Lake Balaton Panoramic View

• Hungary is a country located in Central Europe.
• It is located in the Pannonian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria.
• The capital and largest city is Budapest.
• Hungary is a member of the European Union, NATO, the OECD, the Visegrád Group, and is a Schengen state.
• The official language is Hungarian, which is the most widely spoken non-Indo-European language in Europe.
• Since English is now obligatory in schools, if you address people in their teens, twenties or lower thirties, you stand a good chance that they will speak English well enough to help you out. German is also very useful in Hungary: it is almost just as widely spoken as English.
• The country contains relatively low mountains in the north-west, the Great Plain in the east, lakes and rivers, and many beautiful small villages.
• The main religion followed in Hungary is Roman Catholicism, followed by Calvinist, Lutheran and Greek Catholicism.
• Hungary follows republican form of government.

HISTORY

• Hungary is one of the oldest countries in Europe, founded way back in the year 896.
• The Kingdom of Hungary was one of the largest states in Europe, around 1000 CE.
• During the First World War, Hungary fights on the losing side and the monarchy collapses.
• In 1920, The Trianon Treaty reduced Hungary’s area by two thirds and the population by one third.
• From 1938 to 1940, Germany raise treaties in Munich and Vienna in which Southern Slovakia and Northern Transylvania were returned to Hungary.
• During World War II in 1944, the Nazis occupy Hungary.
• In 1990, The Soviet Union army leaves Hungary and a Hungarian democracy is set up.

FACTS

Parliament of Hungary

• The noiseless match, Rubik’s cube, holography, ballpoint pen, theory of the hydrogen bomb, BASIC programming language and the krypton electric bulb were invented by Hungarians only.
• The Hungarian Grand Prix of 1986 was the first Formula One race to take place behind the Iron Curtain.
• Hungary has won the sixth highest number of Summer Olympic gold medals.
• Hungarian language is also known as Magyar and is the direct descendent of the language spoken by the Huns, who gave the country its name.
• Asian genes form only a tiny percentage of the Hungarian population.
• Hungary was amongst the first communist-era countries that opposed the Soviet regime during the Cold War.
• In 1989, Hungary became the first communist-block country to open its borders with Western Europe.
• As per EU statistics, Hungary has the highest death rate by cancer in Europe and also the highest female suicide rate.
• Hungary has one of the most important thermal spring cultures in all of Europe. There are as many as 1,500 spas in the country, adorned with Roman, Greek and Turkish architecture. Hungary also boasts of 450 public baths.
• Numerous established composers, like Béla Bartók, Zoltán Kodály and Franz Liszt, belonged to Hungary.
• Until 2007, 13 Hungarians had received a Nobel Prize.

Heroes Square, Budapest

• Main courses are normally 2500-3000HUF in touristy places, such as Budapest, and 1500-1800HUF outside it
• A lunch in Budapest is from 900 to 8000 HUF per person, and half or third of that outside Budapest (Chinese fast food menu is around 500 HUF).
• For the cheapest room in a youth hostel in Budapest expect to pay between €10 and €12, but the normal rate in a hostel is €20-22 per person.
• The basic fee for taxis is 300 HUF and then about 250-350 HUF per km
• Eating at a restaurant 1500-3000 HUF
• Fast-food hamburger  200-700
• Bus ticket 140-270
• Beer 120-400
• Movie ticket 1000-1200
• Museum entry 500-1200
• Pool entry 1200-3000

Click here to see The Economist’s Big Mac Index.  It is arguably the world’s most accurate financial indicator to be based on a fast-food item.

Landscape of Tihany

• Passports, cash, and credit cards are favourite target of thieves. Be extra cautious with any items you do not store in your hotel safe.  Keep in mind that even purses and backpacks can be vulnerable, even if they are closed with a zipper.
• Hungary is fairly quiet during the night compared to other European countries, and crime to tourists restricts to mostly pick pocketing and possibly cheating on prices, bills and taxi fares.
• In Hungary, there are approximately 1,200 fatal traffic accidents per year, with about 7,000 traffic accidents per year resulting in serious injuries.

