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Quick FactsCapital BudapestGove rnme nt Parliamentary democracyCurre ncy Forint (HUF)

Co nt ent s1 Understand

1.1 Climate2 Regions3 Cities4 Other destinations5 Get in

5.1 By plane5.2 By train5.3 By car5.4 By bus5.5 By ship5.6 From Slovakia

6 Get around6.1 By plane

Europe : Central Europe : Hungary

Hungary (Magyarorszg) [1] is a country in Central Europe.Member of the European Union and the Schengen Border- lessEurope Agreement. The country offers many diversedestinations: relatively low mountains in the north-west, theGreat Plain in the east, lakes and rivers of all sorts (includingBalaton - the largest lake in Central Europe), and manybeautiful small villages and hidden gems of cities. Top this offwith Hungary's great accessibility in the middle of Europe, avivid culture and economy, and you get a destinationabsolutely not worth missing if you're in the region.

UnderstandHungary is one of the 15 mostpopular tourist destinations inthe world, with a capitalregarded as one of the mostbeautiful in the world [2] .Despite its relatively smallsize, the country is home tonumerous World HeritageSites, UNESCO Biospherereserves, the second largestthermal lake in the world (LakeHvz ), the largest lake inCentral Europe (Lake

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Are a total: 93,030 km2

water: 690 km2

land: 92,340 km2

Populat ion 10,049,000 (2008 est.)Language Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%Re lig ion Roman Catholic 67.5%,

Calvinist 20%, Lutheran 5%,atheist and other 7.5%

Ele ct ricity 230/50Hz (European Plug)Calling Code +36Inte rne t TLD .huTime Zone UTC +1

6.2 By train6.3 By bus6.4 By boat6 .5 By car

6 .5.1 Highways6.6 By taxi6 .7 By Metro

7 Talk7.1 Hungarian7.2 Foreign languages

8 See9 Do

9.1 Baths10 Buy

10.1 Money10.2 Money Exchange

Balaton), and the largestnatural grassland in Europe(Hortobgy). In terms ofbuildings, Hungary is home tothe largest synagogue inEurope (Great Synagogue),the largest medicinal bath inEurope (Szchenyi MedicinalBath), the third largest churchin Europe (Esz tergomBasilica), the second largestterritorial abbey in the world(Pannonhalma Archabbey),the second largest Baroquecastle in the world (Gdll),and the largest Early Christian Necropolis outside Italy (Pcs).

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New Year ho lidays inHungary

In o ther languages

ca: Hongriade: Ungarneo: Hungarioes: Hungrafi: Unkarifr: Hongriehu: Magyarorszgit: Ungheriaja: nl: Hongarije

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10.2 Money Exchange10.3 What to buy?

11 Eat11.1 Cuisine11.2 Vegetarian food

12 Drink12.1 Wine12.2 Liquor12.3 Beer12.4 Coffee12.5 Tea12.6 Mineral water

13 Sleep13.1 Hostels13.2 Farmhouses13.3 Camping

14 Learn15 Work16 Stay safe

16.1 Driving Conditions17 Stay healthy18 Respect

18.1 Uncommon customs19 Contact

and the largest Early Christian Necropolis outside Italy (Pcs).You can expect to find safe food and water, good safety and a generallystable political climate.Hungary doesn't attract terrorists and keeps drug and crime levelsmoderate.Hungary has been ethnically diverse since its inception, and while todayover 90% of the population are ethnically Hungarian, pockets of ethnic andcultural Slovaks, Romanians, Germans and others dot the country. Due tothe border changes of Hungary after World War I, over 2 million ethnic andcultural Hungarians live in bordering countries, as well. The Hungarians,otherwise known as Magyars, are the descendants of several tribes fromCentral Asia, who were believed to be fierce, nomadic horsemen andcame to Central Europe in the 9th century.

ClimateTemperatures in Hungary vary from -20C to 39C through the year.Distribution and frequency of rainfall are unpredictable due to thecontinental clime of the country. Heavy storms are frequent after hotsummer days, and so do more days long still rainfalls in the Autumn. Thewestern part of the country usually receives more rain than the eastern part,and severe droughts may occur in summertime. Weather conditions in theGreat Plain can be especially harsh, with hot summers, cold winters, andscant rainfall.

RegionsCent ral Hungary

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Regions of Hungary

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Cent ral Hungary The most- visited part of thecountry due to the capitalBudapest.Lake Balaton Ten thousands of visitors ayear head to Sifok, theunofficial summer capital ofLake Balaton.Transdanubia This historic region west ofthe river Danube is one of themost economicallydeveloped of the country.Northern Hungary Great historic towns and cavebaths are to be seen here.Great Hungarian Plain Somewhat isolated from therest of the country, this is alarge region with flat to rollingplains. Debrecen could beconsidered the unofficialcapital of the region.

Cit ies

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Budapest with green filled parks, interesting museums, and a pulsating nightlife, Budapest is one ofEurope's most delightful and enjoyable citiesDebrecen the second largest city in the countryEger a beautiful northern town with ancient castle and camera obscuraGyr there are many cafs, restaurants, boutiques, and night clubs in its lovely baroque city centerKecskemt a town famous for its vibrant music scene, plum brandy, and Art Nouveau architectureMiskolc with the unique cave bath in Miskolc-Tapolca, the third largest city in the country, located nearthe Bkk hillsNyregyhza a medium-sized city with a busy water resort, museum village, and annual autumnfestivalPcs a pleasant cultural centre and university townSzeged the sunniest city in HungarySzkesfehrvr former royal seat, currently famous for its baroque architecture and museums

Other dest inat ionsAggtelek beautiful caves with dripstones and stalagmitesBkk a section of the Carpathian Mountain rangeLake Balaton the major lake of Hungary and the biggest lake in Central Europe

Get inHungary is a member of the Schengen Agreement .There are no border controls between countries that have signed and implemented the treaty - theEuropean Union (except Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the United Kingdom), Iceland,Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Likewise, a visa granted for any Schengen member is valid in allother countries that have signed and implemented the treaty. But be careful: not all EU members havesigned the Schengen treaty, and not all Schengen members are part of the European Union. This meansthat there may be spot customs check but no immigration checks (travelling within Schengen but to/from anon-EU country) or you may have to clear immigration but not customs (travelling within the EU but to/from anon-Schengen country).Airports in Europe are thus divided into "Schengen" and "non-Schengen" sections, which effectively act like"domestic" and "international" sections elsewhere. If you are flying from outside Europe into one Schengencountry and continuing to another, you will clear Immigration and Customs at the first country and thencontinue to your destination with no further checks. Travel between a Schengen member and a non-Schengen country will result in the normal border checks. Note that regardless of whether you are travellingwithin the Schengen area or not, many airlines will still insist on seeing your ID card or passport.

