# Hungary

Hungary pairs Budapest's grand Danube skyline and thermal baths with wine towns, a warm-water lake and paprika-red cooking.

Budapest's thermal baths, Eger and Tokaj wine, Lake Balaton, costs in forint and two Hungary itineraries you can adapt in the Guided trip planner app.

Canonical: https://www.go-guided.com/en/destinations/hungary
# Hungary

# Hungary travel guide: Everything you need to know before visiting Hungary

Budapest sits on more than 100 thermal springs, and the people who live there still use them. The Ottoman-era pools at Rudas and Veli Bej are still open. The Neo-Baroque Széchenyi baths have been running in City Park since 1913, and locals bathe in them all year. Hévíz, by Lake Balaton, is the largest thermal lake in Europe, and you can swim in it in winter.

That bathing habit sets Hungary apart from its neighbours. It's cheaper and less Germanic than Austria, and Budapest is a river-and-baths capital rather than a compact medieval core like Prague. Being landlocked, it uses Lake Balaton as its summer coast, and it works just as well as a winter trip. Even the language is unrelated to the Slavic and Germanic tongues around it. We think it suits city-breakers and wine lovers best. Families do well too, at Balaton in July. This guide covers where to go, where to stay, what things cost and the rules worth knowing before you arrive.

## 5 reasons to visit Hungary

A long weekend in Budapest is a good trip, but the country rewards a week. Here are five reasons to give it that time.

1. Soak in an outdoor thermal pool in winter at Széchenyi or Hévíz while steam rises around you.
2. Watch the Parliament light up from the Buda side of the Danube.
3. Taste Bull's Blood in a cellar dug into the rock at Eger's Valley of the Beautiful Women.
4. Swim in Lake Balaton, the largest lake in Central Europe.
5. Eat gulyás and lángos at prices well below Vienna's.

## Where to visit in Hungary?

Do you need to leave Budapest at all? Yes, and the rail network makes it easy, with most of these places two to three hours from the capital. These are the 12 we'd plan a trip around.

### Walk up Buda Castle Hill at sunrise or after dark

The Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue, with the Danube banks between them, form one UNESCO World Heritage Site, first listed in 1987 and extended in 2002. Fisherman's Bastion, built between 1895 and 1902 by Frigyes Schulek, is the photo everyone wants. Its upper turrets cost 1,700 Ft (card only) from 9am to 7pm, or until 9pm in summer, and they're free outside those hours. Go at sunrise, or after the coach groups have left. Matthias Church next door costs 3,400 Ft. Walk up rather than paying 4,500 Ft one way for the funicular, or take bus 16 from Deák tér.

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### See the Parliament and the grand avenues of Pest

The Parliament is the largest building in Hungary, 268 metres long, with 691 rooms. It stands 96 metres tall, a nod to 896, the year of the Magyar conquest. It was finished in 1904, and the Holy Crown of Hungary is on display inside. Tours last about 45 minutes. EU citizens pay half; book on the official site, not through resellers. Then head to the Great Market Hall, opened in 1897 under a roof of Zsolnay tiles. Metro Line 1 has run under Andrássy Avenue since 1896, and it's still the nicest way to reach Heroes' Square.

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### Spend half a day in Szentendre

Szentendre is 20 km north of Budapest, about 40 minutes on the H5 HÉV suburban train from Batthyány tér. Budapest passes need a supplement beyond the city boundary. Serbian merchants settled here from the 17th century, which is why the town has Orthodox churches and a 1763 memorial cross on Fő tér. The Margit Kovács Ceramic Museum is the one indoor stop we'd make. Szentendre is pretty and very busy, so treat it as a half day and carry on to Visegrád by bus, about 45 minutes upriver.

