TOP attractions across the country to start your year off right

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Szabó Sára

Platán Udvarház és Platán Gourmet Étterem Platán Bisztró Gyöngyösi Állatkert Xantus János Állatkert Zoo Debrecen Veszprémi Állatkert Xantus János Gömbkilátó Kéz-kilátó (Isten tenyere kilátó) Galya-kilátó Zengő-kilátó

When the holiday season is over, you can start the new year with renewed vigour. Maybe your 2026 bucket list or your resolutions are not complete yet, we will help you fill it with adventurous, inspiring items to get the new year off to a flying start. So let's start planning!

MICHELIN-awarded restaurants and catering establishments in Hungary

The wonderful lookout points of our country that you should definitely visit

TOP ice rinks at Lake Balaton for beginners and advanced skaters

Animal adventures, focus on friendly capybaras

Discover the excellent restaurants of our country!

The world's leading restaurant guide, the MICHELIN Guide, lists outstanding restaurants every year, not only in other countries, but also in Hungary. An interesting fact is that at the 2025 awards gala the judges presented more awards than ever before, a total of 84. They also awarded the best individual performances, so the Young Chef of the Year, Opening of the Year, Sommelier of the Year, and Service of the Year awards were also awarded. It is worth browsing through the new units and those that have retained their recognition and targeting some of them.

For example, if you are in Tata, it is not only worth booking a table at the MICHELIN Bib Gourmand-rated Platán Bistro, but it is also highly recommended to stay at the now MICHELIN-key-rated Platán Manor. In Tata, you can also have a “star” experience, as the complex also includes the two-MICHELIN-starred Platán Gourmet Restaurant led by chef István Pesti.

Hello Hungary tip: If you book a table at Platán Bistro, be sure to try the world-famous plate meat of good old days! The “Tafelspitz” from the time of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy is a special and complex dish – in the Platán style. The beef broth, tender beef and marrowbone are served with potatoes, sauces, toast and vegetables. The hearty meal is worth accompanying with the Platán signature dessert by pastry chef Tamás László.

Stunning panorama and winter tours to start the year

We believe that it is not just worth putting on your hiking boots in the warmer months! It can be an epic start to the year if you make a pilgrimage with your family, as a couple or even solo to special lookouts from which you can take breathtaking photos even in the coldest weather. For example, from the panoramic roof level of the Zengő lookout in Hosszúhetény, you can enjoy a magnificent view of the Mecsek Mountains.

The János Xantus Sphere Lookout stands at the top of Várdomb in Balatonboglár, offering what some consider to be one of the most beautiful panoramic views of Lake Balaton, if not the most beautiful. A canopy walk also starts from the lookout, which winds along the ridge of Várdomb for 500 metres.

In another corner of the country, in Salgótarján, the Kéz (Hand) Lookout is worth visiting, which is famous for its unique shape – by stepping into the wooden hand, you can experience what it feels like to stand on the "palm of God".

There is also a special lookout tower on Galya-tető. The structure offers a majestic view of the Bükk Mountains, the High Tatras and the rolling landscape below you, but cosy bivouac accommodations are also available if you are not afraid of extreme experiences.

Skate on the ice rinks of Lake Balaton!

It is not worth waiting for permanent minus temperatures, as you can find more than a dozen cosy ice rinks on the shores of the Hungarian Sea. Whether it is a one-day or multi-day trip, it is worth stringing together active adventures, as the winter Balaton is a real magical world! If you were to head to the southern coast, visit the Fonyód Wonderland, where the little ones can skate in a fenced practice area and the grown-ups on the large ice rink. In Siófok, in addition to skating, you can also go snow tubing, and on the Zamárdi Winter Promenade you can play sports to live music on weekends. There are also artificial ice rinks in Balatonboglár and Keszthely, but the longest ice rink system on the Balaton shore is on the Tagore Promenade in Balatonfüred!

In Füred, you can meander along the illuminated promenade between the trees, and the waterside track system offers a wonderful panorama of Lake Balaton. In addition to sliding, there is also face painting, shows and musical programmes.

Pet the zoo's most lovable inhabitants!

Water-pigs, or capybaras, are undeniably one of the cutest characters of recent times! The world's largest rodents can grow up to 60 kilograms, and they are also extremely friendly. They enjoy the company of not only each other, but also other animals; they are often seen in the company of other species – their presence is reassuring for most animals (and of course humans).

Fortunately, you can observe them in many places in our country, and there are even places where you can pet the furry animals! Capybaras live in the Gyöngyös Zoo, the Veszprém Zoo, and the Zoo Debrecen, and you can even find a capybara petting zoo in the Xantus János Zoo in Győr.