ticket sellers who often speak little English. As well as unlimited public transport travel the card offers free admission to the city’s museums and discounts on car hire, the airport minibus, sightseeing tours, excursions and concert tickets. Two- or three-day cards are available from Tourinform offices, Metro stations, travel agencies and hotels. Each card is valid for one adult plus a child under 14.
Shopping and Eating
If self-catering in Budapest, groceries are cheap and there is plenty of variety. Local branches of the corner shop chain CBA have most things at a competitive price. There are also large supermarkets in Budapest and the city now boasts the biggest shopping centre in Europe. Late-night corner shops are everywhere and some open 24 hours, although they are more expensive. Head for the southern end of Váci utca for the big indoor market (Vásárcsarnok) where bunches of fiery-red paprika, fruit, vegetables, tanks of live carp caught in the River Tisza, and barrels of pickles combine to create a medley of sights and smells.
In the tourist areas there are bars and restaurants and market stalls selling all kinds of gifts, but national specialities such as the famous Tokaj wine or the rather strong spirit made from fruit, pálinka, are cheaper in the ordinary supermarkets away from the main tourist drag. If planning to visit the Zemplén do not buy ceramics on Váci utca but visit the factory shop in Hollóháza.
Food and hospitality is central to Hungarian culture but the diversity of traditional Hungarian cuisine owes more to Ottoman and Habsburg domination than to the culinary skills of the nomadic Magyars. Today Hungarians are even more open to outside influences, and eating out in Budapest ranges from fast food to haute cuisine. Vegetarian restaurants and salad bars are a new addition to this traditionally carnivorous culture. Budapest’s restaurants and cafés need not be expensive, but if on a budget avoid establishments in the tourist district around Vörösmarty tér and along Váci utca. For a Hungarian experience and a glimpse at the underbelly of Budapest, order a plate of fried fish, sausage and a hunk of bread washed down with a beer from one of the many snack bars up on the gallery of the big indoor market. Before the tradition dies out make sure you try one of the butcher shops (Hús-hentesáru); as well as selling meat they offer cheap fry-ups with beer on the premises. Alternatively, explore the side streets for a cheap Hungarian restaurant. In the last ten years there has been a boom in bars catering for expats missing their regular tipple, but for the cheapest drinking and local colour try a typical Hungarian pub, or söröző.
Sightseeing
The pock-marks of bullets and shrapnel on a few buildings are a reminder of Budapest’s violent past, but extensive renovation work is gradually returning the city to its 1896 grandeur, when it was hailed as Central Europe’s Paris. The grandness of the city can best be appreciated on the promenade along the east bank of the Danube. From here the National Palace and castellations of the Fisherman’s Bastion provide a dramatic backdrop for this historic river. Museums and galleries are cheap, but there are also discounts for children, students, or free entry for holders of the Budapest Card mentioned above. The grand Gothic-style parliament on Kossuth tér is worth a visit, and the Ethnographic Museum opposite has a permanent exhibition about the life and regional costumes of some of the hill peoples described in this guide. On Hősök tere (Heroes’ Square) there is a magnificent monument to the Magyar conquest, but if you are interested in some of the less durable heroes of Hungarian history the city’s socialist realist monuments can now be viewed at the rather bizarre open-air Statue Park west of Budapest.
Avas church ruin, Szigliget, Balaton Uplands, Walk 23
If you have a couple of days to spare at the beginning and end of the walking then this is enough time to get a feel for this great city. There are plenty of guides to Budapest – an excellent one is András Török’s Budapest: A Critical Guide available in the city’s many English-language book shops. For free advice have a chat with one of the staff at the Tourinform office who will be glad to give you some ideas about what to see in a limited amount of time and how to get there.
When To Go Walking
National Holidays
Europe’s Easter, Christmas, New Year and school holidays (mid-June to end of August) will put pressure on accommodation. In addition, Hungarians often head for the hills and book up the walking hostels on the following national days: 15 March (1848–49 Revolution), 1 May (Labour Day), Whitsun Monday, 20 August (Constitution Day), 23 October (1956 Revolution and Republic Day).
Climate
Hungary’s climate is a transitional stage between temperate Western Europe and the harsher extremes of the East. Mediterranean air masses raise temperatures in summer and continental air masses lower them in winter. As a result summers can be very hot and winters severely cold, with most precipitation falling in the hills as snow. Walking is possible all year but each season has its pros and cons.
For the walker spring is a pleasant season to get up to the hills, when early flowers brighten the karst meadows, fruit trees are heavy with blossom and the forest full of birdsong. Hungarians often complain that spring is too short, and the transition from winter to summer does seem quite rapid. It can be cool in the evenings and wet at times but expect warm weather as March progresses. Summers are long – the hot weather begins in April and lasts into early October. Midsummer temperatures can rise to 35°C (95°F) but cold fronts pass through from time to time bringing respite from the heat. Summer brings occasional thunderstorms, but hot and dry weather is the norm. The best time to go in summer is May or June when the greenery is still fresh, or August when the meadow flowers are in full bloom. Walkers who prefer cooler weather should consider autumn, when the northern hills experience a refreshing chill from about mid-September.
Expect more rain, but from mid-October the autumn colours in the forests are spectacular. In November the clocks change and there is less daylight walking time. Winter temperature in the hills is on average 5°C (41°F) but on extreme days it can drop to -20°C (-4°F), although the high slopes escape the temperature sink effect experienced on the Great Plain. The northern hills are the coldest and expect snow between late November and March. In Hungary, as in the rest of Europe, the winter snow line has receded and there are now longer periods without cover than there were in the past. Winter weather is stable: if a day starts crisp and windless in the morning it is likely to remain that way all day. Walking across deserted trails through frozen snow is very rewarding, but many of the routes in the guide are written with longer daylight hours in mind. Hungary’s highlands do not experience alpinestyle hazards, but only experienced hill walkers should venture into thehills in winter. It is also the hunting season, so keep clear of the hills at dusk and dawn and stay on the waymarked routes.
Badacsony, Balaton Uplands, Walk 23
Clothing and Accessories
No special clothing or equipment is required to walk in Hungary. Veterans with hard feet will find that a sturdy pair of training shoes will suffice in summer and autumn, although light leather walking boots or at the very least fabric boots are recommended. During prolonged wet spells wear boots, as the trails can get very muddy, and in winter snow lies deep and gaiters are useful. In summer wear light cotton clothing and a sun hat with an ample brim to protect the neck, and if fair-skinned apply sun block. Whatever the season take a waterproof jacket. Shorts are ideal in summer but be aware of ticks (see Health). In winter wear layers and a warm hat. Take a torch for emergency night navigation. On long walks in summer carry about two litres of water per person if there are no resupply points along the way. In villages summer dress is casual; shorts and T-shirt are perfectly acceptable but be sensitive if visiting a place of worship.
Rural Accommodation
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