hungary - Blogs - Tripatini2024-03-29T12:59:36Zhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/hungaryCapitals, Castles, and More on a Danube River Cruisehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/danube-river-cruise-cruising2023-04-01T17:30:00.000Z2023-04-01T17:30:00.000ZVictor Blockhttps://tripatini.com/members/VictorBlock<div><p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10995591084,RESIZE_180x180{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10995591084,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10995591084?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.gct.com/grand-circle-difference/our-fleet/ms-river-adagio" target="_blank">Grand Circle Travel</a></em></span><br /> <br /> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;">“Now we’re heading toward <strong>Dürnstein</strong>, one of the loveliest towns in <strong>Austria</strong>,” the voice over loudspeaker of the <strong><em>M/V Adagio</em></strong> intoned. “Its buildings represent a number of architectural styles and so many artists have gathered at one spot to portray the magnificent surrounding landscape that it became known as the Painters’ Corner.” </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;">The fact is, though, that on the way to Dürnstein we sailed past lovely town after lovely town. As the vessel continued its journey on the <strong>Danube River</strong>, my wife <strong>Fyllis</strong> and I joined our 160-some fellow passengers in oohing and aahing over the beauty of many towns and villages along the way. We spotted churches, castles, and other historic landmarks, and marveled over scenery that made us wish we had the time, and talent, to capture on canvas what we were seeing.</span><span style="font-size:12pt;"><br /> <br /> <br /> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10978865667,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10978865667,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10978865667?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a></span><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna; Chaoss/Dreamstime.com</em></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:12pt;">It was just another day admiring the tiny hamlets and majestic cities which line the banks of the Danube as it flows through <strong>Hungary</strong>, <strong>Slovakia</strong>, and <strong>Austria</strong> (with a land extension to Prague). It's a route which takes you to <strong>Budapest</strong>, <strong>Vienna</strong>, and <strong>Prague</strong>, three of the grandest and most stunning capital cities in all of Europe. plus little Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, which replicates much of the splendor in a more compact setting, and smaller towns that claim their own charms.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;">We were traveling with <strong>Grand Circle Cruise Line</strong>, one of several companies that offer voyages along the fabled, and fabulous Danube River. We chose that firm because of the focus upon “Learning and Discovery,” which is for us one thing that distinguishes it, and its Overseas Adventure Travel sister firm, from other tour organizations.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;">The crown jewels on our itinerary were the four capital cities and their architectural riches, intriguing histories and other attributes and attractions that place them high on many travelers’ “must see” list. They both share common characteristics and add their own unique touches.</span></p>
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<p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10978869299,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10978869299,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10978869299?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a></span><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Typical scenery from the Danube River cruise ship. Photo by Victor Block</em></span><strong><br /> <br /> <br /> Four Magnificent Capital Cities</strong></span></p>
<p><br /> <span style="font-size:12pt;">For starters, each doubles as an architectural showcase that spans centuries and represents a variety of styles. Many a magnificent palace, castle or cathedral, if located elsewhere, would be considered a cherished gem. Here, it’s just another example of some of mankind’s most creative accomplishments. </span><span style="font-size:12pt;">The cities and towns also serve as outdoor art and sculpture galleries. A museum-quality selection of statues, frescoes and other adornments adds to the scene. <br /> <br /> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10978871090,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10978871090,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10978871090?profile=RESIZE_400x" width="311" /></a><em>Victor Block</em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><br /> Even in settings of such stunning architecture and art, spanning multiple centuries, some treasures stand out. The <strong>Schönbrunn Palace</strong> in Vienna was built between 1696 and 1712 at the direction of <strong>Emperor Leopold I</strong> for his son <strong>Joseph I</strong>. The goal was to have the 1,441-room castle equal the splendor of Versailles in Paris.