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Travel Guide » Europe » Hungary
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Republic of Hungary
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(Hungary)


Hungary doesn't need neon flash - it's a natural show-stopper.

Hungary is a heart-stealer; it will lure you back again and again to sample its rich wines, lounge in its thermal spas, gaze at its birdlife and make one more attempt to master its hermetic language. It has all the luxury of western Europe with a Magyar twist and at half the cost.


Its graceful capital Budapest has a lively arts, cafe and music scene, and is host to a range of cultural and sporting festivals. In the countryside you'll find majestic plains, resort-lined lakes, Baroque towns, horse markets and rustic villages.

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At a Glance
Getting Around:

Hungary's domestic transportation system is efficient, comprehensive and inexpensive. Volán run yellow buses between neighbouring cities and towns, and yellow-and-red long-distance buses to far-flung smaller communities. Rail services, run by MÁV, are less extensive. There are also a number of narrow-gauge trains, operated by United Forest Railways, which run in wooded and hilly areas. Ferries operate on Lake Balaton, the Danube between Budapest and Esztergom, and the Tisza River, but these are generally warm-weather pleasure-trips rather than real means of transport.

There are no scheduled domestic flights in Hungary at present, although several routes are planned. Major international car-rental agencies have offices in Budapest, and there are scores of local companies throughout the country, but don't count on any bargains. Motorists can expect good roads, widely available fuel, and petrol stations that stay open all night.

Local transport in the cities and towns is well developed, and includes buses and trolley buses, as well as trams in Budapest, Debrecen, Szeged and Miskolc. Budapest also has an underground Metro and a suburban commuter railway. Taxis are plentiful and, if you're charged the right fare (not always the case in Budapest), very reasonably priced.

Weather:

Hungary's climate is temperate, and the country can be divided into three climatic zones: Mediterranean in the south, Continental in the east and Atlantic in the west. In Southern Transdanubia, summers are long and winters mild and wet. The Great Plain has the most extreme seasonal differences, with cold, windy winters and hot, usually dry summers. In Budapest and Western Transdanubia summers can be very hot; winters are relatively short and often cloudy, although sometimes they can be brilliantly sunny. January is the coldest month, getting down somewhere around -2°C (28.4°F), and July the hottest, hovering around 28°C (82°F).

Dial in code(s):
Country code: 36
City code:96
Ethnic Groups:

92% Magyar, 4% Roma, 2.6% German, 0.8% Slovak, 0.7% Romanian, other

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