Győr

A Baroque old town where three rivers meet, with the cathedral, main square and riverside thermal baths all within walking distance, and the thousand-year-old Pannonhalma Archabbey to the southeast.

Győr lies in northwestern Hungary where three rivers meet – the Moson Danube (a branch of the Danube), the Rába and the Rábca – roughly halfway between Budapest (about 120 km) and Vienna (about 110 km), and is Hungary's sixth-largest city. The old town is renowned for its Baroque architecture and has won a European award for heritage conservation. The main sights cluster between Chapter Hill (Káptalandomb) and Széchenyi Square: the thousand-year-old Győr Basilica, the lookout tower of the Bishop's Castle, the Ark of the Covenant monument, Vienna Gate Square and the Benedictine church, all easily linked on foot. Across the river are Radó Island and the Rába Quelle thermal baths. About 20 km southeast, the thousand-year-old Pannonhalma Archabbey is a World Heritage Site and makes an easy half-day trip; to the north, the river islands of Szigetköz are great for canoeing and cycling. Esterházy Palace and Lake Neusiedl to the west are closer to Sopron and are usually visited as part of a Sopron itinerary. The best time to visit is April–October: spring and autumn are cool and ideal for wandering the old town, summer brings riverside music festivals and kayaking, and December has a Christmas market. Winters are cold, but you can warm up in the thermal baths. Getting there: trains from Budapest-Keleti station take about 1 hour 20 minutes, and from Vienna about 1 hour 30 minutes; the old town is about a 10-minute walk from the train station. Long-distance buses to Pannonhalma take about 40 minutes. Most visitors spend 1–2 days: one day for the old town and baths, plus half a day for the abbey. Note: some museums close on Mondays; abbey tickets are sold at the visitor centre, and opening hours are shorter in winter, so check the official website before you go.

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