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279

Southern

TRANSDANUBIA
SOUTHERN
Transdanubia
With its mild climate, gently undulating hills, minimal industry and rural ambience, Southern
Transdanubia is a region of calm, a place to enjoy life at a slow, almost Mediterranean, pace.
Aside from a few centres, it’s only marginally touched by tourism, and could be just the
answer for those looking to get off the beaten track in a country that’s been crisscrossed
by travellers since time immemorial.

The region is thickly settled with villages, and agriculture is still the mainstay of most
people’s lives: fruit orchards dot the landscape in the north, almond trees surround Pécs in
its heart and vineyards stretch for miles around Szekszárd and Villány-Siklós in its easterly
reaches. Late summer/early autumn, when harvesting is in full swing, is a gorgeous time
of year in these parts.

Easily the highlight of the region – and arguably all of provincial Hungary – is Pécs,
Southern Transdanubia’s capital city. Art museums and theatres abound, and history is also
alive and well within its borders. Both the Romans and Turks thought much of the place, leav-
ing their mark for all to gape at; more Roman tombs than you can shake an archaeologist’s
shovel at have been uncovered near (or under) the city’s Basilica, and a handful of Turkish
monuments have survived in a country where almost all were put to the torch.

While Pécs steals the limelight, a number of other towns are worth visiting. Imposing
castles dominate Siklós and Szigetvár, and in Harkány you can take advantage of curative
thermal waters (which we know is a hard task). And any excursion to the south would be in-
complete without a glass of some of the country’s best wines from Szekszárd and Villány.

HIGHLIGHTS
Wandering the picturesque streets from
one impressive sight to the next in Pécs
(p294)
Sampling and – of course – buying the big,
bold reds of Villány (p292) and Szekszárd
(p280) Gemenc
Forest
Exploring the rural Ormánság region Szekszárd
(p293), Southern Transdanubia’s quiet
‘back corner’ Pécs

Riding the narrow-gauge train (p284) Ormánság Harkány


Villány
Region
through the Gemenc Forest in the Sárköz
region
Taking a dip in the cure-all thermal baths
(p291) at Harkány, especially in winter
TRANSDANUBIA

ὈὈὈ
ὈὈὈ
280 S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • S z e k s z á r d www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • S z e k s z á r d 281

TRANSDANUBIA
SOUTHERN

SOUTHERN
SOUTHERN TRANSDANUBIA 0
0
50 km
30 miles
Orientation hall the Eszter Mattioni Gallery, whose works
To Veszprém The bus and train stations are opposite one in striking mosaics of marble, glass and
To Budapest

Ὀ ὈὈ
Sümeg VESZPRÉM
(4km) M7
(68km)
M6
another on Pollack Mihály utca. From here, mother-of-pearl invoke peasant themes with
Balaton- Dunaújváros follow pedestrian Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca a twist. The square’s yellow baroque Inner City
Uplands
ZALA
Tapolca National Park Tihany
Siófok
FEJÉR
Sárbogárd west through the park to the town centre. Catholic Church (Belvárosi templom; 1805), is
t on
M7
Garay tér ascends to the old castle district, the largest single-nave church in Hungary.
la E71
Zalaegerszeg Ba 65 today’s Béla tér. Munkácsy Mihály utca Franz Liszt performed several times at the
Keszthely ke Balatonlelle Dunaföldvár
La runs southwest from Béla tér to Kálvária pink neo-Gothic Augusz House (Széchenyi utca 36-
Balatonberény Tab Simontornya
75 Fonyód
Balaton- utca and Calvary Hill. 40); today it houses a music school.
74 Uplands Balatonszentgyörgy 67 61
National Park Andocs
E65 Tamási
Zalakaros
E71
Marcali
TOLNA Paks
BÁCS-
KISKUN Information MUSEUMS

Danube
M7 51
E661
63
6
Kalocsa
Main post office (Széchenyi utca 11-13) Szekszárd produced two of Hungary’s most

Sió
Letenye
68 Ri E73 OTP bank (Szent István tér 5-7) With ATM. celebrated poets: Mihály Babits (1883–1941)
SOMOGY 61
Tourinform (%511 263; szekszard@tourinform.hu; and the lesser-known János Garay (1812–53).

P l a i n
River
ver
Nagykanizsa 65
61 Tolna
Mur
a R Kaposvár
Taszár Dombóvár
Sárköz Region Garay tér 18; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat & Sun The Mihály Babits’ Birthplace (szülőháza; %312

ὈὈ
i 61 Bárányfok M9
Jun-Aug; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri Sep-May) The straight-faced 154; Babits Mihály utca 13; h9am-5pm Tue-Sun Apr-Sep,
ver

Szekszárd
Kesely¬s
Csurgó
Szenna
Bonyhád
Szekszárd Öcsény
Gemenc
but helpful staff have loads of information on the town 9am-3pm Tue-Sat Oct-Mar) has been turned in-
Gyékényes
Nagyatád
Zselic Sásd Zengª
6
Hills Decs Forest and Tolna County. to a memorial museum. Although the poet’s

t
Dr

Region Komló (682m)


Vara™din Baja avant-garde, deeply philosophical verse may
áv

Bátaszék 55

G r e a
67
a

Pörböly
Ri
ver Bélavár E661
Abaliget Orf¬ il
ls Pécsvárad
Danube-Dráva Sights be obscure, even in Hungarian, it’s a good
k H National Park
Vízvár 68
Szigetvár Szentlªrinc M e
cse PÉCS 56 51
All museums and exhibitions cost 200/100Ft place to see how a middle-class family lived
6
57
E73 per adult/child and are free on Saturdays. in 19th-century provincial Hungary.
Barcs
BARANYA 58
Mohács You can get a good idea of Szekszárd The Mór Wosinszky Museum (%316 222; Szent
Máriagy¬d Vil Palkonya by following Kálvária utca from just south István tér 26; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun Apr-Sep, 10am-4pm
Bjelovar Sellye lán
Drávaiványi Vajszló
Kórós y Hi
lls
Villánykövesd
Villány
of the catholic church and up the grassy Tue-Sun Oct-Mar) was purpose-built in 1895. It
Virovitica SERBIA &
CROATIA Ormánság
D Harkány Siklós Nagyharsány MONTENEGRO steps to Kálvária-hegy (Calvary Hill; 205m). is now named after a local priest and ar-
Region ráv
E661 R a iver The hill’s name recalls the Crucifixion, and chaeologist who discovered the remains of a
Sombor
there is an 18th-century chapel erected Neo-lithic culture in the town of Lengyel to
here by grief-stricken parents who lost the northwest. The finds, objects left by vari-
History SZEKSZÁRD their child (still remembered thanks to a fa- ous peoples who passed through the Danube
Southern Transdanubia was settled by %74 / pop 36,200 mous poem by Mihály Babits, a native son Basin ahead of the Magyars, are among the
the Celts and then by the Romans, who The more-than-attractive town of Szek- of Szekszárd). The Danube and the Great best anywhere (don’t miss the fine Celtic and
established important towns at Alisca szárd lies south of the Sió River, which Plain are visible to the east, the Sárköz re- Avar jewellery), as is the large folk collection of
(Szekszárd) and Sophianae (Pécs) and in- links Lake Balaton with the Danube River, gion beyond the hills to the south and the Serbian, Swabian and Sárköz artefacts. Three
troduced grape-growing. The north–south among seven of the Szekszárd Hills. It is Szekszárd Hills to the west; on a clear day, period rooms – that of a well-to-do Sárköz
trade route passed through here and many the capital of Tolna County and the centre you can just see Hungary’s sole nuclear farming family, another from the estate of the
of the settlements prospered during the of the Sárköz folk region, but more than power station at Paks, 30km to the north. aristocratic Apponyi family of Lengyel and a
Middle Ages. anything else Szekszárd is the gateway to The little village – the so-called Upper poor gooseherd’s hut – illustrate very clearly
As the focal point of the Turkish occu- Southern Transdanubia. In fact, you can see Town (Felsőváros) – in the valley to the the different economic brackets that existed
pation, Southern Transdanubia was very the Sárköz region start in the town’s main northwest is full of vineyards and private side by side in the region a century ago.
hard hit. The battle that led to the Ottoman square (Garay tér), where the Great Plain, cellars. Walk along Bartina utca, which be- The Middle Eastern flourishes of the House
Turks domination of Hungary for more having crossed the Danube, rises slowly, comes Remete utca, to Remete Chapel (Rem- of Arts (Művészetek Háza; %511 247; Szent István tér 28;
than a century and a half was fought at transforming into the Szekszárd Hills. ete kápolna; 1778), an important pilgrimage h10am-6pm Tue-Fri), behind the museum, re-
Mohács on 29 August 1526, and one of site; return via Bocskai utca to the north of veal its former life as a synagogue. It is now
the most heroic stands taken by the Hun- History Szekszárd Stream. used as a gallery and concert hall. Four of its
garians against the invaders took place in Szekszárd was a Celtic and later a Roman original iron pillars have been placed out-
the quiet town of Szigetvár some 40 years settlement called Alisca. The sixth Hungar- NOTABLE BUILDINGS side and enclosed in an arch, suggesting the
later. ian king, Béla I, conferred royal status on The neoclassical county hall (vármegyeháza; %419 tablets of the 10 Commandments. A short
Late in the 17th century, the abandoned the town and founded an important Bene- 667; Béla tér 1; h9am-5pm Tue-Sun Apr-Sep, 9am-3pm distance south of the museum is a striking
towns of Southern Transdanubia were re- dictine abbey here in 1061. Tue-Sun Oct-Mar), designed by Mihály Pollack ‘tree of life’ monument to ‘Szekszárd’s her-
settled by immigrant Swabian Germans and The Turkish occupation decimated Szek- in 1828, sits on the site of Béla’s abbey and oes and victims of WWII’.
Southern Slavs, and at the end of WWII szárd; however, the area was repopulated late an earlier Christian chapel; you can see the
ethnic Hungarians came from Slovakia in the 17th century by Swabian Germans, excavated foundations in the central court- Activities
and Bukovina in Romania as did Saxon and the cultivation of wheat and viticulture yard. On the upper floor of the building, Try the covered thermal baths and outdoor
Germans. in the 18th century revitalised the economy. there is the Franz Liszt Exhibition and across the pools (%412 035; Toldi utca 6; adult/child 500/250Ft;
TRANSDANUBIA 282 S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • S z e k s z á r d www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • A r o u n d S z e k s z á r d 283

TRANSDANUBIA
SOUTHERN

SOUTHERN
SZEKSZÁRD 0
0
200 m
0.1 miles
Its simple Hungarian fare and generous (484Ft, one hour, 40km) and Mohács (605Ft,
Damjanich u
sprinklings of paprika attract diners from one hour, 49km). From Szekszárd you can
A B C D all walks of life. reach Harkány (via Pécs; 968Ft, 2¼ hours,
To New City Church (300m)
Főispán (% 312 139; Béla tér 1; mains 1200Ft) 80km, three daily), Balatonfüred (1820Ft,
INFORMATION SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES Bella Napoli....................................(see 13)
Main Post Office................................1 B2 Augusz House....................................4 B3 Fªispán.............................................16 B2 Housed in a renovated wine cellar, Főispán three hours, 150km, one daily), Kaposvár
1 OTP Bank...........................................2 B3 County Hall........................................5 B3 Market.............................................17 B3 is a solid option in the centre of town. (1210Ft, 2¼ hours, 99km, two daily), Szeged
Tourinform.........................................3 B3 Eszter Mattioni Gallery.....................(see 5) Tiffany...........................................(see 15)
Franz Liszt Exhibition........................(see 5) It also has a small but interesting collec- (1820Ft, 3½ hours, 146km, three daily) and
Garay Pince........................................6 B3 DRINKING tion of assorted wine-making implements, Veszprém (2060Ft, 3½ hours, 163km, one

iu
House of Arts.....................................7 C3 Incognito..........................................18 B3

Rákócz
which purports to be a wine museum. daily). Some of these buses are boarded
Ne

Inner City Catholic Church.................8 A3 Piccolo Drink Bar..............................19 A2


fel

Mihály Babits' Birthplace....................9 A2 Szász................................................20 B3 Bella Napoli (Szent László utca; mains from 700Ft; on Szent István tér south of the cultural
ejc
sk

15
Mór Wosinszky Museum..................10 C3
hMon-Sat) In the courtyard of the Zodiaco centre.
öz

Thermal Baths & Outdoor Pools.......11 D3 ENTERTAINMENT


Deutsche Bühne................................
21 B3
SLEEPING
Mátyás király u
Mihály Babits Cultural Centre...........22 C3
hotel, Bella Napoli is a small pizzeria with Buses bound for Keselyűs (between two
Szekszárd Strea
Gemenc........................................... 12m C3 'Szexard' Polip Youth Office.............23 C3 extra large pizzas and fast service. and five daily) will drop you off near the
Zodiaco............................................13 A2
Fürdª

