© Lonely Planet Publications

311

Northern Uplands
If the Great Plain is the ‘Midwest’ of Hungary, then the Northern Uplands (Északi Felföld)
are the Rockies. But before your imagination runs wild with dreams of soaring, snow-tipped

NORTHERN UPLANDS
peaks and hiking trails through untamed wilderness, take a deep breath and note that the
highest peak here – the Kékes in the Mátra Hills – ‘soars’ to just over 1000m. But in a country
as flat as a tone-deaf soprano, these foothills of the Carpathians stand head and shoulders
above most of Hungary in the environmental and recreational stakes.

For starters, several hills are heavily forested and have minimal human habitation (although
accommodation is readily available), creating hiking opportunities. A large part of the lower
slopes are given over to grape growing, and some of Hungary’s best wines – particularly in
the Tokaj region – are made here. In the northern reaches of the Uplands at Aggtelek are the
Baradla-Domica caves, Europe’s largest stalactite system with 25km of interlinking caves.

But it’s not all about nature. This is a land where far too many battles were won and lost, and
their reminders – aging castles and evocative ruins – sprinkle the landscape like hundreds-and-
thousands on a birthday cake. Eger, a city in constant battle with Pécs for provincial Hungary’s
‘Best in Show’ ribbon, will wow even the most hardened traveller with its Bull’s Blood wine,
baroque architecture and laid-back feel. The last vestiges of traditional folk life are found here,
especially among the Palóc people of the Cserhát Hills and the Matyó of Mezőkövesd.

The Northern Uplands include five ranges: the Cserhát, the Mátra, the Bükk, the Aggtelek
(in reality, an adjunct to the eastern Cserhát region) and the Zemplén.

HIGHLIGHTS
Visiting castles, castles, and more castles –
from Füzérs’ lonely edifice, Füzér Castle
(p353), to Boldogkőváralja’s strong Aggtelek
National Park Füzér
defender, Boldogkő Castle (p344)
Exploring Eger (p327), a town of
Boldogkªváralja
legendary wine, baroque architecture Zemplén
Hills
and easy-going temperament
Bükk Hills
Hiking through the lush green forests of Hollókª
the Zemplén (p344), Mátra (p322) and Eger

Bükk Hills (p327) Mátra Hills

Wandering through Hollókő (p317), a tiny

village where folk tradition is very much
alive and still kicking up its heels
Spelunking in Aggtelek National Park
(p342), home to Europe’s largest stalactite
caves
 312 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • C s e r h á t H i l l s 313

Hajdúhadház
Nagyhalász
Post office (Rákóczi fejedelem útja 24) On the main drag,

NYÍREGYHÁZA
Nové Mesto

Újfehértó
er
CSERHÁT HILLS
20 miles

Slovenské

Riv
SZABOLCS-
SZATMÁR-
near the Roman Catholic church.
30 km

BEREG

a
Sárospatak

sz
Tourinform (%500 640; balassagyarmat@tourinform

Ibrány
Ti

Hajdúdorog
The Cserhát Hills are a rather unimpres- .hu; Köztársaság tér 6; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-noon
Sátoraljaújhely

DEBRECEN
Hajdúnánás
r
ve sive entry to the Northern Uplands; none Sat mid-Jun–mid-Sep, 9am-4.30pm Mon-Fri mid-Sep–

M3

4
Ri

M35
of them are higher than 650m, much of the mid-Jun) Housed in the old county hall.

38

E573
Mogyoróska

Hajdúböszörmény
Zemplén

37
Füzér

area is cultivated and densely populated,

HAJDÚ-
Tokaj

BIHAR
Hills

og

36
dr
Boldogkªváralja and Hungary’s serious hiking options are Sights
Hollóháza

Tarcal
Bo
Zemplén
Hills

ὈὈὈὈ
ὈὈ
ὈὈ
35
Regéc

further to the east. But while they may not The Palóc Museum (%300 168; Palóc liget 1; adult/

Balmazújvaros
Abaújszántó

Tiszavasvári
Gönc

Korlát
Arka

be graced with soaring peaks and dense child 500/250Ft; h10am-4pm Tue-Sun May-Sep, 10am-
Abaújkér

33
Mezªzombor
E71
NORTHERN UPLANDS

forests, they are cloaked in a rich folk- 4pm Tue-Sat Oct-Apr) in Palóc Park (a lovely

NORTHERN UPLANDS
National Park
0
0

culture tapestry belonging to the Palóc green space of mature trees and grassy cor-
Hidasnémeti

Vizsoly

Tiszaújváros
Szerencs

Hortobágy
Hortobágy
To Košice (9km);

Encs
Garadna

r
people. Hollókő, a tiny village snuggled ners, and perfect for a picnic) was purpose-
Kraków

ve
Ri
into a remote valley, may for some be Hun- built in 1914 to house Hungary’s richest

Polgár
ád
37
E71

rn
ὈὈ
ὈὈὈ
He gary’s folk ‘Disneyland’, but there’s no deny- collection of Palóc artefacts and is a must
3
BORSOD-ABAÚJ-

ing the beauty of its quaint cottages and for anyone planning to visit traditional vil-

35

r
Muhi
ZEMPLÉN

ve

Plain
old ways. To the west is Balassagyarmat (a lages in the Cserhát Hills.

i
a R
E71

Tiszafüred
M3
mouthful in its own right), home to the The standing exhibit ‘From Cradle to
M30

Tisz
iver
Edelény

best museum of Palóc culture the country Grave’ on the 1st floor takes you through the

34
óR
3

Saj
Nyékládháza
27

Great
has to offer. important stages in the life of the Palóc peo-
MISKOLC
Szögliget

National Park

27
s

ple, and includes pottery, superb carvings,

Miskolctapolca
Ὀ
ὈὈ
Hil l

ὈὈ
Jósvafª Aggtelek

l l s

Tisza
Lake
BALASSAGYARMAT
Sajószentpéter

mock-ups of a birth scene, a classroom and

3
ek

Lillafüred

%35 / pop 18,500 a wedding. There are also votive objects used
Kazincbarcika
l
gte

National Park
Aggtelek

H i

As the centre of the Cserhát region, Balas- for the all-important búcsúk (church patro-
26
Ag

Mahóca

Füzesabony
Bükk

Mezªkövesd
k Garadna

Felsªtárkány

sagyarmat bills itself as the ‘capital of the nal festivals; see p290). But the Palóc wom-
33
Putnok

Bélapátfalva

Palóc’ and, while other places may look en’s needlework – from the distinctive floral
Mónosbél

Eger

more folksy, the town’s excellent Palóc Mu- embroidery in blues and reds to the almost
Bánréve

k
Szilvásvárad

31
25

seum gives it the leading edge. Lying just microscopic white-on-white stitching –
ü

Kerecsend

south of the Ipoly River and the Slovakian leaves everything else in the dust.
Demjén
Verpelét
Egerszalók
B

E71

HEVES
25

Heves

border, Balassagyarmat suffered more than An open-air museum (adult/child 300/150Ft;

Jászapáti
Ózd

25

Sirok

M3

most towns in the region during the Turkish h 10am-4pm Tue-Sun May-Sep), including an
Parádfürdª

occupation. Its castle was reduced to rubble 18th-century Palóc-style house, stable and
Rimavská

Kékestetª
Recsk
Sobota

Jászárokszállás
(1014m)

and its houses were abandoned for decades. church, stands in the garden behind the
Parádsasvár

Mátrafüred

31
Vámosgyörk

It regained stature late in the 18th century as main museum.

Gyöngyös

Jászberény
23

(965m) Parád

the main seat of Nógrád County, but even

JÁSZ-NAGYKUN-
Bátonyterenye

SZOLNOK
Galya-tetª
Somoskª

24

that was taken away after WWII in favour of

Hi l l s
r a Mátraháza
Castle
Salgó
Castle

Medves

Sástó
Hills

Galyatetª
SLOVAKIA

the ‘new town’ of Salgótarján. Today Balas- THE GOOD PALÓC PEOPLE
sagyarmat’s few baroque and neoclassical The Palóc people are a distinct Hungarian
32
Csoma Memorial
Somoskªújfalu

buildings and the odd monument don’t pull

3
Sándor Kªrösi

21

Tar
Karancs

Pásztó

group living in the fertile hills and valleys

Ipolytarnóc

(729m)

«rhalom Szécsény Nográdmegyer

Hatvan
Salgótarján

át

in the crowds; it’s the town’s link with Palóc

s Park

of the Cserhát Hills (Cserhátalja). Ethnolo-

M

Jászfényszaru

culture that beckons.

21

gists are still debating whether they were a

Litke

22
Lu‹enec

Endrefalva
E571

separate people who later mixed with the

l

Orientation
l
Rimóc

Magyars, or a Hungarian ethnic group that,

Hollókª
NORTHERN UPLANDS

Aszód

The train station is about 600m south of the

H

er through isolation and Slovakian influence,

NÓGRÁD

Riv
town centre at the end of Bajcsy-Zsilinszky
Gödöllª

developed its own ways. What’s certain is

t

utca. The bus station is behind the town

Ipoly

that the Palóc continue to speak a distinct

PEST
h

hall on Köztársaság tér, which splits Rákóczi dialect of Hungarian (unusual in a country
Pécel
r
Slovenské

Balassagyarmat
Darmoty

fejedelem útja, the main drag, in two. where language differences are virtually
e

3
E71
Dunakeszi

BUDAPEST

nonexistent) and, until recently, clung to

C s
Rétság

Fót

Information
22

M3
Göd

their traditional folk dress, particularly in

Vác
M2

Library (%300 622; Rákóczi fejedelem útja 50; per hr such towns as Hollókő, Bugac, Rimóc and
M0
2

E77
Zvolen

100Ft; h7.30am-7pm Mon-Fri, 1-5pm Sat) Has Internet

2
E77

River Őrhalom. Today, with the Matyó people of

be
Szentendre

access.
E77

Mezőkövesd, they are considered the guard-

Danu

Budakeszi

lls
10

Budaörs
Pomáz

Hi y OTP bank (Rákóczi fejedelem útja 44) Has a secure ians of living folk traditions in Hungary.
10

Bör z s ö n
24-hour ATM.
 314 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • C s e r h á t H i l l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • C s e r h á t H i l l s 315

BALASSAGYARMAT 0
0
300 m
0.2 miles
Zorba Háza (%315 976; Rákóczi fejedelem útja 28; southeast, Hollókő. But while Hollókő has
mains 600-1000Ft; h10am-midnight Mon-Sat, 2-11pm folklore, Szécsény has history. In 1705, in
A B C D Sun) Housed in a small shopping centre a camp behind where Forgách Manor now
To Szécsény

Kálmán u
Mikszáth
(18km)
INFORMATION
Library.................................(see 16)
16
Rákóczi fejedelem útja
away from loud Rákóczi fejedelem útja, stands, the ruling diet made Ferenc Rákóczi
22
OTP Bank.................................1 C1
Óváro
s tér Zorba serves a mix of Greek and Italian II of Transylvania the prince of Hungary

Áchim András u
6

Dózsa Györg
Szerb
Post Office...............................2 B2
food in blue-and-white surroundings. and the commander in chief of the kuruc

Jókai Mór u
1 u
Ipolypart
Tourinform.............................. 3 A2 1
Óu
Orchidea Cukrászda (%311 450; Bajcsy-Zsilinszky (anti-Habsburg mercenaries) fighting for

u
8
utca 12; ice cream 90Ft; h9am-7pm Mon-Fri, 8am-7pm Sat independence from the Austrians.

Hun

yu
14 15 12
Zic

yadi
hy
& Sun) Opposite Palóc Park, this place makes

ὈὈ
u
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Orientation

u
Madác

ja
such excellent ice cream and cakes that
Sz

út Catholic Church............................4 B2
ab

Th
m
óL

le City Gallery..................................5 A2
NORTHERN UPLANDS

locals cross town to pick up the goodies. The train station is about 1.5km north of

ökö

NORTHERN UPLANDS
Ko
de
hu

2
óri

ssu
ej
e Local History Collection................6 D1

Béri Balogh Ádám u

ly u
4
nc

f
Gösser Söröző (lunch menu 500Ft, mains around the town centre just off Rákóczi út en route

th
zi Old County Hall.........................(see 3)
u

17 óc

La
k Palóc & Open-Air Museums.........7 A3
Rá 1000Ft) This place at Club Panzió is not to Litke. The bus station is on Király utca,
jos
Serbian Orthodox Church & Art
u
sa
Te

las overly inviting, but it does serve solid Hun- east of the firewatch tower on Fő tér.
u
Gallery......................................8 B1
lek

9 Ba
Ber

iL

Town Hall....................................9 A2
csé

2 garian fare.
ás
zló
nyi

ὈὈ
3
Information
u

SLEEPING Market (Thököly utca) The town’s large mar-

u

Club Panzió................................10 B2
To Sztár
Motel (300m);
Köztársaság
tér
10
Luther u Baltik
Frigye
su
Szalézi College...........................11 C3 ket has plenty of food stalls and stand-up Tourinform (% 370 777; [email protected];
Kisegitª Camping
(1.5km) 22 Patva
rci EATING
places to eat. Ady Endre utca 12; h8am-6pm Mon-Fri Jun-Sep, 8am-

὆὆὆὆὆὆
u
dele
m 5 Gösser Sörözª..........................(see 10) 4pm Mon-Fri Oct-May) has an office in the same
feje Deák Fere
Rák
óczi tja nc u Market.......................................12 C1
Entertainment building as the cultural centre. The OTP bank

὆὆὆὆὆὆
ú Orchidea Cukrászda...................13 B3
Bajcsy

Svejk..........................................14 A1 Imre Madách Cultural Centre (%300 622; Rákóczi (Rákóczi út 86) is northwest of the town hall, and
Kossuth Lajos u

὆὆὆὆὆὆
Zorba Háza.................................15 B1
-Zsili

fejedelem útja 50; h8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 1-8pm Sat & Sun) the post office (Dugonics utca 1) is to the south of
Szent Imre u
nszk

This is the place to find out what’s on. the OTP bank.

὆὆὆὆὆὆
József At ENTERTAINMENT
Palóc tila u
yu

3 Imre Madách Cultural Centre.....16 C1

Park 7 13 Also check out the free biweekly Nógrádi

὆὆὆὆὆὆
TRANSPORT
Bus Station.................................17 A2
Est magazine, which includes coverage of Sights

὆὆὆὆὆὆
Balassagyarmat. FORGÁCH MANOR & MUSEUMS
To Train
Station 11 Forgách Manor (Ady Endre utca 7) was constructed

὆὆὆὆὆὆
dre u Ady Endr Cemetery
Ady En (250m) eu
Getting There & Away around 1760 from the remains of a medie-
Some 12 daily buses link Budapest with val border fortress. In the mid-19th century
OTHER SIGHTS accommodation options, Club is the Balassagyarmat via Vác (968Ft, 1¾ hours, it passed into the hands of the aristocratic
The City Gallery (Városi Képtár; %300 186; Köz- best and most central. Rooms are in OK 76km). There is one daily bus to Gyöngyös Forgách family, who made further addi-
társaság tér 5; adult/child 150/100Ft; h10am-noon & condition, but could do with a spruce up. (907Ft, 2¼ hours, 72km), and plenty to tions, and today it houses a motley assort-
12.30-5pm Tue-Sun), housed in a very run-down Sztár Motel (%301 152; Kővári út 12; r 5500Ft; p) Salgótarján via Litke or Endrefalva (665Ft, ment of exhibits, such as the Ferenc Kubinyi
building opposite the old county hall, is Sztár is a mediocre place to the west of the 1¼ hours, 52km). Nine buses go daily to Museum (%370 143; adult/child 300/150Ft; h10am-
devoted to contemporary Nógrád painters, town centre, but it does have the added ad- Szécsény on Monday to Friday and three 4pm Tue-Sun).
sculptors and graphic artists from the 1960s vantage of a restaurant on the premises. or four daily on the weekend (241Ft, 25 On the ground floor there’s a pharma-
onward, and is worth a look around. Szalézi College (%301 765; szalezikollegium@free minutes, 18km); Szécsény is the place to ceutical exhibit, as well as a few rooms done
The Local History Collection (Helytörténeti mail.hu; Ady Endre utca 1; dm 2000Ft; p ) With change for Hollókő. There are three buses up much the way the Forgách family would
Gyűjtemény; %300 663; Rákóczi fejedelem útja 107; admis- 50 rooms and not a lot going on over the daily Monday to Saturday to Hont (363Ft, have liked to see them. Upstairs, beyond
sion free; h8am-4.30pm), in an 18th-century no- summer break in town, you’ll be guaranteed 50 minutes, 28km) on the Slovakian border the Stone Age bones and chips, the recon-
ble’s mansion called Csillagház (Star House), of a bed at this basic student dorm between at 6am, 11.50am and 4.50pm. structed Neolithic house and the Bronze
honours more locals, including the artist mid-June and August. Balassagyarmat can be reached through- Age jewellery, is a ghastly hunting exhibit,
Endre Horváth, who lived here and designed Kisegítő Camping (%300 404; Kővári út 13; camp out the day via a snaking train line from with any number of ‘useful’ items (napkin
some of the forint notes in circulation. sites per adult/child/tent 700/350/700Ft, cabins 3000Ft; Vác (658Ft). The trip takes over two hours; rings, cups, pistol butts, umbrella handles)
The cute and amazingly tiny Serbian hmid-Jun–Aug; p) This small and simple camp the bus will cut that time in half. If coming carved and whittled from the carcasses and
Orthodox church (Szerb templom; %300 622; Szerb site, with tent sites and three small cabins, is from Budapest (1212Ft, 2½ hours, 110km) coats of our furred and feathered friends.
utca 5; admission free; h2-6pm Tue-Sun), which you on the main road leading west out of town. or the east by train, change at Aszód. Only a little less frightening is the Bastion
can enter through an archway at Rákóczi fe- Museum (Bástya Múzeum) located in the north-
jedelem útja 30, features temporary exhib- Eating SZÉCSÉNY east tower, from where part of the original
itions from local artists. Svejk (%300 999; Szabó Lőrinc utca 16; mains around %32 / pop 6600 16th-century castle wall is seen to the west
1000Ft) With the Slovakian border so close, Just 18km east of Balassagyarmat in the and south. Exhibits include an all-too-
Sleeping it’s surprising there aren’t more restaurants picturesque Ipoly Valley, Szécsény is a town complete collection of torture implements:
Club Panzió (%301 824; [email protected]; Teleki like Svejk serving Czech and Slovakian bordering on comatose and usually given racks, yokes, stocks and a flogging bench.
László utca 14; r 10,000Ft, apt for 4 people with kitchen dishes. The large covered inner courtyard a miss by travellers headed for its tiny, Those of a nervous disposition will seek
20,000Ft; p ) Of Balassagyarmat’s meagre is made for sampling a proper Budvar. but much better-known, neighbour to the refuge in the Sándor Kőrösi Csoma Memorial
 ὈὈὈὈ
ᝲᝲᝲᝲ
ᝲᝲᝲᝲ ᝲ
ὈὈὈὈ
316 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • C s e r h á t H i l l s

SZÉCSÉNY
A ὅὅὅ
ὅὅὅ
B C
0
0
www.lonelyplanet.com

To Train
D
200 m
0.1 miles
www.lonelyplanet.com

on Sunday. You shouldn’t have to wait more

than a half-hour for buses to Balassagyar-
N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • C s e r h á t H i l l s 317

with wattle and daub – interwoven twigs

plastered with clay and water.

ὈὈὈὈ
Ὀ
Old Castle Walls 4 Station (1.5km) mat (241Ft, 25 minutes, 18km) or Salgótar- Today few women wear the traditional
Strázsa-part
ján (with a possible change for the latter at Palóc dress – wide, red-and-blue, pleated and

útja rtírok
u

ᝲᝲᝲᝲ
st
6
Litke, Endrefalva or Nógrádmegyer; 423Ft, embroidered skirts, and ornate headpieces.

Má
pá

8 u
rjú

dre
one hour, 34km). There are seven daily buses Still, on Sunday mornings, important feast
Bo

En

὇὇὇὇὇
Jók

Rózsa
1 Mó y ai u
nus Ad
Illé
su Vár to Budapest (1150Ft, two hours, 94km). days, such as Easter and Assumption Day

u
὇὇὇὇὇
Hayn tér
Lajos ald
u 7
Szécsény is on a minor train line linking (15 August), or during a wedding, you may
3

὇὇὇὇὇
INFORMATION 11 12
it with Balassagyarmat (182Ft, 30 minutes, get lucky and catch some in fancy garb.
OTP Bank........................1 C2 Haynald Lajos u 10 Király
u 19km) and Aszód to the west and southwest,

὇὇὇὇὇
Fª 5
Erzsébet
Orientation

Ady
Post Office......................2 C2
NORTHERN UPLANDS

Endre u
and Ipolytarnóc to the north on the Slova-

NORTHERN UPLANDS
tér tér
Tourinform......................
Rákóczi út 3 C1 SLEEPING

Dugonics
9
Paradiso.........................10 C1 kian border, where you can board trains for The bus will stop on Dózsa György utca at
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES To Balassagyarmat (18km) Rákóczi út 1
Bastion Museum..............4 C1 EATING Lučenec. To get to Vác (890Ft, three to four the top of Kossuth Lajos utca; from there

u
Dugon
hours, 89km) from Szécsény by train, you walk down the hill to the Old Village.
u

Ferenc Kubinyi Museum..(see 6) Feszty Árpád u 2 Frédi...............................

hu 11 C1
janic
Firewatch Tower..............5 C2 Dam
Bartók Béla

2 must change at Balassagyarmat.