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### Look down on the Danube Bend from Visegrád and Esztergom

The bend in the river is the view here, and Visegrád's hilltop citadel is where you see it best. The climb is steep. Below it, the Royal Palace (2,200 Ft, closed Mondays) hosted a royal congress in 1335. Bus 880 runs hourly from Újpest-Városkapu on metro line M3 and takes 74 minutes. Esztergom is about 65 minutes by train from Nyugati station, for 1,120 Ft. Its basilica, built between 1822 and 1856, is the largest church in Hungary, and the altarpiece is said to be the largest painted on a single canvas. Entry is free, and the dome costs 3,300 Ft and 400 steps. MAHART boats run from Budapest in season when water levels allow, but trains and buses run all year.

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### Swim and taste wine around Lake Balaton and Tihany

Lake Balaton is the largest lake in Central Europe, about 77 km long and only around 3 metres deep on average, so it warms to about 25 to 28 °C in July. The north shore, around Tihany and Badacsony, has wine hills and old volcanic buttes, while the south shore, around Siófok, has shallow water and busier beaches. We'd pick the north shore unless you're travelling with small children. On the Tihany peninsula, the abbey (3,400 Ft) was founded in 1055 by King Andrew I, who is buried in its crypt, and its founding charter is the oldest surviving text with Hungarian words in it. Lavender blooms from mid-June to early July. Trains reach Balatonfüred in about 1 hour 50 minutes.

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### Bathe outdoors at Hévíz and visit Keszthely

Hévíz is our favourite winter stop in Hungary. The lake is fed by a spring cave 38 metres down, which renews the water about every three days. It stays above 22 °C in winter and reaches 35 to 38 °C in summer, so on a cold morning it steams. Tickets are 4,500 Ft for three hours or 7,500 Ft for the day. The central bath building is being rebuilt, so bathing is outdoors only for now. Keszthely, a short bus ride away, has the Festetics Palace and its Helikon Library of more than 86,000 items. Direct InterCity trains from Budapest-Déli to Keszthely take 2 hours 36 minutes.

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### Stay overnight in Eger for the castle and the cellars

Eger is the best single trip from Budapest, and we'd make it an overnight so you're not watching the clock in the wine cellars. In 1552, István Dobó's defenders held Eger Castle against the Ottoman army, and the castle (4,800 Ft) tells the story well. The 40-metre minaret costs 1,000 Ft, cash only. In the evening, walk 10 to 15 minutes to the Valley of the Beautiful Women (Szépasszony-völgy), where cellars are cut into the soft volcanic rock and a tasting of three wines starts at about 2,000 Ft. Many cellars close on Mondays. Trains leave Keleti hourly and take 1 hour 52 minutes.

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### Taste sweet wine in Tokaj

The Tokaj Wine Region has been a UNESCO site since 2002, and it covers 27 villages and towns. Direct InterCity trains from Keleti take about 2 hours 43 minutes and cost 4,600 Ft with the reservation, but the last direct train back leaves at 7.50pm. That's why we'd stay a night. Tastings at mid-range cellars cost 4,000 to 7,000 Ft, with Disznókő starting at 4,500 Ft. The cellars around Mád and Tarcal are spread out, so a car or a hired driver helps. Go for the harvest in early October if you can.

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### Give Pécs a night or two

Pécs has a Mediterranean feel that surprises people, and it deserves more than a day trip. The Early Christian Necropolis of Sopianae became a UNESCO site in 2000, and a combined ticket costs 3,900 Ft and is valid for two days (closed Mondays). On Széchenyi tér, the Mosque of Pasha Qasim, built in the 1570s, is now a Catholic church. The Zsolnay Cultural Quarter has a free park and a museum for 3,000 Ft. Direct InterCity trains take about two and a half hours.

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### Combine Debrecen with the Hortobágy plains

Debrecen is Hungary's second city, about 2 hours 35 minutes by InterCity from Nyugati. Its Reformed Great Church, built between 1805 and 1827, seats about 2,000 people, and Lajos Kossuth read out the Declaration of Independence there on 14 April 1849. From Debrecen, trains take 37 to 54 minutes to Hortobágy, Hungary's first national park (1973) and a UNESCO site since 1999. Cross the Nine-arched Bridge, then take the carriage ride and herdsmen's show with Nonius horses at Máta Stud (4,800 Ft). The show runs from April to October only, so plan this pair for those months.

