Hungary is the perfect destination for culture seekers and visitors with an interest in history and notable old buildings. The capital, Budapest, offers everything from eye-catching architecture to modern amenities, while some smaller destinations offer their own unique charm, historical tales and interesting sights. The country is divided into 19 counties and it’s invariably the capitals of these counties that are the most interesting destinations.

Budapest 
The country’s capital is a typical bustling metropolis and a centre for business, culture and tourism. The respective cities of Buda and Pest were officially united to form a single urban area back in 1873 and since then the unified capital has become known as one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. There is an abundance of sightseeing attractions on offer, among which the most popular include the Royal Palace within which is the National Gallery; the Historical Museum of Budapest, Matthias Church, the Music Museum and the Fisherman’s Bastion.

Also notable are the music related museums on the Buda side of the city; these include the Kodály Museum, Liszt Museum and Bartók's House. These are a must for anyone with an interest in the country’s important relationship with classical music.

Buda, Castle Hill and Pest are the three main areas of the city that sightseers should base their itineraries around. Each area has its own unique selection of attractions and offers a slightly different perspective of the city, now and from days gone by.

Debrecen 
Hungary’s second largest city and its most historically significant in terms of the country’s relationship with Protestantism is located in the Hajdú-Bihar county and is also the capital of that county. Despite the city’s size, it perhaps offers the smallest selection of visual treats but is worth a visit all the same. Highlights of Debrecen include the stunningly beautiful Hortobagy National Park, the 18th century Saint Anna's Church, Lajos Kossuth Statue, Déri Museum, Ferenc Medgyessy Memorial Museum, László Holló Memorial Museum and the Vidámpark (Amusement Park).

Eger 
Located between the Mátra and Bükk mountains in the north of the country, Eger is a historic town and the capital of Heves county. The castle (Egri Vár) is the town’s most popular attraction not only for it impressive stone exterior but also for the attractions enclosed within, which include the Gothic Palace, the fascinating underground passageways, an art gallery with works by Munkacsy, the Panopticum with its small waxwork dummy collection, the minting museum and the weapons exhibition.

Pécs
Located in the southwest of the country, Pécs is a smallish city that was given World Heritage status by UNESCO in 2000 and is set to enjoy the title of European Capital of Culture in 2010. The city’s main attractions include the splendid Széchenyi tér, a building that was originally an Ottoman mosque but was later converted into a Catholic church (with the simple addition of a crucifix), as well as Székesegyház, a magnificent cathedral and certainly the most significant and eye-catching religious building in the area. A trip to the Television Tower is a must for the fantastic panoramic views over the city. Culture seekers can enjoy the aesthetic beauty of the art on offer at the Vasarely and Csontváry museums.

Other essentials on a tour of the town include the tallest minaret in the country (42 metres high, 97 steps to the top), the Serbian Church (Ráctemplom), the Lyceum and the Basilica. A stroll down Széchenyi street, the main shopping and dining centre, is always an interesting experience.

Sopron 
Situated close to the Austrian border, Sopron is a small city, most notable perhaps for being the setting of the ‘Pan-European Picnic’ in 1989 (the temporary lifting of the Austrian-Hungarian ‘Iron Curtain’). Interesting sights in the city include the Feuerturm or Fire Tower, the Baroque-designed main square in which sit City Hall and Sopron’s main Catholic church. Also of note is the Old Synagogue dating back to the 13th century, the Liszt Ferenc Cultural Centre, the Mining Museum and the 14th century house known as the Fabricius.

Szentendre 
Located 12 miles north of Budapest, in a scenic setting on the Danube River, Szentendre is a small town where the charming ambience is as much the appeal of the destination as the sights on offer. Main attractions to add to itineraries include the Belgrade Cathedral and the adjacently situated Serbian Orthodox Museum; both of which can be visited on payment of a single admission fee.

Also of note are the Hungarian Open-Air Museum, Marizpan Museum, with its marzipan replica of the Hungarian Parliament building, Ferenczy Museum, Vajda Lajos Memorial Museum, Czóbel Museum and the House of Folk Arts. Aside from these sightseeing highlights, the town centre offers a variety of fascinating shops and galleries that are well worth checking out.

Enjoy a meal of traditional Hungarian goulash. Authentic goulash or gulyás is a dish comprising beef cooked with onions, tomatoes, green pepper and Hungarian paprika powder. There are some subtle variations in the ingredients used depending on which part of the country you sample this famous national dish but the chief constituents are normally the same.

Follow the classical music trail. Hungary has a reputation for producing some of the most respected composers ever to emerge from the classical music scene, including Liszt, Dohnanyi, Bartók, Kodály, and Rozsa. There are opportunities to visit museums offering history on such composers as well as a plethora of live music venues offering performances of their greatest works.

Go shopping for cheese and wine. There are few adult Hungarians who don’t view these two culinary items as essential aspects of everyday life and, as such, the country produces some pretty fantastic varieties of both. Shop for them in the right places and you’ll get the chance to ‘try before you buy’.

Immerse yourself in the soothing waters of Budapest’s spas. A legacy, albeit a diminishing one, of the country’s history under Turkish occupation, the baths in Budapest are built around naturally occurring hot springs and visitors can enjoy the therapeutic effects of the thermal pools as well as other spa facilities such as saunas, steam baths and massages.

Sample a Hungarian cultural performance. Opportunities for doing this are too numerous to mention, however, a trip at any time of the year to Budapest would offer you the chance to check out the opera and ballet at the famous Hungarian State Opera House or a musical performance from a variety of genres at the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall. The spring festivals, which take place around the country between March and April, are highly cultural affairs and present performances in music, dancing and other disciplines.