What to do with a car in 1-2 days near Budapest?
Option 1 – Danube Bend day-trip
This can all be done in a single day; Esztergom is only ~70 min from BP.
- Szentendre – stroll the inner city and pop into the Marzipan Museum https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g274914-d1103133-Reviews-Marzipan_Museum-Szentendre_Pest_County_Central_Hungary.html
- Visegrád Citadel – gorgeous fortress, plus the Danube Bend panorama is next-level https://visitvisegrad.hu/en/sights/citadel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danube_Bend
- Esztergom Basilica – a huge cathedral just up the road https://bazilika-esztergom.hu/en
Option 2 – North side of Lake Balaton
Lake Balaton is the biggest lake in Central Europe. Lots of locals have weekend houses here (I’m here right now!). A full loop is ~210 km by bike.
- The north shore is known for gastronomy & wine, only 90-120 min from Budapest.
- Do a wine-tasting with jaw-dropping lake views. My college friend runs this family winery: https://en.eliasbirtok.com/
- Hungary has zero-tolerance for alcohol & driving, so rent a room and spend the night.
- Food – several Michelin-recommended spots at friendlier prices than in most countries. Sample fine-dining: https://fugetihany.hu/?lang=hu More options: https://guide.michelin.com/hu/en/veszprem-region/balatonfured/restaurants?sort=distance