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;">Another emperor, <strong>Franz Joseph</strong>, ordered construction of Vienna’s 2½-mile-long grand main boulevard, the <strong>Ringstrasse</strong>, lined by monumental buildings that were designed during the last half of the 19th century. Many of them are ostentatious palaces that were paid for by noblemen anxious to display their wealth. Even more impressive are much larger public structures, like the <strong>Parliament</strong>, <strong>Vienna State Opera</strong>, and <strong>Museum of Fine Arts</strong>, which are as well known for their external architecture as for what takes place inside.<br /> <br /> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10978872688,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10978872688,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10978872688?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a></span><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Victor Block</em></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:12pt;">Up in Prague (its Old Town Square shown above), <strong>Prague Castle</strong> was built more than 1,000 years ago and reigns as the largest in Europe, a complex stretching over 18 acres with historic chapels, residential quarters, galleries and gardens. The site served in the distant past as the seat of power for kings of Bohemia, and the crown jewels from that era are hidden in a secret room.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;">The also massive <strong>Bratislava Castle</strong>, perched on a rocky hill overlooking the Danube River, was erected in 1430 at the place where a defensive fortification had stood since at least 800 AD. A close inspection of its exterior walls and inside corridors reveals fragments remaining from Gothic and Renaissance times. The white, fortress-like structure, set off by a stocky tower at each corner, houses a museum which traces the history of the area from the Middle Ages to the present.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><br /> </span><span style="font-size:12pt;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10978875300,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10978875300,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10978875300?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a></span><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Victor Block<br /> <br /> </em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Museums Large and Small</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;">All four capital cities on the itinerary boast of major museums that offer world-class collections of art certain to attract and appeal to discerning aficionados. Even those not drawn to that manner of creativity may find a number of other exhibits that provide introductions to a varied selection of intriguing topics. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;">For example, displays in the charming Czech town of <strong>Český Krumlov</strong> deal with topics as disparate as <a href="https://www.krumlovskainspirace.cz/expozice/pohadkovy-dum-muzeum-loutek" target="_blank">marionettes</a> (above) and the history of torture; a museum in <strong>Krems</strong>, Austria features caricatures and cartoon drawings; and among the more than 100 galleries in Budapest are collections devoted to pinball machines, miniature bottles and Asian art and curiosities.<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}11018704075,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}11018704075,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="11018704075?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/melkon/22586455077" target="_blank">Sergey Melkonov</a></em></span><br /> <br /> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;">Stories of chapters of Jewish life in Europe greeted us during tours of neighborhoods in several cities. In Prague that meant an introduction to 1,000 years of Jewish cultural history, including a period in the 18th century, when more members of that religion lived there than anywhere else in the world.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;">The <strong>Great Synagogue</strong> of Budapest (above), which dates to the mid-19th century, is the largest in Europe and one of the biggest in the world. Located in the Jewish quarter of <strong>Pest</strong>, it can seat 3,000 people, and was built in the neo-Moorish style, featuring decorations based upon Islamic models of <strong>North Africa</strong> and medieval <strong>Spain</strong>.<br /> <br /> <em><span style="font-size:8pt;"><br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10995606499,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10995606499,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10995606499?