2011 Brochure SMALL

Hungary: the Danube Bend XXX © © WORLD-CLASS Some of the country’s finest scenery, historic towns, 8 DAY TRIP, HUNGARY INTERESTS* castles and Renaissance palaces; fascinating open- u Destination airport: Budapest Hotels 7 Wildlife 6 air ethnographic museum, excellent local food and u Continuous route wine. Restaurants 8 Geology 9 u Fitness: Grade 3 (see pages xx-xx) Wine area 8 Cultural 8 ITINERARY u Days of walking: 5 Scenery 8 History 8 Day 1 After arrival at Budapest Szob on the great river’s left u Shortest / Longest day’s walk: Walking 7 Art 7 airport, we transfer to the town bank. A pleasant riverside stroll 1.5 / 7 hrs 7 8 of Esztergom (1.5 hours) on the brings us to the attractive Flowers Architecture WIDE VIEWS OVER THE MAJESTIC DANUBE RIVER banks of the Danube. There will village of Zebegény, with its Birds 7 Environment 7 be time to explore the unique ‘Sezession-style’ church. ACCOMMODATION *For key see page xx extraordinary hilltop Basilica From here we climb into the and wander the quiet Baroque heart of the southern Börzsöny NIGHT 1 NIGHT 2 FOOD & WINE streets of Hungary's first capital. Hills, rich in ‘romantic’ scenery Esztergom Búbánatvölgy Staples include delicious In the evening, there will be a of volcanic origin. An arduous meat/vegetable and fish soups, wine-tasting in the impressive climb is rewarded with noodles with chicken and paprika, cellars beneath the Basilica, extraordinary views from a goose liver, stuffed cabbage and followed by dinner in the town’s remote tower on top of the pepper, beef stew, roast duck with red cabbage and cottage cheese X finest restaurant, the Primas Hegyestet hill (Alt. X X X X Szent Adalbert Hotel Hotel Bellevue X : : pasta. Puddings: layered pastries, O Pince. 482m/1,580ft). We then O T HHH HHHH T O O dumplings, fried dough and H H P descend through ancient forest P Day 2 Esztergom to NIGHTS 3 & 4 NIGHTS 5 & 6 cakes with a variety of sweet to Nagymaros, where we re- XXX XXX Búbánatvölgy: Free morning in Visegrád Szentendre toppings. There are many cross the river on a stunning ˚F ˚C Hours excellent Hungarian wines which Esztergom, with the chance to 0510 miles 104 40 400 River Danube Average daily Hours of bright are slowly being discovered by (albeit only 10 minute-long!) temperature sunshine visit the Keresztény Museum in 95 35 max min Rain in mm 350 the rest of the world. Locals also ferry ride, admiring the great Búbánatvölgy Visegrád the Archbishop’s Palace, the Nagymaros enjoy 'palinka' – fruited brandies citadel that dominates Visegrád. Esztergom 86 30 300 Basilica Treasury and the (pear, plum or apricot) unique to We stay in an attractive 4* spa 77 25 250 Museum of the Danube. Before this area; and 'unicum', a dark hotel by the river for two nights. Hotel Visegrád Bükkös Hotel 68 20 200 brown bitter containing over 40 lunch, we will climb out of HHHH HHHH Skanzen (13.7 miles, 7 hours) 58 15 150 herbs. Not for the faint-hearted! Esztergom to the Vaskapu Hill Szentendre NIGHT 7 50 10 100 mm (380m) and enjoy lunch with Day 4 Visegrád: Free day in Budapest 150 TERRAIN 41 5 100 wonderful views over the town, Visegrád, with opportunities to Budapest 50 32 0 0 Established forest and mountain the Danube and Slovakia explore the town’s many J F M A M J J A S O N D TEMPERATURE & RAINFALL paths, meadows, wooden valleys, beyond. After lunch we descend highlights: the Royal Palace, stream and river paths. to the Fáfi-kút Well, then pass a Salomon Tower and the © series of picturesque fishing medieval citadel. The all- The magnificent lakes to our riverside 4* hotel, weather steel bob-sleigh run on Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Footnotes HHHHH cathedral of Esztergom is the complete with wellness centre, Castle Hill is optional! (5.5 miles, largest building in Hungary. This in the hamlet of Búbánatvölgy. 3 hours) early 19th century Neo-classical (6.8 miles, 3.5 hours) Day 5 Visegrád to Szentendre: drive brings us back to the structure, built on earlier Day 3 Búbánatvölgy to We climb past the Citadel, and shores of the Danube and our foundations, is impressive not Visegrád: We climb steeply head into the Pilis Hills. Quiet attractive 4* hotel hidden in a just for its size, its Ancient Egyptian-style crypt, its marble through woods to a pilgrimage paths rise and fall through the quiet corner of Szentendre (11.8 Bakocz Chapel adorned with site with wonderful views back woods, taking us into the heart miles, 5.5 hours). Tuscan Renaissance motifs, and over the Danube Valley. Our of the Duna-Ipoly National Park. Day 6 Szentendre: Morning its status as the finest route then descends to the ferry We finish our walk at the free to take in the picturesque Renaissance building in crossing at Basaharc, where we famous outdoor museum of the sights of Szentendre. Renowned Hungary: In a country where cross the Danube to the town of Skanzen, where a 10-minute for its characteristic 18th and much of its architectural 19th century buildings, and heritage has been destroyed by Feet Metres invaders, whether Genghis 3000 915 relaxed ‘southern’ atmosphere, 2000 610 Khan’s Mongols or Ottoman 1000 305 the town has for almost a 0 0 century attracted artists and Turks, this basilica, the world’s Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 6 Day 7 artisans – and with them 18th largest church, seems even Miles 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 workshops, galleries, exhibitions, more outstanding. ESZTERGOM CATHEDRAL and excellent museums. xx Following our free morning, we Tel: +44 (0)1865 315678 • Email: [email protected] • Web: www.atg-oxford.com xx will return by ATG minibus to the Skanzen (the open-air.

Load more