Northern Hungary

Forested hiking trails, superb wine regions, traditional folk culture and hilltop castle ruins beckon you to what are called the Northern Uplands. In a country as flat as a palacsinta (pancake), these foothills of the Carpathians soar above most of Hungary. After exploring Bükk National Park on foot, why not sample the spectacular red wines of Eger or the honey-sweet whites of Tokaj?

As reminders of far too many battles won and lost, ageing castles and evocative ruins punctuate the landscape. This is also a land where the Palóc people hold strong in traditional villages such as Hollókő. If you want to experience village life – steeped in folk culture, replete with horse-drawn carts, dirt roads and tiny wooden churches – the Bereg region in the northeast is the place to go.