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Immerse yourself in the ancient thermal baths of Budapest, with over 150 historic spas dating back to the Roman era. Your visit to Budapest is incomplete without experiencing these thermal springs.
Explore 7 fascinating truths you might have missed about touring Hungary
1. In Hungary, Last Names Come First
In Hungary, when people write their names or introduce themselves to others, their Last Name comes before their First Name. This naming convention is unique globally, shared only by some East Asian countries including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.
2. Women Change Their Names After Marriage
When a Hungarian woman gets married, she must completely change her name. For example, if a girl named Eva marries Nagy Gábor, she will publicly become Nagy Gáborné or Mrs. Nagy Gabor (wife of Nagy Gábor). Friends and family can still call her Eva, but when appearing in public, she will be known as Nagy Gaborné.
3. The language of Hungary is Magyar, not Slavic
The official language of Hungary is Hungarian, also known as Magyar, not Slavic, not Latin, and Hungarians don't speak Hungarian. Because Hungary is a melting pot of many ethnicities, whichever community speaks a certain language. The majority of Hungarians are Slavic Catholics (70%), Muslims are a minority. Currently, there are about 100,000 Jews still living here.
Hungarian is one of the most difficult languages for other Europeans to learn, as it originates from a different language family and is related to Finnish and Estonian. There are 5 million Hungarian speakers living in Hungary and neighboring countries like Romania (Transylvania), northern Serbia, eastern and southern Slovakia.
Hungary is a wine country
Hungary boasts some renowned wine regions, most notably Villány, Eger, Badacsony, Tokaj, Szekszárd. Reasonably priced.
Tokaj is renowned for its sweet and rich dessert wine, Tokaji Aszú. It's a favorite among nobility, with past admirers including Louis XIV (referred to Tokaj as the 'King of Wines, Wine of Kings'), Beethoven, Napoleon III, and Peter the Great. Almost unique among white wines, Tokaj ages exceptionally well.
Besides, the city of Balatonfured in Hungary is also one of the oldest wine-producing regions with vineyards dating back thousands of years. A specialty of Balatonfured is its wine and the sprawling vineyards on its hillsides.
5. Hungary boasts an abundance of thermal springs
Hungary's thermal springs are entirely natural, with around 20 public hot spring baths, more than anywhere else in the world. One of the unique experiences for travelers in Hungary is immersing themselves in the ancient thermal baths, with over 150 historic spas dating back to the Roman era in the capital city Budapest. If you haven't soaked in these hot springs, you haven't truly experienced Budapest.
The two largest hot spring baths in Budapest are Szechenyi and Gellert. Szechenyi is the largest natural hot spring bath in the capital of Hungary. Choose this bath if you want to mingle with locals; it offers both indoor and outdoor pools with a large dome situated in the City Park for your comfort. The second bath, Gellert, located next to the Gellert Hotel, is larger, more luxurious, and has waves, giving you a sensation of swimming in the sea. If you prefer to avoid locals, this bath is mainly frequented by tourists.
6. Hungarians are particularly intelligent
Doubtful? Just ask about their Nobel laureates! This country boasts an impressive number of Nobel Prize winners, with 13 laureates so far, starting from 1905 (Physics) to the most recent in 2004 (Chemistry).
Besides, Hungarians have invented many things, from the ballpoint pen (named after inventor László Bíró) to computer science (János Neumann) and even the Rubik's Cube.
7. In Hungary, naming a child requires government approval
In Hungary, naming a child must adhere to the government-approved list of names. This list is regularly updated, but if the name you desire for your child isn't on the list, you'll need to submit an application to the Language Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and hope for approval before you can name your child.
According to Matadornetwork.com
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Reference: Travel Guide from Mytour
MytourMarch 5, 2015