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Nationals of EU and EFTA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) countries only need a validnational identity card or passport for entry - in no case will they need a visa for a stay of any length.Nationals of non-EU/EFTA countries will generally need a passport for entry to a Schengen country andmost will need a visa.Only the nationals of the following non-EU/EFTA countries do not need a visa for entry into the SchengenArea: Albania*, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia andHerzegovina*, Braz il, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras,Israel, Japan, Macedonia*, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro*, New Zealand , Nicaragua,Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis , San Marino, Serbia*/**, Seychelles, Singapore, South Korea,Taiwan*** (Republic of China), United States, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela, additionally personsholding British National (Overseas), Hong Kong SAR or Macau SAR passports.These non-EU/EFTA visa- free visitors may not stay more than 90 days in a 180 day period in theSchengen Area as a whole and, in general, may not work during their stay (although some Schengencountries do allow certain nationalities to work - see below). The counter begins once you enter any countryin the Schengen Area and is not reset by leaving a specific Schengen country for another Schengencountry, or vice-versa. However, New Zealand citizens may be able to stay for more than 90 days if theyonly visit particular Schengen countries - see [3] for the New Zealand Government's explanation.If you are a non-EU/EFTA national (even if you are visa-exempt, unless you are Andorran, Mongasque orSan Marinese), make sure that your passport is stamped both when you enter and leave theSchengen Area. Without an entry stamp, you may be treated as an overstayer when you try to leave theSchengen Area; without an exit stamp, you may be denied entry the next time you seek to enter theSchengen Area as you may be deemed to have overstayed on your previous visit. If you cannot obtain apassport stamp, make sure that you retain documents such as boarding passes, transport tickets and ATMslips which may help to convince border inspection staff that you have stayed in the Schengen Area legally.Note that

while British subjects with the right of abode in the United Kingdom and British Overseas Territoriescitizens connected to Gibraltar are considered "United Kingdom nationals for European Union purposes"and therefore eligible for unlimited access to the Schengen Area,British Overseas Territories citizens without the right of abode in the United Kingdom and British subjectswithout the right of abode in the United Kingdom as well as British Overseas citizens and Britishprotected persons in general do require visas.

However, all British Overseas Territories citizens except those solely connected to the Cyprus SovereignBase Areas are eligible for British citizenship and thereafter unlimited access to the Schengen Area.Further note that

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(*) nationals of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia need a biomet ricpassport to enjoy visa- free travel,(**) Serbian nationals with passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate (residents of Kosovowith Serbian passports) do need a visa and(***) Taiwan nationals need their ID number to be st ipulated in their passport to enjoy visa- free travel.Recognised refugees and stateless persons in possession of a valid travel document issued by thegovernment of any one of the above countries/territories are exempt from obtaining a visa for Hungary (butno other Schengen country, except Germany and, for refugees, Slovakia) for a maximum stay of 90 daysin a 180 day period.Citizens of Antigua and Barbuda are permitted to work in Hungary without the need to obtain a visa for theperiod of their 90 day visa- free stay. However, this ability to work visa- free does not necessarily extend toother Schengen countries.Citizens of Croatia can also enter the country by showing their identity card, but may not stay longer than 90days in a 180-day period or work in Hungary without a work permit.

By planeHungary's international airports are Budapest Ferihegy Airport [4] in Budapest, Airport Debrecen[5] in Debrecen (non operating) and FlyBalaton Airport [6] in Srmellk (non operating). TheHungarian national carrier is Malv (Hungarian Airlines) [7] (non operating). There are also several lowcost carriers operating to Budapest: for example Ryanair [8] , Wizzair [9] , Easyjet [10] ,Germanwings [11] and Airberlin [12] .

By trainBudapest is an important railway hub for the whole Hungary and large part of eastern Europe, with frequenttrains from Austria, Germany, Czechia and Slovakia. There are at least one train daily from Bosnia andHerzegovina, Croatia, Italy, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Serbia, Switzerland and Ukraine, as well asthrough cars from Poland and seasonal through sleepers from Bulgaria and Montenegro.For detailed info see Budapest#By_train.You can search for international train connections at official schedule site [13] of MV, national traincompany, or at German Railways website [14] covering almost whole Europe.

By carTo enter the country, ensure that your International Motor Insurance Card is valid for Hungary(H) along withthe Vehicle Registration and a Power of Attorney from the owner if the car is not yours. The border guards

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are very strict about allowing cars through without these documents ( see excepts below).The Hungarian border control is very strict and thorough. They will not hesitate to conduct a full vehiclesearch if necessary. Entry from Schengen countries ( Austria, Slovenia,Slovakia ) is out of such bordercontrol since the abolishment of physical borders. All those remain show light control (Romania,Croatia) anddue to a bilateral aggreement Serbian citizens are also no more undergo a strict border control. Howeveryou have to take into consideration that from Schengen area you might undergo a so called inside-customscontrol wherever moving/driving in the country.Non-Schengen passengers must take into account facing astrict control upon customs prescripitions from Ukraine and Serbia. Coming from Serbia you are allowed tobring 2 packets of cigarettes into Hungary. If you bring more they will take it and fine for 102 euros. Weaponsfor hunting are allowed to bring in from any EU Membersate if you have a European License. However withpossessing that you may not buy or sell your or a new weapon here. Automatic weapons can't be held atall, you'll never get a license in HU to obtain such. The same is the situation with illcicit drugs aswell.Infringement of these rules may definitely lead to your immediate arrestment! Entry from non-Schengencountries can take quite a long time, in particular in the summer months on the weekends when EU-Nationals are returning north along the E75 corridor from Belgrade, Serbia. The wait lines to get through theborder have been as long as 7 km with a wait time of up to 6 hours. Alternative border points in Hungary orCroatia can be used to by-pass. If you are driving in from an EU country e.g. Austria, you are required to pullover to check with authorities at the border, otherwise, the borders are open and usually the immigrationcontrol kiosk are empty.When driving into Hungary, ensure that the border crossing on the route you choose allows the passage offoreigners. Also some smaller crossings close in the afternoon for the night. It is also required to buy avignette for driving on highways [15] . Domestic (Budapest) car hire: [16] and International car rentalsupplier: [17] .

