Let’s Meet Visegrád

We woke up refreshed and full of excitement. We went down to the hotel restaurant, where a full buffet breakfast was waiting for us. After finishing our food, we got ready and headed to our first destination.
While we were driving, we spotted this place. We stopped and sat down on the wooden bench. It was worth it. The view of the Danube, the city and the surrounding hills was breathtaking.

Visegrád was freed from Turkish rule in 1686. German settlers were the first to move into the completely depopulated village. They built the late Baroque Calvary Chapel in 1770 on the hill above the settlement.
We began our journey from Kálvária Street. Here, we parked our car along the road. In a short distance, we found the Keresztút which was a small path that led to the chapel. As were walking on the small road, we came across stations created by the sculptor Ernő Szakál in 1961.
The building was situated in a picturesque landscape. When we arrived at the entrance of the chapel, we saw that it was closed with a railing. So, we can only view it from the outside. As we were looking inside the chapel, we found a beautifully carved holy tomb niche with a statue of Christ.
We enjoyed the incredible view and the quiet environment.

Our next destination brought us to the Royal Palace, which was built in the 13th century for Hungarian kings. Originally, it was a townhouse for Robert Károly. It was only developed into a palace by Louis I in the first half of his reign. Finally, the building was completed by his descendants Maria and Zsigmond at the end of the 14th century. The royal palace in Visegrád remained the official seat of the Hungarian rulers until the first decade of the 15th century. It was destroyed during the Turkish times in the middle of the 18th century. Since 1934, excavation and restoration took place. The palace turned into a museum and recently found artefacts were exhibited. There was a beautiful decorative staircase that brought us into the Palace chapel. Inside, we discovered a sanctuary, a wooden gallery, three altars carved in a renaissance style, a vaulted sacristy and an oratory. Its old floor was made from brick. There was also an organ that could be seen with silver whistles that stood on renaissance guardian stones. On the north side of the building, we came across the Palace Garden. It was once planted with fruit trees, grapes and flowers. In the middle, there was a well, made from red marble. From the north, the garden was closed by a large stone building, which was perhaps the stables of the palace.
In the 15th century, it was extended by a terrace with a stone wall and a garden house with a basement that was carved into the rock below. Today, the reconstructed garden gave place to a spice garden, a fruit garden and a rest garden. Opening hours: Tuesday - Sunday: 09:00 - 17:00 Monday: closed

While we were discovering the Palace, we came across its museum. The exhibition provides an insight into royal life with its historical furniture, costumes, and decorations. We also found many period artefacts such as stove tiles, floor bricks, models, dishes, pots, weapons, toys, books, tools, cutlery, utility items, ornaments and many other interesting items. Other highlights of the museum were a room from the Zsigmond era, the Royal kitchen, and the cellar.
The room from the Zsigmond era opened from the ornamental courtyard. It was once the living room of noble young men or court ladies performing court service in the palace. The room was reconstructed in its 14th-century form. The wooden ceiling, period furniture and decorations brought to life a noble living room from the Zsigmond era. In front of the fireplace, we could also see a copy of an embroidery frame, with a reconstructed half-finished embroidery from the 14th century. On the first floor, we found the Royal kitchen. The kitchen was reminiscent of the Matthias era. The equipment was reconstructed on the basis of archaeological findings and contemporary representations. We could see an open stove with an external oven, cooking pots, grill, skewers, a salt holder carved from wood, a windbag, iron spoons and pans, wooden plates, glasses, bronze mortar, bowls, dishes etc. Next, our way brought us to the cellar. Here, the palace's most important carvings were displayed from the Matthias period. Among them, the Oroszlános well stood out, decorated with the coats of arms of King Matthias and lions. We also found a Renaissance loggia, columns, Gothic window and door frames, and a fireplace from the late Gothic era. Walking through the exhibitions gave us a great experience and a better understanding of how people lived in the past. Opening hours: Tuesday - Sunday: 09:00 - 17:00 Monday: closed

The double castle system in Visegrád was built around 1250-1260 by IV. Béla and his wife, Queen Mária Lascaris. During its history, it was expanded several times and modified to meet modern military requirements. Here, we discovered the Royal Palace’s decorative fountain from between 1350 and 1360.
Inside the Salamon tower, we found another exhibition which featured the history of Visegrád from prehistoric times until the 20th century.
Note: The Salamon tower is closed from the 19th of September 2022 due to filming. The expected opening is on 29th April 2023.
Opening hours: Wednesday - Sunday: 09:00 - 17:00 Monday - Tuesday: closed

We took a break and visited this restaurant, which was furnished in an elegant bourgeois style.
Its excellent homemade kitchen offered a wide selection of Hungarian and local specialities.
I chose the delicious goulash soup with beans in the kettle.
Opening Hours: Monday - Sunday: 12:00 - 21:00

The first castle was built on the foundations of the former Roman camp and was destroyed during the Tatar invasion. The double castle system was built around 1250-1260 by IV. King Béla and his wife, Queen Mária Laszkarisz, from the queen's dowry.
The castle consisted of fortification walls surrounding the mountain peak, two towers and a residential palace. The Citadel was connected to the Lower Castle by a valley wall, which extended all the way to the banks of the Danube, and ended there with a watchtower. Visegrád regularly guarded the crown until 1529.
The castle suffered enormous destruction during the Turkish Era. During its history, it was owned alternately by Turkish and Hungarian troops. Finally, the building was completely destroyed. The restoration of the castle took from the beginning of 1870 until the present day.
Today, it was home to several interesting exhibitions such as the Holy Crown exhibition, the Castle history exhibition, the Medieval weapons history exhibition, the Panopticon, Lord hunting in the Middle Ages, and the Open-air presentation of medieval military equipment.
Viewing these exhibitions gave us a unique experience.
Opening hours vary seasonally, so please check them in advance while planning a trip.

Next, we took a short tour of this amazing place. The building was formerly known as the Jubilee Viewpoint. It was built in 1933. During its construction, the architects made sure that the appearance of the viewpoint fits in properly with the Citadel, Salamon's Tower, and the Royal Palace. The top floor was added at a later stage. It was named after Tibor Zsitvay, who was one of the well-known personalities of the last century.
The viewpoint was declared a monument in 2005. The panorama of the amazing Danube Bend was breathtaking.
Opening Hours: 15th April - 15th October Tuesday - Sunday: 10:00 - 18:00 Monday: closed
15th October - 15th April Saturday - Sunday: 10:00 - 16:00

Our next destination was this cosy restaurant in Tahitótfalu. It offered a wide range of dishes, including a delicious stew served with traditional Hungarian noodles. I wasn’t disappointed as it was very tasty.
Opening hours: Monday - Sunday: 12:00 - 22:00

We continued our drive to our hotel. After purchasing the ticket to the ferry, we began our beautiful journey across the Danube.
More information and timetable can be found here.

After a 15-minute journey, we arrived at the other side of the Danube to the town called Vác. From here, we continued our journey.

We arrived at this gorgeous place which was located in Vác, 500 meters from the Danube bank. It was time to check in and enjoy the well-deserved rest after our long day.