Arany

ics u
Forgách Manor.................6 B1 ENTERTAINMENT
u

Information
Kossuth u
Franciscan Church & Szécsény Cultural
Hársfa

J u
Monastery....................7 B1
Attila u

Centre.......................(see 3)

Gábo
HOLLÓKŐ The post office (Kossuth Lajos utca 72; h8am-4pm Mon-
Petªfi u

Sándor Kªrösi Csoma

r Áro
Memorial Exhibition.....8 C1
Town Hall........................ 9 C2 Sas u
TRANSPORT
Bus Station.....................12 D1
%32 / pop 375 Fri) will provide cash advances on credit cards,

nu
People either love Hollókő (Raven Rock) and Tourinform (%579 011; [email protected];
or they hate it. To some, the two-street vil- Kossuth Lajos utca 68; h8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat
Exhibition (Kőrösi Csoma Sándor Emlék- Rákóczi út 86; adult/child 200/100Ft; h10am-4pm Tue- lage nestling in a valley 16km southeast of & Sun May-Sep, 8am-6pm Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm Sat & Sun Sep-
kiállítás) in the manor’s gate house. Kőrösi Sun May-Sep, 10am-4pm Mon-Fri Oct-Apr), on Fő tér Szécsény is Hungary’s most beautiful, and May) can supply as much information as you
Csoma (1784–1842) was a Hungarian Fran- in the centre of town, is leaning (by three deserves kudos for holding on to its trad- need about Hollókő. For general informa-
ciscan monk who travelled to Tibet and degrees) – the result of shelling and bomb- itional architecture and a few old customs. tion on the town, see www.holloko.hu/.
wrote the first Tibetan-English dictionary. ing in 1944, and clay subsidence. You can Others see it as a staged tourist trap run
climb to the top for views of the town. by Budapest entrepreneurs with paid ‘per- Sights
FRANCISCAN CHURCH & MONASTERY formers’. Unesco agreed with the former The Old Village’s folk architecture is its main
Parts of the Gothic Franciscan church and Sleeping & Eating view in 1987 when it put Hollókő on its attraction. Stroll along the two cobblestone
monastery (Ferences templom és kolostor; %370 076; Paradiso (%372 427; Ady Endre utca 14; s/d 5500/8300Ft; World Heritage List of cultural sites – the streets, past the whitewashed houses with
Haynald Lajos utca 7-9; adult/child 300/150Ft) date from mains 900-1800Ft; hrestaurant Mon-Sat; p) Parad- first village in the world to receive such an carved wooden gables and porches and red-
the 14th century, and the latter has been iso, with its welcoming staff and comfort- honour. What sets Hollókő apart is its re- tiled roofs. Wine is stored in the small cel-
restored to its former glory after years of able and spacious – if uninspiring – rooms, stored 13th-century castle and the archi- lars that open onto the streets.
neglect. In the church sanctuary (the oldest is the best bet in town. Its restaurant is tecture of the so-called Old Village (Ófalu),
section) a guide will point out the 500-year- quite good, serves local specialities and has where some 60 houses and outbuildings VILLAGE CHURCH
old carvings of saints, flowers and fruits on outside seating in a lovely courtyard with have been listed as historic monuments. A little wooden church (Kossuth Lajos utca), the
the vaulted ceiling (the carvings on the pil- a fountain. The complex is the former ser- The village has burned to the ground focus of the village’s spiritual and social life,
lars were destroyed by the Turks when they vants’ quarters of Forgách Manor. many times since the 13th century (most is on the corner where Petőfi utca, the Old
occupied Szécsény in 1552). You can also Frédi (%370 372; Rákóczi út 85; pizza & mains recently in 1909), but the villagers have Village’s ‘other’ street, branches off from
see where Muslims carved out a mihrab 500-1100Ft) This is a decent restaurant and always rebuilt their houses exactly to plan Kossuth Lajos utca. Built as a granary in the
(prayer niche) in the south wall. cukrászda (cake shop); specialities are all
In the baroque monastery (essentially dat- meat-based, and its attractive garden over-
ing from the 17th century, with parts of the looks Fő tér. IPOLYTARNÓC PRESERVE
Gothic church incorporated into it), you’ll Squeezed between the Ipoly River and the Slovakian border, some 25km northwest of Salgótarján,
see the monks’ cells and, depending on what’s Entertainment is the town of Ipolytarnóc and its unusual preserve (%32-454 113; adult/child 500/350Ft; h9am-4pm
open, the library, dining hall, Gothic oratory The staff at the Szécsény Cultural Centre (Széc- Apr-Oct, 9am-3pm Nov-Mar). Graciously nicknamed ‘ancient Pompeii’ by all and sundry, the preserve
overlooking the church’s interior, and/or the sényi Művelődési Központ; %370 494; Ady Endre utca 12) is home to prehistoric finds dating back 20 million years. It seems that around this time a volcano
Rákóczi Room, where the newly appointed may have information on what’s on in Széc- decided to blow its top, and the subsequent lava flows and ash fall sealed for all prosperity animal
prince and military commander met with his sény; otherwise, consult the free biweekly footprints, subtropical trees and leaves, and even shark teeth. While many other such fossilised
war cabinet in 1705. Tours of the church and Nógrádi Est magazine which includes remains are located across the continent, Ipolytarnóc is particularly celebrated for its diversity of
monastery depart at 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm, Szécsény. flora and fauna; there are an impressive 5000 leaf prints and 2000 animal footprints (including
3pm and 4pm Tuesday to Saturday. those of an ancient rhinoceros). It is widely believed that the area was once the site of a river
Getting There & Away flowing into a tropical sea. Tours of the preserve depart every hour on the half-hour.
FIREWATCH TOWER Some seven buses depart daily for Hollókő Ipolytarnóc is best reached by train from Balassagyarmat (430Ft, 1¼ hours, 41km) or Szécsény
You may think you’re seeing things but, yes, on Monday to Friday (241Ft, 30 minutes, (264Ft, 39 minutes, 22km, up to 10 daily).
the 19th-century firewatch tower (tűztorony; 17km), with up to nine on Saturday and five
 318 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • C s e r h á t H i l l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • C s e r h á t H i l l s 319

HOLLÓK« 0
0
100 m
0.05 miles
Festivals & Events is more like a coffee shop that serves full
jos u
Hollókő marks its calendar red for the an- meals. It frequently caters to groups.
A Kossuth La B 3 11 C D nual Easter Festival in late March or April, Teaház (Teahouse; %380 016; Petőfi utca 4; cakes

ὈὈὈ
u
Petªfi 16
14
SHOPPING the Nógrád Folklore Festival and Palóc Home- 400Ft) This little place tucked away off Petőfi

Dó
19 8 13

zs
4 10 17 Fazekasház.....................16 C1
spun Festival held at the open-air theatre in

a
Old 5 utca is good for snacks during the daytime,

Gy
Mívesház.......................17 C1

ör
Village 7 1 u
July, and the Castle Days, a touristy medieval and has a small wine bar in its cellar.

gy
1 9 ke 18
Pajtakert........................ C1
Bé

u
2 Szövªház........................19
u B1
12
óc
zi tournament at the castle in late June, Au-

὆὆὆
k
Landscape
Protection József At
tila u Ko
ssu
th
TRANSPORT Rá
Bus Stop........................20 D2
gust and September. Shopping
Reserve

὆὆὆
6 La
Hollókő is a shopper’s paradise for Hungar-

ὈὈὈ
jos
u Kossuth L
József Attila u 18 ajos Sleeping ian folk art. Shops generally only open from

὆὆὆
u
INFORMATION Village Museum.............10 C1
NORTHERN UPLANDS

Hollókő is a day-trippers village, and after 10am to 5pm unless there is a bus load of

NORTHERN UPLANDS
Post Office.......................1 C1 20

὆὆὆
Tourinform......................2 C1 SLEEPING
Foundation for Hollókª..(see 2) To New Village (300m); the last tour bus leaves you’ll have the place to tourists expected.
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES Palóc Holiday Houses.....11 C1
Szécsény (17km)
yourself. This, of course, has its advantages Szövőház (Loom House; %379 273; Kossuth Lajos

Orgona u
Country House.................3 B1 and disadvantages; you’ll have a supremely utca 94) This is a good place for hand-woven

Sport u
Doll Museum....................4 B1 EATING
2 Exhibition Place................5 C1 Muskátli.........................12 C1 restful night, but don’t count on food being and embroidered goods. It’s interesting to
Hollókª Castle..................6 A1 Teaház...........................13 C1
Pajtakert .....................(see 18) Vár.................................14 B1 15
served after 8pm. watch the women demonstrate how their
Postal Museum................7 C1 Tourinform can organise private rooms enormous loom works, and you can give it
Village Church.................8 C1 ENTERTAINMENT
Village Hall......................9 C1 Open-Air Theatre..........15 C2 To Panoráma (from 3000Ft per person), but it’s not the a go yourself (adult/child 150/100Ft).
(150m)
norm. Mívesház (Craft House; % 380 016; Petőfi
Panoráma (%378 077; Orgona utca 31; camp sites per utca 4) This artisans’ workshop is an excellent
16th century and sanctified in 1889, it is a h10am-5.30pm Apr-Oct) can be reached by fol- person/tent/car 500/450/200Ft, r 5000Ft, bungalows 6000Ft; place to admire and buy Palóc folk dress and
fairly austere affair both inside and out, and lowing the trail up the hill across from the p) On the hill off Sport utca south of the costumes.
like most churches throughout the country, Country House or from the bus stop by village, this holiday complex has a small pen- Fazekasház (Pottery House; %379 252; Petőfi utca
a locked gate bars entry to the main nave. walking up to József Attila utca and then sion, four-bed bungalows and a camp site. 6) Folk-art pottery – and colourful nontrad-
following the west-bound trail from the car There is a campfire area set up for outdoor itional pieces – in the shape of hand-thrown
MUSEUMS park. At 365m, the castle has a command- feasts, and good views of the village. vases, jugs, candlesticks and decorative
Five small museums in traditional houses ing view of the surrounding hills. items are all available here.
line Kossuth Lajos utca. The Postal Museum The castle was built at the end of the Eating Pajtakert (%379 273; www.hollokotourism.hu; Kos-
(Postamúzeum; %379 288; Kossuth Lajos utca 80; adult/ 13th century and strengthened 200 years Vár (%379 029; Kossuth Lajos utca 93-95; mains 1500- suth Lajos utca 46; h9am-4pm Apr-Sep, 9am-4pm Mon-
child 200/100Ft; h10am-6pm Apr-Oct) is a branch later. It was captured by the Turks and 2000Ft; h11am-8pm) This is one of the few Fri Oct-Mar) The decorated mézeskalács (honey
of the one in Budapest. Next door, the Vil- not liberated until 1683 by the Polish king places to eat in Hollókő (remember it closes cakes) on sale make great gifts.
lage Museum (Falumúzeum; %379 258; Kossuth Lajos Jan Sobieski (r 1674–96). It was partially early). It serves venison specialities in sea-
utca 82; adult/child 150/100Ft; h10am-4pm Apr-Oct) is destroyed after the War of Independence son, and has a shady courtyard. Getting There & Away
the usual three-room Hungarian setup, with early in the 18th century but is, in fact, Muskátli (%379 262; Kossuth Lajos utca 61; mains Szécsény is the gateway to Hollókő, with
folk pottery, painted furniture, embroidered one of northern Hungary’s most intact 1000-2000Ft; h11am-5pm Wed-Fri & Sun, 11am-6pm some buses heading there twice an hour
pillows and, in the back yard, an interest- fortresses. The views from the top of the Sat) Housed in a traditional cottage, Muskátli (241Ft, 30 minutes, 17km, up to 20 daily)
ing carved wine press dating from 1872. A pentagonal keep, across fields and forested Monday to Friday; there are 17 buses on
nature exhibition at the Country House (Tájház; hills without a trace of human occupation, Saturday and nine on Sunday. You can also
AUTHOR’S CHOICE
%06 30 529 6439; Kossuth Lajos utca 99-100; adult/child are stunning. catch one of about six weekday buses (five
250/150Ft; h10am-4pm) deals with the flora, Palóc Holiday Houses (%579 010; holokozal@ on Saturday, four on Sunday) to Salgótar-
fauna and human inhabitants of the Eastern Activities mail.datanet.hu; houses around 8000Ft; p ) ján via Pásztó (605Ft, 1½ hours, 50km).
Cserhát Landscape Protection Reserve, part Pajtakert (%379 273; www.hollokotourism.hu; Kos- Throughout the village some 17 trad-
of which surrounds the village. suth Lajos utca 46; h9am-4pm Apr-Sep, 9am-4pm Mon- itional houses (the largest concentration is SALGÓTARJÁN
The Exhibition Place (Kiállítóhely; %370 547; Fri Oct-Mar), based in the shop and gallery along Petőfi utca), which could easily dou- %32 / pop 45,000
Kossuth Lajos utca 79; adult/child 200/100Ft; h10am- of the same name, can organise folk-craft ble as folk museums, are available for rent After an idyllic day in Hollókő or any of
5pm Apr-Oct) spotlights the work of a local lessons, such as weaving, woodcarving, pot- throughout the year. They’re basically squat the rural villages of the Cserhát, arriving
master woodcarver and a photographer. tery and egg painting; while lessons are for cottages, with whitewashed walls, trad- in the modern city of Salgótarján, 25km
The Doll Museum (Babamúzeum; %379 088; Kos- groups only, you may be able to tag along itional furniture with beds wide enough to east of Szécsény, is like stepping into a cold
suth Lajos utca 96; adult/child 150/100Ft; h10am-5pm if you’re at the right place at the right time. lose your partner in, wood-beamed ceilings shower. This is a town where the commun-
Apr-Oct) exhibits some 200 porcelain dolls in There are some gentle walks into the hills and small gardens. ist’s idealism of architecture lives on, and
traditional dress. and valleys of the 140-hectare landscape Rental can be arranged through the Foun- a place to see its sharp corners and strong
protection reserve to the west and south of dation for Hollókő (book ahead in the high lines first hand. Ravaged by fire in 1821
HOLLÓKŐ CASTLE the castle. A Cserhát, the 1:60,000 Cserhát season), which shares the same building and by serious flooding 70 years later, Sal-
On Szár-hegy (Stalk Hill), Hollókő Castle map (No 8; 800Ft) from Cartographia, will and opening hours as Tourinform. gótarján can boast almost no buildings that
(Hollókői Vár; %06 30 968 1739; adult/child 400/200Ft; help you plan your route. predate last century.
 320 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • C s e r h á t H i l l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • C s e r h á t H i l l s 321

The surrounding Medves Hills have been h9am-3pm Tue-Sun Apr-Sep, 9am-2pm Tue-Sun Oct- Sleeping Laguna Club Café (% 06 20 936 7072; Füleki
mined for coal since the 19th century, and it’s Mar), the city’s only real sight, is a short walk There’s no real need to overnight in Sal- út 56; h9am-5am Wed-Sat) A popular club to the
on this that Salgótarján’s success is based. As southwest of the train and bus stations. gótarján unless you’re stuck without any north of the city centre.
in Miskolc, the Communists found the coal Filled with geological maps and samples, options. Aside from the hotels listed here, Other entertainment spots can be found
miners and steelworkers here sympathetic to old uniforms and a statue of St Barbara Tourinform has a list of rural accommo- in the free biweekly Nógrádi Est.
their cause, and were supported both during (the patron of miners) standing proudly dation that may be more appealing. For
the Republic of Councils and after WWII next to old communist banners calling for private rooms (from 5000Ft) in one of the Getting There & Away
(though this didn’t stop the dreaded ÁVH the nationalisation of the mines, the mu- city’s many high-rises, contact Ibusz. Buses leave Salgótarján hourly for Balassag-
secret police from shooting over 100 citizens seum’s style is somewhat outdated and is not Galcsik (%422 660; www.galcsikhotel.hu; Alkotmány yarmat (665Ft, 1¼ hours, 52km) and Széc-
here during the 1956 Uprising). For its sup- particularly interesting. Across the street a út 2; s 3380-7900Ft, d 5280-10,900Ft; p) Galcsik is a sény via Endrefalva (423Ft, one hour, 34km).
NORTHERN UPLANDS

port, Salgótarján was made the county seat 280m-long mine continues to be ‘worked’ by well-maintained pension, with bright rooms You can also get to Budapest (1330Ft, 1¾

NORTHERN UPLANDS
in 1950 and rebuilt throughout the 1960s. performers in unrealistically clean overalls; and sparkling bathrooms. Near the bus sta- hours, 109km, half-hourly; some via route
you can wander through the pits. tion, it’s the best deal in the city centre. No M3), Eger (846Ft, two hours, 66km, 11
Orientation Aside from the museum, the city’s attrac- Hotel Tó-Strand (% 432 400; tó-strand; s/d daily Monday to Friday, seven on Satur-
Because it has virtually swallowed the village tions amount to a plethora of communist 5480/7990Ft; p) Next to a small fishing pond day, five on Sunday), Gyöngyös (786Ft, 1¾
of Somoskőújfalu some 10km to the north, architecture, if you can call that an attrac- north of the city is this modern hotel, with hours, 62km, twice daily) and Parádfürdő
Salgótarján feels like a large city. The train tion. The Town Hall is a particular marvel, comfortable if not spartan rooms, a restau- (544Ft, 1¼ hours, 44km, twice daily).
and bus stations are a short distance apart which closely resembles a Spam can, but at rant and sauna (1300Ft) for guest use. A train line links Salgótarján with Hatvan
to the southwest of the city centre. least it has curves. Salgótarján is also one Tó-Strand Camping (%430 168; Kemping út; camp (544Ft, 1½ hours, 59km) and the main
of the few cities in Hungary that still has sites per person/tent 600/750Ft, bungalows per person Budapest–Miskolc trunk line to the south
Information socialist monuments prominently displayed, 1200Ft, heated motel r 4300Ft, unheated motel r 3200Ft; p) and, to the north, Somoskőújfalu (100Ft, 10
Ibusz (%421 200; Fő tér 6) and both of these monuments are in Fő tér; About 5km northeast of the city centre, off minutes, 6km), and Lučenec, in Slovakia.
OTP bank (Rákóczi út 12) Below the Catholic church. Budapest put its own collection in the ‘zoo’ the road to Somoskő, is this green oasis in a
The second branch is on Rákóczi út 22. that is Statue Park (p127) years ago. The sea of characterless buildings. Aside from the AROUND SALGÓTARJÁN
Post office (Fő tér 1) Located closer to the end of Klapka monument to the west of the square depicts shaded tent sites, there are two year-round Salgó & Somoskő Castles
György tér, despite its official address. a supporter of Béla Kun’s 1919 Republic of motels, and bungalows that are available Eight kilometres northeast of the city centre
Tourinform (%512 315; [email protected]; Fő Councils running with a rifle in hand; the from April to September. Pools, tennis courts is Salgó Castle (admission free; hdawn-dusk), built
tér 5; h9am-6pm mid-Jun–Sep, 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am- other, to the east, in front of the cultural and a boating lake are nearby. You can reach in the 13th century atop a basalt cone some
1pm Sat & Sun Oct–mid-Jun) In the same building as the centre, shows a couple of socialist youths Tó-Strand on bus 46 or 63 from Rákóczi út. 623m up in the Medves Hills. After Buda
Attila József Cultural Centre, the staff are helpful and friendly, looking rather guilty as they set doves free. Castle fell to the Turks in 1541, Salgó served
and can provide information on the surrounding area. Eating as an important border fortress but it, too,
Festivals & Events Galcsik (%422 660; Alkotmány út 2; mains around was taken 23 years later and fell into ruin

ᝲᝲᝲ
ᝲᝲᝲ ᝲᝲᝲᝲᝲ
Sights Dixie jams resound off Salgótarján’s com- 1000Ft; h7am-9pm Mon-Sat, 7am-8pm Sun) At the after the Turks abandoned it in the late 16th
The Mining Museum (Bányászati Múzeum; %420 munist façades during the International Dixie- pension of the same name, this small res- century. The castle is best remembered for

὆὆὆὆὆὆὆὆
258; Zemlinszky Rezső utca 1; adult/child 400/200Ft; land Festival held in May. taurant has a solid Hungarian menu and a the visit made by Sándor Petőfi in 1845,

὆὆὆὆὆὆὆὆
terrace for warm summer days. which inspired him to write Salgó, one of his

ᝲᝲᝲ
ᝲᝲ
ᝲᝲᝲ
ᝲ ᝲᝲᝲᝲᝲ
SALGÓTARJÁN 0 300 m
Czikora (CZZ; %311 384; Fő tér 1; mains 690-980Ft; best loved poems. Today you can make out

὆὆὆὆὆὆὆὆
0 0.2 miles
Ko h7.30am-9pm Mon-Sat) Almost directly oppos- the inner courtyard, tower and bastion from
t

ssu

὆὆὆὆὆὆὆὆
zi ú

A B th
Lajo
C D ite the cultural centre is CZZ, a simple eatery the ruins, but views of Somoskő and into Slo-
kóc
or

su To Laguna Club Cafe (2km); Cemetery

is

with outdoor seating in a shady spot. vakia are excellent from this peaceful spot.
Rá
Ak

὆὆὆὆὆὆὆὆
Tó-Strand Camping & Hotel,
ssa

ᝲᝲ ᝲᝲᝲᝲᝲ
ná

16 Tó-Strand (5km); Salgó Castle &

ér
Ka
sz

rleg gy t

Somoskª Castle (13km) Godó Cukrászda (% 416 068; Rákóczi út 12; To visit the interior of Somoskő Castle (ad-
út

὆὆὆὆὆὆὆὆
ör
u
Gy

1 Me 3
h10am-9pm Mon-Sat, 9am-9pm Sun) For cake and mission 160Ft; h8am-8pm Apr-Oct, 8am-4pm Nov-Mar),
ka
Mé

u szes 14
ap

t ice cream just north of Fő tér, join the queues which is in Slovakian territory, you must
Kl

ú 13 1
á ny
tm at Godó and then plonk yourself down on cross the border at Somoskőújfalu – don’t

ᝲᝲᝲᝲᝲ
ᝲᝲᝲ
Ka ko 9
ra Al or
t

nc is its terrace to enjoy the summer treat. forget your passport – and follow a path
iú

sú 12 Fª tér INFORMATION SLEEPING

ssa Train
cz

t 4
Ka Station 8
kó

Ibusz................................1 C1 Galcsik...........................12 A1
5
Yellow (%310 480; Rákóczi út 11; pizza 380-700Ft; east on foot for about 3km to the castle.
Rá
Be

OTP Bank........................2 B2
m

Józ
sef
út dr
eú
t OTP Bank........................3 C1 EATING h8.30am-midnight Mon-Fri, 9.30am-midnight Sat) An Built in the 14th century from basalt blocks,
11 Erzsébet Post Office.......................4 B1 Czikora...........................13 B1
En 17 unimaginative pizzeria in an ugly square Somoskő was able to hold off the Turkish

ᝲᝲᝲᝲᝲ
ᝲᝲᝲᝲ
tér Tourinform.......................5 B1 Godó Cukrászda............14 C1
ky

Ady Endre u block, but if you don’t fancy Hungarian, onslaught longer than Salgó Castle, not fall-
insz

Market..........................15 A2
Zsil

10 SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES Yellow Pizzeria...............16 C1

7 Pé there isn’t any other choice. ing until 1576. Ferenc Rákóczi used it dur-
sy-

15 cs Catholic Church...............6 B2
Zemlinszky Rezsª u

2 kª
Bajc

2 út Mining Museum..............7 A2 ENTERTAINMENT ing the independence war in 1706, and for
Socialist Attila József Cultural
Múzeum
tér
6
Monument.................. 8 B1 Centre.......................(see 5) Entertainment that reason it was partially destroyed by the
Socialist Monument..........9 B1 Attila József Cultural Centre (%310 503; Fő tér 5; Austrians, although, with its semi-complete
Rákóczi út

Town Hall......................10 B2 TRANSPORT

To Szécsény Working Mine...............11 A2 Bus Station.....................17 B2 h8am-7.45pm Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun) Salgó- walls and turrets, it remains a more solid
(25km)
tarján’s premier cultural venue. edifice than Salgó.
 ὈὈ
322 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • M á t r a H i l l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • M á t r a H i l l s 323

Adventurous souls who have time The Mátra Hills can easily be reached GYÖNGYÖS 0
0
300 m
0.2 miles
on their hands might want to follow the from Eger, but Gyöngyös is its real spring-
A B C D

ὈὈ
marked trail westward from Somoskőújfalu board. It is also the centre of the Mátraalja
along the Slovakian border for 4km to Mt wine-growing region, noted especially for INFORMATION Mátra Museum & Sissi Kávézó.........................(see 17) To Mátrafüred
(6km)

὆὆
Ibusz........................................1 B2 Mikroárium........................10 C2
Karancs (729m); you’ll see the High Tátra Hárslevelű (Linden Leaf), a green-tinted OTP Bank................................2 A2 Memorial Synagogue.............11 A3 ENTERTAINMENT To Farkasmály-
Borpincék;
from the lookout tower on top of what’s white wine that is spicy and slightly sweet Post Office...............................3 B3 New Synagogue.....................12 A3 Mátra Cultural Centre............22 B3

὆὆
1 Lajosháza (11km)
Tourinform..............................4 A3 St Bartholomew's Church.......13 A2 Gyöngyös
known locally as the ‘Palóc Olympus’. Car- at the same time. Vachott Sándor Library..........(see 4) Town Hall..............................14 A2 TRANSPORT felsª

὆὆
24
tographia’s 1:60,000 A Karancs, a Medves For general information on the Mátra SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES SLEEPING
Bus Station.............................23 C3

὆὆
és a Heves-Borsodi-dombság map (No 11; Hills, see www.matrahegy.hu.

