After all the feasting of Christmas and with no gatherings on New Year’s Eve, exercise and outdoor recreation are the order of the day. Here are five suggestions for easy day trips from Budapest, accessible by public transport and requiring hiking boots and a little preparation.

1/5

Dobogókő

Many myths surround the chakras, spiritual strength and energies of Dobogókő, but there’s more reason to visit this hallowed site than a positive start to the New Year. From its 700-metre-high vantage point, the highest peak in the Visegrád hills, the panorama is stunning, and you can also take smaller or larger round trips around the peak, the shortest being the two-kilometre Thirring körút marked by yellow signs. The first tourist lodging in Hungary was established here, and at weekends, hikers await other hikers with cauldrons of hot soup, chimney cake and hot chocolate, according to their Facebook page. Using public transport, it’s best to take the forest path to Pilisszentkereszt following the blue signs, returning to Pomáz from the village by the same bus you came on. Our photographer Bálint Hirling recently visited Dobogókő and took these dazzling photos.


How to get here from Budapest: HÉV train to Pomáz then local transport to Dobogókő.

2/5

Nagy-Kopasz hill

The highest point in the Buda hills is Nagy-Kopasz. Its 559-metre-high peak is more of a wide, tree-covered plateau, topped by the sail-shaped Pál Csergezán lookout tower. An information board lists the landmarks and destinations spread out below. The hill where Páty, Nagykovács and Telki meet can be found on the right-hand side of the road from Budakeszi to Telki, where the Hidegvölgy forest hut is also located. This is where the Sisakvirág nature trail starts, which leads to the lookout by following the triangular green signs. Leaving the woods, you find yourself on a grassy plateau of rocky dolomite, the location for Tarnai rest stop, where the panorama is amazing, particularly from the outcrops. From here, the lookout tower is hidden between the trees, 15-20 minutes away.


How to get here from Budapest: Volánbusz 795 from Széll Kálmán tér towards Zsámbék, alight at Páty, Telki or Hidegvölgyi Erdészlak, journey time around 30-40mins.


3/5

Nagymaros-Zebegény

Zebegény and Nagymaros can also be reached by trains departing from Nyugati station, so it may make sense to travel from one picturesque settlement through the Börzsöny woods to the other. On the road marked with blue crosses, you can easily walk along the forest trail eight kilometres long, the two ends being the Stone Cross above Nagymaros and the Trianon lookout monument above Zebegény. Starting from Nagymaros, passing Köves-mező, you are greeted by a spectacular view of the Visegrád Citadel, but nothing beats the stunning panorama of the bastion-shaped Julianus tower, built in 1939. Another unique attraction here is the Hermit’s Cave, but this detour is inadvisable in bad weather due to the steep, slippery path.


How to get here from Budapest: Trains leave Nyugati station every 30mins in the direction of Szob.

4/5

Prédikálószék

This peak is one of the most popular excursions around the Danube Bend, as illustrated by the visitor counter installed in the lookout tower built in 2016. It got its name from its rocky, pulpit-like summit. The 16-kilometre hike to the top 639 metres high can be completed in six to seven hours – at the start, a sign warns hikers that the trail is tricky and only recommended for the experienced. Those who tackle it should be in good condition and wear decent hiking boots but those who succeed are rewarded with one of the most beautiful panoramas in Hungary. Below stretches the Danube Bend, the Börzsöny, Nagymaros and Visegrád. From the centre of Dömös, turn onto Királykúti út and walk out of the village – the path marked with a red triangle will lead you to the summit, passing the so-called Wild Stones in their unusual shapes.


How to get here from Budapest: Volánbusz 880 from Budapest Újpest-Városkapu (1hr 30mins), which also calls at Szentendre.

5/5

Spartacus trail

The most beautiful hiking path in the Danube Bend was once a hunting trail, but it was given over to tourism in 2015, allowing everyone to enjoy this popular route established in 1930. The most beautiful panorama in the Danube Valley peeks through from time to time, revealing from the winding track on the slope that the path is lined with rock towers. You shouldn’t expect big changes in elevation, but the trail is narrow and best tackled in single file. It starts from the centre of Pilisszentlászló, and you should follow the green signs through the village. The whole trek to Visegrád takes about three to four hours. At Apát-kút valley, you can decide whether to turn left for Visegrád, or right, taking you back into Pilisszentlászló, following the red signs for some two to three hours.


How to get here from Budapest: Volánbusz 870 from Szentendre to Pilisszentlászló (25mins). To return back to Szentendre from Visegrád, take Volánbusz 880 (45mins), which also goes to Budapest Újpest-Városkapu (1hr 15mins).

Tags