6 Amazing Hungary itinerary and roadtrip ideas

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What we talk about in this article

Most travellers who venture out to Hungary, only visit the beautiful capital Budapest. Understandable, as Budapest is one of the most beautiful and fun cities to visit in Europe. But maybe you would like to explore a little more of this amazing country and are you looking for an exciting Hungary itinerary to follow. 

We lived in Hungary for a few years and had a chance to explore the region slowly. That’s exactly why we can give you multiple itinerary options for Hungary, depending on your personal wants and needs.

Let’s dive in and compile a memorable Hungary roadtrip!

How to use these Hungary itinerary ideas?

First things first: let’s explain how to best use these itinerary ideas for Hungary.

Travel duration

Most of these trips take 1 week.

Are you travelling longer? Then you can mix and match!

The last itinerary is longer and it covers all of Hungary in 1 complete itinerary.

Hungary road trip ideas

Transportation type

You can choose a few transportation types in Hungary.

Our recommendation for Budapest: the Budapest Pass.

Our recommendation for the rest of Hungary: get your own car or rent a car

Either bring your own car or rent a car in the airport.

It is possible to travel by public transportation in Hungary, but everything will take so much longer. Obviously, Hungary is also easy to travel by motorhome or campervan, even Budapest has camper spots.

Where to start?

If you’re entering by airplane, you probably land at Budapest airport.

If you’re reaching Hungary by train, you will probably arrive in the Budapest train station.

If you’re entering with your own car, this could be anywhere!

When travelling with your own car, you can actually start where you want, depending on the itinerary you select. 

1. Budapest and the Danube Bend

Our first itineraries takes you to some of the most popular places in Hungary, starting with the stunning capital Budapest. In Budapest, there is so much to see and do for every type of traveller. So don’t worry, you won’t be bored, ever!

Take your time to explore the beautiful city before venturing out to the Danube Bend in the North. The Danube Bend is where you will find some of the most amazing cities in Hungary.

Specifications for Budapest and the Danube Bend

Duration

1 week

Trasportation

Car - Train -Bus

Destinations

5

Destinations in this itinerary

Things to do during this road trip

In Budapest there is an abundance of things to do. You won’t encounter a bored moment during your time there. In fact, you should definitely plan ahead for you time in Budapest in order to fill your days wisely. 

We wrote down quite a few ideas in our Budapest travel guide and our 3 day itinerary for Budapest. So, make sure to check those out!

We will also add a few other things to see and do in Budapest!

For the other destinations in this trip, check out our dedicated articles about the cool attractions in each location:

Where to sleep

Obviously, you also want to find a great place to rest your head after each day of exploring. And we have a solution for that as well! Here are a few ideas for places to sleep. 

As you can imagine, Budapest had quite a lot op options when it comes to selecting nice accommodation. There’s really something for everyone. Think hostels, boutique hotels, luxury hotels, and much more. 

2. City to beach: explore and relax

Our second roadtrip idea for Hungary offers the best of 2 worlds. First, you get to epxlore the hustle and bustle of the vibrant capital of Hungary for a few days. Dive into the ruin bars and explore the cultural heritage of Budapest.

After that, take a beach break at the most beautiful lake in Hungary. At Lake Balaton, there are so many things to see and do. And there are also quite a few beautiful hotels. 

In between, take the take to explore the smaller city of Szekerfehervar, which is located smack in the middle between Budapest and Lake Balaton. This city is the home of the beautiful Bory Castle: a fairytale castle with a remarkable story.

Specifications for City to beach: explore and relax

Duration

1 week

Transportation

Car - Train -Bus

Destinations

3

Destinations in this itinerary

Things to do during this road trip

In Budapest, there are so many things to do, it’s almost too much to sum up. We listed a few things here, and that’s just the tip of the majestic iceberg of things to do in Budapest. 

Make sure to read our 3 day itinerary to Budapest and check out our travel guide

Then, in Szekesfehervar, you will quickly find a little more quietness. There are some activities and things to do in Szekesfehervar. The coolest thing to do while you’re there? Visit the fairytale castle of Bory. This visit spans half a day and it is simply magical. We enjoyed it a lot!

Last stop in this trip: Lake Balaton! Time to relax in this shallow lake, enjoy a wellness centre or hot spring and do some sunbathing. There are a lot of things to do around Lake Balaton and there are quite a few cute villages to explore.

