Russians suddenly fell in love with Hungary. How to get there, where to visit and what to try — a complete guide to the country

A Russian living in Hungary has revealed the true attitude of locals towards tourists from the Russian Federation

Refined wines and delicate foie gras are served in France. There are ancient castles covered with legends in Germany and Romania. The Czech Republic is famous for its thermal springs with healing water. And Hungary offers tourists all of the above and willingly invites Russians. Why travelers who have visited there call the country undervalued, was investigated by .

All roads lead to Hungary

Hungary is not the most obvious tourist destination. Much more often, travelers choose Italy and France for trips, while a modest state in the center of Europe remains on the sidelines. And completely in vain.

The history of this country is not easy, but it is very exciting. Celts and Dacians, ancient Romans and Germanic peoples once settled on these lands. About a thousand years ago, the ancestors of the Magyars Hungarians arrived there from the Volga region and the Southern Urals, who began to create an independent state.

Then the territory of modern Hungary was raided by the Mongols, fell into the power of the Habsburg dynasty, was partially conquered by the Ottoman Empire and Sultan Suleiman I (he is depicted in the TV series “Magnificent Century”). Later, Nazi Germany left its mark in Hungary, and after the end of World War II, the Communist Soviet Union.

Slavs, Turks, Germans, Jews, Gypsies and other peoples have created a cultural goulash here, which is still boiling, which attracts curious travelers

However, Hungary is famous not only for its rich past and unique architectural heritage. “The weather there is warm and very comfortable both in summer and winter. You can go to Hungary both for city tours and for wellness treatments,” says Maya Kotlyar, a tourism expert and founder of the Mayel Travel travel agency.

Hungary is a sanatorium―resort country where there are lakes with hot springs and full-fledged hotel complexes for treatment, wellness and recreation

Maya Kotlyar, Tourism expert, founder of the travel agency Mayel Travel

Walking through the streets of Budapest and surrounding towns strewn with sights, cruises along the Danube, ancient castles, countless cafes with amazing pastries, picturesque lakes, public baths and healing waters ― all this awaits the tourist in colorful and welcoming Hungary.

How to get a visa to Hungary now

More and more travelers are discovering this country. According to the OneTwoTrip portal, four times as many tourists from Russia will go there in the fall. The growth of the flow is also noted by the Ostrovok service, where the number of bookings for the second half of 2024 increased by 70 percent year on year.

Russians are attracted by local hospitality ― Hungary is among the top 5 countries of the Schengen area that most often approve visas (the share of refusals in consulates ranges from 4 to 10.9 percent). At the same time, not so long ago, the Hungarian authorities included Russia in the “National Card” program, which simplifies obtaining a two-year work visa and a residence permit.

Hungary as a whole has a very loyal policy towards Russia and tourist visas. Unfortunately, she issues Schengen to Russians only for the duration of the trip, but she does it flawlessly

Maya Kotlyar, Tourism expert, founder of the travel agency Mayel Travel

You can apply for a short-term visa up to six months before the start of your trip. A category C document gives the right to stay in Hungary for 90 days within six months after the first border crossing. The minimum period for reviewing an application is 15 days, although the process can take up to 45 days or even more, so it is worth applying for the Hungarian Schengen in advance.

“Now the load on the Hungarian visa centers has increased greatly, because of this, there are complaints that the processing time has increased quite a lot,” warns Maya Kotlyar. In addition, visa centers require that when applying for a tourist, they have redeemed air tickets and a paid hotel reservation.

How to get there and where to live

It will be possible to fly to Budapest from Russia only with transfers. There are Pegasus Airlines and Wizz Air flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg via Istanbul, Baku and Yerevan. The fastest flights with a stop in Belgrade are offered to Russians by Air Serbia, you can fly from both capitals in about six hours, but the ticket will cost 2.5-3 times more expensive.

50,000 rubles

there are flights from Moscow to Budapest in September (connecting flight in Istanbul, round-trip, without luggage)

With the help of a Russian bank card, you can book accommodation through OneTwoTrip and Ostrovok services. In the second half of 2024, the average price of a night in hotels in Hungary is 7.8 thousand rubles, which makes the country one of the most budget European destinations.

