In a word association game, when you say Hungary, most people reply Budapest. Fair enough. The country’s capital is a big, exciting hub, bestriding the Danube and combining contemporary culture, buzzing nightlight, striking architecture and history as rich as goulash. A few nights here is a treat, but the rest of Hungary can get overlooked, which is a shame. Architecturally, it’s diverse, with everything from Roman ruins and medieval townhouses to baroque churches and art nouveau bathhouses. The landscape is gentle rather than dramatic, but there are 10 national parks boasting mountains, wetlands, forests and grasslands, making Hungary a bird watching heaven. Until 100 years ago, it was also one of Europe’s key wine producers, until disease, world wars and 40 years of communist collectivisation interfered. Now, though, Hungary’s wine industry is thriving, a complement to its distinctive Magyar cuisine. Anyone who fancies a silky white and a plate of chicken paprikash will be well catered for!

Read our Hungary travel guide for more details.

With seven countries bordering Hungary, it’s easy to enter the country by road. Small group tours and cycling holidays typically cross the border from Austria or Slovakia, while trains can whisk you between Budapest and far flung capitals such as London and Istanbul. Follow the Danube to see some of Hungary’s most beautiful towns and cities which line its banks or, in the case of Komárom, also straddle the border with Slovakia. In Budapest, explore on foot, bus or by tram. Anyone keen to spot birds and see some Hungarian countryside should head northeast of Budapest, for the national parks around Eger.