Major city · Hungary
Hollókő
Go for one night, or as a half-day stop if you have a car: the whole village is one street plus a 20-minute climb to the castle.
Hollókő is a UNESCO-listed Palóc village of about 330 people in Nógrád County, northeast of Budapest. One street of protected folk houses, a small castle on the hill above it, and no train station. It works as an overnight stay for the early-morning and evening quiet, or as a half-day stop on a driving route. Without a car, the bus from Budapest is the only practical way in.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- HUF
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- avoid Jul–Aug (hot, festival crowds), Jan–Feb (many houses shut)
- Airport
- BUD
- Nights
- 1
Rules in force · 7Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
- Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
- Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
- Central Europe ↗Six of the nine countries here — Austria, Switzerland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia — charge a time-based motorway vignette, mostly digital and linked to the number plate; buy it before the first motorway past the border, because cameras, not toll booths, do the checking.
- Central Europe ↗Temporary police checks at internal Schengen borders are common in this region in 2026 (Germany, Austria, Poland, Slovenia among others — check): keep your passport on you on every cross-border train, bus and road even though there is no fixed control post.
- Hungary ↗Hungary is in the EU and the Schengen area: check entry rules, the EU Entry/Exit System and any travel authorisation requirement for your passport on official sources.
- Hungary ↗The currency is the Hungarian forint (HUF), not the euro: decline dynamic currency conversion at cards and ATMs.
- Hungary ↗Motorways need an electronic vignette (e-matrica) bought before you drive on them.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Official sites
Emergency numbers for Hollókő112 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Hollókő, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Hungarian forint (HUF, Ft).Hungary-wide
- SIM or eSIMYettel, Telekom and One (Vodafone) sell prepaid SIMs; passport needed.Hungary-wide
- Tap waterTap water is safe.Hungary-wide
- TippingRestaurant without service charge: 10–15%, said as you pay.Hungary-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets C/F. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 230 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Hungary-wide
- SafetyVery safe.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsPublic toilets often charge HUF 200–400 (≈ US$1–2); carry coins.Hungary-wide
- Emergency numbers112 General emergency · 104 ambulance · 107 police (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysMuseums close Mondays.Hungary-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportBUD Budapest Ferenc Liszt International (About 1 h 30 min–2 h by car via the M3 and route 21; no direct public transport to Hollókő).
- Getting aroundOn foot.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeCoffee or soft drinkFt 500–900
- Sit-down mealGoulash soup or a main courseFt 2,500–4,500
- BeerDraught beerFt 900–1,500
- Museum or sight ticketCastle entryFt 700
- Budget bedPrivate room in a village house, a night, per personFt 5,000
- Mid-range bedGuesthouse double room, a night, per roomFt 22,000
- High-end bedGuesthouse double room, a night, per roomFt 38,000
A day, not counting the bed: Budget Ft 12,000 · Mid Ft 20,000 · High Ft 35,000
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- BUD Budapest Ferenc Liszt International (About 1 h 30 min–2 h by car via the M3 and route 21; no direct public transport to Hollókő)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Avoid
1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C)
Feb
Avoid
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
Mar
not flagged
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
Apr
Best
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
May
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Jun
Best
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
Jul
Avoid
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
Aug
Avoid
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
Sep
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Oct
Best
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
Nov
not flagged
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
Dec
not flagged
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
Best: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct. Avoid: Jan–Feb, Jul–Aug. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)), coolest Jan (−5°C (23°F)23°F (−5°C) low), wettest May (10 rain days), driest Jan (7). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Hollókő: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C)
−5°C (23°F)23°F (−5°C)
7 rd
Feb
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
−4°C (25°F)25°F (−4°C)
7 rd
Mar
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
−1°C (30°F)30°F (−1°C)
7 rd
Apr
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
8 rd
May
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
10 rd
Jun
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
10 rd
Jul
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
9 rd
Aug
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
8 rd
Sep
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
7 rd
Oct
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C)
7 rd
Nov
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C)
8 rd
Dec
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
−3°C (27°F)27°F (−3°C)
8 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
On foot. The village is one street, about 10 minutes end to end, with the museum houses and craft shops on both sides. A marked path from the main road climbs to the castle in about 20 minutes. There is no local bus or taxi service worth relying on.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Szécsény
cautionDoor to door: About 30–40 min
Local bus from the village, about 20–30 min
Small town with a manor house and a Franciscan church; buses are infrequent, so check return times first.
