Brimming with culture and natural beauty, visitors just can't get their fill of the aptly named Hungary. With an identity combining Western luxury and simple traditions, the old world charm of the country is one of its biggest draws.

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Country Profile
Capital City: Budapest
Area: 92,966 sq km / 35,894 sq miles
Population: 10,106,000
Time Zone: GMT +1
Country dialing code: 36
Currency: Forint (Ft)

Climate
Hungary has a temperate climate, which is distinctly Mediterranean in the south with hot, dry summers. The Great Plain has the most extreme seasonal differences; summers are dry and very hot, winters are windy and very cold!

Accessibility
There are several low cost airlines offering routes from the UK to Budapest including EasyJet and Wizz Air.
Country Highlights: Budapest has it all, incredible architecture, a lively café scene and compelling history.  The city is famous for its thermal spas, the most famous, Gellert Baths, has been often been likened to taking a bath in a cathedral! Another city not to miss is Pécs, home to the largest building for the Turkish occupation still standing in Hungary, a stunning 16th century mosque.

Permanent Move
Hungary gained accession to the European Union last May meaning that UK and other EEA (European Economic Area) nationals are now able to live and work in Hungary without a work permit. UK residents may travel to Hungary with a valid passport and can stay for a period of no more than 90 days; longer stays require a residence permit, which is relatively straightforward to obtain.

Buying Property in Hungary
While landlocked Hungary may not have the coastal resorts on offer in some of Europe's emerging markets, what it does have is one of Eastern Europe's most beautiful cities. Budapest has been the driving force behind the Hungarian property market's increasing popularity among British buyers.  Of course, the fact the country has one of the strongest economies and best infrastructures outside of Western Europe has also played a part in propelling its reputation.  In fact this stability has proved to be one of the most attractive factors for British buyers. Hungary, and Budapest in particular, was already well on its way to establishing itself as a popular overseas property destination before it gained accession to the European Union last May.  While this interest has pushed up prices – by around 20 per cent a year in most areas it looks likely that investors can still expect to see a return for their money.

Destination Hot Spots

Budapest
Known as 'the Paris of Eastern Europe', it is no real surprise that Budapest has been the driving force behind the Hungarian property market's increasing popularity among British buyers. However, with prices for two-bedroom properties in Budapest starting from around 100,000 euros, property does tend to cost more there than in other Eastern European cities.

Lake Balaton
Cheaper property can be found in the up-and-coming Lake Balaton area of the country, 80 kilometres southwest of Budapest. Here, prices for a two-bedroom property start close to 50,000 euros, although prices are set to increase by similar amounts to those in the capital, letting your property could prove to be more of a challenge.

Search for property in Hungary

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Useful websites:
An overview of the Hungarian real estate market
Hungarian National Tourist Office
A portal dedicated to Budapest

Article first published in May 2006 and updated in June 2007