Every child would be happier if the sledding season extended beyond wintertime, but even during the season, there is often so little snow that opportunities only last a few days. We hope for the best and pray for plenty of snow this winter. And if you haven’t yet discovered the best places for sledding in Hungary, this article will certainly help you! However, if you’ve already been to these places or know other good places, write them down in the comments! Let the sledding begin!
This article was originally published on our sister-site, Ungarn Heute.
Not only is sledding a professional activity, but it can be fun for children and adults alike. Even the thought of drinking mulled wine or tea in a warm cabin after a long day of sledding provides for a nice, heartwarming feeling. The question is, where one can find really nice places for sledding, to where a long trip is also worth it.
Let’s start our list with the best places in and around Budapest!
The most famous sledding run in Budapest is Normafa and its surroundings. There is no separate track, but it’s very popular. The not too steep hills of the Anna-rét are ideal for little ones.
Photo via normafapark.hu
The Anna-rét is only a few minutes away from Normafa and also free toilets are available, which are located next to the sled run.
Városliget – Királydomb
Another very popular place is the so-called “Királydomb” in Budapest City Park (Városliget). The hill has various slopes and there’s even a place where the bump throws you off a bit at the end of the track, but there are also gentler slopes for smaller riders.
Here you can find a map of the best sledding places in Hungary.
Tabán. Photo by Balázs Mohai/MTI
Gellérthegy
There are several green areas for sledding on Gellért Hill: families with small children can sled on the slope across from the Búsuló Juhász restaurant, but the somewhat shorter slope next to the fairytale playground “Cerka-Firka” is perfect for sledding. At the end of Rezeda Street there is a long, well-built sled run, and for the adventurous there are steep slopes underneath the Philosophers’ Garden, which are, however, not suited for children.
Hármashatár-hegy
This place is somewhat more difficult to reach, but it is worth it. Along the way there are several hiking routes of different levels of difficulty and inclines for different age groups.
Photo via parkerdo.hu
If you are looking for sledding places outside the capital, there are many alternatives:
Dobogókő
Sledding on the ski slopes outside operating hours is forbidden! The nearest slope suitable for sledding is the 200m-long track from the transfer station beyond the ski slope to the top of the slope (free of charge).
Mátra
Mátraaszentimre, Mátrafüred, and Mátraháza are very suitable to enjoy sledding. According to the site minimatine.hu, it’s worth going there early in the morning because the parking lot gets full quite quickly. Unfortunately, on the ski slope in Kékestető, sledding is prohibited. In the ski park in Mátraszentistván there’s even a snow slide (which costs 2,500 Ft for five slides).
Photo via trekhunt.com
Snow slide in Mátraszentistván. Photo by Péter Komka/MTI
Visegrád
On the Nagyvillám ski slope, the sled run is located next to the starting slope (150 m) and on the south side next to the bobsled run (300 m). There’s also a baby ski slope for the little ones and a “snowtubing track,” but as everywhere, it is not allowed to ride a sled on the slope. “A special offer is our snowtubing track with lift, where you can ride on a closed track through seven curves, also backwards- great fun that everyone should try!”
Photo via visegradsipalya.hu
These are only some of the many places where you can go sledding. Use the map which we’ve made available in the article. If you have time, just write us your opinion about the most amazing sledding places in Hungary!
Featured photo illustration by Attila Balázs/MTI
