the right bank of the Danube and just a 30-minute drive from the Hungarian capital. The city was founded in the 17th century by Serbs who fled their country due to the Turkish invasion.

Then a huge number of people arrived in Szentendre who were forced to leave their homeland, and among them were many artists, merchants and artisans. Therefore, Szentendre is still known as a city of artists.

The main sights of the city are its cobbled streets and houses. In the center of the village there is a small hill with the church of St. John. The hill offers a panoramic view of the Danube, as well as old houses and churches.

Fans of museums will definitely like it here – there are more than a dozen of them. The most famous is the Marzipan Museum.

To visit, it is better to choose a weekday or an outright off-season – for example, go here in early spring. So in the halls you will meet much fewer people.

After visiting museums, walking along the promenade and the streets of the old town, you should look into some local cafe to taste traditional Hungarian cuisine. And the Hungarian Skansen, an open-air ethnographic museum, is also based in Szentendre.

Szentendre from Budapest can be reached by bus or train, and in the warm season – by ship. Trains depart from Batthyány tér station every 20-30 minutes.

Visegrad

Not every traveler will dare to visit Szentendre and not see the royal palace in the nearby tiny town of Visegrad. Since the fortress, although not entirely preserved, is famous in its own way.

After all, Vlad Tepes was kept within its walls for a long time. The Transylvanian ruler, who, according to the general opinion, became the prototype of the vampire Dracula.

Once Visegrad was the location of the royal court and the capital of Hungary. From the top of the fortress hill, there are excellent views of the Danube.

Vac

A nice and small city on the Danube rarely appears in the list of places that tourists intend to go to from Budapest. Although Vac has everything to please.

After all, it is remarkably beautiful city center consists of buildings, most of which were built in the XVIII century in the Baroque style. The remains of a medieval stone wall and the Sharp Tower are surviving buildings of the 14th century.

And in Vac there are: a beautiful city cathedral and the Bishop’s Palace, several monasteries, many other churches and houses.

Esztergom

Known as the “Hungarian Vatican”, it is located on the border with Slovakia. It is eagerly visited by foreigners for an obvious reason – the largest church in the country, the Basilica of St. Adalbert, is located in the city.

The main Catholic church in Hungary was allegedly founded by St. Stephen. But the modern impressive building was erected in the 19th century.

The Esztergom Basilica measures 118 by 49 meters and is 100 meters high. Many foreigners, after visiting the Basilica of St. Adalbert, generally claim that they have never seen a larger church in their lives.

In addition to the cathedral, in Esztergom it is worth visiting the restored Arpad royal palace and the former episcopal residence. And also walk along the border bridge of Maria-Valeria.

• You can get to Esztergom from Budapest either by train from Nyugati station or by bus
• Another way – to take a cruise on the Danube

Sopron

This city is located near the border with Austria. In good and cloudless weather, you can even see a piece of the Alpine mountains from there.

The first mention of Sopron dates back to Roman times, when the settlement was called Skarbantia. Only the ruins located in the center of the city really remind of the Roman era today.

On the central square of Sopron, you can see many old, but well-preserved houses. The most famous and beautiful: the house of the General and Gambrinus.

On the central square of Sopron there are many buildings in the Baroque style. In the middle of the square, as in many other European cities, there is a column of the Holy Trinity. It was erected in 1680 in memory of the victims of a terrible disease.

Among the numerous architectural monuments of the city, a 60-meter neo-Renaissance fire tower stands out. The tower stands on a Roman foundation and has been rebuilt several times.

Another attraction of the city is the Old Synagogue. It was built in 1379 and is considered one of the oldest in Europe.

• Trains to Sopron leave from Budapest’s Kelenföld station. And run only 2 hours!

Gödöllő

35 km from Budapest, in the small town of Gödöllő, there is a masterpiece of the Hungarian baroque – the summer royal palace. The favorite residence of Empress Elisabeth, the wife of the Autro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph, amazes with the luxury of the ceremonial halls. You can also see the private quarters of crowned persons.

There is a huge park all around. The central alley is decorated with a statue of Empress Sissi, the park has a baroque theater and an exhibition gallery.

It is not so easy to get to Gödöllő on your own, except by car. You can also order a tour from Budapest.

Pannonhalma Abbey

The oldest Catholic abbey, which is considered the largest in the world, is located near the city of Gyor. Little visited, but also very beautiful thanks to the historic center built up with beautiful baroque buildings.

In the abbey of Pannonhalma, it is worth visiting the Basilica of St. Martin and the richest monastery library, taking a walk in the botanical garden. If you are not against alcohol, you can try the local wine.

The abbey is active now. Today, several dozen brothers of the Benedictine Order live in the community, and there is a school for boys.

Tihany

This is the name of the peninsula on Lake Balaton. One of its attractions is the abbey of King Andrew I.

But the traveler who comes to Tihany pays the main attention to Lake Balaton. The largest in Hungary and throughout Central Europe. Someone even calls Balaton the “Hungarian Sea”.

The peninsula has developed its own unique mild microclimate that attracts tourists. In general, the season falls here in the summer. In June, lavender fields bloom and smell fragrant around, and people begin to swim in the lake.

• The most convenient way to get to Tihany from Budapest is by train

Every day, several trains depart in this direction from Deli Station (Budapest-Deli). You need to get off at the Balatonfüred station, then by bus you can get to Tihany itself.

Heviz

The lake, which is no less famous than Balaton, is considered the largest thermal reservoir in Europe. This is a developed resort, which can be reached from the capital in 3 hours.

It is popular regardless of the season. Even in late autumn and winter, you can take baths in Hévíz. And they really do heal!

Along the way, we advise you to visit the town of Keszthely, the iconic landmark of which is the huge Festetics Palace. And stop by to admire the ancient fortress of Sümeg. Once one of the main strongholds of Hungary.

Pecs

A small town 200 km from Budapest once even became the cultural capital of Europe. There are not so many attractions in it, but you are unlikely to regret the trip

Pay attention to the column of the Holy Trinity towering in the central square, as well as the Belvaros Church. The local synagogue is interesting in architectural terms. But the ancient Christian burial in St. Stephen’s Square is generally listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In the Zsolnay quarter, you can visit the famous ceramic factory that produces porcelain. There are enough cafes and restaurants in the city where you can taste traditional goulash and other dishes of Hungarian cuisine.

Bratislava

The capital of Slovakia is located about 200 km from the Hungarian capital. And this is a good reason to go there from Budapest at least for a day.

There is something to see here: there are enough medieval streets and ancient churches, the local castle is also very impressive.

Vienna

The Austrian capital is perhaps the most obvious destination for those looking for a day trip from Hungary. Although it would be wrong to say that you can see a lot in Vienna in just a day.

However, in a couple of days in the city you can see most of its iconic sights. For example, the same Stephansdom and the Hofburg Palace, visit the favorite residence of Maria Theresa, Schönbrunei and visit the zoo there, the oldest in Europe.

It is worth looking into the famous Viennese museums, visiting the Prater park, personally seeing the elegant Belvedere palaces. It is possible to take a cruise on the Danube or drive to the Abbey of Klosterneuburg. Once almost became the Austrian Escorial.