Budapest in winter

Travellers looking for inspiration for their next city break should log onto the Hungarian National Tourist Office’s winter promotion web site budapestwinter.com for a whole range of suggestions on what to do in the city, no matter what type of holiday you are after.

The site categorises the following holiday ‘types’ and gives travellers plenty of suggestions on what to see and do, where to eat and drink, plus lots of top tips on lesser known activities available in the city. The site highlights things to do, morning, noon and night for a four day break in the following categories:

• Off the beaten track
• Crazy city break
• Relaxing weekend break
• First time visitor
• Romantic getaway

For instance, suggestions for getting off the beaten track include a quirky and off-beat tour of one of the least known areas of the city, the 8th district, a fascinating area to explore with a local guide, and visiting a top night spot, the Merlin Theatre that very few know now has a funky new club area that showcases local and international DJs.

Ideas for a crazy city break include taking a ‘Sedgway tour’ of the city, bringing out the inner child in you at the Palace of Wonders Museum, an interactive science museum, experiencing what it feels like to be blind at the Invisible Museum and having ‘dinner in the sky’ suspended 50-metres high above the city.

Travel before the end of March and you can still take advantage of the ‘free’ nights promotion as well, at more than 60 of the city’s leading hotels that are offering guests either ‘three nights for the price of two’ or ‘four nights for the price of three’. And with the Budapest Spring Festival (festivalcity.hu) starting on 20 March this is another reason to visit the city before the end of the promotion.

This free night offer runs until 31 March 2009 and is designed to give travellers an extra incentive to visit Budapest this winter, making a short winter escape to one of the world’s most stunning cities a very affordable option.

There are many airlines that fly to Budapest including Malév Airlines (malev.com), British Airways (ba.com), Ryanair (ryanair.com), Easyjet (easyjet.com) and Jet2 (jet2.com). Flights are from £110 with Easyjet in March from Luton.

A range of three, four and five star hotels can be searched and booked online at budapestwinter.com. Prices are from Euro 157 for two people for three nights in March staying at the centrally located 3 star Mátyás Hotel in the Pest side of the city, including breakfast.

* Hotels will be running either ‘three for the price of two nights’ or ‘four for the price of three’ offers – not both. Please check the hotel via the web site for which offer they are running.

For more information and to book log onto budapestwinter.com.