Travelling to Hungary is quite easy and cheap. In terms of pollution and protection of our planet the best is you take the train to Cologne, Germany and from there another one to Budapest. It costs 100eur for one way and if you plan to travel at night you can take the overnight train with a night cabin, it is an even more convenient option (additional fee is 30eur per person).

Eurolines buses leave from London or Brussels to Vienna, where you would take a transfer bus to Budapest, prices start at 50euros (one-way). If time is of concern and not much the environment, airline companies like Wizzair, Malev, Brussels Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Ryanair, Easyjet etc. can fly you to Budapest or to Lake Balaton, sometimes at extremely cheap prices.

Once you are in Hungary we recommend the below-mentioned festivals. One cannot make a mistake by trying out small, local festivals or the large-scale, crowd-pleasing ones like Sziget. Best to find out for yourself!

Pécs, European Capital of Culture in 2010
Among Essen and Istanbul, Pécs holds the prestigious price of the ECC in 2010. Trillion programmes, big names. Weather-wise best to visit in August or in Autumn. For listings check here.

Vidor World Music Festival
27 Aug - 4 Sept, Nyíregyháza
Central Europe's largest free world music festival.
www.vidorfest.hu

Savaria Carnival
20-22 Aug, Szombathely
Head back in time to Ancient Rome and check how much you can be sold for at the Roman slave market. www.savariakarneval.hu

Debrecen Flower Festival
16-21 Aug, Debrecen
The floats, clad in flowers, and the art ensembles from home and abroad, parade along the main street of the city called Piac utca.
www.fonixinfo.hu

International Bartók Festival
28 July - 28 Aug, Szombathely, Bartók Hall
Fans of classical music head to this Western city just across the border of Austria to endulge in the huge heritage left behind by Bartók.
www.filharmoniabp.hu

Azfeszt
18-22 Aug, Nyírbátor, Camping
Not for the faint-hearted, this festival again proves that metal and hardcore is strong and alive. Living Colour, Madball, The Haunted, Cataract
www.azfeszt.hu

Sziget
9-16 August, Budapest, Hajógyári Island
An amazing number of people in Europe knows Sziget in Hungarian means island. Not without reason: this cultural gem on the Danube offers the simply most wide-ranging spectrum of arts and culture in Europe. Dance-theater, circus, world music and the biggest names in music. www.sziget.hu

Ozora
3-8 Aug, Dádpuszta, Ozora
Place of the famous Solipse Full Eclipse festival, this goa/trance/techno gathering is widely popular in Europe. www.ozorafest.hu

Babel Sound and Spices Festival
22 July - 17 Aug, Balatonlelle
Best of contemporary Hungarian jazz, folk and world music. A rising star on the Hungarian festival horizon. www.mediaevent.hu/babelsound

Veszprém Festival
29 July - 1 Aug, Veszprém, Castle
In the breathtaking baroque castle Khaled, Jose Cura, Earth Wind and Fire, and Chick Corea will perform. www.veszpremfest.hu