### Look at Art Nouveau in Szeged

Szeged was rebuilt after the great flood of 1879, and Art Nouveau is the reason to go. The twin towers of the Votive Church, built from 1913 to 1930, rise 81 metres, and the climb costs 1,500 Ft for 302 steps. Reök Palace, from 1907, is the Art Nouveau building to see (2,000 Ft). Szeged is also one of Hungary's two paprika towns, with Kalocsa. The Napfény InterCity runs hourly from Nyugati and takes about two and a half hours.

### Climb the Firewatch Tower in Sopron

In 1921 Sopron voted in a referendum to stay in Hungary. The town's symbol is the Firewatch Tower (3,000 Ft), which has a base from the late 13th century and a baroque top added after the fire of 1676. Climb it for the view over the old town's rooftops. We'd give Sopron half a day. About 50 minutes away by bus, the Esterházy Palace at Fertőd (6,000 Ft) is the one detour worth adding. The country around Lake Fertő, east of Sopron, is part of the Fertő/Neusiedlersee cultural landscape, a UNESCO site since 2001. InterCity trains from Kelenföld take 2 hours 13 minutes.

## Hungary itinerary ideas for your trip

We'd give Budapest three full days before going anywhere else. Both routes start there, because that's how the train lines run.

### 5 to 7 day Hungary itinerary

**Day 1-3**: Budapest, with Castle Hill, the Parliament, a thermal bath and an evening in the ruin bars.

**Day 4**: Szentendre and Visegrád, or Esztergom if you prefer the basilica.

**Day 5**: Eger, staying overnight for the cellars.

**Day 6-7**: Lake Balaton, with Tihany first, then Keszthely and Hévíz, and the train back to Budapest.

### 10 to 14 day Hungary itinerary

**Day 1-3**: Budapest, adding the Pál-völgyi cave.

**Day 4**: The Danube Bend, from Szentendre upriver to Esztergom.

**Day 5-6**: Eger.

**Day 7**: Tokaj.

**Day 8-9**: Debrecen and Hortobágy (April to October for the horse show).

**Day 10**: Back to Budapest, or on to Szeged.

**Day 11-12**: Pécs.

**Day 13-14**: Lake Balaton's north shore and Hévíz, then back to Budapest.

If you'd rather head west, swap Debrecen and Szeged for a loop through Győr, the Pannonhalma Archabbey and Sopron. You can build either route, or move the days around to suit you, in the **Guided trip planner**.## Fun things to do in Hungary

Budapest's thermal baths date back to the Ottoman era, and they're the place to start. Here are five things worth making time for.

### Spend a morning in Budapest's thermal baths

Széchenyi, the Neo-Baroque bath in City Park, costs from about 10,500 Ft early on a weekday, and more later in the day and at weekends. For something older, Rudas dates from the 16th century and has a rooftop pool and night bathing on Friday and Saturday, for 12,000 to 16,000 Ft. Lukács and Veli Bej are where we'd go for value, at about 7,000 to 8,000 Ft and 5,700 to 7,200 Ft. Gellért is closed for renovation until about 2028, so leave it off your list.

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### Have a drink at Szimpla Kert

Szimpla Kert, on Kazinczy utca in District VII, started Budapest's ruin bar scene in 2002. Entry is free and it's open until 4am, but half a litre of lager costs about 2,200 Ft, which is steep by local standards. On Sunday mornings the same space hosts a farmers' market, and that's the version we prefer.

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### Take an evening cruise on the Danube

A one-hour sightseeing cruise costs about 4,500 to 7,000 Ft, and dinner cruises run from about 15,000 to 35,000 Ft. Book the hour after sunset, when the Parliament and the bridges are lit. We'd pick the short cruise over dinner on board, because the view is the point and you'll eat better on land.

