One week in Hungary allows for Budapest properly explored plus two significant additions: a full day trip to Eger (castle, wine, thermal baths) and either Lake Balaton or the Danube Bend depending on the season and what the visitor specifically wants. This is the recommended length for a first-time Hungary visit that wants to see more than Budapest.
Days 1 to 4: Budapest
Follow the 3-day Budapest itinerary for the first three days. Add a fourth day for:
Gellért Baths (a second thermal bath experience after Széchenyi, for a different architectural register entirely, the Art Nouveau interior of Gellért is the most beautiful thermal bath interior in Budapest).
Or: Óbuda and the Roman remains. Metro line M3 north to Szentlélek tér, then walk through the old Óbuda centre (one of the most architecturally unchanged areas of Budapest) to the Aquincum Museum and Roman amphitheatre. The Roman civilian city of Aquincum was the largest Roman settlement in the territory of present-day Hungary; the open-air museum has the best-preserved Roman building remains in the country.
Or: A neighbourhood afternoon in Ferencváros. The IX district south of the Kálvin tér metro has undergone the most visible gentrification transformation in Budapest over the past 5 years; the area around the Trafó cultural centre and the Hungarian National Museum now has excellent independent restaurants, wine bars, and cafes.
Day 5: Eger Day Trip
Early morning train from Keleti station to Eger (approximately 1.5 to 2 hours). Full day:
Morning: Eger Castle. The basalt hill fortress, the Dobó István Museum inside, the underground casemates tunnels, and the views over the Eger valley. Allow 2 to 3 hours.
Lunch: The city centre has a range of restaurants; a cellar restaurant is locally recommended for traditional Hungarian food at non-tourist prices.
Afternoon: Valley of the Beautiful Women. Walk approximately 1.5 kilometres west of the city centre (or take a short taxi ride) to the wine cellar valley. Walk through the numbered cellars, taste Bull’s Blood and single-variety wines from the family producers, and take the time to talk to the producers who are willing to explain their wines. Allow 2 to 3 hours.
Optional: The Eger thermal baths for the final hour before the return train.
Day 6: Lake Balaton, Tihany and North Shore
Train from Budapest Déli to Balatonfüred (approximately 1 hour 45 minutes). Then local bus to Tihany (20 minutes).
Tihany: The Benedictine Abbey and its terrace (the most beautiful view available of the full width of Lake Balaton), the lavender fields in season, the traditional village architecture. Allow 2 to 3 hours.
Boat or bus back to Balatonfüred for the Baroque mansions and a lunch at one of the lakeside restaurants or the market hall.
Return train to Budapest from Balatonfüred or Siófok.
Alternative: Replace Balaton with the Danube Bend. Train or HÉV to Szentendre (45 minutes), then the Skanzen open-air museum; bus or car to Visegrád for the citadel views, then Esztergom for the Basilica.
Day 7: Final Budapest Morning and Departure
One final thing not yet done: the Central Market Hall for paprika, Pick salami, and local wine before departure. Or a second look at the area most interesting from earlier in the week.
Airport departure: the 100E express bus from Deák Ferenc tér is one option (check the current fare and timetable). Allow 2 hours before a flight for the journey plus airport processing.
Related: 3-Day Budapest Itinerary | Lake Balaton Hub | Plan Your Trip