The Great Hungarian Plain (Alföld) covers a little more than half of the country and most of its eastern and southeastern portions. It sits south of the Carpathian Mountains, and north of the Dinaric Alps and the Sava River. Rolling hills meet flatlands in areas such as the Tisza River Valley. Szeged, located in the southern portion, is situated on the Tisza River and is home to such points of interest as the iconic Votive Cathedral of Our Lady of Hungary and the University of Szeged, the most prestigious university in Hungary. Debrecen, the principal city of the northern Plain, is the country's second-largest city, where many key historical moments occurred during the Revolution of 1848 and the quest for Hungarian independence. The largest grassland in Europe, the 288-square-mile Hortobágy National Park, is situated on the Plain; it is Hungary's oldest national park and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Budapest, Hungary`s capital, is two cities in one! Buda is on a hill and Pest is on a plain, with both sides separated by the Danube River and connected by four magnificent bridges. Budapest is one of Europe`s most delightful and enjoyable cities. It throbs with life morning, noon and night.
Lake Balaton, one of the largest freshwater lakes in Europe, is the second most-popular tourist destination in Hungary after Budapest. Whether you want to enjoy a thermal spa, visit a wildlife preserve, ride a jet ski, laze the day away in a boat, or sun yourself on the shore, there is something to interest everyone.
Transdanubia comprises roughly the western half of Hungary and includes many popular destinations and sights, such as Pannonhalma Archabbey, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the cities of Gyor and Pécs; spa towns such as Sarvar and Szekesfehervar; and of course the enduringly popular Lake Balaton.