8 Best Sights in Hungary

This fascinating complex comprises the reconstructed, extremely evocative remains of a Roman settlement dating from the first century AD. Careful excavations have unearthed a varied selection of artifacts and mosaics, providing a tantalizing glimpse of what life was like in the provinces of the Roman Empire. A gymnasium and a central heating system have been unearthed, along with the ruins of two baths and a shrine once operated by the mysterious cult of Mithras. The Aquincum múzeum (Aquincum Museum) displays the dig's most notable finds: ceramics; a red-marble sarcophagus showing a triton and flying Eros on one side and on the other, Telesphorus, the angel of death, depicted as a hooded dwarf; and jewelry from a Roman lady's tomb. There are reconstructed Roman board games, interactive video games, and a reconstruction of an ancient Roman musical organ in the basement level. The museum also manages the Thermae Maiores or 'Great Bath' complex as part of the Roman Baths Museum, an ancient spa now incongruously located in a pedestrian underpass by Flórián tér station. It's free to visit.

Take a short detour off the road from Veszprém to Balatonfüred to find this impressive archaeological site, once a large Roman farmstead covering a sprawling 55 hectares. The site today barely covers two, but this includes a partially reconstructed central residential building, as well as the ruins of baths and burial sites and a host of carved stone monuments. Head down into the cellar of the main building to see four well-preserved mosaic floors, and keep an eye out for an almost-complete peacock frieze. The whole site is brought to life through models and interactive exhibits. Baláca is set a little way back from the road, so look for a small concrete car park; it's a five-minute walk from here to the entrance.

Situated in a serene little park in front of Pécsi Bazilika, this subterranean museum—and UNESCO World Heritage site—is home to a series of burial chambers, many with remarkably well-preserved religious murals. The burial site dates back to when Pécs was a Roman outpost called Sopianae, though it was located just outside the city walls (as was the custom). Today, the excavated crypts are linked with a series of suspended metal walkways to help preserve them from damage. Two are of particular note: the beautifully decorated Wine Pitcher Burial Chamber, with its paintings of vines and drinking vessels (best seen from above); and the chapel-like Peter and Paul Burial Chamber, covered in Christian symbols and colorful frescoes (best seen from below).

A "Time Traveler" ticket also gets you into the nearby Early Christian Mausoleum, a tomb with stunning murals of Adam and Eve, Daniel in the Lion's Den, and the Resurrection, as well as the Medieval University.

These church ruins on the outskirts of Szigliget, right at the intersection with the road to Badacsony, are what is left of the village's oldest building. These Romanesque remains date back to the Árpád dynasty (855–1301), but the herringbone-like stones in the church walls suggest the site is even older, dating back to at least Roman times. Visit the Avas Church today to see the remaining 12th-century basalt tower with a stone spire.

Near the main Aquincum ruins—but functioning separately—a fine third-century Roman dwelling, Hercules Villa, takes its name from the myth depicted on its beautiful mosaic floor. The ruin was unearthed between 1958 and 1967 and now stands, rather incongruously, among a large housing estate. Worth popping your head in after the Aquincum visit if you feel the need for more ruins; admission is free.

Probably dating from the second century AD, Óbuda's Roman military amphitheater once held some 16,000 people and, at 144 yards in diameter, was one of Europe's largest. A block of dwellings called the Round House was later built by the Romans above the amphitheater; massive stone walls found in the Round House's cellar were actually parts of the amphitheater. Below the amphitheater are the cells where prisoners and lions were held while awaiting confrontation.

The ruins of this Dominican Cloister once served as the home of the Holy Saint Margaret, patron saint of the island. According to legend, King Béla IV honored a vow he made to give his child to the church if he was successful in battle against invading forces. He founded this nunnery on the Island as the convent home to his daughter Margaret who lived here from the age of 10 until her death. She was canonized long after her death by Pope Pius XII in 1943. Being an important figure in Hungarian historical lore, Margaret is usually depicted in artwork wearing a nun's habit and holding a white lily and a book. Her one-time grave, marked by a red marble tombstone, can be found in the middle of the excavated building site, to this day covered in fresh wreaths and flowers.

Towering over the village of Szigliget, atop a 239-meter-high hill, is the ruin of the 13th-century Óvár (Old Castle). Unlike many of Hungary's fortresses, this one was so well protected that it was never taken by the Turks; in fact, it was demolished in the early 18th century by Habsburgs fearful of rebellions. A steep path starting from Kisfaludy utca brings you to the top of the hill, where you can explore the ruins and take in the breathtaking views.