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a>A typical Slovak dish: cheese halušky (dumplings) in cream sauce; <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bryndzov%C3%A9_halu%C5%A1ky_so_slaninou.jpg" target="_blank">Gregory Finster</a><br /> </span></em><br /> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>Dining with Locals</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;">The setting was much more intimate during a home-hosted dinner in Bratislava, when we were treated to a basic education in many things Slovak and the family members with whom we dined had a "101 course" on their lives.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;">During the ride to our destination, before splitting into small groups assigned to different families, our program director (as Grand Circle calls its tour guides - who are, in fact, much more) encouraged us not to be shy about asking questions. And we took him at his word, </span><span style="font-size:12pt;">engaging our hosts in a discussion of politics in their country and ours; compared the education systems, and asked and answered questions about our respective situations regarding the influx of immigrants.</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:12pt;">At their invitation, we strolled through the lavish garden growing in the back yard, then picked and sampled some of the vegetable crop. This was followed by dinner, which featured an entrée of chickens - which, we learned to our dismay, had been scampering around the fenced yard earlier that day. The lucky rabbits that shared the compound had escaped that fate - at least for the time being.</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:12pt;">If you go. Among cruises that Grand Circle offers are five that ply the Danube River. Prices begin at $4,195 including international air fare, all onboard meals with beverages, guided tours with headsets in every port, the use of e-bikes, and gratuities for local guides and drivers. </span><span style="font-size:12pt;">More information on this itinerary can be found <a href="https://www.gct.com/trips/river-cruises/europe/romantic-blue-danube-budapest-to-prague/2021/itineraries?icid=global:itineraries:europe-by-river-cruise:edr" target="_blank">GCT.com</a>. </span></p>
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<p> </p></div>The 3 European Capitals of Culture for 2023: Elefsina, Timişoara & Veszprémhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/european-capitals-of-culture-2023-elefsina-timisoara-veszprem2023-01-31T06:15:00.000Z2023-01-31T06:15:00.000ZJosé Balidohttps://tripatini.com/members/JoseBalido<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10951604873,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10951604873,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10951604873?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/foto/vista-de-eleusis-de-la-zona-arqueol%C3%B3gica-de-eleusis-gm948122704-258862144?phrase=elefsina" target="_blank">Charalambos Andronos</a>/<a href="https://timisoara2023.eu/en/visit-timi%C8%99oara/" target="_blank">Timişoara 2023</a>/<a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/foto/veszpr%C3%A9m-hungr%C3%ADa-incre%C3%ADble-vista-a%C3%A9rea-nevada-del-centro-de-veszpr%C3%A9m-y-el-distrito-gm1297768904-390808152?phrase=veszprem" target="_blank">Janos Illesi</a></em></span></p>
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Annually since 1985, the cultural poobahs of the <strong>European Union</strong> have designated one or more of the continent's cities (and as of last year it's been three), as <strong>Capitals of Culture</strong>, focusing on their own cultural offerings and allowing them to organize a series of wider cultural events (many with a strong pan-European dimension) - which bring in considerable additional revenue; foster urban renewal; and raise their international profiles and images. Since the first one, <strong>Athens</strong>, (then Greek miister of culture Melina Mercouri was a driving force behind the program) most of the better known cities have already had their years in the sun, and recent <strong>ECoC</strong>s have been lesser known. That's certainly true of this year's trio, launching their year in the sun in the coming week or so. Here's a quick look:</p>
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<span style="font-size:14pt;"> <a href="https://2023eleusis.eu/en/">Elefsina, Greece</a></span></strong><br />
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Located on the <strong>Thriassian Plain</strong> just a 20-minute drive along the <strong>Saronic Gulf</strong> coast from <strong>Athens</strong>, this city of around 30,000 is now largely industrialised (home for example to the country’s biggest oil refinery) but its roots reach back to ancient <strong>Hellas</strong>. Founded in the 2nd millennium BCE, it became one of the five sacred cities of ancient Greece; was the birthplace of the 5th-century BCE tragic playwright <strong>Aeschylus</strong>; and the site of the <strong>Eleusinian Mysteries</strong>, initiations held annually for the cult of <strong>Demeter</strong> and <strong>Persephone</strong> and considered the most famous of the Hellenic world’s secret religious rites. These days <strong>Elefsina</strong> stages the venerable annual <strong><a href="https://aisxylia.gr/to-festival/">Aeschylia Festival</a></strong>, held from late August through September with stage productions, art exhibitions and installations, concerts, and dance events.<br />
