Ekart Ring

In Győrújbarát, near Győr, in north-western Hungary, Ekart Ring offers a covered karting track of about three hundred metres, drivable all year round. As its name suggests, the venue runs electric karts, quiet and emission-free, a clean alternative to petrol karts that appeals to more and more drivers. Children are welcome, which makes it an outing open to the whole family.

Karting stays open to all, with no licence or experience: a briefing, a helmet, and you head off to find your best lap on the covered layout. The format suits beginners as much as regulars working on their lines, and groups happily set up short races to sort out the drivers. Electric karting offers crisp, instant acceleration, which changes the driving experience. For opening times and prices, it is best to check before coming.

Győr is one of the finest towns in north-western Hungary, at the confluence of three rivers, known for its Baroque centre with colourful façades and its pedestrian lanes. Close by, the thousand-year-old abbey of Pannonhalma, perched on its hill and UNESCO-listed, is worth the detour, as are the region's thermal baths. Halfway between Budapest and Vienna, an hour from the Austrian capital and from Bratislava, the town is a fine stop on the road through central Europe.