Hello - my husband and I are going to Hungary in September for 7 nights. He studied in Szeged in college about 10 years ago so most of our trip will be spent there. We've both been to Budapest before, so we don't need to spend any time there. We are thinking of:
- 3 nights in Szeged
- 1 night in Pecs
- 2 nights somewhere around Lake Balaton - would love a town recommendation
- 1 night near Budapest Airport the night before our early flight

We are planning to rent a car at the airport for the entire trip. Plan to use Auto Europe unless someone knows of a better choice in Hungary.

What do you think of the above itinerary? We are toying with perhaps doing 4 nights in Szeged instead and either skipping Pecs (or driving through it on our way to Balaton) or just doing 1 night in Balaton. We like pretty towns and as the parents of a 3 year old - we want to relax. We do not need a full-on spa in Balaton but we would love a place with a sauna.

Any tips on Szeged hotels (or Pecs/Balaton/near Budapest airport) would be great as well. Thinking of the Dom in Szeged because the location looks good and they have a/c and wifi (2 must-haves for us), but some reviews make it sound run down.

Thanks!

Of our list I've been only to Pecs, but loved it. I stayed in the Palatinus, which was great for historical architecture, but no A/C.

Thanks for the tip, any other must see sights or great places to eat in Pecs? Maybe we should keep that on our itinerary.

Definitely visit Pecs as well as Szeged - great Art Nouveau buildings in both places.

For Pecs: I stayed at http://www.hotelarkadiapecs.hu/ and recommend eating at Susogo

For Szeged: I stayed at http://hotelsoleil.hu/nf2.php?lang=en

For more start here (link at the top of the page): http://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/pecs/

Can't help with Lake Balaton, I've only been past it on the train.

A lot to occupy you in Pecs, easily justifying an overnight stay. The early Christian mausoleum was especially worth a trip.

I am an American living in Budapest. I also have only been past Balaton on the train, but we are planning a trip there this year. My Hungarian friends recommend I go to Balatonfured on the north shore.

Here is a link ... It looks quite nice:

http://en.balatonfured.hu

Thanks everyone, all the links are so enticing - it's hard to decide whether to whittle down our itinerary to Szeged + either Pecs/Balaton or try to keep all 3. Sounds like there isn't really a wrong choice!

There are towns in the eastern part of Hungary that are worth visiting for their architecture:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...th/4186897334/