13
ászló
u
TRANSPORT
Amaretto (Garay tér 6; ice cream from 90Ft; h9am- Gemenc Excursion Centre in Bárányfok.
2 nt L
Sze 6pm) Amaretto is small in size but big on ice
ház u

EATING Bus Station.......................................24 D3


m

ὈὈ
trea 19 Amaretto..........................................14 B3 Bus Stop...........................................25 C3
Mé rey u
ksz
á rd S Arany Kulacs....................................15 A2 Bus Stop...........................................26 C3 cream, and doesn’t do a bad job with cakes TRAIN
Sze
nu

either. There’s also a terrace to enjoy your Only two direct trains leave Budapest’s
Flóriá

Pollack Mihály u
Ba 1
Mihbits
ály Vár köz
purchase on. Déli train station every day for Szekszárd
u
Food supplies can be bought at the big (1624Ft, 2¾ hours, 149km). Otherwise, take
Széchenyi u

16 Train
8
Vár köz

5 17 23 11 Station
Bartin
au
Béla Piac tér
24 market in Piac tér along Vár köz, just down the Pécs-bound train from Budapest’s Déli,
Mészáros Lázár u
To Remete
tér
6 4
22 7 Toldi u
the steps from Béla tér. Kelenföldi or Keleti station and change at
Chapel (3km) 18 12
Upper 20 Garay
silinszky
u Sárbogárd. To travel east (to Baja), west (to
3 tér Bajcsy-Z
Town
lvá
ria
u 25 Szent
István tér Drinking & Entertainment Kaposvár) or south (to Pécs) you must
Bez

14 21
Mun ály u

3 Ká
Mih

2
Szent Ist 10 Szász (Garay tér 20) For a drink on the town, change trains at Bátaszék, 20km to the
eré

ván tér
kács

To Öcsény (4km);
try the central ‘Saxon’ pub, which attracts south. Öcsény (100Ft, seven minutes, 4km)
dj u

Arany János u

26 Hunyadi Decs (8km); Gemenc


y

u Forest (12km)
To Calvary Kesely¬s
i út
a relaxed crowd of all ages. and Decs (100Ft, 15 minutes, 8km) are on
To Mohács
Hill (150m)
(48km) Piccolo Drink Bar (Fürdőház utca 3) With its the train line to Bátaszék.
younger devotees, this is a more rowdy and
boisterous bar than the Szász. Getting Around
hbaths 2-8pm Mon, 6am-8pm Tue-Sun year-round, pools books, which are usually in the high-rise Incognito (Garay tér; h8pm-4am Thu-Sat) This Bus 1 goes from the stations through the
9am-6pm mid-May–Aug), near the train and bus blocks near the cultural centre. is the most central place for a night out centre of town to Béla tér, and then on to
stations. Zodiaco (%511 150; www.hotelzodiaco.hu; Szent clubbing. the Upper Town as far as Remete Chapel.
There are several places dotted around László utca 19; s/d 9700/13,100Ft) There are no Mihály Babits Cultural Centre (%529 610; Szent Local taxis can be ordered on %555 555.
Szekszárd where you can sample the local prizes for guessing that this hotel sports István tér 10) This is a modern place and has
vintage. One of the best venues is the Garay an astrological theme. It’s by far the best information about concerts and other cul- AROUND SZEKSZÁRD
Pince (%412 828; Garay tér 19; h10am-5pm Mon-Thu, place in town, with large, modern 2nd- tural events taking place in the County Hall Gemenc Forest
9am-6pm Fri & Sat, 10am-2pm Sun), with some of floor rooms ‘parading’ themselves around courtyard, the New City Church (Újváros The Gemenc, a 180-sq-km flood forest
Szekszárd’s best wines for tasting and pur- an inner courtyard. templom) on Pázmány tér and the House of poplars, oxbow lakes and dikes 12km
chasing. Tourinform has a full list of wine Gemenc (%311 722; Mészáros Lázár utca 1; s 5550- of Arts. from Szekszárd, is part of the Danube-
cellars in town and a Wine Road Map of the 7700Ft, d 7500-10,700Ft; p) This may be an ugly Deutsche Bühne (Német Színház; % 316 533; Dráva National Park. Until engineers
surrounding area. hotel, but it’s centrally located and has all Garay tér 4) A Romantic-style German thea- removed some 60 curves in the Danube in
the usual amenities – restaurant, coffee tre from the early 20th century, still staging the mid-19th century, the Gemenc would
Festivals & Events shop, nightclub etc. More expensive rooms performances. flood to such a degree that the women of
Among the big events staged annually in come with mini-bar. ‘Szexard’ Polip youth office (%411 475; h1- the Sárköz region were forced to go to
Szekszárd are the Feast of Szekszárd Stew and 6pm Mon-Sat) For alternative culture, visit the Szekszárd’s market by boat. Under the
Wine in late June, the International Danube Folk- Eating ‘Szexard’ office to the rear of the cultural old regime, it was the favourite hunting
lore Festival jointly sponsored with Kalocsa Arany Kulacs (% 413 369; Nefelejcs köz 7; mains centre. Otherwise consult the free biweekly ground of communist leaders, who came
and Baja in mid-July, and the Szekszárd Wine 1500Ft) For fine dining and even finer wine, Szekszárdi Est magazine. here to shoot its famous red deer.
Days in late September. head for the ‘Golden Flask’. Once there, Today the backwaters, lakes and ponds
choose from picnic tables on a fairly barren Getting There & Away beyond the earthen dams, which were
Sleeping terrace (with partial views of the town) or BUS built by wealthy landowners to protect
For a town with such a pleasant atmos- the cellar-like surroundings inside. There are between nine and 14 daily de- their farms, offer sanctuary to red deer,
phere, Szekszárd has a surprising lack of Tiffany (%311 079; Nefelejcs köz 3-5; mains 1000- partures to Budapest (1820Ft, three hours, boar, black storks, herons and wood-
accommodation. Tourinform has a few pri- 1500Ft) Next door to Arany Kulacs is this 150km) and Pécs (786Ft, 1½ hours, 62km), peckers. Hunting is restricted to certain
vate rooms (from 3000Ft per person), on its small place, with an even smaller terrace. and at least five buses leave daily for Baja areas and you can visit the forest all year.
TRANSDANUBIA 284 S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • A r o u n d S z e k s z á r d www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • M o h á c s 285

TRANSDANUBIA
SOUTHERN

SOUTHERN
For information about hunting, contact the NARROW-GAUGE TRAIN of their money on lavish interior decoration Orientation
Hungarian National Hunting Protection Associ- A narrow-gauge train, which once carried and some of the most ornate (and Balkan- The centre of Mohács is located on the
ation (OMVV; %1-355 6180; www.vadaszativedegylet wood out of the Gemenc Forest, is a fun – looking) embroidered folk clothing in Hun- west bank of the Danube; residential New
.hu; II Medve utca 34-40) in Budapest. but difficult – way to go. The train runs gary. The house was built in 1836 from earth Mohács, or Újmohács, is on the opposite
from Bárányfok to Pörböly (one way/return and woven twigs, so that when the floods side of the river. Szabadság utca, the main
Sights & Activities adult 650/950Ft, child 450/700Ft, two came only the mud had to be replaced; check street, runs west from the Danube, begin-
The main entrance is at the Gemenc Excursion hours), some 30km to the south, once a out the ingenious porcelain ‘stove with eyes’ ning and ending with large war memorials
Centre (%74-312 552; h9.30am-5pm year-round) in day at 3.35pm from May to October. Two (concave circles radiate more heat). now in decay.
Bárányfok, about halfway down Keselyűsi other trains – at 10.40am and 1.35pm – go The bus station is on Rákóczi utca, only
út between Szekszárd and the forest. It of- only as far as the Gemenc-Dunapart (adult/ MOHÁCS a few minutes’ walk south of leafy Deák
fers activities such as coach rides for 1300Ft child 750/550Ft, 11km), where you’ll need %69 / pop 19,200 tér. The port’s train station is situated ap-
and can supply you with a map of walk- to change trains for Pörböly. Mohács is a sleepy little port on the Dan- proximately 1.5km north of the city cen-
ing and cycling trails through the forest. From Pörböly, a train leaves at 8.30am to ube that comes to life during the annual tre, near the Strandfürdő, at the far end of
(Keselyűsi út was once the longest stretch of Bárányfok (one way/return adult 650/950Ft, Busójárás festival, a pre-Lent free-for-all late Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca.
covered highway in the Austro-Hungarian child 450/700Ft, two hours). Two other in February or March when ‘devils’ come
Empire, when in the late 19th century mul- trains leave at 10am and 1.15pm, but they go out to play. The town is also a convenient Information
berry trees were planted along it to feed the only as far as the Gemenc Delta (one way/ gateway to Croatia and the beaches of the K&H bank (Szabadság utca 23) With ATM.
worms at the silk factory in Szekszárd.) return adult 450/750Ft, child 550/350Ft, 1¼ Adriatic, with the border crossing at Udvar OTP bank (Jókai Mór utca 1) Also with ATM.
Near the centre is a wooden hall, built hours, 19km). some 12km to the south. Post office (Széchenyi tér 2) In the southern wing of the
without nails for Archduke Franz Ferdinand The abridged trip in itself is worthwhile, The defeat of the Hungarian army by the Town Hall.
to keep his hunting trophies. It now houses weaving and looping around the Danube’s Turks here on 29 August 1526 was a water- Tourinform (%505 515; mohacs@tourinform.hu;
the Forest Museum (adult/child 600/300Ft; h10am- remaining bends, but it’s a good idea to shed in the nation’s history. With it came Széchenyi tér 1; h7.30am-4pm Mon-Fri, 9am-noon Sat
6pm Tue-Sun mid-Mar–Oct). The hall was exhibited double-check the times with Tourinform partition and foreign domination that would mid-Jun–mid-Sep; 7.30am-4pm Mon-Thu, 7.30am-1pm Fri
at the 1896 Millenary Exhibition in Buda- in Szekszárd, or with the train station at last almost five centuries. It is not an exag- mid-Sep–mid-Jun) Housed in the Moorish Town Hall.
pest and is now in its fourth location, most Pörböly (%74-491 483; www.gemencrt.hu; Bajai út 100) geration to say that the effects of the battle at www.mohacs.hu In Hungarian, with a small amount of
recently reassembled from Szent István tér before you set out. You wouldn’t want to Mohács can still be felt in Hungary today. information in English.
in Szekszárd by Polish labourers who – this be marooned in the Gemenc with a lot of
is not a Polish joke – used nails. hunters running wild. MOHÁCS 0 300 m
0 0.2 miles

Sleeping & Eating A B To Train C D

szky u
Station (750m)
LIVING TRADITIONS

Zsilin -
It’s possible to stay at the excursion centre

Bajcsy

Sz
en
in wooden bungalows (%74-410 151; 2/3 people

th
The isolation of areas like the Sárköz re-

ár
om
INFORMATION DRINKING
gion and the Ormánság region south of 8000/9000Ft), which have all the amenities of a

ság
1 K&H Bank....................................1 B3 Idesüss.......................................16 D3

Da
u
Szigetvár – places ‘somewhere behind the hotel. The Trófea (%74-712 552; mains from 1000Ft) OTP Bank....................................2 D3

nu
Post Office.................................(see 3) ENTERTAINMENT
back of God’, as the Hungarians call them – is a csárda (Hungarian-style restaurant),

be
Tourinform..................................3 C3 Béla Bartók Cultural Centre........17 C2

Ri
helped preserve folk customs and crafts near the entrance to the centre and opens

ve
5

r
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES TRANSPORT
Bartók
found nowhere else in Hungary. daily till 10pm. See p283 for information on Dorottya Kanizsai Museum..........4 u Station.................................18 B3
C3 BélaBus Szerb
u

In the Sárköz, lookout for local pottery buses from Szekszárd to the centre. Dorottya Kanizsai Museum 8

oh to
s
ác
M ry
Branch......................................5 C1

w Fer
decorated with birds, the distinctive black-

ori u

Vörösmarty u
Inner City Catholic Church...........6 D2

Ne ar
C
Sárköz Region

Tom
and-red striped woven fabric so common Mecsek Tours..............................7 D2 12

Szen
Lajos u Serbian Orthodox Church............8 C2

ὈὈ
that it was once used as mosquito net- The folkloric region of Sárköz, consisting of 7

tháro
Synagogue...................................9 C2
Votive Church............................10 C3 6
ting in this bug-infested region, and the five towns southeast of Szekszárd between 2 Szent

msá
Kossuth

u
Kazinczy Ferenc Mihály
unique írókázás fazékok (inscribed pots), Rte 56 and the Danube, is the centre of folk 11

gu
SLEEPING tér
Révkapu....................................11 D2
usually made as wedding gifts. weaving in Hungary. Öcsény is the largest

Sze
Vörösm a
War

nt
In the Ormánság, shepherds are famous town, but for the visitor the most interest- EATING Eötvö
su 9 Memorial

Ján
17
Halászcsárda..............................12 D2

Perényi
for the everyday items they carve from horn ing is Decs, with its high-walled cottages, late Szentháromság

os
Bakács u

rty u
Market.......................................13 C3 tér

u
2
Gothic Calvinist church and folk houses.

