Family activities for all seasons

For those who like winter sports but do not want to drive hours to the Austrian, Slovak or Italian ski slopes, we highly recommend one of the ski resorts in Hungary. Not only because you can reach one from any part of the country in a maximum of two hours, so it's worth going for a single day of skiing without spending the night, but also because each one is a great location to visit, even in snow-free periods. Dobogókő (Pilis), Mátraszentistván (Mátra), Bánkút (Bükk) and Eplény (Bakony). Three of these are situated on the route of the national Blue Trail, but Eplény is also only a few kilometres from the route of the Blue Trail passing through Zirc. Similarly exciting is having a good ice hike or ice skating on the frozen Lake Balaton, Lake Tisza, or on the City Ice Rink. And if you can’t stand the cold, you can take a hot bath in one of the country’s thermal spa complexes, or combine the two and take a dip in the snow after a sauna.

Spring is one of the best seasons for a family to visit one of the country’s arboretums. This is when nature comes to life again, so in many places you’ll find almost continuous snowdrop fields, with wild onion fields in other places. You can discover the latter mainly on the slopes of the Mecsek. But sometimes you don’t even have to leave the city for a close-to-nature experience. In Budapest, the Sakura Festival in honour of the Japanese cherry blossom is held in the botanical garden of Eötvös Loránd University. Of course, in addition to the cherry trees, many other plants also bloom at this time, so it is definitely worth visiting this botanical garden. The Zugló Japanese Garden, which was the first such public park in the country in the first half of the last century, is a similarly good choice. The Month of Caves is held in March, which means that the caves of our national parks also prepare exciting activities at discounted admission prices. This is a particularly good choice because it is as enjoyable in the rain as it is in good weather. Since World Water Day is also held in March, you can take a similar tour of the reservoirs, which are open to the general public at that time. Walking inside Gellért Hill and in the Kőbánya Reservoir Halls is a fascinating sight.

Summer is best spent by water. Lake shores are the most popular, but we would also like to recommend some riverside events and activities.

Danube:

One of these is the Danube Bend, which today can also be discovered by boat. In fact, since last year, you have been able to tour the area indefinitely with a single ticket as part of a one-day programme. This option also applies to combined train, bus, HÉV and boat routes from early summer to autumn. Vác on the Pest side and Szentendre and Visegrád on the Buda side serve as transfer points along the journey. The adventure cruise is available on the Visegrád – Nagymaros – Zebegény – Dömös section. In fact, you can get as far as Esztergom on the Danube with additional connections. However, if you just want to take a nice dip, the free beach in Pilismarót is a great return point for your tour. There are rest areas and activities for children at all points along the recommended route. If you are a fan of active cruising, you can take various trips on the Szigetköz tributaries of the Danube, returning to the same centre in the Dunakiliti area.

Tisza:

Those who prefer the Tisza can embark on a water hike along the Upper Tisza. Depending on how many days you would like spend there, you can row down from Tiszabecs to Tokaj and even to Lake Tisza. You can find numerous excellent sandy beaches around here, such as the shore near Gergelyiugornya. If you are looking for an even more exotic experience, the Csongrád Tisza bank opposite the Körös estuary is worth a visit. In fact, it feels like being on a sandy beach by the sea, without the salt destroying your skin. This sandy beach – reminiscent of a tropical seaside – stretches 700 metres long and 30 metres wide from the eastern end of the city to the estuary. What better summer experience could you ask for?

Throughout the country:

With the arrival of autumn, you can witness various fascinating natural phenomena. One of these is the roar of deer, which can be heard and observed (occasionally) in some parts of the country in the Mecsek, Zselic and Gemenc forests, in the Pilis, or even in Budakeszi. This phenomenon occurs earlier in the south, and later in the northern areas. Another must-see event is the migration of the cranes. From late September to early November, you can observe cranes migrate, with thousands of them flying at dusk. In the Hortobágy National Park, for example, this can be viewed as part of organised tours on weekends. Another excellent hiking terrain with children is paying a visit to the Tata Fényes Educational Trail. Boardwalks on pillars and suspension bridges across the water take you through a landscape similar to a mangrove forest, which is a sufficiently adventurous but completely safe way to get close to nature.

Near Budapest:

Three-quarters of an hour from Budapest, an excursion in the Dera Gorge, on level terrain, is sure to satisfy the walking needs of both children and parents. The forest path winding along the creek bed is short enough, but offers an all the more spectacular getaway for the whole family. This lesser-known creek, by the way, flows into the Danube just south of Szentendre. Departing in the other direction, it is worth walking, or even cycling, around Lake Naplás. The 5-kilometre cycle path along the Szilas River leads around the shores of this lake situated near Cinkota. The well-developed lake shore is perfect for picnics and even fishing. It is also worth taking a walk in the area in the autumn, since 200 to 250 mallard ducks choose this lake as their temporary habitat.