Lake Tisza

Surrounded on all sides by the unbroken horizon of the steppe, providing visitors with the feeling of boundless freedom and idyllic peace, the lake is intersected by River Tisza, and gives home to a number of islands, riparian woodlands, fringed water-lily and seaweed fields, secret lagoons, sandy beaches, and shallow bays. Besides being an excellent place for swimming and eating local fish dishes, Lake Tisza has a few more things up its sleeve. On one hand, there’s the 1,500 metres long water boardwalk, accessible only by boat, flanked with small bird hides and a bird watching tower, offering you a chance to observe the extremely rich local birdlife.

Another unmissable attraction is the Lake Tisza Ecocenter (Tisza-tavi Ökocentrum in Hungarian), an entertaining, interactive display of the natural wonders and wildlife of the Tisza valley. Designed by Ybl Award-winning architect László Kertai to resemble a huge bird, the impressive touristic complex awaits visitors with Europe’s largest freshwater aquarium system, otter-, cormorant-, and pelican feedings, a 3D cinema, a row of exhibitions, and a 7-hectares large leisure park giving place to a zoo and an amusement park.

Debrecen

Debrecen is located east of Lake Tisza, and is considered as the capital city of the Great Hungarian Plain. As the most important city in Hungarian Protestantism (it wasn’t called the Calvinist Rome for no reason), its biggest claim to fame is the Great Church, situated on Kossuth square: With a ground space of 1,500 square metres and a height of 61 metres, it is the largest Protestant church in the country, and is also the symbol of Debrecen. The panorama bridge, wedged between the two towers of the building, offers a beautiful view of the city, but we’d also recommend listening to an organ concert.

Taking a stroll in the historic centre of Debrecen is a must for architecture enthusiasts: it’s a true treasure trove of Classicist, Art Nouveau and Art Deco architecture. Besides some terrific buildings, the downtown area of Debrecen also boasts amazing cafés (Black Sheep, Vintage World), and must-see museums. The Déri Museum is especially interesting, with its diverse mix of exhibition items, ranging from Egyptian mummies and archeology finds to painter Mihály Munkácsy’s grandiose Christ Trilogy.

In case you want to reconnect with nature, we suggest you visit Nagyerdő, Debrecen’s 1,092-hectares large park. Featuring a number of baths and open-air swimming pools, a lake, winding pathways, a magical playground, a zoo (with giraffes, lions, hippopotamuses and more), and a 34-metres high water tower, which was recently reborn as a live music bar, Nagyerdő has something for everyone.

Hortobágy National Park

Hungary’s first and biggest national park was established in 1973, and was elected among UNESCO’s world heritage sites in 1999. Comprising of more than 82,000 hectares, the largest semi-natural grassland of Europe is more than just a barren prairie with an endless vista, T-shaped sweep wells, and grazing sheep and grey cattle. Hortobágy is actually a window into a lively and truly fascinating world, where herdsmen (or csikós in Hungarian) perform daredevil stunts on their horses, authentic csárda restaurants await you with classic Hungarian dishes, and where you can get acquainted with giant rabbits, the funky-looking racka sheep, and the Przewalski wild horse up close (Puszta Animal Park).

One of the puszta’s iconic sights is the famous Nine-holed Bridge, a Classicist arch bridge built between 1827 and 1833 to replace an old wooden bridge, erected in the late 1600s. Spend a hearty meal at the foot of the bridge in the Hortobágyi Csárda, a renowned restaurant that’s been continuously operating for more than 300 years. On top of all this, thanks to its total flatness and lack of light polluting settlements, a large part of the national park was designated as a dark-sky preserve, making Hortobágy the perfect place for naked-eye stargazing.

Sponsored content. Commissioned by the Hungarian Tourism Agency. Start your journey now, and let every path take you to a new wonder. For more inspiration head on to wowhungary.com.

