The Danube Bend is a picturesque, hilly region of northern
Hungary incorporating the quaint historic towns of Szentendre, Visegrád and
Esztergóm. The name comes from the curving Danube River as it flows from Slovakia southwards into
Hungary. Although popular with Hungarian
and international tourists, this area has retained its rural charm. Close proximity to Budapest and an abundance
of things to do make this area an ideal place for a day trip from the capital.
Lots of people try to visit all three towns in one day and
end up rushing trying to fit it all in.
Instead I would urge you to pick just two in a day (I would say
Szentendre is a must and then either Visegrád or Esztergóm), spending half a
day in each before returning to Budapest in the early evening. In this post, I will give a brief description
of each town and explain how to easily and cheaply access this rural area using public
transport.
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| Danube Bend from Visegrad |
Szentendre
I really loved Szentendre.
The cute medieval centre is a tangle of charming cobbled streets of
pastel-coloured cottages, churches, shops and restaurants. Stroll through the pretty streets and alleys, browse
through the little gift shops or take in one of the town’s many museums –
Szentendre is home to a marzipan museum as well as the Hungarian Open-AirMuseum, which gives visitors an insight into life in rural Hungary through the
ages. [Pronunciation: SEN-TEN-DREH]
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| Colourful streets of Szentendre |
Visegrád
Visegrád is by far the smallest of the three towns, but don’t
dismiss it for its size! The main
attractions in Visegrád are the upper and lower medieval castles, perched upon
a steep hill above the Danube. Assuming
you are visiting without a car, there is a steady, but steep hike between the castles, but it really is worth it as the view from the top is
spectacular. The well-preserved ruins offer a window into history and panoramic views of the Danube River and surrounding countryside. Other
attractions include the Royal Palace and the waxworks. [Pronunciation:
VEE-SHEH-GRAAD]
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| Lower Castle, Visegrad |
Esztergóm
The main attraction in Esztergóm is the huge catholic
basilica which stands proud above the town – the seat of the Catholic Church in
Hungary. Esztergóm has been an important
centre of religion throughout history and remains so today. Other attractions include the Christian Museum, Royal Palace and proximity to the Slovakian border. The old centre of Esztergóm is picturesque,
but much smaller than that of Szentendre. [Pronunciation:
ES-TER-GOM]
Public Transport
I’ve decided to include this section for those like myself
trying to navigate this area without a car.
When you know how, it is actually pretty easy to see the Danube Bend by
public transport. Szentendre has the
easiest access to Budapest as it is linked directly to Batthyhány tér by the HÉV
suburban train. Esztergóm is also linked
to Budapest by train – take the local train from Nyugati (Western)
station.
However, there are no trains between Szentendre and Visegrád,
Szentendre to Esztergóm, or Visegrád to Esztergóm. The fastest and cheapest options where there
is no train is to take the bus. Use the Volan buses. They depart from Szentendre bus station
(right next to the train station). At
the main stops there are ticket machines to buy bus tickets before you get on
the bus, but at the smaller stops you can buy tickets from the driver.
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| Riverboats are a relaxing way to see the Danube Bend |
A more relaxing and way to see the Danube Bend is by taking
a riverboat. Each of the three towns has
a pier and you are able to book in advance or pay on the day. However, the boats are more expensive and
much slower. I’ve put together a map below to make it a bit simpler!
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| Danube Bend by public transport |
I hope this has helped! If you have any questions, feel free
to leave them in the comments section below and I’ll get back to you. For my guide on Budapest, follow this link. Thank you for reading!
Elis Griffiths. x
