Pest County

Pest county is in Central Hungary. It surrounds the national capital Budapest, but does not include it. About 2/3 of the county's population of 1.3 million (2018) live in the suburbs of Budapest.

Cities

Western part

🌍 Érd
Sights include the Hungarian Geographical Museum, Local History Museum, the Turkish Minaret, Votive and Calvary Chapels, ruins of Szapáry Mansion and Dog Castle, Saint Michael Well, Fundoklia Valley, Hight River Bank, Beliczay Island.

🌍 Szigetszentmiklós (Dunaharaszti, Szigethalom, Halásztelek, Tököl, Dunavarsány, Délegyháza, Taksony)

🌍 Budaörs
Sights include Local History Museum, Archaeology Museum, John of Nepomuk Church, Kő Hill, Odvas Hill, Törökugrató Hill, Huszonnégyökrös Hill, Nap Hill, Tűzkő Hill.

🌍 Százhalombatta
Famous for the tumulus field found at the edge of the town. Sights include Matrica Museum, Archaeological Park, the Baroque Serbian Orthodox Church, the modern Saint Stephen Church by Imre Makovecz and the Boating Lake.

🌍 Budakeszi
Famous for the Wildlife Park. Other sights are the Arboretum, Heritage Museum, Pilgrimage Church of Makkosmária, Hungarian National Anthem Statue, Giant Sequoias.

🌍 Törökbálint (Diósd)
Sights include Local History Collection, Walla Mansion, Observation Tower on Anna Hill. In Diósd: Radio and Television Museum, Heritage House, Beehive Stones.

🌍 Biatorbágy
Sights include the historical Railway Viaduct, Swabian Heritage Museum, Sándor-Metternich Mansion, Bolha Hill. Wine Cellars and Observation Tower in Páty.

🌍 Ráckeve (Szigetbecse, Szigetújfalu)
The oldest Serbian Orthodox Church in Hungary and Savoyai Palace Hotel.

🌍 Zsámbék
Famous for the ruins of medieval Premontre Monastery and Church. Other sights are the Lamp Museum, Heritage Museum, Convent Garden, Turkish Well, Baroque Church, Zichy Mansion, Cellar Area. In the surroundings: Granary and Gothic-sytle chapel in Budajenő, Local History Exhibition in Perbál, Lake Garancs in Perbál, Church Ruins and Heritage House in Tök.

Eastern part

🌍 Cegléd (Abony, Albertirsa)
A small town with one of the largest Reformed churches.

🌍 Gödöllő (Veresegyház, Pécel, Kistarcsa, Isaszeg, Kerepes, Szada)
A town east of Budapest most famous for its former royal palace.

🌍 Ócsa
Home to the Premontrei monastery, a 13th-century Romanesque basilica.

🌍 Nagykőrös
including Kocsér

🌍 Vecsés (Maglód, Üllő)

🌍 Monor (Gyömrő, Pilis)

🌍 Dabas (Örkény, Újhartyán)

🌍 Nagykáta (Sülysáp, Tápiószele)

🌍 Őrbottyán
A lovely town north-east from the capital, famous for its traditional bell founder manufacture.

🌍 Aszód (Tura)
A town east of Gödöllő that has a church, a palace, and a museum.

Dunakeszi, Vác, Szentendre, Pomáz, Pilisvörösvár, Nagymaros, Verőce, Szob and Visegrád are described in the Danube Bend article.

Other destinations

Understand

Get in

Get around

See

🌍 Apaj — 50 km from Budapest, it has a Reform church, Millennium Park and Upper Kiskunsag. The plain is part of the Kiskunsag National Park.
🌍 Dánszentmiklós — 30 km by bus from Cegléd. It is an agricultural village dating from 1324 where you can go horse riding in the spacious park surrounding the Wekerle Estate to enjoy the beautiful Hungarian countryside.
🌍 Dömsöd — a village close to Ráckeve with the Petőfi Sándor Memorial Museum and Vecsési - Bazsonyi Gallery, dedicated to the great Hungarian poet and works of local painters.
🌍 Mogyoród — 18 km northeast of the limit of Budapest in Pest county, take the HÉV suburban train from Örs Vezér tér. Hungaroring, a motor-racing circuit in Mogyoród where the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix is held. Aquarena, the largest waterpark in Hungary.
🌍 Ráday Castle, Pécel — an example of Hungarian 18th-century gentry-class architecture.

🌍 Pusztavacs — 54 km south-east of Budapest. Known for equestrianism.
🌍 Tatárszentgyörgy — ancient juniper fields.
🌍 Veresegyház — Sight of a bear sanctuary. Its Roman Catholic church was built in 1777, and the Roman Catholic cemetery in 1806 and 1849. Its Reformed Church was built in 1786.

Do

🌍 Gödöllő Land Protected Area (Gödöllői Tájvédelmi Körzet). The protected area is a part of the Duna–Ipoly National Park. It has cultural and natural sights, and is a good place for biking, walking, horse riding, and hunting. You can get in from north Vác to Albertirsa, and to the eastern part from Erdőkertes to Pécel.
The Ócsa Land Protected Area is home to over 200 bird species, and has organised tours.
Pest County Red Trail (Pest Megyei Piros (PMP)). This is Pest county's longest hiking trail, at 245 km. It starts from Verőce on Börzsöny mountains and runs to Apajpuszta of the Great Plains. It passes the following locations: Katalinpuszta, Kosd, Rád, Vácduka, Sződ, Vácrátót, Őrbottyán, Vácegres, Gödöllő, Isaszeg, Gyömrő, Péteri, Hosszúberek, Csévharaszt, Ócsa, Délegyháza, Dunavarsány, Szigetcsép, Szigetújfalu, Ráckeve, Dömsöd, and Apaj.
🌍 Formula One, Mogyorod village (take from M2 Örs vezér tere a 'H8' suburban rail). Grand Prix or Formula One motor racing at Hungaroring. The next F1 is 1-3 Aug 2025 then 24-26 July 2026. Bring your own water and packed lunch as catering at the track is not great. (updated Jun 2025)