Hungarian courses in Budapest, Hungary

Hungarian courses in Budapest

Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is a city of about 1.7 million people on both banks of the Danube: hilly Buda, with the Castle District and the Fishermen's Bastion, on the west bank, and flat, lively Pest, with the Parliament, St Stephen's Basilica and most shops, cafés and offices, on the east. The banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city is famous for its thermal baths, such as Széchenyi and Gellért. Hungarian is a Finno-Ugric language, unlike its neighbours, so living in Budapest while you study gives you daily practice you cannot get anywhere else: in the market halls, on the trams and in the city's many ruin bars and cafés. Public transport is dense and cheap (metro, trams, buses), and the city centre is easy to explore on foot.

Budapest has warm summers, with average highs of around 27 °C in July and August, and cold winters, with temperatures around freezing in January; spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons for walking the city. In December the Christmas markets in Vörösmarty tér and in front of St Stephen's Basilica fill the centre, and the thermal baths are open all year round. Hungary is in the European Union and the Schengen area: Hungarian Language School does not issue visa or residence-permit documents, so its courses suit students who can travel without a study visa.

Getting there: Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport is about 15 km from the city centre, linked by the 100E airport express bus to Deák Ferenc tér; Budapest also has direct international trains to Vienna and other European cities.