Szentendre, Szentendre sights (Szentendre)

Szentendre, this neat town with a decidedly Mediterranean feel to it lies barely 20 km from Budapest (suburban trains departing from Batthyany Square every 20 minutes reach it in 30-40 minutes), and it has gained a solid reputation as a popular tourist excursion spot. Szentendre has preserved its 18–19th century compact and unified layout. Its picturesque setting on the Danube, its architecture and historical monuments all contributed to the formation over the years of colonies of painters, sculptors and artists who lived and still live today in Szentendre.

SZENTENDRE, TOWN OF ARTISTS AND SKANZEN

This neat town with a decidedly Mediterranean feel to it lies barely 20 km from Budapest (suburban trains departing from Batthyany Square every 20 minutes reach it in 30-40 minutes), and it has gained a solid reputation as a popular tourist excursion spot.

Szentendre has preserved its 18–19th century compact and unified layout. Its picturesque setting on the Danube, its architecture and historical monuments all contributed to the formation over the years of colonies of painters, sculptors and artists who lived and still live today in Szentendre. Indeed, the very air seems to stimulate the creative juices! The town warmly welcomes the visitor, indulging them with its multitude of spectacular sights and a fascinating artistic presence.

Longobard cemeteries and Avar memorials are to be found here, and there is a particularly strong Serbian culture all around, brought here by Serb communities fleeing a Turkish onslaught in the late 17th century. Most of the houses which once belonged to wealthy merchants are now museums, but the Greek Orthodox churches still function and visiting hours are fixed for times between masses which dazzle the onlooker in all their Baroque pomp, as does the Rococo iconostasis.

All the listed houses in the centre have found new functions: a restaurant famed throughout Hungary operates from the attic of one, and in another the visitor is served fine cakes and coffee specialities in a cosy cafe. There are gourmet delicacies for the body and enchanting exhibitions for the mind. In fact the galleries, workshops, exhibition centres and museums just come one after the other. Seven or eight galleries deal with the marketing of art. If anyone becomes particularly interested in any one of the artists, a studio visit can be arranged.

An exhibition of works by Lajos Vajda, Dezso Korniss, Endre Balint and Piroska Szantó is set up in the Hunyadi Street old merchant’s house, No. 1 Vastagh Gyorgy Street preserves ceramics by Margit Kovacs whose works have enjoyed international acclaim for many decades, while the art of Jeno Barcsay is displayed in Dumtsa Jeno Street. Not far from here, an unusual museum shows just how far a skilled artisan can extend the boundaries of his trade.

The Marzipan Museum in Szentendre displays how far the plasticity and colouring of this marvellous and delicious sweetmeat can – in the right hands – be moulded into just about any shape one could imagine. These works of art stay locked up in the display cases, but many more can be sampled at the confectionery next door.

It would be easy to spend a whole day strolling about the town and along the Danube embankment, taking lunch and perhaps an afternoon coffee and cake, and yet there is still another important place to see. Szentendre is home to the first (and still the largest) skanzen or open-air museum in Hungary. This park displays the continual development of vernacular architecture from all the regions of Hungary in the form of original buildings typical of their area carefully dismantled and rebuilt in their new home, the Szentendre skanzen.

The rooms come fully furnished with period furniture, linens and beautiful needlework characteristic of the region in question, the kitchens display fireplaces and pots and pans, the pantries have original containers for foods, sacks and wickerwork baskets, while the stables are full of all the essential equipment for animal husbandry. Museum experts revive the everyday life and holidays of the old peasant way of living.[5]

Sightseeings in Szentendre and its area »

The left-hand side of Danube, Friend

Those living on the right-hand side of the Danube often say that the best thing about the left-hand side is the view across to the other side of the river. It is true that there are no sights to compete with Visegrad or Esztergom on the left side. However, it has worthy sights of a different sort – the Godollo Hills, Lower Cserhat and Galga Valley, former volcanoes (South Borzsony, Csovar), a limestone mine at Naszaly, the Somlyo Hill of Fot (famous for its grapes), Danube oxbows with wonderful fauna and even a slice of the Great Plain.

The right-hand side of the Danube, Friend

The landscape to the north of Budapest is shaped by the river and the hills. You can easily get out into the countryside along the winding main road that follows the former Roman Limes, or by taking one of several cycling routes that are being constructed. But the best way to appreciate the river and its sights is to board a boat travelling from Budapest through the Szentendre Danube branch as far as Visegrad.

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Properties Szentendre and its area

Waterfront Hotel (Szentendre)Customer rating: 96% (1)

Hotel Waterfront is located at Szentendre,which is also called the pearl of the Danube Blend. Our Hotel lies at the shore of the Danube. We are waiting Our Dear Guest with 20 air conditioned rooms all year long....

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mn. 21.50 EUR pers/night

Vendégház-14 (Üröm)

A few minutes Kőhegyi Inn Budapest III. district is located next to Wormwood. The village green area of nearly 6000 nm have a garden. Fogadónkban 4 with 2 beds and 1 room apartments (kitchen, bedroom, bathroom) is available for guests Wormwood location makes guests can enjoy the unique spectacle of...

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mn. 16.16 EUR pers/night

Rosinante Fogadó (Szigetmonostor)

We have 20 double rooms,each with its own shower, minibar, TV, telephone. You can enjoy the pool in the garden, then a fine meal in the restaurant. We can be reached along the left bank of Danube from Budapest by Route No.11 and by ferry from Szentendre-Leányfalu or across a bridge in Tahitótfalu.

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mn. 34.45 EUR pers/night

HotelPanzio100 (Szentendre)

Szentendre Dunapart close, quiet, peaceful place, air conditioning, bath and shower rooms, TV, radio, phone, summer swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna, exclusive conditions, stílbútorokkal furnished guest house. Barbecue, on its own free parking, private.

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