Travelers can also use the Booking and AirBnb sites (apartments and apartments will be cheaper than hotels), but there are difficulties with paying and operating sites without a VPN, since they are not available in Russia.

Money and transport

The national currency of Hungary is called the forint (HUF). In one ruble ― about 3.85 forints. Many places accept euros, but it may not be profitable to pay with them due to the exchange rate.

Since Russian bank cards do not work in Europe, tourists should stock up on cash and take a foreign card with them, if they have one. In Budapest, bank cards are accepted everywhere, although cash will definitely be needed if you need to use public toilets or pay at the market.

According to tourists, public transport is well developed in Hungary ― it is the most convenient and cheapest means of transportation in the country

There are buses, trolleybuses, trams and subways in Budapest. There are also MOL Bubi bike rentals on the streets. The most convenient way to get to provincial towns from Budapest is by train. However, since the railway tracks radiate away from the capital, trips between small towns can take a lot of time ― in this case, bus routes will be much faster.

You can plan trips by public transport through the websites of Hungarian carriers, some of them are duplicated into Russian.

• Budapest is a mobile application where you can track the arrival of transport in real time, rent bicycles, as well as buy one―time e-tickets, 24- or 72-hour passes, 100E shuttle tickets from the airport to the center.
• MAV is the website of the Hungarian Railway. It is convenient to check routes, book and buy train tickets there. There is also an English-language version and a mobile application.
• Volanbusz Transport ― a portal with the schedule of intercity buses and the possibility of buying tickets, there is an English translation.
• Budapest Card is a city transport card website with unlimited packages for 24, 48, 72 or more hours (costs from 39 euros). Tourists are offered to issue a Tourist Pass, which gives access to attractions and discounts on some activities, its cost starts from 34 euros per day. The portal has been translated into Russian.
• MiniBUD is an online minibus transfer booking service between Budapest and the airport, suitable for organized groups and large companies. There is a website and an application with a Russian version. The cost of the shuttle starts from 6 euros per person.
• Mahart Passnave is a shipping company that organizes river transportation along the Danube. On the website, you can book a tour of Budapest and beyond, as well as rent a boat. Another cruise company is Legenda, the website has been translated into Russian.

Taxis in Budapest are noticeably more expensive than anywhere else in Russia. For example, a 30-minute trip from the airport to the city center costs more than 30 euros (from three thousand rubles). Tourists are advised to avoid taxis owned by individual entrepreneurs ― scammers come across among them. Instead, it is worth giving preference to companies that have official applications with transparent tariffs.

According to tourists, Budapest has well-developed public transport

What kind of Hungarians are they?

Travelers who have visited Hungary pay attention to the desire of local residents to preserve their culture, way of life and values, their patriotism and love for the motherland. At the same time, Hungarians seem gloomy, withdrawn and uncommunicative to some guests, and there is an explanation for this.

“A stereotypical trait of Hungarians is a tendency to complain about life, the weather and everything else,” says Andrei, a native of Moscow, who lives and works in Budapest. ― This is due to a national trauma: As they say, in both world wars, the country found itself on the wrong side of history. Plus, we need to remember the 150-year-old Turkish rule, as well as the era of the Habsburgs.”

Hungarians are a proud and freedom―loving people, in many ways they are nationalists. Although, in my opinion, this applies more to the middle and older generation. Young Hungarians, like the youth of the whole world, are more cosmopolitan people

Andrej is a Russian who lives and works in Hungary

“Another feature of Hungarians is slowness. They are not punctual, which is especially unpleasant when you apply for some kind of service, for example, going to the bank. Hungarians can incorrectly issue documents and not call back ― in order to achieve something from them, they need to be constantly reminded of this,” the Russian adds.

Spring parade on the streets of Budapest

Translation difficulties

“The locals are proud that their language is difficult to learn. Probably every Hungarian I know personally has informed me that Hungarian is one of the most difficult languages,” says Anastasia Antonenko, author of the blog “Hungarian and Me”.

