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Overview

Self drive trip in Hungary

Conquer Hungary through this exclusive self drive trip during which you will discover all the facets of this fascinating country: architecture, culture and thermal baths, this week of travel to the Magyars offers a comprehensive overview of this gem of Central Europe. Starting with Budapest, the most beautiful city in the country, and nicknamed the Pearl of the Danube due to its magnificent monuments which arise at every corner. From the Parliament house, a majestic building, to the beautiful churches where triumph Baroque and Rococo, the capital of Hungary is full of countless charms, and walking around its elegant streets is a pleasure at every minute. The self drive trip will then begin as you hit the road to Eger, a city whose heritage is priceless and unique. Nearby are Egerszalók baths, famous for the exceptional quality of their healing waters, enlisted as the best ones in the world and that you will enjoy like a true fountain of youth! Continue your trip to Debrecen, one of the busiest cities in Hungary throughout the year: carnivals and music festivals are typical of the region and provide a cultural total awakening not to be missed. Finally, Hajdúszoboszló, the last stop of this self drive trip, whose briny water might not seduce you at first, offers more than a thermal facility, though it has been popular for almost a century by demanding curists. It also houses a theme park offering lots of water activities to delight and relax the whole family.

Feel free to ask our expert advisor Uniktour Central Europe for more information about this self drive trip in Hungary!

Itinerary

Day 1| International flight

Day 2| Budapest
Arrival and private transfer to your 4* hotel.

Day 3| Budapest
Accommodation in BB and free time to discover the capital of Hungary, considered one of the finest cities in Central Europe. Walking around the streets of the old city is like daydreaming back to the times of the Hungarian Empire. Majestic monuments rise at every corner, and the most impressive of all is the Parliament House, built at the end of the 19th century in neo-gothic style. With its imposing 96m height, and 268m length, it is one of the definitive buildings of the capital. Eighty-eight statues decorate its main façade, which overlooks the Danube, and the great domed hall with its star-vaulted ceiling is frequently used for national ceremonial events. Andrassy Avenue, the ultimate shopping district with posh boutiques and high end brands, is by far the most stylish part of Budapest. Elegant facades and quiet tree-planted alleys are reminiscent of the Empire golden age. Other milestones include the neo-renaissance Basilica of St-Istvan, the ornamented Ethnographic Museum, the Millenium Monument celebrating the one-thousand-year anniversary of the Hungarian Conquest, the State Opera House, and countless other wonders.

Day 4| Budapest - Eger (110 km / 1 h)
Breakfast and pick up the car. The trip leads you first to Eger. Eger, one of the most attractive Baroque cities, a 1000-year-old episcopal seat – today an archiepiscopal centre - has a glorious historical past and great monuments. Overnight in Eger in a 4* hotel.

Day 5| Eger (Egerszalók)
Free time in Eger, we recommend to visit Egerszalók. Thermal spring water in Egerszalók is considered one of the most important natural remedies available to mankind. The spring water in Egerszalok, rich in minerals essential to the human body, has received the best rating in the curative water category. After thoroughly testing the quality of the water in chemistry and biology labs, the results show that the thermal water contains 18 trace elements (minerals that are needed for the normal function of metabolic, reproductive, and immune systems) essential for the human body. Overnight in Eger in a 4* hotel.

Day 6| Eger - Debrecen (140 km / 2 h)
Breakfast and the trip continues to drive to Debrecen. The festive programs of Debrecen are world famous. Over hundred thousands people come to see the different festivals: the Debrecen Spring Festival, the Béla Bartók International Choir Competition, Debrecen Jazz Days or the Debrecen Flower Carnival to mention the most important ones. In addition, the city offers a number of concerts and large scale sporting events taking place at the unique Fınix Event Hall. Overnight in Debrecen in a 4* hotel.

Day 7| Debrecen (Hajdúszoboszló)
Free time in Debrecen, we would recommend to visit Hajdúszoboszló. The city's most notable gem is the 73 °C, peculiar smelling, brownish colored medicinal water which has, since its discovery in 1925, become the prime attraction for thousands of tourists. The country's largest and well-renowned resort not only provides thermal baths, but is also home to a beach, a wave pool, a bubble bath, and open-air and closed swimming competition venues. The Aquapark, opened in 2000, is a fun waterslide park reminiscent of the ones found at coastal resorts. Overnight in Debrecen in a 4* hotel.

Day 8| Debrecen - Budapest (230 km / 3 h)
Breakfast and departure to Budapest the afternoon. Delivering the car. Accommodation with breakfast in a 4* hotel in Budapest.

Day 9| Budapest - International flight
Breakfast and free time until the private transfer to the airport to board back home.

