The Ilona Valley Waterfall is Hungary's tallest natural waterfall — a slender ribbon of water plunging 10 meters down a sheer rock face. Tucked away in the Mátra Mountains, it's a rewarding sight for anyone willing to walk a little into the forest.

The Ilona stream squeezes through a V-shaped crevice at the top of the cliff before cascading down in a thin, elegant stream. The valley itself feels wild and secluded — dense woodland, damp mossy air, and the constant murmur of falling water. Spring brings the fullest flow after snowmelt, summer can be quieter, and autumn dresses the surrounding forest in gold and red. In hard winters, the rock face can partially freeze into striking ice formations.

How to get there

• Parádfürdő — follow the green trail, then the green circular trail, on foot, moderate difficulty
• Reach Parádfürdő by bus, then continue on the marked hiking trails

Practical information

• The waterfall lies along a 6.5 km educational trail showcasing the geology of the Ilona Valley
• Along the way you'll pass old mining adits (such as Etelka-táró) and other geological points of interest

The rocks in this part of the Mátra were formed by volcanic activity around 40 million years ago, and the nearby galleries once yielded copper, lead, zinc, gold and silver.