By busSeveral international bus lines go in or through Hungary. You can find timetables and book tickets on thehomepage of Volnbusz [18] , which is the national bus company and also the local Eurolinesrepresentation. Alternatively, Orangeways bus company [19] offer services on routes between Budapestand Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. Timetables and onlinebooking are available on their website. On the southern border with Serbia you shouldn't be surprised whenthere in the bus a collection is being held for a donation to the border-guards, to let the bus pass faster.

By shipIt is possible to enter Hungary by international shipping lines on Danube (Duna) or Tisza rivers. There is ascheduled hydrofoil service on the Danube to and from Vienna and Bratislava between May and Septemberoperated by Mahart . [20]

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Buying t rain t ickets on- line inHungarianYou can purchase domestic and someinternational train tickets on the web, butonly in Hungarian. It will certainly be anightmare if you don't speak thelanguage, but if you believe that it'sworth the hassle, the followinginstructions will help you.

1. First of all, you have to registerat MV's site [22] .

2. Click on the blue underlinedRegiszt rci (registration) word

From SlovakiaYou can use the bus no. 91 of the urban traffic company of Bratislava (DPB) going to unovo in order tocross between Rajka (Hungary) and Brat islava (Slovakia). In Bratislava, the bus has Nov most as itsterminus, and near the Hungarian border you get on/off at the stop unovsk jazer (you need to signalto the driver if you plan to get off at this stop). From unovsk jazer it's a four- kilometer- long straightwalk through a flat terrain to the town of Rajka, two kilometers on each side of the border. You maydetour to visit a monument at the Austrian-Hungarian-Slovakian three country border.

Get aroundBy planeHungary presently has no regular domestic flights. As Budapest lies in the center of the country and prettymuch any point can be reached within three hours by train or bus, there isn't much need for scheduleddomestic flights.However there are many opportunities for people with a valid pilot's license to rent a plane and explore byair.

A Pilot 's Academy of Malev Flying Club [21] +36(20)565-6467, Dunakesz i. Lightweight glidersand other stuff.

By trainThe Hungarian National Railway is MV [25] and GYSEV[26] (some lines in the west of the country). MV has onlineschedule and pricing site [27] . See boxed text about howto use its online booking system, available only in Hungarian.The train network is star- shaped (hub-and-spoke), fanningout from the centre at Budapest. This is caused by historybecause half of the once complete train system went to theneighbor countries after World War I. If neither the starting orending point is Budapest, expect to travel for a long time oftenwith change in Budapest.Intercity (IC) trains are the fastest, and they're up- to-date,well maintained and clean. They link the major cities withBudapest. Expect to pay about 550 Forints (= 2 EUR) extra fee

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Regiszt rci (registration) wordat the bottom of the page. Typeyour e-mail address next to e-mail, choose a password, enterit next to Jelsz , then repeatyour password next to Jelszismt . Tick the box below, andclick on the orange Regiszt rci button.

3. Check your e-mail account; youshould have received an e-mailfrom MV containing a blue link.Click on it.

4. Return to MV schedule page byclicking here [23] .

5. Wow, this section is in English!Use your common sense, selectthe train you need, then click onTickets. For internationaljourneys you have to select aparticular offer by clicking on itsprice.

6. On the next page type your e-mail address next to E-mail,enter your password chosen instep 2 next to Jelsz . Click onthe orange Bejelentkezs(enter) button.

7. On the next page, if you click onJegy a kosrba (add tobasket), you will have one pieceof full fare 2nd class ticket in yourbasket. Need more tickets? Clickagain on Jegy a kosrba .Rather prefer a 1st class ticket?Tick 1. osztly (1st class). Wantto finally buy your tickets? Click

independently from the distance for the manditory seatreservation (not in international ICs, ECs). In some cases theextra charge can be lower. Compared to the majority ofWestern European ticket prices, Hungary's IC trains areamongst the cheapest, with an excellent record of speed andcomfort. In almost all cases they also have a restaurant car. Atthe weekends many students use these IC trains to commutebetween Budapest and other cities, so an early advancebooking is recommended on Friday afternoons for the trainsleaving Budapest and on Sunday evenings for trains towardsBudapest. Working with a notebook is generally safe, unlessit's heavy overcrowded.Other t rain lines usually are not that fast, and not alwayscleaned up to the high standards (even in the 1st class), andoften vandalised (mostly in Budapest region); however qualitystandards are improving. During summer trains linking Balatonto Budapest are sometimes overcrowded with the IC usuallybeing sold out. The next choice is the gyorsvonat, or the oldfast train. Pricing depends only on the distance and on the carclass. Cash desks assume 2nd class by default for non- ICtrains (at least in Budapest for English speakers), so if youdidn't catch your IC, consider asking 1st class, paying smallextra for much more comfort. Smoking is prohibited on alltrains, as well as on the station platforms.Young people (under 26 years) may travel with 33%reduction at the weekends (Friday afternoon included).Children (under 6 years) and ret ired (citizens from EUcountries over 65 years) can travel free except on InterCitytrains where the extra fee (reservation) must be paid.It is possible to buy Inter Rail pass for Hungary. Checkwhether buying tickets for each journey is cheaper.

By bus

Hungarys national bus network is operated by 28 state runcompanies, united in Voln Associat ion [29] .Connections

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on the orange Fizets (proceedto payment).

8. On the next page check thetudomsul vet tem, nem krekszmlt (don't want to get areceipt) box and click on theorange Banki f izets (paymentthrough bank server) button.

9. Fill you payment information,fortunately the bank paymentpage is in English.

10. On the next page click on Elkld(send data) button again.

11. After a few seconds a new pagewill appear, containing a huge10-digit blue serial number. Thenumber itself doesn't allow you toboard the train. You will have togo to a major Hungarian railwaystation, find a pre-purchasedticket issuing machine (consultthis page [24] about where tofind the nearest), and input theserial number in order to get thetickets.