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### Go underground at the Pál-völgyi cave

Under the Buda hills, the Pál-völgyi cave was discovered in 1904 and opened to visitors in 1919. One-hour tours run Tuesday to Sunday at quarter past each hour from 10.15am to 4.15pm and cost 3,900 Ft, or 5,900 Ft combined with the nearby Szemlő-hegyi cave. It's 11 °C inside, and the route has more than 400 steps and a ladder, so bring a jumper and decent shoes.

### Walk the Christmas markets

Budapest's Christmas markets are the best reason to visit in December. The Vörösmarty tér market runs from 13 November to 31 December 2026, and the market outside St Stephen's Basilica runs from 13 November 2026 to 1 January 2027, with a light show projected onto the facade every evening from 5.30pm.

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## When to go to Hungary?

What's the best month for Hungary? We'd pick May or September, with December a close third for the markets and the baths. Budapest averages highs of about 23 °C in May and September and 29 °C in July and August. July and August are the peak, and the Hungarian Grand Prix (30 July to 1 August 2027) and Sziget Festival (10 to 14 August 2027) push hotel prices up. January and February are the quietest months.

- **Spring (April to May)**: Highs of 19 to 23 °C, terraces open, the Budapest Spring Festival in May, and fewer crowds.
- **Summer (June to August)**: Highs of 27 to 29 °C, Balaton swimming, Sziget and the Grand Prix, peak prices and afternoon thunderstorms.
- **Autumn (September to October)**: Highs of 17 to 23 °C, harvest in Eger and Tokaj, the Budapest Wine Festival at Buda Castle in September, and cranes on the Hortobágy.
- **Winter (November to March)**: Near freezing, with Christmas markets, steaming thermal baths and Hévíz, the Busójárás carnival in Mohács in February, and the lowest prices.[grid: non-text section]

## Where to stay in Hungary?

Stay in Budapest for most of the trip and add one or two overnights where they earn it. Budapest charges a tourist tax of 4% of the room rate in most districts (under-18s are exempt), and Hévíz and Tihany charge up to 830 Ft a night. It's usually added to your bill.

### District V for walking everywhere

Belváros-Lipótváros is central Pest, a walk from the Parliament and the Basilica. It's pricey and Váci utca is touristy, but for a first visit we think the convenience is worth it.

### Districts VI and VII for food and nightlife

District VI (Terézváros) has Andrássy Avenue and the Opera, with good transport links. District VII (Erzsébetváros) is the old Jewish Quarter, with the ruin bars and synagogues. It's loud at night, especially at weekends. Expect fewer Airbnbs in Districts VI and VII as the districts phase out short-term lets.

### District I for quiet nights on Castle Hill

The Castle District is the quietest base in the city, with views to match. The trade-offs are hills and few restaurants open late.

### Eger and Pécs for an overnight

In Eger, an overnight means time in the cellars, but many close on Mondays, so avoid a Sunday night. In Pécs, the necropolis ticket is valid for two days, which suits a stay.

### Lake Balaton's north shore for summer

At Balaton, stay on the north shore for wine and views, around Tihany or Balatonfüred. Families with small children should look at the south shore instead.

> **Guided tip: **Sleep in District V or VI if you want to walk everywhere and still get a night's sleep. Choose District VII only if the bars are the point of the trip.

## Getting around when visiting Hungary

Hungary's rail network fans out from Budapest's four main stations, and you won't need a car for most of this guide.

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### Trains with MÁV

MÁV runs the national railway. Buy tickets in the MÁVPlusz app, which takes 15% off domestic singles. Since 1 October 2026, a second-class ticket from Budapest costs about 2,520 Ft to Eger and 3,950 Ft to Pécs before any reservation. InterCity trains also need a seat reservation, 650 Ft in advance or 990 Ft on the day.

### Budapest public transport (BKK)

A single ticket costs 500 Ft (700 Ft from the driver) and doesn't allow changes between lines. A 24-hour pass costs 2,750 Ft and a 72-hour pass 5,750 Ft. The 100E airport bus is 2,500 Ft and isn't covered by passes. You can tap a contactless card at metro validators, and the BudapestGO app sells tickets.

