A little more
Hungary.
A lot less roaming.

Travelling to Hungary: what to know before you go

Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe best known for Budapest, a grand Danube city of thermal baths, coffee houses and ruin bars, but it also has Lake Balaton, historic wine regions and the open plains of the Great Hungarian Plain. It suits city breakers, spa lovers, wine travellers and anyone touring Central Europe by train.

Where to go

• Budapest. The Danube divides hilly Buda, with its castle district and Fisherman's Bastion, from flat Pest, home to the Hungarian Parliament, St Stephen's Basilica and the grand boulevards.
• Budapest's thermal baths. The city sits on natural hot springs.
• Ruin bars and the Jewish Quarter. In Budapest's seventh district, bars have been created in courtyards of old buildings, filled with mismatched furniture.
• Lake Balaton. Central Europe's largest lake is Hungary's summer playground, with shallow, warm water on the south shore, and wine villages, volcanic hills and the Tihany peninsula with its abbey on the north shore.

Best time to visit

Spring (April to June) and early autumn (September to October) offer pleasant temperatures and are good for walking around Budapest and visiting wine regions during the harvest. July and August are hot and are peak season at Lake Balaton, with festivals including the large Sziget Festival in Budapest in August.

Staying online in Hungary

Mobile coverage is good throughout Budapest, other cities and along main roads and railways, with 4G widely available and 5G in larger cities. Coverage can be patchier in hilly rural areas and some parts of the Great Plain. Free Wi-Fi is common in cafés, hotels and many restaurants. Hungary is in the EU, so EU roaming rules apply for visitors from other EU countries. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.