Hungary, the Land of Waters and Wonders: the Mátra and Bükk Mountains

Reachable via train, bus, or boat service under one hour from the city centre, the Danube Bend is a picturesque region north of Budapest, equally recommended for nature lovers as well as those looking for medieval castles and knight tournaments, Baroque architecture, magnificent churches, fun boat trips and cultural attractions. Named after the sharp southward turn of the Danube, the area is characterized by sloping hills, hiking trails, and scenic bike routes, perfect for escaping the daily grind and the hustle and bustle of the big city for a day or two. Here are four must-see highlights to cram into your itinerary!

Esztergom Basilica

Hungary’s largest church was consecrated in 1856 with a concert composed and conducted by the famous Franz Liszt. It is thought that the country’s first Christian king, St. Stephen was crowned in this place on Christmas Day, 1000. Built in Classicist style over the ruins of the medieval Saint Adalbert Cathedral, the imposing building stands atop a steep cliff, high above the gently flowing Danube, standing guard over the border between Slovakia and Hungary.

The Basilica contains the only intactly surviving Hungarian Renaissance building: dating from the beginning of the 16th century, the beautiful Bakócz-chapel was first cut into 1600 pieces, then moved 20 metres away from its original location and reconstructed as a side chapel inside the new church. The sanctuary’s altarpiece, depicting the Assumption of Mary, is the world’s largest single-canvas painting at 13×6.5 metres. Make sure that you climb the 400 steps leading to the dome’s panoramic lookout terrace to get a breathtaking view of the surrounding region.

Visegrád Citadel

Overlooking the sharp river bend of Europe’s largest waterway from a height of 333 metres, the commanding citadel of Visegrád offers awe-inspiring vistas to the Danube Bend. However, it is only one part of the Visegrád castle system: it also comprises of a monumental residential tower and a lower castle (the Royal Palace, a unique blend of late Gothic and Italian Renaissance architecture), the latter of which gives place to one of the largest medieval summer festivals in Europe, the International Palace Games of Visegrád (to be held between 12 and 14 July).

The construction of the castle complex began after the Mongol invasion in the 13th century under the reign of Béla IV, but it was King Charles Robert who moved the royal court from Székesfehérvár to Visegrád in 1325. Later on Sigismund of Luxembourg and King Matthias also made improvements on the buildings: Bartolomeo de Maraschi, sent to the court of Matthias as a Papal legate, described the Royal Palace as “paradise on Earth” in his letters.

Szentendre

Located a 40-minute train ride away from Budapest’s Batthyány square, Szentendre is a charming little town right by the bank of the Danube, offering terraced restaurants, colourful Baroque houses, a multitude of art galleries and handicraft shops, church towers of various shapes and sizes, cafés and confectioneries, cobblestoned streets and narrow alleyways, and an authentic Mediterranean atmosphere – courtesy of the Serbian settlers who flocked to the area at the end of the 14th century, then revived the deserted town in another wave in the 1700s.

The most popular attraction of the Danubian town is the Szentendre Skanzen, an open-air ethnography museum that showcases the vernacular architecture, husbanding, and traditional way of life of eight different Hungarian regional units on 60 hectares, complete with furnishings, livestock, and farming equipment. Spending an afternoon at the Szentendre Skanzen is a great way to experience the authentic rural life of past centuries. Pick up a few useful skills by participating in interactive workshops, while children are welcome to enjoy puppet-shows, playhouses, and classic tales.

Prédikálószék

Found about 42 kilometres upriver from Budapest, with a height of 639 metres, Prédikálószék is one of the highest peaks of the rolling Visegrád Hills. By climbing the 12-metres tall, three-storey lookout tower, you’ll be met with a heart-stopping panorama of the Danube Bend, the Börzsöny mountains, and the Visegrád Citadel. First, however, you have a 3-hour hike to surmount.

The moderately difficult trek starts in Dömös, which is accessible by buses leaving from the Újpest-Városkapu station of metro line M3. Before you start your hike from Dömös, make sure to check out the ruins of the medieval provostship, whose Romanesque crypt is one of the oldest in the country. As the peak boasts a number of picnic benches and a campfire spot, hiking to Prédikálószék with your friends or family is a perfect weekend programme!

Sponsored content. Commissioned by the Hungarian Tourism Agency. Start your journey now, and let every path take you to a new wonder. For more inspiration head on to wowhungary.com.