Táncsics u
or wood, including crooks, pocket mirror Piccolo.......................................14 C3

u
14 16
Szekeres.....................................15 B3
frames and shaving kits. The oaken trousseau The Sárköz became a very rich area after

Vár
4
gu 3
adsá

osh
Dóz

Jóka
chests, decorated with geometrical shapes flooding was brought under control in the To Pegazus Horse Farm (1km); sa G
yörg Szab Széchenyi tér

áz u
Mohács Historical yu 15

i Mó
Town
and made to hold the distinctive Ormánság mid-19th century. In a bid to protect their Memorial Site (6km)
Hall 13

ru
Rákócz
bridal brocaded skirts and ‘butterfly’ head- wealth and land, most families had only one 3 Deák
War
1 10
tér
dresses, are unique and superior to the child. And, judging from the displays at the Memorial

tulipán ládák (tulip chests) found in prosper- Regional Museum (Tájház; Kossuth utca 34-36; adult/child iu
Gªzhajó u
ous peasant houses elsewhere in Hungary. 150/75Ft; h9am-1pm Tue-Sun), located in a peas- To Béda-Karapancsa
18
ant house in Decs, these families spent a lot (7km); Udvar (12km)
TRANSDANUBIA 286 S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • M o h á c s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • S i k l ó s 287

TRANSDANUBIA
SOUTHERN

SOUTHERN
Sights the Csele hotel, is interesting. From here it’s shop, and Mohács is no exception. Szekeres (mostly whites) since the Romans settled
MOHÁCS HISTORICAL MEMORIAL SITE a short walk north to the Serbian Orthodox fits the bill here, with delectable cakes and here at a place they called Seres. These
This historical Memorial Site (Mohácsi Történelmi church (Szentháromság utca 33), which was built rich ice cream. days the town itself doesn’t have much
Emlékhely; %382 130; adult/child 550/350Ft; h9am- in 1732 and until WWI served a very large Fresh produce, food stalls and tacky aside from its hilltop castle, but it’s cer-
6pm Tue-Sun May-Sep, 10am-4pm Wed-Sun Apr & Oct), local congregation of Serbs. The church’s knick-knacks are all available at the town’s tainly worth dropping in on your journey
west of Rte 56 at Sátorhely (literally ‘en- icons and ceiling frescoes date from the market, just west of Jókai Mór utca. between the spa at Harkány and the wine
campment’) about 6km southwest of Mo- 18th century. cellars of Villány.
hács, was opened in 1976 to mark the In the courtyard of the old synagogue (Eötvös Drinking & Entertainment
450th anniversary of the battle. It’s a fit- utca 1), a large monument featuring stars of Idesüss (Jókai Mór utca 2) The makeshift pavilion Orientation
ting memorial to the dead: over 100 carved David, menorahs, tablets and inscriptions in of Idesüss is as good a place as any to enjoy The town centre of Siklós runs from the bus
wooden markers in the shape of bows, ar- Hungarian and Hebrew honours the Jewish a korsó (pint) or two during the evening. station (Szent István tér) along Felszabadulás
rows, lances and heads lean this way and victims of fascism. Béla Bartók Cultural Centre (%510 357; Vörös- utca to Kossuth tér. Siklós Castle stands
that over a common grave that was only marty utca 3), north of Széchenyi tér, has staff watch over the town from the hill to the
discovered in the early 1970s. Above the en- Activities who can fill you in on what’s happening in west. The main train station is northeast of
trance, a carved sign poignantly announces: The Béda-Karapancsa, a 100-sq-km woodland Mohács. Kossuth tér at the end of Táncsics Mihály
‘Here began the deterioration of a strong some 7km southeast of Mohács, is where utca. The town’s other train station, Siklósi-
Hungary.’ Explanations of the battle are in locals head to fish, hike and bike. Like the Getting There & Away szőlők, northwest of the centre on the road
Hungarian, but free audio guides in English Gemenc Forest, it’s part of the Danube- BUS to Máriagyűd, is more convenient to the
and German are available. Dráva National Park. Purchase a good map Bus services from Mohács aren’t as fre- bus station.
of the area, such as Béda-Karapancsai táj- quent as other towns, but to Pécs (544Ft,
DOROTTYA KANIZSAI MUSEUM egység (Béda-Karapancsa Region; 800Ft), 1¼hours, 44km) and Baja (605Ft, one hour, Information
This museum (%311 536; Városház utca 1; adult/child from Tourinform; unfortunately there is 47km) they leave almost hourly. Other des- OTP bank (Felszabadulás utca 60-62)
250/120Ft; h 10am-4pm Tue-Sat Apr-Oct), named nowhere in town to hire bicycles. tinations include Budapest (2410Ft, four Post office (Flórián tér 1)
after the heroic noblewoman from Siklós You can rent horses at the Pegazus Horse hours, 200km, six daily), Villány (423Ft, Tett-Hely (Kossuth tér 3; per hr 100Ft; h2-5pm Mon-Fri)
who presided over the burial of the dead Farm (%301 244; Eszéki út 2), south of the city one hour, 30km, three daily), Siklós (544Ft; Internet access is available here.
after the battle at Mohács, has two branches, centre on the road to the Mohács battle 1½ hours, 44km, three daily), Harkány Tourinform (%579 090; siklos@tourinform.hu;
both open the same hours. site. If you’re into wine, pick up a copy of (846Ft, 1½ hours, 66km, five daily), Kalocsa Felszabadulás utca 3; h8am-4pm Mon-Fri) It has
The smaller branch at Szerb utca 2 (ask the Mohács-Bóly White Wine Route leaf- (544Ft, one hour, 43km, one daily Monday information on wine makers in the area, and plans are
for the key at the museum’s other branch), let from Tourinform. It pinpoints about a to Saturday), Szeged (1930Ft, 3¼ hours, afoot to offer wine tours.
near the Serbian Orthodox church, is de- dozen villages in the area where you can 152km, seven daily) and Szekszárd (605Ft,
voted entirely to the 1526 battle. It’s a well- sample the local drop. one hour, 49km, five daily). Sights
balanced exhibit, with both the Turks and SIKLÓS CASTLE
the Hungarians getting the chance to tell Sleeping TRAIN Though the original foundations of Siklós
their side of the story. The museum’s main Accommodation is almost nonexistent in Mohács is linked by rail with Villány Castle (Vár körút; adult/child 660/330Ft; h9am-6pm
branch, near the town hall, has a large col- Mohács. Révkapu (%311 129; mvgv@dravanet.hu; (264Ft, 25 minutes, 24km) and Pécs (544Ft, Tue-Sun Apr-Oct, 9am-4pm Tue-Sun Nov-Mar) date
lection of costumes worn by the Sokác, Szent János utca 1; s/d 5000/6000Ft; p), next to 1¼ hours, 60km) and there are up to seven from the mid-13th century, what you see
Slovenes, Serbs, Croats, Bosnians and Swa- the ferry, with clean, spacious and mod- trains a day to these places. To get anywhere when you look up from the town is an
bians who repopulated this devastated area ern rooms, is about your only choice. The else, the bus is the best – indeed, often the 18th-century baroque palace, girdled by
in the 17th century. The distinctive (and, restaurant (mains 1000Ft) is simple, but its only – option. 15th-century walls and bastions. The castle
to some, ugly) grey-black pottery of Mo- terrace is perfect for watching all the ferry has changed hands many times since it was
hács and the various devil’s- or ram’s-head comings and goings. Getting Around built by the Siklósi family and, until very
masks worn at the Busójárás festival are Buses for any of the following towns will recently, it was the longest continuously
also on display. Eating let you off at the Mohács battle site: Nagy- inhabited castle in the country. Its most
Halászcsárda (%322 542; Szent Mihály tér 5; mains nyárád, Majs, Lippó, Bezedek and Mag- famous occupant was the reformer Count
OTHER SIGHTS 1500Ft) Easily the best place in town to dine. yarbóly (133Ft). A year-round car ferry Kázmér Batthyány (1807–54), among the
The city’s other sights amount to a hand- It has a beautiful terrace overlooking the (130/660Ft per person/car) links Szent first of the nobility to free his serfs. He
ful of houses of worship. The Byzantine- Danube and a dozen different fish dishes on Mihály tér with residential New Mohács – joined the independence struggle of 1848
style Votive Church (Fogadalmi templom; Széchenyi the menu; the only drawback is the resident and the start of the Great Plain – across the and was made prime minister of Hungary’s
tér) was erected in 1926 for the 400th an- band churning out tacky folk music. Danube to the east. new parliamentary government.
niversary of the battle and looks not un- Piccolo (%322 097; Szabadság utca 24; pizzas under Walk to the castle either from Kos-
like a mosque. It has some contemporary 800Ft) In a small courtyard, this is an upbeat, SIKLÓS suth tér via Batthyány Kázmér utca, or up
frescoes of the event and inspired modern friendly and popular pizzeria. %72 / pop 10,300 Váralja utca from Szent István tér, near the
stained-glass windows in its large dome. Szekeres (Dózsa György utca 2; ice cream 100Ft; Protected from the north, east and west bus station. The drawbridge leads to the
The pulpit in the baroque Inner City Cath- h9am-6pm) No self-respecting town would by the Villány Hills, Siklós, Hungary’s entrance at the barbican, which is topped
olic Church (1776), on Szent Mihály tér near do without a quality ice-cream and cake southernmost town, has been making wine with loopholes and a circular lookout.
TRANSDANUBIA 288 S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • S i k l ó s , M á r i a g y ű d & H a r k á n y www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • S i k l ó s 289

TRANSDANUBIA
SOUTHERN

SOUTHERN
You can also explore the castle and enjoy Sleeping & Eating

To Villány
(13km);
Mohács
(40km)
1 km

Siklós Main
Train Station
0.5 miles

Siklós

Town Hall
some fine views of the Villány Hills from Accommodation and eating options are

Széchenyi u

Vörösmarty u
Batthyány Kázmér u
ὈὈ
ὈὈ
ὈὈ
18
along the promenade, linking the four slim on the ground; Tourinform has a small

Kossuth
tér
mostly derelict towers. list of private rooms in town.

34
u
Mária bo
ru
The castle’s main attraction, the Castle Központi (%352 513; www.kozponti.hu; Kossuth

400 m
u
F

Gá ross

9
György
Dózsa

Baross Gábor u
su

0.2 miles
Ba

26

Enlargement
ulá

Siklós
Museum (Vármúzeum), is in the south tér 5; s/d from 6800/8800Ft, pa) Finally, after

8
ad

See Siklós

21
ab

16
lsz

wing. To the right as you enter the main years of renovation, Központi is open for
Fe
5

39
door is an unusual exhibit devoted to the business, and Siklós is once again the proud

12
20
6
7
0
0

manufacture and changing styles of gloves, owner of a hotel. Its rooms are in tip-top

38
Siklósi-szªlªk
t
Flórián

t
iú fans and umbrellas since the Middle Ages. shape but lack warmth. There’s a sauna,

Train Station

nyi ú
¬d

35
au
tér

ralj Gy
Vá The exhibit’s emphasis is very much on Jacuzzi and fitness room for guest use, and

Harká
42

the Hamerli and Hunor factories at Pécs, a restaurant (mains 1000-1500Ft) with an
István
Szent
36

tér

0
0
which produced some of Europe’s finest exclusively Hungarian menu.
kid gloves in the 19th century. The cellar Hamburger (Felszabadulás utca 22; h9am-6pm)
E

contains barely recognisable stone frag- Despite its savoury name, this cake shop is
ments from Roman, Gothic and Renais- still going strong, with its delicious selec-
Máriagy¬d

út
t

sance times. Most of the 1st floor is now tion of sweet things.
si ú

ányi
15 11

Péc

Hark
a modern art gallery, and don’t miss the The market, with everything from knock-
19

40

Járó Péter u wonderful Sigismund Hall (Zsigmond-terem) off jeans and trainers to čevapčiči (spicy
with its Renaissance fireplace and star- meatballs) is just west of the bus station.
vaulted, enclosed balcony. For something close to the bus station
Bike Rental....................(see 25)
C3
A1
A1
C3
A1

A2

A1
B1
B1

B1

Harkány Bus Station.........41 B2


F2

F1
E3
E1

F3

Borozó.............................39 F2
Borozó.............................40 E2