### Buses with Volánbusz and FlixBus

Volánbusz runs regional and intercity buses from Népliget and Stadion. They're useful for Visegrád, and express buses now run to Pécs. FlixBus covers international routes.

### Taxis and driving

Regulated taxi fares rose 18% in August 2026, and the airport to the centre now costs about 12,000 to 15,000 Ft. Use Bolt, or Uber, which books licensed Főtaxi cabs. If you drive, buy an e-matrica (motorway e-vignette) online first. A 10-day one costs 6,900 Ft. Hungary has zero tolerance for drink driving.

> **Guided tip: **Buy a 72-hour pass instead of single tickets, and keep 2,500 Ft aside for the 100E airport bus, which passes don't cover.

## Food and drinks you should try when visiting Hungary

Hungarian food is better than its heavy reputation, and paprika is in almost everything. The best-value meal is the napi menü, a weekday set lunch for 2,000 to 3,000 Ft.

### Gulyás and pörkölt

Gulyás takes its name from the Hungarian word for herdsman. In Hungary it's a beef soup with paprika, not a stew. If you want the thick stew most foreigners picture, order pörkölt.

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### Paprikás csirke

Chicken simmered in paprika and sour cream, served with nokedli, small soft dumplings. It's the dish we'd order first in any traditional restaurant.

### Lángos

Lángos is deep-fried dough topped with sour cream and grated cheese, often with garlic. It's the beach food at Lake Balaton.

### Dobos torta and kürtőskalács

József C. Dobos created his cake in 1884 and 1885, with layers of sponge and chocolate buttercream under a hard caramel top. Kürtőskalács, the chimney cake, is a Székely pastry from Transylvania baked on a spit. It's listed as a Hungarikum, one of Hungary's officially recognised national specialities.

### Tokaji, Bull's Blood and pálinka

Tokaji aszú is made from grapes shrivelled by noble rot, and since 2013 it must contain at least 120 grams of sugar per litre. Egri Bikavér (Bull's Blood) is Eger's red blend, named after the 1552 siege legend. Pálinka is fruit brandy with EU protection. Unicum, Zwack's herbal bitter since 1790, is an acquired taste. In summer, order a fröccs, wine mixed with soda.

- **Kisfröccs**: one part wine to one part soda
- **Nagyfröccs**: two parts wine to one part soda

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## Culture and local habits you'll notice when visiting Hungary

Hungary has about 9.6 million people, and they speak Hungarian (magyar), a Finno-Ugric language distantly related to Finnish and Estonian. "Szia" means both hi and bye among friends, and "jó napot" is the polite greeting. You'll also hear people say "hello" as a goodbye. Names put the family name first, so János Nagy becomes Nagy János.

Older Hungarians traditionally don't clink beer glasses. The legend says Austrian officers toasted with beer after the execution of the 13 Martyrs of Arad on 6 October 1849, and younger people care less about it. At the baths, shower first and bring a swim cap for the lap pools. Check restaurant bills for a szervízdíj (service charge) of 10 to 15%. If there isn't one, tip 10 to 15% and say the total when you pay, rather than leaving money on the table. That bill check is the habit we'd learn before the first dinner out.

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## Costs of a holiday to Hungary

Is Hungary still a budget trip? Cheaper than most of its neighbours, yes, but not as cheap as older guides say. Numbeo's mid-2026 cost of living index puts Hungary at 46.9, about a third below Austria at 71.3 and under Slovenia at 54.1 and Czechia at 53.0, roughly level with Poland and Slovakia. The catch is the strong forint, at about 363 Ft to the euro, which makes Hungary dearer in euros than it was in 2023 and 2024. Váci utca restaurants and the big baths are where the money goes. Set lunches and trains are where you save it.[grid: non-text section]

## Practical tips for visiting Hungary

Hungary is in the Schengen area but not the eurozone. If you act on only one tip below, make it the money one: pay in forint every time a card machine asks.