Hungary, the Land of Waters and Wonders: Lake Tisza

When the summer heatwave hits, your best bet is to leave behind

Funzine

Kékestető and Galyatető

Situated in the Mátra Mountains, Kékestető and Galyatető are among the highest peaks of Hungary, with an elevation of 1,015 and 964 metres, respectively. The Mátra awaits visitors with a rich wildlife, the country’s only climatic spa, and hundreds of kilometres of hiking trails. If you’d rather give a try to new forms of natural adventures, then you can do so by going for a Nordic Walking trip or a cross-country Segway ride!

To get a panoramic view of the deep-green woodlands around you from the highest point of Hungary, climb the Kékestető TV tower and fill your lungs with the crystal clear mountain air of Kékestető, where Hungary’s only climatic spa is found. Meanwhile, Galyatető boasts an award-winning lookout tower (that also functions as a bivouac shelter), which was refurbished and increased in height in 2015. Rumour has it that on a clear day, you can see as far as the High Tatras!

Eger

Known for its castle, thermal baths, historic buildings and delicious wines, the charming town of Eger is one of Hungary’s most popular travel destinations. The imposing castle, constructed atop the imaginatively named Castle Hill during the second half of the 13th century, is famous for repelling the attack of the Turkish troops during the 1552 Siege of Eger. The fortification was defended by a group of 2,100 volunteers and mercenaries, led by István Dobó, who repelled an army of 40,000 soldiers without any help from King Ferdinand. Ever since, the siege is viewed as an emblem of national defence and patriotic heroism in Hungary.

Today the castle hosts a number of permanent exhibitions featuring re-enactments from the Turkish siege and a spectacular 3D movie, a wax museum, and underground passageways, besides offering great views to the town below.  Despite the heroism of the Hungarian defenders of Eger, the castle finally fell to the Turks in 1596, who held the town until they were ousted by the Austrians in 1687. The two most notable mementos of Eger’s Ottoman occupation are the 42-metres high Minaret, Europe’s northernmost medieval minaret, and the gorgeous Turkish bath, whose 400-year-old dome is covered by 200,000 gilded mosaic pieces.

While in Eger, you must visit the famous Szépasszony-völgy which is the main place to go for wine tasting in the region. Reachable from the town centre by twenty minutes on foot, this beautiful valley gives home to more than 200 cellars, where vendors sell locally made produces, including the famous Hungarian cuvée Bikavér (or Bull’s Blood).

Miskolc

Famous for its cultural and culinary festivals, the fourth largest city of Hungary is located east of the Bükk Mountains, amidst a sea of natural and historic wonders. Still within the city limits, for example, you can find the medieval castle of Diósgyőr, a massive structure with four imposing corner towers, overlooking the valley of the Szinva creek from atop a low rocky hill. The recently reconstructed building houses the largest Knight’s Hall of Central Europe, offers informative guided tours, and regularly hosts interactive family programmes, evoking the atmosphere of a 14th century royal seat.

Accessible from Miskolc by the narrow-gauge forest railway, Lillafüred is located at the meeting point of Szinva and Garadna creeks, on the shore of Lake Hámori. The area abounds with attractions: from the fairy-tale Palota Hotel and its hanging garden to Hungary’s largest contiguous waterfall, the remarkable Anna- and St. Stephen caves, and the Oxygen Adrenalin Park, Lillafüred is well-worth the 30-minute train ride.

Another popular destination in the area is the Cave Bath (or Barlangfürdő) of Miskolctapolca, a tranquil suburb situated some 30 minutes from the centre. The 150-metres long limestone cave and the thermal spring water have been known since ancient times, but they only became popular after the Turkish occupation. The first baths were built in the 18th century, while the Cave Bath was only opened in 1959. Since then, the Cave Bath was expanded with new outdoor and indoor pools, as well as seven saunas.

Sponsored content. Commissioned by the Hungarian Tourism Agency. Start your journey now, and let every path take you to a new wonder. For more inspiration head on to wowhungary.com.

Hungary, the Land of Waters and Wonders: the Danube Bend