Indeed, extremely long and unreadable words cause awe and a desire to take off your hat to foreigners who have managed to master this language. And if in the center of Budapest most of the signs are duplicated in English, in residential areas there may be problems with understanding.

The peculiarity of the Hungarian language is agglutinativity, that is, the “gluing” of various affixes to a word, each of which has its own meaning. Because of this, there are very long words in the language. For example, “megszentség- teleníthetetlenségeskedéseitekért” consists of 44 letters. This word can be translated only approximately: “for the sake of (because of) your (persistent) non-defilement.”

“The situation with English has improved in recent years, and people speak it calmly in tourist places. At the same time, do not forget that the older generation learned Russian and remembers some individual words. They can hardly express themselves, but they partially understand. However, all this mainly concerns Budapest and tourist places, I doubt that somewhere on the outskirts of the capital and in the provinces you will be understood if you speak English,” warns Muscovite Andrey.

So tourists should have an online translator or phrasebook at hand. As they would say in Hungary, minden esetre is just in case.

What is worth trying in Hungary?

The hallmark of Hungary is a thick and rich goulash. This is meat stewed with potatoes, carrots, onions and spices with the addition of a thick sauce. Another favorite dish of the locals, paprikash, is also made from stewed meat with lots of paprika.

This seasoning is adored in Hungary and is added wherever possible. On sale you can find more than a dozen varieties of paprika of varying degrees of sharpness, as well as paprika in the form of paste. In addition, in Hungary you need to try lard, which is eaten here in salted, smoked and even fried form.

Hungarian goulash

Another popular delicacy is halasle ear. In terms of composition and cooking method, it is very similar to goulash, but the main ingredient here is fish.

An analogue of French foie gras is prepared in Hungary. Here, goose liver pate is called libamai. It can be ordered in a restaurant, fortified with Tokay wine, or bought in a store and on the market.

“Try shomloi dumplings and chestnut puree from local desserts. Be sure to try Hungarian pastries, especially cherry pita,” advises Anastasia Antonenko.

Hungary is the birthplace of the Esterhazy almond and chocolate cake. I would also recommend frech ― white or rose wine, diluted with soda in different proportions. It is the most favorite summer drink of Hungarians

Andrej is a Russian who lives and works in Hungary

In restaurants, order local wine, for example, sweet white Tokai or Eger “Bull’s Heart”. Or better yet, go to one of the wine regions for a guided tour and tasting. Hungarians will offer fruit brandy palinka to stronger lovers.

What to see in Budapest?

The ancient capital of Hungary, covered with urban legends about witches and vampires, lies on the banks of the blue Danube. The panorama of the center of Budapest with its bridges and iconic buildings is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List ― it is so beautiful.

“Budapest is divided into two parts ― Buda and Pest, which are very different from each other. The flat Pest looks like a typical European city with grand avenues, beautiful buildings, theaters, universities. Buda, on the other hand, is a quieter hilly part, one might say, a pensioner’s. She embodies the interweaving of urban stone and nature,” says Andrei, a resident of the Hungarian capital

It is worth taking a few days to explore Budapest. You can start the tour with a walk to the parliament building, which resembles an artfully made cake. It combines elements of Neo-Gothic and Parisian Beaux arts, which continues the traditions of the French Baroque and Italian Renaissance. The interiors of the parliament are decorated with mosaic panels, gilding and stained glass windows. They are also allowed inside, but it is better to buy a ticket and book a visit time in advance on the website.

There is another architectural monument nearby ― the Basilica of St. Stephen. There you can climb to the observation deck, which overlooks the city center, as well as listen to a concert of classical and organ music. Then walk along Budapest’s main tourist artery, Vaci Street. Life is in full swing here, but be prepared to pay exorbitantly for souvenirs and food.

