Danube, Budapest, HungaryPhoto: Gabor Liktor, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Find your Bliss in Hungary
Hungary, made simple: thermal baths, Danube views and wine country on your doorstep
Hungary is a small country with a big personality: a grand capital split by the Danube, centuries old thermal baths, ruin bars in old courtyards, the largest lake in Central Europe and wine regions that have been famous for hundreds of years. It can feel unfamiliar, with a language unlike its neighbours, the forint instead of the euro and new European entry checks. This guide takes the guesswork out so you travel with confidence.
Your trip, step by step
- Before you flySchengen entry rules, seasons, safety advice and health, answered
- LandingBudapest airport, the airport bus, forints and your first night, explained
- Your days in HungaryBaths, food, wine, the lake and easy train trips, planned with care
- Home againDeparture tips so the last day is calm too
Where to go, eat and stay
- Plain answersClear, honest guidance on the questions first-timers actually ask.
- Official sourcesEntry, health and safety facts point you to the official pages to confirm.
- No price surprisesWe explain forints, cards, service charges, tipping and typical budgets so costs never catch you off guard.
- Free to useEvery guide and the trip planner are free.
Our promise
Hungary should feel like a warm welcome, not a worry. We answer the questions about entry, money, transport and safety before they start, so you arrive confident and ready to find your Bliss.
Coming home from Cleveland, Toronto, London, Vienna or São Paulo to see family, or tracing a grandparent's village for the first time? This guide was written with you in mind.
How to use this guide
Four steps from first idea to a trip that feels easy.
- Choose your HungaryCity breaks, spa days, lake summers, wine country or small baroque towns: start with the destinations that fit you.
- Sort the essentialsSchengen entry rules, the right season and current travel advice, checked against official sources.
- Pick your placesUse our places to visit list for baths, restaurants, cafés, ruin bars, markets and stays across the country.
- Plan your routeUse the free trip planner to link Budapest, the Danube Bend, Lake Balaton, Eger and Pécs at a relaxed pace.
Everything your Hungary trip needs
Free tools and guides for every stage of the journey.
Destinations
Budapest, Lake Balaton, the Danube Bend, Eger and Pécs, each explained in depth.
Explore destinationsPlaces to visit
More than a hundred baths, cafés, restaurants, wine cellars, markets and stays, from classics to hidden corners.
See places to visitFlights and stays
Search flights into Budapest and stays in every region.
Plan travelPlaces finder
Restaurants, sights and stays mapped around each base.
Find placesFree trip planner
Tell us your dates and interests and build a route that fits.
Plan your trip
The classic Hungary trip
Budapest, the Danube Bend, Lake Balaton and wine country
Most first trips start with three or four nights in Budapest for the Parliament, Buda Castle, the thermal baths, the Great Market Hall and an evening in the ruin bars. From there, trains and buses make the rest easy: a day up the river to Szentendre, Visegrád and Esztergom, a few summer days on the shores of Lake Balaton, then east to Eger for its castle and the Valley of the Beautiful Women, or south to Pécs for Roman tombs, Ottoman mosques and Mediterranean light. A week covers the heart of the country; ten days lets you add the Tokaj wine region or the Great Plain.
- A soak in the Széchenyi or Gellért thermal baths
- The Parliament lit up from a Danube evening walk
- Sunset over Lake Balaton from the Tihany peninsula
- Wine cellars in Eger's Valley of the Beautiful Women
Start with the destinations
See how the capital, the river, the lake and the regions fit together.
Hungary destinationsPlan with confidence
Your route, without the worry
Hungary rewards a little preparation: entry rules checked for your passport under the new European systems, a card plus a few forints for markets and small towns, and a sense of which summer weekends get busy at the lake. Our free planner helps you shape it.
- Realistic train and bus times between regions
- The right season for baths, the lake or wine harvest
- Where to base yourself outside Budapest
Where to go in Hungary
From the grand capital Budapest and the river towns of the Danube Bend to the summer shores of Lake Balaton, the baroque wine town of Eger and sunny, historic Pécs.
Central Hungary
Budapest
A grand river capital of thermal baths, coffee houses, ruin bars and floodlit bridges over the Danube.
Read the guidePhoto: Godot13, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Pest and Komárom-Esztergom
The Danube Bend
Three historic river towns where the Danube turns south, all within easy reach of Budapest.
Read the guidePhoto: Andre Engels, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Transdanubia
Lake Balaton
Central Europe's largest lake, with family beaches, volcanic vineyards, the Tihany peninsula and Hévíz's warm lake spa.
Read the guidePhoto: Pudelek, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Northern Hungary
Eger
A baroque wine town under a heroic castle, with thermal baths and cellars carved into the hills.
Read the guidePhoto: Isiwal, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Southern Transdanubia
Pécs
A warm southern city of Roman tombs, an Ottoman mosque, ceramic art and nearby Villány wine.
Read the guidePhoto: Takkk, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A note from our founder
A note from our founder
My first time visiting Kenya, I was genuinely surprised with how fast it began feeling like home. The people are so friendly, the food is delicious and familiar, and the accommodations are modern and upscale.
During my travels throughout the continent, I commonly hear tourists share stories about being scammed or taken advantage of, which is both frustrating and disheartening.
Living in Kenya for the last 2 years, I have had the great fortune to meet a network of wonderful Kenyans who have continuously help guide my family's journey. Their shared knowledge has not only greatly enhanced our overall experience here, but it has also saved us tons of time, energy, and resources.
With BlissPoint Travel, my hope is to build a global community that is willing to share useful, uncommon knowledge so that we can all blissfully enjoy the wonders our world has to offer.
Questions we hear most
Is Hungary a good country for first-time visitors to Europe?
Yes. Budapest is compact, well connected and full of world class sights, public transport is good, and most destinations are an easy train or bus ride from the capital. English is widely spoken in tourist areas, though less so in the countryside.
Do I need a visa for Hungary?
Hungary is in the Schengen area, so the rules depend on your passport. Many nationalities can visit visa free for short stays, others need a Schengen visa. Check the Hungarian consular service and the EU travel site for your passport before booking.
What currency does Hungary use?
The Hungarian forint. Hungary is in the EU but does not use the euro. Cards are accepted almost everywhere in cities; carry some forints for markets, small towns and public toilets.
How many days do I need in Hungary?
Three or four days covers Budapest well. A week lets you add the Danube Bend and either Lake Balaton or Eger, and ten days gives time for Pécs, Tokaj or the Great Plain as well.
Is Hungary safe for tourists?
Hungary is generally safe, with low violent crime. The main issues are pickpocketing in busy parts of Budapest and overcharging scams in some bars, restaurants and unlicensed taxis. Check current UK, US or your own government's advice before travel.
When is the best time to visit Hungary?
Late April to June and September to October bring mild weather and fewer crowds. July and August are hot and best for Lake Balaton, while December brings Christmas markets and winter is ideal for the thermal baths.
Ready to find your Bliss in Hungary?
Use the free trip planner to shape your days, or send us a question through the contact page.