Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
EXPLORING THE PALACE & THE CITADEL
The
Royal Palace
once covered much of the area where the MAHART boat landing
and F
ó
utca (Main St.) are now found. Indeed, the entrance to the palace's open-air
ruins, called the
King Matthias Museum,
is at F
ó
u. 29 (
&
26/398-126
). Admission
is 400 Ft ($1.80/£1). The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday 9am to 4:30pm.
The buried ruins of the palace, having achieved a near-mythical status, were discov-
ered only recently. Almost all of what you see is the result of ongoing reconstruction,
which has been vigorous in recent years. Aside from the general atmosphere of ruined
grandeur, the main attractions are the red-marble base of the Hercules Fountain in the
Ornamental Courtyard and the reconstructed Gothic arcaded hallway down below.
Exhibit descriptions are in English. Because of the under-construction aspect of the
place, you need to keep a close eye on the kids here.
The
Citadel
(
&
26/398-101
), situated on the hilltop above Visegrád, affords
one of the finest views you'll find over the Danube. Off to your left you can see the
site of the controversial Nagymaros Dam, an abandoned Hungarian-Czechoslovak
hydroelectric project. Admission to the Citadel is 400 Ft ($1.80/£1). It is open daily
in summer 9am to 6pm, in winter on weekends only from 9:30am to 6pm. There are
three buses a day to the Citadel, departing from the RÉV ferryboat terminal at
9:26am, 12:26pm, and 3:26pm, respectively. Otherwise, “City Bus,” an inappropri-
ately named van taxi that awaits passengers outside Visegrád Tours, takes people up
the steep incline to the Citadel for the equally steep fare of 2,500 Ft ($11/£6.40)
apiece. If you decide to go on foot, keep in mind that it's more than a casual walk to
the Citadel; the journey up the hill takes about 2 hours. There may be snack and ice-
cream carts along the way, but there are no permanent establishments, so you many
want to pack some snacks and drinks.
WHERE TO DINE
Don Vito Pizzeria & Ristorante
PIZZA Don Vito Pizzeria serves very
good pizza in a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere. It's a good option if you're traveling with
kids. Try the “Don Vito,” a delicious and very Hungarian mushroom, gooseliver, and
apple pizza, or the beautiful “Albino,” which is great for vegetarians with a ricotta, gar-
lic, and herb topping. Beer and wine are served.
Fó u. 83.
&
26/397-230.
Individual pizzas 600 Ft-1,400 Ft ($2.70-$6.30/£1.55-£3.60). No credit cards. Daily
11am-midnight.
Renaissance Restaurant
HUNGARIAN This restaurant specializes in
authentic medieval cuisine. Food is served in clay crockery without silverware (you
only get a wooden spoon) and guests are offered Burger King-like paper crowns to
wear. The decor and the lyre music enhance the fun, openly kitschy atmosphere. This
is perhaps the only restaurant in the whole country where you won't find something
on the menu spiced with paprika, since the spice wasn't around in medieval Hungary.
If you're big on the medieval theme, come for dinner on a Thursday (July-Aug), when
a six-course “Royal Feast” is served following a 45-minute duel between knights.
No vegetarians, please! Tickets for this special evening are handled by Visegrád Tours
(p. 354). The duel gets underway at 6pm sharp.
Fó u. 11 (across the street from the MAHART boat landing).
&
26/398-081.
Main courses 1,900 Ft-3,200 Ft
($8.55-$14/£4.90-£8.20). V. Daily noon-10pm.
Kids
Kids
