May to June or September to October is the best time to visit Hungary, with mild weather and fewer crowds than peak summer. June to August brings the warmest weather but the busiest crowds in Budapest. There are highlights year-round: Sziget Festival transforms Óbuda Island into one of Europe's biggest music festivals every August, the Budapest Wine Festival brings winemakers to the courtyards of Buda Castle every September, and Budapest's thermal baths and Christmas markets drawing visitors through December.

The best things to do in Hungary include exploring Budapest's thermal baths and architecture, cruising the Danube, and wine tasting near Lake Balaton.

• Exploring Budapest's thermal baths, including Széchenyi and Gellért

• Cruising or walking along the Danube, taking in the Chain Bridge and Parliament building

• Wine tasting in the Tokaj region or around Lake Balaton

• Touring Buda Castle and the Fisherman's Bastion

• Wandering the historic centre of Eger, known for its castle and thermal baths

• Visiting Hollókő, a UNESCO-listed traditional village

• Watching a Puszta horse show in Hortobágy National Park, Europe's largest protected grassland and home to Hungary's traditional horsemen

• Hiking through Aggtelek National Park's Baradla Cave, the largest stalactite cave system in Europe

Hungary is reachable from London via a change of trains in Brussels or Paris, with daytime trains or sleeper trains connecting onward to Munich, Vienna and Prague, followed by a train into Budapest. Within Hungary, trains connect Budapest with towns and cities across the country.

Our price includes all transport, accommodation and a personalized itinerary for your trip. Byway's travel experts are also available on WhatsApp throughout for disruption support and travel tips.

No, flights to Europe aren't included, but all transport and accommodation once you're here is. Short-haul flights are highly carbon-intensive, and traveling around Europe by train, ferry or bus is an easy, enjoyable alternative.

Yes. Different hotel options are available to choose from on the trip page, and any room upgrade requests can be added in the booking form. Our team will then find upgrade options and discuss them with you.

No. If you'd like to leave Europe from a different city, our concierge team can build you a custom one-way trip.

Yes. Prices on our trip pages are shown in your local currency by default, or you can select your preferred currency, including USD, CAD, EUR or CHF, from the dropdown in the top right corner of the trip page. The payment page will always show the price in your chosen currency.

You can generally bring as much luggage as you can carry, as long as it fits in the luggage racks or overhead space. On Eurostar, UK and most European trains, the standard allowance is two large bags and one smaller item, provided you can manage them yourself; let us know in advance if you're planning to bring anything oversized. Since you may need to change stations or walk to hotels, packing light makes the journey more comfortable.

Most European train tickets are digital and sent to you by email. A few, including tickets for Spain, Portugal and some EuroCity trains, require paper tickets, which can be mailed to a hotel on your itinerary.

No, Byway trips are self-guided, not part of a group tour. You'll have on-demand personalized support by WhatsApp, text or phone throughout, so all the planning and booking is done for you, and any disruptions are handled without you having to worry about them.