Hungary, a small country in Central Europe is a must-see place in the world. The country maintains its past, present and future at the same time. The country and its people haven't allowed any foreign influence to change their thoughts, traditions and their way of life. Hungary was under the occupation of different countries during its past but it still hasn't changed its traditions.

Budapest is the capital city of Hungary and is located on the bank of the river Danube. There are many wonderful European cities that stand on the banks of this river but only Budapest is known as a pearl of the Danube. Budapest was founded as a city in the year 1873, when three smaller towns joined up to form this city. The town of Buda and Obuda are located on the right side of the Danube and on the other side lays the town of Pest. In Budapest, it's very easy to loose your surroundings. There the streets are very small and silent and are very similar to each other. So, the safest way to roam in Budapest is to carry a map. You will be amazed when you see the architecture and modern technologies used in the ancient buildings.

Budapest is a must-visit place in Hungary. It is the perfect base for exploring Hungary. Popular tourist sites in Budapest include the Royal Palace with its statues, gateways and fountains; the Matyas church; Bath houses are very popular in Budapest and are built around spas and healing waters. Some of them are encrusted with mosaics and decorated with stained glass windows. Men and women bathe separately and each area has saunas, steam baths, plunge pools and swimming pools. Some also have outdoor swimming pools with wave machines. In Pest, you can find the state opera house, St. Stephens basilica, the Hungarian national museum and the state parliament.

The natural landscape of Hungary has a very varied landscape with forests and mountains in the north and a huge southern plain covering the rest of the country. The west of the country has Lake Balaton that is one of the largest inland stretches of water in all of Europe. Hungary's main river is the Danube that flows for the length of the country and more or less cuts Hungary in two. The Danube also flows through Budapest - the capital city.

The country has a great heritage in art and music. It is also well known for its cuisine with the most famous dish of course being Goulash - heavily spiced with paprika that is Hungary's best-known export product.

The best time to visit Hungary is from April to the end of June and from August until October.  If you visit here in spring you’ll find yourself on a festival mood. You’ll have a lot of fun, spending time with your friends drinking famous Hungarian wine and eating the famous Hungarian goulash. Good places to eat in Budapest include the Buda Vendeglo; the Rivalda Cafe and the Maligan Bistro. The city has a large number of restaurants. Another significant characteristic of Budapest is that it's a very cheap city. Good hotels in the city include the Hilton, the Danubius Hotel Gellert, the Astoria and the Kempinski Corvinus. Prices are usually good compared to other European capital cities.

Hungary is a great place to explore Eastern Europe. Go, visit and enjoy the scenery, the lifestyle and the famed Hungarian hospitality.