Hungary 2019 ~ Places to visit

CoupleTravelBlog

Sep 2, 20194 min read

Updated: Sep 4, 2021

As many of you might already know, my husband and I visit Hungary every year to visit family since he is Hungarian. Each year we try and visit different places during our stay and this year was no different. We wrote about some places we went and in this blog we will continue sharing lovely places you should visit! For those who love hikes this is the right blog for you. Let's start :)

Ilona Waterfall

This was simply stunning! The Ilona Waterfall is the highest altitude waterfall in Hungary and is found in the Mátra Mountains. From the parking area you have around 900m walk to get to it. It is not a lot of walking to be honest. It is a very nice trail, having a path through the forest following the Ilona stream. When you reach the end of the trail you see the nice big roots of the trees, it is also a bit muddy so be sure to wear suitable shoes, especially if you go after some recent rain. During our hike we came across wild mushrooms and a frog.

Location: Parád, 3240 Hungary

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Szalajka Valley

This was another amazing hike we decided to go for. It had a little bit of everything. You are able to access this place either by catching a train from Eger - taking you along the forest - or you go by car. We opted to go there with the car, so we would be able to head back any time we want and will not be restricted with the train's time table. At the arrival one finds a paid parking area. At the entrance you will be given a paper with the time you arrived on it, when leaving you will be asked to pay according to how long you have stayed - €0.80 per hour.

There you face 2 possibilities to get to the Scenic locations. If You are feeling fit, you may choose to walk all the way up, or take the small forest train either way. At the base station there are a number of restaurants, kiosks and souvenir shops. In one of the restaurants you will also be given a 10% discount, if you show the train ticket. Keep in mind, the ticket is only one way, so if you decide to ride the tracks both ways, you have to purchase it at both ends. On the way down, there is a middle station as well, in case you thought u were brave to brace the whole way on your feet, but changed your mind in the mean time.

Train fee: €3 per person for one way.

Bathroom fee: 150ft - 46c

Upon the end of line, you will be greeted with two options to visit the:

1. Caveman's cave: This is located 800m from where the train drops you off. Must admit we found this hike more challenging than that of the Ilona Waterfall. This is because it part of the trail was very steep, which tires you a lot and the pathways were quite narrow at one point with only a wooden railing protecting you from falling down into the forest. We do not intend to scare our readers, people make it without any injuries - including kids - but one must be very careful where to put their feet. After all, it is completely worth it. The views during the hike are implacable and the cave is quite nice as well - it also is a way to have a rest and prepare for your way back down. It is very important to take a bottle of water with you as you will surely get thirsty.

2. Waterfall: This is located 300m from where the train stops. It is not a very big waterfall, but

it is worth the visit.

Location: Szilvásvárad

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Miskolc - Tapolca

If you are travelling through Hungary or you have the chance, this is definitely a must visit as it is a once in a lifetime experience! Although, be aware that there would probably be a considerable amount of people and the pool might close due to this. We drove all the way from Eger, we could not find proper parking and then as soon as we arrived at the front desk, the receptionist put the shutter down and we were notified that the pool is going to be closed for at least 30 minutes as there were too many people. (pro tip: don't use the suggested paid parking area, but drive a bit up and into the sideroads for less hassle and saving some money.) Basically here one can find 4 different types of pools for adults.

1. Thermal Bath - This bath is found indoors and is placed in the mountain cave passes. So, when you are going through this bath, you will feel like you are in some sort of cool dungeon. It is very warm and a very nice experience. There are also different kind of rooms within the cave halls:

Bath hall (29-30°C)
Old cave basin (29-30 ° C)
2 thermal basins (33-35 °C)
Roman hall (32°C)
Star hall (32°C)

This can also lead you to an outdoor pool, which I will be talking about in the next point.

2. Outdoor Basins:

Lake bath experience basin - This was the only pool which both of us went to re. outside basins. It is because the day we visited it was raining and very cold and this was the only pool which was very warm.
Shell basin - I did go alone to this pool but due to the weather on the day I was going to freeze.
Swimming pool

This location is also suitable for kids and people with disability. One can also find 3 pools for kids on the outside area surrounded by a lovely park.