5 extra nights in Hungary

I spent 4 nights away from Budapest. It was the last week of September 5 years ago. Train to Pecs for 2N, then bus to Szeged for 1N, train to Kecskemet for 1N and back to Budapest by train. By taking the bus I was able to do this loop. The bus wasn't as comfortable as the train but it was fine. I left most of my luggage at my Budapest hotel and traveled with only a backpack, which made it easy to move around and quick to pack and unpack. In each town, I walked everywhere and had great food. This was a very prosperous region of Hungary and the art deco architecture is gorgeous in all of the towns. If I had one more night to add, Szeged would be my choice.

I don't have any idea if this person is still operating tours, or reputable (anyway, you don,t want a tour from Budapest), but her write-up of Kecskemét gives a better idea of its attractions than mine !!

https://bestbudapesttourguides.com/en/find_a_tour-page-2/hortobagy-destination-49/food___drink-tourtype-9/the_hungarian_puszta___trip_to_kecskemet-tour-276/

Optional customizing the tour:
The nearby Kecskemet is famous far and wide for the apricot brandy (a real Hungaricum), the colourful Art Nouveau buildings of Kecskemet decorated with ceramics and the Kodály method of musical education.During the walk we see the Fancy Palace, the tile-roofed Town Hall, the 600 year-old Franciscan church of St. Nicholas, the Katona József Theater and the Great Church. The „Cifrapalota" (Fancy Palace) of Kecskemet, ornamented with colourful floral patterns, is an outstanding example of Hungarian Art Nouveau architecture.

Optionally we close the day with the tasting and guided tour of the Zwack Fruit Brandy Distillery, which is a memorable experience for all visitors. Ask for additional offer!

And here's her quick description of the visits out to the puszta — yes, it is a bit cheesy and put on for tourists, but watching the Magyars work their majestic ways with their horses is truly unforgettable.

Spend a day in the legendary Hungarian puszta! The Kiskunsag National Park - just for 1,5 hours trip from Budapest - extends across the most important nature areas between the Danube and Tisza rivers. Much of it are saline plains and sandy lowlands. Water habitats include salt lakes, the backwaters of the Tisza and a series of bogs and marshes. The unique face of the Kiskunság landscape is a combination of lonely farms, animal husbandry and agricultural tradition, closely allied to the natural world, represented by rich and rare flora and fauna. Beside the breathtaking sights of the puszta, tour includes visit of a farmhouse (tanya) as well. where special programs - horseshow, riding and horse-cart ride possibilities and typical Hungarian gastronomy - palinka, wine, Hungrian goulash made in cauldron, stew prepared on open fire and served in marmites - waits for our guests.

a1 As usual Chani has good ideas; Pecs alone can be good for 3 nights; then a night each in Szeged and Kecskemet.
a2 Other places you might wan to visit might be Gyor/Pannonhalma, Eger, Lillafüred, Lake Balaton (Tihany) and Komárom is pretty interesting if you are into old fortresses and a quaint town (day trip out of Gyor)
a3 For more varied trips:

Vienna to Gyor/Pannonhalma (2 nights) to Vienna (3 nights); then
straight back to Budapest all on the same train line

Budapest Miskolc/Lillafüred (2 nights) then to Kosice (3 nights) with
a day trip to Spiš Castle then straight back to Budapest

Budapest to Bratislava (1 night) to Vienna (3 nights) to
Gyor/Pannonhalma (1 night – but an early train in and a late train
out) then back to Budapest and see 2 other countries.

a4 Some videos:

Pécs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvqKi9JVDN4

Győr https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbH6u0J-Xos

Pannonhalma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBYsexwEbPc

Szeged https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoUtmJRDV40

Kecskemét https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-LC-2U646g

Lillafured https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj4EyxKu6vc

Komarom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7Ge-MbfClg

Tihany https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jwhd8vO0ZO4

Kosice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aCe_ldrGmw

Miskolc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP3tJa_XGig

Spis Castle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHI8n9nIffM

a5 And i know this isnt popular with a lot of folks here, but Budapest is a hub for Wizzair and for under $125 round trip you cn hit a lot of Eastern European capitals for 4 nights..... (I just checked 5 days in Montenegro in August for $109 round trip)

I was afraid of this….. I really want to see it all.

