BudGuide.eu

General Information about Hungary / Budapest

 

Hungary is situated in the heart of Central-Europe, its capital is Budapest. It borders to seven countries: Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria. Hungary has been an EU member state since 2004.

Land area: 93 030 square meters

Population: 10 214 000 (Budapest: 2,1 million) inhabitants

Density of population: 115 person / km2

Highest point: Kékes: 1014 metres (3 327 feet)

Form of government: republic

Currency: Forint (HUF)

Official language: Hungarian

Major religions: Christian (Roman Catholic 61%, Calvinist 19%, Lutheran 4%, Greek Catholic 3%), Jewish

Major rivers: Danube, Tisza, Körös, Rába, Maros

Major lakes: Balaton, Lake Velence, Lake Fertő, Lake Tisza

Caves, dripstone caves: in Budapest: Pálvölgy Dripstone Cave, Szemlő hill Cave, Castle Cave

Caves in Hungary: Aggtelek Dripstone Cave

Parts of the World Heritage:

Hungarian cultural values on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s World Heritage List:

1. The panorama of both sides of the Danube in Budapest, including the Buda Castle Quarter. On the Buda side from Petőfi Bridge through Gellért Hill and the Tabán to the Castel Hill and Viziváros, on the Pest side from Margaret Bridge to Petőfi Bridge with the House of Parliament. (1987)
2. Old village of Hollókő with 55 typical houses among the Hills of Cserhát (1987)
3. Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst (1995)
4. Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma, Millennium’s Memorial, Calvary Chapel and Blessed Virgin Chapel (1996)
5. Hortobágy National Park, one of Europe’s biggest, protected grasslands, including the Nine Hole Bridge, the Village Inn and the Shepard Museum. (1999)
6. Ancient Christian memorials of Pécs, including the necropolis and its painted chambers. (2000)
7. Lake Fertő and its surroundings. Fertő is Europe’s largest salty lake. A 75% of its area belongs to Austria, the Hungarian award also contains the Fertő-Hanság National Park, the town centre of Fertőrákos, the Nagycenk Castle and the Esterházy Castle. (2001)
8. Tokaj, Capital of the Hungarian Historic Wine Region. The award covers the city itself and the Tokaj-Hegyalja Wine Region. (2002)
9. Andrássy Street, Budapest’s 2313 meter long avenue, which leads from Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Street to Heroes’ Square. (2002)

National Holidays in 2007:

 

Januar 1:     New Year

March 15:    National Holiday – Commemoration of the 1848/49 Revolution and War of Independence

April 8-9:     Easter

May 1:         Labour Day – joining the European Union

May 27-28:   Pentecost

August 20:   National Holiday – Commemoration of the Establishment of the State and for King Stephen I.

October 23:  National Holiday – Commemoration of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution

November 1:   All Saints’ Day

December 6:     Santa Claus

December 24-26:  Christmas

December 31:    New Year’s Eve


Some pieces of useful information

The rate of tip is 10% of the bill in restaurants and cafés; you should tip only if you are satisfied with the meal and the service! (It is presented at the end of the menu if the bill contains the service charge!) Always check the prices on the menu to avoid inconveniences!
Popular places and promenades in Budapest: Restaurants, cafés and shops on Ferenc Liszt Square, Váci Street and Ráday Street offer a pleasant stay for visitors. The terraces of restaurants are open from early spring to late autumn, candles and torches make the supper more enjoyable.

Ordering a taxi on the phone is cheaper than taking one in the street. Anyway, you should not pay more than these tariffs:
Basic fee: 300 – 500 Ft
Fare: 200 – 280 Ft/km
Fee for waiting: 50 – 70 Ft/min

If you travel by car:

In the innermost part of the city you have to pay about 115 – 430 Ft/hour for parking (the amount varies among districts) between 8 am and 6 pm on weekdays. You should not leave your car for more than 3 hours at the same place! Special permission is required for driving in some parts of Budapest (for example the Castle and Margaret Island). Tourists cannot get such a permission!