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When the city was chosen as a 2021 ECoC – delayed till this year due to the pandemic – it was the smallest and oldest in the programme’s history, and despite not being a picture postcard little Greek city but rather on the gritty side – described as “the unpainted face of Greece: authentic, scarred, silent, dignified”. Beyond that, though, there are true historical gems to be found here, such as the ruins of the site where the Mysteries took place, along the foot of the hill of the ancient acropolis and including a key cave called the <strong>Ploutonion</strong>, as well as the nearby archaeological museum. <br />
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And with this firm cultural and historical base to build upon, Elefsina on 4 February is about to launch its Capital of Culture programme, “Mysteries of Transition”, with three overarching themes: “People/Society”, “Environment”, and Labour”. Throughout the course of 2023, more than 30 venues will host exhibitions along with performances in 17 art forms from 192 Greek and 137 international artists. One of the first exhibitions, at an old olive mill turned centre for the arts is dedicated to Greece's former culture minister <strong>Melina Mercouri</strong> – who came up with the idea of the ECoC programme in 1985 and helped bring it to fruition – as well as and her French counterpart, <strong>Jacques Lang</strong>.</p>
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<span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://timisoara2023.eu/en/">Timişoara, Romania</a></strong></span></p>
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A six-hour-40-minute drive or three hour flight from <strong>Bucharest</strong>, the country’s third largest city, in the central west has some 306,000 and traces its origins to a settlement of the Indo-European Bronze-Age Dacian people who inhabited this area in the 8th-7th centuries BCE – although as it was founded in 1315 on the site of an ancient Roman fortress and surrounding swampland. Much more recently, this was the place where the popular revolt which eventually toppled the 24-year Communist dictatorship of <strong>Nicolae Ceaușescu</strong> got its start in 1989. <br />
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Timişoara's attractive city centre abounds with Vienna Secession and Art Nouveau architecture dating from the Austro-Hungarian Empire period of the 18th through early 20th centuries, lending it the moniker Little Vienna. Highlights for visitors among Romania’s largest ensemble of historical buildings include Piața<strong> Victoriei</strong> (Victory Square), <strong>Piața Libertatii</strong> (Liberty Square) and <strong>Piața</strong> <strong>Unirii</strong> (Unity Square); the <strong>Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral</strong>, built in 1946; the 220-year-old, the Austrian Baroque Roman Catholic <strong>St George’s Cathedral</strong>, the open-air <strong>Village Museum of Banat</strong>; the early-18th-century <strong>Theresa Bastion</strong> fortress; the <strong>Communism Museum</strong> about the bad old days; and in the “City of Parks”, various appealing examples including <strong>Parcul Central</strong>, <strong>Parcul Regina Maria</strong> (Queen Mary Park), and <strong>Parcul Rozelor</strong> (Roses Park).<br />
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This year’s programme, with the tagline “<strong>Shne Your Light</strong>,” builds especially on Timisoara’s status as a hotbed for avant-garde/underground culture in the past several decades, and includes events with two Nobel literature laureates, <strong>Orhan Pamuk</strong> and <strong>Olga Tokarczuk</strong>, as well as German philosopher <strong>Peter Sloterdijk</strong>; a concert directed by Timisoara-born conductor <strong>Cristian Macelarum</strong> (also the artistic director of Bucharest’s <strong>George Enescu International Festival</strong>); and an exhibition of the works of Romania’s most renowned sculptor, <strong>Constantin Brancusi</strong>.</p>
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<a href="https://veszprembalaton2023.hu/en"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Vezprém-Balaton, Hungary</strong></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-size:8pt;"> A city of around 57,000, just over an hour from Budapest and near the shores of <strong>Lake Balaton</strong> (the largest in <strong>Central Europe</strong>), the capital of <strong>Balaton County</strong> is one of Hungary’s oldest urban areas, and predates even the arrival of the Hungarians to the region in the early 11th century. With its hilly, winding cobblestone lanes and romantic corners, <strong><a href="https://www.veszpreminfo.hu/en/places/all/l:best-of-veszprem">Veszprém</a></strong> definitely sports that “fairytale” vibe many visitors to Europe come seeking, and spots here not to miss include its 10th-century castle complex, on a hill right in the middle of town; the <strong>Laczkó Dezső Museum</strong> of history; its biweekly Sunday outdoor market; the atmospheric ruins of the 13th-century church and monastery of <strong>St. Margaret</strong>; and the 19-century <strong>Fenyves Mill</strong>, the town’s only intact water mill, complete with interactive exhibits. And of course right nearby are the various pleasures of <a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/2015/08/07/lake-balaton-hungary/">Lake Balaton and its other surrounding towns and wine country</a>. <br />
