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Good to know

The small things that make a trip easier: the weather, money, your phone, and what to expect at a Hungarian wedding.

Weather

by day
24°
at night
14°
sunset on the day
7.09pm

September is usually lovely in this part of Hungary, with plenty of sunshine, although, of course, anything can happen! It rains about one day in four.

Evenings get cold, sometimes down to 7 °C, so bring a jumper or jacket. The lagzi goes on long after dark, and a torch (or your phone's) helps on the farm.

Money

Hungary uses the forint (Ft): £1 is about 425 Ft, and the prices on this site are in pounds. Cards work almost everywhere, but carry some cash for tips, buses and small places, and forint or pound notes for the bride's dance.

When a card machine or cash machine offers to charge you in pounds, say no and pay in forints: it's cheaper. Use a bank's cash machine rather than a Euronet one.

In restaurants, tip 10–15% unless service is already on the bill; in a taxi, round up.

Phone & internet

There's no Wi-Fi at the venue, so check your roaming before you go.

In 2026 EE charged £2.72 a day or £16.50 a week, Vodafone and Three about £2.75 a day, and O2 included Europe in its plans. A travel eSIM is another option.

Before you go

Health

Bring your GHIC and travel insurance. The emergency number is 112.

Plugs

Type C and F, 230 V: bring a UK-to-EU adapter.

Time

Hungary is one hour ahead of the UK.

Water

Tap water in Nyíregyháza is safe to drink, and at the wedding water is free. If you're staying at the venue over the weekend, please bring your own drinking water.

Passports & visas

Whether you need a visa depends on the passport you travel on, not on where you live.

British passport

No visa: you can stay up to 90 days in any 180. Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before you arrive, and be valid for at least 3 months after you leave.

Irish, EU, EEA or Swiss

No visa. A passport or national ID card is all you need.

USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand

No visa: you can stay up to 90 days in any 180. Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after you leave.

Any other passport

You may need a Schengen visa, which can take several weeks. Please check with the Hungarian embassy early, and let us know if we can help.

At the border, visitors from outside the EU register their fingerprints and photo in the EU's Entry/Exit System. By the wedding, anyone who doesn't need a visa will probably also need ETIAS, an online travel permit (€20). Check GOV.UK, or your own government's travel advice, before you go.

A Hungarian wedding

Every lagzi is a little different, but here's what you might come across.

Lagzi
The wedding party: dinner, music and dancing until late.
Pálinka
Hungary's fruit brandy, at least 37.5%, often poured as the welcome drink.
Vőfély
The traditional master of ceremonies, who announces the courses in rhyme and leads the games.
Menyasszonytánc
The bride's dance, at 9pm. The master of ceremonies announces that the bride is “for sale”, and guests queue up to drop money into a basket for a short dance with her: men and women, young and old, everyone can join in. The groom comes last and “buys” his bride back for the most. The money is a gift towards the couple's life together, so bring a few forint or pound notes.
Csárdás
The national couples' dance: it starts slow and ends fast. Just join in.

Around Nyíregyháza

A few places to eat, and ideas for a day out if you're staying longer.

Eat & drink

Days out

  • Nyíregyháza

    A walk round the centre: the town hall, two cathedrals, the Korona and the Jósa András Museum.

  • Sóstói Múzeumfalu

    An open-air museum of the region's old farmhouses, by the lake in Sóstó. Closed on Mondays.

  • Tokaj

    40 minutes away: a UNESCO wine region where the Tisza meets the Bodrog, and the Rákóczi cellar.

  • Nyírbátor

    40 minutes away: a Gothic church and the largest wooden bell tower in Hungary (1640).

  • Debrecen

    55 minutes away: the Great Church, the Déri Museum and the Nagyerdő woods.

  • Hortobágyi Nemzeti Park

    1 hour 20 minutes away: the great Hungarian plain, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and its Nine-Arch Bridge.