Hungary is a heart-stealer; it will lure you back again and again to sample its rich wines, lounge in its thermal spas, gaze at its bird life and make one more attempt to master its hermetic language. It has all the luxury of Western Europe with a Magyar twist and at half the cost.

Its graceful capital Budapest has a lively arts, café and music scene and is host to a range of cultural and sporting festivals.

In the countryside you will find majestic plains, resort-lined lakes, Baroque towns, horse markets and rustic villages.