Roavina

Country guide

Hungary

A photograph of Hungary
Photograph · Jakub Hałun · CC BY-SA 4.0

Hungary is landlocked inside the Carpathian Basin, drains entirely into the Danube, and is dominated by wide lowland plains with seven neighbours around the rim. Just over 9.5 million people live here, and Budapest pulls hard enough that most itineraries amount to the capital plus one decision. The Danube cuts the city in two and carries on north through the bend towns; the plains run east toward Romania; Lake Balaton lies southwest and does the work a coast would do in a country that has none. Hungarian is one of the few languages in Europe outside the Indo-European family, which is the first thing a visitor notices on a road sign and the last thing they get used to.

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
Hungarian
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+36
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Hungarian forint (HUF)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
112
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type C and F · 230 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified nationwide visitor statement was recorded

Planning a visit

  1. January: seasonal closure recorded
  2. February: seasonal closure recorded
  3. March: seasonal closure recorded
  4. April: seasonal closure recorded
  5. May: seasonal closure recorded
  6. June: seasonal closure recorded
  7. July: seasonal closure recorded
  8. August: seasonal closure recorded
  9. September: seasonal closure recorded — this month
  10. October: seasonal closure recorded
  11. November: seasonal closure recorded
  12. December: seasonal closure recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Shoes on the Danube Bank Shoes on the Danube Bank
    02 45 min

    Shoes on the Danube Bank

    Cipők a Duna-parton

    The Shoes on the Danube Bank is an outdoor memorial sculpture on the Pest riverbank of the Danube in Budapest, Hungary.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Budapest
  2. House of Terror Museum House of Terror Museum
    03 1 hr 30 min

    House of Terror Museum

    Terror Háza Múzeum

    The House of Terror Museum is a memorial museum located on Andrássy Avenue in Budapest. It occupies a building that served as headquarters for the Nazi Arrow Cross Party and later the Soviet-aligned ÁVH secret police.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Budapest
  3. Museum of Fine Arts Museum of Fine Arts
    04 1 hr 30 min

    Museum of Fine Arts

    Szépművészeti múzeum

    The Museum of Fine Arts is a major art museum in Budapest, Hungary. It stands on Heroes' Square in the city, forming part of a significant cultural ensemble with the Palace of Art and Millennium Monument.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Budapest
  4. Hungarian National Museum Hungarian National Museum
    05 1 hr 30 min

    Hungarian National Museum

    Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum

    The Hungarian National Museum stands as a major institution in Budapest, dedicated to the history, archaeology and art of Hungary. Founded in 1802, it occupies a neoclassical building designed by Mihály Pollack that opened in 1847.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Budapest
  5. Hospital in the Rock Hospital in the Rock
    06 1 hr 30 min

    Hospital in the Rock

    Sziklakórház Atombunker Múzeum

    Hospital in the Rock is a former emergency hospital and nuclear bunker located beneath Buda Castle in Budapest. The facility was built into the natural cave system under Castle Hill during the 1930s and expanded during the Cold War era.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Budapest
  6. Gellért Baths Gellért Baths
    07 45 min

    Gellért Baths

    Szent Gellért Gyógyfürdő és Uszoda

    Gellert Thermal Bath is a historic thermal-bath complex on Budapest’s Buda side, beside the Danube and at the foot of Gellert Hill.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Budapest
  7. Budapest History Museum Budapest History Museum
    08 1 hr 30 min

    Budapest History Museum

    Budapesti Történeti Múzeum

    The Budapest History Museum is a municipal museum dedicated to the history of Hungary's capital city.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Budapest
  8. Church of Saint Anne Church of Saint Anne
    09 45 min

    Church of Saint Anne

    Szent Anna-templom

    The Church of Saint Anne is a Roman Catholic church in Budapest and an active place of worship for the local community.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Budapest
  9. Liberty Statue Liberty Statue
    10 45 min

    Liberty Statue

    Szabadság-szobor

    The Liberty Statue stands on Gellért Hill overlooking the Danube in Budapest. Erected in 1947, the monument originally commemorated Soviet liberation of Hungary from Nazi occupation.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Budapest
  10. Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center
    11 1 hr 30 min

    Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center

    Robert Capa Kortárs Fotográfiai Központ

    The Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center is a photography museum and exhibition space in Budapest. It is named after Robert Capa, the renowned Hungarian-born war photographer.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Budapest
  11. Holocaust Memorial Center Holocaust Memorial Center
    12 1 hr 30 min

    Holocaust Memorial Center

    Holokauszt Emlékközpont

    The Holocaust Memorial Center in Budapest is a museum and memorial devoted to the Holocaust in Hungary. It occupies a former synagogue in the Pava Street area and combines historical education with remembrance.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Budapest
  12. Aquincum Museum Aquincum Museum
    13 1 hr 30 min

