Favorite Experiences Outside the City in Budapest

Cruising the Danube: There's nothing like a boat ride on a fine sunny day. From Budapest, head up the river leading to the charming towns of Vác, Szentendre, and Visegrád along the Danube Bend.

Visiting Szentendre: Only 45 minutes outside the city by HÉV, this small Serbian village boasts a number of tiny museums, shopping opportunities, and pleasant strolls along the Danube.

Vác: A delightful town that took me 6 years to discover and I wish I'd done so earlier. The center square is a mix of historic buildings with a modern square completed in 2006. The river walk is fantastically beautiful.

Visit Esztergom: Hungary's seat of Catholicism, Esztergom is located 46km (29 miles) northwest of Budapest. St. István, the first Christian king of Hungary, was crowned here on Christmas Day A.D. 1000. The cathedral has impressive views of the Danube and the rest of the city.

Explore the Monastery at Pannonhalma: Prince Géza founded the monastery in 969. This is where the gothic cloisters are housed as well as a magnificently ornate 19th-century library, with the most important collection of Hungarian historical documents. It sits on a hill between the forested slopes of the Bakony region and the low-lying Kisalföld (Little Plain), with a fantastic view.

Sleepy Historical Visegrád: Located 40km (25 miles) north of Budapest., You first travel to Nagymaros, then take a ferry to Visegrád, you can find the ruins of King Béla IV's reign. The Citadel and the reconstructed Royal Palace are among the places worth seeing.