Hungary

Introduction 

Hungary is a small nation that is home to many wonders. It is one of the oldest nations in Europe and boasts the greatest number of thermal water springs for spas and thermal baths. With the exception of Antwerp and Los Angeles, where they were unable to compete, Hungary has won gold medals every time it has competed in the summer Olympics. The nation is also well-known for producing notable individuals like Tony Curtis, Robert Capa, Adrien Brody, etc.The time zone of Hungary is Central European standard time which is four and half hours behind the Indian Standard Time (IST). 

Location and Population: – Hungary is a country that is located in the Central part of Europe and it shares borders with Slovakia, Ukraine, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Romania and Austria. The geographical area of Hungary is 93,030 square kilometres. 

According to the census conducted in the year 2022, the population of Hungary is around 9 million. 

Hungary’s History: – Hungary has gone through a lot of ups and downs that is right from change in tribes to empires. The country Hungary earlier was a part of Austria which was known as Austria hungary as one country but after assasination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the country was separated and it led to beginning of World War I. Hungary has also lost territories during the world wars and also due to the Treaty of Trianon. Post the world wars and after a few years it was leaders like Janos kadar who helped to restore Hungary. 

Facts you should know about Hungary: – There are various facts which the tourists should know about Hungary before visiting it. They are as follows: – 

• The Balaton lake is the largest lake in the Central part of Europe and it is a good spot for tourists to do water sports and enjoy the lake. 
• When a child is born the name of the child has to be approved by the government. The parents have to file an application for the name of their child if it is not the one mentioned in the list of approved names. 
• Budapest has the highest number of thermal springs in the world and everyday around 70 million litres of water comes to the surface of the city.
• Hungary is the home to the world’s first official region , the Tokaj wine region. It is also known as the king of wines. 
• Did you know that the Rubik’s cube was made in Hungary by a popular architect named Emo Rubik ? 
• Hungary is the only country that collects a high percentage of VAT from its locals, which is 27%.  

Culture and Food: –  The Hungarian people are very artistic. They like more literature, poetry, art, etc. They value their family more than anything else and they like to do more spas due to thermal water being available in the country. The religion in Hungary is more of Christianity. The Hungarians follow certain traditions when they meet with someone such as when Hungarians have beer with family or friends they do not clink their glasses or mugs that are filled with beer, etc.  

The Hungarian cuisine is different from Asian cuisines. They use more meat, seasonal vegetables, fruits, dairy items etc. The breakfast of a Hungarian must include bread which is a  basic item in their breakfast. They eat more sausages of pork, beef, etc. They also have Paprika which is a spicy Chilli powder that is known over there. Some of the popular Hungarian dishes are Goulash, Fisherman’s soup, Chicken Paprikash, Meat Pancakes, Dobosh cake, etc. 

Things to explore in Hungary: – There are various things for the tourists to explore in Hungary in terms of festivals, events and adventure activities which are as follows: – 

• Sziget music festival: – The Sziget music festival is one of the largest and most popular festivals in Europe. It is held during the month of August. The festival is held at the Old Buda Island and it is known for rock as well as pop music. The festival includes artists such as David Guetta, Billie Eliish, Niall Horan, Imagine Dragons, etc. 
• St Stephen Day: – The St Stephen day is a public holiday festival that happens on the 20th August every year. It is the constitution day and the festival is celebrated through flag hoisting, processions, universities and offices are shut. The best part of the festival are the fireworks which happen in the evening after the sunset on the banks of the Danube river. 
• Budapest Wine festival: – It is one of the popular wine festivals held in the month of September. There are wineries from different countries and the tourists will get a chance to taste some popular and tasty wines at the festival. 
• F1 Grand Prix: – The F1 Grand Prix is a race event that happens in the race track in Budapest and it happens once every year in Hungary. It is a place for all F1 and sports lovers to visit this event.  
• Zugligeti Libegő: – It is a chairlift that will take the tourists to the Janos hill between Zugliget and  Erzsébet Lookout Tower. It is a 15 minute ride and it is a two way ride. The tourists will get to see a beautiful view of the city of Budapest. 
• Palvolgyi caves: – It is the third longest cave in the country and a good spot for hiking. The cave is known for its dripstones, narrow corridors, calcium crystals, shells, etc. 

Things to buy in Hungary: – There are various things for the tourists to buy in Hungary in order to complete their shopping list. Some of the items are  Pálinka, Paprika, Hungarian wines such as Takoji wines, unicum, sausages, sweets from Szamos, Tisza shoes, traditional clothing, AIR tin cans, rubic’s cube, lavender cosmetics, home and kitchen accessories etc. 

