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Hungary is a popular destination
because of its magnificent countryside. A number of
national parks are open to visitors. The parks of Bugac
and Hortobagy are certainly worth a visit. Visitors
can walk alongside lakes and through woods and Hungarian
pusztas. The highest mountains of the country are located
in the Carpathians: these lie in the northern parts,
in a wide band along the Slovakian border (highest point:
the Kékes at 1,014 m (3327 ft).
Transdanubia is a primarily hilly region with a terrain
varied by low mountains. These include the very eastern
stretch of the Alps, Alpokalja, in the west of the country,
the Transdanubian Medium Mountains, in the central region
of Transdanubia, and the Mecsek Mountains and Villány
Mountains in the south.
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Royal
Palace - Budapest
Located at the top of Castle Hill in the picturesque
Castle District of Buda, the Royal Palace was first
inhabited by King Béla in the 13th century
who, after the Mongol invasion, turned it into a
fortified stronghold against further attack. |
| Over the next 700 years it was the residence of
many royal figures. The strategic location of Budapest,
situated in the heart of Europe and straddling the
Danube, offered whoever controlled the city a defensive
position and potential control of the main waterway.
This led to repeated invasions, followed by rebuilding
in the style of the period. The castle has a mixture
of architectural styles, ranging from Gothic to
Baroque. Today it is the country's most important
cultural centre housing numerous museums and the
majority of the buildings are historical monuments.
The Budapest History Museum contains an exhibition
explaining the history of the city as well as archaeological
remains of the palace. Also within the palace complex
are the Hungarian National Gallery, the National
Library and the Ludwig Museum. |
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Lake Balaton
- One of the best areas of Hungary for the tourist
is the region around Lake Balaton, where there are
many resorts and some good beaches. The area is
particularly popular with the locals throughout
the long hot Hungarian summer. The region is also
home to |
| many vineyards, and with the ever improving reputation
for the local wines, many tourists take time out
from their holiday to enjoy a day sampling the latest
vintage and picking up one or two bottles to enjoy
when they get home. |
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Eger Castle
- Eger, Northern Hungary. The medieval castle, which
sits on the small hill overlooking the town has
been the site of numerous historical events. The
original buildings included a cathedral and the
Bishop's Palace dating from the 13th century; the
castle was later |
| fortified, the walls providing the
cover for the determined defence against the Turks
by a small and outnumbered army. The women who fought
alongside the soldiers claimed their place in national
consciousness during this much-celebrated historical
event. |
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Chain Bridge - Budapest
The Chain Bridge was the first stone bridge to
be built over the Danube and is the most famous
with its lion statues. Today nine bridges span
the river linking Buda to Pest, but Chain Bridge
takes pride of place as the city's symbol, a magnificent
sight
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| when floodlit at night. It owes its
construction to Count István Széchenyi
who decided to build a permanent crossing after
having to wait a week to cross the river to bury
his father. The Chain Bridge was built by William
and Adam Clark, who also constructed London Bridge.
It was considered an amazing feat of engineering
when it was opened in 1849. At the foot of the bridge
is Kilometre Zero, the point in Budapest from where
all distances are measured. |
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Hévíz
- Lake Balaton. Hévíz is the site
of Europe's largest and the world's second largest
thermal lake, Gyógytó. It is the most
extraordinary sight with its huge milky blue surface
covered in water lilies and steam. The warm water
wells up from a volcanic crater |
| spring about 128 ft (40m) below the
surface and provides year round swimming, although
the recommended maximum time in the water during
any one session is one hour. The mud on the bottom
and edges is said to be slightly radioactive, good
for various medical conditions, but in small doses.
The complex offers indoor and outdoor swimming.
A pavilion in the centre of the lake is reached
by a covered bridge and indoor swimming takes place
in an area enclosed with Plexiglas. Gaps in the
plastic lead to the outdoor swimming area, the rest
of the lake, where swimmers can float among the
water lilies and swim between the 'rest' platforms
bobbing on the surface. |
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Tokaj
- Northern Hungary. Tokaj Wine Region has a long
tradition of producing wine in the low hills and
river valleys. On a tour of Tokaj you will visit
great vineyards and wineries of this region with
its array of wine cellars, caves and old towns such
as Eger. This wine region |
| provides the world-famous Tokaji Aszú,
titled "Wine of Kings, King of Wines."
Tokaj Aszú is made from grapes of high sugar
content which are ripened till late autum on the
sunny southern slopes. It was even used as a medicine
during the Middle Ages. |
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