How to check the domest ic long-distance bus t imetableIt's possible to plan your travel checkingVolns online timetable[28] . It isavailable only in Hungarian, but easy touse: honnan means from, hov is to ; write your departure date in formatyear/month/day after mikor ; leave theother parameters alone and presskeress, search . The results appear

are frequent, prices are identical to those on non- Intercitytrains. Bus lines often are more complete than train lines, thespeed is quite similar. Long-distance buses are clean andsafe, but often subject to delays. Buy your ticket at the stationticket desk before boarding; if you do not take your bus at amain station, purchase a ticket from the driver. Make sure thatyou validate tickets even when buying from the bus driver. Thesmall orange boxes are used for validating tickets and areseen at several points throughout the bus. Ticket inspectorsoperate on the airport bus and if you have not validated yourticket, you are liable for a 7000 HUF on the spot fine. It is agood idea to reserve your tickets for national holidays, Fridayand Sunday evenings beforehand. Online booking is availableonly in Hungarian [30] . See boxed text about how to checkthe timetable.

By boatThere are several scheduled riverboat and hydrofoil linesoperated by MAHART PassNave Ltd. from the capital cityBudapest to towns in the Danubebend, like Szentendre,Visegrd and Esz tergom. [31]In the capital city there are several sightseeing and nightcruises opereated by MAHART PassNave Ltd. and othershipping companys, like Legenda Ltd.Although from May to September there is a good hydrofoilboat connection [32] between Vienna and Budapest.There are some ferries on Danube and Tisza but theirundetermined working hours make them non- recommended.You can trust the ferry on Lake Balaton, though, for a modestprice.

By carMost roads in Hungary are two lane apart from modernmotorways. Main roads are mostly in good shape, howevercracks, potholes and bumpy roads are common on minor

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keress, search . The results appearon the next page. (Autbusz llomswill mean bus station, naponta isdaily, while munkanapokon is onworkdays ).

roads and in major cities though they are constantly beingrepaired. Usually you can travel by using a map and the roadsigns.Expressways are not free, but there are no other toll roads ortunnels. A vignette system is used, similar to that inneighboring Austria and Slovakia, but as of 2008 the vignetteis stored electronically and checked for using gantries that read license plate numbers. You can purchasethem in intervals of 4 days, 7 days, 1 month, or 1 year. The vignette is very important and it is a good ideato buy it even if you don't plan to use the highway. Control is automatic with videocameras and you will get ahigh ticket (70 000 HUF) automatically without any warning.if you travel by normal roads the speed limit is 90 km/h between cities and 50 km/h inside, which slows youto the average around 60km/h. Roads often have high traffic (especially main roads like #8 to the west, #6to the south and #4 to the east). On highways, travel is the same as in Germany, and on the inside lane it isvery common to have someone speed by you.When you cross the country from the west to the east (or vice versa), take into account that there are only afew bridges crossing the Danube outside Budapest. There are some ferries available though.It is a legal requirement to drive with headlights on, even during the day - - a requirement that is becomingmore common across the EU.Hungary has a policy of zero tolerance for driving under the influence of alcohol. If you are caught drivingeven after only having a couple of units of alcohol you are most likely to be arrested.

HighwaysThere is a fast growing highway network in Hungary (1,480 km in total). Each highway starts in Budapest.

M0 - Motorway ring around Budapest. The north-western section is under construction, planned to beready at the end of 2012.M1 - connection to Gyr, Austria and Slovakia (west)M2 - connection to Vc, planned to reach the border to Slovakia by 2015 (north)M3/M30/M35 - connection to Miskolc, Debrecen and Nyregyhza (east)M5 - connection to Serbia, via Kecskemt and Szeged (south-east)M6/M60 - Connection to Dunajvros and Pcs(south)M7/M70 - connection to Lake Balaton, Croatia and Slovenia (south-west)

Planned:M4 - will provide connection to Romania via Szolnok by the year 2015 (east)

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M4 - will provide connection to Romania via Szolnok by the year 2015 (east)M44 - will provide connection between the M5 at Kecskemt and the Romanian border via Bkscsaba(east)M8/M9 - will cross the country east-west by 2015

A single vignette is required to use all highways, except for M0 and short sections around major cities,which are free. Vignettes can be purchased online with bankcard on [33] , at filling stations and at AK(State Motorway Management Co.) offices. A 10-day vignette for a passenger car costs HUF 2975 (~EUR10) during summertime, the 4-day ticket for car has been cancelled. Vignettes are controlled automaticallythrough a camera system. See [34] or [35] for details.

By taxiInspect the change that taxi drivers give you. Cabbies commonly rip off tourists by giving them change inoutdated Romanian currency, which looks similar to Hungarian currency, but is worthless and cannot beredeemed.

See also: Budapest#By taxi .

By MetroWithin the city centre of Budapest, you will find there is local metro stations "BKV" throughout the capital andwithin proximity to many tourist attractions. Tickets are available at kiosks and at automatic ticket machines(which mainly require coins). If buying single tickets remember that they must be validated (punched) at themachines in front of the escalators, or if travelling on buses and trams at the machines inside the vehicle.Single tickets are valid for one journey on one service, so if you change trams, you have to use a secondticket. If you make only occasional journeys, save by buying a book of 10. However, be warned that manyticketing staff do not speak English and some times it is best to use the available ticket machine which hasan English option. However, if you do plan to see a number of attractions on BKV, it is best to get a 24 hourtravel card. It is valid for a full 24 hours from the time of purchase. There are also 3 day and weekly tickets.If you buy a three day Budapest Card, this includes public transport and entry to many museums. Manytravellers will find that there are metro ticket checkers virtually at every stop. If you are caught with invalidfare, you will be asked to pay a fine of 6000 HUF on the spot or you'll will be taken to the police station.Alternatively, they may ask you for 40 Euros which is significantly more than 6000 HUF.When you approach the ticketing machine, you will see a number of options. Short fare is intended for only3 stops, regardless of which train you catch or change to. Regular fare instructions is as listed, but be sureto validate your fare or it'll be considered invalid. For more information: [36]

Talk

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[edit]HungarianSee also: Hungarian phrasebook

