Tour Testimonials

Emery, Texas

Posted on by Liz

A Piece of My Heart in Transylvania

When I journeyed through Transylvania, I expected to find beauty — but I discovered something far deeper. In the heart of those mist-covered mountains and forested valleys, I met the Székely people, whose spirit is as enduring as the land itself. Their love for their homeland is not just seen, it’s felt — in their songs, their traditions, their laughter echoing through the hills.

As I stood beneath vast skies and looked across rolling meadows dotted with ancient churches and quiet villages, I felt a connection I can hardly put into words. There is a soulfulness to Transylvania — a sense that time slows, and life moves to the rhythm of the earth itself.

I left a part of myself there, among the pine-scented winds and the steadfast hearts of the Székely. To anyone who dreams of places where beauty and mystery intertwine —go. Transylvania will welcome you, touch your heart and never let you go!

Previous Tours

2023 Experience Transylvania!

Posted on by Liz

Experience Transylvania!
September 16 – 30, 2023
Come! See for yourself!

Space is limited!

Transylvania has amazing landscapes, forest-covered mountains lined with rivers and streams, green hills, pastures, and serene lakes. Hungarian culture and traditions are very much alive in this area. The Hungarians in Romania love to share their cultural heritage through memorable experiences. This is just a brief overview of the tour. Each full day includes breakfast and one main meal, an English-speaking guide, motor coach transportation, transportation to and from the Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport to your hotel.Entry fees for all sightseeing tours and programs are included.

For more information, a registration form, and brief day-to-day itinerary, email [email protected]

  • 14 nights in comfortable accommodations
  • Nagyvárad Castle
  • Felix Spa
  • Fortified church in Berethalom
  • The Citadel of Kőhalom
  • Blacksmith workshop
  • City tours in Brassó & Segesvár
  • Anna Lake
  • The Mossy Bog
  • Hiking opportunities
  • Folk dance shows
  • Specialty cooking course
  • Overnight in Nagyvárad, Segesvár, Covasna County, and Gyulafehérvár

This tour will start and end in Budapest, Hungary. Please be in Budapest no later than September 16th! If you would like to add days either before or after the tour and need assistance making those arrangements, we are happy to do that and can include it on your invoice.

Tour price is $4900 USD, per person based on double occupancy. Single supplement (private room) is an additional $960.
Deposit: $1500 USD per person
Returning Traveler Discount: $150 USD per person
Check or money order Discount: $150 USD per person (Please note, the entire trip must be paid this way to qualify for this discount.)
All discounts will be factored in during the final invoice.

Take advantage of your airfare and participate in both September tours! Check out the details on our Fall Folk Art & Culinary Tour!

Our tours require moderate physical effort and mental independence. Knowledge of the Hungarian language is useful but not required. Our smaller group size (18-28 people) allows us to visit smaller venues and artisans. We strongly recommend you purchase travel insurance! If you need help booking tickets and securing travel insurance, email me for a recommendation.

Our tour price does not include: airfare, passport and luggage fees, gratuities, travel insurance, or alcoholic drinks (unless a part of our activity). We are not responsible for any theft, accidents, or insurance-related incidents while traveling.

Previous Tours

Folk Art & Culinary Tour May 2024

Posted on by Liz

Folk Art & Culinary Tour

May 2 – May 13th, 2024 — Budapest,  Gyula, Debrecen, and Nyíregyháza (11 nights)

Space is limited!

We will explore the folk art and enjoy excellent gastronomy in eastern and northeastern Hungary. We will learn all about pálinka, the healing waters of several spas, and the wooden churches of the area as well as other architectural highlights.   This is just a brief overview of the tour. Each full day includes breakfast and one main meal, an English-speaking guide, motor coach transportation, transportation to and from the Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport to your hotel. Entry fees for all sightseeing tours and programs are included.

For more information, a registration form, and day-to-day brief itinerary, email [email protected]

  • Comfortable accommodations
  • Visit the castle of Gyula
  • Visit the town spa of Gyula
  • Pálinka tasting at the Gyulai Pálinka Distillery
  • A visit to the Zwack Unicum Distillery
  • Dinner with folk dance show and gypsy music.
  • A visit to the Great Reformed Church
  • Horse show and lunch at the National Park Hortobágy
  • Visit to the Skanzen in Nyíregyháza
  • Gastronomy workshop
  • A visit in Tard to learn about Matyó embroidery
  • Coffee and cake in Maklár at the Stühmer Café

This tour starts and ends in Budapest, Hungary. Please be in Budapest no later than Thursday, May 2nd, 2024! If you would like to add days either before or after the tour and need assistance making those arrangements, we are happy to do that and can include it on your invoice.

Tour price:
$5300 USD, per person based on double occupancy. Single supplement (private room) is an additional $750 USD.

Deposit: $2000 USD per person
Returning Traveler Discount: $150 USD per person
Check or money order Discount: $150 USD per person (Please note, the entire trip must be paid this way to qualify for this discount.)
All discounts will be factored in during the final invoice.

Want to add a visit to an ancestral village before, during, or after the tour? Email [email protected] and let us know that you are interested in this opportunity!

Our tours require moderate physical effort and mental independence. Knowledge of the Hungarian language is useful but not required. Our smaller group size (18-28 people) allows us to visit smaller venues and artisans. We strongly recommend you purchase travel insurance! If you need help booking tickets and securing travel insurance, email me for a recommendation. Our tour price does not include: airfare, passport and luggage fees, gratuities, travel insurance, or alcoholic drinks (unless a part of our activity). We are not responsible for any theft, accidents, or insurance-related incidents while traveling.

