GREATER BUDAPEST

While Hungary’s capital is brimming with attractions, you only need to travel north for an hour or so to discover medieval castles, a magnificent basilica and a hub of colourful galleries. The journey alone, best taken by boat, makes a particularly memorable day as you cruise past the spectacular views of the banks of the Danube.

Szentendre is a city of artists, whose galleries and museums hold fascinating collections and host frequent exhibitions. The Skanzen, the Open-Air Ethnographic Museum, lies just above the town and presents rural life, traditions and folklore in Hungary in life-size exhibits. 

Visegrád had its heyday in the Middle Ages and its heritage is re-enacted at the annual Palace Games. It was here that King Matthias Corvinus had his Renaissance summer palace, its atmospheric remains dotting the panoramic landscape. 

Many tourists flock to Gödöllő to see the majestic royal palace, a coronation gift to the revered Habsburg Empress Elisabeth of Bavaria (Sissi to Hungarians) and Emperor Franz Joseph. Sissi spent many a happy retreat here, riding and strolling in the extensive landscaped grounds.