Siklós Bus Station..............42 E1

To the right of the museum entrance, and Siklósi-szőlők train station, try either
Baranya............................24
Hotel Korona....................25
Központi..........................26
Platán..............................27
Siesta Apartman Club......28
Suzi..................................29
Thermál Camping............30
Xavin...............................31

Amadeus.........................32
Food Stalls........................33
Hamburger.......................34
Maestro...........................35
Market.............................36
Robinson..........................37
Tenkes.............................38

two doors lead to the dark and spooky cells – of the following:
D

a real dungeon if ever there was one. The Tenkes (%352 900; Felszabadulás utca 65/a; mains
út
walls here are several metres thick, and 900-1500Ft) Pleasant restaurant that specialises in fish.
TRANSPORT

up to five grilles on the window slits dis- Maestro (%579 206; Felszabadulás utca 69; pizzas &
DRINKING

si
SLEEPING

Sikló

couraged any would-be escapers. Wood- pasta from 500Ft) A more basic eatery, serving mainly
EATING

cuts on the walls of the upper dungeon Italian fast food.


explain how various torture devices were
Harkány Cultural House...(see 4)
A1
A2

Entrance to Baths.............13 A1
Entrance to Baths.............14 A2

Thermal Baths & Pools.....22 A1


Vadrózsa......................... 23 A3
B1
B1

B4

Main Entrance to Baths....17 B1


F1
F1
F1
F2
F2

Calvary Chapel.................11 E1
Ceramic House.................12 F2

Former Franciscan Church..15 E1


Franciscan Church............16 F2

Malkocs Bej Mosque........18 F2


Máriagy¬di Bajor Pince.....19 E1
Siklós Castle & Museums..20 F2
Strand Pools.....................21 F4
To Tenkes-

used. After this, the Gothic chapel (%579 Drinking


hegy

Harkány K&H Bank............1


Harkány OTP Bank.............2
Harkány Post Office...........3
Harkány Tourinform..........4
Siklós K&H Bank.................5
Siklós OTP Bank.................6
Siklós Post Office................7
Siklós Tourinform...............8
Tett-Hely...........................9
Tour Chance....................10

353; admission free; appointment needed) is a vision You should really save the wine tasting for
of heaven itself, with its brilliant arched Villány and the cellars at Villánykövesd, but
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
C

27

windows behind the altar, web vaulting if you want to sample a glass here, try the
INFORMATION

To Lantos Lovastanya;

on the ceiling and 15th-century frescoed little borozó (wine bar) in the castle court-
Gordisa (7km)

niches. yard. It also serves snacks.


30

Harkány
Enlargement
See Harkány
58

Other Sights & Activities Getting There & Away


SIKLÓS, MÁRIAGY−D & HARKÁNY

u ila
The 15th-century Gothic Franciscan church on Generally you won’t wait more than 30
To Pécs
(26km)

Att
Kossuth Lajos u sef
58

Józ Vajda János tér is south of the castle but minutes for buses to Pécs (363Ft, 45 min-
still within its walls; its cloister is now the utes, 29km) or Harkány (133Ft, 10 minutes,
ὈὈ
ὈὈ
10

Ceramic House (Kerámia Alkotóház; Vajda János tér 4; 8km); hourly buses leave for Máriagyűd
Ady Endre
To Sellye
(35km)
B

admission 100Ft; h10am-5pm mid-Apr–Sep). and Villány (182Ft, 20 minutes, 14km). For
Ferenc

41
Liszt

If you walk down Batthyány Kázmér utca Mohács (544Ft, 1½ hours, 44km), count on
25 tér
To Platán

2
Hotel

past the little statue of the heroic Dorottya between five and 10 buses a day. Other desti-
Train Station
24

on Open-Air

Harkány

yu
Theatre

0.3 miles

szk
silin Kanizsai, you’ll come to the 16th-century nations include Szigetvár (907Ft, 2¼ hours,
500 m

y-Z
ny

s
Bajc
á

Malkocs Bej Mosque (Malkocs bej dzsámija; %579 279; 71km, one to three daily) and Sellye (544Ft,
33

ét

eu
1

s
17

14 dy

Rheumatism dr

u
Hospital y En

Vörösmarty utca 14; adult/child 200/100Ft; h9am-5pm 1¼ hours, 40km, Monday to Friday three
fi
m


sig

Ad

tér Pe
23
To Thermál

Tue-Sun Apr-Sep; happointment needed Oct-Mar). Now daily, Saturday and Sunday two daily).
Széchenyi
Gyógyfürdª

Z
la u
Camping

22
é

beautifully restored, the mosque houses Up to seven trains a day connect Sik-
ók B

37

4
Bart

temporary exhibits. lós with Villány (182Ft, 21 minutes, 19km;


13
28

su
A

ajo If the sticky summer days become too change here for Mohács or Pécs), Máriagyűd
City Art

hL
Gallery

sut
31
3

Calvinist

Kos
Harkány

32
Church

Ara os u

much, join the locals at the Strand Pools (100Ft, four minutes, 2km), Harkány (100Ft,
29

ny

Aradi út
Ján

0
0

(%579 840; Baross Gábor utca; adult/child 500/350Ft; 10 minutes, 7km) and Sellye (346Ft, 1¼
h10am-7pm Sun-Thu, 10am-8pm Fri & Sat Jun-Aug) hours, 39km). All trains heading east or
2

3
1

south of the centre. west pass through both of Siklós’ stations.


TRANSDANUBIA 290 S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • A r o u n d S i k l ó s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • A r o u n d S i k l ó s 291

TRANSDANUBIA
SOUTHERN

SOUTHERN
AROUND SIKLÓS German-language services, often with ac- peasant from Máriagyűd who cured himself Other Activities
Máriagyűd companying oompah band music. of swollen joints by soaking in a hot spring You can ride horses (3500Ft per hr) or hire
%72 Máriagyűdi Bajor Pince (%351 143; Tenkes utca he had discovered here. The Batthyány a coach (6000Ft per hr) at Vadrózsa (%479
The former Franciscan church (% 579 000; 14; hnoon-3.30pm), in an old cellar in the family recognised the potential almost im- 141; Széchenyi tér 30/c) northwest of the centre,
Vujicsics Tihamér utca 66; admission free; h8am-7pm square just below the church, is a good mediately, erecting bathing huts in 1824 off Petőfi utca, and at Lantos Lovastanya (%480
Mon-Sat, 7.30am-7pm Sun mid-Apr–mid-Oct, 9am-5pm place to sample some of Siklós’ white wines. near the source of the spring, and since 077) near the village of Gordisa, 7km south of
Mon-Sat, 7am-3pm Sun mid-Oct–mid-Apr) at the top If it’s closed and your thirst is getting the then the town has never looked back. Harkány. Bike rental (400/1600Ft per hour/
of this small village to the northwest of better of you, the simple borozó, just to the day) is available from the Korona Hotel
Siklós has been a place of pilgrimage for south, should suffice. From here, you can ORIENTATION during summer, and cruises (adult/child
800 years. You can make your own way to start a 6km hike up and around the 408m- Harkány is essentially the Gyógyfürdő, a 1200/900Ft) on the Dráva River running
it from Siklós by walking for about 3km high Tenkes-hegy (Mt Tenkes). 12-hectare green square filled with pools, along the border to Croatia can be organised
along Gyűdi út and Pécs út before turning fountains and walkways, and bordered by through Tourinform or Tour Chance (%480
north on Járó Péter utca when the church’s Harkány hotels and holiday homes of every descrip- 272; www.tourchance.hu; Táncsics Mihály utca 54/a).
two towers come into view (or hopping on %72 / pop 3300 tion. The four streets defining the ther-
a Máriagyűd- or Harkány-bound bus). There is no denying that Harkány is a spa mal complex are Bartók Béla utca to the SLEEPING
Máriagyűd was on the old trade route town; literally everything centres on the north, Ady Endre utca to the south, Bajcsy- Even though Harkány has an incredible
between Pécs and Eszék (now Osijek in 62°C spring (which has the richest sul- Zsilinszky utca (with most of the hotels) array of hotels and pensions to suit all bud-
Croatia) and a church has stood here since phuric content in Hungary and accounts to the east, and Kossuth Lajos utca, with gets, it pays to book over holiday periods as
the mid-12th century. Today’s church is for the occasionally strong whiff of ‘rotten several restaurants, to the west. places can fill up quickly.
a large 18th-century affair with modern eggs’) that bubbles up from the ground. Of The bus station (Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca)
frescoes on the ceiling, baroque painted course, all that means crowds (well over is at the southeast corner of the park. The Budget
altars, some beautifully carved pews and 100,000 Hungarian, German, Croatian train station is to the northwest on Petőfi Tourinform has a comprehensive list of pri-
the main object of devotion, Mary and the and Serbian visitors in the high season: utca, which branches off from Kossuth vate rooms and apartments from 3000Ft
Christ Child in gold and silver over the June to September), lángos (deep-fried Lajos utca. and will make bookings.
main altar. The most interesting time to dough with toppings) and gyros (meat Thermál Camping (%480 117; Bajcsy-Zsilinszky
visit is on Sunday or on a búcsú (a patron’s skewers) stalls in spades. But you might INFORMATION utca 6; camp sites per person/tent 700/700Ft, bungalows
festival – the Virgin Mary has lots of them) like it. People come to Harkány to social- Harkány Cultural House (Harkányi Művelődési Ház; for up to 4 people 8000Ft, pension d 3500Ft, hotel d 5000Ft;
when merchants set up their stalls beside ise, and the town is on the western edge of %480 459; Kossuth Lajos utca 2/a; h9.45am-5.45pm hmid-Mar–mid-Oct) This lush, green camping
the church (see boxed text, below). the Villány-Siklós region, so there is plenty Mon-Thu, 10am-2pm Fri; Internet access per hr 200Ft) ground is an easy walk to the pools and
Mass is conducted in Hungarian at the of wine about. K&H bank (Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca) Has a bureau de a jack-of-all-trades, with tent sites, bun-
Calvary Chapel, but at the outdoor altar on It’s a wonder however that no statue change at the main entrance to the spa. galows, pension rooms with kitchens and
the hill above it, just as many people attend stands in honour of János Pogány, a poor OTP bank (Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca) standard hotel rooms.
Post office (Kossuth Lajos utca 57)
Tourinform (%479 624; harkany@tourinform.hu; Midrange
FAREWELL TO ALL THAT Kossuth Lajos utca 2/a; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1pm Suzi (%70-205 53 56; www.harkanyapartman.hu; Kos-
The word búcsú (church patronal festival) derives from the ancient Turkish for ‘absolution’, or Sat mid-Jun–mid-Sep, 9am-4pm Mon-Fri mid-Sep–mid- suth Lajos utca 55/20; d €25-27, tr €32-35; p) This
‘the forgiveness of sins’. From medieval times it has taken on the additional meaning of ‘pilgrim- Jun) Has an office at the Harkány Cultural House. newly built apartment complex has stylish
age’ in Hungarian. www.harkany.hu Information about the spa in and immaculate rooms, with wood floors
Búcsúk were usually linked with an icon or statue in a particular church, such as the Black Hungarian and German. and warm, bright colours. A fully equipped
Madonnas at Andocs, north of Kaposvár, and Máriapócs (p361), near Nyírbátor in the Northeast. kitchen comes with each apartment.
They could also honour the name of a church’s patron saint. People would march, often for days, ACTIVITIES Xavin (% 479 399; www.xavin.hu; Kossuth Lajos
to the holy place carrying banners and singing. Local people would accommodate and feed Thermal Spa utca 43; s/d 8200/12,200Ft; ps) Away from most
the pilgrims for little, or nothing. Often the faithful would spend the night in the church itself, The main entrance to Harkány’s thermal of the hustle and bustle, this three-star hotel
believing that the absolution – or the cure – was more likely to occur in sleep. baths (Gyógyfürdő; %480 251; day ticket adult/child has cosy, open rooms and its own indoor
Over the centuries búcsúk took on a more secular tone. Merchants would set up their stalls from 1790/1090Ft, week ticket 10,740/6540Ft; h9am- pool with stress-relieving sauna.
around the church, selling not only relics and religious articles but clothing, food and drinks as 6pm year-round) and outside pools (adult/child Hotel Korona (%580 830; www.hotels.hu/korona;
well. Showmen, buskers and musicians entertained the crowds and, in some places, there was 550/400Ft; h9am-10pm mid-Jun–Aug, 9am-6pm Sun- Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca 3; r 10,000-14,000Ft; p) There
even a ‘bride market’ with hopeful young women appearing with their full dowries. While the Thu, 9am-8pm Fri & Sat Sep–mid-Jun), which are may have been a name change but this hotel
old and infirm congregated in the church to touch and venerate the holy picture or statue, the meant to cure just about every ailment housed in an Art-Deco sanatorium once
young remained outside for the entertainment. under the sun, is on Bajcsy-Zsilinszky used by Communist Party honchos is still
As it happens, búcsú has yet another meaning in Hungarian: ‘farewell’. Thus the Budapesti utca. The services here range from drink- one of the best options in town. It has a
Búcsú (Budapest Goodbye) every June marking the departure of the last Soviet soldier from Hun- ing cures and mud massages to an enticing certain charm and lovely grounds, but most
garian soil in 1991 has a double meaning: it is both a raging party paying homage to hedonism ‘wine foam bath’, but it’s just as enjoyable clientele aren’t the sprightliest.
and a ‘goodbye’ to the last of the much-despised occupiers. to swim in the 38°C outdoor pool, espe- Baranya (%480 160; www.hotelbaranya.hu; Bajcsy-
cially in cool weather. Zsilinszky utca 5; s/d 5300/8100Ft; p) Spreading
TRANSDANUBIA 292 S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • V i l l á n y www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • O r m á n s á g R e g i o n 293

