Undoubtedly, Budapest is a magnificent city and has a lot to offer to the visitor. From its famous thermal baths, art nouveau architecture to its ruin pubs and historic coffee houses it continues to be one of the top city destinations among tourists. However, few tourists know that besides Budapest there is a myriad of day trip options nearby that well worth a visit. Today, we introduce you Gödöllő and Mogyoród, the former famous for its baroque castle, which is the second largest of the world and the latter for the Hungaroring, the Formula 1 racing track of Hungary. Gödöllő, located around 30 kms northeast of Budapest, is home to the Royal Palace of Gödöllő also known as the “Hungarian Palace of Versailles”. This magnificent palace was built in the early 18th century by Count Antal Grassalkovich, a noble man of Hungarian aristocracy. Later, the Habsburg family bought the castle for Franz Joseph and his wife, Elisabeth, commonly known as Sissi, as a present for their coronation. The palace soon became the favourite place of Sissi, who spent much of her time in the impressive building and its gardens. If you decide to visit the castle, an hour away from the capital, don’t forget to use your Guide.me eCoupon for 20% discount! Go to profile Between the two world wars the palace was used as an escape by Admiral Miklós Horthy, whose “bunker” – hiding chamber can be visited as part of a guided tour. During the Soviet era the palace was turned into barracks for the troops and soldiers and when they left, it was left to deteriorate. Renovation works started in the 1980’s and the palace opened its doors to public in 1996. Today, 32 rooms can be visited including Sissi’s lavender-coloured private apartments and Reception Room. It is advisable to book a guided tour that includes a 3D baroque movie and the visit of the Horthy bunker to have a full experience. To get to Gödöllő, we recommend you Schiller Rent a Car services, Hungary’s leading car rental operator. Besides saving some time, you do not need to book your trip in advance and you are not set to have your lunch at a typical tourist restaurant but you can stop anywhere and anytime when you feel like. A medium size car costs only 31€ per day, while if you are a group of friends you may rent a minivan, which is 83€. You even get a 15 % discount if you book it through Guide.me. Go to profile Once you have seen the Royal Palace of Gödöllő on the way back you may visit the nearby Mogyoród, famous for Hungaroring, the Hungarian Formula 1 race track. Besides the Track Tour you may book an experience drive and drive as fast as you dare, there are no speed limits here. The get to Gödöllő from Budapest takes between half an hour and 45 minutes by car. Photo: Pixabay