Hungarians are rightly proud of their unique, complex, sophisticated, richly expressive language,Hungarian (Magyar pronounced "mahdyar"). It is a Uralic language most closely related to Mansi andKhanty of western Siberia. It is further sub-classified into the Finno-Ugric languages which include Finnishand Estonian; it is not at all related to any of its neighbours: the Slavic, Germanic, and Romance languagesbelonging to the Indo-European language family. Although related to Finnish and Estonian, they are notmutually intelligible. Aside from Finnish, it is considered one of the most difficult languages for Englishspeakers to learn with the vocabulary, complicated grammar, and pronunciation being radically different. Soit is not surprising that an English speaker visiting Hungary understands nothing from written or spokenHungarian. Hungary did adopt the Latin alphabet after becoming a Christian kingdom in the year 1000.English-speakers tend to find most everything about the written language tough going, including a numberof unusual sounds like gy (often pronounced like the d in "during" and (vaguely like a long English e as inme with rounded lips), as well as agglutinative grammar that leads to fearsome- looking words likeeltveszthetetlen (unmistakable) and viszontltsra (goodbye). Also, the letters can very well be pronounceddifferently than in English: the "s" always has a "sh" sound, the "sz" has the "s" sound, and the "c" ispronounced like the English "ts", to name a few. On the upside, it is written with the familiar Roman alphabet(if adorned with lots of accents), and- -unlike English- - it has almost total phonemic orthography. This meansthat if you learn how to pronounce the 44 letters of the alphabet and the digraphs, you will be able topronounce almost every Hungarian word properly. Just one difference in pronunciation, vowel length, orstress can lead to misinterpretation or total misunderstanding. The stress always falls on the first syllable ofany word, so all the goodies on top of the vowels are pronunciation cues, and not indicators of stress, as inSpanish. Diphthongs are almost-nonexistent in Hungarian (except adopted foreign words). Just one ofmany profound grammatical differences from most European languages is that Hungarian does not have,nor need to have the verb "to have" in the sense of possession - the indicator of possession is attached tothe possessed noun and not the possessor, e.g. Kutya = dog, Kutym = my dog, Van egy kutym = I havea dog, or literally "Is one dog-my". Hungarian has a very specific case system, both grammatical, locative,oblique, and the less productive; for example a noun used as the subject has no suffix, while when used asan direct object, the letter "t" is attached as a suffix, with a vowel if necessary. One simplifying aspect ofHungarian is that there is NO grammatical gender, even with the pronouns "he" or "she", which are both "",so one does not have to worry about the random Der, Die, Das sort of thing that occurs in German, "the" issimply "a". In Hungarian, family name precedes given name, the same as with Asian languages. And the listof differences goes on and on, such as the definite and indefinite conjugational system, vowel harmony, etc.Attempting anything beyond the very basics will gain you a great deal of respect since so few non-nativeHungarians ever attempt to learn any of this small, seemingly difficult, but fascinating language.

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Buda Castle by night

Foreign languagesSince English is now compulsory in schools, if you address people in their teens, twenties or lower thirties,you stand a good chance that they will speak English well enough to help you out.However, due to Hungary's history, the older generation had less access to foreign language tuition, so yourchances are worse, and with people over 60, extremely low. A minority of Hungarians speak Russian, whichwas compulsory in the Communist era, although most Hungarians are quite happy to forget it so try it onlyas a last resort. German is also very useful in Hungary: it is almost as widely spoken as English, andalmost universally so near the Austrian border and especially Sopron, which is officially bilingual and hashuge contacts with Vienna due to it being accesible by Vienna suburban trains. In these areas, and witholder people in general, German will most often take you a lot further than English.Basically, in Hungary, you will have a much better chance finding someone speaking a foreign language(mostly English and German) in larger cities, especially in those with universities such as Budapest,Debrecen, Miskolc, and Szeged. In rural areas the chance may be very low, in some cases even withyoung people.

SeeHungary has several World Heritage sites. These are:

Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, theBuda Castle Quarter and Andrssy AvenueOld Village of Hollk and its SurroundingsCaves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak KarstMillenary Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma andits Natural EnvironmentHortobgy National Park - the Pusz taEarly Christian Necropolis of Pcs (Sopianae)Fert /Neusiedlersee Cultural LandscapeTokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape

Other major tourist destination is Lake Balaton, withwinehills, thermal spa in Hvz around.There are also some amaz ing things to see.

Tiszavirgzs. In mid-June the Tisza produces swarms of mayflies which are likened to flowers. Oncedecimated by pollution, the population is rebounding. (They're famous for living only for 1-2 days.)

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BirdwatchingHungary is an excellent destination for birdwatching (aka birding) holiday. There are wooded hills, vast fish-pond systems and grasslands, the puszta. Particularly good areas include the Kiskunsag and HortobagyNational Parks and the Aggtelek, Bukk and Zemplen Hills.Horse ridingVast areas of open countryside coupled with the long traditions of horsemanship make Hungary an idealcountry for riding. Wide open plains in the south and forested hills in the north offer varied riding terrain.

See also: New Year holidays in Hungary .

BathsThermal waters abound in Hungary with over 1000 thermal springs in the country many of which have beenturned into baths and spas. The most famous being the Szechenyi baths in Budapest. There are, however,hundreds of individual baths all around the country. The cave baths at Miskolc-Tapolca and the spa atEgerszalk are some nice examples.See Budapest#Baths, Nyregyhza#Do for details. More thermal bath and spa from Hungary: [37] [38]

BuyMoneyThe unit of Hungarian currency is known as the Forint (HUF). The Hungarian "cent" (Fillr) is long sinceobsolete. Bills come in 20000, 10000, 5000, 2000, 1000, 500, 200(until November 2009) HUFdenominations, coins are 200 (two colored, similar to 1), 100 (two colored, similar to 2), 50, 20, 10, 5HUF. As of March 1, 2008, the 2 and 1 HUF coins have been withdrawn, too.Euro is now accepted at most hotels and some of the restaurants and shops. Make sure you check theexchange rate though, sometimes even well known places (like McDonald's) will exchange at unrealisticrates. Forint is scheduled to disappear in coming years in favor of Euro, but no date and realistic way isfixed yet.You can use major credit cards (EuroCard, Visa) in major shops and larger restaurants, but never expectthat without checking first. Small places cannot afford to handle cards. ATMs are available even in smallcities, the coverage is good.While completing any monetary transactions, it is best to pay in HUF when you can. Some restaurants andhotels charge a steep rate for Euro exchange and often due to the fluctuation in HUF , cost and services

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stated may vary drastically.

