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Greater Budapest for Families - 5 days

Miskahuszár szobraPákozdGreater Budapest
How long it takes?
5 days
Best vehicle choice for this plan:
bus
public transport
car
This region is famous for:
Castles, Forts, Palaces
Culture and monuments
Natural values
Greater Budapest
Families
Day 1

Royal Palace in Gödöllő

In the town of Gödöllő, a few streets away from the apartment blocks, Hungary's largest Baroque palace awaits with halls to be discovered. The masterpiece, built in the 18th century, welcomes you with permanent exhibitions spanning several centuries of history. Follow in the footsteps of the Sissi cult and find out how the legendary Queen Elisabeth spent her time here. Take a peek behind the scenes at the unique Baroque theatre, then head underground to see the Horthy bunker. In the latter, in addition to authentic furniture from the WWII era, you can watch old news broadcasts and listen to Katalin Karády's best-known songs. Children will surely be enchanted by the historical diversity that they encounter inside the walls of the palace, but don’t miss the magnificent park either, as it’s well worth a hearty stroll.

Hungarian equestrian traditions come to life in the Lázár Equestrian Park

Just 10 km from Gödöllő, in the picturesque Domony Valley, Vilmos Lázár, seven-time Hungarian pair-driving world champion, has created a real equestrian paradise. The Lázár Equestrian Park is a popular event venue, but it is also open to individual visitors if you want to get to know the Hungarian equestrian traditions of the past in a little more detail, ride on the sunny hillside, or taste the delicious Hungarian dishes from the cauldron and the beehive oven.

Day 2

Hetedhét Toy Museum in the Heimer House

Next day, cross the Danube and don't stop until you get to Székesfehérvár. Nostalgia will no doubt captivate you at the exhibition of the Hetedhét Toy Museum in the Heimer House, with objects dating back several decades. The exhibition is an excellent opportunity to tell children about your own childhood, but also to take a look at the Moskovszky collection. You might even come across some toy tableware made from stag-beetle antlers. You can also admire the drawings and famous fairy-tale illustrations of graphic artist László Réber on display. 

Bory Castle in Székesfehérvár

If you are already in a really fabulous mood, visit the Bory Castle on Öreghegy in the suburbs of Székesfehérvár. The building complex, built by sculptor and university professor Jenő Bory over 40 summers, has even been included in the Guinness Book of Records. Impressively, the sculptor built the castle mostly on his own and was only guided by his imagination during the works. Today, the building is open to visitors as a museum, and in addition to the picture and sculpture exhibition, it’s worth visiting thoroughly – children will especially enjoy the spiral staircases, hidden paths and passageways leading to the towers.

Sóstó Visitor Centre

The brand new Sóstó Visitor Centre offers educational programmes, games and guided tours. The 218-hectare nature reserve has walking paths, educational trails, an interactive birdwatching area and a children’s playground to keep everyone entertained. You could even have a picnic here, as it’s an ideal setting with clean air and lush nature. You won’t go hungry if you didn’t pack any food either: snacks and refreshments are available at the on-site kiosk. To end the trip, hop into a car or board a train and visit the shores of Lake Velence, the third largest lake in the country. The lake and its surroundings are a real sporting paradise – rent a bike and ride around the lake. Thanks to the 33 kilometres of well-built cycle paths, the tour will also be a great experience with children. If you’re seeking a more tranquil conclusion to your trip, you can explore the lake and the surrounding towns by boat from the renovated harbour.

Day 3

Emese Park

On the third day of your tour, we invite you to the adventurous events and activities on offer in Ráckeve and Szigethalom, near Budapest. We hope you are well rested, since you have a really eventful day ahead! After breakfast, your first stop should be Szigethalom, for a glimpse into the daily lives of Hungarians of 1,000 years ago. In Emese Park, in the area of the former barracks, the organisers and operators of the park have created a settlement from the time of Saint Stephen. Of course, the houses wouldn’t be all that interesting if they were empty, so Emese Park’s team don authentic clothes from the period every day to bring history to life. You can get acquainted with Hungarian handicraft traditions and tasks relating to animal husbandry and plant production, but the men of the museum village will also show you how armed combat was practised. You can also go horseback riding and even try archery. Once you’ve seen everything, head to Ráckeve. Take a look at the landscape from the town hall tower, the Fire Tower Lookout. In clear weather, you can spot the hills of Buda from the 40-metre tower, but the eagle-eyed can even see all the way to the Velence hills. Hungary’s only Gothic, Serbian Orthodox church stands in Ráckeve – visit this stone-walled building between the houses as the next stop on your journey.

