Leaving Budapest by motorway M5 you come to Kecskemét in about 40-50 minutes. Surrounded by vineyards and orchards, this is Hungary's "fruit garden". The home town of Zoltán Kodály has a number of fine museums and a colourful architecture. The Town Hall is a masterpiece of Hungarian Art Nouveau. Kecskemét is also famous for the apricot brandy produced here.
Between Kecskemét and the Danube River there lies the vast Kiskunság National Park, preserving wildlife and the original puszta country. To watch a horse-show is a must. You will be impressed by the riding skills of the horsemen and the sight of the galloping horses.
Back on the road again, Ópusztaszer to the south is worth a detour. The National Historical Memorial Park commemorates the most important event in Hungarian history, the Conquest ("Honfoglalás") of the Carpathian basin by the Magyar tribes in 896. A huge cyclorama depicts the Arrival of the Hungarians and there's also a small, 11th century Romanesque basilica and an open-air museum.
Szeged, the city of sunshine, statues and fountains is the commercial and cultural centre of the southern plain. After a devastating flood in 1879 the city had to be almost completely rebuilt. The major cities of Europe helped in the rebirth of Szeged, the construction of the cathedral and the national memorial hall built around it. The open-air festival in front of the cathedral attracts thousands of visitors every summer. The Great Synagogue is probably the most beautiful of its kind. Fish from the river Tisza and Szeged paprika - the perfect combination for an excellent fish soup ("halászlé"). Another famous local product you should try is the Pick Salami.