Hungary counts over a hundred castles and fortresses. They might not all be in the same perfect shape and they vary from fairytale castles over impressive fortresses to just a bunch of rocks.
So it can be difficult to find out which Hungarian castles are worthy of a four-hour drive and which are not.
If you love wondering around ancient manors and fortresses, you might want to visit them all, because even if they’re just a bunch of rocks, they still hold a lot of history and it’s interesting to know the stories that have played there.
Standing in one of the most beautiful castles of Hungary, knowing that heroes have fought there to protect their country and their families while holding of foreign invaders, … very cool!
Some of these castles boast entire museums, complete with impressive scale models of how things looked decades ago and you’ll be sure to learn quite a few interesting facts when visiting these castles.
Whether you’re just in it for the Instagrammable pictures or you really want to learn more about the history of Hungary, these are the best and most beautiful Hungary castles.
Check out our short video!
Boldogkő Castle
Boldogko Castle is one of the most impressive castles in Hungary due to its location on top of the only rocky hill in its wide surroundings. It’s located in the North-East of Hungary, not too far from Miskolc and if you’re in the area, you should definitely visit it!
The coolest part about Boldogko Castle is the castle part that is protruding onto an extending rock. You can reach this part via a wooden walkway and it takes you to a picture perfect viewpoint over the surrounding landscape.
Read our post about Boldogko castle to find more photographs and information about visiting this impressive fortress.
General information
- Entrance Fee Adults 1300 HUF - 4 €
- Opening hours November - March 9h - 16h
- Opening hours May - September 8h - 20h
- Opening hours April and October 8h - 18h
- Address 3885 Boldogkőváralja, Petőfi u. 28
Bory Castle
Bory Castle is a beautiful and dreamy fairytale castle in the center of Hungary. It’s conveniently located in the middle between Budapest and Lake Balaton so it serves as a perfect day trip from either Hungarian highlight destinations.
Bory Castle didn’t serve to protect the country, but it was built as a creative expression by a Hungarian architect who built the entire thing all by himself, which took him 40 years.
If you’re looking to get that fairytale feeling, Bory Castle is the perfect excursion for you. The castle is equipped with pretty towers and beautifully painted round staircases.
Read our complete guide to Bory Castle to find more information about visiting and loads of pictures.
General information
- Entrance Fee Adults 1500 HUF - 4,7€
- Entrance Fee Children 700 HUF - 2,2€
- Entrance Fee Seniors 700 HUF - 2,2€
- Opening hours April - 26 October 9h - 17h
- Opening hours 27 October - 17 November 9h - 16h
- Opening hours 18 November - April Closed
- Address Máriavölgy 54 8000 Székesfehérvár
- Distance to Budapest 62 km
Visegrad Castle
Visegrad is one of the most popular castles in Hungary and that’s for a good reason.
From the viewpoints in Visegrad Castle, you can gaze over the beautiful Danube bend, which might be one of the best possible views you can find in Hungary.
Visegrad Castle is located in a more touristic part of Hungary than some other castles in this list and it is frequently visited by tourists from all over the world.
This is definitely one of the best castles of Hungary and it should not be skipped!
This castle is the place where Hungary and Poland once signed a peace treaty and a few hundred years later, Czechia was included in the contract.
Read our full guide to Visegrad Castle to find more pictures and information for you visit.
General information
- Entrance Fee Adults 1700 HUF - 5,3€
- Entrance Fee Children 850 HUF - 2,7€
- Entrance Fee Seniors 850 HUF - 2,7€
- Opening Hours April - September 9h - 18h
- Opening hours November - February 9h - 16h
- Opening hours March and October 9h - 17h
- Address Várhegy 2025 Visegrád
- Distance to Budapest 45km
Eger Castle - Fortified Stronghold in the beautiful Eger
The fortress of Eger is quite impressive and it’s great for a half day of medieval wanderings.
This castle was an important stronghold during the Mongol invasion of Hungary and there is a lot of history to be found here.
Inside Eger Castle you’ll also find an interesting museum and you can see that the future has already arrived here, because the museum has a lot of interactive computer screens where you can run through the history of the building and see how the castle has been attacked during different invasions.
The museum is very nicely set inside the corridors of the castle.
Eger castle is a perfect addition to a few days in the beautiful Hungarian city of Eger, which is a popular tourist destination in Hungary.