“It is definitely worth a walk along Andrassy Avenue Villas and beautiful embassy buildings are located here. At the end of the street you will find yourself in Heroes’ Square. It is flanked by the Museum of Fine Arts and the Myucharnock Exhibition Center. I like to visit the second one ― it’s a fairly traditional art gallery, but with interactive elements,” Anastasia Antonenko notes.

Just behind the Heroes’ Square is the Varoshliget City Park. Now a new national gallery, an innovation center and theaters are being built there. In addition, you can relax in the shade of the trees in the park and admire the towers of the Vaidahunyad Castle. “The park is mandatory for families with children ― there is a wonderful playground with attractions. Tourists without children will also find something to do: there are cafes, bars, fountains, a jogging track, rose gardens in the park,” the blogger shares.

St. Stephen’s Basilica, built in honor of the first King of Hungary

Hungarian residents boast that if you make a hole in the ground anywhere in the country, you can find a hot spring. There are more than 120 of them in Budapest alone, so it would be an omission to visit the city and not visit the thermal baths. The locals themselves like to soak up the warm water, turn their backs to the bubbling jets and play chess right in the pools.

Everyone recommends the beautiful baths of Szecheni, Gellert and Rudash. But if you don’t like crowds of tourists and just want to enjoy the pools, saunas and contrasting showers, I would recommend more remote places from the center ― for example, Pascal. While you are getting to this bathhouse, you will visit a non-tourist area and see how ordinary Budapest residents live

Anastasia Antonenko is the author of the blog “Hungarian and Me”

Go to the Jewish quarter for the best hangouts. There used to be a ghetto here, but now the area is famous for ruin bars, which are located in abandoned houses. Their owners take furniture from local artists and thrift shops, while maintaining a slightly shabby look and authenticity of the establishments. You can also buy unusual souvenirs there: from Monday to Friday, handmade fairs are held in the Gozdu Udvar passage.

Secheny Baths

Quieter walks await travelers on the other side of the river, in Buda. There is the Buda Fortress, which was the residence of the Hungarian monarchs. They say that King Matthias imprisoned the famous ruler of Wallachia Vlad Tepes — Count Dracula in the dungeons of the palace for 12 years (yes, there are bloody traces of a cruel vampire in Hungary). Although according to other sources, Tepes was imprisoned in the Visegrad fortress.

Another local attraction is the Fisherman’s Bastion. And from the top of Mount Gellert there is a beautiful view of Pest. But be careful: according to urban legend, witches once held sabbaths there.

What else to do in Budapest

• Explore the bridges across the Danube. There are 15 of them in the city, among the most interesting are the Chain Bridge, Erzebet, Margit, Freedom Bridge.
• Go to the Central Market, which was created by Gustave Eiffel. Here you can enjoy the interiors, and it’s better to shop in less hyped places where prices will be lower. For example, more local markets are located in Rakoczy, Hunyadi, and Clausal squares.
• Visit the Memento Park, where sculptures from the socialist period of Hungarian history are collected. There, tourists will see figures of Vladimir Lenin, Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels and even Joseph Stalin’s stone boots.
• Briefly immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Istanbul and walk along Gul Baba Street (which means “father of roses”). This was the nickname of the Ottoman poet-dervish and associate of Suleiman the Magnificent. At the top of the Hill of Roses there is his memorial, a small museum and a park fragrant with roses, which Gul Baba loved so much.
• Go on a boat tour along the Danube and explore Budapest from a different angle. Alternatively, you can ride along one bank of the river on tram No. 2, and on the other ― on trams No. 17 or No. 19.

View of the Buda Fortress from the Danube River

What to see outside the capital?

Provincial towns

There are many interesting places outside Budapest in Hungary. The second largest city in the country, Debrecen It attracts travelers with aquariums and sanatoriums, the rich collection of the Deri Museum, and the large Nadjerde Park. Although not all knowledgeable people recommend visiting it.

