Autumn City Trips: 5+1 Charming Hungarian Cities for Weekend Getaways

What’s this article about?

• Székesfehérvár – In the footsteps of kings and a museum adventure
• Sopron – The city of loyalty, towers, and medieval alleys
• Pécs – A little taste of the Mediterranean for the cooler months
• Keszthely – From the castle to the thermal lake
• Pápa – The Baroque city
• 1 Esztergom

Székesfehérvár’s history is rich with exciting events and related sites. In the Middle Ages, a significant number of Hungarian kings was crowned here, and the city also hosted epoch-making national assemblies and magnificent weddings. In the Romkert, as you walk among the ruins of the former Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption, you can step back into this bygone era.

Even when the weather is cooler, there’s no shortage of things to do: at such times, it’s worth exploring Székesfehérvár’s museums. At the Hetedhét Toy Museum, nearly 5,000 antique toys and dolls await us, including a tiny dollhouse town modelled after Székesfehérvár’s buildings – and we can even see toys made from stag beetle antlers! At the István Csók Art Gallery, modern and contemporary art takes center stage, while the King Saint Stephen Museum houses genuine Roman treasures, such as a hoard of 3,134 coins hidden in Gorsium.

If you’re not sure where to start, it’s worth stopping by the Tourinform office first, where you can even pick up a Kajla puzzle book for the kids. After a stroll through the city, it’s nice to recharge at the Árpád Baths, where, amid the Art Nouveau-style spaces, everything from the Turkish bath and adventure pools to the sauna programs is available for a pleasant relaxation.

To round out the day, enjoy a truly delicious pizza at the Dellarosso Pizzeria: among the pizzas with crispy crusts made from dough proofed for 48 hours, in addition to the classic savoury flavours, those with a sweet tooth should definitely try the Nutella and mascarpone version.

There are some Hungarian cities that seem as if they were made for foggy, colourful autumn weekends. Sopron is just such a place, where you can fit a surprising amount into even a single day. We can start the morning with a stroll through the historic downtown, climb the Fire Tower, and then explore the Main Square, the Storno House, and the Museum Quarter connected to the city walls. If you get tired along the way, pop into a cozy Old Town café – such as Café Nana – and take a moment to look around.

After exploring the city center, it’s worth taking a stroll to the Lenck Villa. Built in 1892, the villa was once the home of the wealthy Lenck family of wine merchants, and later even the Danish heir to the throne lived there. Today, within its walls, you can catch a glimpse of the elegant bourgeois world of the turn of the century – as if you’ve stepped back a little into the everyday life of old Sopron.

Of course, the Lővérek cannot be left out of Sopron’s autumn itinerary. Here, we can swap a city stroll for forest trails: enjoy a leisurely hike beneath the reddish-gold canopy, breathing in the fresh forest air and taking in beautiful views. And at the end of the day, there’s no better way to wrap things up than with a glass of Sopron Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch) in one of the charming wine cellars.

Hello Hungary tip: Esterházy Castle in Fertőd

If you are in Sopron or in the Fertő region, it’s well worth making a detour – in fact, Fertőd, with its Esterházy Castle, is a half-hour’s drive away and makes for a great destination in its own right for a full day out. Known as the ‘Hungarian Versailles’, the castle is one of Hungary’s most significant Baroque monuments; its rooms offer an insight into the history of the Esterházy family and the daily life of the aristocracy in the 18th century. It’s well worth losing yourself in the castle’s enchanting gardens and parks too. The princely residence boasts a significant musical heritage: Joseph Haydn served the Esterházys for more than three decades.

A special attraction is the Marionette Theatre, which offers a glimpse into the entertainment culture of the former aristocratic court during special events. You can also take part in guided tours of the castle, museum education sessions and musical programmes.

