Places To Visit in Hungary

Major credit cards such as EuroCard, Visa are accepted in major shops and larger restaurants. But one should always check first as small places do not have card machines. Apart from Hungarian Forints, Euros are also accepted now, across big hotels and eating outlets, especially in Budapest.

Hungary's foundation was laid in the 9th century by çrp‡d, a great Magyar chief. His position was then taken by his great-great-grandson, Szent Istv‡n (Vajk) in the year 1000. Istv‡n was born pagan but raised as a Christian. He was the first king of Hungary, and thus, the kingdom of Hungary was born. Under his rule, the country became increasingly progressive and westward-looking, and art and architecture flourished immensely. The first Golden Age began. However, post his death, the Ottomans attacked and began their rule for the entirety of 16th and l7th centuries. Post that, the Habsburgs took over, and a more stable time of reconstruction began. Unfortunately, the Habsburg Empire soon started to flounder because of a revolt in 1848 which resulted in the dual monarchy of Austria and Hungary. This glorious time sparked an economic, cultural and intellectual rebirth in Hungary. The second golden age had begun. While the 20th century brought modernity to Hungary, World War I proved extremely disastrous. The country was partitioned into almost one-third of its original size, and millions of ethnic Hungarians were displaced. This was followed by a Russian intervention. The 21st century brought freedom to Hungary giving birth to the present post-communist era of rapid change where constant reminders of a largely vanished Europe are still visible.

Northern Hungary is home to the greatest historical towns and cave baths in the country. Central Hungary houses the capital city of Budapest and is thus, the most visited part of the country. The area surrounding the Lake Balaton is a popular tourist destination, famous for serene rural regions, vineyards and bustling towns. Transdanubia lies to the west of the Danube and is one of the most economically developed parts of the country. The Great Hungarian Plain is an isolated section as tourists are scarce; its geography varies from flat to rolling plains.