Hungary is one of the leading countries in Central Europe, with Austria and Slovenia in the west, Slovakia and Ukraine in the north, Romania and Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro in the south. Hungary is a favorite destination for tourists with its hot springs, lakes, Danube River, World Heritage sites and the beautiful capital city Budapest.

General Information

Official language

Hungarian is the official language in Hungary.

Capital

Budapest is the capital of Hungary. The Danube crosses the center of Budapest. The city was formed by the unification of Buda and Pest on 17 November 1873.

How to Get to Hungary?

You can go to Hungary by plane thanks to reciprocal flights from Istanbul every day. If you want to go to Hungary with Pegasus, one of the airports you can prefer is Budapest Ferenc Liszt (Ferihegy) Airport (BUD). With the comfortable direct flights of Pegasus Airlines, you can fly to Budapest every day from Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport. You can reach Budapest within 2 hours 10 minutes. Your ticket to Budapest Flight Ticket is one click away with Pegasus.

Public Transportation in Hungary

Budapest has a very good public transportation system called BKK (Budapest Transport Center) which is very practical and affordable. The subway, tram, trolleybus, bus, commuter trains, ferry, funicular, and cable car lines integrated into the public transport system in Budapest. Tickets in Budapest are not digital. You need to scan your one-time ticket at the entrance to the subway and scan your bus and tram tickets inside the vehicle and store the ticket that comes out of the machine with the date-time information processed until the end of your journey. On the long-term tickets, the date and time of expiry date are indicated, and you can show your ticket to the controller.

Transportation from Budapest Ferenc Liszt (Ferihegy) Airport to the City Center

Budapest Ferenc Liszt (formerly known as Ferihegy) Airport is located 16 kilometers southeast of the city center. Despite its small size, the airport, which meets the civilian air transportation needs of the city alone, does not have any difficulties in terms of transportation thanks to its central location and richness of options. There are various transportation options between the airport and city center such as buses, subway, and trains throughout the day.

 Buses 100E and 200E are the most preferred options for getting to the city center from Budapest Airport. The cost of traveling with 100E is 900 HUF (3 USD) per person. Daily and seasonal tickets do not apply to buses that go directly to the city center. You can buy the ticket for the 200E bus at the airport customer service office, post office, newsstand or automat at the stop for a fee of 350 HUF (1.25 USD). If you want to get your ticket from the driver of the vehicle you boarded, the fee is 450 HUF (1.5 USD).  (2019)

If you don't have time constraints, you can take the 200E to the train station in Ferihegy, where you can also take commuter trains. Using this method, you can reach the city center in 35 to 40 minutes. There is no place in the terminal building of the airport that sells train tickets. However, you can buy a daily travel ticket or Budapest Card and travel for free on rail cars.

Best Time to Visit

 Budapest, Hungary's largest and most populous city, is mostly cold due to the humid continental climate. However, its thermal resources make the city popular even in winter. Thanks to the three-week Spring Festival in April, Budapest's population is growing significantly. More than 50 cultural events are organized in more than 40 different places in the city within the scope of the Spring Festival.

 The summer season, as in many other places, is considered a tourist season in Budapest. During this period, the city begins to experience its busiest days. Especially if you go to the city in August, you will have the opportunity to watch the concerts organized within the scope of Sziget Festival. According to many, this event is among the top 5 festivals in Europe. Activities will attract the attention of gastronomy enthusiasts within the scope of Budapest International Wine Days. In addition to wine tastings, the festival is also embellished with concerts and workshops, where chefs present special recipes to guests.

Places to Visit in Hungary

Museums, castles, neoclassical buildings and the charming Danube river await you in Hungary. The country consists of 5 main regions. The most visited part is the Central region.

Parliament Building

You must visit the Parliament building, one of the most spectacular and most popular buildings in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. The building is located on the Pest side and is on the banks of the Danube. It is the third largest parliament building in Europe, after the German and British Parliament buildings.