Pécs is the city where you can sneak a little Mediterranean flair into your weekend plans even during the colder months. It’s a colourful, youthful, and surprisingly multifaceted city: squares with a Mediterranean vibe, colourful downtown houses, relics from the Ottoman era, and a vibrant cultural scene await visitors. The Main Square, Széchenyi Square, and the area around the mosque are a good starting point for exploring the city; from here, the Pécs Cathedral and many of the downtown attractions are also easily accessible.

One of the most exciting remnants of Pécs’s Roman past is the complex of early Christian burial chambers. Buried underground, these nearly 1,700-year-old burial chambers, decorated with frescoes, have been preserved and are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

One of the weekend’s special stops could be the Zsolnay Quarter. This “mini city,” interwoven with parks and promenades, is home to galleries, exhibitions, craft shops, cafés, the Planetarium, and the Interactive Magic Space.

On a cooler afternoon, let’s sneak in a little rest and some culinary delights into our sightseeing! Let’s pop into Pécsi Kávé for a hot coffee, stop by the Littke Champagne Factory for a glass of champagne, or wrap up the day at a cozy restaurant on Király Street!

Lake Balaton has long been more than just a summer destination. A trip to Keszthely in the autumn can also be a great choice for a fulfilling weekend. Let’s start at the Festetics Castle, where you can explore the world of the aristocracy through more than 80 rooms. One of the castle’s true highlights is the Helikon Library: with more than 80,000 volumes, it’s not only a stunning sight but also one of Europe’s largest intact aristocratic libraries.

In the palace park, the Carriage Museum and the Bird Park are also worth a visit, but there are lesser-known spots as well. Just a few minutes’ walk from the palace are the Imre Festetics Experience Center and the Hunting Museum. With the help of hundreds of taxidermy specimens, you can explore the wildlife of five continents here in just a few hours.

On a leisurely afternoon, you can stop for coffee and a pastry at the Tulipán Café, then continue walking through Helikon Park to the shore of Lake Balaton. We can continue the day in Hévíz as well. Just a few kilometres from Keszthely lies one of the world’s largest natural thermal lakes suitable for swimming, whose waters remain pleasantly warm even in the autumn.

The town of Pápa is also a great choice for a fall weekend if you’d like to discover something new instead of the usual destinations. Take a stroll through the Baroque main square, the Great Church, and the area around Esterházy Castle – and don’t miss the castle itself! Costumed docents will guide you through its halls, offering a glimpse into the world of aristocratic life.

Another interesting attraction is the Blue Dye Museum, where, in a workshop dating back more than 200 years, we can learn about the traditional techniques of blue dyeing. Walking among the old dye vats, stencils, and the massive drying loft, we can get a glimpse into a craft that is now a true rarity.

In the Reformed Collection, you can even see a mummy that’s over 200 years old – you’d hardly expect such a unique attraction in a small town in Transdanubia. The town’s literary past is just as fascinating: Sándor Petőfi and Mór Jókai were both students at the famous Reformed College in Pápa.

After an eventful city tour, a great way to wrap up the day is at the Várkertfürdő, where you can relax in the thermal pools even during the cooler months. An autumn weekend in Pápa is thus varied enough for everyone to find something to their liking.

There’s something special about arriving in Esztergom and suddenly seeing the huge dome of the Basilica appear before you. This sight alone makes the trip worthwhile, but if you stay for a weekend, you’ll soon discover that the city has much more to offer. On the Castle Hill, next to the Basilica, you can visit the medieval royal palace and the Castle Chapel, where a unique, original rose window has been preserved.

Then head to the Danube embankment! You can stroll along the river and then cross the Mária Valéria Bridge to pop over to Párkány (Štúrovo) for a coffee. On your way back, it’s worth venturing up St. Thomas Hill, where the area around the Calvary offers a truly unique view of the Danube and the Basilica.

On cooler days, the Danube Museum’s interactive exhibition is a great option, where you can explore the world of rivers and water management. And to round out the day, enjoy a dinner downtown or a glass of wine at one of the area’s restaurants or wineries.