We set an alarm for 06:30, had coffee and shared a cheese and salami bun before taking the bus from Visegrád to Esztergom.

We missed the stop where we had intended to get off, but it worked out rather well. The next stop was closer to the Mária Valéria Bridge, so we decided to walk across the Danube into Štúrovo in Slovakia first.

The Mária Valéria Bridge at the Slovak border, with signs welcoming travellers to the Slovak Republic
Walking across the Danube and into Slovakia.

We ate ice cream in town and then crossed the bridge back into Hungary, with beautiful views of the basilica rising above Esztergom.

Caro eating soft-serve ice cream in Štúrovo, Slovakia
Ice cream during our brief visit to Slovakia.

It was 09:45 when we reached the basilica, so Hugo first sat on a bench and joined a work meeting. The building behind him was difficult to ignore. Esztergom Basilica is the largest church in Hungary and rises 100 metres from its crypt to the top of the dome. The present neoclassical cathedral was built between 1822 and 1869 and remains the seat of the Catholic Church in Hungary.

The columned neoclassical facade of Esztergom Basilica
The enormous façade of Esztergom Basilica.

We bought our tickets from an automatic machine. The money went off our card, but no tickets came out. After working through the language barrier, we were eventually given a handwritten note that allowed us into the dome, crypt and treasury.

The decorated interior and dome of Esztergom Basilica
Inside Hungary’s largest church.

The spiral staircase up into the dome felt never-ending. Once we reached the top — and again when we came down — we had to walk counterclockwise for a while to undizzy ourselves.

The Danube, Esztergom and Štúrovo seen from the basilica dome
The view from the dome made the spiral stairs worthwhile.

Back at the guesthouse in Visegrád, we opened a can of sertéspörkölt, a Hungarian pork stew cooked with onions and paprika, and made it into lunch with cheese, salami, tomatoes and our eight-egg pasta.

Two plates of pasta with canned Hungarian sertéspörkölt
Canned sertéspörkölt and pasta for lunch.

Hugo worked again until 17:30. We then made it just in time for the 17:45 ferry across the Danube to Nagymaros.

We had not planned dinner, but saw people eating what looked like fish and chips. We pointed at it and ended up with crumbed fish — probably hekk, or hake — chips, gherkins and mayonnaise, all sold by weight.

Crumbed fish with chips, gherkins and mayonnaise in Nagymaros
Our point-and-order fish and chips, sold by weight.

Afterwards we walked through town and bought fruit and chocolate at two different shops. The main idea had been to swim in the Danube, as it is only allowed on this side, but the water did not look very inviting. Caro did a little mudlarking instead.

We caught the last ferry back to Visegrád at 20:00.

Caro standing on the evening ferry across the Danube to Visegrád
The last ferry back to Visegrád.

Steps: 13,972