Budget

**Rates published on this website are for information purposes only and are not legally binding (since departure dates are not given). Prices on this website are known to fluctuate frequently in relation to changes in currencies and hotel pricing. In order to obtain a definite quote, please click here.

Other fees

Lodging

Overview

Hungary is a country in central Europe sharing borders with Austria to the west, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia in the south and south-west, Romania to the south-east, Ukraine to the north-east and Slovakia to the north. Its area is 93,000 km ² for a population of 9.9 million inhabitants, known as the Hungarians, a term also used to depict the national language. The capital and largest city in the country is Budapest (1.7 million inhabitants), located in north-central Hungary.
By its geographical location which made it a crossroads of Europe, Hungary, whose territory has fluctuated numerous times with the vagaries of history, has a remarkable cultural richness, and happens to be one of most advanced countries in the region after the fall of communist yoke in the late 20th century.

Geography

Hungary lies on a low plain steppe. Its vast flat horizons - less than 2% of the area exceeds 400 m above sea level - are completely ruled by the Danube river system. The backbone of the relief is represented by a diagonal line of massifs, dolomitic tablelands and volcanic outcrops raised in the Tertiary: it's the range of the Bakony, Mátra and Bükk Mountains, which extends south- west to north-east peaking at 1,015 m at Mount Kékes, to the west of Eger. They are heavily forested and contain important deposits of bauxite. However, Hungary has almost no well-defined natural boundary, but is divided into three main geographical regions: the Great Plain to the east of the Danube, on both sides of the Tisza, which extends to the sandy area of Nyirség. To the west of that large plain lies the Transdanubia, a hilly region west of the Danube spreading to the foot of the Austrian Alps and the northern hills, beyond the Great Hungarian Plain. Here is a swampy area with good drainage, the Little Plain (Kisalföld) in the region of Györ. Finally, on the southern and western sides of the Danube River - which divides the country into two parts – follow the depression of Lake Balaton, the Somogy hills and the mountainous region of Mecsek which contain deposits of uranium and coal. Hungary has no sea outlet, which explains the importance it attaches to the inland waterways.

Culture

Hungary maintains a very strong Turkish influence because of 150 years of invasions in the 16th and 17th centuries. This influence is mainly obvious according to the large number of spas in this country. Archetypal relaxation spots, one can enjoy water heated to about 30 degrees even in winter or under a starry sky. The swimming pools offer not only massage water jets, but also hot tubs as well as the opportunity to indulge in the pleasure of chess playing on a tablet erected at the surface of the water. Anyone who visits the Hungarian absolutely must spend a delightful time in one of those special places.
Fervent admirers of their own musical culture, the Hungarian cultivate this taste by organizing various festivals, such as the Folk Music and Dance Festival of Sopron in June and July and the Festival of Folk Art in Nagykallo in August. Let's also mention the summer festival on the island of Obuda in downtown Budapest and the Jazz Days in Debrecen in September. The Hungarians also have a taste for partying, which is clearly reflected in folk dances strongly influenced by the gypsy themes. In February, at Mohazi, Hungarians go out and play and dance in the street during Mardi Gras (Busójárás). Exuberant and colourful event, it is an undeniable proof that Hungarians have a know-how when it comes to enjoy the pleasures that life offers. In addition, local often hang out to the famous cafes that are found everywhere to chill and talk for hours.
In architecture, influences from Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque and Secessionist Art Nouveau blend into each other especially in the capital Budapest, which was modernized in the nineteenth century. But throughout the country, palaces, churches, monasteries and other buildings testify clearly marked sophistication and identity, making Hungarian cities among the most beautiful of the continent.
Finally, the craft traditions are an integral part of Hungarian culture which has become known worldwide. Among them, mention may be made of Halas lace, tablecloths and embroidered garments of Kalocsa, the famous embroidered and hand-sewn Szedeg slippers, remnants of the Turkish occupation. Note also Herend chinas, the Tokaj wine, Unicum liquor, paprika from Szeged and Kolocsa, horse parades of the Puszta and finally the magnificent murals on ceilings with floral motifs in the region of Kalocsa.

Climate

Hungary has a typical hyper continental climate defined by cold winters and very hot summers. The average annual temperature is 11 ° C, ranging between 27 ° and 35 ° C in summer and from 0 to -15 ° C in winter. The average annual rainfall is quite unpredictable as to their distribution and frequency, usually reaching 600 millimeters. The western part of the country usually receives more rain than the eastern part, where severe droughts may occur during the summer. The weather in the Great Plain (eastern Hungary) is especially harsh, with hot summers, cold winters and little precipitation.