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itself across three buildings – each with its Monday. There are also services to Munich h9am-5pm Tue-Sun), housed in a 200-year-old
own distinct character – is Baranya. A solid and Stuttgart at 1.30pm on Thursday and tithe cellar, has a collection of 19th-century WINE TOWNS APLENTY
bet, with homely rooms directly opposite 2.30pm on Sunday. wine-producing equipment, such as barrels Villány may win the prize for most wine
the baths’ main entrance. and hand corkers. Downstairs in the cellars, cellars per square kilometre, but it by
Siesta Apartman Club (%480 611; siesta.chotel@ Train Villány’s celebrated wines age in enormous no means has a monopoly in the region.
hsch-szallodalanc.hu; Kossuth Lajos utca 17; s 5000-6800Ft, By rail from Harkány, you can reach Sellye casks, and vintage bottles dating from 1895 Harkány and Siklós have their fair share,
d 6700-8900Ft; p) Siesta is more than handy (346Ft, 1¼ hours, 32km, up to four times to 1971 are kept in safes. There’s a small but both towns lack atmosphere; if you’re
to the spa’s Kossuth Lajos entrance, and daily) to the west. There are also up to six shop at the entrance selling Villány and Sik- heading east from either town, you’d be
while the place has seen better days, its trains daily to Siklós (100Ft, 10 minutes, lós wines, some of them vintage and among better off stopping in at the cellars of
rooms are close to spotless and still in good 7km) and Villány (264Ft, 32 minutes, the best labels available in Hungary. Nagytótfalu, Kisharsány or Nagyharsány,
condition. 26km) to the east. Change at Villány for You can sample wines in many of the around 7km east of Siklós.
Platán (% 480 507; www.hotelplatan.hu; Bartók Mohács or Pécs. family cellars that line Baross Gábor utca, Arguably the best place for tastings
Béla utca 15; s/d from €20/29; p) This is a quiet, including Pólya at No 58, Szende at No is in the cellars cut into the loess soil at
60-room hotel in two former trade union VILLÁNY 87 and Fritsch at No 97. They’re nor- Villánykövesd, about 3.5km northwest of
holiday houses to the east of town. Rates %72 / pop 2750 mally open 9am to 6pm daily; expect to Villány along the road to Pécs. Cellars line
depend on the season, the building and Some 13km northeast of Siklós and domi- pay around 1100/2200Ft to sample four/ the main street (Petőfi út) and the nar-
whether the room has a balcony. nated by Szársomlyó-hegy (422m) to the eight wines. The best time to visit is dur- row lane (Pincesor) above it. Along Petőfi
west, Villány is a village of vineyards; in fact ing the September harvest, when the town út, try the deep Polgár cellar at No 51 or
EATING it’s one of Hungary’s principal producers of is a hive of activity. Human chains pass Baschta at No 63. On Pincesor, No 14-15
Most visitors eat at their hotel’s or pension’s wine. And by the looks of the buildings in buckets of grapes from trucks to big ma- is the cellar of master vintner Imre Tiffán,
restaurant, of which there are more than the village centre, it’s surviving very nicely chines that chew off the vines, reduce the while Schwarzwalter is at No 16 and Blum at
enough. Unfortunately the quality is not on plonk, thank you very much. fruit to a soggy mass and pump the must – No 24. The cellars keep odd hours, so it’s a
always up to scratch but you’re certainly Villány also has its place in the an- the unfermented grape juice – into enor- hit-or-miss proposition.
not going to starve. nals of Hungarian history. In 1687 it was mous casks. Another 5km further on from Vil-
Xavin (%479 399; Kossuth Lajos utca 43; mains 1200- the site of what is known as the ‘second lánykövesd is the tiny village of Palkonya
2000Ft) The well-established restaurant of the battle of Mohács’, a ferocious confronta- Sleeping & Eating with its two cellars and rural vibe.
Xavin hotel, it has silver service and an ex- tion in which the Turks got their come- There are plenty of signs advertising private
tensive wine list. uppance: they were driven southward by the rooms in Villány.
Robinson (%580 090; Kossuth Lajos utca 7; mains Hungarians and slaughtered in the Dráva Gere (%492 195; www.gere.hu; Diófás tér 4; s/d a couple of hundred metres past the train
1000-1500Ft) For a decent sit-down meal, try marshes. Serbs and Swabians moved in 8000/10,600Ft; p ) You shouldn’t miss the station, is a good place to stop for a bite on
this place, with its Caribbean-themed décor after the Turkish occupation and viticulture chance to stay at this eight-room pen- your way to/from Villánykövesd.
and mixed menu of Hungarian dishes and resumed. sion, near the main road. Rooms are big Júlia (%702 610; Baross Gábor utca 73b; mains
Italian cuisine. and cosy, there’s a peaceful garden to laze 1000-2000Ft) An intimate little restaurant that
Amadeus (Kossuth Lajos utca 12; ice cream from 90Ft; Orientation around in, and its fine restaurant serves serves excellent veal pörkölt (stew), has wine
h9am-7pm) For something sweet on a hot Villány is essentially just one main street, some of the best wine in these parts. tasting and plans to open rooms for accom-
day, head to Amadeus, an ice-cream and Baross Gábor utca. The bus stops in the Kövári (%492 117; Rákóczi utca 25; s/d 3000/6000Ft; modation on the top floor.
cake store near Tourinform. centre of the village, near the ABC super- p) This small pension is more like Grand-
market and the Town Hall. The train sta- ma’s big, rambling house in the coun- Getting There & Away
GETTING THERE & AWAY tion is about 1200m to the north on Ady tryside, with oil heating-stoves and old, There are only two buses a day to Pécs, and
Bus Endre fasor, en route to Villánykövesd. mismatched furniture, where guests are seven to Siklós, Harkány and the villages
While buses depart once or twice an hour assured of a warm, hearty welcome. Every- in between. Villánykövesd can be reached
for Siklós (133Ft, 10 minutes, 8km) and Pécs Information thing is spotlessly clean and there’s a huge five times daily on weekdays but only
(484Ft, one hour, 37km), other destinations OTP bank (Baross Gábor utca 27) With ATM. garden out back. twice daily on Saturday. Trains run east to
are not so well served. There is only one bus Post office (Vörösmarty utca 2) Next to the Oportó Cabernet (%493 200; www.hotelcabernet.hu; Petőfi Mohács (264Ft, 25 minutes, 24km), west
a day to Baja (1450Ft, 2¾hours, 116km), restaurant in the centre. utca 29; s/d from 9000/11,000Ft; p) Cabernet, in to Siklós (182Ft, 21 minutes, 19km) and
Sellye (423Ft, one hour, 34km, weekdays), Villány-Siklós Wine Route Association (%492 Villánykövesd, is worth considering if you Harkány (264Ft, 32 minutes, 26km), north
Szekszárd (1150Ft, 2¼ hours, 95km) and 181; www.borut.hu; Deák Ferenc utca 22; h8am-4pm really want to stay in the centre of the wine to Pécs (346Ft, 45 minutes, 36km) and
Mohács (846Ft, 1½ hours, 69km). Mon-Fri) Just north of the bus station, it produces the area. It has 25 rooms, a restaurant and does south to Sarajevo.
In summer, buses to Stuttgart via Munich handy Villány-Siklós Wine-Route booklet covering places to wine tasting.
leave Harkány on Thursday at 1.30pm and buy and sample local wines in the region. It also organises Oportó (Baross Gábor utca 33; mains 1500Ft) Oportó ORMÁNSÁG REGION
Sunday at 2.30pm. They arrive in the Ger- wine tours. is the town’s large, central restaurant, with a About 30km west of Harkány, this plain
man city at 6.30am on Friday and 7.30am vine-covered terrace. A huge choice of wines was prone to flooding by the Dráva River
on Monday, respectively. Buses also go Sights & Activities accompanies its selective Hungarian menu. for centuries. That and the area’s isolation
to Frankfurt via Pécs and Nuremberg at The Wine Museum (Bormúzeum; %492 130; Bem Fülemüle Csárda (%492 939; Ady Endre fasor; are reflected in its unusual architecture, folk
1.30pm on Sunday, arriving there at 8am on József utca 8; admission free, wine tastings for groups only; mains 1200-2000Ft) This lovely old farm house, ways and distinct dialect. Couples usually
TRANSDANUBIA 294 S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • P é c s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • P é c s 295

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had just one child since, under the land- 31km, one daily); however, if you catch the PÉCS 0
0
300 m
0.2 miles
tenure system here, peasants were not al- train, you must change at Szentlörinc. The To Zoo (2.5km); To Toboz
Sz
ªl Magaslati út
lowed to enlarge their holdings. That’s not train from Harkány to Vajszló and Sellye A TV Tower (4km) B (400m)
ª
u 38 C D
20
the only reason why the area’s talpás házak (346Ft, 1¼ hours, 32km, up to four daily) INFORMATION Zsolnay Fountain.......................33 C5 ENTERTAINMENT
Corvina Art Bookshop..............(see 63) Zsolnay Porcelain Museum.........34 B3 Bóbita Puppet Theatre...............58 D4
are so small; these ‘footed houses’ were built involves no change. See the Harkány sec- Ibusz............................................1 C4 Chamber Theatre.......................59 C5 Tettye
on rollers so that they could be dragged to tion for more information. 1 M&M Exchange...........................2 C4 SLEEPING Club 5....................................... 60 C6
Main Post Office..........................3 B6 Abraham................................... 35 D5 CRN.......................................... 61 C6
dry land in the event of flooding. Mecsek Tours..............................4 C5 Centrum.....................................36 B4 Croatian Theatre........................62 C3
PÉCS

Hu
OTP Bank....................................5 A5 Diana.........................................37 C5 House of Artists..........................63 B5
út

nya
Regional Hospital.........................6 A5 Fenyves Panoráma.....................38 C1 gasPécs lati Cultural Centre...................64 C5
Sellye %72 / pop 162,500

di J
Tourinform...................................7 B4 Fªnix.........................................39 C4Ma Pécs National Theatre................65 C4

áno
%73 / pop 3200 Blessed with a mild climate, an illustrious Lenau Haus................................40 C5 Theatre Ticket Office................. 66 C5

s
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES Palatinus....................................41 C4

u
In Sellye, the ‘capital’ of the Ormánság re- past and a number of fine museums and All Saints' Church........................ 8 D2 Pollack Mihály College...............42 B5 SHOPPING

Kisboldogas s
gion, a representative ‘footed house’ con- monuments, Pécs is the jewel of Southern Barbican.......................................9 A4
Basilica of St Peter......................10 A4 EATING
Blazek........................................67 C5
Zsolnay......................................68 B5
structed of mortar, lime and a wooden Transdanubia, if not all provincial Hun- Bishop’s Palace..........................11 A4 Áfium........................................ 43 C5
Church of St Stephen................. 12 D4 Aranyfolyó.................................44 A5 TRANSPORT
frame sits behind the Géza Kiss Ormánság gary. For these reasons and more, many on

z
Church of the Good Samaritan..13 C5 Aranykacsa................................45 B5 Bus Station................................ 69 D6 yu
Museum (% 480 201; Köztársaság tér 6; admission travellers put it second to Budapest on their 2 City History Museum................. 14 D5 Árkád Shopping Centre............. 46 C6 MÁV office................................70 B5
Csontváry Museum....................15 B4 Az Elefánthoz.............................47 B5
150Ft; h10am-4pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct, 10am-2pm Nov- ‘must-see’ list.

ye u
Early Christian Tomb Chapel......16 A4 Cellárium.................................(see 39)
Mar). The house has the typical three rooms Lying equidistant from the Danube and

Tett
Endre Nemes Museum...............17 B4 Cutty Sark Teaház......................48 B4
Mihály u

