Best places to visit at the Danube Band

Many places along the Danube in Hungary will take your breath away, but some of them are better known than others. The small list below covers some of the best places to visit along the Danube, also a short train or bus ride away from Budapest. If you are looking for great day trips or want to see some hidden gems, read on.

Vác is a beautiful town centred around the Március 15 Square with countless baroque mansions, extravagant houses, and neoclassical churches. The perfect example of this display of architectonic history is the local Cathedral, designed initially as a baroque cathedral but finished in the neoclassical style, making it a unique piece of architecture to visit. Another very popular, if a bit macabre, attraction is the Tragor Ignac Museum with its Memento Mori exhibition, which gives you a look into a crypt discovered only twenty years ago. And if you want to get some fresh air after that, go to the Seven Chapels, a Catholic memorial with lovely greenery surrounding it.

Szentendre is one of the most picturesque towns in Hungary you will ever visit. Its sweetness is underscored, among other things, because one of its main attractions is the Szamos Marzipan Museum. Here, you will not only learn about the history of the marzipan factory, but you can also see some genuinely excellent marzipan statues and even buy something sweet on your way out. But sweets are not the only thing Szentendre has going for it. There is also the Margit Kovács Museum which celebrates the work of Kovács, who worked with clay in all shapes and sizes. There’s the cute Blagovestenska Church, the history-filled Hungarian Open-Air Museum, and much more.

Zebegény is another cute town that will make you feel like you are in an idyllic fairy tale. And no place captures that feeling quite as good as the Church of Our Lady of the Snow. This unassuming little church is snow-white from the outside but is covered with colours on the inside. There’s not an inch of wall insight that wouldn’t have a gorgeous fresco or a golden pattern on it. But there are other things in the town, like the Maritime History Museum founded by a real captain, the sombre Heroes’ Monument, which offers you a lovely view of the town and is close to the Károly Kós watchtower. If you’re in for some quiet beauty, this place is for you.

It wouldn’t be Europe if at least one of the places recommended on the list of towns did not have a castle in it. The Visegrád Citadel is mostly a ruin now, but as such, it uncovers the dramatic history of almost 800 years of its standing. But that’s not all the medieval architecture you can see here. There’s also the 700-year-old Royal Castle with the King Matthias Museum attached, which show you a lot of the region's history. If nothing else, these offer a truly stunningly beautiful walk. But if you want to get your blood pumping, why not try the Visegrád Toboggan Park or come in the winter and enjoy the Nagyvillám Ski Resort? This place has a wide range of options.

This town has a lot going for it, but it is famous primarily for the Esztergom Basilica. It is simultaneously the seat of the Catholic Church in Hungary, the largest church, and the tallest building in Hungary. The dome itself is 72 meters tall – and because it is accessible to the public, it offers a view of the Danube valley and the far off mountain ranges. The inside of the Basilica is free to visit and offers a truly stunning open space with tons of statues and paintings to gaze at. You can also visit the crypt and the treasury if you want to see even more. Put these together with the trip up to the dome. All need a ticket. If you're going to see something truly unique, visit Esztergom.