Cruising the Danube: There's nothing like a boat ride on a fine sunny day. From Budapest, head up the river to the charming towns of Szentendre and Visegrád along the Danube Bend.
Visiting the Margit Kovács Museum (Szentendre): The highly original works of Hungary's best-known ceramic artist are displayed in this expansive museum in a lovely village on the Danube Bend. Kovács's unique sculptures of elderly women and her folk-art-influenced friezes of village life are especially moving.
Hiking in the Hills Outside Szigliget: You can hike up to the fantastic ruins of a 13th-century castle above this scenic little village in the Lake Balaton region, or go a few miles farther north and hike up into hills covered with vineyards.
Swimming in the Thermal Lake at Hévíz: Even in the bitterest spells of winter, the temperature in Europe's largest thermal lake seldom dips below 85°F to 90°F (30°C-32°C). Hungarians swim here year-round, and you can, too! If you're here in winter, it'll be a particularly memorable experience.
Climbing the Eger Minaret: Eger, a beautiful, small city in northern Hungary, is home to one of the country's most impressive Turkish ruins: a 14-sided, 33m-tall (110-ft.) minaret. Those who succeed in climbing the steep, cramped, spiral staircase are justly rewarded with a spectacular view.
Exploring Pécs: This delightful city in southern Hungary is home to one of Hungary's most pleasing central squares and some great examples of Turkish architecture.
Sampling Szeged's Fruit-and-Vegetable Market: At the main open-air market behind the bus station, in this town near the Serbian and Romanian borders, local farmers sell their bounty of peaches, apricots, cherries, and pears in season, as well as fresh flowers, and, of course, dried paprika wreaths.