Ὀ ὈὈὈὈ
Ὀ
Elªre Narrow-Gauge Train Opál......................................15 C3
16
800Ft) covers these hills. Station.................................5 C2 Vincellér.................................16 D1 Erzsébet királyné u

὆὆

ru
Former Franciscan Monastery &
GYÖNGYÖS
NORTHERN UPLANDS

To get to Salgó Castle, catch bus 11/b (at

NORTHERN UPLANDS
ndo
Hungarian Franciscan Memorial EATING

Dó
὆὆

fi Sá
Library..................................6 B3 Café Liezter...........................17 A3
least 12 daily) anywhere along Rákóczi út in %37 / pop 33,500

zsa
Franciscan Church....................7 B3 Cukrászda..............................18 C2

Gy
Petª
Salgótarján to the Eresztvény recreational A colourful, small city at the base of the Má-

὆὆
House of Mátra Wines.............8 A2 Giardinetto d'Italia.................19 A3

örg

t
iú
House of the Holy Crown & Il Camineto.............................20 B2

yu
area; the castle is up the hill to the south- tras, Gyöngyös, from the Hungarian word

ra
Ecclesiastical Treasury...........9 A2 Kékes.....................................21 A2

át
M
west. An easier way to reach it, though, is meaning ‘pearl’, is the gateway to the hills. 2

ὈὈὈ
To Király-völgy
to stay on the same bus to the terminus in With its museum, abundance of churches Kemping (11km) 13
Hanisz Szent Be
Imre rtalan u 1
18
tér Szent Bertalan u

u
Salgóbánya, the city’s old mining district, (the largest Gothic church in Hungary is Kossuth u

i Géza
2 9 Lajos u 10 Orczy n
vá
Garden Ist
and follow the path leading off Vár út to the here) and rich medieval library, it’s easy to 5 ó

Gárdony
21 Fª b
tér 8 20 Do
west. Bus 11/a (at least three daily) also goes let the delights of the hills wait while explor- 14

t
Vármegye u

du
Ko

yú
to Eresztvény and then heads for Somoskő. ing the city’s nooks and crannies, or simply 4 Bugát

ss Szaléz
11 Török Ignác Kármán József u ssu

gmon
Pál

hár
u th

Zöldhíd u
u
La
kicking back on its pastel-shaded square and Mátyás kir tér

Ko
Rózsa
ály u jos
u Train

cz Zsi
Buddhist Stupa

Pátar Ki
sampling a glass or two of the region’s fin- 12 3 Station

ér
Kªrösi Csoma Vasút u

án t
Köztársaság

Móri
23
Travelling along Rte 21 towards Pásztó, est wines. Sándor u 17 tér

lm
Thán Károly u Koháry
some 22km south of Salgótarján, you might 3 19 Széch

s Ká
enyi u tér 15
Barátok 6
think you’ve driven through a black hole Orientation

Könyve
tere
7

r út
὆὆
and arrived in Southeast Asia. There, on a The bus station is on Koháry út, a 10- 24

i Mó
22
hillside to the north of the village of Tar, is minute walk southeast of Fő tér, the main

὆὆

Jóka
u Egri út
Alkotmány
a full-sized Buddhist stupa (the largest of square. The main train station is on Vasút
its kind in Europe), its little chimes tinkling utca, near the eastern end of Kossuth Lajos
and coloured pendants fluttering in the gen- utca. The Előre station, from where the nar- with much emphasis on Benevár – a 14th- 2-5pm Tue-Sun), a rich collection of liturgical
tle breeze. It’s all part of Sándor Kőrösi Csoma row-gauge trains depart (p324), is next to century castle northeast of Mátrafüred and objects and church plate.
Memorial Park, consecrated in 1992 by the the Mátra Museum at the start of Dobó now in ruins – and the natural history of the The Franciscan church (Ferences templom; Bará-
Dalai Lama in memory of the early 19th- István utca. Mátra region, including a ‘baby’ mammoth. tok tere 1; admission free; hservices only) was built
century Hungarian Franciscan monk who City lore has it that the wrought-iron rail- around the same time as St Bartholomew’s
became a Hungarian Bodhisattva (Buddhist Information ings enclosing the garden were made from but it, too, has undergone some major
saint). The stupa, with a revolving prayer Ibusz (%311 861; Kossuth Lajos utca 6) The town’s best gun barrels taken during the kuruc uprising. changes, with the light frescoes and ba-
wheel containing sacred texts, has become travel agency. The downstairs section originally housed roque tower added in the 18th century.
something of a local tourist attraction, and OTP bank (Fő tér 1) the Mikroárium, an aquarium-terrarium full The church’s most celebrated occupant –
there’s a gift shop selling Indian crafts and Post office (Páter Kiss Szaléz utca 9-11) Accessed from of snakes, lizards and tropical fish, but this well, second-most famous to the faithful –
a snack bar (h9am-7pm Tue-Sun Apr-Sep, 10am- Mátyás király utca. may change with the renovations. is János Vak (Blind) Bottyán, a heroic but
4pm Tue-Sun Oct-Mar). Buses to Tar, a couple of Tourinform (%311 155; [email protected]; St Bartholomew’s Church (Szent Bertalan temp- sight-challenged commander who served
kilometres to the south, and to Pásztó stop Fő tér 10; h7.30am-4pm Mon-Thu, 7.30am-1pm Fri) lom; Szent Bertalan út 1; admission free; hservices only) under Ferenc Rákóczi II during the War of
along the highway just below the stupa. Opposite the Town Hall. is on the east side of Hanisz Imre tér. It Independence. The former Franciscan mon-
Vachott Sándor Library (%311 883; Fő tér 10; per hr was built in the 14th century and is the astery (built 1730), which is attached to the
100Ft; h9am-6pm Mon-Wed, 9am-6pm Fri, 9am-1pm largest Gothic church in Hungary. You’d church, contains the Hungarian Franciscan Me-
MÁTRA HILLS Sat) Offers Internet access.
www.gyongyos.hu This website should be in English
hardly know it though, with the baroque morial Library (Magyar Ferencesek Műemlék Könyvtára;
restoration (including an unusual upper- %311 361; Barátok tere 2; admission free; h2-6pm Tue-
The Mátra Hills, which boast Hungary’s and German, but don’t be surprised if it isn’t. storey gallery inside) that was carried out Fri, 10am-1pm & 3-6pm Sat, 9am-noon & 3-6pm Sun), the
highest peaks, are the most developed and 400 years later. To the southeast the so- only historical archive in Hungary to have
easily accessible of the Northern Uplands Sights called House of the Holy Crown (Szent Korona- survived the Turkish occupation intact.
ranges. And with all the recreational op- The Mátra Museum (% 311 447; Kossuth Lajos ház), which served as a safe house for the St Among its 14,000 volumes are some of the
tions – from hiking and picking wild mush- utca 40), in an old manor house in Orczy Gar- Stephen’s Crown three times from 1806 to rarest books written in Hungarian.
rooms in the autumn to hunting and skiing den, was closed at the time of research for 1809 during the Napoleonic Wars, contains Gyöngyös was home to a relatively large
in winter – there’s enough here to satisfy major renovations. Expect to find spruced- the city’s Ecclesiastical Treasury (Egyházi Kincstár; Jewish community from the 15th century
all tastes. up exhibitions on the history of Gyöngyös, % 311 143; adult/child 300/150Ft; h 10am-noon & to WWII, and two splendid synagogues
 324 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • M á t r a H i l l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • M á t r a H i l l s 325

bear witness to this. The older of the two, Sleeping Sissi Kávézó (Móricz Zsigmond utca 7; h7.30am- bikers, who constantly attack the road and
the neoclassical Memorial Synagogue (Műemlék For such a pretty town, there’s a surpris- 10pm Sun-Thu, 7.30-1am Fri & Sat) Café devoted to Sissi, its hairpin corners with wanton abandon,
zsinagóga; Vármegye utca), built in 1820, faces ing lack of accommodation in the centre. Austria’s former Habsburg empress, with a relaxed air and especially on weekends. Excellent if you’re
Gyöngyös Stream and now houses the city’s Both Tourinform and Ibusz can book you plenty of beer. into bikes, but annoying (and loud) if
TV studios. The Moorish-Secessionist New a private room (from 2500Ft per person) in you’re not.
Synagogue (Új zsinagóga; Kőrösi Csoma Sándor utca), on Gyöngyös or the Mátra Hills. Entertainment Buses to Mátrafüred, Mátraháza, Parád
the corner with Gárdonyi Géza utca, was Vincellér (%311 691; Erzsébet királyné út 22; s/d Mátra Cultural Centre (Mátra Művelődési Központ; and Parádfürdő are frequent, but the best
designed by Lipót Baumhorn in 1930, two 6800/7600Ft, apt 11,000-13,000Ft; pa) Away from % 312 281; Barátok tere 3; h 8am-9pm Mon-Sat) approach is by the narrow-gauge train that
decades after he completed his masterpiece the town centre on the road to Mátrafüred Described as a ‘Finnish functionalist-style terminates in Mátrafüred.
in Szeged. Unfortunately it is now a ware- is this quiet pension, with an attractive and building’, with huge colourful stained-glass
Mátrafüred
NORTHERN UPLANDS

house and in need of some repair. secluded courtyard-restaurant, large rooms windows, this is where Gyöngyös entertains

NORTHERN UPLANDS
and accommodating staff. itself. %37
Activities Opál (%505 400; www.hotelopal.hu; Könyves Kálmán For entertainment listings, pick up a Mátrafüred is a pleasant little resort at 340m.
The House of Mátra Wines (Mátrai Borok Háza; tér 12; s/d 8000/11,000Ft; pi) Housed in a copy of the free biweekly Gyöngyösi Est Though there is a small Palóc ethnographic
%302 226; Fő tér 10; h9am-5pm Tue-Fri, 9am-1pm former college, this small hotel has a slightly magazine. private collection (Palóc néprajzi magángyűjtemény;
Sat), in a courtyard by Tourinform, show- clinical feel to it, but staff are friendly, rooms %320 137; Pálosvörösmarti út 2; adult/child 200/100Ft;
cases local and regional wines and offers are basic and clean, and added extras, such Getting There & Around h9am-5pm May-Sep, 9am-4pm Oct-Apr) of dolls,
tastings. If you’re interested in trying the as a fitness room, sauna and bar, add to BUS textiles and carvings not far south of the
region’s Rieslings, Leányka and Hárslevelű, Opál’s overall good value. You won’t wait for more than 20 minutes narrow-gauge train, the many easy walks in
ask Tourinform for a copy of A Mátraaljai Király-völgy Kemping (%364 185; www.kiraly for buses to Budapest (968Ft, 1½ hours, the area are the main attraction. Buy a copy
Borút (The Mátraalja Wine road) map and volgykemping.hu; Táncsics Mihály út 40; camp sites per 79km), Eger (665Ft, one hour, 52km, three of Cartographia’s 1:40,000 A Mátra map
a list of cellars offering tastings. adult/child/tent €2.50/1.50/3.50; h May-Sep) The daily via Parádfürdő), Mátrafüred (133km, (No 14; 800Ft) before setting out.
Two narrow-gauge trains (%302 025) de- closest camp site to town is in Sástó (p326), 10 minutes, 6km) and Mátraháza (182Ft, 15 You can change money at the post office
part from Előre station just beyond the but this fine option lies 11km northwest in minutes, 15km). (Béke utca 5; h8am-noon & 12.30-3.30pm Mon-Fri) or
Mátra Museum. One heads 7km northeast Gyöngyöspata. It’s a small site on the south- Further destinations from Gyöngyös: use the ATM on the same road nearby. For
to Mátrafüred and the other goes to La- ern edge of the hills, with two dozen sites general information on Mátrafüred, see
josháza, 11km north of Gyöngyös; these and its very own babbling brook. Destination Price Duration Km Frequency www.matrainfo.hu (in Hungarian).
are easily the most enjoyable way to enter
the Mátra Hills. The latter offers no real Eating & Drinking Parád & 363Ft 1¼hr 30 9 daily SLEEPING & EATING
destination, except a place to begin hiking, Kékes (%311 915; Fő tér 7; mains 1000-2000Ft) Kékes Parádfürdő There are lots of signs advertising private
but the slow ride gives you a good feel for is the town’s top restaurant, with a big soup Recsk 423Ft 1½hr 34 8 daily rooms (per person from 2000Ft) along most
what’s on offer further into the hills. A fine selection, plenty of game, fish and regional Sirok 544Ft 1¾hr 42 5 daily streets in Mátrafüred, but Béke utca has the
hiking excursion, for example, leads east specialities, and a lovely terrace looking Szolnok 1210Ft 2hr 98 5 daily bulk of them.
along the Nagy-völgy (Big Valley) past a onto the main square. Salgótarján 786Ft 1¾hr 62 3 daily Gyöngyvirág (%520 001; [email protected]; Béke
series of water catchments or north as far Giardinetto d’Italia (%300 709; Rózsa utca 8; pasta Tiszafüred 1330Ft 2½hr 106 2 daily utca 8; s/d 6500/8500Ft, apt 12,000Ft; ps) Wheel-
as Galyatető, at 965m Hungary’s second- & pizza 1000Ft) With a terrace in a little park chair access, a heated pool, mini golf, a
highest peak. If you take the little train back south of Fő tér, a healthy range of Italian TAXI playground for kids and an outside grill
from Mátrafüred, get off at Farkasmály- cuisine and statues of the Blues Brothers You can book a taxi on %312 222. in summer help make this the best accom-
Borpincék, where there’s a row of wine cel- guarding the entrance, Giardinetto is good modation choice in Mátrafüred. Rooms are
lars. To return, you can wait for the train for both drinks and food. TRAIN suitably modern and tastefully furnished.
(6.37pm May to September, 4.23pm Octo- Il Camineto (%312 652; Kossuth Lajos utca 19; pizza Gyöngyös is on a dead-end spur some Diana (%06 30 565 8320; Turista utca 1; s/d/tr
ber to April) or jump onto a bus coming from 300Ft) This small pizzeria, tucked away 13km from the Vámosgyörk stop on the 6000/9000/10,000Ft, apt 15,000Ft; p) A basic but
down Rte 24, but it’s an easy 4km walk (or in a quiet corner, serves pizza from its clay Budapest–Miskolc trunk line. Nine trains comfortable 12-room hotel on a quiet street
crawl) back to Gyöngyös. oven on its shaded terrace. Take away is a day connect the city with Vámosgyörk just off Béke utca. Its apartment has cook-
Be advised that trains to Lajosháza (adult/ also available. (182km, 14 minutes, 13km), six of which ing facilities.
child one way 260/130Ft, return 500/250Ft) A nameless cukrászda (cake shop) and ice- carry on to Keleti train station in Budapest There are plenty of food stalls and the like
run only on the weekend and holidays from cream parlour (Mátrai út; ice cream 100Ft; h10am-7pm (1004Ft, 1½ hours to two hours, 100km). on Parádi utca opposite the train station,
May to September (maximum four trains Mon, Wed & Thu, 9am-7pm Fri-Sun) in Orczy Garden, but for something more substantial, try
daily in each direction, five from June to north of the Mátra Museum, is worth going GYÖNGYÖS TO EGER Gyöngyvirág or Fekete Rigó (Blackbird; %320
August). Up to 10 trains daily make the out of your way for; its terrace is normally Rte 24 wends its way through the Mátra 052; Avar utca 2; mains 800-1200Ft, apt per 1/2/3/4 people
run to Mátrafüred (adult/child one way swamped with locals in summer. Hills north of Gyöngyös to Parádsasvár and 2500/3600/4800/5400Ft), a relaxed choice with a
260/130Ft, return 500/250Ft) from April to Also worth a look: then cuts eastward onto Eger (60km); if lovely beer garden nestled in among trees;
October. During the rest of the year, count Café Liezter (%304 591; Móricz Zsigmond utca 5; mains you’re travelling under your own steam, it’s its upstairs apartment sleeps eight and is
on five trains daily on Monday to Friday around 800Ft) Convivial spot serving snack food, such as piz- one of the prettiest routes in the country. an absolute bargain for groups who want to
and seven daily on the weekend. zas and hamburgers; doubles as a popular bar on weekends. The section to Mátraháza is popular with cook for themselves.
 326 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • M á t r a H i l l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • B ü k k H i l l s 327

Sástó Kékestető, this place has very good food and Across the road from the grand Sasvár Sirok
%37 service, and a lovely pavilion with seating is the small pension, St Hubertus (%544 060; %36 / pop 2070
Three kilometres north of Mátrafüred, for watching the bikes zip up and down. Rákóczi út 2; s/d 7100/9700Ft; p), with attic rooms Sirok, 8km to the east of Recsk, is effect-
Sástó Camping (%374 025; www.sasto.elpak.hu; camp featuring plenty of natural wood. Its down- ively the last town in the Mátra Hills. The
sites per adult/child/tent 1300/700/1000Ft, r from 4500Ft, Kékestető stairs restaurant features a very Hungarian ruins of an early-14th-century castle (admis-
comfortable/uncomfortable houses from 8200/3450Ft, bun- %37 menu and often caters to tour groups. sion free; hdawn-dusk) perched on a mountain
galows from 5200Ft; hmid-Apr–mid-Oct) is the high- Next to the Pagoda pension in Mátraháza, top due north of the village provide superb
est camp site in Hungary (520m). Centred on you’ll see the end of a ski trail that runs Parád & Parádfürdő views of the Mátra and Bükk Hills and the
a small lake with rowing boats, fishing and a down from Kékestető and Mt Kékes. In the %36 / pop 2200 mountains of Slovakia. Vár Camping (%361
54m-high lookout tower, the complex offers absence of a lift, skiers wanting another go Parád and Parádfürdő run into one another 558; Dobó István utca 30; camp sites per person/tent/car
NORTHERN UPLANDS

a wide range of accommodation, including hop on the bus, which continuously covers and effectively make up one long town. 650/600/350Ft; hmid-May–Sep; p) is a laid-back,

NORTHERN UPLANDS
bungalows that sleep up to four people and the 4km to the top. The modern nine-storey You can’t miss the Coach Museum (Kocsimúzeum; quiet and basic camping ground at the foot
motel rooms for two people. Its ‘comfort- TV tower (%367 086; adult/child 400/200Ft; h9am- %364 387; Kossuth Lajos utca 217; adult/child 380/250Ft; of the castle ruins.
able’ houses come with bathrooms, while 6pm May-Sep, 9am-5pm Oct-Apr) at the top is open h9am-5pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct, 10am-4pm Tue-Sun Nov-
the ‘uncomfortable’ (as they put it) variety to view-seekers; the old tower in front of it May), housed in the red marble Cifra Istálló
have shared facilities; both sleep up to three
people. The site would improve greatly if the
houses the Hegycsúcs (%567 004; www.hotels.hu
/hegycsucs; r from 6000Ft; p), a down-on-its-luck
(Ornamental Stables) of Count Karólyi,
one of the most interesting small mu-
BÜKK HILLS
tacky stalls and snack bars on the lake were hotel, with sauna and gym. Choose one of seums in Hungary. (For the record, the The Bükk Hills, which take their name from
relocated. There is also the Sásto Vendéglő the two rooms on the 7th floor (No 13 is a word ‘coach’ comes from Kocs, a small vil- the many ‘beech trees’ growing here, are a
(%374 061; mains 1000Ft), quite a decent restaur- twin, No 14 a double), and you’ll be sleep- lage in Transdanubia, where these lighter green lung, buffering baroque Eger and in-
ant, and a small grocery shop here. ing at the highest point in Hungary. horse-drawn vehicles were first used in dustrial Miskolc. Although much of the area
You won’t exactly be on top of the world, place of the more cumbersome wagons.) has been mined for ore for the ironworks
Mátraháza but the nearby Kékes Fogadó (%0670 217 9954; Inspect the interiors of the diplomatic and of Miskolc and other towns of the scarred
%37 s/d with shared bathroom 2500/5000Ft, apt 10,000Ft; p) state coaches, which are richly decorated Sajó Valley to the east, a large tract – over
Mátraháza is built on a slight incline 715m is still very high; it is, however, not in good with silk brocade, especially the closed 430 sq km, in fact – is a national park. The
above sea level and is about 5km north of shape and is a last resort for overnighting. coach used by 19th-century philanderers Bükk teems with wildlife, and is popular
Sástó. It has an alpine feel and is an attrac- on the go, and the bridles containing as with cyclists and hikers. If you’re looking
tive spot to base yourself for short walks in Parádsasvár much as 5kg of silver. There are horse riding to do either – or both – check out Carto-
the immediate area or more adventurous %36 / pop 586 possibilities here as well. graphia’s three 1:40,000 maps (800Ft each)
hiking further afield. The post office (h8am- Parádsasvár is where the country’s most The lovely Erzsébet Királyné Park Hotel (Queen of the region: A Bükk-fennsík (Bükk Pla-
3.30pm Mon-Fri) is at the start of the road to effective – and most odoriferous – gyógyvíz Elizabeth Park Hotel; % 444 044; www.erzsebetpark teau; No 33); A Bükk – északi rész (Bükk –
Kékestető, the country’s highest point and (medicinal drinking water) is bottled. Stop hotel.hu; Kossuth Lajos utca 372; s/d from 15,000/17,800Ft; northern section; No 29) and A Bükk – déli
centre for winter sport, and there’s an OTP for a glass if you can stand the stench of this psi) at the eastern end of Parádfürdő rész (Bükk – southern section; No 30). For
bank ATM at the bus station along the main sulphuric brew. The Parád Crystal Factory (Parád was designed by Miklós Ybl in 1893 and information contact the Bükk National Park
road through the village. Kristály Manufaktura; %06 30 290 9584; Rákóczi utca 46- still exudes an air of grace. Rooms are sur- Directorate (Bükki Nemzeti Park Igazgatósága; %36-
48; including entry to gallery 7 adult/child 500/300Ft), prisingly modern and tasteful, the best of 411 581; Sánc utca 6) in Eger.
SLEEPING & EATING which produces Hungary’s highest-quality which face away from the road towards the
Pagoda Pihenő Panzió (%374 023; www.hotels.hu crystal and glassware, can be visited on a woods. EGER
/pagoda; s/d from 5700/9200Ft; p) This is an old guided tour. Get in quick, though; it’s soon %36 / pop 58,300
hotel with a pagoda-like roof in the centre to be sold or closed down. Some of the fac- Recsk Everyone loves Eger, and it’s immediately
of Mátraháza village. Situated among pine tory’s arty creations are on display in its %36 / pop 3000 apparent why: the beautifully preserved bar-
trees, it exudes an alpine feel and its rooms Sasvár Gallery (Sasvár Galéria; h9.45am-12.30pm & From Parádfürdő the road continues on oque architecture gives the town a relaxed,
come with a balcony. Breakfast is served in 1.30-2.30pm Mon-Fri), while more run-of-the mill for 2km to Recsk, a place that lives on in almost Mediterranean, feel; it is the home
Borostyán. pieces are for sale at the factory shop (%20-358 infamy as the site of Hungary’s most bru- of the celebrated Egri Bikavér (Eger Bull’s
Bérc (%374 102; [email protected]; s/d from 7991; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm Sat & Sun). tal forced-labour camp, set up by Mátyás Blood) wine known the world over; and it
7000/10,000Ft; ps) About halfway between The 58-room hotel Sasvár Kastélyszálloda Rákosi in 1950 and closed down by the re- is flanked by two of the Northern Uplands
Sástó and Mátraháza is this communist (Sasvár Castle Hotel; %444 444; www.sasvar.hu; Kossuth former Imre Nagy in 1953. In honour of most inviting ranges. But these aren’t the
eyesore, an imposing edifice of odd angles. Lajos utca 1; r 56,200-216,200Ft; pas), in a re- those who slaved and died here, the Recsk only reasons Hungarians visit Eger: it was
It does, however, have loads of sports fa- stored Renaissance-style hunting lodge, was Forced-Labour Death Camp (Recski Kényszermunka here that their forebears fended off the Turks
cilities, extensive views of the Kékes Hills built in 1882 by Miklós Ybl, the same man Haláltábor; %in Budapest 1-312 6105; admission 200Ft; for the first time during the 170 years of oc-
(top-floor rooms with balcony are the best) responsible for the Hungarian State Opera h 9am-5pm May-Sep, 9am-3pm Sat & Sun Oct-Apr) cupation in 1552 (see boxed text, p330).
and simple yet functional rooms. House in Budapest. It has every mod con has been partially reconstructed near the
Borostyán (%374 090; mains 1200Ft; h9am- and facility you could possibly wish for (in- quarry, about 5km south of the village. It’s History
10pm in summer, 9am-10pm Tue-Sun winter) Opposite cluding Secret Service–style security), and now a peaceful spot, which makes it all that The Turks came back to Eger in 1596 and
the car park at the start of the ascent to is surrounded by 2.5 hectares of parkland. more poignant. this time captured the city, turning it into
 328 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • B ü k k H i l l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • B ü k k H i l l s 329

