Hungary

Including cross-border day trippers, Hungary welcomed more than 30 million tourists last year - three times the country's population.

Some come for the rich history or to explore some of the 2,000 castles that dot the countryside. Others spend their days tanning on the shores of Lake Balaton - the second largest lake in Europe - or take advantage of the parks and rivers that allow for windsurfing, kayaking, hiking and camping.

But if pressed to pick Hungary's three major draws - Budapest, world-class wines and thermal baths would be at the top of most travelers' lists.

Taste the wine

Hungary has gained recognition around the world as a producer of top-quality wines - most of which are available for sampling at the diverse range of restaurants in the capital. Wine making is a centuries-old tradition in Hungary. The quality of the soil, amount of sunshine and a mean annual temperature of between 11°C and 16°C allows for the production of both high-quality red and white wines.

Hungarian wines from the northeast of the country (such as the reds from Eger) and the sweet whites from Tokaj are some of the best known to wine cognoscenti, but the country actually boasts 22 production regions - all of which offer tours and tastings.

For red wines, the southern towns of Villány and Szekszárd are often top the "best of" lists. White wine regions of note tend to come from around Lake Balaton in the west.

Take the waters

In addition to its diverse history, excellent wines, beautiful lakes and countryside - Hungary is also well known for its mineral baths and thermal spas. About 80 percent of the country sits atop a reservoir of thermal waters - generally over 30°C. As a result, there are more than 400 spas across the nation.

Hungary is famous for its hot springs, or "fürdõ." Pictured above is Széchenyi fürdõ, the largest medicinal bath in Europe

The thermal waters have been used for thousands of years for washing, bathing, ritual and medicinal purposes. Some of the earliest users were the Romans, who arrived in the region at the start of the Christian era and built a settlement called Aquincum, located on the northern edge of metropolitan Budapest. Though all that's left of the ancient settlement are some ruins, there are still operating baths in the area.

Located within walking distance of the Roman ruins is the 318-room Corinthia Aquincum Hotel. It is the only five-star property in the city with a thermal spa on the premises.

"Spa and health tourism is our specialty," says general manager Andreas Schuster. "Since last fall many hotels in town have seen a sharp drop in their occupancies, especially for business travelers. What has not decreased, but actually increased, has been the number of people coming for the spa."

In addition to the spa, the Aquincum - owned by the Corinthia Hotels International - also has an executive floor, a health and fitness center, an indoor pool, four food outlets, and a nightclub, as well as conference and banqueting facilities for up to 300 people.

TOP