Money ExchangeThere are 219 forints to the USD and 290 forints to the EUR (04 March 2012). Shopping in Hungary isextremely cheap for people from the US and Euro-zone.Exchange rates for EUR and USD are roughly the same within downtown (at least in Budapest and Eger).Rates will likely be much worse in airports and large train stations - so change exactly what you need toreach downtown. A good habit is to compare the buy and sell rates: if they are drastically different, you'rebest going somewhere else. Official exchange offices always give a receipt and normally have a largeglass between client and a cashier making all steps transparent for client.Travellers report that unofficial money changers operating nearby an official money changing booth offerunfavourable rates- -and recommend to use official exchange offices. It's worth noting that such exchangesare illegal.If you arrive to Budapest at late nights or state holidays it is quite likely you won't be able to find anyworking bank or exchange office. In this case you may attempt to exchange your money with any randomtaxi driver. They will rip you off by 100-200 forints (around 1 EUR), but it's better than nothing. There is anATM in the arrival hall at Budapest Ferihegy, and the rates for using ATMs with a card are often better thanthe bureau de change. There are many banks machines in Budapest which will accept European and NorthAmerican debit/credit cards, if it becomes necessary, it maybe in your best interest to draw a sufficientamount for your stay and it will often give a more much favorable rate.Adventurous locals in Budapest report they change EUR unofficially with Arabs on a train station, but theydon't recommend it to unaccompanied travelers.

What to buy?Apart from classical tourist souvenirs like postcards and trinkets, here are some things unique to Hungary orjust hard to find elsewhere.

Cold-smoked sausagesSpices: Paprika and Hungarian SaffronGundel set of cheese: aged in Gundel wines or with walnut pieces or seasonings. Most easily found in350gr sets of three kinds in duty- free of Ferihegy Airport in Budapest (at least in Terminal 2), but is likelyavailable in Gundel 1894 Food & Wine Cellar (see Pest#Eat). Keep in mind that shelf life for this cheeseis only 2 months.Wines: Tokaji, Egri Bikavr (see Liquor), red wine from Villny area etc.Plinka: very famous and strong brandy made from fruits.

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A fancy serving of gulyssoup

Unicum: a herbal digestif liqueur.

EatMain courses in menu are normally 2500..3000HUF in touristy places in Budapest, 1500..1800HUF outsideit, or in towns like Eger and Szentendre (March 2009).A lunch in Budapest is from 900 to 8000 HUF per person, and half or third of that outside Budapest(Chinese fast food menu is around 500 HUF).In restaurants, a service charge is frequently included into bill, 10% or even 12%, but this has to be clearlypointed out on the menu. If it's not mentioned, the place has no right to include a service charge in the bill.Even if there's no service charge, unless the service was preposterous most Hungarians tend to leave agenerous tip (10% minimum). Unlike in most western countries, tip is usually not left on the table, but ratherthe amount is specified to the waiting staff when you pay.There were some places (mainly in downtown Pest) that tried to rip off drunk tourists at night by chargingridiculously high prices for drinks. Most of these places are closed now, but it's still a good idea to alwayscheck the prices on the menu before ordering.In major cities and next to the highways you can find restaurants of the major international chains such asKFC, McDonald's, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Subway and TGI Friday's.

CuisineHungarians are quite proud of their cuisine (Magyar konyha ), and most ofthe time not without a reason. Food are usually spicy (but not hot bygeneral standards), and it's tasty rather than healthy many dishes areprepared with lard or deep- fried. The national spice is paprika, madefrom ground sweet bell peppers and which actually has some flavor whenfresh. The national dish is, of course, goulash, but Hungarians call thethick paprika- laden stew known as goulash elsewhere by the term prkltand reserve the term gulys for a lighter paprika- flavored soup.Meat is popular- especially pork (serts), beef (marha) and venison (z).Less common is lamb and mutton. The best fish in Hungary are river fish:Carp (Ponty) and Fogas (Zander), though many restaurants will serve fishfrom far away. Chicken (csirke) and Turkey (pulyka) and common, andyou will also find game birds excellent in smarter restaurants and countryareas- Pheasant (Fcn), Partridge(Fogoly) and duck (Kacsa). A typicalmeal will involve soup, often like a consomm (erleves), meat with

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potatoes (burgonya) and a side salad, and a dessert like pancakes(palacsinta).Less well known in the rest of the world are papriks csirke, chicken in paprika sauce, and halsz l,paprika fish soup often made from carp.Goose is also quite popular in Hungary. While tourists gorge on goose liver (libamj), still cheap byWestern standards, probably the most common dish is slt libacomb, roast goose leg . Stuffed (tlttt )vegetables of all kinds are also popular, and Hungarian pancakes (palacsinta), both savoury and sweet,are a treat. Common snacks include kolbsz , a Hungarianized version of the Polish kielbasa sausage, andlngos, deep- fried dough with a variety of toppings (mostly sour cream, cheese and/or garlic).A Hungarian meal is almost always even at breakfast accompanied by Hungarian pickles calledsavanysg, literally "sourness". These are often dubbed salta on menus, so order a vitamin salta if youwant fresh veggies. Starch is most often served as potatoes, rice or dumplings (galuska' or nokedli), theprimary Hungarian contribution in this field is an unusual type of small couscous- like pasta called tarhonya.It is worth to visit a "Cukrszda" if you are in Hungary. These are very popular with delicious cakes andcoffee. Try the traditional Krmes (with vanila cream), Esz terhzy (lots of nuts) or Somli Galuska. Youshould visit Auguszt , Szamos or Daubner if you want the best! Daubner is a little out of the way, Augusz tCukrszda is an absolute must. They have a shop downtown near Astoria metro station, founded in 1969.Another favourite is Lngos, it is basically deep fried bread, similar to "whales- tail or beaver- tail" but inHungary, it can be served with any fillings imaginable. Most common is plain, with salt, garlic (fokhagyma)and soured cream (tejfl). If you do come across a Langos stand, there are usually a large number ofoptions from pizza langos, or eggs with mayo or nutella and bananas.

Vegetarian foodVegetarians and Vegans will have about as much ease eating out as in any other western country.Budapest is not a problem, as there is a wide variety of restaurants to choose from, but in an ordinaryHungarian restaurant the non-meat mains on the menu are pretty much limited to rntott sajt (fried cheese)and gombafejek rntva (fried mushrooms).However, in recent years, Italian food has become a lot more popular, so as long as you don't mind apasta heavy diet as a vegetarian you will find a wider choice.If one self- caters from supermarkets or local shops and markets, however, the selection of fruits andvegetables is quite good, especially in summer.There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan restaurants, and a lot's of healthfood stores that offer all sorts ofvegetarian/vegan products (including cosmetics). Regular stores like Groby among other brands selleverything from vegan sausages to mayonaise. A good place to start is looking at Budaveg[39] and

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Hills, grape plantations and wine cellarsnear Villny, southern Hungary.

