Hungary: Magyar Wonderland

What exactly is a Magyar? You'll probably ask yourself as you roam around this intriguing country. Having been in the unfortunate position of being at the crossroads of countless marauding armies over the centuries, it's no wonder that defining a Magyar, as the Hungarians call themselves, is a tad difficult. You'll see people blond like a Scandinavian, and others who look as if they're from Central Asia. These 10 million diverse individuals inhabit a nation that you can't get enough of during your stay. Budapest is simply a fun city to explore for a few days, and other towns like Szeged and Kecskemét offer you the "real" Eastern Europe. Take a bus and you'll meander aimlessly through never ending sunflower fields and stroll through quaint town squares where the locals and their ancestors have gathered for centuries. Plus, the big bonus is the food. Eastern Europe is not known for its fine cuisine, and those who watch their cholestorol and fat intake will be mortified by all the fried offerings. Hungary, however, thrives off one of the most interesting and tasty cuisines around. You'll see paprika, or peppers, everywhere, sold in huge sacks. If you love poppy seeds, you'll find pastries drowned in them, so much so that you'd fail a drug test for opium! Get a good Magyar phrase book that lists all the goodies, and eat away! You'll gain weight, and be glad you did, too!

• Budapest

• Eger

• Kecskemét

• Szeged

• Western Transdanubia