Has anyone been to Gyor?

I have been to Gyor and Szentendre but not to Esztergom. I felt Gyor was less overtly touristy than Szentendre. Gyor has very attractive architecture in the historic center and a lot of interesting, small museums--many of them art-related. Szentendre has a lot of shops.

Gyor is a good base for seeing the Pannonhalma Abbey as well.

Thank you very much for your quick and useful reply. My husband and I will be traveling Budapest-Vienna-Prague at the end of May 2024 for 12-13 days. We will be taken by car from Budapest to Vienna and can make one stop on the way: Pannonhalma Archabbey or Gyor. What would you say is more worth the visit?

I see that you are a very seasoned traveler, so I would like to ask you another question. Have you been to Wachau Valley and Melk in Austria? If yes, would you say it is more worth the visit than small towns outside Budapest? Unfortunately, we do not have time for both.

have been there. nothing really special to see, but a day trip is okay.

The town of Gyor and the Abbey are quite different. I'd opt for Gyor because I'm very interested in art and really enjoy just walking around picturesque areas. Many other visitors would make the opposite decision.

I haven't been to Austria for over 30 years and honestly have no memory of the Wachau Valley, so I can't help with the second decision.

If I could only make one stop, it would be the Archabbey. Figure 1 to 2 hours. They have a web page for tourists. So look and see if it interests you.

If you chose Gyor, pick a place for lunch in the old town and plan on about 2 hours minimum between lunch and a little walking around.

But it also depends on weather. Maybe you can chose on the day? Bad weather, the Archabbey. Good weather, Gyor?

There are trains from Budapest to Vienna that stop in Gyor and it's only a short walk from the station to the town center.

I have been to Győr several times. It's completely different than Szentendre and Esztergom, which are in turn completely different from each other.

Of the three, my absolute favorite is Esztergom, I remember being bowled over by the Basilica there, and went back a few times.

Szentendre is quite close to Budapest and very easy to get to without too much extra planning. It is super touristy but fun for a day to see the art there.

Győr is a mid-sized city and thus has more varied things to offer than the other two.

As for the towns along the Wachau Valley, it's great fun to take a boat along for a while and bike for a while. And the Abbey at Melk is among the jaw-droppingest examples of Baroque I have ever seen. But it's the scenery in its ensemble that makes the place so charming.

If you take the train down you go to Pannonhalma by taxi taxi from the train station then bsck to Gyot to do lunch and some sightseeing in the old center and catch an early morning train to Budapest. It's on the main line so its not like a side trip. Spend the night in the Klastrom a converted old monastery.

They are both worth the time. If only one I said the archabbey because it's so unique.

Kim, thanks for the reminder for Esztergom. It only takes about 10 more minutes to reach than Szentendre because it's a real train. Sweet place. Maybe this week if the weather holds. But its 3x the cost to reach (1200 ft vs 400 ft. LOL)

That's interesting that it's three times the price !!! How funny.

We first went in winter, so I could totally envision going now. And somehow we found good lodging and good places to eat - you know one of those trips when everything is just pleasant? So we went back at least a couple of times.

Of course it was also fascinating to be there right across from Slovakia, knowing that the land across the river used to be within Hungary ....and at that time, there was the bridge that just ended smack dab in the middle of the Danube. I don't know if it's been rebuilt in the subsequent years

3x the cost. Szentendre about $1.15 and Esztergom about $3.50

The bridge is there.

A bit further up river is Tata and the Palace on the lake. Then a bit further is Komárom with the fortification looking over the Danube. Across in Slovakia is a matching fortification in the town of Komárno.

I'm planning to stay in Gyor 2N in between Budapest and Vienna in May 2024. Will taxi to the abbey. And then just be leisurely in Gyor the rest of our brief time there. I am looking forward to it!

If you don't have a hotel yet, look at Klastrom.

https://klastrom.hu/en/hotel_57.html