General information
- Entrance fee Adults 1700 HUF - 5,3€
- Entrance Fee Children 850 HUF - 2,7€
- Entrance Fee Seniors 850 HUF - 2,7€
- Opening hours January - March 8h - 18h
- Opening hours April - November 8h - 22h
- Opening hours November - December 8h - 18h
- Location Vár 1 3300 Eger
- Distance to Budapest 136 km
Buda Castle Budapest - Most Visited Castle in Hungary
Budapest is on the bucket list for most travelers when visiting Hungary, so Buda Castle is probably the one you won’t be skipping, and you shouldn’t!
Buda Castle is an impressive giant castle that is in an incredibly good shape. It first was completed in 1265 and it was quite a bit smaller back then.
The Royal complex has been completed in the 18th century and it has been a royal palace for many decades after that.
Buda Castle is a tourist highlight in Budapest and you should definitely visit this massive structure which also offers great views over the Danube river.
Buda Castle is located on Castle Hill in District 1 or the Castle District of Budapest, not too far from the chain bridge and the Castle Hill Funicular Railway.
General information
- Entrance fee Courts and courtyards free
- Entrance Fee National Gallery 1800 HUF - 5,6€
- Entrance Fee History Museum 2000 - 2400 HUF - 6,2 - 7,5€
- Opening hours Courts and courtyards 24/7 all year
- Opening hours National Gallery Tuesday - Sunday
- Opening hours History Museum Tuesday - Sunday
- Address Szent György tér 2 1014 Budapest
- Distance to Budapest 0 km
Vajdahunyad Castle Budapest
Vajdahunyad Castle in the City Park of Budapest is a very romantic castle that is conveniently located in the middle of a beautiful green park and at the banks of a nice lake.
It was built in the late 19th century and that makes it one of the youngest castles in Hungary.
Vajdahunyad combines multiple building styles and it has a few cute castle towers. Due to it location in the City Park, Vajdahunyad Castle is often featured in festivities and concerts that are held in the park.
General information
- Entrance Fee Courtyard free
- Entrance Fee Museum Adults 1600 HUF - 5€
- Entrance Fee Children/Seniors 800 HUF - 2,5€
- Opening hours Courtyard 24/7 all year
- Opening hours Tues - Sun 10h - 17h
- Closed on Monday
- Address Vajdahunyad stny 1146 Budapest
- Distance to Budapest 3km
Esztergom Castle - Safety for Royals
Esztergom used to be the capital of Hungary in a long past era and that deserves a huge castle, complete with citadel and church. With its location in the proximity of Budapest, Esztergom Castle is pretty popular among travelers who enjoy the Danube river views from the castle terraces.
The Esztergom area has been a popular place where civilization thrived for over 20 thousand years.
Archaeologists found remnants of habitation in the Ice Age, near the current location of Esztergom Castle.
Before Esztergom Castle was built, a Roman fort was built on the same location. The entire town of Esztergom breathes history and it has been a prominent location during the entire history of Hungary.
When Esztergom was the capital of Hungary, the town also housed the Royal Palace, which has been restored after total destruction in the Mongol Invasion and it can be visited now.
General information
- Entrance fee Adults 1600 HUF - 5€
- Children and Seniors 800 HUF - 2,5€
- Opening hours April - October 10h - 18h
- Opening hours November - March 10h - 16h
- Closed on Monday
- Address Simor János u. 82 2500 Esztergom
- Distance to Budapest 50km
Diósgyőr Castle - Experience Medieval Tournaments
The medieval castle of Diosgyor in Eastern Hungary is a true tourist attraction, not only due to its looks, but also because of the regular knights tournaments and other exciting activities you can see and do at this castle.
Experience medieval games and shows during high season or just visit this impressive stronghold for its looks and views.
DiosGyor castle has a rich history and it flowered during the Middle Ages, which you can still experience until this day. The castle is located close to the city of Miskolc in Eastern Hungary and it can be easily combined with a visit to the pretty village of Lillafüred in the Bükk mountain range.
General information
- Entrance fee Adults 1500 HUF - 4,7€
- Entrance Fee Children and Seniors 1200 HUF - 3,7€
- Opening hours April - October 9h - 18h
- Opening hours November - March 9h - 17h
- July August Weekends - 20h
- Address Vár u. 24 3534 Miskolc
- Distance to Budapest 190km
Gyula Castle - Stronghold for the Hungarian Grasslands
Gyula Castle is located in the South of Hungary, near the Romanian border. The stronghold has seen its fair share of battles and it stood strong during many invasions.
It took over a hundred years to finish the built of this fortress on the Hungarian grasslands and aside from the monumental castle, Gyula has a lot more to offer to travelers.
Guyla was built onto a thermal spring and you can visit the thermal baths in the town. During the summer months, a lot of activities are organised in this quaint little town on the Hungarian flats.
