Heating Season in 2025: Dates, Rules, and How to Prepare

It’s mid-August, and in Budapest we’re still wiping away the sweat after the hottest summer on record. Yet, while I’m watering the  plants and dodging tiny flying gnats, my thoughts are already...

August 20th Traffic Changes: St Stephen’s Day

If you’ve experienced Budapest around St Stephen’s Day before, you’ll know the city’s transformation starts well before the 20th itself. In fact, many of the most significant traffic changes and...

Gas Pipes Budapest: A Family’s Unexpected Ordeal

If you live in Budapest, you might not know that the gas pipes in Budapest are an unexpectedly serious concern in the city’s classic apartments - especially those built at the end of the 19th...

Hungarian TAJ Card: The 2025 Guide

Eight years in Hungary taught me the value of strong paperwork. My family’s experiences with the Hungarian TAJ Card show how the system works in real life. My sister works for a multinational firm....

The Lake Balaton Mosquito Invasion: What’s Going On?

It’s early August, and across Europe, holidaymakers are settling into summer mode. Here in the Balaton Highlands, where we have a winehouse that doubles as a peaceful retreat from city life, I’m...

Life in Hungary 2025: Culture, Social Life & Language

Life in Hungary 2025 presents an intriguing blend of tradition and modernity. When Andrew and I first moved here, we were seduced by the usual suspects: stunning architecture, thermal baths, and a...

Retire in Hungary: Can You Really Do It in 2025?

Let me just say this straight out: if I had a forint for every time someone asked me whether they could retire in Hungary, I’d have enough to buy a Balaton villa and still have change for a few...

Buying Property in Mezőkeresztes: Protection or Prejudice?

I’m writing this from the terrace of our little winehouse, with a fan working double-time and my laptop precariously balanced between coffee and sunscreen. It’s another scorcher in the Balaton...

Compulsory Education in Hungary – 2025 Parent Guide

I’ll be honest: as someone whose own kids went through the Canadian school system, I arrived in Hungary with a pretty relaxed idea of when education “starts.” So you can imagine my surprise when I...

Latest Hungarian Vignette Prices: A Clear Guide for Drivers

If you’re regularly driving through Hungary - whether commuting between Budapest and your countryside retreat or simply passing through on holiday - understanding the latest Hungarian vignette...
Danube Low Water Level: Why Hungary’s River Is So Dangerous

Danube Low Water Level: Why Hungary’s River Is So Dangerous

When you think of Hungary in summer, you might imagine sunset cruises along the Danube, paddleboards gliding past the Danube Bend or a leisurely swim in one of Budapest’s riverside coves. Unfortunately, you’ll need to shelve that vision for now - because the Danube's...

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Hungary Medicine Price Freeze 2025 Guide

Hungary Medicine Price Freeze 2025 Guide

The Hungary medicine price freeze 2025 is now in force: from 1 July, pharmacy prices for dozens of everyday basics are stuck at 2024 levels until mid-2026. If you’ve ever found yourself standing in a Budapest pharmacy, mangling the word Neo Citran while clutching your...

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Identity Protection Law update: Day-one Audit

Identity Protection Law update: Day-one Audit

Identity Protection Law update. As of 1 July, Hungary’s Településvédelmi törvény is officially in force - in theory, at least. On paper, more than 3,100 local councils now have the green light to decide who buys, who stays, and what it might cost them. In practice?...

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Tipping in Hungary 2025: How Not to Pay Twice

Tipping in Hungary 2025: How Not to Pay Twice

If you’re confused about tipping in Hungary, you’re definitely not alone. I posted a video about this just last week and the questions are still rolling in. It’s Sunday morning here as I pack up for a family holiday and I still see people freeze at the card machine...

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Waterfront Holiday Homes in Hungary

Waterfront Holiday Homes in Hungary

Waterfront Holiday Homes in Hungary: When we bought our house in the Balaton Highlands, it wasn’t exactly a calculated investment. More of a wild flirtation with a view and apple trees. It had good bones, a solid roof, indoor plumbing and electricity, but my husband...

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Hungarian Cultural Differences: A Canadian’s View

Hungarian Cultural Differences: A Canadian’s View

I’m a dual citizen. My parents are Hungarian, and I grew up with the food, the family stories, and just enough language to think I might have a head start here. I didn’t. Because while I thought I understood Hungarian cultural differences, I was frequently wrong. When...

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Hungary Heatwave: Surviving 35°C Without a Lake

Hungary Heatwave: Surviving 35°C Without a Lake

Of course we chose next week to stay in Budapest. While much of the city decamps to Lake Balaton for cooling swims and fröccs-fuelled sunsets, Andrew and I will be in Pest. Working. Sweating. Mostly wondering why our calendar is suddenly full of meetings when we could...

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Hungarian Wine: Europe’s Best-Kept Secret

Hungarian Wine: Europe’s Best-Kept Secret

If you’ve ever had a glass of wine on my terrace, you already know. I don’t just like Hungarian wine,  I’m its unofficial international publicist. No commission. No logo tees. Just one woman with volcanic soil under her boots and a deep, ongoing love affair with this...

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Hungary Driver’s Licence 2025: What It Costs

Hungary Driver’s Licence 2025: What It Costs

The Hungary Driver's Licence 2025 process has been one of the most detailed and complicated topics I researched while writing my ebook HOW TO HUNGARY: Budapest & Beyond. Driving in Hungary isn't just about getting your Hungary Driver's Licence 2025. It's about...

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Identity Protection Law Alsóörs: Hungary’s First Case?

Identity Protection Law Alsóörs: Hungary’s First Case?

When Hungary’s Identity Protection Law Alsóörs discussion hit the headlines today, most of us watching property trends knew this moment was coming. Hungary passed the Identity Protection Law months ago, and now Alsóörs  - a prime Balaton town -  is set to become its...

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Whit Monday Hungary: Closures, Customs & Calm

Whit Monday Hungary: Closures, Customs & Calm

I'm writing this from our little winehouse in the countryside, where the only sound is birdsong and the occasional flap of Sümi’s oversized ears as she chases butterflies. Yesterday’s drive down was another story entirely - Whit Monday in Hungary has clearly evolved...

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Budapest Airport Rail Link: Is it Finally Happening?

Budapest Airport Rail Link: Is it Finally Happening?

The Budapest airport rail link is officially underway and if you live in Hungary, it’s worth paying attention. Whether you’re a frequent flyer or simply tired of the 100E bus circus, this new connection between Liszt Ferenc Airport and Nyugati Station could...

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