Zöldfa u
Ethnography Museum...............18 A6 Dóm..........................................49 C4
but includes some big differences not nor- Dráva Rivers on a plain sheltered from Ferenc Martyn Museum.............19 B4 Mecsek......................................50 C4

Vin
8
mally associated with traditional dwellings: northern winds by the Mecsek Hills, Pécs Garden of Ruins.........................20 D1 Oázis.........................................51 C4 Mandula u

ce u
Dr
Hullám.......................................21 A6 Tex-Mex Café............................52 B5 M
the parlour was actually lived in; the front enjoys an extended summer and is an ideal ajo

eu
Janus Pannonius Archaeology Virág......................................... 53 C5 ro Antal u s
room was a ‘smoke kitchen’ – without a place for viticulture and fruit and nut grow-

Tetty
Museum.................................22 B4

sy Imre u
Jug Mausoleum..........................23 B4 DRINKING Sz
ªlª u
chimney; and, to keep mosquitoes at bay, ing, especially almonds. But for the visi- Marcipán Museum.................... 24 D4 Arizona Ranch........................... 54 D4 u Kálvária

what few windows the house had were tor, the capital of Baranya County, Pécs, is Modern Hungarian Art Gallery...25 B3
Mosque Church.........................26 C4
Dante Café..............................(see 15)
Kaptalani....................................55 B4
3 To Havi-hegy
kept very small. The museum’s rich col- more than anything else a ‘town of art’, Pasha Hassan Jakovali Mosque..27 A5 Kioszk........................................56 B4 Chapel (500m)
lection contains Ormánság costumes and beating Szentendre on the Danube Bend To Hunyor Pasha Memi Baths (Ruins)..........28 A5 Royal Café.................................57 C4 Ágota u
(2km) Roman Tomb Sites..................... 29 B4 eu St Augustine
rtanúk út
ja öveld
artefacts. hands down. Aradi vé
Synagogue................................. 30 C5 Papn
u
Church
Ágoston
Trinity Column...........................31 C4 na
There’s an arboretum with rare trees and Utca Exhibit.............................(see 17) 25
An tér
34
plants surrounding the Draskovich fam- History Vasarely Museum......................32 B4
62

u
To Budaiváros (500m)
ily mansion (now a school), behind the The Romans may have settled in Pécs for 19 48 lan u
Anna
u

Dr Majoross
György
ta
K áp

Szen
Szepes
Flórián

Hunya
10 32
museum. the region’s weather, fertile soil and abun- 17
36
tér

tM
11 Dóm 56 fu
Mátyás király utca, the main drag, is dant water, but more likely they were sold Józse

sy Igné
Klimó

di Jáno
39

ór u
tér 23 58
9

y Imre u
55
southwest of the bus station, and the train by the protection offered by the Mecsek Esze
Tam

cu

s út
ás u 22
station is to the southeast on Vasút utca. Hills. Calling their settlement Sophianae, 4 Janus Pann
onius u M ária
u
16 15 Széchenyi Former
it quickly grew into the commercial and tér Nádor
26 Hotel 54 ly u
Szent István 51 Kirá
Other Ormánság Villages administrative centre of Lower Pannonia tér 29 41 1
12

Liceum u
Apáca u 50 49
The Calvinist church (Dózsa utca 1/b; admission free) (see p21). The Romans brought Chris- 57 u
65 24
Király 2
at Drávaiványi, with its colourful panelled tianity with them, and reminders of it can 7
31
59
63 64
ceiling and choir loft dating from the late be seen in the early clover-shaped chapels 53 4 66 35
14

18th century, is 5km southwest of Sellye unearthed at several locations here. Jókai
tér 47 68 Perczel M
ór
Fer encesek utcája 33
and can be reached by bus; the key is Pécs’ importance grew in the Middle Kórház u
28 ihály

Irgalm
tér
yM
available from Kossuth Lajos 4. Vajszló, an Ages, when it was known as Quinque Ec- 13
Mun
kács

mu
Váradi Antal u
5

asok u
Ormánság village 11km southeast of Sellye clesiae after its five churches (it is still called 43
40

alo
52 45
6

ªm
5 Te
with several ‘footed houses’, is on the same Fünfkirchen in German). King Stephen r éz

Fels
70 u
train line as Sellye. Buses travel eastward founded a bishopric here in 1009, and the i út
ócz
27
67 30 Rák
from Vajszló to Kórós, whose folk-decorated town was a major stop along the trade route Kossuth
Timár
u

42 tér To Szekszárd

Jókai Mór u
44

37 (60km)
Calvinist church (Kossuth Lajos utca 40; admission 60Ft) to Byzantium. Pécs developed as an intel-
czi

mu
út

is among the most beautiful in the region. lectual and humanist centre with the found- 3 Citro 6
t
Its key is kept at Kossuth Lajos 31. ing of a university – Hungary’s first – in 60 Rákó
czi ú
18
1367. The 15th-century bishop Janus Pan- 46
Getting There & Away nonius, who wrote some of Europe’s most

Bajcsy-
u
6 ery
Harkány is the easiest starting point for any celebrated Renaissance poetry in Latin, was Czin
d 61

u
Zsilinsz
Szabadság u

alom
excursion into the Ormánság (423Ft, one based in Pécs. 21
To János College (2.5km);
Flea Market (3km); Tesco (3km);

Alsóm
To Train Somogyi

ky u
hour, 34km, one weekdays to Sellye), but The city was fortified with walls after the Laterum (3km); Orf¬ (15km);
Abaliget (20km)
Station
(500m)
To Market (50m); Béla u
Rák (200m)
the area is also accessible by public trans- Mongol invasion of the early 13th century, 6 Nagy Lajos király útja 69 To Harkány (26km)
port from Szigetvár (423Ft, 50 minutes, but they were in such poor condition three
TRANSDANUBIA 296 S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • P é c s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • P é c s 297

