There are more than a thousand hot springs in the country and 118 in the capital, Budapest, alone.
Swimsuits are essential —
There are more than a thousand hot springs in the country and 118 in the capital, Budapest, alone.
ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP/Getty Images
So big in fact that Lake Balaton is known colloquially as the Hungarian Sea.
It has Central Europe's largest lake —
So big in fact that Lake Balaton is known colloquially as the Hungarian Sea.
JAN DOERNER/AFP/Getty Images
This is where the biro ballpoint pen and the Rubik's cube hail from. As well as 13 Nobel laureates.
Hungarians are clever —
This is where the biro ballpoint pen and the Rubik's cube hail from. As well as 13 Nobel laureates.
Jason Edwards/Newspix/Getty Images
This composer was born in what is now Austria, didn't speak Hungarian and died in Germany -- but Hungarians love him. At least he described himself as Hungarian and was pretty handy at social events.
Franz Liszt has an airport named after him —
This composer was born in what is now Austria, didn't speak Hungarian and died in Germany -- but Hungarians love him. At least he described himself as Hungarian and was pretty handy at social events.
DEA / A. DAGLI ORTI/De Agostini/Getty Images
Forty years of communism left Hungarians expert at finding what they call "the little gate," an alternative way in, a work around. They're reputed to be the only people who can enter a revolving door behind you and emerge ahead.
The 'little gate' is a way of life —
Forty years of communism left Hungarians expert at finding what they call "the little gate," an alternative way in, a work around. They're reputed to be the only people who can enter a revolving door behind you and emerge ahead.
ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP/Getty Images
An easy way to make a Hungarian mad is to say that goulash is a stew. It's a soup.
Goulash isn't what you probably think it is —
An easy way to make a Hungarian mad is to say that goulash is a stew. It's a soup.
Brian Brainerd/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Paprika -- the nation runs on this stuff.
Red powder —
Paprika -- the nation runs on this stuff.
ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP/Getty Images
After losing the 1848-49 Revolution and War of Independence, Hungarians vowed not to clink beer glasses for 150 years. That period has expired, but the "ban" is still widely observed.
Clinking beer glasses is frowned upon —
After losing the 1848-49 Revolution and War of Independence, Hungarians vowed not to clink beer glasses for 150 years. That period has expired, but the "ban" is still widely observed.
Mark H Milstein/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Louis XIV of France called this drop the "Wine of Kings, the King of Wine," but any minion can buy it.
Tokaji is royally good —
Louis XIV of France called this drop the "Wine of Kings, the King of Wine," but any minion can buy it.
ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP/Getty Images
It's water polo that gets Hungarians gathered around televisions when the national team is in the water. The men's team took gold in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics but came up short in 2012.
Hungarians are sports mad —
It's water polo that gets Hungarians gathered around televisions when the national team is in the water. The men's team took gold in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics but came up short in 2012.
Al Bello/Getty Images
The Hungarians rode into the Carpathian Basin -- the land they conquered -- on horseback and have been in love with things equine ever since.
Horse traditions are very much alive —
The Hungarians rode into the Carpathian Basin -- the land they conquered -- on horseback and have been in love with things equine ever since.
GABOR MONOS/AFP/Getty Images