Kim and Chani, you make a powerful case for Kecskemét and Szeged - and tossing in the Magyars and their horses pretty much seals the deal. Unless I start to feel rushed. The only reason I had thought of somewhere else is that I might be traveling Bulgaria and Romania next fall and it would be easy to just keep coming north through there and fly home from Budapest for better flight options. However, who knows anything about next year….

James, something similar to this is what I had originally been thinking but longer.

Budapest Miskolc/Lillafüred (2 nights) then to Kosice (3 nights) with
a day trip to Spiš Castle then straight back to Budapest

but with several extra nights in Slovakia before getting back to Budapest (and time in Eger, as well). I hate the thought of hurrying through. Which is one reason I am re-thinking. And I also marked Komárom, which had not been on my radar.

I am going to have some happy time watching all the videos…..and cheap flights means it is easy to tack on a week heading in some of these other directions that I will miss this time, after visiting somewhere else (like Montenegro).

Thanks, Kim, for correcting the architectural style to Art Nouveau (I always get them mixed up).

I suggested my loop of 3 smaller cities because it's easy to do by public transportation.

You wrote: I might be traveling Bulgaria and Romania next fall and it would be easy to just keep coming north through there and fly home from Budapest You would probably want to do that by public transportation since returning a car in another country almost always incurs a huge drop-off fee.

True, Chani. I have barely begun looking at Romania and Bulgaria, but I know I would not want a car to cross the border. However, I think I am going to make a decision and NOT include that potential trip as a consideration. Next fall is a long way away and I should do this year what I really want to - not necessarily what seems logical.

Carpe diem! You'll love Hungary, wherever you go.

Margaret Island (So this is just like a park? That's it?)

Matthias Church (There are tons of nice, pretty churches all over Europe, but is there anything special about this one?)

Vajdahunyad Castle (How are there so many castles in one city? And why is this one rated so low?)

Music Fountain (This is a light show? A water show? Like in Vegas?)

Holocaust Memorial Center (Why is this rated so low?)

House of Terror (I do like history quite a bit, what I don't like is propaganda... and according to reviews and research, this museum is more interested in evoking certain emotions than providing an impartial account of history... still, I might go just to see for myself... if I do go, there's a good chance I'll spend 4 hours or so here)

Not certain there is an "impartial" view on this part of history. (House of Terror)

As one of our tour guides was quick to point out: "The Soviets were appreciated in that they kicked out the Nazis. The problem was that they forgot to leave."

Other thing I found: Hungarians are a very proud people.

The "propaganda" side of the museum is usually voiced in its lack of representation of Hungarian crimes and tends to only focus on the outsiders (Nazi's and Russians).

There may be some validity to that and it is a common complaint that surrounds a number of similar museums and monuments in town. So the propaganda is one of omission and not one of the facts presented.

The last time I was there, the Arrow Cross (Hungarian Fascist movement at the end of WWII) did get quite a bit of coverage and even at monuments like the Shoes on the Danube the Hungarian Fascists are appropriately mentioned.

There is also very little mention of the Holocaust, but to be fair the holocaust is a topic well covered in many museums and exhibits around town while the atrocities of the Hungarian Fascists, Nazis and Russians are not so common and so this fills the gap.

To be fair this is a museum that focuses on the average or majority population of Hungary during those times and the majority was neither Jew, nor Fascist, nor Nazi nor Communist; its just one of many monuments and museums that has a unique perspective.

Yes, you can spend 4 hours there easily, but go early as it can have a long line.

Margit sziget, aka where the nesting storks are. Always the first place I visit in Budapest, a lovely car-free island accessible by tram, stop on Margit hid and walk onto a lovely, peaceful island featuring the ruins of a monastery, baths, Japanese garden, a spa hotel, and beautiful views of Buda and Pest. The little zoo has an unusual assortment of critters, but the nesting storks are quite something to see…right about now the babies are around 2 months old, they generally leave by early September. Definitely worth a visit, especially if you need a quiet respite from Budapest proper.

christa, sounds like I will just miss the baby storks on Margaret Island. Too bad! But I love the recommendation for the island as a place of peace. :)