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centuries later that the Turks took the city MEDICAL SERVICES The square mosque with its green copper székesegyház (cathedral) – date from the
with virtually no resistance in 1543. The Regional Hospital (%533 133; Rákóczi út 2) dome was built with the stones of the ru- 11th century and the side chapels are from
Turks moved the local populace outside ined medieval church of St Bertalan in the the 1300s. But most of what you see today
the walls and turned Pécs into their own MONEY mid-16th century; after the expulsion of the of the neo-Romanesque structure is the
administrative and cultural centre. When M&M Exchange (Király utca 16; h8.30am-5pm Turks, the Catholic Church repossessed it. result of renovations carried out in 1881.
they were expelled almost 150 years later, Mon-Fri, 8.30am-1pm Sat) Offers a decent rate. The northern semicircular part was added Guided tours are conducted in Hungarian
Pécs was virtually abandoned, but still OTP bank (Rákóczi út) Has one of many ATMs scattered in the 20th century. The Islamic elements and German and cost 2000Ft.
standing were monumental souvenirs that throughout the centre. on the south side are easy to spot: win- The basilica is very ornate inside; the
now count as the most important Turkish dows with distinctive Turkish ogee arches; elevated central altar is a copy of a medi-
structures in the nation. POST the prayer niche (mihrab) carved into the eval one. The most interesting parts of
The resumption of wine production by Main post office (Jókai Mór utca 10) South of Széchenyi interior southeast wall; faded verses from the basilica are the four chapels under
German and Bohemian immigrants, and tér, it’s in a beautiful Art-Nouveau building dating from the Koran to the southwest; lovely geomet- the towers and the crypt, the oldest part
the discovery of coal in the 18th century, 1904 (note the angels in relief writing, mailing and ric frescoes on the corners. The mosque’s of the structure. The Chapel of Mary on the
spurred Pécs’ development. The manufac- delivering the post). minaret was pulled down in 1753 and re- northwest side and the Chapel of the Sacred
ture of luxury goods (gloves, Zsolnay por- placed with a tower. Heart to the northeast contain works by the
celain, Pannonvin sparkling wine, Angster TOURIST INFORMATION The Janus Pannonius Archaeology Museum 19th-century painters Bertalan Székely and
organs) and the exploitation of nearby ur- Tourinform (%511 232; baranya-m@tourinform.hu; (Janus Pannonius Régészeti Múzeum; %312 719; Széchenyi Károly Lotz. The Mór Chapel to the southeast
anium mines came later. Széchenyi tér 9; h8am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat tér 12; adult/child 200/100Ft; h 10am-4pm Tue-Sun has more works by Székely as well as mag-
& Sun Jun-Sep, 8am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat May & Apr-Oct, 10am-2pm Tue-Sat Nov-Mar), behind the nificent pews. The Corpus Christi Chapel on
Orientation Oct, 8am-4pm Mon-Fri Nov-Apr) Knowledgeable staff and Mosque Church in the 17th-century home the southwest side (enter from the outside)
The oval-shaped inner town, virtually has copious amounts of information on Pécs and for the of a janissary commander, traces the history boasts a 16th-century red marble taber-
all of it now pedestrian-only, has as its Baranya County. of Baranya County up to the time of Árpád. nacle, one of the best examples of Renais-
heart Széchenyi tér, where a dozen streets It also contains many examples of Roman sance stonework in the country.
converge. One of these is Király utca, a TRAVEL AGENCIES stonework from Pannonia, a model of St The Bishop’s Palace (Püspöki palota; 1770)
promenade of restored shops, pubs and Ibusz (%211 011; Király utca 11) Bertalan’s Church and medieval porcelain. to the southwest is only open to groups
restaurants to the east. To the northwest Mecsek Tours (%513 370; Széchenyi tér 1) The Trinity Column in the lower part of (and even then, rarely), but have a look at
lies Pécs’ other important square, Dóm tér. Széchenyi tér is the third one to grace the the curious statue of Franz Liszt (Imre Varga;
Here you’ll find the cathedral, several early Sights spot and dates from 1908. The porcelain 1983), peering over from a balcony. On the
Christian chapels and Káptalan utca, the SZÉCHENYI TÉR Zsolnay Fountain, with a lustrous glaze and southern side of the baroque Ecclesiastical
‘street of museums’. Pécs’ train station is in This lovely square of mostly baroque pagan bull’s head, to the southeast in front Archives (Egyházi levéltár) is the entrance
Indóház tér, south of the inner town along buildings framed by the Mecsek Hills is of the rather gloomy Church of the Good to the Jug Mausoleum (Korsós sírkamra; adult/child
Jókai Mór utca. The bus station is near the where you should start any walking tour Samaritan, was donated to the city by the 300/150Ft; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun), a 4th-century
big market on Zólyom utca. From the bus of Pécs. Dominating the square – indeed, Zsolnay factory in 1892. Roman tomb whose name comes from a
station walk north along Bajcsy-Zsilinszky the very symbol of the city – is the former painting of a large drinking vessel with
utca and Irgalmasok utcája to the centre. Pasha Gazi Kassim Mosque. Today it’s KOSSUTH TÉR vines found here. The early Christian tomb
the Inner Town Parish Church (Belvárosi This square southeast of Széchenyi tér has chapel (Ókeresztény sírkápolna; %312 719; Szent István
Information plébánia templom), more commonly two important buildings: the Eclectic town tér 12; adult/child 350/200Ft; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun Apr-
BOOKSHOPS known as the Mosque Church (%321 976; ad- hall (1891) to the north and the synagogue Oct, 10am-4pm Tue-Sun Nov-Mar), across Janus Pan-
Corvina Art Bookshop (%310 427; Széchenyi tér 7-8) mission free; h10am-4pm Mon-Sat, 11.30am-4pm Sun (adult/child 300/200Ft; h10am-5pm Sun-Thu May-Oct) nonius utca, dates from about AD 350 and
Housed in the House of Artists (Művészetek Háza); has an mid-Apr–mid-Oct, 10am-noon Mon-Sat, 11.30am-2pm to the east. The synagogue was built in the has frescoes of Adam and Eve, and Dan-
excellent selection of English-language books. Sun mid-Oct–mid-Apr). It is the largest building Romantic style in 1869, and a fact sheet, iel in the lion’s den. Two Roman tomb sites
still standing in Hungary from the time of available in 11 languages, explains the his- (Apáca utca 8 & 14; adult/child 350/200Ft; h10am-6pm
INTERNET ACCESS & RESOURCES the Turkish occupation. tory of the building and the city’s Jewish Tue-Sun Apr-Oct) containing 110 graves, are a
Tourinform (%511 232; Széchenyi tér 9; h8am- population. Shortly after the fascist Hungar- little further south. The entire area, which
5.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat & Sun Jun-Sep, 8am- ian government established a ghetto in Pécs so far consists of 16 burial chambers and
5.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat May & Oct, 8am-4pm DISCOUNT CARDS in May 1944, most of the city’s 3000 Jews several hundred graves, is now a designated
Mon-Fri Nov-Apr) Has free Internet access. If you plan to visit as many sights as pos- were deported to the Nazi death camps; Unesco site.
www.pecs.hu/ For information in English and German. sible while in town, consider purchasing only 150 Jews now live in the city. The Csontváry Museum (% 310 544; Janus
the Pécs Ticket (adult/child 1700/850Ft), which Pannonius utca 11; adult/child 600/300Ft; h10am-6pm
LEFT LUGGAGE covers entrance to all such establishments AROUND DÓM TÉR Tue-Sun Apr-Oct, 10am-4pm Tue-Sun Nov-Mar) exhib-
Bus & Train stations (hper hr 150Ft; 8am-6pm) except (and there is always an exception) The foundations of the four-towered Basilica its the major works of Tivadar Kosztka
Tourinform (%511 232; Széchenyi tér 9; h8am- the early Christian tomb and the Roman of St Peter (%513 030; Dóm tér; adult/child 1000/500Ft, Csontváry (1853–1919), a unique symbol-
5.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat & Sun Jun-Sep, 8am-5.30pm tomb sites. Tickets are available direct from includes entry to Jug Mausoleum, cathedral only 700/350Ft; ist painter whose tragic life is sometimes
Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat May & Oct, 8am-4pm Mon-Fri the various sights. h 9am-5pm Mon-Sat, 1-5pm Sun Apr-Oct; 10am- compared with that of Vincent van Gogh,
Nov-Apr; per hr 100Ft) 4pm Mon-Sat, 1-4pm Sun Nov-Mar) – or simply who was born in the same year. Many of
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Csontváry’s oversized canvases are mas- evocative, very tactile and just plain fun. City History Museum (Várostörténeti Múzeum; %310 Festivals & Events
terpieces, especially Storm on the Great The Zsolnay porcelain factory was es- 165; Felsőmalom utca 9; adult/child 300/150Ft; h10am- Among the big annual events in this party
Hortobágy (1903), Solitary Cedar (1907) tablished in Pécs in 1853 and was at the 4pm Tue-Sat May-Oct, 10am-2pm Tue-Sat Nov-Apr). town are International Culture Week (www.icwip
and Baalbeck (1906), an artistic search for forefront of art and design in Europe for The suburb of Budaiváros to the north- .hu) in late July that focuses on theatrical
a larger identity through religious and his- more than half a century. Many of its ma- east of the town centre is where most performances; Pécs Days in late September,
torical themes. jolica tiles were used to decorate buildings Hungarians settled after the Turks banned a 10-day festival of dance and music with
To the west and north of Dóm tér is a throughout the country and contributed them from living within the city walls. The a couple of alcohol-related events; and the
long stretch of the old city wall that enclosed to establishing a new pan-Hungarian style centre of this community was the All Saints’ European Wine Song Festival (www.winesongfestival
an area far too large to defend properly. of architecture. Zsolnay’s darkest period Church (Mindenszentek temploma; %324 937; Tettye .hu) also in late September, and Europe’s
The circular barbican (Esze Tamás utca 2), came when the postwar communist gov- utca 14; admission free). Originally built in the only festival exclusively for male singers.
the only stone bastion to survive in Pécs, ernment turned it into a plant for making 12th century, it was reconstructed in Gothic
dates from the late 15th century and was ceramic electrical insulators. It’s producing style 200 years later. All Saints was the only Sleeping
restored in the 1970s. art again (in very limited quantities), but Christian church allowed in Pécs during BUDGET
contemporary Zsolnay can’t hold a candle the occupation and was shared by three Both Mecsek Tours and Ibusz can arrange
KÁPTALAN UTCA to the chinoiserie pieces from the late 19th sects – who fought bitterly for every square private rooms (from 2500Ft per person) and
Káptalan utca, running east from Dóm tér century and the later Art-Nouveau and Art- centimetre. Apparently it was the Muslim while Tourinform has a list of such places,
to Hunyadi János út, contains a plethora of Deco designs done in the lustrous eosin Turks who had to keep the peace among it will only book hotels. Many of Pécs’ pen-
museums, all of them in listed buildings. glaze. The museum, housed in a residence the Christians. sions are sprinkled in the surrounding hills
The Ferenc Martyn Museum (% 324 822; dating from the Middle Ages, was the home To the northeast up on a hill is Havi-hegy and rather difficult to get to without your
Káptalan utca 6; adult/child 400/200Ft; h 10am-2pm of the Zsolnay family and contains many of Chapel (%314 715; Havihegyi utca 7; admission free), own transport.
Tue-Sun Apr-Oct) displays works by the Pécs- their furnishings and personal effects. Also built in 1691 by the faithful after the town Centrum (%311 707; www.hotels.hu/centrum_kis
born painter and sculptor (1899–1986) and in the museum is an exhibition of sculp- was spared the plague. The church is an im- hotel; Szepessy Ignác utca 4; s/d 4500/5600Ft) Centrum
sponsors special exhibits of local interest. tures by Amerigo Tot (1909–84). portant city landmark, and offers wonder- believes in old-fashion hospitality – homely,
The entry fee to the museum includes ful views of the inner town and the narrow welcoming and slightly left of centre. Rooms
entry to the Endre Nemes Museum (%310 172; OTHER SIGHTS streets and old houses of the Tettye Valley. are a collection of mismatching furniture
Káptalan utca 5; h10am-2pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct), which Southwest of the inner town and opposite To get a taste of the Mecsek Hills, walk but its central position is unbeatable.
is devoted to paintings by the surrealist the Pátria hotel is the Pasha Hassan Jakovali northeast from the centre of Pécs to Tettye Laterum (%252 113; www.laterum.hu; Hajnóczy
Endre Nemes (1908–85). In a separate pavil- Mosque (Jakováli Hasszán Pasa dzsámija; %313 853; and the Garden of Ruins (Romkert), what’s utca 37-39; s/d 5200/8400Ft; p) The institutional
ion behind it is Erzsébet Schaár’s Utca (also Rákóczi út 2; adult/child 240/100Ft; h 10am-1pm & left of a bishop’s summer residence built air of this large hotel, 3km west of town,
included in the Martyn Museum ticket), a 2-6pm Thu-Tue Apr-Sep), wedged between a trade early in the 16th century and later used by is offset by exceptionally large and clean
complete artistic environment in which the school and a hospital. The 16th-century Turkish dervishes as a monastery. To the rooms, reasonable prices, and a bar and
sculptor set her whole life in stone. mosque – complete with minaret – is the northwest, up Fenyves sor and past the zoo restaurant on site.
The Modern Hungarian Art Gallery (Modern most intact of any Turkish structure in (állatkert; %312 788; adult/child/student 600/450/500Ft; Főnix (%311 682; www.fonixhotel.hu; Hunyadi János
Magyar Képtár; %324 822; Káptalan utca 4; adult/child Hungary and contains a small museum h9am-6pm Apr-Oct), a winding road leads to út 2; s/d 5990/9990Ft; p) Főnix appears to be
400/200Ft; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct, 10am-4pm of Ottoman objets d’art. The Ethnography Misina Peak (535m) and a TV tower (%336 a hotel too large for the land it’s built on;
Tue-Sun Nov-Mar) is the best place to get an Museum (Néprajzi Múzeum; %315 629; Rákóczi út 15; 900; adult/student/child 450/350/300Ft; h 9am-9pm not an inch is left over for an outdoor area.
overview of art in Hungary between 1850 adult/child 300/150Ft; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct, Sun-Thu, 9am-11pm Fri & Sat Jun-Aug; 9am-6pm Sep- Some rooms are not even big enough to
and today. For art up to 1950 pay special 10am-4pm Tue-Sun Nov-Mar) to the southeast, May), an impressive 194m structure with a swing a cat in, while others sport balconies.
attention to the works of Simon Hollósy, showcases ethnic Hungarian, German and viewing platform and café-bar. But these It is however only a stone’s throw from the
József Rippl-Rónai and Ödön Márffy. For South Slav folk art in the region. are just the foothills: from here, trails lead Mosque Church.
more abstract and constructionist art, watch One of Pécs’ most enjoyable pedestrian to the lovely towns of Orfű and Abaliget, on In July and August many of the city’s col-
out for the names András Mengyár, Tamás streets, Ferencesek utcája, runs east from a plateau 15km and 20km to the northwest, leges (1600Ft to 2000Ft per person) open up
Hencze, Béla Uitz and Gábor Dienes. The Rákóczi út to Széchenyi tér, where Király respectively; and to Southern Transdanu- their doors to travellers, including central
Péter Székely Gallery behind the museum has utca also becomes pedestrian. You’ll pass bia’s highest peak, Zengő-hegy (682m). Pollack Mihály College (%315 846; Jókai utca 8) and
large stone and wood sculptures. the ruins of the 16th-century Pasha Memi The Sunday flea market (Vásár tér), János College (%251 234; Szánto Kovács János utca 1/c)
The two most interesting museums are Baths (Memi pasa fürdője; Ferencesek utcája 35), three about 3km southwest of the inner town on further to the west; both have dormitories
at the eastern end of the street: the Vasarely beautiful old churches and, on Király utca, Megyeri út, attracts people from the coun- with two to five beds. Tourinform has a list
Museum (%324 822; adult/child 600/300Ft; h10am- the neo-rococo Pécs National Theatre. Just past tryside, especially on the first Sunday of of more places if you require.
6pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct, 10am-4pm Tue-Sun Nov-Mar) at the theatre you’ll run into the Marcipán Mu- the month.
No 3 and the Zsolnay Porcelain Museum (%507 seum (%225 453; Király utca 36; adult/child 300/200Ft; MIDRANGE
604; adult/child 700/350Ft; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun Apr- h11am-8pm), where you can make your own Activities Lenau Haus (% 332 515; lenauhaus@mail.datanet
Oct, 10am-4pm Tue-Sun Nov-Mar) at No 2. Victor delectable delight or buy one from the mu- The closest swimming complex to the cen- .hu; Munkácsy Mihály utca 8; s/d 6800/8800Ft; p )
Vasarely was the father of Op Art and, al- seum shop. After passing the Church of St tre is Hullám (%512 935; Szendrey Júlia utca 7; adult/ Rooms on the top floor of the house
though some of the works on exhibit by Stephen (Szent István-templom; Király utca 44/a), turn child 700/350Ft; hindoor pool 6am-10pm, outdoor pool where the composer Nikolaus Lenau re-
him and his disciples are dated, most are south (right), where you’ll find the excellent 9am-7pm in summer). sided are among the best options in Pécs.
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Expect to find large rooms with spotless en ful fin-de-siècle paintings and stained-glass SELF-CATERING Other venues:
suite bathrooms. windows, not to mention steaks. Pécs’ fruit and vegetable market (Zólyom Chamber Theatre Next door to the National Theatre.
Diana (%328 594; www.hoteldiana.hu; Tímár 4/a; s/d Az Elefánthoz (%216 055; Jókai tér 6; mains 1500Ft) utca) is near the bus station, and a 24-hour Croatian Theatre (%210 197; Anna utca 17)
7000/10,000Ft; p) With eight excellent hotel- With its enormous terrace and quality Ital- Tesco (Makay István út) is to the west. Bóbita Puppet Theatre (%210 301; Mária utca 18)
style rooms, this pension has plenty of home ian cuisine, Elefánthoz is a sure bet for first- Somewhere John Malkovich would be proud to perform.
comforts and a warm welcome. A great rate food in the centre of town. Drinking
choice just south of the synagogue. Aranyfolyó (%212 269; Váradi Antal utca 9; mains Dante Café (%210 361; Janus Pannonius 11) Occu- CLUBS & DISCOS
Abraham (%510 422; Munkácsy Mihály utca 8; s/d 1000Ft) The two Chinese dragons guarding pying the ground floor of the Csontváry Pécs, a big university town, has a good
7500/10,500Ft; p) This excellent little pension, the door of this restaurant are a dead give- Museum, this is a good place to meet local nightlife. Some of the city’s most popular
with sparkling blue rooms, a well-tended, away to the cuisine on offer, which includes students, and has a huge garden and oc- discos and music clubs:
peaceful garden and friendly welcome, has all the standards from the land many miles casionally live music. Club 5 (%212 621; Irgalmasok utca 24) This basement
a distinct Mediterranean feel. Note that it is to the east. Kaptalani (Janus Pannonius utca) A lovely little bar transforms itself into a small club on Saturday and
a religious establishment, so raucous behav- Cellárium (%314 453; Hunyadi János út 2; mains borozó, with outdoor seating near the ca- Sunday, and invites punters in with funky sounds and
iour isn’t welcome. 1000-1500Ft) Just below the Főnix hotel, this thedral. Kaptalani is also a great spot to try late-nite drinks.
Toboz (%510 555; www.tobozpanzio.hu; Fenyves is a more than reliable choice for a meal the local wine – white Cirfandli, a speciality CRN (%30-650 7021; Czindery utca 6) A big club,
sor 5; s/d 8600/11,600Ft; p) Just south of the zoo close to the centre. of the Mecsek Hills. popular with the ‘In’ crowd.
on a tree-lined street high above the city, While visiting the cathedral or the mu- Rák (%502 557; Ipar utca 7) Beyond the fruit and
Toboz has a retreat feel and old, uncomfort- CAFÉS seums along Káptalan utca, stop in for a vegetable market, this is the place to go for rock and
able rooms. There’s an ongoing debate in Pécs over drink or a coffee at the Kioszk in the little heavy beats.
Palatinus (%889 400; palatinus.reservation@danubi which cukrászda (cake shop) serves better park between Káptalan utca and Janus Pan-
usgroup.hu; Király utca 5; s €58-86, d €66-94; p) Palati- cakes and ice cream: the Mecsek (%315 444; nonius utca. It’s probably the only chance Shopping
nus is Pécs’ old-world hotel. Its reception is Széchenyi tér 16), near the old Nádor hotel, or you’ll ever have to drink in what was once Pécs has been renowned for its leatherwork
quite exceptional, featuring plenty of mar- the Virág (%313 793; Irgalmasok utcája). The best a baptistry. since Turkish times and you can pick up a
ble and Moorish flourishes, but unfortu- bet is to try them both. Pubs and bars line the entire length of few bargains in several shops around the
nately the rooms leave a little to be desired. Cutty Sark Teaház (%513 082; Káptalan utca 6; tea Király utca, so you should have no prob- city; try one called Blázek (Teréz utca 1), which
All in all, though, it’s a grand old dame. from 100Ft; h10am-10pm) For a quality cuppa lem finding one that suits. Reliable choices deals mainly in handbags and wallets. Zsol-
Hunyor (% 512 640; postmaster@ptehunyor.axel and a sandwich (hopefully cucumber), drop include the Royal Café at No 1 and Arizona nay (%507 609; Jókai tér 2) porcelain also has an
ero.net; Jurisics Miklós utca 16; s/d 9200/12,400Ft; p) into this little ‘slice of England’ tucked away Ranch at No 29. outlet just north of here.
Hunyor is in the Mecsek foothills and a bit among the museums along Káptalan utca.
out of the way, but it has excellent views Entertainment Getting There & Away
of the city and a laid-back air. There’s a QUICK EATS MUSIC & THEATRE BUS
pleasant restaurant attached, so it’s not far Oázis (Király utca 17; kebabs & dishes 500-800Ft) A Pécs is a city of culture. The list of theatres Departures are frequent (once an hour) to
to wander for a meal. cheap little kebab house serving a mix of and concert venues is extensive for a place Siklós (363Ft, 45 minutes, 29km), Mohács
Fenyves Panoráma (%315 996; www.hotelfenyves Turkish and Middle Eastern dishes. This is of its size, and most times of the year you (544Ft, 1¼ hours, 44km), Harkány (484Ft,
.hu; Szőlő utca 64; s/d 8900/11,100Ft; p) Fenyves is a great spot for a meal on the run. can find something going on. For tickets one hour, 37km), Kaposvár (786Ft, 1½
another hotel in the foothills to the north, Árkád Shopping Centre (Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca 11/1; and information visit the Pécs Cultural Centre hours, 65km), Szigetvár (423Ft, 50 minutes,
with a balcony looking down onto the city h9am-8pm Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm Sun) This big, bold (%336 622; Széchenyi tér 1), or pick up the bi- 35km) and Szekszárd (786Ft, 1½ hours,
below. Its rooms are big but bland. and new shopping centre has a food court, weekly freebie Pécsi Est. 62km). There are four buses a day to Aba-
which is a safe bet for quick food. House of Artists (%522 834; Széchenyi tér 7-8; liget (241Ft, one hour, 20km) and three to
Eating hnoon-5pm Mon-Fri) It advertises its many Orfű (302Ft, 40 minutes, 22km) in the Mec-
RESTAURANTS cultural programmes outside, including sek Hills throughout the year, but far more
Tex-Mex Café (%215 427; Teréz utca 10; mains 1000- AUTHOR’S CHOICE classical music concerts. in summer.
1500Ft) For a welcome change of pace from Áfium (% 511 434; Irgalmasok utca 2; mains Lenau Haus (%332 515; Munkácsy Mihály utca 8; You can also reach the following:
Hungarian music and cuisine, duck into this 1000-1500Ft) With Croatia and Serbia so s/d 6800/8800Ft; p) This one-time residence
colourful cellar restaurant, serving tacos, close, it’s a wonder that more restaurants of composer Nikolaus Lenau hosts classical Destination Price Duration Km Frequency
enchiladas and a shot of tequila to wash it don’t concentrate, as Áfium does, on cuis- concerts throughout the year.
all down with. ine from south of the border. But no matter, Pécs National Theatre (www.pnsz.hu/; %512 660; Budapest 2540Ft 4½hr 208 5 daily
Aranykacsa (%518 860; Teréz utca 4; mains 2000Ft) this restaurant will fulfil most diners search- Király utca) Pécs is also renowned for its opera Győr 2660Ft 4½hr 217 2 daily
This eatery may have dropped its preten- ing for such tastes. The food is better than company and the Sophianae Ballet, which Kecskemét 2780Ft 4¼hr 226 2 daily
tiousness a couple of notches, but it still takes average and the atmosphere decidedly perform here. If you’re told that tickets are Sellye 725Ft 1½hr 57 2 daily
pride in its silver service and sports a menu relaxed, while the décor could easily dou- sold out, try for a cancellation at the box Siófok 1690Ft 3hr 133 3 daily
with the likes of duck liver with caviar, and ble as the set for Steptoe & Son. If you’ve office an hour before the performance. Ad- Szeged 2410Ft 4¼hr 196 8 daily
pheasant roast accompanied by green salad. eaten elsewhere, Áfium is just as good for vance tickets can be purchased from the Székesfehérvár 1930Ft 3hr 157 3 daily
Dóm (%210 088; Király utca 3; mains 1000-1500Ft, a quiet drink. theatre office (%512 675; Perczel Mór 17; h10am- Veszprém 2300Ft 4¼hr 181 2 daily
steaks 3000Ft) This loft restaurant has wonder- 7pm Tue-Fri, 1hr before performances Sat & Sun). Villány 423Ft 1¼hr 34 1-2 daily
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TRAIN Mill Museum (Malommúzeum; %498 440; adult/child KAPOSVÁR Information
Up to nine direct trains a day connect 300/200Ft; h10am-5pm May-Sep), a series of old %82 / pop 68,700 Main post office (Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca 15) West of
Pécs with Budapest (2360Ft, 2½ to four pump houses. Considering the ugly suburbs encapsulat- Széchenyi tér.
hours, 228km). You can reach Nagykan- ing Kaposvár, it comes as a pleasant sur- OTP bank (Széchenyi tér 2) Has several ATMs.
izsa (1624Ft, three hours) and other points SLEEPING & EATING prise to find the city’s main street so full Tourinform (%512 921; kaposvar@tourinform.hu; Fő
northwest via a rather circuitous but sce- Tekeresi Lovaspanzió (%06 30 227 1401; fleisch of charm, with pastel coloured two-storey utca 8; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat, 9am-2pm
nic 148km journey along the Dráva River. mane@freemail.hi; Petőfi utca 3; r 600Ft, apt 11,000Ft; houses and buckets of cultural heritage. Sun mid-Jun–mid-Sep, 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat
From Nagykanizsa, up to eight trains a day p) At the horse-riding centre of the same The city is associated with three famous mid-Sep–mid-Jun) Has Internet access free of charge.
continue on to Szombathely (2510Ft, four name, this is a kid-friendly and welcoming Hungarian painters – the postimpression- www.kaposvar.hu Check for online information on
to 5½ hours, 250km). One early morning place; you will of course have to put up with ists József Rippl-Rónai and János Vaszary, the town.
express (5.21am) follows this route from the whiff of horse every now and then. It as well as Aurél Bernáth – and the Gergely
Pécs all the way to Szombathely. Three daily has well-kept rooms and apartments, which Csiky theatre is among the best in provin- Sights
trains run from Pécs (4.58am, 2.45pm and feel more like home than anything else. cial Hungary. It’s also the capital of Som- In among the pretty, pastel-coloured build-
8.42pm) to Osijek (Hungarian: Eszék), the Panoráma Camping (%378 501; www.panorama ogy County, which is usually associated ings lining Fő utca is the former county hall
last of which continues onto Sarajevo. camping.hu; Dollár utca 1; camp sites per adult/child/tent with the Balaton and rightly so; it controls (1820) at No 10, which now houses two
The MÁV office (Jókai Mór utca 4; h9am-3.30pm €2.50-3/1.50-1.70/2.50-5.50, bungalows €21.50-28; the entire money-spinning southern shore museums: the Somogy County & Rippl-Rónai
Mon & Fri, 9am-4.30pm Tue-Thu) has more informa- hMay–mid-Sep; p) Above the large public of the lake from Siófok to Balatonberény, Museums (%314 114; adult/child 600/300Ft; h10am-
tion on train arrivals and departures. beach in the lake’s southwestern corner, some 55km to the north. 4pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct, 10am-3pm Tue-Sun Nov-Mar). In-
this place has dinghies, sailboards and bi- side the Somogy County Museum, you’ll
Getting Around cycles for rent. The campground itself is Orientation find a large ethnographical collection and a
To get to the Hunyor hotel, take bus 32 green and secluded, and the staff is excep- The train and bus stations are a block gallery of contemporary art on the ground
from the train station, or from opposite the tionally friendly. apart on Budai Nagy Antal utca, south of floor. There is a grand collection of paint-
Mosque Church. Buses 34 and 35 run direct Also worth noting: the city centre. From here, walk up Teleki ings on the 1st floor, which include works
to the Fenyves hotels from the train station, Atrium (%498 288; www.hotels.hu/atriumpanzio; utca to Kossuth tér and Fő utca, a lovely by Vaszary, Bernáth and Béla Kádár.
with bus 35 continuing onto the TV tower. Széchenyi tér 17; r from 10,200Ft; ps) It has a kid’s pedestrian street where most of the ac- The folk collection is noteworthy for
For the Laterum hotel, take bus 4 from the playground and front garden. There is a good restaurant tion is. its wood and horn carvings (at which the
train station or the market near the bus and the rooms are spotless.
station to the end of the line at Uránváros. Molnár Pension (%378 563; Széchenyi tér 18/a; s/d KAPOSVÁR 0
0
400 m
0.2 miles
Buses 3 and 50 from the train station are from 4500/9000Ft; p) A small pension five minutes’
good for the flea market on Vásár tér. walk to the lake, with homely rooms. A B C D
You can order a local taxi by calling Muskátli (Széchenyi tér; mains 1000Ft) A pleasant little SLEEPING

