Winding medieval streets, beautiful baroque architecture, and a castle on the hill hovering over a picturesque square: that's Eger. This town makes for an ideal one or two-night side trip. It's less than a two-hour drive from Budapest through a charming countryside covered in vineyards. Wine lovers say Eger, with its 10,000 acres of vineyards, resembles Burgundy. Also well known for its thermal baths built in the 1600s, Eger is a great spot to relax. You can enjoy its spas, gourmet Hungarian food and hearty red wines.

Not to be missed on any trip to Eger is a visit to the "Valley of the Beautiful Women." A 20-minute walk from the center you will find several small wine tasting cellars carved into a hillside. They serve affordable wines in a festive atmosphere often complete with Roma music. The center of Eger's life is the main square, the site of various wine and music festivals. The pride of Eger is the castle, famous for being the site in 1522 where the locals fought off a Turkish invasion despite being outnumbered 20 to 1 (naturally, popular legend claims 80 to 1).