Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CRUISING THE DANUBE
The Danube Bend is pint-sized compared to Hungary's other regions, but what it lacks
in size it makes up for with an overabundance of natural beauty and a venerable
wealth of human endeavour. The river itself is a perfect highway, and regular boats
ferry tourists to four delightful towns from Budapest over the summer months.
The closest, of course, is Szentendre, for centuries a community open to new set-
tlers, unorthodox religions, and artists, and now a tourist hot spot with cobbled
streets and a profusion of church spires. Further round the bend is tiny Visegrád, once
the seat of Hungary's kings and queens and today home to Renaissance-palace ruins
and a forbidding hilltop castle. Esztergom, for so many years the Pope's 'eyes and
ears' in Hungary, is now a sleepy town with the biggest basilica this side of the
Balkans. Vác, on the east bank of the Danube, is a lovely spot with a laid-back attitude,
another fine cathedral and a macabre crypt of mummies.
SSzenttenddreFrom May to September, a Mahart ferry plies the Danube to/from Vigadó
tér in Pest and Batthyány tér in Buda, departing at 10am daily except Monday and ar-
riving in Szentendre at 11.30am (one way/return 2000/2500Ft, 1½ hours). The return
boat leaves at 5pm and takes one hour. The service usually reduces to weekends only
in April.
Vác, V
d EsztterrgomBetween May and late August there's a ferry from Vi-
gadó tér pier in Pest at 9am, calling in at Vác (11am, one way/return 1500/2250Ft)
and Visegrád (noon, 2000/3000Ft) before carrying on to Esztergom (1.45pm, 2500/
3750Ft). It returns from Esztergom/Visegrád/Vác at 4.45/6/6.30pm, reaching Bud-
apest at 8pm. The service is reduced to Saturday only in September.
Hydrofoils travel from Budapest to Visegrád (one way/return 4000/6000Ft, one
hour) and Esztergom (one way/return 5000/7500Ft, 1½ hours) on Saturday and
Sunday from early May to September; boats leave at 9.30am and return at 5pm from
Esztergom and 5.30pm from Visegrád.
, Viisegrrád a
d and E
EATING & DRINKING
HUNGARIAN
ERM'S
11am-11pm Mon-Wed, Fri & Sat, to 10pm Sun)
