Danube Riverside at Vác

The best way to catch a ferry on your way to Budapest is by ferry.

Vác (German Waitzen, Slovak Vacov) is a Hungarian town in Pest County. It lies on the left bank of the Danube at the Danube Bend, 34 km north of Budapest.
The old historic town center definitely invites you to linger.
The Vác area has probably been inhabited for thousands of years due to its favorable natural location. The settlement that arose in the Carpathian Basin on the Danube Bend around 896 after the Magyars conquered the country was one of the bishoprics of Hungary founded by King Stephen I the Saint immediately after the completion of the expansion of the state system. The first written mention of the city can be found in the Yburg Almanac in 1074, in which the city is referred to as Watzenburg. Vác was also mentioned as "Wac civitas" in 1075 in a deed of foundation from the abbey in Garamszentbenedek.
The town name Vác probably comes from a personal name. A legend tells that in 1074 Duke Géza and Prince László fought each other for the succession to the Hungarian throne in the area of today's town of Vác. At that time, a hermit named Vác is said to have lived in this area. Another attempt at explanation derives the city name from the Hungarian tribe Vath. The word Vác comes from Slavic and means: important settlement or center.
The medieval town center was originally a castle or fortress in the southern part of the inner city, built on a hill on the river bank. King Géza had a cathedral built on the site of the castle in honor of the Virgin Mary, in which he himself was buried in 1077.
In 1241 Mongol Tatars invaded Vác. The population took refuge in the castle church, which was burned down by the Tartars, and all those who had fled there died

I enjoyed riding on the cycle path by the Danube, through the trees and in the open. It was relaxing and showed different views of the river and surrounding environment.