Where to sleep

This Hungary itinerary has fewer stops, but you still need a soft pillow to rest your head. In Budapest, there’s no shortage in options for places to stay. Have a look at the different types of accommodation there.

Then for the other places, we also compiled a few interesting resources!

Szekesfehervar has a nice offering in boutique hotels, while Lake Balaton has something different for everyone. If you want to venture out a few more kilometres, then Veszprem has nice boutique hotels as well.

3. Vienna to Budapest: discover Western Hungary

In this itinerary, we dare to colour outside of the lines. Let’s cross some borders and include Vienna into our trip. Vienna is located so close to the border with Hungary, it’s too difficult not to skip. 

The nice thing about this itinerary is that you can choose where you want to start: in Vienna of in Budapest.

And, we make an optional stop along the way in the cities of Sopron and Gyor. If you want and if you have the time, pay a visit to the nearby Fertő-Hanság National Park, one of the most beautiful natural parks in Hungary.

Specifications for Vienna to Budapest: discover Western Hungary

Duration

1 week

Transportation

Car - Train -Bus

Destinations

4

Destinations in this itinerary

Things to do during this road trip

During this road trip, we will be visiting 2 capital cities in one week. So, you will not get bored at all. 

First, there’s the amazing city of Vienna, where there is more to see than you can ever visit in 3 days, but we tried to capture the most interesting things in our 3 day itinerary for Vienna.

Then, Sopron is a smaller city, which can be covered in 1 day. Gyor is also a little smaller, so, we also count one day for each city. Both cities can be reached by public transportation, but renting a car will be more efficient.

Lastly, move on to Budapest, the capital of Hungary, where there is a lot to see and do.

Along the way, try to visit one of the nature parks or maybe one of the ancient castles of Hungary.

Where to sleep

When visiting 4 cities in a row, you can’t find anything but great accommodation along the way. Budapest and Vienna both offer the most amazing hotels you can find. 

Sopron is a cultural city which has quite a few stylish boutique hotels where you will find all you need for a quiet and relaxing night. Gyor is slightly smaller, but also offers nice hotels. The accommodation in Gyor will offer you a chance to really get to know Hungary, as hotels tend to be smaller and they bring you closer to the local community.

4. Eastern Hungary and the Bükk mountains

It’s about time to leave the capital behind. With that, we’re not saying that you can’t visit Budapest when doing this Hungary itinerary. Just that it’s not included in this road trip. Feel free to attach different part of different trips onto this one. So, what is this itinerary all about?

We’re venturing out into to East of the country. Explore the wonderful Bükk mountains and explore the Eastern cities of Hungary. Want to know more? Follow along!

Specifications for Eastern Hungary and the Bükk mountains

Duration

1 week

Transportation

Car

Destinations

4

Destinations in this itinerary

Things to do during this road trip

For me personally, Eger is probably the highlight of this entire itinerary. It’s such a beautiful city, you might even want to spend more time here. There are quite a few things you can do in Eger, like visiting Eger Castle, sipping wine in the Valley of the Beautiful Women, or visiting the Beatles Museum

After a few days, it’s time to make a scenic road trip into the Bükk Mountains to the village of Lillafüred, where you can stay in a castle hotel! Make sure to take the route that goes past Répáshuta to make sure that you got the scenic one. This route is also a great trip to do during fall (fall foliage in Hungary).

If you want to take some time to escape into nature, go for a walk into the Bükk mountains and check out the prehistoric Suba Lyuk cave.

After that, it’s time for complete relaxation. Visit the village of Miskolctapolca, where you can spend a day and night in one of the wellness hotels. Don’t skip the Barlangfürdo or hot springs that are located inside a cave.

The last stop on this trip is an actual city trip to Debrecen. This is the largest city in this itinerary and there is a lot to see and do.  Debrecen is a large city. It even has an airport, so if you want, you can book your flight directly to Debrecen.

In the East of Hungary, you can also find some very cool castles, like the Castle of Boldogkovaralja.

Where to sleep

Along this road trip, there are a few interesting accommodation options to be found. As we already mentioned, you can spend the night in a castle hotel in Lillafüred, which is quite interesting. But, we have a few other options ready as well!

5. Best of the South of Hungary

Our ‘Best of the South’ itinerary covers a little more distance in the Southern part of the country. Explore the Southern grasslands and visit some of the coolest cities in Hungary.  During this trip, you get to see 4 amazing cities that will capture your attention and keep you in the fairytale mindset along the way. 

