A waterfront that rivals that of the Seine and a cultural heritage as intense as several bottles of the tasty local wines, Budapest has more to offer than many other capitals, and at half the price. This is a city where a trip to one of many thermal baths, surrounded by glass mosaics and Turkish domes, is as visually stimulating as a visit to the impressive Szépmuvészeti Muzeum, the Fine Arts Museum, and gasping for a cuppa can take you into one of the most ornate coffee houses in the world, the New York Café.
Head east of the city and you'll arrive in the famous wine-growing regions of Eger and Mátra. Aside from Bulls Blood, the flagship red, there are some good local Chardonnays to sample. It's worth dropping in at one of the vineyards for the warm welcome alone.
South of lake Balaton (weekend playground for moneyed city dwellers) is Pecs, Hungary's most historic and well-preserved town. The transformed mosque, which now functions as a church, is a superb throwback from 16th-century Turkish architecture, and much of the original Islamic ornamentation is still visible.
Print >