EGER 0
0
500 m
0.3 miles
Orientation Sights
Dobó István tér, the centre of Eger, is just EGER CASTLE
A B C 25 D a couple of minutes on foot to the east The best view of the city can be had by
INFORMATION
Egertourist...................................1 C3
EATING
Dobos........................................39 C3
Pallas.........................................48
Pizza Club..................................49
C3
D3
of the renovated bus station on Pyrker climbing up the cobblestone lane from
Ibusz............................................2 C3 Egri Est Café...............................40 C3 Szantofer...................................50 C3 János tér. To reach the city centre from Dózsa György tér to Eger Castle (Egri Vár; %312
1 Internet Café............................(see 40)
Magvetª Könyvesbolt...................3 C3
Elefanto.....................................41
Express.......................................42
C3
B3
Talizmán Restaurant.................. 51 A5 the main train station on Vasút utca, walk 744; Vár 1; adult/child combined ticket 900/450Ft, grounds
Markhot Ferenc Megyei Kórház...4 C3 Fehérszarvas ENTERTAINMENT north on Deák Ferenc utca and then head only 400/200Ft; h8am-8pm Apr-Aug, 8am-7pm Sep, 8am-
OTP Bank....................................5 C3 Vadásztanya...........................43 C4 Broadway Palace........................52 C4
Post Office...................................6 C3 Marján.......................................44 D3 County Cultural Centre..............53 C2
along pedestrian Széchenyi István utca, 5pm Oct-Mar), erected in the 13th century after
Eger’s main drag. The Egervár train sta- the Mongol invasion. Much of the castle is

ὈὈ
Tourinform..................................7 C3 Market.......................................45 C3 Géza Gárdonyi Theatre..............54 C4
Nótafa.......................................46 A5 Hippolit Club............................(see 41)
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES Palatscintavár.............................47 D3 Ticket Office..............................55 C3
tion, which serves Szilvásvárad and other of modern construction, but you can still
NORTHERN UPLANDS

points north, is on Vécseyvölgy utca, and see the foundations of 12th-century St John’s

NORTHERN UPLANDS
Aladár Bitskey Swimming Pool..... 8 D4 ny u
Archbishop's Palace.....................9 C3 Kisasszo To Szilvásvárad
(28km) Egervár
about a five-minute walk north of Eger Cathedral. Models and drawings in the István

u ics
23

Da u
Hªsök u

Bá
Basilica.......................................10 C4 Train

Bé
kov
u

rv
rán
Castle. Dobó Museum (h9am-5pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct, 9am-3pm

rc
Cistercian Church.......................11 C3 Station
Vitkovics Mihály

as
Ba

Jan

yu

u
kt

County Hall...............................12 C3
Tue-Sun Nov-Mar), housed in the former Bish-

Serv
ai

Vécseyvö
Ecclesiastical Collection..............13 C3
u

2 Information

ita u
Eger Castle & Museums.............14 D2 op’s Palace (1470), show how it once looked.

Kné

ὈὈ
Former Neoclassical Synagogue..15 D3
BOOKSHOPS On the ground floor, a statue of Dobó takes

zich

lgy
Former Orthodox Synagogue....16 D3 Eg
er
Magvető Könyvesbolt (%517 757; Bajcsy-Zsilinszky pride of place in the Heroes’ Hall. The 19th-
Hatvanas ezred u

Franciscan Church......................17 C3 Harangöntª u

Ká

u
Str

ro
Széch

István Cellar.............................(see 28)

utca 4; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat) Small century building on the northwestern side
ly
ea
Lyceum & Museums..................18 C3 53

u
m
Sertekapu u
enyi

Katona 56
Minaret......................................19 C2 István tér 19 14 selection of English titles, and maps. of the courtyard houses the Eger Art Gallery,
Cs

Minorite Church.........................20 C3
ok

Istvá

45 4 30
with several works by Mihály Munkácsy.
on

Tündérpart u

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Provost's Palace.........................21 C4
tF
ai

u se t
28
nu

41 29
Ride or Die.................................22 C3 hó
Beneath the castle are casemates (h9am-
Mi

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Leányka INTERNET ACCESS
ark
32
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6 u
há

bó
M

Serbian Orthodox Church..........23 B2 István u

Csíky Sándor u M

ὈὈὈ
ὈὈὈ
Centrum 48
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Thermal Baths........................... 24 D4 40 Department 35 47 Dózsa Tourinform has Internet access for 400Ft 5pm) hewn from solid rock, which you may

Me
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Dr
Valley of the Women Wine

kcs
11 S á
Dr Imre
Store Dobó 49 16 tér
per hour. tour with a Hungarian-speaking guide
Hi

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Cellars....................................25 A5 u Istvan tér

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Rózsa Károly u r
ndo nos u
Barkóczy

3 Egri Est Café (%411 105; Széchenyi utca 16; per hr included in the admission price (English-
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2 36 20
Bród

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31 44
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SLEEPING 39 15
300Ft; h11am-midnight Sun-Thu, 11am-4am Fri & Sat) language guide 600Ft extra). Other exhib-

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50
su
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Archbishop's Garden College..... 26 C4

ru
yu
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G 57 ajo
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A café-bar that offers Internet access. its, including the Waxworks (adult/child 350/250Ft)
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Bartók tér Pension......................27 B4 42 Fog Ér L

ent

7 22 h
Jó

13 1 ut
nyi

Korona Hotel..............................28 B3
yG

ka

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Ko and Minting Exhibit (adult/child 240/120Ft) cost

ru
Mó

3
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Kerté
Leányka út College....................29 D3 5
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Istv

Fellnu

Frank Tivada
58 9
ricz

55
Minaret......................................30 C2 INTERNET RESOURCES extra. You can tour the castle grounds, Her-

ὈὈὈ
ὈὈὈ
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Zsig

Panoráma..................................31 D3 17
u

Pyrker
Mik

18
János tér For general information on Eger, consult oes’ Hall and casemates on Monday, when
mo

Romantik....................................32 B3 10 Bajcsy- 8
lós

52 Petªfi
Zsilinszky
www.eger.hu (in Hungarian) or www.eger all the other exhibits are closed.
nd

Rubina Hotel..............................33 A4 Törvényház u Sándor tér

u

Eszterházy
21 u
Trinitárius
u

Fürdª

St Kristóf....................................34 C4 tér
Reményi
Senator Ház...............................35 C3 yu city.hu (in English and Hungarian).
Tánc

Bartók u
u

Ede tván yörg

Béla essy Is ka G 24
u

Szent János................................36 C3 tér Klap

Telek Hatvani ESZTERHÁZY TÉR
sics
Vörösm u

Tulipán Kemping....................... 37 A5 27 tér 54 43 26

nos u
Mihály

34 kapu tér
Eger

4 ayer Já
MEDICAL SERVICES Begin a walking tour of the city at the Basilica
Mih

Villa Völgy................................. 38 A5 N eu m
Deák

ly u
ály s

Markhot Ferenc Megyei Kórház (%411 444; (Bazilika; Pyrker János tér 1; admission free; h9am-4pm
Strea
arty

ru Kirá
u

ábo

ὈὈὈ
os

G
Csákány

hlen
étán
Feren

Markhót Ferenc utca 1/3; h24hr)

Ján

Bet Archbishop's
Mon-Fri), a neoclassical monolith completed
m
út

Garden
ny

y
yi

(Érsekkert)
in 1836 and designed by József Hild, the
cu
rén
Ara

Tu Honf oglalás u
Ko

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Sz

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same architect who later worked on the
ed

há

jne MONEY
Sz

án 33 SHOPPING
erk

u
ry

ke y rK
rt ölg
ár Castrum Antivitás..........56 C2
Ist

OTP bank (Széchenyi István utca 2)

én

u v oly Stadium
cathedral at Esztergom. Despite the cath-
vá
yi

38 ny u Egri Galéria....................57 C3
Szépa s sz o
nu
Ná

37 agy u edral’s size and ornate altars, the interior

Hadn
nd

Deá

51
or

ta

TRANSPORT
POST is surprisingly light and airy. Northeast of
csir
u

k Fe

Al Bus Station.....................58 B3
Pa

má
i út

Post office (Széchenyi István utca 20-22; h8am-8pm the cathedral in the Archbishop’s Palace (Érseki
ren

Kªk si
út ú Pá Main Train
rény

Árp
cu

t lu
5 ád
u Station
Mon-Fri, 8am-1pm Sat) Palota; Széchenyi István utca 5) is the Ecclesiastical
46 tu
Szvo

ré
Nagy
Ady
u

Moc

tu
25 Vasú Collection (Egyházi Gyűjtemény; %421 332; adult/child
rta

Endre
csi

sáry

Szépasszony-
TOURIST INFORMATION 300/200Ft; h9am-5pm Tue-Sat Apr-Oct, 8am-4pm Mon-
Pa

25 völgy
Má ly u

Lajo
kirá

út u Sa Tourinform (%517 715; [email protected]; Bajcsy- Fri Nov-Mar), with priceless vestments, church
tyás

To Egerszalók ki orú su
su

ló Kos
z
Sza
(5km)
Zsilinszky utca 9; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat & plate and liturgical objects.
Sun mid-Jun–mid-Sep, 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat Directly opposite the Basilica is the
a provincial capital, and erecting several Habsburgs early in the 18th century, and mid-Sep–mid-Jun) Has more than enough information on sprawling Zopf-style Lyceum (Líceum; %520
mosques and other buildings until they were it was then that a large part of the castle the town and its surrounds, including the handy Insight to 400; Eszterházy tér 1; h9.30am-3.30pm Tue-Sun Apr-
driven out at the end of the 17th century. All was razed by the Austrians. Having enjoyed Eger magazine in a number of languages. Sep, 9.30am-1pm Sat & Sun Oct-Mar), dating from
that remains of this architectural legacy is a the status of an episcopate since the time 1765. The 20,000-volume library (adult/student
lonely little minaret pointing its long finger of King Stephen in the 11th century, Eger TRAVEL AGENCIES 500/350Ft), on the 1st floor of the south wing,
towards the heavens in indignation. flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries, Egertourist (%510 270; Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca 9; contains hundreds of priceless manuscripts
Eger played a central role in Ferenc when the city acquired most of its wonder- h9am-5pm Mon-Fri) and codices. The ceiling fresco (1778) here is
Rákóczi II’s attempt to overthrow the ful baroque architecture. Ibusz (%311 451; Széchenyi István utca 9) a trompe l’oeuil masterpiece depicting the
 330 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • B ü k k H i l l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • B ü k k H i l l s 331

Activities Bicycles can be rented from Ride or

THE SIEGE OF EGER WINE TASTING Die (%413 903; Jókai utca 6; per hr/day 300/3000Ft;
The story of the Turkish attempt to take Eger Castle is the stuff of legend. Under the command You can sample Eger’s famous wines at h10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat), but requires
of István Dobó, a mixed bag of 2000 soldiers held out against more than 100,000 Turks for a many places around town, including a cou- a 25,000Ft deposit.
month in 1552. As every Hungarian kid in short trousers can tell you, the women of Eger played ple at the base of the castle, and in the István
a crucial role in the battle, pouring boiling oil and pitch on the invaders from the ramparts. A Cellar (%313 670; Tündérpart 5; h1-10pm Tue-Sun Tours
painting by Bertalan Székely called The Women of Eger in the castle’s art gallery pays tribute to Apr-Oct, 2-9pm Tue-Sun Oct-Mar) below the Korona Tourinform organises walking tours (adult/
these brave ladies. hotel; Tourinform has an extensive list. child 700/350Ft) of the city in both English
Also significant was Eger’s wine, if we’re to believe the tale. It seems that Dobó sustained his But why bother drinking in town when and German from July to September.
soldiers with the ruby-red vintage. When they fought on with increased vigour – and stained you can do the same in the wine cellars of
Festivals & Events
NORTHERN UPLANDS

the evocatively named Valley of the Beauti-

NORTHERN UPLANDS
beards – rumours began to circulate among the Turks that the defenders were gaining strength
by drinking the blood of bulls. The name Bikavér (Bull’s Blood) was born. ful Women (Szépasszony-völgy) so close by? Annual events include the Spring Festival
Géza Gárdonyi’s Eclipse of the Crescent Moon (1901), which describes the siege and is required The best time to visit the valley on a warm in late March/April, the Border Fortress Mer-
reading for many young Hungarians, can be found in English translation (published by Corvina) day is the late afternoon. rymaking Festival and Games at the castle at
in bookshops throughout the land. From the western end of the Basilica, the end of July, Baroque Weeks in late July/
walk south on Trinitárius utca to Bartók August, the Agria International Folkdance Meet-
Béla tér and then west along Király utca to ing in August and the Feast of Eger in mid-
Counter-Reformation’s Council of Trent Mary and St Anthony of Padua is by Johann Szépasszonyvölgy utca. Veer to the left as September.
(1545–63) and a lightning bolt setting her- Kracker, the Bohemian painter who also you descend the hill past the large Taliz-
etical manuscripts ablaze. did the fire-and-brimstone ceiling fresco mán restaurant into the valley, and you’ll Sleeping
The Astronomy Museum (adult/student 500/350Ft), in the Lyceum library. Statues of István see dozens of cellars. Alternatively take the Tourinform has a booklet of accommoda-
on the 6th floor of the east wing, contains Dobó and his comrades-in-arms routing train on wheels from Dobó tér to the val- tion available not only in the city, but also
18th-century astronomical equipment and the Turks in 1552 fill the square in front ley’s entrance-way (one way 450Ft; running in the surrounding area.
an observatory; climb three more floors up of the church. from 10am to 6pm April to October).
to the observation deck for a great view of From Dobó István tér cross the little Eger This is the place to sample Bull’s Blood – BUDGET
the city and to try out the camera obscura, the Stream to Dózsa György tér and turn south- one of very few reds produced in Eger – or Egertourist and Ibusz can all organise pri-
‘eye of Eger’, designed in 1776 to spy on the west onto Kossuth Lajos utca, a fine, tree- any of the whites: Leányka, Olaszrizling vate rooms (2500Ft to 4000Ft per night per
town and to entertain townspeople. lined street with dozens of architectural and Hárslevelű from nearby Debrő. The person). You might also look for a room
gems. The first of interest is the former choice of wine cellars can be a bit daunting along Almagyar utca or clumped together
OTHER SIGHTS Orthodox synagogue (Ortodox zsinagóga; 17 Kossuth and their characters can change, so walk on Mekcsey István utca (Nos 10/a, 13, 14,
Walk north along Széchenyi utca to the Lajos utca), built in 1893 and now a furni- around and have a look yourself. Cellar 14/a and 14/b). You’ll also see ‘szoba kiadó’
Cistercian church (Ciszterek temploma; Széchenyi István ture store backing onto a shopping mall. (A Nos 16, 17, 29 and 48 are always popular; (room for rent) signs to the northeast of the
utca 15) built in 1743. The theatrical baroque neoclassical synagogue (Dr Hibay Károly utca 7) dat- for schmaltzy Gypsy music, try No 32 or castle along Vécseyvölgy utca.
altar sculpture of St Francis Borgia in gilt ing from 1845 and now partly renovated is 42. But if you’re interested in good wine, Tulipán Kemping (%410 580; Szépasszonyvölgy
and white stucco is well worth a look. The around the corner.) You’ll pass several out- visit cellar Nos 5, 18 and 31. Be careful, utca 71; camp sites per person/tent/car 600/500/300Ft,
Serbian Orthodox church (Ráctemplom; %320 129; standing baroque and Eclectic buildings, though; those glasses (about 50Ft to 80Ft) 4-/5-bed bungalows 6000/10,000Ft; hyear round; p)
Vitkovics Mihály utca 30; admission 300Ft; h10am-4pm including the county hall (megyeháza; 9 Kossuth go down easily. Hours are erratic, but a Tulipán occupies a quiet spot with its back
Tue-Sun) and its enormous iconostasis of gold Lajos utca), with a wrought-iron grid above the few cellars are sure to be open till the early
leaf and braid is further north; enter from main door of Faith, Hope and Charity by evening. The taxi fare back to the city cen-
Széchenyi utca 59. Henrik Fazola, a Rhinelander who settled in tre is about 1000Ft. AUTHOR’S CHOICE
Retrace your steps to the Cistercian Eger in the mid-18th century. Walk down Senator Ház (%320 466; www.senatorhaz.hu;
church and turn east onto Dr Sándor Imre the passageway, and you’ll see two more of OTHER ACTIVITIES Dobó István tér 11; s/d €52/72; pa) András
utca and Markhót Ferenc utca to the min- his magnificent works: baroque wrought- After sightseeing in the Archbishop’s Garden Cseh, the owner and manager of Senator
aret (%410 233; Knézich Károly utca; admission 200Ft; iron gates decorated on both sides that have (Érsek-kert; enter from Petőfi Sándor tér 2), Ház, has created what we consider to be the
h9.30am-6pm Apr-Oct), topped with a cross. superseded the minaret as the symbol of once the private reserve of papal princes, finest small hotel in provincial Hungary. Its
Only nonclaustrophobes will brave the 97 Eger. The gate on the right shows the seal unwind in the nearby thermal baths (%413 warm and cosy rooms fill the upper floors
narrow spiral steps to the top. of Heves County and has a comical fig- 356; Fürdő utca 1-3; adult/child 900/650Ft; hwomen of this delightful 18th-century inn on Eger’s
Mecset utca south of the minaret leads to ure on its handle. The more graceful gate noon-6pm Wed & Fri, men noon-6pm Tue, Thu & 10am- main square, while its ground floor is shared
central Dobó István tér, site of the town’s on the left is decorated with grapes. The 2pm Sat), which date from Turkish times. between a quality restaurant and a recep-
market in medieval times. On the southern Franciscan church (Ferences templom; 14 Kossuth Lajos The stunning Aladár Bitskey Swimming Pool tion that could easily moonlight as a history
side of the square stands the Minorite church utca) was completed in 1755 on the site of (%511 810; Frank Tivadar utca; adult/senior or student museum (Cseh has been collecting – and
(Minorita templom; %312 744; Dobó István tér 6; admis- a mosque. The wrought-iron balcony and 700/400Ft; h 6am-9pm Mon, Wed & Fri, 6am-10pm displaying – all sorts of bric-a-brac for the
sion free; h 9am-5pm Tue-Sun), built in 1771 and window grids of the rococo Provost’s Palace Tue & Thu, 8am-8pm Sat, 8am-6pm Sun) nearby was past 15 years). With only 11 rooms, it’s ad-
one of the most glorious baroque buildings (Kispréposti palota; 4 Kossuth Lajos utca) were also designed by maverick Hungarian architect visable to book ahead.
in Hungary. The altarpiece of the Virgin done by Fazola. Imre Makovecz.
 332 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • B ü k k H i l l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • B ü k k H i l l s 333

to the cellars and vineyards of the Valley Szépasszony-völgy, which at the end of the organ concerts at 11.30am Monday to Sat-
of the Beautiful Women; there’s not a lot AUTHOR’S CHOICE day are much of a muchness, but if you sit urday and at 12.45pm Sunday from mid-
of shade for those tenting, but the five-bed Palatscintavár (%413 986; Dobó István utca 9; down to a meal here you’ll most certainly May to mid-October.
bungalows come with plenty of comforts. mains around 1200Ft) Palatscintavár is one of be serenaded by Imré, an old, round chap Broadway Palace (Pyrker János tér 3; h10pm-6am
A number of colleges offer accommoda- the very few restaurants in provincial Hun- who churns out Gypsy ballads on his whiny Wed, Fri & Sat) This bizarre cave-like place be-
tion for around 2500Ft per person from gary touting a contemporary art theme, violin. We recommend Nótafa (%313 484; neath the cathedral steps parties into the
mid-June/July to August. We recommend: let alone a veg-heavy menu. Pop art and Szépasszony-völgy; mains 1000-2000Ft) because it wee hours on weekends.
Leányka út College (Leányka úti Kollégium; %520 postcards line the walls, glass cabinets filled pays homage to the man, Imre; his photo Hippolit Club (%411 031; Katona István tér 2;
430; Leányka utca 2; p) East of the castle, with 300 beds. with cigarette packets from makers long ex- takes pride of place over the dining area. h10pm-5am Fri & Sat) Eger’s classic club is down-
Archbishop’s Garden College (Érsekkerti Kollégium; tinct catch your eye and groovy music fills stairs at the Elefanto restaurant, where the
NORTHERN UPLANDS

%520 432; Klapka György utca 12) An even more central dance floor heaves until the small hours.

