Hi everyone. My DH and I will be in Budapest in August for business. We are thinking of going over early and spending about 5 days exploring the area in and around Budapest. This would mean a total of 10 days in Budapest. Are there enough day and/or overnight trips to warrent this time allotment? What places do you recommend? Thanks a lot for your suggestions.

Hi,

I am sure you will get many different opinions and options for trips outside Budapest.

There is certainly enough to keep you busy---and more.

The places we have enjoyed include:
Day trip, upstream to Szentendre by train. Folksy, charming village along the Danube that usually has summer, weekend shows (free) in the courtyard of the Church on the hill above the village. (Check with the tourist office for times and dates.) The village also has many good restaurants (of course, with live gypsy music) and reasonably-priced food.

With a three-day car rental, you can go east to:
Holloko--authenic 18th century village that offers handmade crafts by the local residents. They set-up tables or benches in their gardens with the crafts they have to sell!! An enjoyable two or three hour stopover.
Eger--further east with enough to see and do in the town and its surroundings for a one or two night stay. Besides the intown attractions (lovely old town, good shopping, a castle to explore and a Islamic "call to prayer" tower), you can go to the Valley of the Mothers (caves cut out of the mountain rock where locals go to drink wine, sing and party---definitely a fun evening.)

About 8 miles outside Eger, (The Tourist Office will give you directions) there are natural, thermal salt springs---its free. The locals go there to camp and vacation. It looks like the elevated salt ponds in Cappadocia--qutie unusual.

From Eger, to the northeast, there is a lovely castle hotel (Hotel Palota) in the forest outside Lillafured. The setting on a mountainside, adjacent to a river and cascading waterfall, makes for a different experience from the hot, humid plain around Budapest. We enjoyed their restaurant, walks along the river and forested paths---plus, the restaurant had a live orchestra each evening. It is a popular spot!

Just south of Lillafured, outside the village of Miskolctapolca, is an 19th century thermal spa. (This place is old and very "third world".) There are indoor thermal pools, as well as an outdoor pool that winds its way into electrified caves, which you can swim through. A very different experience and dirt cheap.

We have also heard good things about the Lake Balaton area, but haven't visited there as yet. (In August, however, that area would probably be very crowded with European vacationers.)

Thanks Georgine. These sound like lovely places and I think we'll go to some of them. Are car rental expensive in Budapest? We thought we might wait to rent one for the three day trip when we get there or would it be better to do so before we leave US?

Yes--car rentals are expensive in Hungary.

In my experience, the prices are usually better if rentals are arranged stateside. (example---Auto Europe or Kemwel)

It seems that the daily price is about $60.00 and upward, with VAT tax, for a smaller vehicle. Usually, a three-day minimum rental is required.

You can also consider doing your travel by train. Szentendre, Eger and even Bratislava (Slovakia) would be within reach (2 to 2 1/2 hours, each way).