Hungary

The thermal baths are not a spa day. They are the national pastime

Budapest is two cities that merged: hilly, residential Buda on one bank and flat, busy Pest on the other, with the Danube and a series of very photogenic bridges in between. It has grand Habsburg architecture, a parliament building of ludicrous ambition for the size of the country, and a habit of being cheaper than it looks.

The thermal baths are the thing to understand. Budapest sits on a geothermal field and has been bathing in it since the Romans, then the Ottomans, then the Habsburgs built palaces around it. Szechenyi is the vast yellow one where old men play chess in steam. This is not a treat, it is what people do on a Tuesday.

The ruin bars are the other export. Derelict buildings in the old Jewish quarter filled with mismatched furniture and questionable art, which started as a squat-adjacent scene and is now firmly on the itinerary. Szimpla Kert is the original and still worth it despite the crowds. Outside the capital, Lake Balaton is where the country goes in summer.

Annual events and festivals

• Busojaras, Mohacs (Feb) — UNESCO listed. Men in horned wooden masks and sheepskin drive out winter and, traditionally, the Ottomans.
• Budapest Spring Festival (Apr) — the largest cultural festival in the country.
• Sziget Festival (Aug) — a week on an island in the Danube. One of the biggest music festivals in Europe.
• St Stephen Day (20 Aug) — the national day, with a huge fireworks display over the Danube.
• Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix (Jul) — a fixture since 1986, and a big weekend for the city.
• Budapest Wine Festival (Sep) — held in the grounds of Buda Castle.
• Cafe Budapest Contemporary Arts Festival (Oct) — ten days of contemporary music, dance and visual art.
• 1956 Revolution Memorial Day (23 Oct) — commemorations across the country.
• Martinmas (11 Nov) — roast goose and new wine.
• Christmas Markets (Nov-Dec) — Vorosmarty Square, regularly rated among the best in Europe.