Hungry for Hungary!
?? 12 REASONS TO TRAVEL TO HUNGARY ??
After spending a couple of weeks travelling around Poland and Slovakia, my husband Siya and I spent just under a week in Hungary. Prior to arriving, I knew absolutely nothing about the country. I never had a desire to travel here and had no expectations. These types of trips are actually my favourite. When you have no expectations of a place, everything surprises you. That's why I love to travel. I love the unexpected.
If you click play on the video below, you'll see that we ended up really enjoying our time in Hungary and would recommend you making a stop here during your next Eastern Europe trip. Here are highlights from our trip I'd recommend adding to yours:
1. The Hungarian Sea
The Hungarian Sea is a large body of water that is actually a lake. Confused? I know I was. Its real name is actually Lake Balaton, but Hungarians refer to it as their sea.
This is the largest lake in Central Europe and is very significant to many Hungarians. Why? It is THE place to be in the summertime. It reminds locals of good times spent with friends and family in the countryside, drinking wine, swimming and enjoying the hot weather.
2. Sailing
If staring at the beautiful Hungarian Sea isn't enough for you, you can sail it. One of the most relaxing afternoons you can have in Hungary is out on the open water. Hiring a skipper and boat for the day can cost as little as $100 CAD for a group of 8.
Our trip took us around Tihany on Lake Balaton and docked in a very cute neighbourhood where we had a lovely lunch.
3. Wine
If a day out sailing isn't enough to relax you, a glass of wine will. We knew we'd arrived in the Badacsony wine region once we saw several groups of party-goers stumbling down the street. Among the several drinking spots in this area is Laposa Vineyard. Here you can sample some of the best wines in this region. If you love great views and witnessing drunk people shouting foreign words while demonstrating never-seen-before dance moves, this is your place.
4. Lavender
Sigh...lavender. I'm obsessed. I dose myself in delicious lavender oil when I want to relax and smell like a forest fairy goddess. You can imagine how excited I got when I learned the little town of Tihany is known for its lavender coloured landscape. You can purchase just about anything that is possible to make from the purple plant here (that includes lavender ice-cream...drool). I was even told that the quality of the lavender oil here is higher than in France, where it originates from. Pardon France.
5. The Secret Garden
The most beautiful place we stayed during our entire trip though Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Czech is Káli Art Inn. Arriving here is like stepping into the secret garden and comes equipped with a swimming pool, restaurant and wine cellar.
We stayed in the attic of the main house which was spacious and cozy. I must mention that the room decor was particularly creepy. There were old photos of little girls, really big books, mannequin bodies and large eerie crawl spaces. If we were to have a ghost encounter, it would be in this room. Fortunately, no little girl ghosts made an appearance during our stay here.
6. Hungarian Hollywood
The Korda Film Studio is straight up awesome! This studio has been home to several Hollywood movies and award winning TV series including: Blade Runner, Marco Polo, Robin Hood and Emerald City. I've been working in TV for the past 6 years and never have been on a set this epic. We were lucky to wander around a few of the medieval sets which were made entirely of wood and styrofoam. It was magical and gave me the creative refuel I needed. I've officially been motivated to include more acting into my life and YouTube channel.
7. Tuk Tuk Rides
I've been on several Tuk Tuk's in Asia, but never in Europe until visiting Budapest. You can hire a Tuk Tuk to take you on a tour around the city or quick ride from point A to B. Either way, it's the most fun you'll have getting around Hungary's capital.
8. Speed Boats
Another exciting way to explore Budapest is by speed boat. If you're feeling extra badass, hire a speed boat to take you on a sunset ride. This is when and where the Instagram magic happens.
9. Shopping
I love spending at least one day shopping in each country I travel to. This means visiting local markets, boutique shops and artisan stands. Not only is shopping the local trends a great way to learn about a culture, but it helps support the economy.
In Budapest, we stopped in at our tour guides clothing shop. Fanni Sarkadi is the Hungarian designer of Ooh My Deer and makes really cute and practical clothing. After perusing the shop for a good hour, I walked out with a few goodies made from various local designers. For me, having an international wardrobe makes my closet feel more unique and special. Each outfit has a story behind it and experience to reminisce about.
10. Great Market Hall
I am obsessed with visiting markets around the world. Naturally, I had to stop by the Great Market Hall, which is the largest and oldest in Budapest. Markets are a great spot to soak in the energy of a place, people watch and try local foods. If you're on a tight budget, hitting up a local market is also a great way to get a deliciously affordable meal.
11. Home Cooked Meals
Some of my most treasured travel memories are of spending time with a local, at their house eating a home cooked meal. This is the most authentic way to understand and enjoy a new place and culture. I've found that more often this type of experience has found me rather than me seeking it out. However, there are opportunities to book this type of experience ahead of time like we did in Hungary.
Hungarian singer Evelin Tóth along with her husband offer authentic cooking classes. Within in minutes of arriving at their house, we felt more like friends than visitors. It was one of my favourite memories from our entire EuroTrip.
12. Hungry for Lángos
If you're ready to pack on 10 pounds in one sitting, then you're ready for a Lángos. This Hungarian treat is a plate-sized sheet of fried dough that is usually smothered in sour cream and cheese. Yes, it's as disgustingly delicious as it looks and sounds. Just looking at one of these will make you gain an extra 5.
