Hungary is one of those particularly unique countries in Europe – despite being landlocked and sharing borders with seven other countries, it’s developed and maintained a quite distinct language and culture. Hungarian is well-known to be one of the most difficult languages in Europe, but fortunately plenty of Hungarians speak a little English and you [...]

Hungary has one of the most unique histories of all the former European Communist countries. Ancestors of the Magyars, Hungary has a distinct culture and people that is unlike any in Europe. While many people come to see the sights and explore the culture in Budapest, Recsk offers a local connection to the culture, wine [...]

When you visit Hungary, you experience one of the most unique cultures and history in all of Europe.  Budapest is a very underrated capital with the towns of Buda and Pest separated by the Danube river (one of the many experiences worth checking out is the Szechenyi Baths).  In visiting Hungary, I gained a greater [...]

Border towns fascinate me, places where the political ravages of wars and time have meant that a once united town now spreads over two countries, so when I heard about Komarno in south-western Slovakia I immediately planned a day trip from Bratislava to check it out. Komarno, along with its sister-town Komarom across the border [...]

Forget T in the Park, my Europe travel tip for where the real action is happening is the Sziget Festival, now one of Europe’s largest music festivals. Sziget means island in Hungarian, and the reason the festival is called this is because it’s held on the ‘Old Buda Island’ in the Danube River in Hungary’s [...]

When visiting Budapest, there are a number of things to see – the Buda castle, the Chain Bridge, a stroll down Andrássy Avenue, Heroes Square, and many others. However, one of the best experiences in Budapest is a day at a thermal bath – Szechenyi. Located in City Park, Szechenyi Bath is a beautiful structure [...]

Ryanair’s current 30% off fares UK promotion runs from 22 – 25 January 2010 for fights departing from 5 February – 25 March 2010. You need to book at least 14 days in advance. I’ve highlighted some of best places to visit in Europe which are accessible with these cheap Ryanair flights, quoting the lowest [...]

Welcome to Europe A La Carte’s first post of 2010! Oh, and Happy New Year. May the year bring you wishes, wealth, and all the delights you desire. I thought we’d start off the year on the right foot, with some tips and suggestions for the best places to visit in Europe during 2010. Istanbul, [...]

Budapest, the capital of Hungary is one of the top choices for budget travellers from the UK and US. It offers a winning combination of beautiful architecture and low prices. Szechenyi Chain Bridge, Budapest by SF Brit However it’s emerged that many British visitors are not sure of the difference between Budapest and the Romanian [...]

Hot chocolate in Budapest. It’s a bit of a random thought but this week I was honestly discussing which cafes we’ve visited that were the most scenic, and I suddenly remembered a great experience in Budapest. I spent a day exploring the Castle Hill area of Budapest – it’s on the western side of the [...]