Hungary
Go for Budapest on the Danube, the wine town of Eger, and Lake Balaton, the largest lake in Central Europe.
Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe, in the middle of the Carpathian Basin. It is a member of the European Union and part of the Schengen Area, and it uses the forint rather than the euro. Budapest is the capital and largest city, and the Danube flows north to south through the centre, with Buda and Pest on either bank of the river. Hungarian is the official language, one of very few non-Indo-European languages in Europe.
Budapest is the usual starting point. The Danube Bend north of the capital suits day trips, Lake Balaton lies to the south-west, and the Great Hungarian Plain covers much of the east and south-east. Summers are warm with frequent showers and winters are cold with snow, so late spring through early autumn suits most trips. A week is enough to cover Budapest and one other region.
Five things to know before Hungary
- Expect EES registration at the Schengen border
Most visitors from outside the EU give fingerprints and a photo at their first Schengen entry, which replaces the passport stamp. ETIAS is not in operation. EES explained
- Pay in forint, not euros
Hungary is outside the euro area and uses the forint. Where a shop or card machine offers euros or your home currency, forint is usually the better deal. Money
- Check each thermal bath's own site
Baths set their own tickets, hours and rules, and they differ by season. Budapest and Eger have their own guides; look up the bath you want the day before you go. Budapest
- Buy an e-vignette before you use a motorway
Cars, vans and motorcycles need a prepaid e-vignette (e-matrica) tied to the number plate. The Balaton and the south route planner has the official purchase link. Balaton and the south
- Check the bill for a service charge
Look for a service charge line on a restaurant bill before you add a tip, so you do not pay twice.
Hungary travel guides
Practical guides from writers who live there.
Baths, ruin bars and where to base yourself.
Read the guideSzentendreHalf a day on the Danube Bend by suburban rail.
Read the guideEsztergomBasilica dome, castle museum and the Slovak border.
Read the guideEgerCastle, minaret and the Valley of the Beautiful Woman.
Read the guidePécsRoman tombs, the Zsolnay Quarter and a mosque church.
Read the guideLake BalatonNorth shore or south, beaches and wine villages.
Read the guideBalaton and the southRoute planner for the lake, Pécs and the e-vignette.
Read the guideVisa checkerCheck the entry rule for your passport.
Read the guide
Hostel beds, cheap eats, buses and free sights.
- Bed a night
- HUF 10,000
- Food
- HUF 9,000
- Transport
- HUF 2,500
- Sights
- Free
A 3-star room, casual restaurants, public transport and one paid sight a day.
- Bed a night
- HUF 22,000
- Food
- HUF 22,000
- Transport
- HUF 7,000
- Sights
- HUF 10,000
A 4-star room, good restaurants, taxis and a guided tour.
- Bed a night
- HUF 40,000
- Food
- HUF 45,000
- Transport
- HUF 20,000
- Sights
- HUF 30,000
When to go
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Best
- JanuaryPartly cloudy8 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh4°Low-1°Cold, thermal bathsJanuaryPartly cloudy
- High
- 4°
- Low
- -1°
- Precipitation
- 35 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, thermal baths
- FebruaryPartly cloudy8 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh8°Low1°Cold, quietFebruaryPartly cloudy
- High
- 8°
- Low
- 1°
- Precipitation
- 40 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- MarchPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh12°Low3°Cool, springMarchPartly cloudy
- High
- 12°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 46 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, spring
- AprilPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh17°Low7°Mild, blossomAprilPartly cloudy
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 45 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, blossom
- MayRain13 rainy daysHigh21°Low11°Warm, greenMayRain
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 76 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, green
- JunePartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh27°Low17°Warm, long daysJunePartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 27°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 81 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, long days
- JulyPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh29°Low18°Hot, Balaton seasonJulyPartly cloudy
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 69 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, Balaton season
- AugustClear7 rainy daysHigh30°Low19°Hot, festivalsAugustClear
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 19°
- Precipitation
- 51 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, festivals
- SeptemberPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh24°Low14°Warm, harvestSeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 60 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, harvest
- OctoberPartly cloudy7 rainy daysHigh17°Low9°Mild, autumnOctoberPartly cloudy
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 48 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, autumn
- NovemberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh10°Low4°Cold, greyNovemberPartly cloudy
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 62 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, grey
- DecemberPartly cloudy8 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh5°Low0°Christmas marketsDecemberPartly cloudy
- High
- 5°
- Low
- 0°
- Precipitation
- 50 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Christmas markets
Average daily high and low in Budapest, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Hungary
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
9
- Feels like
- 8°
- Humidity
- 78%
- Wind
- 8 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 100%
Budapest
09:36 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today10°8°100%Monday: Drizzle. High 10°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 100%.
- Tue10°5°53%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 10°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 53%.
- Wed11°4°0%Wednesday: Partly cloudy. High 11°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu10°2°0%Thursday: Clear. High 10°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri11°1°0%Friday: Clear. High 11°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sat8°-1°2%Saturday: Fog. High 8°, Low -1°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Sun9°-1°19%Sunday: Fog. High 9°, Low -1°. Chance of rain 19%.
Updated 05:24 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 327.7 HUF
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
NovemberSalzburg Christkindlmarkt
NovemberNuremberg Christkindlesmarkt
NovemberStrasbourg Christmas marketFestivals by month
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- JunBudapest PrideBudapest
- Jul
- AugSziget FestivalBudapest
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
On tour in Hungary: Sabaton The Legendary Tour Part 2 Budapest, May 1, 2027 · Rod Stewart The Final Encore Budapest, Jun 18, 2027 · Nickelback Everything Under the Sun Tour 2027 Budapest, Jun 29, 2027
Before you go to Hungary
Hungary FAQ
Do I need a visa for Hungary?
Not on UK, US, Canadian or Australian passports: up to 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen area. US and Canadian passport holders can add 90 days in Hungary only, if they enter no other Schengen country and leave from Hungary. Check yours in the visa checker.
Can I use euros in Hungary?
Some shops and attractions accept euros, but Spain's foreign ministry notes it is usually less favorable than forint. Cards are widely accepted, though some smaller shops take cash only, so carry a little forint.
Which second stop after Budapest: Eger, Balaton or Pécs?
Eger suits wine and a castle town, under 2 hours by direct train. Lake Balaton suits summer swimming. Pécs suits Roman tombs and the Zsolnay Quarter in the south and deserves a night. Szentendre and Esztergom are Danube Bend day trips.
Do I need a car in Hungary?
Not for Budapest, Eger, Pécs or the main lake towns, which trains and coaches serve. A car helps for wine villages and the hills. Motorways need an e-vignette, so buy it before you drive.
When is the best time to visit Hungary?
Late spring and early autumn suit city sightseeing and the wine regions. July and August suit swimming at Lake Balaton. Winter suits thermal baths and Christmas markets.