Language
"The difficulty and subtlety of the Magyar language has always excluded outsiders from Hungarian literature in the original, prompting the poet Gyula Ilyes to write "The Hungarian language is at one and the same time our softest cradle and our most solid coffin."
This, however, has a number of benefits for the foreigner who can appreciate them. I've never yet met a Hungarian, who expects a foreigner to be able to speak the language. There is no rolling of the eyes, sighing etc that one might expect to experience, for example, in Paris. On the contrary, there seems to be an almost universal sympathy and acceptance of the language barrier, with the consequence that people will go out of their way to be helpful to you, be that leading you to where you might need to go, or by finding you a person who can translate.
The English language is in widespread use, by officialdom, who are well aware of the linguistic difficulty, and who cater to it admirably. All self service machines seem to have an English language option, and even the tickets on the Budapest metro have their usage instructions printed in English. Nevertheless, fear of not being understood seems to deter most foreigners from venturing beyond Budapest to any significant degree.
I have a pretty good idea now of how to pronounce words and names such as Székesfehérvár and Nyíregyháza, but beyond that my Magyar is pretty non-existent, and I seem to manage OK there.
Environment
Under its current borders, Hungary does not have a coastline, but it does possess most everything else that makes for an enjoyable and relaxing environment. There are hills in the north of the country, prairie in the east, and wooded lowlands in the west. The place I particularly enjoy, however is Lake Balaton, a 50 mile long freshwater lake, in the heart of the country. Warm in the summer, shallow by its shore, this is a place that should be on every foreign visitor's agenda, yet rarely is.
Food
Whilst I imagine it's possible to get a bad meal in Hungary, I've never had one yet. The food is excellent, if sometimes a little on the heavy side, during the summer months. Hungary is an immensely fertile country, with a well known wine industry, and has recently got in on the craft beer scene, which is good to see. It's probably not a destination for vegetarians, but those who enjoy fresh produce and meat will be in their element.
Weather
Through sheer ignorance, I've heard many people who've never been to Hungary mention to me that they always imagined it was a cold country. Whilst this holds true in the winter, nothing could be further from the truth in the summer, where the weather is hot, humid, and punctuated by frequent downpours.
Costs
Budapest is the most expensive place in Hungary, although still a bargain by western European benchmarks. Once you get outside the capital, however, prices drop rapidly. Good quality food, drink, entertainment and accommodation is available for a fraction of the price that you would pay in the west.
Culture
This is also a country that's packed with fascinating cultural attractions. Unlike many of the world's modern states, Hungary is not a recent construct, and has a rich history, dating back over 1000 years. The Holy Crown of St Stephen, the ultimate symbol of Hungarian sovereignty, history and nationhood, is an ancient artefact which today resides underneath the dome of the Hungarian parliament, one of the most impressive legislative buildings in the world.
Hungary has contributed more than its fair share of composers, playwrights and authors, but there is also a vibrant living culture within the country, such as the horsemanship which medieval Hungarians were so associated with, and which survives today in the form of horse shows.
The provincial cities of Hungary, are almost entirely overlooked by foreigners, which is a shame. My particular highlights have been Pécs, Sopron, Veszprém and Eger.
People
Obviously, as mentioned above, the linguistic complexity of the Magyar language will limit the degree of interaction you can have with some people. But English is increasingly widespread, and many younger people are keen to practice.
What has always struck me, however, is that, although culturally reserved, how kind and friendly the people are, once you get to know them. They are always exceptions to this, wherever you go, but this is a country, where the worst that's likely to happen to you is you get taken for a ride by an unlicenced cab that's been waiting for the unwary at the airport. You feel safe here, people do not behave in a threatening way, nobody tries to accost you for the purpose of fleecing you, and they're more likely to come up to you because you've dropped something, rather than because they want to steer you into a restaurant, or somehow part you with cash, as is the case in lots of other countries.
As you can probably tell, I'm a massive enthusiast for the place. I've never lived there, so I don't know as much as I should about what the various downsides would be, but I encourage anybody who is able to visit, not to miss it.
Most Helpful Opinions