Hungary

The Republic of Hungary is a landlocked country located in the central part of Europe.  It shares borders with Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east, Yugoslavia to the southeast, Croatia to the southwest and Austria and Slovenia to the west.  The country is mostly made up of rolling hills, plains and farming and agricultural areas.  The main rivers are the Tisza and Danube and the largest lake is Lake Balaton. 

The capital and largest city is Budapest, located in the northern central part of the country.  Other major cities include Pecs, Miskolc, Szeged and Debrecen.  The currency is the Forint.  Magyar (Hungarian) is the official language.  In 1999 Hungary joined NATO, and the EU in 2004.

Hungary is a country with plenty of natural beauty, as well as natural therapeutic mineral springs.  The country boasts hundreds of mineral spas, pools and baths continuing a tradition that began with the Romans.  Some of the bath houses are themselves historic sites dating back many centuries. There are almost a dozen national parks as well as many protected zones and beautiful countryside with vineyards and fruit trees.  It is a country made for walking and hiking with gentle rolling hills and also a good place for nature lovers and bird watching. The Tisza river is the place to go for good fishing where guides and accommodation are available.  Other good ways to enjoy your visit to Hungary are by taking cycle or horse back rides. 

Southwest of the capital, Budapest, is Lake Balaton which is a popular area to visit for locals and tourists alike with its sandy beaches and good water for swimming and other water sports. 

www.hungary.com

Budapest

The capital of Hungary is the city of Budapest.  It is a cosmopolitan city with plenty to do, lots of culture, and good nightlife.  It is a city filled with wide avenues, parks and monuments and lies on either side of the river Danube.  The city has many picturesque bridges for great photo opportunities.  Attractions include the Royal Palace Parliament building and the Castle District and there are also some Roman ruins and many museums.   You could also take a river trip on the Danube.

The city is roughly comprised of separate areas: Buda, where there are many opulent palaces and buildings as well as cobble stone streets, and Pest on the other side of the river which is more commercial and where the city’s zoo and some museums are located.  Part of the city, in the Buda section, is on the UNESCO World Heritage list for its wealth of palaces, churches and museums.  There are many good museums and galleries located throughout the city.  Budapest has good public transport systems so it is easy to get about on the subways, trams, buses, trains and trolley buses.  It is a city of music with many concerts of traditional and classical music and it was also home to the composers Liszt and Bartok.  For the younger crowd there are plenty of clubs and discos.

There are wonderful views across the city from the Citadel, and afterwards you could relax from the climb at one of the thermal baths. 

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