Best time to visit: – The best time to visit Hungary is between June to October between the summer and fall season. The temperatures would be bearable for the tourists and they can smoothly explore the country. The summer season is the peak season in Hungary as compared to the fall season between September to October wherein there will be less number of tourists.    

Places to visit in Hungary 

• Budapest: – The city which is the capital of Hungary and the most populated city is Budapest. Some of the sightseeing points that the tourists would cover are the shoes on the Danube bank which is a memorial dedicated to the Hungarian Jews who were executed on the banks of the Danube river by the members of Arrow cross party. There are 60 pairs of shoes at the bank of the river. The next place is the Hungarian Parliament building which is one of the tallest buildings in the country. It is known for its marvellous architecture and it also contains the holy crown of Hungary. Besides this the tourists can also go to the Danube river which is near the Parliament. The last place that the tourists should visit  is the Buda Castle which used to be the royal palace of the Hungarian kings who ruled over Budapest. The castle was rebuilt due to the damages suffered in World War II but now it is converted into a museum. It is known for its architecture and artworks.     
• Szentendre: – The town which is near Budapest and  Pilis-Visegrád Mountains is Szentendre. Some of the sightseeing points that the tourists would cover are the Retro design centre which is a centre that contains a collection of items right from the years 1970-1980. It includes cars, television, tape recorders, household appliances, etc. The next place is Kovacs margit museum which is known for its ceramic artefacts which are dated during the 19th century. The last place that the tourists should visit is the Japanese garden wherein the tourists especially the nature lovers can explore the flora around the garden and see various types of japanese plants along with the flowers. 
• Eger: – The city which is located in the northern part of Hungary and it is known for castles, thermal baths, buildings is Eger. Some of the sightseeing points that the tourists would cover are Kovacs Nimrod winery which is located near the Verőszala street. The tourists can see the vineyards and get to taste some good wine. Some of the popular wines are Battonage Chardonnay 2016, Rhapsody 2017, Soul Syrah 2017, NJK 2013, etc. The next place is the Eger thermal bath wherein the tourists especially the children can go in the pool and spend good time in the cold bath with their loved ones. It is located near the historic city centre of Eger. The last place that the tourists should visit is the Minorite church which is the 2nd largest church in Eger. It is the only church which has a curved facade and two big iron crosses. 
• Debrecen: – The city in Hungary which is the capital of North plain region and it was earlier the largest city in Hungary till the 18th century is Debrecen. Some of the sightseeing points that the tourists would cover in Debrecen are the Hortobagy national park which is a big national park located in Eastern part of Hungary and the tourists can explore wide number of wildlife animals in the park such as horses,racka, taurus cattles, etc. It is the largest protected and semi grassland park. The next place is the Deri museum which contains historic collections such as paintings, weapons, etc. The last place which the tourists should visit is the Statue of Lajos Kossuth which is dedicated to the Hungarian leader Lajos Kossuth who lost his life while fighting for the independence of Hungary.   

How to reach Hungary from India: – The tourists can reach Hungary from India through flights and there are various airlines that fly to Hungary such as Emirates, Indigo, Etihad Airways, Lufthansa, etc. but there are no direct flights and there would one or two stops during the flight journey depending on the airline chosen by the tourists. Besides, tourists cannot travel to Hungary by road, train or cruise. 

Popular Packages: – These are a list of popular packages to travel to Hungary which also includes packages to visit along with other countries including Hungary. They are as follows: – 

Frequently Asked Questions 

• What is the currency of Hungary?

Ans: The currency of Hungary is Hungarian Forint. 

• What is the language spoken in Hungary? 

Ans: The language spoken in Hungary is Hungarian which is also known as Magyar. They also speak in English but they are not very fluent.  

• What are the eateries that serve Indian food in Hungary?

Ans: A portion of eateries that serve Indian food are Indigo restaurant, Indian Palate, Rajkot Palace, Shalimar, etc. 

• What is the national sport of Hungary? 

Ans:  The national sport of Hungary is Water polo. 

• What are the places to shop in Hungary?  

Ans: The places where the tourists can go for shopping to complete their shopping list are Central Market hall, Westend shopping centre, Arena mall, Lehel market hall, etc. 

• Which are the popular nightclubs in Hungary? 

Ans: Some of the popular nightclubs in Hungary are Cafe Del Rio, Mad Budapest, Morrison’s 2, Tutu, etc.