Hungary
Traveller Testimonial:
I particularly liked our stop at Szentendre on the way to Eger. It's
a charming little village with a museum of a little-known sculptor called
Margrit Kovac. Her collection is stunningly unique and touchingly beautiful,
unlike anything I've seen. I thoroughly enjoyed this visit and I can say so for
the rest of the group as well.
-Berta Pires Tour HU2: Hungary & Romania (Eastern European Adventurer)
Landlocked in the heart of Europe, Hungary has seen far more than
its fair share of turmoil throughout its bloody history and yet the
small country seems to be all the better for it. After centuries of
being plundered, invaded, oppressed and devastated by a host of
foreign peoples, it is surprising enough that Hungary has survived
this long, but moreso that it has managed to develop, even flourish,
under the most adverse of conditions. Though much of Hungary's past
is interwoven with tragedy, its people have time and again overcome
whatever misfortunes have befallen them, creating and nurturing for
themselves a unique identity and culture. The nation today is one
that houses a proud and resilient people whose eclectic amalgam of
heritages lends a culture that is built on the foundations of
influence from foreign civilisations, making Hungary a fascinating
tour destination.
Before the territory became known as Hungary, as it did in 1000AD, a
number of Germanic tribes including the Huns, as well as the nomadic
Eurasian Avars, the Franks, the Bulgars and the Magyars, all entered
into the region and made efforts to sustain a prolonged possession
over the territory. After its creation, the country of Hungary
suffered various incursions from the Tatars, the Turks, the Romans,
the Russians and the Hapsburgs over a millennium, often
incorporating elements of each foreign culture into its own. Today
the culture not only reflects its long history of influence from
outsiders, but also exhibits a diversity that mirrors its blend of
Magyar, German, Croatian, Serbian and Romanian peoples that
constitute its population. To explore the culture of Hungary is to
explore not one, but an amalgamation of many cultures, which makes
for a fascinating and highly educational tour.
Boasting over 2,000 hours of sunshine a year, Hungary is
overshadowed by no other European territory when it comes to
catering to the sun-worshipper and neither does it pale in
significance when it comes to scenery. There is a bountiful
landscape between the borders of Hungary, from the high peaks of the
cave-riddled Bukk Hills region to the fertile lowlands of the Great
Hungarian plain, where the indigenous horsemen- the Hungarian
versions of cowboys-don their traditional dress and tend to their
herds and perform for visitors.
By far, the most popular destination when touring the Central
European country is the dynamic capital city of Budapest, and
understandably so, but travellers who choose to venture beyond the
city limits are rewarded in spades. The UNESCO-designated World
Heritage Site of Holloko, or "Raven Rock," is one destination not to
be missed on a tour exploring the more rural face of the country and
is considered by many to be Hungary's most beautiful town.