General information
- Entrance fee Adults 1900 HUF - 5,9€
- Entrance Fee Children and Seniors 950 HUF (3€)
- Opening hours Tuesday - Sunday 10 - 18h
- Closed on Monday
- Open all year
- Address Gyulai vár 5700 Gyula
- Distance to Budapest 230km
Sümeg Castle - Adventure and Medieval Games
Sümeg castle was built in the 13th century onto the top of a hill not too far from Lake Balaton and Budapest.
The expansion of Sümeg castle happened during the centuries after. In Sümeg Castle, you can relive history thanks to the interesting medieval program the castle offers.
You can witness knights tournaments and watch horse shows in the fields below the actual castle. The historic adventure park that is adjacent to Castle Hill is a nice addition to a castle visit and to experience how things used to be in Sümeg Castle during the Middle Ages.
General information
- Entrance fee Adults 1500 HUF - 4,7€
- Entrance Fee Children and Seniors 800 HUF- 2,5€
- Opening hours June - August 9h - 19h
- Opening hours November - January 9h - 16h
- Other months 9h - 17h
- Address Vároldal u. 5 8330 Sümeg
- Distance to Budapest 180km
Szigliget Castle - Balaton Castle
Szigliget castle is located near Lake Balaton and it is a very iconic stronghold with scenic views over the lake.
Because of its proximity to the beautiful Lake Balaton, people tend to call it Balaton Castle.
Szigliget is a true fortress and walking inside the castle walls gives you an interesting impression of what a stronghold should look like and how robust the walls actually need to be.
This castle is a perfect day trip excursion for travelers visiting Lake Balaton and you will be able to shoot some very Instagramable pictures in Szigliget Castle.
General information
- Entrance fee Adults 800 HUF - 2,5€
- Entrance Fee Children and adults 400 HUF - 1,3€
- Opening hours July - August 8h - 20h
- Opening hours Other months Variable
- Address Magyarország 8264 Szigliget
- Distance to Budapest 173 km
Kinizsi Castle - Castle ruins
Kinizsi Castle is one of the many castles in Veszprém County, not too far from the Lake of Balaton.
The castle was built in the 15th century and with that, it’s one of the later generation Hungarian castles.
Exact building dates are unknown, but due to invasions and wars, the construction of the castle has been stalled and put on hold for a few times.
General information
- Entrance fee Adults 990 HUF (3,1€)
- Entrance Fee Children and Seniors 690 HUF - 2,2€
- Opening hours June - August 9h - 19h
- Opening hours March - May 9 - 17h
- Opening hours Other months Variable
- Address Vár u. 8, 8291 Nagyvázsony
- Distance to Budapest 136 km
Lillafüred Castle Hotel
Lillafüred is a small and cute mountain town in the Bükk mountain region of Eastern Hungary.
The castle of Lillafüred is a pretty sight and it looks like it has been featured in a fairy tale. This is the only castle in this list where you can actually spend the night since it has been a hotel owned by the Hunguard Hotel Chain for a long time.
It has been built in the 19th century and has served as a hotel for most of the time. During a short period of time it was a war hospital where wounded Russian soldiers were hospitalized.
To find out what other highlights you can find in Lillafüred, read our complete Lillafüred guide to this picturesque town.
Fuzer Castle - Castle in the mountains
Fuzer Castle is a stronghold close to the border with Slovakia in the North of Hungary.
The castle is privately owned, but it’s still open every day of the year.
Location is key and this castle is located in a top spot, which is great for photography as well as 360 degrees surrounding views.
It’s located in a stunning mountainous scenery and you can reach it from Hungary as well as Slovakia. As it was built on top of a volcanic rock with steep sides, it’s not easily accessible and climbing up to the upper castle can be tricky when weather conditions change.
Fuzer Castle was built in the beginning of the 13th century and it was one of the first castles to be built in the country of Hungary. The castle of Fuzer has been called one of the 7 natural wonders in Hungary.
General information
- Entrance fee Adults 2000 HUF - 6,2€
- Entrance Fee Children and Seniors 1500 HUF - 4,7€
- Opening hours Variable
- Opening hours In Summer 9h - 18h
- Opening hours In Spring and Autumn 10 - 18h
- Opening hours In Winter 10h - 16h
- Address Rákóczi Ferenc út 2 3996 Füzér
- Distance to Budapest 265 km
Map with all the Castles in this list
14 Most beautiful castles in Hungary
So these were 14 of the most beautiful castles in Hungary which should get you either into a fairytale mood or impressed by medieval strongholds and fortifications! Of course, that’s not all that the country of Hungary has to offer.
Also, check out the coolest cities in Hungary!
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