SeeUinHungary.com - danube bend, szentendre, visegrad, esztergom

The Danube Bend

(Dunakanyar), a string of small riverside towns just north of Budapest, is a popular excursion spot for both international travelers and Hungarians. The name "Danube Bend" is actually a misnomer, since the river doesn't actually change direction at this point. The Danube, which enters Hungary from the northwest, flows in a southeasterly direction for a while, forming the border with Hungary's northern neighbor, Slovakia. Just after Esztergom, about 40km (25 miles) north of Budapest, the river swings abruptly south. This is the start of the Danube Bend region. The river then swings sharply north again just before Visegrád, and then heads south again before reaching Vác. From Vác, it flows more or less directly south, through Budapest and down toward the country's Serbian and Croatian borders.
The delightful towns along the snaking Bend -- in particular, Szentendre, Visegrád, and Esztergom -- can easily be seen on day trips from Budapest since they're all within a couple of hours of the city. The great natural beauty of the area, where forested hills loom over the river, makes it a welcome haven for those weary of the city. Travelers with more time in Budapest can easily make a long weekend out of a visit to the Bend.

Getting there...
By Boat -- From April to September, boats run between Budapest and the towns of the Danube Bend. A leisurely boat ride through the countryside is one of the highlights of an excursion. All boats depart Budapest's Vigadó tér boat landing, which is located in Pest between Erzsébet Bridge and Szabadság Bridge, stopping to pick up passengers 5 minutes later at Buda's Batthyány tér landing, which is in Buda and is also a Red line metro stop, before continuing up the river.
Schedules and towns served are complicated, so contact MAHART, the state shipping company, at the Vigadó tér landing
Round-trip prices are 1,330 Ft ($6) to Szentendre, 1,390 Ft ($6.25) to Visegrád, and 1,460 Ft ($6.60) to Esztergom. Children up to age 14 receive a 50% discount, and children under 4 can travel free if they don't require their own seats.
The approximate travel time from Budapest is 2 hours to Szentendre, 3 1/2 hours to Visegrád, and 5 hours to Esztergom. If time is tight, consider the train or bus (both of which are also considerably cheaper).
By Train -- To Szentendre -- The HÉV suburban railroad connects Budapest's Batthyány tér with Szentendre. Trains leave daily, year-round, every 20 minutes or so from 4am to 11:30pm. The trip takes 45 minutes. Check suburban train schedule
To Visegrád -- There's no direct train service to Visegrád. Instead, take the train departing from Nyugati Station to Nagymaros. The trip takes 1 hour, and there are 20 daily trains. From Nagymaros, take a ferry (RÉV; tel. 06/80/406-611) across the river to Visegrád. The ferry dock is a 5-minute walk from the train station. A ferry leaves every hour throughout the day.The train-to-ferry trip is much more enjoyable than the long, slow bus ride. Check train schedule
To Esztergom -- Seventeen trains daily make the run between Budapest's Nyugati Station and Esztergom. The trip takes about 1 1/4 hours. Check train schedule
By Bus -- Approximately 30 daily buses travel the same route to Szentendre, Visegrád, and Esztergom, departing from Budapest's Árpád híd bus station (tel. 1/329-1450; at the Blue line metro station of the same name). The one-way fare to Szentendre is 282 Ft ($1.25); the trip takes about 30 minutes. The fare to Visegrád is 451 Ft ($2), and the trip takes 1 1/4 hours. To Esztergom, take the bus that travels via a town called Dorog; it costs 563 Ft ($2.55) and takes 1 1/4 hours. The bus that goes to Esztergom via Visegrád takes 2 hours and costs 732 Ft ($3.30) (fare is determined by number of kilometers of travel, and this is a longer route). Keep in mind, of course, that all travel by bus is subject to occasional traffic delays, especially during rush hour.
By Car -- From Budapest, Route 11 hugs the west bank of the Danube, taking you to Szentendre, Visegrád, and Esztergom. Alternatively, you could head "overland" to Esztergom by Route 10, switching to Route 111 at Dorog.