Has Hungary been on your radar?
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A special thanks to Hungary Tourism for sponsoring this trip.
17 Comments
Interesting to read about the real reason why you’ve been try to visit hungary. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for sharing Kristen! We love Hungary and Budapest as well, it is a pity that it is so underrated. Very affordable place to be at, great food if you know where to find and also beautiful ornate architecture in the city and if one is bored, there is Danube River and the Great Hungarian plain to check out.
That said, one safety tip we would like to share is to be especially wary if someone invites you to have a drink at a bar nearby. Happens in Budapest at Vaci Street and Vorosmarty Square. If you end up going, you will be hit with a crazy bill at the end of the night.
Otherwise, enjoy beautiful Hungary! 🙂
I love wine country and since I live in Washington I’ve visited winey country here and in Oregon, plenty of times. The last time I was in Napa I was very young and would love to return as I really loved the landscape. Domaine Carneros is quite grand and I’d love to see the winery -Grgich Hills Estate- that put California wines on the map. I also like train rides and that would be such a fun way to taste wines and see the scenery pass by slowly.
Thanks for this post highlighting things we can do in Hungary. I don’t think Hungary gets enough publicity and has mainly been touted as a place to get low-cost medical care.
I love the photos in the home-cooked meals section. It looks so traditional and with character.
Good afternoon!
I have just found a link to your beautiful story about Hungary and even forgot about everything while reading.. This May i also have visited Budapest and several cities in Hungary. Your post evokes really warm memories of my travel and i recognized several sights. Il also has such bright photos!! Have you seen the Margit Island? A small forest in the middle of the capital. And the Danube Bend? As far as i understood you have been in the Vyšehrad castle))
I’m so glad you enjoyed this post. That makes me really happy. I haven’t been to Margit Island or Danube Bend, but I’d love to. Are these your favourite places in Hungary?
Hi there. I am just wondering, how can you eat lángos, pogácsa and ice-cream in cone if you are on a gluten-free diet. I mean of course these are very traditional, delicious Hungarian dishes, but com’on… Seems like you are not taking the diet so serious, what is ok, but then why do you call your blog gluten-free….Sorry, I don’t wanna be negative, but as a celiac it makes me a bit shocked 🙂
Hi Dora. Thank you for your comment. First I’d like to say that I do not call my blog gluten free. This website is not about good or my diet, it’s about travel. I am sensitive to gluten, meaning I’m not celiac but instead, have a problem digesting gluten. I try to avoid it all together, but as a traveller, I make the decision to try foods that contain gluten if it’s part of the culture. It doesn’t mean I’m eating the entire dish, but enough for me to experience it and one bite here and there doesn’t bother me enough not to do it. Everyone should choose what works best for them and this works for me. I hope this clears things up for you. All the best and thanks for reading.
Wow, Hungary is now my top priority. Very well written. Great share.
That’s great to hear. Have you travelled much around Europe or will this be your first time?
Hy Darling!
Im just found your blog and Im amazed so much.
Your positivity, your energy, your open mind is great.
Im Anita, from Hungary, and your kindness is melts my heart. Thank you for that!
You are allways welcome if you come around! If you ever want to see a little town (Sopron, near by Austria) you are my guest for at least one dinner 🙂
Oh WOW!! Hungary has never been on my radar, but Tuk Tuk’s, Speedboats, Secret Garden! Love the look of it now! Gorgeous photos too!
I am making my 5th trip to Budapest in four years. Obviously I love the city and its people. Missing from this list that’s high on mine is Budapest’s public transportation system. It’s reasonably priced and very efficient. Buy yourself a pass for whatever length of time you will be visiting, then ride, ride, ride!! I even have designed a Danube “cruise” using nothing but trams. Best lines for sightseeing are the 4/6 (about similar routes and very modern cars), the 47 & 49 (again, similar routes but “old school” cars), 19/41 (great ride along the Buda side of the Danube), and best of all, the 2 which travels along the Pest side of the Danube with stops by the Chain Bridge, Parliament, and Falk Miska (the antique district). There are four subway lines: great for getting from Point A to Point B quickly, but you don’t get to see anything. M1 is continental Europe’s first subway – it’s like a toy train for adults. M2 and M4 are sleek and ultra modern, and M4 has beautiful stations, M3 is a “tribute,” if you will, to the communist era.
Hi! I am Julia, being a newbie to blogging I mostly visit blogs listed at ShoutmeLoud and link of your blog hopscotchtheglobe, I’ve seen there. So visited here and found you have a really cool blog. You look so professional and highly educated to blogging. Can you share some useful tips to successful blogging? Thanks
Hi Julie. Thanks for reading and welcome to Hopscotch the Globe. I’ve written a couple of posts on creating a successful blog you can find here: http://hopscotchtheglobe.com/how-to-create-a-successful-blog/
Just finished watching your video with a huge smile on my face, you two are so fun. I must add that the footage is fantabulous, yes it is word between fantastic and fabulous and it’s mine. Budapest/Hungary is so European, love it. I would love to visit, but I also feel that I just did………thanks guys….awesome video.
What a wonderful comment. Thanks so much for your loving words. I’m glad you think that the video is fantabulous. The best word anyone has used towards our videos 🙂 xo
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