I spent 17 nights in Budapest last year, during my third trip to the city, and there’s undoubtedly enough to keep you engaged for longer if you desire. Even if you stick to the classic attractions, Hungary’s capital is rich in history and unique sights. However, if you wish to break away from the typical tourist experience and explore more of the country, there are enjoyable day excursions from Budapest that are easily accessible by train or via organized tours.
Traveling around Hungary won’t break the bank. Prices in Budapest are fair, and that extends to train fares for leaving the city. If you opt for a tour through Viator or a local provider, it typically won’t devastate your travel budget. Hungary has appeared in every edition of my book The World’s Cheapest Destinations, and while there are cheaper places to explore in Europe, it still offers one of the best values.
I’m omitting several locations I visited on my first trip to the country that could be accessed on a day excursion, like the wine regions of Villany and Pecs, simply because it wouldn’t provide enough time to appreciate them fully, likely turning into a dawn-to-midnight travel experience. It’s better to spend the night in that region, potentially renting a car to explore different locations.
These other destinations are simpler to reach and can be managed on a day trip relatively easily, assuming you’re only heading towards the eastern side of Lake Balaton and not the far end. I explored all these areas (after checking out what I wanted from a Secret Budapest guidebook) and genuinely enjoyed them, definitely recommended if you have the time.
Memento Park for Communist Relics
Memento Park is technically part of Budapest, but it requires so much time to get there and back that I would classify it as a day trip. Initially, you need to take a metro to the distant Kelenfold train station, and from there, catch a public bus through the countryside to arrive at the site where communist statues were sent to rest.
This is not a random collection area where statues found unwanted in neighborhoods were discarded. The site is thoughtfully arranged in six circles that intersect and emulate the essence of the ideology, leading nowhere. There’s an organic flow as you navigate around and view these works that glorify the great workers and the powerful communist leaders who dominated Hungary for decades. A guided tour is available for deeper insights into the displays, or you can buy a comprehensive book in the gift shop titled In the Shadows of Stalin’s Boots.
One exhibit features replicas of Stalin’s boots, remnants of a colossal eight-meter statue that was removed in a failed revolution in 1956. This display is situated outside the gates among the other exhibits and serves as a powerful metaphor. Within a nearby structure, you can view fascinating spy training footage from the 60s and 70s demonstrating how ordinary citizens were constantly monitored, with wiretapped calls and intercepted correspondence.
The gate and walls across from here carry significant symbolism: they’re intended to convey that the system appeared formidable, with imposing entrances to government structures, yet were essentially just hollow facades. The architect went to great lengths to present the art respectfully, as his aim was not to create an “anti-propaganda park” to oppose the very propaganda the art promoted.
Some of these exhibits evoke laughter or sympathy for those who had to witness them daily. Others are genuinely remarkable pieces if evaluated objectively, like this individual:
There are layers of significance and history in this park that are challenging to unpack in a brief article, but a visit to Memento Park is an excellent education on conformity within a dictatorship and the pervasive power of propaganda when ruled by communism. It’s integral to grasping the somber history of Budapest in the 20th century and the authoritarian tendencies that persist today under a leader who has clung to power and stifled opposition since 2010. There’s significant historical manipulation occurring now, reminiscent of the 1950s when these statues were erected.
Memento Park operates daily from 10 to 6. For transportation guidelines, refer to the official website here.
The Wine and Fortress City of Eger
Visitors typically travel to Eger for one of two reasons. The more cultured reason is to examine the castle situated on the hill. It’s ancient, having been destroyed by the Mongols before being rebuilt and successfully defending against the Turks in 1552. The other reason is to indulge with friends while consuming substantial amounts of wine in the “Valley of