Happy Cow[40] for specific information.Over all, apply the same rules as you do at home, and you should be well fed.

DrinkWineHungary has several famous vine regions, most known areVillny, Eger, Badacsony, Tokaj, Szekszrd. Prices arereasonable.

Egri Bikavr (Bull's Blood of Eger) (HUF 1000 for a goodone) is a strong red Hungarian wine which supposedlysaved a clever Hungarian girl from her fate with a Turkishsultan. During the time of the Turkish occupation, it is saida young girl was summoned to become a member of thelocal sultan's harem. Not wanting this fate for his daughter,her father gave her a bottle of Egri Bikavr to take to thesultan. He told her to tell the ruler it was bull's blood, andwould make him invincible. The sultan, being Muslim, wasunaccustomed to alcohol, and proceeded to pass out, leaving the daughter unharmed. There is anotherstory connected to why Bull's Blood is called so, and it also comes from the Turkish era. According tothat one, the defenders of the different castles used to drink this red wine. When they saw the color onthe mouths of the Hungarians, they thought that it must have been from a bull, thus the name.Tokaj is known for its sweet dessert wines ( Tokaji asz ), (HUF 2000 < x < 6000) which acquire theirdistinctive taste from grapes infected by the "noble rot" Botrytis cinerea. The favorite tipple of aristocracy,past fans of Tokaji include Louis XIV (who called Tokaj as "The king of the wines, the wine of the kings "),Beethoven, Napoleon III and Peter the Great which is still reflected in the steep pricing of the bestvarieties. Almost uniquely among white wines, Tokaj keeps very well for long time.

If new to Hungarian wine, be aware that both champagne ("pezsg") and wine, red or white, are quite likelyto be sweet ("des"). If dry wine is your preference, look for the word "Szraz" on the label. When buyingbottled wine, don't bother with types cheaper than 6-700 HUF, as these are usually very low quality (maybenot even produced from grapes). In wine cellars, however, high quality may be available at surprisingly lowprices.

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In Hungarian, plinka denotes strong brandy- like liquor distilled from fruit. Plinka is a very social drink: justas the English drink tea, the Hungarians, especially in rural areas, will offer plinka to guests upon arrival.The best- known varieties are barackplinka, made from apricots, krteplinka from pears, and szilvaplinkamade from plums. Factory-made plinka is widely available, but keep an eye out for homemadehziplinka. Plinkas usually contain around or above 50% of alcohol, often more for the homemade ones.Plinka bottles marked mzes will be heavily sweetened with honey. (HUF 3000 for something good)Unicum is a strong digestif made from a secret mix of over 40 herbs. It comes in striking black bottlesemblazoned with a red and white cross, and has a very strong and unusual taste. Unicum Next has a lighter,citrusy flavor, and is rather more palatable. Definitely worth trying, the bottle itself may also be used fordecoration, and keeps very well for a long time.

BeerHungarian beer is quite average compared to other Central European countries like Germany and theCzech Republic as it has long been a wine culture. The most common beers are Dreher, Szalon, Borsodi,Soproni and Arany szok, available in the styles vilgos (lager) and barna (brown). All of Hungarianbreweries are owned and managed by international brands such as: Dreher Srgyr (Budapest) - SAB-Miller; Heineken Hungaria (Sopron and Martf) - Heineken; Borsodi Srgyr (Bcs) - Interbrew; PcsiSrfzde (Pcs)- Ottakinger. They cost about 200-300 Forints at a store and 400-600 at a bar. Someexpensive club can charge up to 900 in Budapest.Imported beers like Pilsner Urquell, Staropramen and Budweiser-Budvar (the Czech variety) are widelyavailable in bars and markets for not much more than the ubiquitous Hungarian brands.When offering a toast with beer, be warned that most Hungarians will politely refuse. This is due to an oldtradition due to remembering soldiers killed in the 1848 revolution, whereby it was decreed no Hungarianwould toast with beer for 150 years. It's been so long, however, that most Hungarians no longer know theorigins of this tradition or that they've been free to make toasts over beer for the past ten years.

CoffeeCafe culture is alive and well in Hungary, although it may never recover the romance of its turn-of- the-century intellectual heyday. Unless asked, it's a good idea to specify what kind of coffee you prefer. Theword kv means the strong, espresso like coffee to most Hungarians, although American-style coffee(known as hossz kv in Hungarian, usually translated as "long coffee") is now also available at mostplaces.

TeaTea houses are now getting popular in cities, especially among the young. There is a growing number of

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tea houses, mainly in Budapest and some bigger cities where people can buy several types of loose tea.As it is quite fashionable to spend time in a tea house, more and more people will be able to serve goodtea even at home. The best teas to go for are the herbal and fruit varieties. In restaurants and cafes, lemonjuice is frequently served in a small bottle. In traditional restaurants or cafes however, good teas are hard tofind, as coffee and beverages are preferred.When you ask for a black tea in a budget cafe, frequently Earl Grey is served instead- - remember tospecify if that does matter for you.

Mineral waterIt is widely available and good practice to have with you a bottle during hot summer.It should be noted though that as it is the case of most European countries, in Hungary, it is safe to drink tapwater anywhere, even 'remote' settings, however, due to the cleaning process the taste of the water can bereally unpleasant. Best idea is to try before changing to the bottled water. Bottled waters has a largeselection, both the fizzy (blue bottle cap) and still (red/bink bottle cap) water and it is cheap (starts from lessthan 100 HUF for one and half liter). The only notable exception of the drinking water are trains where thetap water is not drinkable and other places where tap water is labeled as such.

SleepHostelsPrices vary greatly. For the cheapest room in a youth hostel in Budapest expect to pay between 6 and10, but the normal rate in a hostel is 20-22 per person.

FarmhousesVillage Tourism is popular and very well developed in Hungary, and can be a remarkable experience.Start your research with 1Hungary [41] , National Federation of Rural and Agrotourism [42] and Centre ofRural Tourism [43] . Near Budapest it is also possible to find rural houses to rent, for instance the WildGrape Guesthouse [44] , what makes a good combination to explore the capital and a National Park whilestaying at the same accommodation.

CampingThere are campgrounds available. See the city guides, including the Budapest guide.

LearnHungarian universities are open to all foreign students. Many European exchange students come through the

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EU's Erasmus program. There are quite a lot students from Asia and the Middle East as well, particularlybecause despite the high standard of education, fees are still considerably lower than in the moredeveloped Western European countries. Those interested should visit Study in Hungary [45] or Universityof Debrecen [46] websites.