Click here to see Canadian Government Travel Reports and Warnings on http://www.voyage.gc.ca/.  Travel Reports offer information on safety and security, local laws and customs, entry requirements, health conditions and other important travel issues.

Liberty Bridge

• Hungary has a temperate continental climate with Mediterranean and Atlantic influences.
• Generally, winters are cold, cloudy and damp or windy.
• The summers are warm and sometimes very hot.
• May, June and November are the rainiest months.
• More rain usually falls in the west and southwest than in the east.
• The number of hours of sunshine a year varies between 1900 and 2500 – among the highest in Europe.
• From April to September, you can expect the sun to shine for about 10 hours a day.
• July is the hottest month with the average temperature being around 23° C.
• January is the coldest month with the temperature being around -1.5° C.
• The average annual temperature is 11° C.

• Weather conditions in the Great Plain can be especially harsh, with hot summers, cold winters, and scarce rainfall.

Matthias Church

Thermal Springs

• Thermal waters thrive in Hungary, with over 1000 thermal springs in the country many of which have been turned into baths and spas
• The most famous being the Szechenyi baths in Budapest
• There are, however, hundreds of individual baths all around the country
• The cave baths at Miskolc-Tapolca and the spa at Egerszalók are some nice examples

Aggtelek National Park

• A national park in Northern Hungary, in the Aggtelek karst region
• It was founded in 1985
• The park is comprised of 198.92 km². 39.22 km² of the park are under increased protection.
• It has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage since 1995
• The largest stalactite cave of Europe is situated in the park in the Baradla Cave
• The first written documentation from the caves can be dated back to 1549
• Since 1920 it has been used as a tourist attraction
• Several of the caves have different specialties – Peace Cave has a sanatorium which helps treating people suffering from asthma

View Map

Hollókő

• A Palóc ethnographic village in Hungary, part of the World Heritage
• Its name means “Raven-stone” in Hungarian
• The village is located in Nógrád county, approximately 91.1 kilometres northeast from Budapest, the capital of Hungary
• It lies in a valley of Cserhát Mountains, surrounded by low peaks
• The natural environment is protected
• Sightseeing within Hollókő includes – Village Museum, Doll Museum, Hollókő Castle and much more.

River Tisza

• Fish in the River Tisza, widely regarded as one of Europe’s leading angling spots
• Accommodation for anglers is readily available, and guides can be hired if required. Species such as carp, bream, pike, trout and tench are abundant.

View Map

Hortobagy National Park

• Watch the birds circle, prance and play in the Hortobágy National Park
• Around 350 species have been spotted here, including storks, warblers, eagles and herons
• A guide is required for visits to some parts of the park

View Map

Budapest

• Explore Budapest’s elevated cobbled streets and soak up spectacular views from the Fisherman’s Bastion
• In Budapest you can admire the Hungarian Parliament, Vajdahunyad Castle, Museum of Applied Arts, and the Hungarian National Museum
• Take a trip out of town to the socialist statue graveyard, Statue Park

View Map

Communication Etiquette:
• Both men and women will greet by shaking hands
– A man should wait for the women to extend her hand
– The older generation may still bow to women
– Close friends will kiss each other lightly on both cheeks
– Address by their surnames
• They expect friends to share personal details about life
– If they ask you these questions they are just trying to get to know you
• The family in Hungary is the foundation of their social structure
• When visiting the house of a Hungarian it is not always necessary to bring gifts
– Do not bring foreign wine
– Bring chocolates or flowers
– Flowers should be given in odd numbers – except for 13 it is unlucky
•

Business Etiquette:
• They do not need long term relationships in order to do business
– Being introduced by someone they know and trust will often get business moving
• Hungarians value the social aspect of the relationship
• Eye contact shows trust
– If you can’t look someone in the eye while speaking then you are hiding something
• Appointments and meetings should be made in advance
– And a reminder follow up letter or email sent
• Business is normally conducted slowly
• They are very detail oriented and must understand every part of a negotiation
– Contracts should be clear
• Dress is formal and conservative
– Men – dark business suits and a white shirt and tie
– Women – Business suits or elegant dresses with good accessories
• Business cards are exchanged upon initial meeting