My wife and I are going to Budapest in mid November.(I know it is cold) We can take up to 5 days [not including jet lag day] and would like to know if anybody has suggestions of interesting day trips outside Budapest. When traveling we enjoy a wide array of activities such as palaces, cathedrals, different architectures, muesuems, and anything that is interesting. We are up for taking tours or to just go out on our own. We would not like to rent a car but will do so if that is the only means of transportation. I am also looking for a place to stay that is safe, includes a shower and bath in the room, is within walking distance to a metro stop, and is $50 or less. I will pay a little more if I have to. Please help with your suggestions. Thks.

i was in budapest 6 years ago, and we also wanted a daytrip, all we could find was a lake resortish community south of the city - i really wasn't thaaat impressed with hungary in comparison to the rest of europe so i assume you must have a business/family reason to go there above anywhere else so ask the people you know - the locals are usually the best bets for knowing interesting day trips in their "hood"

I would go to Szeged <BR>

I would visit either Esztergom with its old dome or Pannonhalma with the biggest bibliotheca I've ever seen. <BR>For both the best is to rent a car. For a budget hotel you have to go outside the centre - no problem if you have a car. How about "Palota Panzio"? It is clean and unexpensive, but not comparable to a hotel. The breakfast is ok. If you are interested I can give you the adress, phone- and faxnumber. <BR>Are you used to big traffic? I know some Americans who never want to drive in Germany again. Budapest is worse! <BR>Because you only have 5 days it is not necessary to leave Budapest. During this time you will not be able to see everything. <BR>So you just have to decide: rent a car or not. <BR>With car: outside cheap accomodation <BR> Esztergom, Pannonhalma, tour <BR> along the Duna <BR> very good food in villages <BR>without car: comfortable hotel (quite <BR> expensive) in walking or <BR> metro distance to many <BR> attractions like museums <BR> expensive food (not better <BR> than in the villages) <BR>

I agree with Sabine as far as not running out of things to do. I was in Budapest 2 years ago and found it to be one of the most beautiful cities that I've been to. I spent 7 days there and came nowhere close of running out of things to see and do. You can find less expensive hotels in Budapest. Eating is very inexpensive. We were having 3 course dinners with a glass of wine for about $10.00. The public transportation system is great. I bought a 7 day pass for approx $7.50. It is good on the subways, trolleys and busses. Do a search on Hungary on the pull down menu and you will see a lot of information on places to go and see. <BR>Regards, <BR>Art <BR>

You can reach bpoth Szeged and Esztergom reafdily by train. A buffet car InterCity train leaves Budapest Nyugati station at 0705 and reaches Szeged at 0937. Local trains leave Budapest Nyugati at 0815 (Mondays to Fridays) and 0910 (daily) and take 105 minutes to Esztergom. There are afternoon and evening trains back. Both make attractive days out. You'll find detail if you use http://www.yahoo.com and enter Szeged tourism and Esztergom tourism <BR> <BR>Please write if I can help further. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines, London

For a day trip i would suggest the Royal Palace of Godollo - just outside Budapest and easily accessed by train. I went to Etszergom this past May - beautifully situated on the Danube. However - in November it might be a bit bleak to travel that far for just the cathedral. Here's some more info: <BR> <BR>Royal Palace of Gödöllö (Gödöllöi Királyi Kastély) <BR>Gödöllö, tel. (+36-28) 410 124, (28) 410 402, [email protected], <BR> www.digitel2002.hu/kastely. Open 10:00 - 18:00 (cashier 10:00 - 17:00). Closed Mon. Admission:600 Ft for a one-hour tour. English-language tours available by prior arrangement. Hungary's biggest Baroque mansion was given as a gift to Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Josef I and hiswife Elizabeth in 1867, upon their coronation as king and queen of Hungary. The couple used this impressive building as their summer residence. Elizabeth (known as 'Sissi') spoke fluent Hungarian and was adored by her Magyar subjects. Her turbulent life, violent death and posthumous cult of personality parallel <BR> that of Princess Diana one century later. After 1945 the palace was converted into a home for the aged, and Soviet troops set up a barracks on the palace grounds. (Was this done out of class warfare - or just lack of class?) The shameful neglect of this <BR> palace under communist rule is still visible in the unrenovated wings. However, a remarkable portion of the palace has been restored to its former glory. The royal furniture on display here was recovered from other museums and from auctions abroad. Of particular interest are Sissi's violet-colored rooms, which contained secret doors so that she could avoid guests. To get there, start from Örs vezér tere (the Pest terminus of Budapest's red metro line) and take the HEV suburban railway to Gödöllö (the Szabadság tér stop). Trains leave twice an hour; the trip costs 268 Ft and takes 41 minutes. The Royal Palace sits across the street from the train stop. <BR>

http://www.gotohungary.com/ <BR> <BR>The Hungarian Tourist Office has free booklets on numerous areas in Hungary - one of the booklets specifically focuses on the palaces / mansions throughout Hungary. (Maybe this fall I'll get to Fertod - the Versailles (sp?) of Hunagry)

Day trips -- I recommend the all-day "Danube Bend" tour, which will take you past Aqvincum (ancient Roman City ruins) and past Szentendre to Visegrad, then on to Estergom, where you will have lunch. Then back to Szentendre for a couple or three hours, and back to Budapest. Use a tour operator who employs live, multilingual guides, such as Cityrama or a couple of others (but not all). <BR>Hotel - look into Ibis Centrum. Good rates can be found at www.hotelshungary.com (or possibly www.hungaryhotels.com), among other possibilities. Hotel Benczur is another possibility (and had very good food and moderate prices). I think it worth a few extra dollars to have a relatively "central" location, expecially, as some others have noted, many other things are quite inexpensive by American standards. <BR>ALSO, in addition to Fodors, check other guide books and other web page suggestions. Five days is hardly enough to "scratch the surface".

November is late and cold, so the 2 best day trips-Balaton lake, and Great Plain with horse show- are out of question.Take the Cityrama Danube Bend tour.Gödöllő is a good choice for a halfday,but you have to be intersted in the family life of the Hapsburgs.For a full day you can go to Eger in northern Hungary. <BR>I'm a Hungarian tour guide so feel free to ask any question <BR>Eva