Watermill in Ráckeve

Did you know that at one point, in addition to mills on land, there were also water mills operating on the Danube? On the banks of the Ráckeve-Danube, the only boat mill in the country works exactly like the classic undershot watermills, with the difference that this structure is on water. Long ago, the location of the boat mill could be changed according to where the water flow was better. Since 2010, more and more families have been visiting this unusual shipyard, where a very entertaining museum has been set up. Children can grind the wheat themselves to experience the difference between the individual wheat groats and flours, while the flour ground here can even be purchased.

Day 4

The Military Memorial Park in Pákozd

After a stretch and a hearty breakfast, it’s time to set off for the fourth day of your tour. If we say Pákozd, what comes to mind? In fact, this was the site of the first battle in the 1848-49 War of Independence, where the Hungarians successfully stopped the enemy. The Military Memorial Park was established in 2010 to commemorate the event, with the aim of presenting decades of military history. On the 1.6-hectare area, you can peek into WWI officers’ barracks, hide in WWII trenches, and find yourself facing a real T-55 tank at the 1956 memorial point. The Don Bend Memorial Chapel, 500 metres from the park, is also a part of the exhibition not to be missed. If you’d like a drink or to sip a cup of coffee, get refreshments at the cafe and its terrace.

The Castle Park and Open-air Ethnographic Museum, Dinnyés

If you’ve covered all the points of the partly outdoor and partly covered exhibition, head for Dinnyés, 10 km on the other side of the M7 motorway. Spot a Guinness World Record holder at this tiny town on Lake Velence. The Castle Park and Open-air Ethnographic Museum are the work of Zoltán Alekszi, who brought his childhood dream to life in the area. At the imposing open-air exhibition, you can admire the models of historical Hungarian castles that only exist as ruins today. A special feature of the exhibition is that the 35 castles stand in the area according to their original geographical location and, like the original structures, are made of stone, wood, brick, cane and mud. In addition to the exhibition, there is also an Árpád-era village museum. The open-air museum’s most unique attraction is the 11th century wooden church, while the village is also home to craftsmen and a good number of domestic animals.

The Bird Song Educational Trail

How about a hike as the closing act to the day? The Bird Song Educational Trail, located in Dinnyés and consisting of three sections and a total length of 15 kilometres, awaits visitors with a special tour. It offers opportunities to meet special birds, reed warblers, egrets and great bitterns, but indigenous domestic animals such as grey cattle and racka sheep will also accompany you along the way.

Day 5

Alcsút Arboretum and the Vál Valley narrow-gauge railway

There is nothing better than greeting the sun with a walk among sky-high trees. If you agree, start the last day of your tour at the Alcsút Arboretum, located 40 km from the capital, between Tata and Székesfehérvár. The palace of Archduke József used to stand in the area, but only the facade and the castle chapel remain intact. Not to worry though: the wonderful English park is still beautiful. The 40-hectare area is home to plant rarities such as Japanese acacia, swamp cypress or 170-year-old Lebanese cedar. The arboretum also organises various events and activities each season. In the spring, admire the gigantic snowdrop fields, while the firefly dance dazzles visitors on midsummer night in June. If you are exploring the park, hop on the Vál Valley narrow-gauge railway, which takes you to Felcsút in 35 minutes.

Bauxite Geological Park

Over the past five days, you’ve had some truly memorable adventures, and to dot the i, visit Gánt to see the Bauxite Geological Park and the Balás Jenő Bauxite Mining Exhibition. It doesn't sound too tempting, does it? Yet the sight will leave you breathless. Walking among the red rocks, you will feel as if you aren’t even walking on Earth, and the park is rare and unique even by European standards. The museum was built on the edge of the mine pit, where you can see classic mining tools and old photographs, but there are also two bauxite locomotives in the museum’s yard.

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