Szentendre: The Artists' Village on the Danube Bend

Where the Danube curves and art stands still

Twenty kilometres from Budapest, where the Danube makes its celebrated bend before turning south, Szentendre is a cluster of colourful houses, art galleries and Serbian Orthodox churches clinging to the western bank of the river. It is a favourite destination for Budapestians on Sunday outings, but rarely features in foreign visitors' itineraries — which is a shame, because this small town has a charm that goes well beyond its size.

What to see in Szentendre

Fő Square and the Serbian churches

Fő Square (Main Square) is the heart of the village: colourful baroque houses — pink, ochre, orange, sky blue — surround an iron cross erected by the Serbian merchant community in 1763. Szentendre owes its character to the Serbs who fled the Ottoman advance in the Balkans in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries: they brought with them their faith, their art and their taste for vivid colours. The Serbian Orthodox churches — seven in all — house gilded iconostases and Byzantine-style frescoes. The Belgrade Cathedral (Belgrádi templom), on the hill, is the most important, with a splendid view over the Danube.

Galleries and museums

Szentendre is the city of Hungarian artists. Since the early twentieth century, painters and sculptors have settled here, drawn by the light, the colours and the position on the river. Today the galleries number in the dozens: the Ferenczy Gallery, dedicated to the family of artists who shaped Hungarian art, is the most prestigious. The Margit Kovács Museum displays the ceramics of Hungary's most beloved artist, with female figures of heartrending tenderness.

The Skanzen — Open-Air Ethnographic Museum

Three kilometres from the centre, the Skanzen is Hungary's largest open-air museum: a reconstructed village with original buildings transported from every region of the country — farmhouses, churches, mills, workshops, schools. The route takes at least three hours and offers a vivid cross-section of Hungarian rural life from the eighteenth to the twentieth century. In summer, demonstrations of traditional crafts are held.

The coloured streets

But the real pleasure of Szentendre is getting lost in the side streets, away from the main square: uphill lanes with stone steps, houses with painted shutters, hidden courtyards where cats sleep among geranium pots. The riverside promenade (Duna korzó) is perfect for a sunset stroll, with views over Szentendre Island and the hills on the opposite bank.

What to eat

- Lecsó — a stew of peppers, tomatoes and onion with sausage, the Hungarian summer dish

- Kürtőskalács — chimney cake cooked on a spit, crispy and sweet

- Halászlé — Danube fish soup with paprika, spicy and full-flavoured

- Szamos marzipan — Szentendre is home to the Szamos Marzipan Museum, with life-size marzipan sculptures and handcrafted chocolates

The Promenade restaurant on the riverside is the most scenic. The Malom Étterem, in an old mill, serves traditional Hungarian cuisine.

How to get there

Szentendre is 20 km from Budapest, reachable in three ways: the HÉV suburban train from Batthyány tér (40 minutes, every 10-20 minutes, BKK ticket), the bus from Újpest-Városkapu, or the Danube ferry (1.5 hours, summer service from Vigadó tér). The HÉV train is the most practical and scenic option. By car, 30 minutes from the capital.

When to go

From April to October. Summer is the most lively season, with festivals, concerts and outdoor life. Summer weekends can be crowded: opt for weekdays or the early morning. September is perfect: fewer people, golden light, ideal temperatures. In March the Spring Festival brings concerts and cultural events.