You can start this Hungary road trip on the East or western tip. Maybe fly into Debrecen in the East, then drive a rented car to the West. End your trip with a drive up to the capital to add a little 3 day city trip before catching a flight from Budapest.

Let’s first check out the other cities in this trip!

Specifications for Best of the South of Hungary

Duration

1 week

Transportation

Car

Destinations

4

Destinations in this itinerary

Things to do during this road trip

The Southern cities of Hungary are very much underrated and they are well worthy of your time. Debrecen is quite a large city where there are tons of things to see and do. It requires 2 days as you will also need a little time to arrive and settle in.

Gyula is known as the city of waters. It has thermal waters, a castle, and there’s more to see in Gyula beyond that! We count 2 days for Gyula because we think you might want to have an extra spa day in Gyula!

The, spend a day in Szeged, exploring the amazing architecture and buildings. The city is quite relaxing and very beautiful.

Last stop in this itinerary is Pécs, which is a university city. It’s also one of the oldest cities in Hungary, so Pécs offers tons of things to see and do. You can expect a lively and relaxed atmosphere.

If you want, and if you have enough time, continue your journey after Pécs and attach the ‘2. City to Beach’ itinerary for an amazing 2 weeks in Hungary.

Where to sleep

Each of the cities in this Hungary itinerary offers a few amazing places to rest your head. We gathered a few stunning design hotels for every city in this list. This way, you will always have somewhere memorable to sleep, after a day of exploring and before moving on to the next destination.

6. All of Hungary in 3 weeks

Our last itinerary is a complete Hungarian discovery trip! During this 3 week journey, you will get to know all of Hungary. Be prepared to travel a lot and explore a lot. But don’t worry, we also include a few spa days and beach days in order for some relax time!

It’s somewhat of a compilation of the shorter trips above, but then in a perfect order to skip nothing!

We will visit some of these places on a day trip from Budapest.

Let’s dive in!

Specifications for All of Hungary in 3 weeks

Duration

3 weeks

Transportation

Car

Destinations

12

Destinations in this itinerary

The first 3 days are spent in the capital of Hungary. Budapest is definitely worth 3 days of your journey. This way you can enjoy a relaxed exploration of the city.

Have a look at this travel guide to Budapest to find the best activities and excursions. Or use our perfect 3 day itinerary for Budapest.

Spend the night in one of these boutique hotels or luxury hotels. Or would you rather sleep in a wellness hotel in Budapest?

Day 4

Danube Bend

While the Danube Bend is definitely worthy of more time, it can also be visited on a day trip from Budapest. This way, you get to see the most important destinations in the Pest area in one single day. 

Explore the Citadel and Castle of Visegrad and discover the beautiful cities of Esztergom, Szentendre, and Vac.

Eger is located in the East of Hungary and it’s worth a few days of your time. Take a day or 2 to explore Eger

Visit Eger Castle and sip wine in the Valley of the Beautiful Women. Maybe, you even like to visit the Beatles Museum. 

Eger has nice accommodation options as well. Spend a night in a wellness hotel or boutique hotel in Eger.

Lillafüred is not too far from Eger. Make sure to take the scenic road through the Bükk Mountains. (check if Répáshuta is near your route)

Lillafüred is one of these dreamy mountain village where you step back in time. Read our guide on how to spend a day in Lillafüred

Then spend a fairytale night in the castle hotel in Lillafüred. Or, discover more castle hotels in Hungary.

Miskolctapolca is pretty close to Lillafüred, so again, you won’t have to drive too far. This small village is known to be a spa town and a lot of people visit this place just for relaxation. 

Miskolctapolca is know for its barlangfürdo, which is a hot spring inside a cave. So, you can enjoy the Hungarian thermal waters inside a cave. 

The, spend the rest of the day, evening, and night in one of the famous wellness hotels in Miskolctapolca.

After a rejuvenating spa day in Miskolctapolca, you’re probably all ready to get going again. Debrecen is a fairly large city and there’s a lot to see and do. That’s why we reserved 2 days for this city. Read our guide on things to do in Debrecen and enjoy a slowly paced city trip in the East of Hungary.

After exploring this city, take a time out in one of the beautiful boutique hotels in Debrecen.

The Southern town of Gyula is one of these gems you probably didn’t expect. Also called, the City of Waters, Gyula is known for its healing thermal waters. So, you can expect a relaxing time in Gyula. Your muscles and joints will thank you.