NORTHERN UPLANDS
the restaurant. Pancakes are served with an CAFÉS
option in a house full of character, with 132 beds. abundance of fresh vegetables, and range Café Mirador (%333 301; Frank Tivadar utca 5) More Eger is included in the free biweekly Egri
in flavour from Asian to Italian and back of a cocktail bar than a café, this is a fine Est listings magazine.
MIDRANGE again. place to kick back after a hard day’s sightsee-
Villa Völgy (% 321 664; www.hotels.hu/villavolgy; ing with a beer or cocktail and very smooth Shopping
Tulipánkert utca 5; s/d 8200/13,600Ft; ps) This tunes. Egri Galéria (%517 518; Érsek utca 8; h10am-1pm
immaculate hotel in a modern villa is an Panoráma (% 412 886; [email protected]; Egri Est Café (%411 105; Széchenyi István utca 16; & 2-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm Sat) This has lovely
excellent place to stay near the Valley of Dr Hibay Károly utca 2; s/d from 15,000/17,500Ft; ps) h11am-midnight Sun-Thu, 11am-4am Fri & Sat) This de- jewellery, fine art, pottery and other col-
the Beautiful Women. Its bright rooms are Panoráma aims its services at business cli- cent café-bar is a colourful and lively place, lectibles for sale.
tastefully designed and feature plenty of entele, with conference rooms, fitness areas, with parties on weekends. Castrum Antikvitás (% 311 613; Harangöntő
wood, and there’s a sauna, solarium, fit- and a bar and restaurant on site. Marján (%312 784; Kossuth Lajos utca 28; h9am- utca 2; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri) This small shop is
ness room and restaurant on site. Szent János (%510 350; www.hotelszentjanos.hu; 10pm May-Sep, 9am-8pm Oct-Apr) The big terrace of the place to go for antiques.
Bartók tér Pension (%515 556; [email protected]; Szent János utca 3; s/d 12,000/15,300Ft; pa) This this cake shop south of Dózsa György tér is
Bartók Béla tér; s/d 7000/9000Ft; p) This colourful supremely central hotel in a baroque town- the place to try something sweet. Getting There & Away
pension between the Valley of the Beautiful house has all the added extras of a top-of- Other options: Bus services are good, with buses every
Women and the city centre has big rooms, a the-line establishment, but lacks a bit of Pallas (%318 614; Dobó István utca 20; h9.30am- 30 to 40 minutes to Gyöngyös (usually
quiet location and a friendly welcome. warmth. 9pm) Coffeeshop in a small courtyard, with a classical motif. via Kerecsend; 665Ft, one hour, 52km),
St Kristóf (Arany János utca 1; s/d 7000/9000Ft) Af- Dobos (%413 335; Széchenyi István utca 6; h9.30am- Mezőkövesd, Szilvásvárad and Bélapát-
filiated with Bartók tér Pension, this place Eating & Drinking 7pm) Pleasant café on Eger’s main pedestrian street. falva. Other destinations include Aggtelek
is of the same standard and within eyeshot RESTAURANTS (1210Ft, 2½ hours, 100km, once daily),
of Bartók. Szántófer (%517 298; Bródy utca 3; mains 1000Ft; QUICK EATS Budapest (1570Ft, 2¼ hours, 130km, hourly
Rubina Hotel (%410 580; Honfoglalás utca 31/a; h8am-10pm) With farming equipment and Express (%517 920; Barkóczy utca 4; dishes under 800Ft; via the M3), Kecskemét (2060Ft, 4½ hours,
s/d €25/40; ps) Rubina occupies a quiet cooking utensils hanging like prize kills on h7am-8pm Mon-Sat, 7am-3pm Sun) Northeast of 166km, three daily), Debrecen (1690Ft,
spot high above the wine valley in Szépass- its walls and hearty peasant cuisine filling the bus station, this large self-service restaur- 2½ hours, 131km, seven daily), Miskolc
zony-völgy. It has a few wellness extras, like its menu, Szántófer oozes in rustic charm. ant is the place for a quick, cheap meal. (846Ft, 1½ hours, 68km, eight daily) and
a sauna and steam room. The covered courtyard out back is perfect Pizza Club (%322 914; Dr Hibay Károly utca 8; pizza Szeged (2910Ft, 5¾ hours, 237km, twice
Minaret (%410 233; Knézich Károly utca 4; s/d for escaping the summer heat. 560-1000Ft) This small pizzeria is tucked away daily) via Csongrád. The bus to Miskolc
€35/45; ps) In the shadow of the minaret, Elefanto (%411 031; Katona István tér 2; mains 1000- just off Dobó István tér and is good for an only goes through the Bükk Hills via
this family-run hotel has good-sized rooms, 2000Ft) Perched high above the market, this inexpensive bite to eat. Felsőtárkány on Sunday at 8.30am and
a fine restaurant and is centrally located. is a great place, with a nonsmoking interior 3.35pm from mid-April to mid-October.
and covered balcony for alfresco dining. SELF-CATERING Eger is on a minor train line linking
TOP END Senator Ház (%320 466; www.senatorhaz.hu; Dobó Market (Katona István tér; h6am-6pm Mon-Fri, 6am- Putnok and Füzesabony; you usually have to
Romantik (%310 456; www.romantikhotel.hu; Csíky István tér 11; entrées 350-500Ft, mains 1000-2000Ft) The 1pm Sat, 6am-10am Sun) Eger’s large covered change at the latter for Budapest (1624Ft, two
Sándor utca 26; s/d 12,000/15,500Ft; p) This very café-restaurant at the Senator is a delightful market has more fruit and vegies than you hours, 142km), Miskolc (774Ft, 1½ hours,
friendly and cosy 16-room hotel, with a place for a meal or just a snack of palacsinta could possibly carry away. 74km) or Debrecen (1212Ft, three hours,
pretty back garden, is an easy walk to the (pancakes). 120km). There are up to seven direct trains
city centre, but far enough away to escape Fehérszarvas Vadásztanya (%411 129; Klapka Entertainment a day to/from Budapest’s Keleti train station
any noise in the summer months. György utca 8; mains 1500-3000Ft) This is the city’s Tourinform, the County Cultural Centre (%510 (2½ hours) that don’t require a change.
Korona (%313 670; www.koronahotel.hu; Tündér- silver-service restaurant. But the ‘White- 020; Knézich Károly utca 8), opposite the minaret,
part utca 5; s/d from €60/75; ps) On a quiet side Deer Hunters’ Farm’, as its name literally or the city ticket office (%518 347; Széchenyi Getting Around
street off Csíky Sándor utca, this place has a translates, with its game specialities and István utca 5; h10am-1pm, 2-6pm Mon-Fri) can tell From the main train station, Bus 11, 12 or
wellness centre, as well as a ‘wine museum’ cellar setting, is really a place to enjoy in you what’s on in Eger. The city’s venues 14 will drop you off at the bus station or
in its 200-year-old wine cellar called István autumn and winter. are the Géza Gárdonyi Theatre (%310 026; Hatvani city centre.
Cellar (p331), where you can sample wines There are several csárdák (Hungarian- kapu tér 4; hbox office 2-7pm Mon-Fri), the Lyceum You can book a taxi by calling %411
from all regions. style inns) amongst the wine cellars in and the Basilica, where there are half-hour 222 or 555 555.
 334 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • B ü k k H i l l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • B ü k k H i l l s 335

AROUND EGER the metallic fringe that was banned in the Pizza Néró (%415 676; Eötvös utca 9; pizza 600- Lipizzaners (see boxed text, p336), and is
Egerszalók early 1920s because the high cost was ruin- 1000Ft; h10am-11pm Sun-Thu, 10am-2pm Fri & Sat) the place to ride on one of Hungary’s most
%36 / pop 1975 ing some families. The museum was being South of Hősök tere, this pizzeria is a sim- delightful narrow-gauge trains.
By this book’s publication, this quiet rural moved at the time of research, so check pler affair.
open-air hot spring (hőforrás; %515 300; per 15min with Tourinform for opening times. Orientation
visit 100Ft, 7am-6pm adult/child 550/400Ft, 6pm-1am adult From Hősök tere, a short distance GETTING THERE & AWAY Get off the train at the first of Szilvásvárad’s
or child 700Ft), 8km southwest of Eger, is set southwest of Szent László tér, enter any Buses run to/from Eger (241Ft, 30 minutes, two stations, Szilvásvárad-Szalajkavölgy,
to become Hungary’s biggest and boldest of the small streets running southward to 20km) and Miskolc (605Ft, one hour, 48km) and walk along Egri út northeast for about
thermal resort-hotel. Set back into the hills, find the Hadas district, a completely dif- at least every half-hour. 10 minutes to the centre of town. The town’s
the multilevel hotel will dominate a tiny ferent world of thatched and whitewashed main train station is 3km to the north.
SZILVÁSVÁRAD
NORTHERN UPLANDS

valley completely transformed into park- cottages. Interesting lanes to stroll along

NORTHERN UPLANDS
land dotted with thermal pools of all shapes are Patkó köz, Kökény köz and Mogyoró %36 / pop 1900 Information
and sizes. Fortunately the original spring – köz, but the centre of activity is Kis Jankó The peaceful town of Szilvásvárad, some There’s an OTP bank (Egri út 30/a; h8am-4pm
cascades of very hot water running down Bori utca, named after Hungary’s own 28km north of Eger, is an excellent gateway Mon-Fri) for changing money (an OTP ATM
from what look like steaming icebergs ‘Grandma Moses’, who lived and stitched for inroads into the western Bükk region, is next to the supermarket) and a post office
but are in fact mounds of salt and other her famous ‘100 roses’ patterns here for al- particularly for hiking into the Szalajka (Egri út 12; h8am-4pm Mon-Fri) close by.
minerals – will remain untouched, but how most 80 years. Her 200-year-old cottage is Valley. It’s also the centre for breeding
aesthetically pleasing the entire complex now the Bori Kis Jankó Memorial House (Kis Jankó Sights & Activities
will be is anyone’s guess. Bori Emlékház; %411 873; Kis Jankó Bori utca 22; adult/ SZILVÁSVÁRAD 0
0
200 m
0.1 miles
The open-air narrow-gauge train (%564 004;
If you’re looking for a cheap alternative child 200/100Ft; h 9am-7pm Jul–mid-Aug, 9am-4pm Szalajka-völgy 6; adult/child one way 300/150Ft) chugs

Jókai
A To Miskolc B
to the resort, try Kelemen Vendégház (%474 mid-Mar–Jun & mid-Aug–Oct), filled with needle- To Main
(47km) its way for 5km into the Szalajka Valley

u
559; [email protected]; Sarló út 24; per person 2500- work and brightly painted furniture. Other Train Station
(3km)
seven times daily from May to September
11

Misk
4000Ft; p) close to the centre of Egerszalók. houses on Kis Jankó Bori utca that you can (10 times daily on the weekend), with de-

Arad
olci ú
Run by the friendly Judit and András, this visit and watch the women at work are the 1 10 partures in April and October leaving when

i vért
small guesthouse offers hearty meals, local Folk-Art Association (%411 686; 5 Kis Jankó Bori enough people gather.

anúk
tours, and is good value for groups of up utca), ‘dance barn’ (táncpajta; 7 Kis Jankó Bori utca), The little open-air train stops at Szalajka-

útja
to 10 people. Nos 9 and 38. Also poke your head into 14 Fátyolvízesés. From there, you can walk for
The bus to Kerecsend via Demjén will Nos 1, 4, 6 and 12 of Mogyoró köz. Most of 15 minutes to Istállóskő Cave, where Stone
drop you off 250m north of the entrance. the work is for sale directly from the em- Age pottery shards were discovered in 1912,
broiderers; you can also buy it at the Matyó Park
u
Mezőkövesd Museum. u
13 5
INFORMATION
ves
%49 / pop 17,800 Feny 1 ATM...................................................................... 1 A2
2 OTP Bank...............................................................2 B3
Some 18km southeast of Eger, Mezőkövesd SLEEPING & EATING
Post Office..............................................................3 B2
(www.mezokovesd.hu) is not much of a With Eger so close, there’s no point in stay- 6
town, but it is the centre of the Matyó, a ing overnight in Mezőkövesd. But if you 3 SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Magyar people famous for their fine em- miss the last bus or you want to catch an Covered Racecourse...............................................4 B3
Horse Museum.......................................................5 B2

Egri
broidery and other folk art. early-morning one to Miskolc, Borsod Tour- Lipizzaner Stud Farm..............................................6 A2

út
From the Mezőkövesd bus station on ist (%412 614; Mátyás király út 153; h9am-4.30pm Mountain Bike Rentals............................................7 B4
Rákóczi utca, walk south for 50m and Mon-Thu, 9am-2pm Fri), en route to/from the bus 20
Narrow-Gauge Train Station...................................8 B4
Open Racecourse....................................................9 B3
then east along Mátyás király út for 600m station, can organise private rooms (around 2
Orbán House........................................................10 A1

ὈὈ
to Szent László tér, where you’ll find Tour- 2500Ft per person around); Tourinform 21
Round Church.......................................................11 B1
inform (%500 285; [email protected]; Szent also has a list. Otherwise, you can overnight 3
22 4
László tér 23; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm Sat mid- at the following: SLEEPING
Hegyi Camping.................................................... 12 A4
Jun–Aug, 10am-4pm Mon-Fri Sep–mid-Jun). There’s an Tulipános Guesthouse (%06 30 228 7119; Mogy- Szalajka Fogadó.................................................... 13 A2
t 9
OTP bank (Mátyás király út 149) at the bus station oró köz 1; d 4000Ft; p) In the heart of the Hadas ri ú

Sza
Eg Szilvás...................................................................14 B1
15

lajk
end of town and the post office (Alkomány utca 1) district, this holiday home has enough 17

a-v
EATING
is behind Tourinform. room to sleep eight people, and comes with 16

ölg
Fenyª....................................................................15 B3

y
kitchen and garden. 18
To Szilvásvárad-Szalajkavölgy 7 Food Stalls............................................................16 B4
SIGHTS For something to eat, your best bet are Train Station (200m);
19 Eger (28km)
8 Lovas....................................................................17 B3
Opposite Tourinform is the Matyó Museum these eateries: 12
4 TRANSPORT
(%311 824; Szent László tér 8; adult/child 400/200Ft), Hungária (%416 800; Alkotmány út 2; mains 700- Bus Stop............................................................... 18 A4
with displays explaining the regional differ- 1000Ft) Next to Tourinform, Hungária’s Bus Stop............................................................... 19 A4
ences and historical development of Matyó international food and hearty lunch menu To Szalajka Valley;
Forestry Museum
Bus Stop................................................................20 B3
needlework: from white-on-white stitch- (around 550Ft) attracts locals like bees to Bus Stop................................................................21 B3
Car Park................................................................22 B3
ing and patterns of blue-and-red roses, to honey.
 336 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • B ü k k H i l l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • B ü k k H i l l s 337

or climb 958m Mt Istállóskő, the highest peak Mon-Sat), with its Doric columns and dramatic and drop the longer you linger; note that cross, is set in a peaceful dell just below Mt
in the Bükk Hills. To return to Szilvásvárad, dome raised in 1841, looks to some like a there is a minimum stay of two nights. Bélkő. Don’t miss the 19th-century painted
either stay on the train for the return trip provincial attempt to duplicate the basilica at Hegyi Camping (%355 207; www.hegyicamping Calvary scene nearby.
or walk back for 1½ hours along shady Eger. Displays in a 17th-century farmhouse .com; Egri út 36/a; camp site per tent & 2 people 1800Ft, 2-/3-/ Most of the buses and trains linking Eger
paths, taking in trout-filled streams and called Orbán House (%355 133; Miskolci utca 58-60; 4-bed cabins 4400/5400/6200Ft; h mid-Apr–mid-Oct; and Szilvásvárad stop at Bélapátfalva.
the Forestry Museum (Erdészeti Múzeum; %355 112; adult/child 200/150Ft; h9am-5pm Tue-Sun mid-Apr–Oct) p) A small, quiet camping ground close to
adult/child 210/120Ft; h8.30am-4.30pm Tue-Sun mid- are devoted to the flora, fauna and geology walks, with a variety of accommodation. MISKOLC
Apr–Sep, 8.30am-3pm Tue-Sun Oct, 8.30am-2pm Nov–mid- of Bükk National Park. A string of food stalls and restaurants %46 / pop 184,100
Apr), which deals with everything the forest Mountain Bike Rentals (%06 30 335 2695; Szalajka- line Szalajka-völgy. Many of them serve Miskolc, Hungary’s third-largest city, is a
surrenders. völgy; h9am-6pm Sat-Wed, 9am-1pm Thu & Fri) has a trout (40Ft to 60Ft per kilogram), the spe- sprawling metropolis ringed by refineries,
NORTHERN UPLANDS

The covered and the open racecourses (adult/ stand opposite the narrow-gauge train sta- ciality of the area, and have wine tastings. abandoned factories and cardboard-quality

NORTHERN UPLANDS
child 300/150Ft) in Szilvásvárad put on Lipiz- tion in Szalajka-völgy. Bike rentals per one/ We recommend the following: housing blocks. So why come to this ‘capital
zaner parades and coach races on weekends two/three/four/five hours cost 800/1000/ Lovas (%355 555; mains 900-2500Ft; h10am-8pm) of the rust belt’? For one thing, its location
throughout summer, but times are not fixed. 1200/1400/1600Ft and per day 2000Ft. With a covered terrace facing the racecourse. at the foot of the Bükk Hills makes it an
Learn more about these intelligent horses by Fenyő (%564 015; mains 800-1500Ft; h8am-10pm) ideal place to start a trek or walk into the
visiting the whiffy Horse Museum (Lovas Múzeum; Sleeping & Eating Simpler, with its back to the car park and forest. national park. The thermal waters of nearby
%355 135; Park utca 8; adult/child 350/250Ft; h9am- Szalajka Fogadó (%564 020; szalajka.fogado@axelero For something more upmarket, head to Miskolctapolca are among the most effect-
noon & 1-4pm Sun-Wed), in an 18th-century stable. .hu; Egri út 2; s/d 9000/12,500Ft; p) This lovely the quality restaurant at Szalajaka Fogadó. ive in Hungary, and the western suburb of
The Lipizzaner Stud Farm (Lipicai Állami Ménesgaz- pension is in a renovated house/mansion, Diósgyőr boasts a well-preserved castle.
daság; %564 400; Fenyves utca; adult/child 300/200Ft; set back in mature trees near the main Getting There & Away A relatively affluent mining and steel-
h10am-noon & 2-4pm Thu-Sun) can also be visited. road. Rooms feature loads of stripped-back Buses to/from Eger (363Ft, 45 minutes, making town under the socialist regime,
It rents out horses (1800/2500Ft per hour in wood, and have shiny-white bathrooms and 30km) run often and, though they stop at Miskolc was hit harder than most by the
the paddock/further afield) and offers coach sun-lit balconies. Bélapátfalva (133Ft, 10 minutes, 7km) and collapse of heavy industry here in the early
rides (two-/four-horse coach seating three Szilvás (%564 065; [email protected] sometimes Mónosbél, they’re faster than the 1990s.
people from 4300/7400Ft). Coach driving hotels.hu; Park utca 6; s/d from €25/35; p) This hotel, train. Buses also go to Budapest (1930Ft, three
instruction costs 5100/9000Ft an hour for in an old mansion close to the woods, is hours, 152km, three to four daily) and Mis- Orientation
two-/four- horse coaches. the most characterful place to stay in Szil- kolc (665Ft, 1½ hours, 55km, once daily). Miskolc is a long and narrow city, stretch-
The Protestant Round Church (Kerektemplom; vásvárad. Prices depend on the season, Up to six trains daily link Eger (346Ft, ing from the unlovely Sajó Valley in the
Aradi vértanúk útja 33; admission free; h9-11am & 2-5pm whether your room has a shower or bath, one hour, 34km) with Szilvásvárad. If head- east to the Bükk foothills in the west. The
ing for Szilvásvárad from the centre of Eger, main drag, Széchenyi István út, is lined with
board the train at the Egervár train station. some surprisingly interesting old buildings,
THE MAGNIFICENT WHITE STALLIONS Three of these trains carry on to Putnok, especially those around the so-called Dark
Lipizzaners, the celebrated white horses bred originally for the imperial Spanish Riding School from where you can enter Slovakia via Bán- Gate (Sötétkapu), an 18th-century vaulted
in Vienna under the Habsburgs, are considered to be the finest riding horses in the world – the réve or head southeast for Miskolc. passageway.
haute école of dressage equines. And with all the trouble that’s put into breeding and training Miskolc’s main train station, called Tis-
them, it’s not surprising. They are very intelligent, sociable animals, quite robust and graceful. AROUND SZILVÁSVÁRAD zai pályaudvar, lies to the southeast on
Lipizzaners are bred for riding and show at Lipica in Slovenia; at Piber, northeast of Graz in Bélapátfalva Kandó Kálmán tér, a 15-minute tram ride
Austria, for the Spanish Riding School; and in the US state of Illinois. The Lipizzaners at Szilvás- %36 / pop 3500 from the city centre. The huge bus station
várad are raised as carriage horses; as a result they are bigger and stronger. On the train or bus to/from Szilvásvárad, is on Búza tér, a short distance northeast of
Breeding, as they say, is paramount. Some six families with 16 ancestors (including Spanish, you’ll pass through the town of Bélapát- Széchenyi út.
Arabian and Berber breeds) can be traced back to the early 18th century, and their pedigrees read falva, which seems to stand out for no other
like those of medieval nobility. When you walk around the stables at the stud farm or the Horse reason than that the giant cement factory Information
Museum, you’ll notice charts on each horse’s stall with complicated figures, dates and names, covers everything in fine white powder. Borsod Tourist (%312 542; Széchenyi István út 35;
like ‘Maestoso’, ‘Neapolitano’ and ‘Pluto’. It’s all to do with the horse’s lineage. In fact, one of Hungary’s most perfectly h9am-5pm Mon-Fri)
A fully mature Lipizzaner measures about 15 hands (that’s about 152cm) and weighs between preserved Romanesque monuments is just a Géniusz (%412 932; Széchenyi István út 107) Stocks
500kg and 600kg. They have long backs, short thick necks, silky manes and expressive eyes. few minutes away. It’s the Bélháromkút Abbey novels and travel guides on Hungary in English.
They live for 25 to 30 years and are particularly resistant to disease. But, like most horses, they Church (%354 784; adult/child 150/100Ft; h10am- Ibusz (%324 411; Széchenyi István út 14)
are somewhat short-sighted (near-sighted) and will nuzzle you out of curiosity if you approach 4pm Tue-Sun mid-Mar–Oct), built by French Cis- Main post office (Kazinczy Ferenc út 16) Located on the
them while they graze. tercian monks in 1232 and reached by eastern side of Hősök tere.
Lipizzaners are not born white but grey, bay (ie reddish brown) or even chestnut. The cel- walking east from the village centre for OTP bank (Széchenyi István út 15) Opposite the Dark Gate.
ebrated ‘imperial white’ does not come about until they are between five and 10 years old, 1.5km (follow the ‘Apátság Múzeum’ signs) Planet Café (Bajcsy-Zsilinsky utca; per hr 360Ft;
when their hair loses its pigment; think of it as part of an old nag’s ageing process. Their skin along Apátság utca. Along the way you’ll see h10am-10.30pm) Internet access in the Szinvapark mall.
remains grey, however, so when they are ridden hard and sweat, they become mottled and another sign giving the address for the key Post office (Széchenyi István út 3-9; h8am-7pm Mon-
aren’t so attractive. (templom kulcsa), which is at Rozsa Ferenc Fri) This branch has a convenient location on the 1st floor
utca 42. The church, built in the shape of a of a shopping block above Plus supermarket.
 ὈὈ
338 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • B ü k k H i l l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • B ü k k H i l l s 339

MISKOLC 0
0
400 m
0.2 miles
A must-see but a bit of a journey from Sleeping
ór u Arany the city centre is the four-towered Diósgyőr Miskolc is bereft of any quality accommo-
Jókai M
Dózsa György út

A To Plank B Szele János tér C D

Ὀ
Fazeka
su Church su
su
Castle (Map p341; %533 355; Vár utca 24; adult/child dation, so you’re better off choosing a place

Ad
Tarká
(100m) ele

yE
Sz SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES 600/300Ft; h9am-6pm), in a suburb of the same to stay in either Miskolctapolca (p340) or

nd

Hatvanö
nyi B

re
11 Madar
Lu Avas Calvinist Church & Belfry..8 A2 name some 7km west of Miskolc. Begun in Lillafüred (p342). Tourinform has a list of

Eperjesi
u
y ász Viktor u
th yán Balogh Park Horse Club............9 B3
Bat 12
u 28

Szen
1 the 13th century, the castle was heavily dam- private rooms (approximately 2500Ft per

tösök út
Deák F Dark Gate..............................10 A2

u
tpali
Palóczy László u tér Búza Hungarian Orthodox Church
4 aged early in the 18th century and was only person), whereas Ibusz or Borsod Tourist

Kazinczy Ferenc u
tér & Ecclesiastical Museum......11 A1

Király u
Hªsök
Lajos u

ja
20
Régip osta u restored – very insensitively in some parts – can do bookings; the rooms will probably
Váro r

tere
Zsolcai kapu 3 Minorite Church.....................12 B1
21 Orthodox Synagogue.............13 B1
té

16
in the 1950s. Tours (included in admission be in one of the housing projects ringing
u
sház

tak

Soltész Nagy Kálmán u

Kossuth

13 Ottó Herman Museum..........14 A2

Pa

price), which take you through the castle’s the city.

