Holdvilág-árok, meaning Moonlight Ravine, is one of the most fascinating spots in the Visegrád Hills of Hungary. It's not just a dramatic rocky gorge but also a place wrapped in legend - some researchers believe it may have been the site of Attila the Hun's legendary city, or even the burial place of Prince Árpád, though these theories remain scientifically unproven.

Carved by the Domini stream, the gorge cuts through wild, rocky terrain beneath the 556-metre Nagy-Csikóvár peak, within the Duna-Ipoly National Park. Along the way you'll pass small glacial ponds with rare plant species and several caves cut into the rock. The atmosphere is raw and mysterious - damp, moss-covered cliffs, dense shade, and silence make it easy to see why this place has drawn treasure hunters and archaeologists for decades.

How to get there

• From road 1111, Kiskovácsi section, or from the Csikóváralja tourist house - demanding approach, difficult terrain
• The upper end of the gorge is reached by a short walk from side road 11 114 leading to the Lajos Spring

Practical information

• Visiting in wet weather is not recommended due to the risk of slipping
• Descent into the gorge is via the so-called Meteor Ladder, with a steep staircase as an alternative route
• Wooden footbridges swept away by a flood in the 1980s were never replaced

Legend has it that this could be the burial site of Prince Árpád - archaeologists have uncovered a medieval necropolis here, runic-inscribed stones, and a mysterious rock-cut chamber known as Weislich Cave.