Have a look at our guide about the cool things you can do in Gyula

As for accommodation, Gyula has both boutique hotels and wellness hotels, so pick your favourite!

Szeged is another town that will surprose you with it’s abundance in beauty and culture. This city is the home of one of the oldest universities in Hungary, so expect to see more young people in the streets. 

Have a look at our guide on the most interesting things to do in Szeged

After a day of wandering, rest your weary head in one of these stylish boutique hotels in Szeged.

After the fast paced travel of the previous days, we’re taking an extra day of relax time in Pécs. This city is another one of these southern gems that will astound you.

It’s cozy, beautiful, and full of history and culture. Read our guide on how to spend a day in Pécs. Take the second day to relax!

This is a very cultural city, so it won’t surpise you that you can find quite a few great boutique hotels in Pécs.

Now we’re really taking some time to relax. It’s still a holiday after all! Go for a swim or read a travel inspired book. Lake Balaton is a beautiful holiday destination for travellers from all over the world. 

There are tons of things to see and do around Balaton and there are a dozen beautiful towns and villages to explore around the lake

If you’re getting restless, plan a spa trip to Héviz of visit Bory Castle during a day trip to Szekesfehervar.

For accommodation, book a boutique hotel or wellness hotel at Lake Balaton.

Sopron is very high on the list of cool cities to visit in Hungary. It’s located near the Austrian border iand is the perfect match for a city trip to Vienna, but it also fits this All of Hungary itinerary very well!

Spend a day in this beautiful city and find out which things you can see and do in one day in Sopron

In the evening, seek out a beautifully designed boutique hotel in the cozy streets of Sopron.

Gyor is the last city in this list. And so it concludes this 3-week journey through the most beautiful and interesting places in Hungary. 

Gyor is known for its rich history and the multiple rivers that cross this city. Take you time to walk on the banks of the river and explore the ancient relics that can be found here. Alse have a look at our guide with all the cool things to do in Gyor.

Then, select one of these beautiful boutique hotels in Gyor to enjoy a night of well-deserved sleep.

We end this trip where we started it, making a perfect loop through the country of Hungary. 

As you might have noticed, we mainly listed cities in this itinerary, as this is a good way to cover ground and find decent places to sleep along the way. 

Obviously, Hungary also has other things to see, do, and enjoy, aside from the cities.

So, make sure to check out the guides below to find more interesting things to do and places to visit!

Map with destinations in the 'All of Hungary' itinerary

Other interesting places to add to your itinerary

Frequently Asked Questions about a road trip to Hungary

If this is your first time visiting Hungary, chances are good that you still have a few questions before embarking on this journey. We want to leave no stone unturned and help you out with all the information we can give! So, here are a few of the most frequently asked questions about road trips through Hungary.

What should I pack?

This largely depends on the time of year you want to visit Hungary. But, it’s more or less the same for visiting Budapest and the rest of the country. 

We compiled a packing list for Budapest, which also works for the other destinations in this article. Make sure to adapt the suggestions to the season you will be travelling in.

How many days do I need for Hungary?

In order to see something of this vast country, you need at least one week. In one week, you can see the capital Budapest and 1 or 2 other destinations. If you want to see more of Hungary, take more time. 

It also depends on your travel rythm. If you enjoy seeing city after city, day after day, then you’re a fast traveller who can see a lot in a week. Most people enjoy to take a longer break in some places. Make sure to have a look at the different itineraries we listed in this article to see the options.

Is it easy to drive in Hungary?

Yes, it is. 

Roads in Hungary can be compared to those in the rest of Europe. Some roads might be in worse shape, but in general, roads are ok. 

What are the rules for driving in Hungary?

The driving rules and laws are largely the same in Hungary as they are in the rest of Europe. Here are a few interesting things to keep in mind before hitting the road:

  • Drive on the right side of the road
  • Make sure to have a valid driving license in Europe
  • Drinking and driving is forbidden
  • Drugs is also forbidden
  • You need a vignette (or Matrica) to ride in highways
  • There are speed limits you have to follow

Found your perfect Hungary itinerary?

We hope that you managed to find or compile the perfect road trip or itinerary for your Hungarian adventure. This article is actually meant as an inspiration for you to mix and match in order to compile the perfect trip for you. 

If you have any other ideas or if you think we missed a spot, make sure to let us know in the comments below. Until then, enjoy your trip to Hungary.

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