Country Overview:

Budapest is quite rightly known throughout the world for its beauty and culture. Peaceful and yet bustling, a large metropolis of over 10 million inhabitants and yet friendly, it treasures the old and embraces the new. Here the historic blends with the modern, the hills harmonize with the river, that is, the Danube, which flows through the city along a stretch of over 15 miles. That is the sort of magnetic quality that Budapest radiates.

However, there is much more to the city. It's not only a historic treasure of Central Europe, but also a metropolis. The wine and cuisine are justifiably world-famous, filling and inexpensive, and there is a huge variety of cultural and non-cultural entertainment, all of which is available to those on a limited budget. Traveling within the republic is inexpensive and easily managed and there are a number of interesting places to visit outside the capital. Also, the largely unspoiled countryside provides various outdoor activities (swimming, horse-back riding, cycling, hiking, etc.) throughout the seasons. Hungarians are very friendly and hospitable people.

Hungary has a temperate continental climate with Mediterranean and Atlantic influences. Depending on the location, winters can be cold, cloudy and damp or windy, the summers warm and sometimes very hot. May, June and November are the rainiest months. The number of hours of sunshine per year is among the highest in Europe. From April to the end of September, you can expect the sun to shine for about 10 hours a day.