“I found Debrecen quite boring. A walk around the city will take much less time than you will spend on the way there and back,” Anastasia Antonenko admits

According to the Russian woman, it is much more interesting to visit Sekeshfehervar. In the Middle Ages, Hungarian rulers were crowned in the main cathedral of the city. Although the ancient basilica has not been preserved, tourists still have something to see. For example, the castle of the architect Ene Bori, built in the middle of the XX century. The palace can easily be called a monument of love, since the architect gave it to his wife Ilona.

20 kilometers from the capital there is a very intimate and cozy Szentendre. It is known as a city of artists, musicians and poets, so it is saturated with a creative atmosphere. There you can visit the workshops, buy souvenirs made of crystal, ceramics and porcelain, taste the local delicacy in the Marzipan Museum.

If you have time to go inland, go to Eger for visiting churches and fortresses, wellness treatments in sanatoriums and wine tasting in the Valley of Beautiful Women. Even further away is the Peche, which has a history of more than two thousand years. Once the composer Franz Liszt played in the cathedral of the city, his statue can be seen on the balcony of the Bishop’s Palace.

Medieval fortress in Eger

Lakes Balaton and Heviz

An hour and a half drive from Budapest is the largest freshwater body in Central Europe ― Lake Balaton. This is a favorite vacation spot for locals and tourists, which is also called the Hungarian Sea. It is worth coming here both just “for show” and for a few days for the sake of a beach and sanatorium vacation. In addition, the region is a wine region.

There are many balneological resorts along the shores of Balaton for every taste and budget. The south of the lake is considered noisy, clubby and riotous. In addition, local beaches are better suited for families with children. The north is quieter and richer in attractions, and the coast there is rocky with a steeply sloping bottom.

Nearby is the thermal lake Heviz, which is of volcanic origin. The water temperature in winter is 23-25 degrees, and in summer it rises to 33-36 degrees. The Heviz mud, air and water are rich in minerals and have healing properties.

Lake Balaton

There is also a manufactory of the famous Hungarian porcelain “Herend” in the vicinity of Balaton, which supplies exquisite tableware to royalty and artists. At the factory, tourists are told about the peculiarities of production and offered to try their hand at modeling.

Tokai

Tokai is considered the capital of Hungarian winemaking. Unique conditions for wine production have been created here: the Carpathian Mountains protect the region from sudden temperature changes, the Tisza and Bodrog rivers form the necessary humidity level, and volcanic soils nourish the grapes. The drink is made from raisin berries touched with noble mold. It turns out a sweet white wine, which is called liquid gold because of its dark and yellowish hue.

The French monarch Louis XIV called Tokai the wine of kings and the king among wines

In Tokai, you need to walk through the vineyards, listen to the secrets of local winemakers and taste a lot. Tourists will be especially lucky if they find a harvest festival here, when hussars, musicians and dressed-up ladies take to the streets.

Castles of Hungary

There are more than three thousand castles, fortresses and palaces in Hungary. Fans of such fabulous and mystical architecture should go on a comprehensive tour or visit the most interesting places themselves.

One of the largest castles in the country is Festetic, located near Lake Balaton. It is built in the Baroque style and is famous for its rich interiors, luxurious library and huge blooming park.

A beautiful English park surrounds the Neo-Gothic Brunswick in the town of Martonvashar. The Ludwig van Beethoven Museum is located there ― the composer was friendly with the family of the owners and often stayed with them during trips to Hungary.

Also noteworthy are the castles of Grashshalkovichi (or Gedele), Shashvar, Haridvar, Esterhazy Palace.

The Festetic Palace

How do they treat Russian tourists in Hungary?

The Hungarian authorities are loyal to the Russians, and in practice, tourists also do not face negativity. “I think the attitude towards Russians in Hungary is better than in other EU countries. If you are a tourist, it is unlikely that anyone will specifically show disrespect just because you are Russian, and provoke you somehow,” admits Andrey, who lives here.

“In principle, no one cares where you come from, if you are a good person,” adds Anastasia Antonenko

“I always say that I am from Russia ― I have nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about,” the blogger admits. ― And I’ve only met with a positive reaction. They write all sorts of things on the Web, but so far I’ve only seen all the bad things on the Internet.”

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