Salgótarján
cautionDoor to door: About 1 h by car
Car via route 21, or bus with a change
Industrial county town with a mining museum; useful as a base, not a sight in itself.
Door to door: About 1 h
Car via Szécsény and the Ipoly valley
Quiet border town with a small old centre; pairs well with a drive along the Ipoly.
Door to door: About 2 h 30 min
Direct bus, roughly 2 h 30 min
Too far for a return day trip from the village; treat it as the way in and out.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Kossuth út (the main street)
Guesthouses in the protected houses themselves; you sleep inside the village, which is the reason to stay.
Petőfi út and Rákóczi út
A few minutes off the main street; quieter, still walkable to everything.
Szécsény or Pásztó
Nearby towns with more beds and services if the village is full; you then need a car or a bus.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- Ft 12,000–18,000 excl. bed
- Mid
- Ft 18,000–28,000 excl. bed
- High
- Ft 28,000+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Guesthouse double room1 × 1 night × Ft 22,000 | Ft 22,000 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × Ft 20,000 | Ft 40,000 |
| Castle entry2 × Ft 700 | Ft 1,400 |
| Museum house entries, two or three houses2 × Ft 1,000 · Ft 200–500 per house | Ft 2,000 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × Ft 9,000 | Ft 18,000 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | Ft 8,300 |
| Trip total≈ Ft 45,900 per person per day, bed included | Ft 91,700≈ US$300 |
2026 estimate in forint; travel to Hollókő excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee or soft drink | Ft 500–900 |
| Goulash soup or a main course | Ft 2,500–4,500 |
| Palóc-style plate with dumplings | Ft 3,500–6,000 |
| Draught beer | Ft 900–1,500 |
| Handmade ceramics or woven goods | Ft 3,000–15,000 |
| Castle entry | Ft 700 |
| Museum house entry | Ft 200–500 each |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- No train station: the bus from Budapest runs roughly once in the morning and once in the afternoon, so a day trip leaves you about five hours on the ground.
- Museum houses keep short, seasonal hours and several close outside the main season: check the official site before you travel.
- Castle entry is a small cash fee and the climb is steep and uneven; wear shoes with grip.
- Village restaurants and shops shut early in the evening outside summer and festival weekends.
Emergency numbers
- General emergency
- 112
- Ambulance
- 104
- Police
- 107
- Fire
- 105
Pocket card
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HollókőHollókő
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
Erre a címre, kéremTo this address, please
Emergency
- General emergency112
- Ambulance104
- Police107
- Fire105
Embassy
No embassies in Hollókő; they are in Budapest. The US embassy is in Budapest (check the address).
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Bus Budapest → Hollókő: about 2 h 30 min, morning departure; check the timetable
- Castle entry: Ft 700
- Village museum house entry: Ft 200–500 each
Say or show
- Jó napot — Good day (yoh NAH-pot)
- Köszönöm — Thank you (KUR-sur-nurm)
- Mennyibe kerül? — How much is it? (MEN-nyee-beh KEH-rewl)
- Tudok kártyával fizetni? — Can I pay by card? (TOO-dok KAR-tyaa-vaal FEE-zet-nee)
- Hol van a vár? — Where is the castle? (hol vaan aw vaar)
- A számlát, kérem — The bill, please (aw SAAM-laat KEH-rem)
Cash helps: some small museums and shops take forint only.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Hollókő. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (hot, festival crowds), Jan–Feb (many houses shut) · month by month →
- 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Bus timetable field-checked for the Budapest–Hollókő run, with the last return confirmed.
- Museum-house opening hours and castle entry fee verified on the official site for 2026.
- Guesthouse price bands checked against booking platforms for a spring weekend.
- Festival dates (Easter, July raspberry, August castle tournament and grape harvest) confirmed for 2026.