Hungry for a Holiday In Hungary?

Desperate for a bit of Mitteleuropa but can't stand the prospect of dodging thousands of drunken stag weekenders in Prague? Then Budapest, the capital of Hungary, may be just the place for you.

Indeed, Hungary itself is an increasingly popular destination for British travellers looking for something a bit different in the heart of Europe.

Unlike its more famous neighbouring capitals, Prague and Vienna, Budapest is something of a historical impostor. Certainly, it has medieval quarters, and neoclassical and gothic features galore, but as a city, Budapest has only existed since 1873.

Prior to that, it comprised three towns, Buda, Obuda and Pest, which were combined to provide a suitable royal seat for the king of Hungary, shortly after the nation gained its autonomy within the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Nevertheless, there have been settlements there on the banks of the great Danube river at least since 896, when the Magyar tribes of central Asia swept onto the Pannonian plain from the east to settle in what became the kingdom of Hungary in the year 1000.

Budapest owes its appearance today to its troubled history, with much of its heritage the remnants of successive waves of destruction and rebuilding – from sacks by Mongol hordes in the Middle Ages, to the bombing of the Second World War and the 1956 Soviet invasion.

Known as "the Queen of the Danube", Budapest is indeed perhaps the most beautiful city to straddle that mighty waterway. From the famed Matthias church, to Budapest castle, overlooking the river and city from its rocky seat, to the fairytale parliamentary building, Budapest has all of the old-world charm a visitor could wish for.

On top of that, it has 237 monuments, 223 museums and galleries, 35 theatres, 90 cinemas, the State Opera House, 12 concert halls, and even two Roman amphitheatres!

Hungary is famed for its hot springs – it is home to Lake Heviz, the largest thermal lake in the world – and the city's inhabitants have made good use of these, building naturally-heated bath houses around the city.

Not only are many of these baroque architectural masterpieces, but a visit is essential for the experience of taking part in a central part of Budapest's unique cultural life.

Budapest is also home to the world's first underground railway, which provides rapid, cheap transport around the city, in very comfortable surroundings. Some of its stations are rivalled only by the "workers' palaces" of the Moscow metro.

A word of warning though: Budapest metro trains pull off much, much faster than London Underground trains, so if you are standing up, be sure you are holding on!

While it was known as "the happiest barracks" of the USSR's empire in eastern Europe after the 1956 uprising, since winning its freedom in 1989, Hungary has adjusted quickly and successfully to joining the world's economy – entering the European Union in 2004.

It is still cheap compared to western destinations, and away from the top international hotels and restaurants, service and standards can feel slightly Stalinist. But who could complain in such a beautiful location, with so much to offer the visitor?

Hungary is a relatively small country, surrounded by its neighbours. As such, it is a simple matter to take a day-trip from Budapest to anywhere in the country – including eight UNESCO world heritage sites - or even to Vienna or Bratislava.

And there is of course the Danube itself, offering cruises of unparalleled luxury, through the baroque city centre and out into the rolling grasslands of central Europe beyond.