Side Trips from Budapest
 

Hello,<BR><BR>We ar considering a trip to Budapest for a week. I've been told that 3 days is enough for Budapest, and was wonering if others feel that's too short or too much.<BR><BR>Are there any worthy side trips outside of Budapest to fill the rest of the week? <BR><BR>Someone mentioned to me that we should consider visiting another city like Vienna after a few days in Budapest. However, we usually prefer to do one country at a time.<BR><BR>Thanks for your help!

Tim--<BR>With all due respect to your desire to "do one country at a time," you should visit Vienna. After all, even going to Vienna isn't like saying you have been to Austria and are suddenly knowledgeable and an expert on Austria. It's just one more city with a character of its own, and one you can easily visit from Budapest. If you choose to stay closer, try Szentendre, Esztergom, and Visegrad, all interesting places and very easy to reach. A bit farther, and very interesting to me, is Gyor. At the same distance as Gyor, but to the southwest, try Lake Balaton and the towns along the north shore, especially Tihany. About 80 miles east/northeast of Budapest is the beautiful town of Eger, which is also worth a day's trip. As for Budapest itself, depending on how much you like to explore a city in depth, there's plenty for several days or a week if you want to really look around. You can hit the high spots in a couple of days, but it is more enjoyable to see some things in depth. Even if you don't particularly like art, go to the big national gallery on the Buda side; it's worth a visit not only because of the art, but because of its vastness. You'll certainly enjoy your trip whether you wander outside Budapest or stay put.

I think for many, 3 or 4 full days in Budapest would be enough. There are a number of day trips possible to fillup your time. If you will be there for a week, and plan on only staying in Budapest (only day trips, not overnight), you can play it all by ear. There is no need to make prior arrangements for the day trips.<BR><BR>The most popular daytrips from Budpest are to the Danube Bend - Szentendre, Estergom, and the fortress whose name slips me at the moment. These are close to Budapest. We went on a daytrip to the city of Eger - about 2 hours by train. One day was enough to see the city - main sites are within easy walking distance of the train station. Another place that is doable in a long day trip is the small city of Sopron. I was there overnight, but like Eger, would be doable in a long daytrip. These places are good for history/sightseeing. If you want something of a more relaxing/scenic nature, you could go to Lake Balaton for the day.<BR><BR>

Tim, we are also of the "one country at a time" attitude. No right or wrong here. Just a matter of personal style. We like to immerse ourselves in a single country, absorbing as much of the culture as we can. Budapest is certainly the kind of city you can visit for as long as you like. After the "must-see" sites are completed which will take about three days, it is a great city to just wander, hang out, become a Magyarol. Wayne has suggested the best day trips from Budapest. Szentendre and the Danube Bend are the closest and very worthwhile. There is enough in Szentendre to take the better part of a day including travel. It might be pleasant to go by boat. If you do, don't boat beyond Szentendre. Gets a bit boring after this leg of the trip. Visegrad with it's wonderful fort and location on the river is worthwhile and probably doable along with Szentendre in a long day. Esztergom is too much to try to include in that day. The Basilica at Esztergom is immense and striking. There is some pretty and interesting old town to wander below the Basilica. But, again, too far if you are not staying on the Bend somewhere. If you would consider a night's stay at Szentendre, a very charming village with some good restaurants, then the three locations could be done. Eger and Lake Balaton are beautiful areas and should be seen some time in your travels, but (in my opinion) require more than a day trip to really be "seen". For example, part of the charm of Eger is at least an evening in the area of the main square, Dobo Istvan ter. Cafes, entertainment, often evening outdoor concerts, good restaurants and great people watching make this a very desireable place to visit. Again, if you would consider an evening in Eger, you could enjoy it's charm and get to know it a bit. Also, you could easily stop at Holloko on you way to or return from Eger. It is an UNESCO World Heritage Village populated by the rural Paloc People. The village is charming, the crafts are wonderful. There is much art and if you are going to be there at Easter time, the whole town is in original costume with displays of art, crafts, food, etc. <BR> To do justice to Lake Balaton would, again, require an overnight stay. Tihany is delightful. Once you have wandered the shops and cafes in the toristed area, get up into the hillside where many original buildings are in excellent repair. While the Abbey Church is only from the 18th Century, it does house the marble gravestone of King Andrew who died in 1066. If I were going to do an overnight from Budapest, I would stop at the wonderful Herend Porcelin Factory, see Tihany, spend the evening at Szigliget (many thatched roof houses and vinyards) go on to Keszthely the next day where you must tour the Festetics Mansion (one of the most beutiful libraries in all of Europe). Upon arrival in Keszthely, go directly to the open air market down the hill from Fo ter (the main square); very big, very lively, very active. Then go on to the Mansion. Return to Budapest on the more westerly route. As you travel, notice the storks atop telephone polls. The Hungarians actually build platforms for the storks to nest on. Very interesting, but beware. If it is their time to relieve themselves, they simply let fly and woe to anyone caught below. I had a close call. <BR>These are all very beautiful areas and should be visited sometime. If you choose to just stay in Budapest, you won't be sorry. But if you choose to visit one of these three areas, pleas do yourself a favor and make it an overnight . Have a great time.