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A site not to miss along the Danube Bend is the Visegrad Castle. Meaning “High Fortress,” Visegrad Castle is an imposing ruin best seen from the opposite bank, the left bank of the Danube, the side of the river the bicycle path follows on its way from Vac to Estergom.

Visegrad offers the finest panorama of the Danube Bend as it snakes through the Börzsöny and Visegrad hills. Its beginnings date back to the turn of the 10th and 11th centuries. The original structure was destroyed by the Mongols in the 13th century thereafter which it was reconstructed by the subsequent kings of Hungary, coming to prominence under the reign of King Mathias.

While Visegrad can be visited as part of your day cycling Vac to Estergom, it may be you’ll end up wasting some time on account of needing to wait for the ferry and will then have to hurry to get to Estergom before it gets dark. Although the ferry boats should run every hour they often wait until there are enough cars and trucks to ferry over to make the crossing worth their time and you may end up wasting more time than you wanted to.

On account of the possible delays with the ferry and to have ample time to enjoy the area, a trip to Visegrad is best done as a day trip from Vac. Nice trial of some 25 km follows the river with Danube on your left. The bike path leads through some dense vegetation at times, occasionally passing by nice villas near the waterfront. There are nice views of surrounding hills all the way until the castle comes up above the right bank. The ferry crossing is at Nagymaros.

Once on the other side of the river, you’ll first cycle through the peaceful Visegrad village with a number of cozy restaurants and cafes, then begin a steep winding climb toward the castle. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes to ascend to the castle where you can dismount, enter the citadel and walk around the ramparts of the stronghold. The hills around the castle offer some nice cycling and more fine views of Visegrad and the Danube Bend.

Eventually you can cycle back downhill, stop for a snack at a cafe before taking a ferry the other side and follow the bike path to Vac for overnight.

Cycling the Amber trail from Budapest to Krakow, a rewarding route that leads through Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland, does not necessarily require you start cycling from Budapest. While Budapest is indeed a worthwhile city to explore, which could also be done on a bicycle, it makes sense to consider establishing your base on the outskirts of Budapest and perhaps visit the center of Budapest on day trips.

There are two possible towns, both very low key, very scenic being located right on the Danube river, that make for a very pleasant base from which to explore the surrounding countryside and sites along the Danube. These two small towns are Vac and Szentendre. Vac is on the left bank and Szentendre on the right bank of the Danube, and both are essentially the gateways to the so called Danube Bend, where the river winds between hills towards Ezstergom, your exit point from Hungary on the way to Slovakia.

Vac was founded in the 11th century, when the town became an episcopate, a period from which date some of its earliest churches, namely the Vac cathedral, though most of its Romanesque architectural features were destroyed during the Mongol conquest. The surrounding general vicinity around Vac has been settled for centuries before that on account of good natural conditions, abundant forests, fertile soil along the mighty river and its usefulness as a navigable trade route.

Vac has a fascinating history. Sacked by the Mongols in 1241, Vac began to prosper again in late Gothic and during Renaissance periods. But then Turks invaded Hungary and for over a century until 1686 Vac had suffered neglect and destruction. Vac reemerged by the second half of the 18th century and some of its finest architecture dates from the late Baroque period and the Neo-Classical era that followed.

During the 19th century period of industrialization, the building of the original railway line in Hungary in 1846 between Vac and Budapest provided significantly to Vac development. Unfortunately as a result of the turmoil by World War I, Word War II and subsequent annexation of Hungary into the Soviet block, Vac had to endure major setbacks and suffering. Since the fall of communism and return of Hungary to democracy in 1989 Vac has came forth as one of the region’s most desirable locations where to live and its return to newly found prosperity shows in its refurbished monuments and pleasant ambiance of street life.

When it’s cold at home, where are the best places to go to find sunny weather and rid yourself of your hat and gloves? If you’re looking for ideas for where to go on your holidays next year to ensure you get some warm weather in January, we take a look at some of the sunniest places to go during the month of January.

From Asia to Africa and all around the globe, while we are in our winter doldrums, others are sunning themselves and drinking mojitos. Here’s a look at five of the best places to go to find fantastic January weather.

When it’s cold at home, there’s somewhere you can guarantee it will be warm and that’s down under. The island continent of Australia enjoys its hot summers during December, January and February. Average high temperatures in Sydney are around 78F in January.

When it’s hot, many Australians head to the beach to cool down. The Bondi Beach area in New South Wales has long been considered one of the world’s best surfing spots. Visitors can enjoy the surf or just watch from the comfort of a sun lounger.

Mexico is a popular place for January holidays. Great places for beach holidays include the Baja California peninsula, home to the famous Cabo San Lucas resort. Average highs in January are around 76 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you want sun with a bit of culture thrown in, then Mexico offers many archaeological treats. The famous Mexican ruins of Teotihuacan, dating from over 2000 years ago, are located close to Mexico City and are considered by some to be the best ruins in Mexcio.

Although it’s their cool season, January is the ideal time to visit Thailand. The weather is warm and they get the most hours of sunshine and least rainfall during January.

If its beach life you’re after, then the party islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangnan are popular destinations. Koh Phangnan is home to the famous Full Moon party held each month.

For a more laidback Thai holiday, then Chiang Mai on the mainland is a wonderful place to enjoy the wildlife and taste the very best of Thai cuisine. Cookery classes and elephant rides are some of the popular activities at Chiang Mai.

During January, South Africa has average high temperatures of around 79F. It’s hard to decide the best place to go in South Africa, but the Western Cape area, with its Table Mountain and great beaches, has become increasingly popular with holiday makers.

Over the New Year period, Cape Town celebrates New Year like nowhere else on earth, with a huge carnival. Other South African highlights are the many safari experiences, most famously in the Kruger National Park.

For a perfect blend of culture, good weather and great activities, then the ever popular country of Egypt has it all. Attractions such as the Pyramids of Giza, the Temple of Luxor and the Abu-Simbel Temples are all big pulls for history lovers.

Nile cruises are a fantastic way to appreciate the beauties of Egypt. With average temperatures in January around 78 degrees Fahrenheit, where better place to be than on the deck of a boat?

If you’re after cheap holidays, then Egypt is an ideal location. Beach culture in the Red Sea resorts such as Sharm el Sheik is alive and kicking during January. The Red Sea is famous as an excellent deep sea diving destination. By night, the bars and clubs of Sharm El Sheik keep going till the early hours.

When New Year has been celebrated and Christmas is a memory for another 12 months, if you live somewhere chilly, January can be a miserable time. Finding sunshine during January is a guaranteed way to lighten the winter doldrums.

With warm places a plenty in January from Asia to Africa, Australia to South America, you may end up wishing Christmas away so that you can start your holidays in the sun.