### ✔ Check the Schengen entry rules before you fly

Many nationalities, including the UK, EU and US, can visit Hungary without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen area. UK passports must be under 10 years old on arrival and valid for three months after you leave. The EU's Entry/Exit System is running at every Hungarian border, so non-EU visitors give fingerprints and a photo on their first entry. ETIAS is not yet required; check the official EU travel site before you travel, along with the UK government's Hungary entry requirements or your own government's advice.

### ✔ Pay in forint and decline conversion

Hungary uses the forint (Ft, HUF); the euro is a long-term goal, not a plan for your trip. Cards work almost everywhere, and when a machine offers your home currency, choose forint. Use bank ATMs such as OTP or K&H, not Euronet machines, and skip the airport exchange desks.

### ✔ Validate your ticket and avoid street taxis

Validate paper tickets on Budapest transport (at the station entrance on the metro), because fines are 12,000 Ft on the spot. Book taxis through Bolt or Főtaxi rather than taking cars waiting outside Keleti station or touts at the airport.

### ✔ Check the bill in tourist bars

The US rates Hungary Level 1, its lowest advisory level. The main risks are pickpockets around the stations and bars that overcharge tourists, sometimes walking them to an ATM. In District VII, watch for the konzumlány scam, where a bar bill can reach 50,000 to 200,000 Ft. Keep an eye on your drink, and call 112 in an emergency.

### ✔ Plan around 15 March and 23 October

Both are national holidays. Shops and the Great Market Hall close, and marches fill central Budapest. Otherwise shops open on Sundays.

## Fun facts about Hungary

Six facts about Hungary, from a puzzle cube to Olympic gold.

- Ernő Rubik invented the Rubik's Cube in Budapest in 1974.
- Budapest-born László Bíró patented the ballpoint pen in the UK in 1938.
- Budapest was created on 17 November 1873 by joining Buda, Óbuda and Pest.
- Albert Szent-Györgyi won the 1937 Nobel Prize for his work on vitamin C, which he extracted in quantity from Szeged paprika.
- Hungary has won 187 Summer Olympic gold medals, the most per person of any country that isn't a microstate.
- The Hungarian national anthem mentions the wine of Tokaj.

We'd go in winter at least once, for the baths alone. Pack a swimsuit, even in January.Ready to map out your trip to Hungary?

We hope this Hungary travel guide has given you a clear starting point for your trip. Stay tuned for more inspiration, itineraries and practical tips to help you shape your perfect holiday to Hungary. And don't forget to check out our **Guided app**, where you can create your own trip or use trips shared by other travellers for free.## FAQS about visiting Hungary

### How many days do you need in Hungary?

Three to four days covers Budapest. With five to seven days, you can add Eger and Lake Balaton, and 10 to 14 days gives you time for Tokaj and Pécs too. Inside the **Guided app**, you can create your own trip route and see how many places you can fit into your days.### What is the best part of Hungary to visit?

Budapest comes first for almost everyone. After that, we'd choose the north shore of Lake Balaton in summer, then Eger for wine.### What is Hungary known for?

Budapest's Parliament and thermal baths are the obvious answers. Hungary is also known for paprika-heavy cooking and Tokaji wine, and it's where the Rubik's Cube was invented.### Can you travel around Hungary without a car?

Yes. Trains from Budapest reach Eger, Lake Balaton, Pécs and Debrecen in two to three hours. A car only helps for the Tokaj cellars and smaller villages.### Is Hungary expensive?

It's below most of its neighbours, with a Numbeo index of 46.9 against 71.3 for Austria. The strong forint pushes costs up, but a weekday set lunch for 2,000 to 3,000 Ft is still a bargain.### Is Hungary safe to visit?

Yes. The US rates it Level 1, its lowest advisory level. The main things to watch for are bars that overcharge tourists and drink spiking in nightlife areas.### Does Hungary use the euro?

No, Hungary uses the forint. The government has said it aims to meet the conditions for the euro by around 2030, so for now, pay in forint and decline any offer to convert to your home currency.### Is Budapest or Prague better?

For baths and a river setting, Budapest, which is also bigger and slightly cheaper. Prague, covered on our Czechia page, has the more compact medieval old town.