Danube River

In Budapest, you should see statues that integrate with the city at different points of the Danube River. The most famous of these statues is Little Princess (Kiskirálylány). Another important statue you will see as you walk from the Parliament building to the Chain Bridge. This statue belongs to the Hungarian poet Attila Jozsef. The last statue is ‘the Shoes on the Danube Coast’, 300 meters below the parliament building. This statue was made in memory of the Jewish people who passed away during the Second World War.

Chain Bridge

Another construction you should see in the city is the Chain Bridge (Széchenyi lánchíd), the first bridge that connects Buda and Pest.

Buda Castle

Buda Castle (Budavári Palota) is just one of the fantastic sites in Hungary. Built in 1265, the palace consists of a museum and a castle. Inside it is Buda Castle, Budapest Historical Museum. The castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Matthias Church

Matthias Church is a Catholic church where kings were crowned. The church was first built in 1015 by the order of Stephan the 1st, King of Hungary. However, the ruins of this building are currently destroyed. The building that survived to the present day was built in the 14th century and took its final form during the restoration of the 19th century.

Where to Stay in Hungary?

In Budapest, you can find hotels in Belvaros & Lipotvaros, Terezvaros, Erzsebetvaros, Castle District and Jozsefvaros. If you need hotel advice in Budapest, check out 3-star Casati Budapest Hotel Superior, 4-star Mercure Budapest City C., and 5-star Kempinski Hotel Corvinus.

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What to Eat in Hungary?

You can try the most delicious dishes of Hungarian cuisine, one of the richest in Central Europe. You can find beautiful restaurants and cafes in Budapest. The first thing that comes to mind is the red pepper (paprika) and goulash in the context of Hungarian cuisine. Various stews prepared from beef, pork, chicken and game meat stand out, and cream, cheese, honey, and seasonal fruits are used in various combinations. Particularly in Budapest, where dinner is of the utmost importance, you will notice that the portions are quite large and satisfying.

Hungarians start their meals with soup. Famous Hungarian salami is also consumed quite frequently. In addition to meat such as turkey, goose liver and chicken, freshwater fish are also preferred because it is located on the Danube River.

 The dishes you should taste in Budapest are as follows: Goulash, Paprika, Tokany, Palachinka, Dobostorta.

Shopping in Hungary: Best Souvenirs to Buy

Budapest offers tourists a wide range of shopping options. You have the chance to find many authentic products in the city. Souvenir products are quite interesting. You can buy special handmade porcelain known as Herend Porcelain. In addition, folkloric products and clothes in the city are also remarkable.

In Budapest, you can find many wood carving and lacework products as souvenirs. The most important place to buy such souvenirs is Vaci Street, which is a shopping street. In addition, Castle Hill and the Town of Szentendre are among the popular shopping venues.

Festivals in Hungary

The prominent festivals in Hungary are as follows:

• Budapest International Circus Festival (January-February)
• Mangalica Festival (February)
• Titanic International Film Festival (March)
• Spring Festival (March)
• Palinka Festival (May)
• Körös Valley Folk Arts Festival (July-August)
• Sziget Festival (August)
• Beer Festival (August)

Nightlife in Hungary

Budapest nightlife is bustling, affordable and beautiful enough to make a name for itself. The most important advantage of Budapest nightlife compared to other European cities is that it offers high quality at an affordable price.

Things to Know Before Visiting Hungary

• Hungary is a member of the European Union and a member of the Schengen Zone. Due to the agreements, it is affiliated with, Hungary applies the Schengen visa procedure to foreign nationals.
• Budapest is safer than most European cities. It is not a very dangerous city except for some small cases in touristic areas. It is also possible to see police forces in relatively unsafe areas.
• By law, you need to have your passport with you while traveling in Budapest.
• You won't find too many public toilets in Budapest. This includes subway stations. Toilets in some parks are usually free.
• People working in taxis, thermal spas and restaurants hope to get tips.
• Foreigners in Budapest can get free ambulance service.

Important Information

Central help number: 112

Ambulance: 104

Police: 107

Fire service: 105

Airport: 06-1-296-7155

Tourist Police: 06-1-438-8080