Page 37 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Hungary

HUNGAR Y THROUGH THE Y EAR  35

Average Daily Hours of Sunshine
Hours Sunshine Chart
12
Hungary enjoys most of
10 its sunshine hours in July
and August, although
8
September and even
6 October can often still be
4 very sunny. The southwest
of the country sees the
2 most sunshine, the town
0 of Pécs being officially
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Hungary’s sunniest city.
Sopron Festival Weeks
Summer (mid-Jun–mid-Jul), Sopron.
Summer is the most enjoyable Hungary’s largest town festival
season, and every town and outside Budapest showcases
village has its festival week. everything from gastronomy
Lake Balaton comes alive when and architecture to classical
the entire country seems to music and children’s theatre.
decamp here, while folklore, The Early Music Days at the
music and artistic events tempt end of June are a highlight.
visitors (and residents) to stay Hortobágy Equestrian
in the capital. Days (late Jun–early Jul),
Hortobágy National Park.
June
Horsey pursuits include com­
Miskolc Opera Festival (mid- petitions in carriage­ driving
Jun), National Theatre, Miskolc and horse­herding, displays
(see p230). Hungary’s premier of horseman­ship, and a large
opera festival is held for a week market selling equestrian goods.
in June. Each year, one or more Floats parading in the Debrecen Flower
Hungarian operas and the work July Carnival on 20 August, a national holiday
of one great foreign composer Jazz Days (Jul), Debrecen.
are performed at the festival. Attracting world­renowned Sziget Festival (end Jul–early
Danube and Chain Bridge jazz musicians, this is the most Aug), Budapest. The biggest
Carnival (throughout Jun), important jazz event in the music festival in central Europe,
Budapest. The completion of country. Running now for more the three­day event on a
Chain Bridge is celebrated in than 30 years, it brings together Danube island attracts the very
a number of river­based a range of jazz styles. biggest names in pop and rock.
activities, which climax in the Visegrád Palace Games August
powerboat races on the final (Jul). Hungary’s best castle
Sunday. There are also concerts festival, with jousting contests, Hungarian Grand Prix
and street perform ances, many archery displays, mock battles Formula 1 (Aug), Budapest.
of which take place on Chain and a festival of medieval arts Hungary has hosted motor
Bridge itself. to be enjoyed. races since the 1920s. For
three days the F1 circus rolls
into Mogyoród.
Flower Carnival, Debrecen
(Virágkarnevál, 20 Aug),
Debrecen. St István’s Day is
celebrated in Debrecen by
decorating the entire city
centre with flowers. A large
flower market takes place on
Piac utca, and flower­bedecked
floats parade through the city’s
streets. In the evening there is
a free pop concert that is
usually well attended.
Fireworks over the Danube
(20 Aug), Budapest. Pyrotechnics
Formula 1 race at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Mogyoród near Budapest to celebrate St István’s Day.

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