WorkIt could be very difficult for an individual to seek (legal) employment in Hungary because of the complexity,cost and time involved. Most foreign workers in Hungary have received their visas and other necessarydocuments through the company they are employed by. It is hoped, however, that since the joining ofHungary to the EU a reduction will follow in the amount of red tape involved.Citizens of Antigua and Barbuda are permitted to work in Hungary without the need to obtain a visa for theperiod of their 90 day visa- free stay. However, this ability to work visa- free does not necessarily extend toother Schengen countries.Many students (usually on a gap year) work as second language teachers at one of Budapest's manylanguage schools. Be advised that a qualification is required (ESL/TEFL/TESOL) and that experience ispreferred.One option is to teach through the Central European Teaching Program [47] . For a placement fee they willtake care of paperwork and set you up in a school in Hungary teaching English on a local salary. Contractsare for one semester or a whole school year. Qualified ESL/EFL teachers can find employment in Hungaryat private language schools which offer better rates of pay and without having to pay a placement fee.See also Work section in Budapest article .

Stay safeHungary in general is a very safe country. However, petty crime in particular remains a concern, just like inany other country.Watch your baggage and pockets on public transport. There is a danger of pickpockets. Passports, cash,and credit cards are favorite targets of thieves. Keep items that you do not store in your hotel safe orresidence in a safe place, but be aware that pockets, purses and backpacks are especially vulnerable,even if they close with a z ipper. There are also reported cases of people who got their baggage stolenwhile sleeping on the train, so watch out for that.Generally, Hungary is rather quiet during the night compared to other European countries, and crime totourists is limited to pickpocketing and eventual cheating on prices and bills and taxi fares.Everyone is required to carry their passport and ID card. Not doing so can end you in trouble with the police.

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The police will be most pragmatic if a color copy of your passport is provided.The police force is professional and well trained. However, one must have a good knowledge of Hungarianto ask them for assistance as most of the policemen hardly speak any English.See the Budapest travel guide for more specific and valuable information about common street scams andtourist traps in Hungary.

Driving ConditionsThe majority of Hungarians drive dangerously and had 739 deaths on the roads in 2010. This is largely dueto careless driving habits. Many drivers do not observe the speed limits and you should be extra careful ontwo-way roads where local drivers pass each other frequently and allow for less space than you may beused to.Car seats are required for infants. Children under age 12 may not sit in the front seat. Seat belts aremandatory for everyone in the car. You may not turn right on a red light. The police issues tickets for trafficviolations and charge fines on the spot. In practice the laws are widely ignored.Also, Hungarian laws have zero tolerance to drink and drive, and the penalty is a severe fine. It means noalcoholic beverage is allowed to be consumed if driving, no blood alcohol of any level is acceptable.Failure to pay fines may result in your passport getting confiscated, or even a jail term until or unless youpay the fine.More importantly, the police stops vehicles regularly for document checks. You shouldn't worry when youare stopped because by law, everyone needs to have their identification papers checked.Hungary has some of the harshest, if punishing penalties if people are involved in a car accident.Involvement in a car accident results in a fine, and maybe a jail sentence from 1 year to 5 years (dependingon the aggravating circumstances).

Stay healthyFood and water is generally safe, even in remote villages.Private health care providers are high quality, but limited in scope once outside Budapest. Dentistry ischeaper here than in Western Europe (8-10000 HUF for an appointment and x- ray), and physiotherapy also(3000HUF for a half hour treatment), but check the price with the provider before you confirm theappointment. Outside Budapest you will likely have to speak basic Hungarian to communicate your needsas few doctors will have any English or German skills.Public health care is free for qualifying (insured) people, and is of adequate quality in urban areas.The country has joined the EU, so basic coverage is present for EU citizens, but check before entering the

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country how far are you insured and what you have to pay for. Do not expect at this time that the localdoctor will know the EU rules, prepare to provide info.The European Health Insurance Card is required from EU citizens applying for free treatment under thisregulation; European health card for 1 June 2004 [48]Pharmacies are everywhere, you may expect high prices, but very good pharmaceutical coverage. Theonly problem might be communicating with the pharmacist as most of them speak only Hungarian outsideBudapest. Even some rusty Latin might come handy quite unexpectedly. For travelers from Eastern Europe,note that due to limited or abandoned trade of Hungary with Romania (as of Dec 2006), some of familiarmedications are unavailable- - so be prepared to find a substitute in advance.

RespectThe 1956 Revolution continues to be a sensitive subject with the right wing community and many of theelderly. You shouldn't discuss the Treaty of Trianon (1920) with nationalists - they can take it prettysensitively.Open display of the Communist red star and hammer and sickle symbol, and - -especially- - the Naz iswastika and SS symbols, and the Hungarian fascist Arrow Cross, is prohibited by law. Make sure yourclothing does not have these symbols on it, even if it's just a joke. You can be fined for it. One possibleexception is displaying shirts and symbols with Josip Tito's, Yugoslavia's best- known leader, known inHungary for straying from Stalin's path.Members of the Gypsy community may find the traditional Hungarian label 'Cigny' (pron. 'tz igan') slightlyoffensive, preferring to be labeled as Roma.As a rural tradition, Hungarians affectionately refer to themselves as "dancing with tears in our eyes"("srva vgad a magyar"), as in a bittersweet resignation to the perceived bad luck in their long history.Avoid mocking Hungarian history and Hungarian patriotism.Talking loudly is generally considered rude. You will notice how most Hungarians tend to keep theirvoices down in public places.When entering a home, shoes should generally be taken off.

Uncommon customsEven if you meet someone of the opposite sex for the first time, it's not unusual to kiss each other on thecheeks instead of shaking hands as a greeting.It's an old tradition (although nowadays not held by everyone) that Hungarians do not clink beer glassesor beer bottles. This is due to the legend that Austrians celebrated the execution of the 13 HungarianMartyrs in 1849 by clinking their beer glasses, so Hungarians vowed not to clink with beer for 150 years.Obviously this time period has expired, but old habits die hard. This is not so much followed by the

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ContactBroadband Internet access is now widespread in Hungary. It's quite usual to find free Internet access(wifi) in Shopping centers; in Budapest, most cafes and pubs. You'll have wifi access even in smalltowns. Look for the "wifi" signs, you may have to ask for the access password, however, if you consume,it will be freely given.

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