Not far from Budapest, when one goes to the north, is the small town of Szentendre. A beautiful and peaceful city along the Danube. A lovely place to escape a few moments from the Hungarian capital.

Going on a journey to Szentendre

Here is an easy day trip from Budapest. To get to Szentendre, we say “Saint-Andrei,” and go to Batthyany metro station. Then line five, a sort of suburban train will take you to the terminus. Impossible to miss its destination. It is also possible to reach the city by boat, but it costs five to six times more expensive. The going is relatively long as the ship goes upstream. But for the return, it is quite fast and more comfortable. Pay attention to the schedules, which can vary according to the seasons. When I went there in December, I did not see any boats on the Danube.

A Hungarian city in pictures

In December, the sun is shaving, and it goes down a little before 16 hours. The result is a specific atmosphere in the Eastern and Central European countries.

This small Hungarian town has always been a favorite place for artists. Indeed it is a pleasant place to write, compose, or draw. Today souvenir sellers have invaded the prettiest streets in the city center. It is nevertheless possible to flee the merchants and the stalls by going for a walk along the Danube. For information, the Danube is one of the longest rivers in Europe.

It is only an arm of the Danube that passes in front of the city. Indeed after the loop of the Danube to Visegrad, it separates into two divisions. Before meeting on one big river to cross Budapest.

Discovering the heights of the city

In the streets of Szentendre

Things to see and to do in Szentendre

The Skanzen Ecomuseum, an open-air ethnographic museum

Two kilometers from the city center, at the foot of Mount Pills, is an ethnic museum. In 1967 the city settled a museum. It traces almost three centuries the peasant life in Hungary. The houses and interiors are all original. The houses were dismantled and rebuilt identically on the territory of the Skanzen museum. When a piece was missing, they were made identically using the same period tools. The fittings and other devices are also originals. These pieces of furniture, decoration, or work were gleaned throughout the territory to be exhibited in this museum.

Address: Sztaravodai street 75

Ferenczy Museum

This museum was created in 1951 and bore the name of a famous Hungarian painter, Karoly Ferenczy. The city thus anchors its tradition of the picturesque town. This museum is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm except Monday. Note that the purchase of a ticket provides access to all the museum’s annexes located throughout the city.

Address: Kossuth Lajos 5

Canoe Kayak

In summer, it is possible to rent kayaks — an excellent way to discover one of the arms of the Danube.

Photo credits: Yann Vernerie