I spent 17 nights in Budapest last year during my third trip to the city, and there’s undoubtedly enough to see and do to occupy you longer if you wish. Even if you stick to the familiar sights, Hungary’s capital is filled with rich history and unique attractions. However, if you’re keen to break away from the standard tourist trail and explore more of the country, there are some enjoyable day trips from Budapest that you can conveniently take by train or join through a guided tour.
Traveling around Hungary won’t break the bank. Budapest’s prices are quite reasonable, and the same goes for train fares to venture out of the city. If you join a tour through Viator or a local company, it typically won’t devastate your travel budget. Hungary has been highlighted in every edition of my book The World’s Cheapest Destinations, and while there are cheaper locations in Europe, this remains one of the best bargains.
I’m skipping a few locations I explored during my first trip to the country that are accessible for a day trip, such as the wine regions of Villany and Pecs, simply because they don’t allow enough time to appreciate them fully, likely resulting in a dawn-to-midnight travel day. It’s better to stay overnight in the vicinity, perhaps even renting a car to discover a few different places.
These other spots are simpler to reach and can be done in a day trip fairly easily, as long as you’re focusing solely on the eastern side of Lake Balaton instead of venturing to the far opposite end. I visited all these locations (after consulting a Secret Budapest guide I used) and truly enjoyed them; they come highly recommended if you have the time.
## Memento Park for Communist Relics
Memento Park is technically within Budapest, but it requires such a lengthy journey to get there and back that I’d classify it as a day trip. First, you need to take a metro to the distant Kelenfold train station, then catch a public bus that travels through the countryside to arrive at the spot where communist statues were taken to rest.
This isn’t just a random display area where unwanted statues were unceremoniously discarded and left to decay. The site has been thoughtfully designed into six interlinked circles that, like the ideology itself, lead nowhere. There’s a natural progression as you navigate around these pieces that celebrate the great workers and the communist leaders who dominated Hungary for decades. You can opt for a guided tour to gain deeper insights into what you’re viewing or purchase a detailed book in the gift shop titled In the Shadows of Stalin’s Boots.
One exhibit features a replica of Stalin’s boots, remnants of a colossal eight-meter statue that was cut down and dismantled during the failed revolution of 1956. That display is outside the main area with the other exhibits and serves as a powerful metaphor. In a nearby building, you can watch bizarre spy training videos from the 60s and 70s illustrating how ordinary citizens were continuously monitored and surveilled, complete with tapped phones and intercepted correspondence.
There’s deep symbolism within the gates and walls here: they’re designed to convey an imposing façade, with grand entrances to government structures, while ultimately being hollow on the inside. The architect worked meticulously to showcase the art itself with dignity; he was not aiming to create an “anti-propaganda park” in opposition to the propaganda that the art itself was promoting.
Some of these displays might elicit chuckles or pity for those who had to observe them daily. Yet there are some quite remarkable pieces if viewed with an open mind, like this one:
This park is layered with meanings and historical context that are challenging to explore in a brief article, but a visit to Memento Park provides valuable education on conformity under dictatorship and the relentless presence of propaganda under communist rule. It’s crucial for grasping Budapest’s grim history in the 20th century and the ongoing authoritarian trends under a leader who has maintained power and stifled dissent since 2010. There’s significant historical manipulation occurring now, reminiscent of the 1950s when these statues were erected.
Memento Park is open daily from 10 to 6. Transportation details are available on the official website here.
## The Wine and Fortress City of Eger
Typically, visitors come to Eger for one of two primary reasons. The first is to explore the ancient castle atop the hill, which dates back to the Mongol invasions before being rebuilt and successfully defending against the Turks in 1552. The second reason is to indulge with friends in consuming large quantities of wine in the “Val