Come! See for yourself!

 

Travel Tips for Hungary

What to do while you wait for your trip!

Posted on by Liz

What to do while you wait for your trip:

Hungarian Language: Work on your Hungarian language skills. We have been offering small group Hungarian language instruction with some excellent teachers and it helps to be doing something practical. We would love to have you join us! Find a language app that works for you. Make vocabulary flashcards. Take a course.

Genealogy: Since we aren’t free to travel, it might be a good time to work on your genealogy projects. How far back can you go in your family line? Are there places you might be stuck? We will be hosting new classes this fall!

Health: Keep up your health! Start or keep walking or biking or whatever you do so, when the time comes for travel, you are ready to go! Track your miles, find a podcast to listen to while you walk! Change up your routine!

Culinary Arts: Are there some Hungarian foods you want to try to make? Now is a great time to experiment in the kitchen! Take one of our online cooking classes! Challenge yourself to make a Hungarian dish at least once a month. If you have a family recipes to work with, that’s even better! If you don’t love to cook but miss Hungarian food, maybe you are lucky enough to have a Hungarian restaurant or organization near you that is cooking! Support them if you can!

Folk Art: If you have been interested in learning some aspect of Hungarian folk art, now is a great time to do some learning! Recently, I had a couple of nights away and I took a sketch pad with me and I just practiced drawing some Hungarian folk art flowers. It was fun to play around and figure out how to sketch a few things. Even though I am not particularly artistic, I was able to come up with a few satisfying drawings!

Reading: Find books that have to do with Hungary — whether they are historical accounts or historical fiction or simply novels and stories by authors who have a connection to Hungary, it doesn’t matter. It is always interesting to read different perspectives and “travel” with a good author! There are books for all ages with a connection to Hungary!

Movies: There are plenty of movies out there with a connection to Hungary — either written or directed by a Hungarian, set in Hungary, about the topic of Hungary, or with actors that have Hungarian heritage.

Music: Hungarians are well known for their passion for music. Check YouTube for a wide variety of music from folk songs to current hits to gypsy orchestras! This is a great time to expand your experience with Hungarian music!

Travel Tips for Hungary

Money Travel Tips

Posted on by Liz

I am often asked about important money tips to consider when traveling to Hungary. Here are a few of the ones I’ve figured out over my years of international travel:

  • Contact your bank or AAA before you leave if you want to have some Hungarian forints (HUF) in your pocket as you land in Hungary, or you can exchange a small amount of money at the airport. Just keep in mind you won’t get the best exchange rate at the airport so don’t exchange all the money you brought from home, just enough to tide you over until you get to town!
  • Money exchange places are in Budapest and the larger cities. Exchange money before you go to the countryside because not every place takes a credit card. But, do not go to the ones called INTERCHANGE that have an orange sign. They are notoriously more expensive.
  • Be sure to call your credit card companies and tell them to note on your account when and where you will be traveling internationally, including the countries you are connecting through on your way to Budapest if you do not have a direct flight. If your credit card company thinks your card or card number has been compromised, they will shut it down. Bring along more cash than you think you need.
  • If you will have a layover in a European country that uses Euros, don’t stress about having euros as long as you have a credit card without foreign transaction fees. My time is typically so short at the airports I just use my credit card for food and souvenir purchases and I don’t mess with Euros at all.
  • Bring a combination of cash and credit cards. DO NOT bring travelers checks or money orders because you cannot cash them in Hungary. Make sure your credit card has a chip, doesn’t have foreign transaction fees, and please set up and remember your pin code! Also, that important number on the back of your card to call in case you lose it or it is stolen? Make sure you have that number with you separate from your card! American Express and Discover cards are not widely accepted. If you are planning to spend some time out in the countryside it is best to plan on using Hungarian forints for transactions. Most small family businesses do not accept credit cards.
  • Always keep 250-300 HUF with you when you travel in Hungary. While coffee shops and restaurants are required to have restrooms (WC) for their patrons there are many places where there is a fee to use the WC.
  • Be

 

Copyright 2020, Magyar Living

Tour Testimonials

Frank and Hilda, New York

Posted on by Liz

We’ve been traveling as a couple both independently and with organized tour operators in the U,S., Europe, South America and the Middle East for almost five decades, and we’ve found your operation to be among the best we’ve experienced. Your trips are well organized and it’s easy to see that there must be a lot of planning and preparation behind these excursions and itineraries. We typically stayed at four star hotels, and this reduced the number of times we had to pack and unpack. Many of the hotels were close to city centers, our luggage was zipped into and out of each hotel so we didn’t have to lug them around, we didn’t have to find restaurants that were decent and open, and you did all the leg work for the sights and attractions for a full day. We put ourselves into your hands and did not regret it once.

In addition, we appreciate each tour’s balance between the natural beauty of the country, the rich history and culture of my wife’s homeland, and the unique products offered by the country’s talented artisans not to mention the amazing local cuisine, wines and of course, pálinka. Even though I am not of Hungarian decent and have been to Hungary four times in the past, I found your tour to be very interesting and fun. After all, you don’t need to be French to enjoy Paris.

We like the fact that each day’s schedule is not too ambitious or exhausting, and that your itineraries leave time for relaxation and rejuvenation. Also, the air-conditioned coach was clean and comfortable, and your local tour guide and the very skilled coach driver were knowledgeable and good-natured and always ready to help with any issues that came up. So, all in all, your guests get good value for their vacation dollars and a memorable experience. ~ Frank and Hilda, New York