Déryné u

Huny 24 Szent Borbála Borszaküzlet.....15 B2

adi 7
Bartók u Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út
NORTHERN UPLANDS

history display, wax museum and medieval Székelykert (% 411 222; Földes Ferenc utca 4;

NORTHERN UPLANDS
6 17 5 25 út
tér 23 2 tván SLEEPING
22 enyi Is 27
1 Széch
Szent István
tér 10
Széchenyi István út Gösser....................................16 B1 weapon stash, leave at 15 and 45 minutes r 8000Ft) On the corner with Kisavas Alsó
3 15 Pannónia...............................17 A2
past the hour, and are in Hungarian and sor, this popular pension has a homey feel,

u
Székelykert.............................18 B2
lan u

rvin
Toronyalja u
Arany János u Hadirokkantak útja German only. an owner mad on ice hockey, an unusual
Co
14
e Berta

Uit EATING

Szabó L sétány
2 zB
restaurant and easy access to Avas Hill.
Rá

8 Pa éla

Király u
Halásztanya...........................19 A2
ko

Csáti sor psz u

er
Activities
cz

Szemer

u Market...................................20 C1 Gösser (% 505 045; [email protected];

iF
er

Székelykert1........................(see 18)
en

Csá yu Vörösm
arty Mih The Balogh Park Horse Club (%712 899; Görgey Déryné utca 7; s/d 8000/9500Ft) Gösser’s main sell-
cu

ti so ölg ály u
r lyv
Mé 18 DRINKING
Artúr utca 12) hires out horses for riding and ing point is its central location; rooms are
es Ferenc u Mindszent
Föld tér Club Havana..........................21 A1
or

὆὆὆὆὆὆
19 K To Miskolc
runs a riding school south of Mindszent fairly ordinary, but staff are friendly and
is

rvin
Ki

is Main Train Dali........................................22 B2

ca

sA

Av
ol

Co

Station (1.3km) Impresszó..............................(see 6)

as
tér. Further afield, there’s a horse-riding accommodating.
va
Zs

὆὆὆὆὆὆
3s 26
s1

u
or Sinus Café..............................23 A2
Dankó

Bocskai István
school at Kováts (Map p341; %341 656), a riding Pannónia (%504 980; www.hotelpannonia-miskolc
so

Avas-hegy Pista u Zöld Sárkány..........................24 A1

r

὆὆὆὆὆὆
Király u

INFORMATION
Cemetery ENTERTAINMENT hotel in Görömböly, south of Miskolc on .hu; Kossuth Lajos utca 2; s/d 16,100/18,000Ft; p) Pan-
Borsod Tourist........................1 B2
Rte 3 (Pesti út). Take bus 4 from the bus nónia is Miskolc’s most central option, and

὆὆὆὆὆὆
Miskolc National Theatre........25 B2
Görgey Artúr

Géniusz..................................2 B2 Sándor Rónai Cultural Centre..26 B3

3 Ibusz......................................3 A2 station. aims itself at business clientele, with par-
Main Post Office....................4 B1 3
OTP Bank..............................5 A2
SHOPPING Sample a few of the choice local wines at ticularly unstylish rooms and conference
Szinvapark Mall.....................27 C2
Planet Café........................(see 27) Szent Borbála Borszaküzlet (%411 188; Széchenyi facilities.
út

Post Office Branch.................6 A2

Tourinform............................7 A2
9 TRANSPORT
Bus Station.............................28 C1
István út 14; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat) in a
courtyard off the main street. Eating & Drinking
One of the most enjoyable forest train Székelykert (%411 222; Földes Ferenc utca 4; mains 1000-
Tourinform (%350 425; [email protected]; Váro- by Ludwig Förster, architect of the Great trips in Hungary connects Miskolc and 2000Ft) This restaurant at the pension of the
sház tér 13; h9am-6pm Mon-Sat, 9am-1pm Sun Jun-Sep, Synagogue in Budapest. the resort town of Lillafüred (p341). This same name serves Transylvanian specialities,
9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat Oct-May) Very helpful, The Calvinist Plank Church (Deszkatemplom; little narrow-gauge train (Map p341; %530 593) dishes rarely found on restaurant menus in
with bundles of information on the city and its surrounds. Petőfi tér) is a 1938 replica of a 17th-century departs from Kilián-Észak train station Hungary, in a pleasant inner courtyard.
www.miskolc.hu This website is available in a number Transylvanian-style wooden church. It has (off Kiss tábornok út in western Miskolc), Halásztanya (%411 203; Mélyvölgy út 15; mains
of languages. been completely rebuilt and renovated after almost in Diósgyőr. There is only one de- 1000-2000Ft; h11am-11pm Mon-Sat) At the foot
being badly damaged by fire in 1997. parture daily year-round (one way adult/ of Avas Hill, this relaxed place specialises
Sights The Ottó Herman Museum (%346 875; Papszer child 340/220Ft), at 9.15am mid-March in fish dishes and has a larger than normal
Two houses of worship attest to the large utca 1; adult/child 400/200Ft; h10am-4pm Tue-Sun), to mid-October, and 9am the rest of the terrace.
communities of Greeks and Jews who once south of the city centre, has one of Hun- year. Check the schedules at Tourinform in Talizmán (Map p341;%378 627; Vár utca 14; mains
called Miskolc their home. The Hungarian gary’s richest collections of Neolithic finds Miskolc or call for information. From Lil- around 1200Ft) This place, in Diósgyőr, can be
Orthodox church (Magyar ortodox templom; Deák Ferenc (many from the Bükk region), good ethno- lafüred, the train carries on another 6km to recommended for its menu and pleasant
tér 7), a splendid late-baroque structure, has graphical and mineral collections, and an Garadna. location on a pedestrian street lined with
an iconostasis (1793) that is 16m high with exhibit of fine art. From here, take a stroll Another line of the narrow-gauge train chestnuts tree, just up from the castle.
88 icons. A guide will escort you to the Ortho- up leafy Avas Hill; the best approach is via branches off at Papírgyár – the paper fac- Market (Zsolcai kapu) Miskolc’s large market
dox Ecclesiastical Museum (Ortodox Egyházi Múzeum; Mélyvölgy utca, off Papszer utca, or Földes tory that polluted the Szinva Stream – and is east of Búza tér.
%415 441; adult/child 150/100Ft; h10am-6pm Tue- Ferenc utca, off Mindszent tér. Veer to the covers the 20km between Kilián-Észak While the city centre has surprisingly few
Sun Apr-Sep, 10am-4pm Tue-Sat Oct-Mar) near the right along the narrow lane past some of train station and Mahóca. It only runs at restaurants deserving of a review, the same
main gate. Look out for the Black Madonna the more than 800 wine cellars cut into the 9.30am on Saturday from June to August. cannot be said for its cafés and bars. The
of Kazan, presented to the church by Cath- limestone. following are all worth popping into:
erine the Great, and the jewel-encrusted In a cemetery below the hill is the large Festivals & Events Zöld Sárkány (%428 134; Széchenyi István út 19;
Mt Athos Cross, brought to Miskolc by Gothic Avas Calvinist church (Avasi református Several special events and festivals are held h10am-8.45pm Mon-Fri, noon-10pm Sat) A rather
Greek settlers in the 18th century. To the templom; Avas-hegy), with a painted wooden in- at Diósgyőr Castle, including the Castle Games earnest teahouse and café in a stunning courtyard.
southeast stands the large and, as per the terior (1410). The bell tower dates from the in May, the open-air Kaláka International Folk Dali (Déryné utca 10) With big couches, a funky décor
norm, crumbling Orthodox synagogue (Ortodox mid-16th century. The key is in the parish Festival in mid-July, and Medieval Castle Days and chilled tunes, Dali is perfect for lolling around sipping
zsinagóga; Kazinczy Ferenc utca 7), designed in 1861 office at Papszer utca 14. in mid-August. coffee or cocktails.
 ὈὈὈ
ὈὈὈ
340 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • B ü k k H i l l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • B ü k k H i l l s 341

Impresszó (Kossuth Lajos utca; h9am-midnight Tue- AROUND MISKOLC AROUND MISKOLC 0
0
5 km
3 miles
Thu, 9am-to late Fri & Sat) Popular for its coffee, alcoholic Miskolctapolca To Szilvásvárad Majálispark
To Slovakia To Tokaj
A B C D

ὈὈὈ
ὈὈ
and non-alcoholic cocktails, and shady terrace. %46 (36km) He
gy (46km) 26
(55km)

Ere
u a
Jenª Papírgyár lja út

ny
Sinus Café (Hunyadi utca 3) More of a cocktail bar than a The curative waters of the thermal spa in Lillafüred
Vad
as 3

ªu
u
13 Ár Vologda See Miskolc
café, with a heaving terrace in summer. this southwestern recreational suburb, 7km pá
Diósgyªr út
d
Kilián-Észak
Train Station Újgyªri Gyªri kapu
Map (p338)
See Lillafüred fªtér
Club Havana (Városház tér 3; h8am-2am) A lovely from the centre of Miskolc, have been attract- 1 Enlargement 21 Kiss
3 tábornok út
Andrássy
u Miskolc
Main Train
Vár u Újdiósgyªr
terraced café-bar, with canned Latino music. ing bathers since the Middle Ages, though Station
V Martintelep M30
the gimmicky Cave Bath (Barlangfürdő; %561 361; To Eger Ist ásár
vá he s Jenª u
(45km) n s lyi E71
Entertainment Pazár István sétány 1; adult/child/student 1600/900/1100Ft; étá Va
da Palota u

ὈὈὈ
ὈὈ
ny Egyetemváros
Foundry
Miskolc National Theatre (Miskolci Nemzeti Színház; h9am-7pm mid-Jul–Aug, 9am-6pm Sep–mid-Jul), with Lake 7 1 u
Komlóstetª
Losonczy I Hejªcsaba
NORTHERN UPLANDS

%516 735; Széchenyi István út 23; hbox office 10am- its earth walls, ‘mildly radioactive waters’ and

NORTHERN UPLANDS
11
15
7pm Mon-Fri, 3-7pm Sat & Sun) Stages plays and thrashing shower at the end, is a relatively 6
Szirma
Miskolctapolca 3
other performances in a new purpose-built new arrival (1959). The pretty Strand Bath 19
See Miskolctapolca
theatre behind the original theatre (built (Strandfürdő; %368 127; Miskolctapolcai út 1), in the 10 Enlargement
5
1857), where the beloved 19th-century ac- centre of the town’s large park, also has out- 2 4 0 200 m Görömböly

t
0 0.1 miles

ὈὈὈὈὈὈ
rszágú
tress Róza Széppataki Déryné once walked side pools (adult/child 700/550Ft; h9am-6pm May-Sep).

sétány
Erzsébet
Miskolctapolca Károlyi M u

Egri o
the floorboards.

út
12

út Egyetem
Lillafüred

Kis
There are also performances at the Sándor SLEEPING & EATING

sJ
Ny 14
itr

u
Rónai Cultural Centre (Rónai Sándor Művelődési Központ; Unless you arrive on a weekend at peak ai
u Fa su
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES 17 gy 20 kro
% 342 408; Mindszent tér 3). The Hungarian holiday times, you should have no problem

cai
ön Bo
Anna Cave.........................................1 A2 gy

ol
u Thaly

ap
Orthodox church and Orthodox synagogue finding accommodation; aside from hotels, Cave Bath...........................................2 B4 Ku

ct
a

ol
sek útj
Bükk Diósgyªr Castle...................................3 B1

út
isk
ὈὈὈὈὈὈ
Vio 16
are sometimes used for opera concerts. private rooms are almost everywhere you

M
National la

ai
István Cave........................................4 A2 u

ab
Park
For more listings, see the free biweekly look, and are particularly prolific to the 9

Bencé

Cs
Kováts................................................5 D2 Ara
Narrow-Gauge Train Station...............6 A2 di
Miskolci Est magazine. west of the Cave Bath. Tourist Service (%363 3 Gy sét
án

iu
Rental Boats.......................................7 A2 ªr 18 y
iú

ah
970; Csabai utca 14; h9am-7.30pm) can help with Strand Bath........................................ 8 C3 t

Zil
út
8
Getting There & Away

i
Iglói u

öly
booking such places. SLEEPING

mb
y
Ar

tán
Anna..................................................9 C3 ad
Buses depart for Debrecen (1210Ft, 2¼ Zenit (%561 560; [email protected]; Egyetem

rö
Fen iu

s sé

Gö
yª
Lillafüred Panzió...............................10 A2 Ga u
hours, 100km) every 30 minutes to an hour. út; r 9800Ft; p) This pension within walking

abit
ras

ὈὈὈ
Palota...............................................11 A2 Sá
mu

Bar
Park.................................................12 D2 Nyéklád-
If you’re heading south, it’s best to take distance of the pools has cute rooms with Szeleta..............................................13 A1
el
u Szeben
iu
háza
the bus, though departures are infrequent. homey touches (some with balcony) and Tapolca Fogadó............................... 14 D2 2
Rowing 0 400 m
35
Tókert Panzió...................................15 A2
There are nine buses daily to Eger (846Ft, warm staff. Cars are also available for rent. Tourist Service................................. 16 D3 Lake 0 0.2 miles 3

1½ hours, 68km). Anna (%422 212; [email protected]; Miskolc- Zenit................................................17 C3

Miskolc is served by hourly trains from tapolcai út 7; r 10,000Ft; p) Close to the pool en- 4
EATING
Keleti train station in Budapest (2030Ft, 2½ trance is this modern pension, with friendly Food Stalls........................................18
Food Stalls........................................19
C3
A2
hours, 182km); about 12 trains depart daily management and large, if not spartan, Hungária Club..................................20 D3
for Nyíregyháza (890Ft, 1½ to two hours, rooms. Book ahead as it is often full. Talizmán...........................................21 B1
To Debrecen
(77km)
88km) via Tokaj (544Ft, one hour, 56km). Tapolca Fogadó (%562 215; www.tapolcafogado.hu;
Two of these trains carry on to Debrecen Csabai utca 36; d/t from 8000/10,000Ft; p) If you like a
(1420Ft, 2¼ to three hours, 137km), but gen- natural-wood finish, you’ll love this place; al- and both Anna and Tapolca Fogadó have ACTIVITIES
erally you’ll have to change at Nyíregyháza. most every inch of this pension is built from restaurants. Sometimes called Petőfi Cave, Anna Cave
About 12 trains leave Miskolc each day for the material. Rooms are simple but more (%334 130; adult/child 650/450Ft, minimum 10 peo-
Sárospatak (774Ft, 1½ hours, 74km) and Sá- than comfortable, and the structure features GETTING THERE & AWAY ple) is below the Palota hotel and next to
toraljaújhely (890Ft, 1¼ hours, 84km). a turret or two. Bus 2 serves Miskolctapolca and the Cave a cooling waterfall; on a 25-minute tour
International trains from Miskolc in- Park (%422 605; [email protected]; Csabai utca Bath from Búza tér in Miskolc. of the cave’s labyrinth of tunnels, you’ll
clude those departing for Košice in Slovakia 35; r 8800Ft; p) Park is not much to look at come across fossilised leaves, branches, and
(five daily) and Kraków (one daily). from the outside, but its rooms are bright Lillafüred even entire trees. Tours depart on the hour
and fresh, and some have the added bonus %46 from 10am to 3pm from mid-April to mid-
Getting Around of a balcony. There’s a sauna available for The alpine feel of Lillafüred, a tiny resort at October.
Tram 1 begins at the train station and guest use. the junction of two valleys formed by the Ga- István Cave (%334 130; adult/child 650/450Ft,
travels the length of the city before turning Hungária Club (%432 884; Csabai utca; mains 800- radna and Szinva Streams, is in stark contrast minimum 10 people; h 9am-5pm mid-Apr–mid-Oct,
around in Diósgyőr; Tram 2 also starts at 1500Ft) Set back from Csabai utca, this eatery to the urban sprawl of Miskolc only 12km to 9am-4pm mid-Oct–mid-Apr) is about 500m up
the train station, cuts through the centre has a menu packed with Hungarian dishes the east. While there are no major sights to the mountain road leading to Eger; it of-
of the city, but ends up in the industrial and a terrace to the rear. drag you here, it’s a nice spot to enjoy some fers one-hour tours on the hour, taking in
quarter of Diósgyőr-Kóház. There are numerous food stalls and fresh air, and a good springboard for walks stalagmites, stalactites, sinkholes and large
Order a taxi on %333 333. snack bars to choose from on Aradi sétány, and hikes into the eastern Bükk Hills. chambers.
 342 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • Ag g t e l e k H i l l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • Ag g t e l e k H i l l s 343

A number of lovely walks can be under- tres before Lillafüred proper is this camp tour (April to September 1900/1100Ft, Oc-
taken from the terminuses of the two lines site/hotel, with brand-spanking-new (if NORTHERN UPLANDS’ TOP FIVE tober to March 1700/1000Ft; 1km) that cov-
of the narrow-gauge train at Garadna and not a little soulless) rooms, tent sites back- CASTLES ers a different section is available from the
Taksalápa, but accommodation is sparse in ing onto the forest, and its own sauna and Jósvafő entrance near the Tengerszem hotel
Hollókő (p318) – intact fortress with
these parts and hikers had better be pre- cave. at 9am and 4pm from April to September,
far-reaching views
pared to camp rough if they miss the train. For food, take your pick from the hotel and at 11.30am the rest of the year.
Be sure to have a copy of the northern Bükk and pension restaurants, or sidle up to the Eger (p329) – modern construction with A two-hour ‘middle tour’ of the Jósvafő
map (No 29) from Cartographia and carry several food stalls serving lángos (deep-fried a monumental history section (April to September 2500/1500Ft,
extra water. dough with toppings) and sausage near the Füzér (p353) – lonely structure high October to March 2300/1400Ft; 2.3km) de-
Jade-coloured Hámori-tó (Foundry Lake), narrow-gauge train station. above villages and pastures parts at 9am, 11am, noon, 1.30pm, 3pm
NORTHERN UPLANDS

named after the proto-blast furnace set up and 4.30pm from April to September, and

NORTHERN UPLANDS
Boldogkő (p344) – classic edifice rising
here by a German named Frigyes Fazola in GETTING THERE & AWAY
from solid rock
at 10am, noon and 2pm the rest of the year
the early 19th century to exploit the area’s You can reach Lillafüred by bus or narrow- from the Vörös-tó entrance; it ends at the
iron ore, offers fishing (%in Miskolc 324 702; Corvin gauge train (p339). From the end station Sárospatak (p348) – romantic strong- one in Jósvafő. You can also buy reduced-
utca 15) and boating. Row boats (h10am-6pm of Tram 1 at Diósgyőr, transfer to bus 5 or hold in superb condition price tickets that combine the Aggtelek
May-Sep) cost 400/200Ft per adult/child per 15, which leaves for Lillafüred every half- short and the Jósvafő middle tours (April to
half-hour, while paddle boats cost 600Ft per hour or so. September 3600/2200Ft, October to March
half-hour. The Palota hotel rents out bicy- before Jósvafő. Guided tours of the Baradla 3400/2100Ft; 2.5km) over two consecutive
cles for 500Ft per hour, but only to guests. Cave system depart from these points, but days.