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What’s more, this is a small town with big cultural chops, and for some years has had plenty of experience in putting on cultural events, such as its annual <strong>VeszprémFest</strong>, <strong>Utcazene (Street Music) Festival</strong>, <strong>Auer Festival</strong>, the <strong>Hungarian Motion Picture Festival</strong>, and <strong>DANCE Festival</strong>, And shared with neighbouring communities, a programme entitled “Shine! The Celebration of Creativity” will bring in hundreds of artists from 25 countries nd across various disciplines. It’s a bit ironic, actually, all this “creativity” and apparent openness to the world in the European Union’s most repressive “illiberal democracy”, but there you have it – presumably <strong>Viktor Orbán</strong>’s secret police will not be monitoring your every move.</span></p></div>Discovering Hungary as a Place You Can Call Homehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/discovering-hungary-as-a-place-you-can-call-home2020-01-28T09:34:00.000Z2020-01-28T09:34:00.000ZJennifer Hahn Mastersonhttps://tripatini.com/members/JenniferHahnMasterson<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009436257,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009436257,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="9009436257?profile=original" /></a>Hungary is located in the heart of Europe. It offers excellent infrastructure, temperate climate, with good public safety and low living costs for anyone planning to move here. It is a member of the European Union, which grants great business and travel opportunities to anyone living and working in Hungary.</p><h2>Moving to Hungary</h2><p>Immigration to Hungary is straightforward and simple. If you are a citizen of an EU member state, you only need a <span><a href="http://www.bmbah.hu/jomla/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=55&Itemid=809&lang=en">registration card</a></span>. If you are a citizen of a third country, you will need some basis for receiving a Hungarian residence permit. For example, you can register your very own Hungarian company in just a few days, and receive a residence permit based on your company operation. You can also find employment in Hungary and apply for residency based on that. In either case, your family members (spouse and underage children) can also receive residency in the “family unification” procedure.</p><p>You might also want to <span><a href="https://hungariancitizenship.eu/procedure/">examine Hungarian citizenship procedures</a></span>. Regularly you can become a Hungarian citizen after 8 years of residency in Hungary, but if your parents or other ancestors were citizens, you can go for the “simplified naturalization” procedure, where, after submitting all necessary documents, you only have to attend a brief meeting with the Hungarian consul (in Hungarian) to become a citizen of Hungary within less than a year.</p><h2><span>Living in Hungary</span></h2><p>Hungary is in the middle of Europe, right between east and west. This means you get the infrastructure and living standards expected in western European countries but <span><a href="https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/budapest">for the fraction of western prices</a></span>.</p><p>Hungary is accessible through the international airport in Budapest with connections to most European capitals and can be reached within just a few hours, even with budget airlines. Hungary is also connected to the extensive European road and railway network, which all make travel within Europe and in Hungary fast and convenient. Public transport within and between cities makes going your way simple and cost-effective even if you don’t have a car of your own.</p><p>Whether you live in the city center, in the suburbs, or even in one of the neighboring villages, you will always be able to reach the city still within a reasonable time. You can rent a home furnished or without furniture. You may also decide to buy a home – there are no restrictions on real estate purchase by any nationalities.</p><p>The tax funded, universal social security system makes healthcare in Hungary free in cases of emergency even for expats. If you are a resident paying the social contribution, you will receive basic services free of charge. However, paid medical services offer quicker and more convenient treatment options, and even locals often opt for an additional insurance.