Hungary

A Danube capital of grand thermal baths, neo-Gothic riverside landmarks and a legendary ruin-bar nightlife scene, at the heart of Central Europe.

Currency Hungarian forint (HUF) — an EU member but outside the Eurozone; cards are widely accepted in Budapest, but keep some cash for smaller vendors and markets.

Best time to visit May–June and September are ideal — mild and green with fewer crowds than midsummer. July–August is warm and busy, especially around the thermal baths. Winter (Dec–Jan) is cold but atmospheric for the Christmas markets, and the thermal baths are especially memorable in the snow.

Practical tips

Hungarian is the main language; English is common in central Budapest and tourist areas, less so elsewhere.
Standard European plug (two round pins, Type C/F), 230V.
10% is customary in restaurants for good service — check the bill first, as it's sometimes already added.
Buy public transport tickets before boarding and validate them; on-the-spot fines for riding without one are common and strictly enforced.

Budapest

A grand Danube capital split between hilltop Buda and elegant Pest, famous for its ornate thermal baths, a neo-Gothic Parliament, and a legendary 'ruin bar' nightlife scene.

Pécs

A sunny southern Hungarian city under the Mecsek hills, with a UNESCO Early Christian Necropolis, a former Ottoman mosque on its main square, the Zsolnay ceramics quarter and excellent small museums.

Szeged

A sunny Tisza-river city in southern Hungary with a rebuilt Art Nouveau centre, the twin-towered Votive Church on Dóm tér and a famous summer open-air festival.

Debrecen

Hungary's second city and the 'Calvinist Rome': a yellow Great Reformed Church on Kossuth Square, the Déri Museum and Reformed College, plus the Great Forest park with a zoo and a big thermal spa.

Photos: Budapest – Wikimedia Commons; Pécs – Wikimedia Commons; Szeged – Wikimedia Commons; Debrecen – Wikimedia Commons