SLEEPING & EATING

AGGTELEK HILLS the most popular short and long tours can
be joined at the Aggtelek entrance.
If that doesn’t fulfil your spelunking
urges, try one of these; the three-hour
Lillafüred Panzió (% 379 299; Erzsébet sétány 7; It can be a little unnerving leaving Miskolc Keresztély Raisz tour (5000/2400Ft; 3.6km),
s/d 4300/6600Ft; p) Just back from the road behind and heading northwest along Rte Information which includes an unpaved section with-
to Eger and well hidden among lush trees 26 towards the Slovak border. One giant Tourinform (%503 000; [email protected]; Bara- out illumination (torches are provided); the
is this straightforward pension, with clean chemical factory after another lines the dla oldal 3; h8am-6pm Apr-Sep, 8am-4pm Oct-Mar) can Long tour (6000/3600Ft; 7km), which takes
and simple rooms, friendly staff and a basic road, and it’s hard to resist turning around supply you with information and sell you a five hours and combines sections of the Ag-
restaurant. and looking for greener pastures. But don’t copy of Cartographia’s Aggteleki-karszt és gtelek, middle and Keresztély Raisz tours;
Tókert Panzió (%533 560; [email protected]; Erzsé- be put off by all the twisted steel and rust- környéke (Aggtelek Karst and Surrounds; and the Special tour (7000/4200Ft; 8.3km),
bet sétány 3; s/d from 8700/10,500Ft, mains 800-1200Ft; ing pipes; just to the north are the Aggtelek No 1; 720Ft), an excellent 1:40,000 hiking which consists of the Long tour plus a side
hrestaurant 7am-11pm; p) In the shadow (in Hills, an area with hardly a hint of urban map. For more detailed information, con- trip to the Hall of Wonders. The first two
every sense) of the Palota hotel, this place intrusion. Here, rolling forested hills and tact the Aggtelek National Park Directorate (Ag- leave at 9.30am on Saturday April to Sep-
has good-sized rooms with great views of meadows hide the occasional rural village, gteleki Nemzeti Park Igazgatósága; %506 000; www.anp tember, while the Special tour departs at
the lake and a decent restaurant serving fish and life still follows the seasons. .hu; Tengerszem oldal 1) in Jósvafő. 8.30am. From October to March advanced
dishes on its multilevel terrace. This region is also home to the Aggtelek The post office (%343 156; Kossuth utca 37; bookings are required; a minimum of 10
Szeleta (% 530 130; www.hamorholiday.hu; National Park, a hilly karst region encompass- h8.30am-noon & 1-4pm Mon-Fri) in Aggtelek has an people are needed for tours to go ahead.
Szeleta utca 12-14; camp site per person/tent 800/1500Ft, ing some 200 sq km, and Europe’s largest ATM. Cseppkő hotel will exchange money.
s/d from 11,500/15,000Ft; ps) A few kilome- stalactite caves. OTHER ACTIVITIES
Activities You can join up with some excellent hik-
AGGTELEK CAVING ing trails above the Tourinform office in
AUTHOR’S CHOICE Baradla Cave (Baradla-barlang; h8am-6pm Apr-Sep,
%48 / pop 647 Aggtelek, affording superb views of the
Palota (% 331 411; [email protected] The tiny town of Aggtelek is the main gate- 8am-4pm Oct-Mar) has tours that depart year- rolling hills and valleys. A relatively easy
guesthotels.hu; Erzsébet sétány 1; s/d from €77/93, way to the Baradla-Domica caves, a net- round. The temperature at this level is usu- three-hour (7km) walk along the Baradla
ste from €119; psi ) Dominating Lil- work of some 25km of passageways (6km ally about 10°C with humidity over 95%, Trail, tagged yellow, will take you from Ag-
lafüred is Palota, a mock-Gothic structure of them in Slovakia). The network was de- so be sure to bring a sweater along. Tours gtelek to Jósvafő. There are other treks last-
that’s a hotel again after a 40-year stint as clared a dual-nation Unesco World Heri- usually include a short organ recital or ing five to six hours, and these can be used
a trade-union holiday home. With its regal tage Site in 1995, and a trip underground to some other form of music in the Concert or for cycling and horse riding. A 20km bicycle
air, sumptuous lounge and bar, and fully see the array of red-and-black stalactite drip Giants’ Halls and, if the water is high route links Aggtelek and Szögliget to the
renovated rooms with views of the lake or stones, stalagmite pyramids and enormous enough, a boat ride on the Styx, an under- northeast, but unfortunately you’ll have to
forest, it’s a piece of old-fashioned luxury chambers is a highlight on most people’s ground stream. bring your own bike. The Hucul Stud Farm
in the Northern Uplands. Of its two restaur- itineraries. Short tours lasting about one hour (adult/ in Jósvafő has horses for hire (1200Ft per
ants, posh Mátyás, with stained-glass win- child April to September 1900/1100Ft, Oc- hour) and offers hour-long carriage and, in
dows, an enormous fireplace and waiters Orientation tober to March 1700/1000Ft; 1km) start at winter, sledge (sleigh) rides for 2000Ft.
who look like they’re dressed to say Mass, There are three entrances to the Baradla Cave the Aggtelek entrance at 10am, 1pm and The park directorate organises a number
is easily top dog. system: at Aggtelek village; at Jósvafő, 6km 3pm, with additional tours at noon and of programs, including three-hour guided
to the east; and at Vörös-tó (Red Lake), just 5pm from April to September. A one-hour walks in Aggtelek and Jósvafő (adult/child
 344 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • Ze m p l é n H i l l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • Ze m p l é n H i l l s 345

1000/600Ft), as well as themed tours of the na- Aggtelek can also be reached from Miskolc its strong walls and turrets command 360- the bottom of the road to the castle. Its
tional park lasting three to six hours – from (430Ft, 1¼ hours, 49km, five daily) by train – degree views of the southern Zemplén Hills, rooms are basic but adequate, with views
ecology (600Ft to 1500Ft) to zoology and you want the one heading for Tornanádaska. the Hernád Valley and nearby vineyards. of the castle, and the restaurant serves solid
botany (1000Ft to 3000Ft). Note that some The Jósvafő–Aggtelek train station is some Originally built in the 13th century, the Hungarian fare.
walks can be combined with cave tours. 14km east of Jósvafő (and 20km from Agg- castle was strengthened 200 years later, but
telek village); a local bus meets each of the gradually fell into ruin after the kuruc revolt Getting There & Away
Festivals & Events trains to take you to either town. late in the 17th century. Boldogkőváralja is on the train line connect-
Main events in Aggtelek and its vicinity There’s a tiny museum here with exhibits ing Szerencs (264Ft, one hour, 28km) with
are the International Opera Festival in Baradla Getting Around on notable occupants and medieval weap- Hidasnémeti (264Ft, 38 minutes, 23km),
Cave in June, the Gömör-Torna Festival of folk Five buses a day link Aggtelek (stopping out- onry, but walking through the uneven and some six trains per day in each direc-
NORTHERN UPLANDS

and world music in July and Mountaineering Day side the Cseppkő hotel) and Jósvafő (stop- courtyard up onto the ramparts and look- tion stop at the town. Only one of these is

NORTHERN UPLANDS
in early September, which attracts climbers ping at the cave entrance) via Vörös-tó. ing out over the surrounding countryside in direct; the rest require a change (no wait)
from all over Hungary. the late afternoon is much more satisfying. at Abaújszántó.
It’s easy to see how the swashbuckling lyric
Sleeping & Eating
Baradla Hostel (Baradla oldal 2; dm adult/student mid-
ZEMPLÉN HILLS poet Bálint Balassi (1554–94) produced TOKAJ
some of his finest work here. %47 / pop 5000
Apr–mid-Oct 1800/1500Ft, mid-Oct–mid-Apr 1500/1200Ft) Wine, castles, hiking – these are three of the The wines of Tokaj, a picturesque little
Offers dorm rooms with two, three and six Zemplén Hill’s most attractive possessions. REGIONAL HISTORY EXHIBIT town of vineyards and nesting storks, have
beds. Its southern and eastern slopes are dotted The little Regional History exhibit (Tajtör-téneti been celebrated for centuries; in fact, the
Cseppkő (%343 075; Gyömrői út 2; s/d 5500/9000Ft; with market towns and vineyards of the kiállítás; % 06 30 579 0290; Kossuth Lajos utca 32; town is so beloved for its amber liquid that
p) On a scenic hill above the cave en- Tokaj-Hegyalja region, where the world- adult/child 300/200Ft; h10am-4pm Fri, Sat & Sun May- it receives a mention in the national an-
trance, this is the only hotel in Aggtelek. It renowned Tokaj wine, which attracted Sep) has some interesting items devoted to them. But Tokaj is just one of 28 towns
has a restaurant, bar, a terrace with splen- merchants from Greece, Serbia, Slovakia, Balassi and local sons and daughters who and villages of the Tokaj-Hegyalja, a 66 sq
did views, and a bowling alley, tennis court Poland, Germany and Russia, is produced. made it good overseas (one set up the first km vine-growing region that produces wine
and sauna/solarium. The northern Zemplén on the border with Hungarian-language newspaper in the along the southern and eastern edges of the
Tengerszem (%506 005; tengerszem_szallo@t-on Slovakia is the nation’s ‘wildest’ region, full USA), as well as a display of folk dress, a Zemplén Hills and was declared a World
line.hu; Tengerszem oldal 2; d/tr/q mid-Apr–mid-Oct of hiking opportunities and romantic castle fully equipped smithy, and exhibits on the Heritage Site in 2002.
13,000/15,000/17,000Ft, mid-Oct–mid-Apr 11,000/ ruins. flora and fauna of the Zemplén.
12,900/15,000Ft) At the Jósvafő end of the cave Orientation
system is this renovated hotel, which is BOLDOGKŐVÁRALJA HIKING Tokaj’s centre lies west of where the Bodrog
convenient if you intend on joining cave %46 / pop 1185 Marked trails lead from the castle’s northern and Tisza Rivers meet. The train station
tours at both the Aggtelek and Jósvafő The picturesque Hernád Valley, which basic- side to Regéc, about 15km to the northeast is 1200m south of the town centre; walk
entrances. ally runs from Szerencs to Hidasnémeti, via Arka and Mogyoróska, skirting moun- north for 15 minutes along Baross Gábor
Baradla Camping (%503 005; hcseppko@axelero near the Slovakian border, is dotted with tains and 14th-century castle ruins along utca and Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca to Rákóczi
.hu; Baradla oldal 2; camp sites per person/tent/cara- quaint wine-producing towns, perfect for the way. From here you can either retrace Ferenc út, the main thoroughfare. Buses ar-
van 1000/1000/1400Ft, 4-person/6-person bungalows sampling the region’s fine vintages. Bol- your steps to Boldogkőváralja or follow the rive and depart from along Serház utca east
5300/15,000Ft; h mid-Apr–mid-Oct; p ) Baradla dogkőváralja would be just another of these road westward to the Fony train stop (some of Kossuth tér.
Camping, next to the Aggtelek cave en- charming places if it weren’t for its impres- six trains a day in each direction), which is
trance, has a peaceful setting, and cute A- sive castle, seamlessly grafted to a rocky about 10km to the west. The hardy and/ Information
frame bungalows. outcrop above the valley. or prepared may want to carry on another OTP bank (Rákóczi Ferenc út 35; h8am-4pm Mon-Fri)
All sleeping possibilities have restaur- 8km north to Gönc, a pretty town where Post office (Rákóczi Ferenc út 24) In the centre of town.
ants, and there are food stalls in the car Orientation the wooden barrels used to age traditional Tourinform (%552 070; [email protected]; Serház
park near the Aggtelek cave entrance. Heading north from Szerencs, make sure Tokaj wine have been made for centuries; utca 1; h10.30am-6pm Mon, 9am-7pm Tue-Sat,
you sit on the right-hand side of the train it’s on the main train line back to Szerencs. 10.30am-3.30pm Sun mid-Apr–mid-Oct, 9am-4pm Mon-
Getting There & Away to see Boldogkőváralja’s dramatic castle as Depending on which way you’re hiking, Fri mid-Oct–mid-Apr) Just off Rákóczi Ferenc út.
Direct buses link Aggtelek with Budapest it comes into view. The train stops on the make sure you’re armed with the north- www.tokaj.hu Check this website for general information
(2410Ft, four to five hours, 195km) and other side of the highway about 2.5km west ern (No 22) or southern (No 23) section of on the town.
Miskolc (665Ft, 1½ hours, 52km). They of the castle. Cartographia’s Zempléni-hegység (Zemplén
leave Jósvafő (stopping at Aggtelek about Hills) 1:40,000 map (800Ft each). Sights
10 minutes later) for Budapest twice daily Sights & Activities The Tokaj Museum (% 352 636; Bethlen Gábor
at 5.30am and 2.45pm (with an additional Perched atop a basalt mountain, Boldogkő Sleeping & Eating utca 13; adult/child 400/200Ft; h10am-4pm Tue-Sun
bus at 4.10pm Friday to Sunday), and for Castle (adult/child 500/300Ft; h9am-6pm mid-Apr– Boldogkőváralja is not a place to linger May-Nov), in the 18th-century Greek Trad-
Miskolc at 4.30am and 11.30am Monday to mid-Oct), literally ‘Happy Rock’ Castle, is overnight but if you’re stuck, head to Bod- ing House, leaves nothing unsaid about
Friday, at 5.45am Saturday and at 11.30am exactly what most people imagine a castle óvár (% 306 065; www.castles.hu/bodovar; Kossuth the history of Tokaj, the Tokaj-Hegyalja
Sunday. to be – impossibly perched on solid rock, Lajos utca 61; s/d 6500/8500Ft, mains 1200Ft; p) at region and the production of its wines.
 346 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • Ze m p l é n H i l l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • Ze m p l é n H i l l s 347

TOKAJ 0
0
300 m
0.2 miles
Hősök tere. Contact the Union Federation (Unió Schlosshotel Degenfeld (%580 400; www.hotel
20 Alapítvány; %352 927; Bodrogkeresztúri út 5) or Tisza grofdegenfeld.hu; Terézia kert 9; standard s/d from
A u B C D Camping about canoe and kayak rentals

ὈὈὈ
Bem u At
tila 38 23,400/25,800Ft, superior from 25,800/28,200Ft, ste s/d from
sef
Bethlen Gábor u
To Bodrogkeresztúr
Józ 4
(9km); Mád (16km); (around 250Ft per hour). There’s swimming 31,200/33,600Ft; psai) This ‘palace’ hotel

Moso
Tállya (23km)
at Strand Camping (%06 30 239 6300; admission

Ser
25 in the nearby village of Tarcal is a beauti-

ház

lygó
Rózsa SLEEPING DRINKING
1 köz 8 250Ft; h9am-6pm Jun-Aug) from the grassy river- fully restored mansion with vineyards and

Bodrog Riv
u
yk öz Degenfeld..............................12 A1 Murphy's M¬hely Sörözª.......22 B2

Józse
u

pess
front beach across the Tisza Bridge. parklands as a backdrop. Rooms are of the
m

Sze 27 Lux.........................................13 B1 Veresszekér............................23 B2

Be

fu
Millennium.............................14 B3
5
12 kó köz
Za Pelsªczi-Tiszavirág Camping..15 C3 SHOPPING Kopasz-hegy (Bald Mountain) and its TV finest quality, with period furniture, a smat-

὆὆὆὆
Dózsa György u 26 Tisza Camping.......................16 C3 Borostyán Wine Shop.............24 B2 tower west of the town centre offer a stun- tering of antique pieces and all the mod cons

ὈὈὈ
er
Tokaj Hotel............................17 B3 Furmint Vinotéka...................25 A1

Mosol
13
6 z köz Vaskó.....................................18 B3 Tokaj Regional Wine Trade ning panorama of Tokaj and the surround- deserving of such a place. The owners are

὆὆὆὆
Kossuth Városhá Centre................................26 A1
NORTHERN UPLANDS

ing patchwork of vineyards. ranked among the top vintners in the region

NORTHERN UPLANDS
ygó Jó
Ser

tér 1
EATING Bodrogköz

὆὆὆὆
Cemetery
ház

so there’s plenty of excellent wine at hand.

Rá

zsef u Makk Marci............................19 B2 TRANSPORT

kó
Ó

Festivals & Events

cz
vá

Róna......................................20 A1 Bus Stops................................27 B1

Pelsőczi-Tiszavirág Camping (%352 626; Horgász
iF
ri
u

Tokaji-hegy 3 Tokaj......................................21 B3 Mahart Ferry Pier...................28 B3

ere

22
The Tokaj Wine Festival, held in late May, út 11; camp site per adult/child/tent 450/300/450Ft, bun-
nc
u

2 INFORMATION 23
r attracts oenophiles from far and wide, as galows from 4500Ft; hApr-Oct; p) This secluded
OTP Bank............................1 B2
ive

ὈὈὈ
Post Office...........................2 B2 Hajdú köz
za
R does the Vintage Days on the first weekend camping ground is near the confluence of
Tis
köz

Tourinform..........................3 B2 19
2 et of October. the Bodrog and Tisza Rivers and has quiet
Óv

Lig z u
gás
camp sites and unfortunately, like Tisza
á

SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES r

ri u

24 Ho
Great Synagogue..................4 B1
Sleeping Camping, plenty of mosquitoes.
Rák

Hímesudvar..........................5 A1
ocz

18 To Nyíregyháza
Rákóczi Cellar.......................6 A1 21 15 38
(31km) For private rooms (double 2800Ft to 5000Ft) Tisza Camping (%352 012; rakamaz2@enternet
i Fe

11
Strand Camping...................7 C3 17
10
pick up a list from Tourinform, or take a .hu; Tisza-part; camp site 800Ft, bungalows per person 1500Ft;
ren

Tokaj Museum.....................8 A1
cu

ὈὈὈ
Wine Cellar..........................9 B3
Wine Cellar........................10 B3
9 Tisza
gander at your own leisure down Óvári utca, hApr-Oct; p) Across the river and just south
Wine Cellar........................11 B3
Bridge 16 Bethlen Gábor utca, Serház utca or Bem of the bridge, this friendly place offers shady
3 Wine Cellar.....................(see 18)
József utca. Rooms on offer along Hegyalja tent sites and basic bungalows, as well as its
Tisza
zky u

14
art utca are convenient to the train station and own restaurant, boat rentals and beach.
Bajcsy-Zsilins

a-p
To Kopasz-hegy Tisz are surrounded by vineyards.
River

(5km) 28
To Train Station (1km); Tarcal Hªsök
Degenfeld (%552 173; www.degenfeldpalota.hu; Eating & Drinking
& Schlosshotel Degenfeld (8km) 7
tere Kossuth tér 1; s/d 7300/9000Ft; p) This very cen- Degenfeld (%553 050; Kossuth tér 1; mains 2000Ft)
tral pension has bright and tasteful rooms, Taking as much pride as it has with its ac-
There’s also a superb collection of Chris- tered throughout town, including those at with polished wood floors and kitchenettes; commodation, Degenfeld has created one
tian liturgical art, including icons, medieval Rákóczi Ferenc út 2, Óvári utca Nos 3, 6, there are only four, so book ahead. It also of provincial Hungary’s finest restaurants.
crucifixes and triptychs, and Judaica from and 8, and Bem József utca Nos 2 and 16. has an excellent restaurant. Housed in a lovely 19th-century town-
the nearby Great Synagogue, and temporary For the ultimate in tasting venues head Millennium (% 352 247; www.tokajmillennium house, it has inventive New Magyar cuisine,
exhibits by local artists. for the 600-year-old Rákóczi Cellar (Rákóczi .hu; Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca 34; s/d 8800/10,200Ft; pi) an excellent wine list and beautiful décor.
East of the gallery, the 19th-century Pince; %352 408; Kossuth tér 15; h10am-7pm mid- One of the better central accommodation Róna (%352 116; Bethlen Gábor utca 19; mains
Eclectic Great Synagogue (Nagy zsinagóga; Serház Mar–Oct, shop year-round), where bottles of wine options, Millennium has large rooms with 800-1500Ft; h11am-9pm) Róna has more than
utca 55), which was used as a German bar- mature in long corridors (one measures standard furniture and a restaurant in its enough fish dishes to satisfy Poseidon and
racks during WWII, is once again boarded 28m by 10m). Tastings of six Tokaj wines turret. The only drawback is its location a smattering of more common fare as an
up and falling into ruin after partial reno- cost around 2100Ft; individual tastings cost on a busy road. afterthought.
vations over a decade ago. There’s a large 230Ft, plus a 500Ft serving fee. Hímesud- Lux (%352 145; Serház utca 14; s/d 2700/5400Ft; Makk Marci (%352 336; Liget köz 1; pizza 500-
Orthodox Jewish cemetery in Bodrogkeresztúr, var (Decorative Court; %352 416; www.himesudvar.hu; hmid-Apr–Dec) This friendly and accommo- 1000Ft; h8am-8pm) This cheap and friendly
6km northwest of Tokaj. Bem utca 2; h9am-9pm May-Sep, 9am-7pm Oct-Apr), dating six-room pension has its own wine pizzeria is good for a basic meal.
a 16th-century wine cellar with shop north- cellar, so there’s not far to wander to bed Tokaj (%352 344; Rákóczi út 3; mains 1000-2000Ft)
Activities west of the town centre, is another option. after a few glasses. Next door to the hotel of the same name,
WINE TASTING Tastings of six wines costs 2000Ft. Vaskó (%352 107, 352 689; Rákóczi út 12; d 6000Ft) Tokaj is a simple restaurant with a good fish
Start with 100mL glasses; you may swallow Tokaj is not the only town in the region The supremely central Vaskó has eight selection and open terrace; it may be the
more than you think you can drink. The cor- with wine cellars; nearby Tarcal has almost cute rooms, with window sills bedecked only place open if you’re dining after 9pm.
rect order for sampling a half-dozen Tokaj as many, and Mád, Tállya and Bodrog- with flower pots. It’s above a pince (wine Should you get tired of all that wine, there
wines is Furmint, dry Szamorodni, sweet keresztúr all have a handful. Pick up a wine- cellar). are a couple of pubs to turn your head –
Szamorodni and then the Aszú wines – map from Tourinform for more options. Tokaj Hotel (%352 344; Rákóczi út 5; s/d from or lips – to:
from three to five or four to six puttony 4600/5000Ft; p) Tokaj looks as though it was Veresszekér (Red Cart; Rákóczi út 30-32; h2pm-4am)
(a measure of Aszú essence added to base OTHER ACTIVITIES brought from a 1950s sci-fi movie set, but A congenial pub in a little courtyard.
wines in making Tokaj; for more informa- In summer water tours of the Bodrog and unfortunately its rooms are by no means Murphy’s Műhely Söröző (%06 20 945 8562; Rákóczi
tion, see p55). Private wine cellars offering Tisza Rivers are available from the Mahart out of this world. However, some do have a út 42; h2-10pm) The first (and we assume only) Irish
tastings (usually 4pm to 9pm) are scat- ferry pier (%352 937; minimum 15 people), just off balcony looking onto the river. ‘workshop pub’ in the Zemplén.
 ὈὈ
ὈὈ
348 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • Ze m p l é n H i l l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • Ze m p l é n H i l l s 349

Shopping Orientation SÁROSPATAK 0

0
500 m
0.3 miles
Wine, wine and more wine – from a 10L Sárospatak is a compact town lying on the
A B C D

út
ὈὈὈὈ
plastic jug of new Furmint to a bottle of snaking Bodrog River and its attractive To Sátoraljaújhely

rsi
16

Bo
(14km) He
six-puttony Aszú – is available in shops backwaters. The bus and train stations are To Tokaj
(34km)
37 rce
gF
ere
and cellars throughout Tokaj. For a cheek-by-jowl at the end of Táncsics Mi- nc
u
17
choice of vintage wines, head to the shop hály utca, northwest of the city centre. Walk INFORMATION

u
1

ág
11 Main Post Office................................1 A3

Vir
at the Rákóczi cellar; the Borostyán wine southeast through shady Iskola-kert to join Végardó OTP Bank...........................................2 A3

út
shop (%352 313; Rákóczi út 11; h10am-9pm Mon- up with Rákóczi út, the main drag. Tourinform & Sárospatak Cultural

enc
Ha
tár House............................................3 A3

Fer
13

sú
὆὆὆὆὆
Fri, 10am-10pm Sat & Sun); the Furmint Vinotéka u

ὈὈ
Lajo

czy
(%353 340; Bethlen Gábor utca 14; h8.30am-6.30pm), Information SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

zin
gy
὆὆὆὆὆
Árpád Vezér College.......................... 4 A4

Ka
Na
NORTHERN UPLANDS

with both wine and folk art for sale; and Main post office (Rákóczi út 45) Opposite the Bodrog Kas

NORTHERN UPLANDS
sai
út
Calvinist College, Museum & Great

὆὆὆὆὆
Library Hall.....................................5 B3
the Tokaj Regional Wine Trade Centre (%552 department store. Castle Church.....................................6 A3
173; Kossuth tér 1; h10am-8pm), next to Degen- OTP bank (Eötvös utca 3) Near the Sárospatak Cultural Centre.