    Aquincum Museum

    Aquincumi Múzeum

    Aquincum Museum preserves the remains of the ancient Roman city of Aquincum in northern Budapest's Obuda district. The site presents both an indoor archaeological museum and an outdoor ruin area.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Budapest
  13. Museum of Ethnography Museum of Ethnography
    14 1 hr 30 min

    Museum of Ethnography

    Néprajzi Múzeum

    The Museum of Ethnography in Budapest is a national museum dedicated to Hungarian and international ethnographic collections. It is housed in a prominent building near Kossuth Square in the Hungarian capital.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Budapest
  14. Belvedere Tower in the Buda Hills Belvedere Tower in the Buda Hills
    15 45 min

    Belvedere Tower in the Buda Hills

    Erzsébet-kilátó

    Elizabeth Lookout is a historic observation tower on János Hill, the highest point of Budapest. Named after Empress Elisabeth of Austria, it rises above the wooded Buda Hills and opens the city from a completely different angle than central viewpoints.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Budapest
  15. Fiume Road Graveyard Fiume Road Graveyard
    16 30 min

    Fiume Road Graveyard

    Fiumei úti sírkert

    Kerepesi Cemetery is a historic burial ground in Budapest’s eighth district, established in 1847 and remembered as a national pantheon. Its avenues, graves, mausoleums, and memorials connect the city’s political, artistic, and intellectual history with a quiet garden landscape.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Budapest
  16. Inner City Parish Church Inner City Parish Church
    17 30 min

    Inner City Parish Church

    Belvárosi Nagyboldogasszony-templom

    Inner City Parish Church stands near the Elizabeth Bridge on Budapest’s Pest riverbank and ranks among the city’s oldest ecclesiastical buildings. Its foundations incorporate remains from Roman Contra-Aquincum, while the present structure reflects medieval, Gothic, Ottoman and Baroque phases.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Budapest
  17. Rumbach Street synagogue Rumbach Street synagogue
    18 30 min

    Rumbach Street synagogue

    Rumbach utcai zsinagóga

    Rumbach Street Synagogue is a landmark of Budapest’s Jewish Quarter and a notable 19th-century Moorish Revival building. Otto Wagner designed the synagogue, which was completed in 1872 for the Neolog Jewish community.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Budapest
  18. Kazinczy Street Synagogue Kazinczy Street Synagogue
    19 30 min

    Kazinczy Street Synagogue

    Sász-Chevra Zsinagóga

    Kazinczy Street Synagogue is an Orthodox Jewish house of worship in Budapest’s historic Jewish Quarter. The synagogue adds an important Orthodox presence to a district also known for Neolog Jewish heritage, including the nearby Dohány Street Synagogue.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Budapest
  19. Gresham Palace Gresham Palace
    20 45 min

    Gresham Palace

    Gresham-palota

    Gresham Palace is a prominent Art Nouveau building on Budapest’s Danube riverfront. The palace dates from the early twentieth century and occupies a central position beside the Chain Bridge, giving it an important architectural and urban setting.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Budapest
  20. Hungarian Academy of Sciences Hungarian Academy of Sciences
    21 45 min

    Hungarian Academy of Sciences

    Magyar Tudományos Akadémia

    The Hungarian Academy of Sciences is the premier learned society of Hungary, founded in 1825 by Count István Széchenyi. Its neoclassical headquarters stands prominently on the Danube embankment at Széchenyi István Square in central Budapest.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Budapest

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Hungary be?

Five to seven days gives Budapest four days and leaves room for Eger, Pécs, Lake Balaton or the Danube Bend. Choose one extension; repeated returns to the capital can consume the time an overnight would preserve.

What entry documents are needed for Hungary?

Hungary’s consular information service carries the current entry and visa rules. Check the passport-specific requirement and the complete Schengen itinerary rather than assuming another member state’s answer applies unchanged.

What is the best way to travel around Hungary?

Budapest Airport is the principal international gateway. Intercity trains and coaches radiate from the capital, while Budapest uses its own metro, tram, bus and suburban-rail fare system.

When is a practical time to visit Hungary?

April through June and September through October are practical for Budapest and regional sightseeing. Lake Balaton’s summer season and winter operating patterns create different transport and opening considerations.

What money and payment basics apply in Hungary?

Hungarian forints (HUF) are the recorded currency even though some businesses may display other currencies. Fees and acceptance are Not recorded; verify the HUF total and avoid accepting an unclear conversion.

What practical safety details should I save for Hungary?

Call 112 in a Hungarian emergency. Electricity is 230 V through Type C and F sockets; national tap-water guidance is Not recorded in the cited material.