Countryside Guides: Vác

Its favorable position on the Danube made Vác one of the first places to be settled when the Magyar tribes arrived in Hungary in 896. The town soon grew into a significant trading post and ecclesiastical center, but its development was curtailed by the Mongol and Turkish invasions. Today's attractive Baroque town, built on these ruins, is a microcosm of Hungarian history.

The center of the old town is the market square on Március 15. tér (right), flanked on all three sides by historic buildings, including the Hospital, a unification of two medieval buildings, the Town Hall, and the Greek Church. However, there are several other squares of architectural and historical interest, such as Konstantin tér, where the French, neo-Classic, late-Baroque Cathedral can be found.

Vác, which is across the river from the more celebrated Danube Bend destinations of Esztergom, Szentendre and Visegrád, is easily accessible by train from Budapest, and is a good base for exploring the nearby Börzsöny Hills.

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