Kazinczy Ferenc út
὆὆὆὆὆
Cemetery Former Synagogue.............................7 A3
Rákóczi Castle & Museums................8 A4
feld restaurant. Tourinform (%315 316; [email protected]; Train u Rákóczi Wine Cellar...........................9 A4
2 út
Eötvös utca 6; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat mid- Station
Be
m
re
nc Sárospatak Gallery............................10 A3

ὈὈ
Fe Thermal Baths & Pools......................11 C1
Getting There & Away Jun–mid-Sep, 9am-5pm Mon-Fri mid-Sep–mid-Jun) In the 26
Iskola
Park Do
bó

Five daily buses go to Szerencs (484Ft, one western wing of the Sárospatak Cultural Centre. Tá
ncs
ics
SLEEPING
Dezsª Lajos Kollëgium.......................12 A3
hour, 36km), the chocolate capital of Hun- www.sarospatak.hu For general information about the 19
Mih
u ály Sze sor Julia..................................................13 B1
me as
gary, but it’s just as easy to get there by town (partly in English). re
u zek Kert..................................................14 A3

su
5 Fa Rákóczi............................................15 A3
train. There’s two buses daily to Debrecen

niu
Tengerszem Camping.......................16 C1

me
Eö
(1030Ft, two hours, 85km) and Nyíregyháza Sights tvö 3 Termálfürdª Camping.......................17 C1

Co

u
sú Lo

jos
t 15 rá
nt

ὈὈ
La
(423Ft, 45 minutes, 31km). The Rákóczi Castle (% 311 083; Szent Erzsébet 2 ffy EATING

th
u

iú
12
Pa

ssu
cz
Ba András Ötödik.................................18 A3
Up to 16 trains a day connect Tokaj with utca 19-21; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun Mar-Oct, 10am-5pm tik

὆὆὆

kó
rtó 25

Ko
ak
kB Heitzmann Cukrászda......................19 A2

Rá
öz
Nyíregyháza (346Ft, 30 minutes, 32km) Tue-Sun Nov-Feb) should be your first port of 3 éla
u
24 14
Hetes................................................20 B3
Erd

὆὆὆
ély 20
7

er
i Já Ristorante Collegno..........................21 A3
and some 16 with Miskolc (544Ft, one call. The oldest part of the castle, the reno- nos

Riv
Béla

u
u 1 18 Király Attil Vár...................................................22 B4
au

Viola
὆὆὆
hour, 56km); you’ll need to change trains vated five-storey Red Tower (Vörös-torony), tere

i út
ENTERTAINMENT
at the former for Debrecen (890Ft, two dates from the late 15th century – inside

ócz
὆὆὆
21 Club Win.........................................23 A4

g
6
hours, 81km). If you want to travel north to you’ll find rooms from this period in almost

Rák

Bodro
Szent 10
Erzsébet SHOPPING
Sárospatak (430Ft, one to two hours, 44km) immaculate condition. Note that this can

et u

Gá
tér Bodrog Department Store.................24 A3

rd
Erzséb

Árpád
and Sátoraljaújhely (544Ft, two hours, only be visited by guided tour (1000Ft). Hild Udvar Shopping Mall................25 A3

on
23

yi
Gé
Áchim
54km), catch the Miskolc-bound train and The Renaissance palace wing (palotaszárny),

Szent
9 Au TRANSPORT

za
8

u
change at Mezőzombor. connected to the Red Tower by a 17th-century Bus Station.......................................26 A2

t
os ú
22
loggia known as the Lorántffy Gallery, was 4 rad u

Ján
A

u
SÁROSPATAK

ny

György
built in the 16th century and later enlarged

Ara

Árpád út
Gá
%47 / pop 14,700 by its most famous owners, the Rákóczi To Tokaj rdo
nyi

Dózsa
(34km) Deá Gé
The town of Sárospatak (Muddy Stream) family of Transylvania. Today, along with 4
kF
u za
u
is renowned for its college and castle, the some 19th-century additions, it contains the
finest example of a Renaissance fort extant Rákóczi Museum, devoted to the uprising and
in Hungary. It is also a convenient stop en the castle’s later occupants, with bedrooms region. There’s also a mock-up of a Renais- St Elizabeth, a 13th-century queen of Hun-
route to Slovakia. and dining halls overflowing with period sance kitchen. gary, riding side-saddle, and her husband
furniture, tapestries, porcelain and glass. Of The Castle Church (Vártemplom; % 311 183; Louis IV on foot.
History special interest is the small five-windowed Szent Erzsébet utca 7; adult/child 200/100Ft; h9am-4pm To the southwest of the church is the
A wealthy (and free) royal wine-producing bay room on the 1st floor near the Knights’ Tue-Sat, 11.30am-4pm Sun May-Oct), north of the Sárospatak Gallery (%511 012; Szent Erzsébet utca 4;
town since the early 15th century, Sárospa- Hall, with its stucco rose in the middle of a castle, is one of Hungary’s largest Gothic adult/child 400/200Ft; h10am-4pm Tue-Sun), which
tak soon became a centre of Calvinist vaulted ceiling. It was here that nobles put hall churches (those within castle walls), displays the work of the sculptor János
power and scholarship; two centuries later their names sub rosa (literally ‘under the and has flip-flopped from serving Catholics Kurta Andrássy along with some tempor-
it was the focal point for Hungarian resist- rose’ in Latin) to the kuruc uprising against to Protestants and back many times since ary exhibits.
ance to the Habsburgs. The list of alumni the Habsburg emperor in 1670. The expres- the 14th century. The enormous baroque The history of the celebrated Calvinist Col-
of the town’s illustrious Calvinist College, sion, which means ‘in secret’, is thought to altar was moved here from the Carmelite lege (Református Kollégium; %311 057; Rákóczi út 1;
which helped earn Sárospatak the nick- have originated here. The museum can be church in Buda Castle late in the 18th cen- adult/child 400/200Ft; h9am-5pm Mon-Sat, 9am-1pm
name ‘Athens on the Bodrog’, reads like visited free of charge but you need to pick tury; the 200-year-old organ from Kassa Sun) is told in words and displays at the
a who’s who of Hungarian literary and up a ticket from the ticket desk. (now Košice in Slovakia) is still used for Comenius Memorial Museum in the last of the
political history, and includes the patriot An exhibit in the cellars of the east wing concerts throughout the year. The statue college’s original buildings, an 18th-century
Lajos Kossuth, the poet Mihály Csokonai is devoted to the history of wine and wine- by Imre Varga outside the church depicts physics classroom. The collection is named
Vitéz and the novelist Géza Gárdonyi. making in the surrounding Tokaj-Hegyalja the Sárospatak-born and much revered after János Amos Comenius, a Moravian
 350 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • Ze m p l é n H i l l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • Ze m p l é n H i l l s 351

humanist who organised the education sys- Júlia (% 312 871; [email protected]; Határ in on what’s on in town; be sure to ask Mountain). It unfortunately doesn’t live up
tem here late in the 17th century and wrote utca 6; s/d from 2500/5000Ft, apt from 6000Ft; p) A about organ concerts at the Castle Church. to its historical heritage, and though per-
the world’s first illustrated textbook for very friendly guesthouse with rooms in ex- Sárospatak is included in the free biweekly haps not worth a visit in its own right, it
children, Orbis Pictus (World in Pictures). cellent condition. It’s close to the thermal Miskolci Est magazine. does make a good base for trekking into the
The main reason for visiting the college pools but a bit far from the action. Club Win (Szent Erzsébet utca 22; h11am-midnight) northern Zemplén Hills and for crossing
is to see its 75,000-volume Great Library Hall Dezső Lajos Kollégium (%312 211; Eötvös utca 7; This hole-in-the-wall is popular with stu- the border into Slovakia.
(Nagy Könyvtárterem) in the main building, s/d 3000/5000Ft; p) This regal college is full of dents after dark. The town fell into the hands of the
a long oval-shaped room with a gallery and character and charm, and has 337 beds in Rákóczi family in the 17th century and,
a trompe l’oeuil ceiling simulating the inside quite basic bedrooms. Getting There & Away like the family’s base, Sárospatak, played
of a cupola. Guided library tours leave on Termálfürdő Camping (%311 510; Határ utca 2; BUS an important role in the struggle for inde-
NORTHERN UPLANDS

the hour between 9am and 4pm Monday to camp sites per adult/child/tent/car 750/400/900/200Ft, bun- Most of the southern Zemplén region is not pendence from Austria. It was not the last

NORTHERN UPLANDS
Saturday and 9am and noon on Sunday. galows 5500-7000Ft; hJun-Aug; p) Near the ther- easily accessible by bus from Sárospatak, time the city would be a battleground. In
Sárospatak counts a number of buildings mal spa in Végardó, this flat, open camp site but buses do travel to Debrecen (1450Ft, 2¾ 1919 fighting took place in the nearby hills
designed by the ‘organic’ architect Imre is quite basic, with tent sites and bungalows hours, 119km, twice daily), Miskolc (1210Ft, and ravines between communist partisans
Makovecz, including the anthropomorphic sleeping four with shared facilities. 2¼ hours, 100km, one daily), Nyíregyháza and Slovaks, and broke out once again in

ὈὈ
cultural house on Eötvös utca, the Hild Udvar Tengerszem Camping (%312 744; Herceg Ferenc (786Ft, 1½ hours, 65km, twice daily), Sáto- the final days of WWII.
shopping mall on Béla Király tere and the utca 2; camp sites per person/tent/car 850/750/150Ft, bun- raljaújhely (182Ft, 25 minutes, 15km, at least
cathedral-like Árpád Vezér College at Arany galows 5200-8900Ft; hApr-Oct; ps) Tengers- hourly) and Tokaj (423Ft, one hour, 34km, Orientation
János utca 3-7. zem is a more established camp site than twice daily). Buses to Debrecen, Nyíregyháza The bus and train stations sit side by side
The former synagogue (Rákóczi út 43), near Termálfürdő, with 45 bungalows that look and Miskolc can be boarded just outside the 1km south of the city centre. From there,
the post office, is now a shop selling elec- like 1950s British holiday homes. Bodrog department store on Rákóczi út; follow Fasor utca north past the old Jewish
tronics goods. catch the bus to Sátoraljaújhely on the other cemetery to Kossuth Lajos utca. This will
Eating side of the street in front of Rákóczi út 40. lead you to Hősök tere and then Széchenyi
Activities Vár (%311 370; Árpád utca 35; mains 750-2000Ft) Across tér. Two more squares follow – Kossuth tér
The Rákóczi Wine Cellar (Rákóczi Pince; %312 310, the Bodrog from the castle, this is easily the TRAIN and Táncsics Mihály tér – and then Ka-
311 902; Szent Erzsébet utca 26; h10am-5pm Mon-Fri, best restaurant in Sárospatak. Try one of To explore the southern Zemplén, you’d do zinczy Ferenc utca. Slovakia comes next.
10am-6pm Sat & Sun May-Sep, 10am-5pm Mon-Fri Oct-Apr), its specialities, like harcsapaprikás (catfish better to take one of six daily trains up the
just south of the Sárospatak Gallery, has cooked with sour cream and paprika) served Hernád Valley from Szerencs and use one of SÁTORALJAÚJHELY 0
0
200 m
0.1 miles
wine tastings on the hour. Tastings of one/ with pasta, which is better than it sounds, the towns along that line, such as Abaújkér, To Chair Lift & Hunor (1.3km);
three/four/five/six/eight wines cost 550/700/ with a local wine. Boldogkőváralja or Korlát-Vizsoly, as your A Slovakia (5km) B
a köz
Post
900/1200/1400/2000Ft. Heitzmann Cukrászda (%311 567; Táncsis Mihály base. For the northern Zemplén, take a Rák
ócz
iu

Kaz
1

Vasvá
11
The hugely popular thermal baths and utca; ice cream 100Ft; h10am-7pm Mon-Thu, 10am-8pm train or bus to Sátoraljaújhely.

incy
Táncsics
u

ri Pál u
pools (%311 639; adult/senior or child 650/400Ft, after Fri-Sun) With the best ice cream and cakes Up to 12 daily trains connect Sárospatak 1 Mihály tér György
Dózsa

Fer
9
6

enc
12 13
2pm 450Ft/free; h8am-6pm Feb-Dec) are in the in town, colourful surroundings and a big with Sátoraljaújhely (100Ft, nine minutes,

u
INFORMATION

Vasv
Végardó recreational complex about 2km open terrace, Heitzmann has lickers lining 10km) and Miskolc (774Ft, 1¼ hours to 4
Main Post Office..............1 A1

ári P
northeast of the city centre. up all day. two hours, 74km), and one train (10.03am) 3
OTP Bank........................2 A2
Mihály u

ál u
Tourinform......................3 A1
Hetes (%311 228; Kossuth Lajos utca 57; mains continues on to Slovenské Nové Mesto in Kossuth Munkácsy
Zemplén Computer..........4 A1
Festivals & Events 400-600Ft; h10am-3pm Mon-Fri) Hetes is a very Slovakia, from where you can board a train 5
tér
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
In early June Saint Elizabeth Days is a popu- cheap self-service restaurant, with good to Košice. If you are coming from Debre- Széchenyi
tér
2 Catholic pád u
ÁrChurch............... 5 A2
Árpád u

Esze
lar weekend festival in the castle quarter. old-fashioned portions and service. cen, Nyíregyháza or Tokaj, change trains at u
Bercsényi Hªsök
Ferenc Kazinczy Museum..6 B1
Old Jewish Cemetery.......7 A3

Tam
Sárospatak hosts some of the events of the András Ötödik (Andrew V; %312 415; Béla Király Mezőzombor. tere Temple of Wine...............8 A3

ás u
Zemplén Arts Days in mid-August along with tere 3; mains around 1000Ft) With its inner court- 2 Town Hall.....................(see 3)

Kossuth Lajos u
other Zemplén towns, including Sátoral- yard, quick service and healthy range of Getting Around tván u
SLEEPING
Fejes Is
jaújhely and Füzér. Hungarian cuisine, Ötödik is popular with Hourly buses link the bus and train sta- Henriette..........................9 B1
Slovak Nationality
both locals and visitors. tions and the Bodrog department store on College......................10 A3
Sleeping Ristorante Collegno (%314 494; Szent Erzsébet Rákóczi út with the Végardó recreational EATING
Kert (%311 559; Rákóczi utca 31; s/d 4000/5000Ft; p) A utca 10; pizza 600-1600Ft) This eatery named after centre to the north.

὇὇
10 Pizzeria..........................11 A1
Sarokház Cukrászda.......12 A1
small family-run pension with a homey feel, Sárospatak’s sister town in Italy has tables

὇὇
cute rooms and an attractive little garden. both in a cellar and, in warmer months, the SÁTORALJAÚJHELY 7
ENTERTAINMENT
Lajos Kossuth Cultural
Rákóczi (%511 423; www.hotels.hu/rakoczipanzio; back courtyard. %47 / pop 18,300

὇὇
Centre.......................13 A1

Faso
Rákóczi utca 30; s/d 4500/7500Ft; p) The town’s Sátoraljaújhely (roughly translated as ‘tent 3

ru
TRANSPORT
upmarket establishment, with modern, spa- Entertainment camp new place’ and pronounced shah- Bus Station.....................14 B3
37
cious rooms centred on a quiet courtyard, The Sárospatak Cultural House (Sárospataki Műv- toor-all-ya-oy-hay) is a sleepy frontier 8
as well as a sauna, solarium, fitness room elődés Háza; %311 811; Eötvös utca 6; h8am-8pm town surrounded by forests and vineyards, 14
Train Station

and restaurant. Mon-Fri, 9am-7pm Sat, 9am-1pm Sun) will fill you and dominated by 514m Magas-hegy (Tall
 © Lonely Planet Publications
352 N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • Ze m p l é n H i l l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com N O R T H E R N U P L A N D S • • Ze m p l é n H i l l s 353

Information Sleeping & Eating or east (Debrecen, say, or Nyíregyháza or a 19th-century painted ceiling similar to
Main post office (Kazinczy Ferenc utca 10) North of Tourinform has a list of private rooms Tokaj), you must change at Mezőzombor. those found in the Tiszahát and Erdőhát re-
Tourinform. (from 2000Ft per person). gions of Northeast Hungary. The 50 panels
OTP bank (Széchenyi tér 13) Almost opposite the Catholic Hunor (% 521 521; www.hotelhunor.hu; Torzsás AROUND SÁTORALJAÚJHELY were decorated with geometric patterns and
church. utca 1; s/d 9800/13,500Ft, mains around 1500Ft; ps) Füzér & Hollóháza flowers by a local artist in 1832.
Tourinform (%321 458; satoraljaujhely@tourinform. The stone-and-wood Hunor is the town’s %47 / pop Füzér 580, Hollóháza1020 The Koronaőr (Crown Guardian;%340 020; www
hu; Kossuth tér 5; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat luxury establishment, located next to the An easy excursion, about 25km northwest .koronaor.hu; Dózsa György utca 2/a; s/d 2300/4600Ft;
mid-Jun–mid-Sep, 7.30am-4pm Mon-Thu, 7.30-1.30pm Fri chair lift. Rooms are thoroughly modern of Sátoraljaújhely into the Zemplén Hills, p), in an old and attractive peasant house,
mid-Sep–mid-Jun) Located in the town hall. affairs, there’s fine dining to be had on the can be made to Füzér, an idyllic little village has three modern rooms and a small res-
Zemplén Computer (Dózsa György utca 2; per hr 300Ft; premises and excellent Tokaj wine is served where life is still ruled by the seasons. Aside taurant serving hearty meals.
NORTHERN UPLANDS

h8.30am-12.30pm & 1.30-5pm Mon-Fri) Offers Internet in abundance. from the chance to experience rural Hun- From Füzér you can return to Sátoral-

NORTHERN UPLANDS
access. Henriette (%323 118; [email protected]; Vasvári gary, the highlight here is the remains of the jaújhely or catch one of several daily buses
Pál utca 16; r 7000Ft; p) Henriette looks grubby hill-top Füzér Castle (admission free; h9am-6pm), for the 9km trip to sleepy Hollóháza, Hun-
Sights & Activities from the outside but rooms are in better dating from the 13th century. Its position, gary’s northernmost town and in third place
The decrepit neo-Gothic former Temple condition, and it’s only a short walk to the high above the village and sticking out like after Herend and Zsolnay for its porcelain.
of Wine (Bortemplom), built in 1911 and city centre. a sore – but proud – thumb among lush The Porcelain Museum (Porcelánmúzeum; %505
decorated with seals of the Tokaj-Hegyalja Slovak Nationality College (%322 568; Kossuth La- green pastures, is arguably the most dra- 400; Károlyi út 11; adult/child 600/300Ft; h9am-4.30 Apr-
towns in Zsolnay porcelain, greets you upon jos utca 31; dm 1500ft; p) Accommodation is also matic in all Hungary. To reach what’s left Nov) tells the whole story. Accommodation
arrival at the bus or train station. Don’t ex- available here in summer and on weekends of the castle from the village bus stop, fol- is available at Éva (%305 038; Szent László utca 4;
pect much from this Frankenstein’s castle; throughout the year; it’s within easy walking low the steep, marked trail and you’ll soon r 7000Ft; p), a three-room pension backing
it’s now just used to store wine in the cellars distance of the train and bus stations. come to the ruins sitting 370m up on a onto woods near the centre of town.
below and has more broken than complete Restaurant pickings are very slim in the rocky crag. The castle’s claim to fame is Füzér and Hollóháza are excellent spring-
windows. Due north, at the top of Fasor city centre, so you’re probably better off that it was chosen as a ‘safe house’ by Péter boards for beginning a hike into the Zem-
utca, is the old Jewish cemetery, where the za- eating at one of the hotels. Perényi for the Hungarian coronation re- plén Hills; several well-marked trails start
ddik (miracle-working rabbi) Moses Teitel- Pizzeria (Táncsics Mihály tér 4; pizza from 500Ft; galia from Visegrád for a year or so after the here, including one that runs northeast to
baum (1759–1841) is buried and pilgrims h9.30am-9pm) This jack-of-all-trades piz- disastrous defeat at Mohács in 1526. Like Nagy Milic, an 893m hill on the Slovakian
pay their respects on 16 July each year. zeria combines a large selection of pizza most castles in the area, it was heavily dam- border. Just make sure you’re armed with
The central Catholic church (Széchenyi tér 10; and ice-cream offerings. aged by the Austrians after the unsuccessful drinking water and A Zempléni-hegység –
admission free; hservices only), rebuilt in the late- Sarokház Cukrászda (%322 742; Táncsics Mihály kuruc revolt in the late 17th century, but északi rész, Cartographia’s 1:40,000 map
baroque style in 1792, has a stark interior tér 2; cakes 100-200Ft; h7.30am-6pm Mon-Fri, 7.30am- parts of the chapel, a tower and the outer (No 22; 800Ft) of the Zemplén’s northern
and is not very interesting in itself, though 4pm Sat & Sun) The right place for something walls remain. section.
it was here that the teachings of Martin sweet. Down in the village centre, the medieval For transport details, see Getting There
Luther were first read aloud in public in Calvinist church (admission free; hservices only) has & Away (opposite).
Hungary. The same can be said for the Town Entertainment
Hall (Kossuth tér 5) but it, too, is remembered Consult with the staff or the listings posted
for a momentous event. In 1830 then- at the Lajos Kossuth Cultural Centre (Kossuth Lajos
lawyer Lajos Kossuth gave his first public Művelődési Központ; %321 727; Táncsics Mihály tér 3)
speech from the outside balcony. for what’s on in Sátoraljaújhely.
The Ferenc Kazinczy Museum (%322 351; Dózsa For more listings, check out the free bi-
György utca 11; adult/child 400/200Ft; h8am-4pm Mon- weekly Miskolci Est magazine.
Sat) covers the history of the city from the
13th to 19th centuries, with much empha- Getting There & Away
sis on the illustrious Rákóczi family and There are frequent buses to the towns and
the natural history of the Zemplén region. villages of the northern Zemplén Hills, in-
The museum is named after the 19th- cluding three daily Monday to Friday (four
century language reformer and patriot who daily on the weekend) to Füzér (302Ft, one
did much of his research at the Zemplén hour, 25km) and up to nine daily Mon-
Archives (now the town hall) from 1815 day to Friday (10 daily on the weekend) to
to 1831. Hollóháza (363Ft, one hour, 29km).
The chair lift (libegő; %322 346; Torzás utca; Up to 12 daily trains connect Sátoral- © Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
h10am-5pm Mon-Thu, 10am-6pm Fri, 10am-7pm Sat & jaújhely with Sárospatak (100Ft, nine min- restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
Sun summer, 1.30-3.30pm Tue, Wed & Fri, 8.30am-3.30pm utes, 10km) and Miskolc (774Ft, 1¼ hours only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
Sat & Sun winter), to the top of Magas-hegy, is to two hours, 74km); for trains to Slovakia,
the longest in Hungary. A return trip costs see Getting There & Away (p351). If you’re everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying
900/600Ft per adult/senior and child. approaching Sátoraljaújhely from the south the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’