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009436852,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009436852,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9009436852?profile=original" /></a></p><p>There are international schools with teaching languages other than Hungarian (mostly English), especially in the capital, Budapest, if you want to move to Hungary with your children, but most of them ask for a tuition-fee. Still, some of them are actually state-funded – while in most public schools your child will have to learn Hungarian quickly. Higher education offers more courses in English, as Hungarian universities are quite popular among foreign students, especially in the medical, veterinarian, and business fields.</p><h2><span>Working in Hungary</span></h2><p>There are various multinational companies operating in Hungary, which means you will probably be able to find employment even if you do not speak Hungarian. Skill and expertise are always sought after, and <span><a href="https://workpermit.hu/">obtaining the Hungarian work permit</a></span> is just a matter of 70 days once you already have a valid job offer. In Hungary, it is customary to agree on a gross salary, so make sure you consider the net salary as well (the salary you receive after taxes are deducted) to make sure you will be able to finance your stay in Hungary.</p><p>Be aware that in Hungary, just like in most places around Europe, the standard working time is 40 hours a week Monday through Friday, with 8 hours a day, typically 8 am to 4 pm (or 9 am to 5 pm). Naturally, this might vary based on the field of business: shops, restaurants and bars are typically open late into the evening and over the weekend.</p><h2><span>Hungary in a nutshell</span></h2><p>Hungary offers western European living standards for significantly lower living costs. The advanced infrastructure includes options for public transportation, healthcare and education, while public safety is great, and the rights of workers are protected. You can easily become a resident through setting up a company or entering employment, and you can even apply for citizenship after a few years, or right now if your ancestors were citizens.</p></div>Artsy Szentendre, on Hungary's Danube Bendhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/artsy-szentendre-on-hungary-s-danube-bend2014-02-17T12:41:22.000Z2014-02-17T12:41:22.000ZIberostar Hotels & Resortshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberostarHotelsResorts<div><p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10967292295,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10967292295,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="750" alt="10967292295?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Szentendre-Ungarn-Bild2.JPG" target="_blank">Magellan</a></span></p>
<p><br /> Finding yourself in a Mediterranean village just 10 kilometers from <strong>Budapest</strong> is one of the surprises the Danube offers up to travelers. The small town of <strong>Szentendre</strong> (Saint Andrew) is the gateway to the Danube Bend, a curve of Hungary’s most majestic river. The town retains its 18th and 19th century appearance and atmosphere.<br /> <br /> With a population of approximately 26 000, to this day the customs and traditions of Serbs who fled the Turkish hoards at the end of the 17th century are kept alive here. Evidence of this are the many churches and crosses all over town, built facing the east according to orthodox tradition, as well as the great cross erected in 1763 by traders in order to give thanks to God for protecting the town from the plague.<br /> <br /> For years it was the <strong>favored destination of all kinds of artists</strong> who came to live and work there. Today it has so many museums and workshops that it is hard to choose which to visit. If you are pushed for time, make sure to squeeze in the famous <strong>Margit Kovács</strong> Ceramics Collection and the<strong> Ferenczy Museum, </strong>named after the work of this family.<br /> <br /> In fact, even its streets are a work of art. The Baroque-style town center is filled with decorative facades with bright colors and rococo flourishes, giving the sensation of being on the set of a movie from another era.<br /> <br /> And 3 kilometers from the town is the largest <strong>Skanzen</strong> (Open Air Museum of the Hungarian People) in the country. This interesting expanse of 46 hectares brings together exhibits of rural culture, such as houses, churches and bell towers, from different parts of the country.</p>
<p><br /> If you are traveling to Budapest, a trip to <strong>Szentendre</strong> is a must!</p>
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<p><strong>IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts </strong><em>has a hotel in Budapest: </em><a href="http://www.thegrandcollection.com/hoteles/budapest/iberostar-grand-hotel-budapest/introduccion"><strong>the IBEROSTAR Grand Hotel Budapest</strong></a><em>, which has <strong>5 stars</strong>. It <strong>enjoys a privileged location</strong>, surrounded by important buildings, embassies and shopping areas. <strong>The hotel was built in 2011</strong> and its <strong>suites</strong> are <strong>absolutely luxurious</strong>.”</em></p>
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