Füred
Borostyán.....................................8 B3
%333 333. restaurant near Molnár Pension.

du

Szent Imre u
18 Kapos...........................................9 A2

Honvé
i u
1 Pálma.........................................10 B2

MECSEK HILLS Abaliget

Tallián György u
Somssich Pál u EATING

Virág u
Németh István fasor
The Mecsek Hills, a string of hills and val- %72 / pop 660 f Att
ila u
Chinatown.................................11
Gecco........................................12
B3
C2
leys dotted with villages and the occasional Abaliget, about 3km north of Orfű and Józse Zárda u Ham Piz......................................13 B2

Zárda u
Market.......................................14 C3
lake to the north of Pécs, is the city’s play- accessible by bus or on foot via a trail up

Kossuth Lajos u
13 Nagyi.........................................15 C2
1

Berzseny
ground. There’s good hiking to be had here, and over the hill behind Panoráma Camp-

Széchenyi tér
Bajcsy-Zsilinszky u Bajcsy-Zsilinszky u
12 ENTERTAINMENT
but before setting out on any big excursions, ing, is quieter but not as attractive. Aside Arizona Disco.............................16 B2

i Dánie

Csokonai u
pick up a copy of Cartographia’s 1:40,000 A from a relaxed air, the town’s main attrac- Árpád Együd Cultural Centre......17 B2

ὈὈὈ
Bombardier Pub.......................... 18 B1
Mecsek map (No 15; 800Ft). tion is the Abaliget Cave (%498 766; adult/child lu 9
Catholic
Church 4
17 2 10 Pécsi út
Booking Office...........................(see 3)
For transport information, see Pécs Get- 750/550Ft; h9am-6pm Apr-Sep, 10am-3pm Oct-Mar), 2 7 15
Gergely Csiky Theatre................19 C3
d r e u Kossuth Fª u Fª u
En
ting There and Away. which, at 1.3km, is the longest cave open y tér

Múzeum u
A d 16 To Toponár,
Te TRANSPORT
lek 3 6 Deseda Camping,

Noszlopy u
to the public in Southern Transdanubia. iu Deseda Lake (8km) Bus Station.................................20 B3

Irányi Dániel u
Orfű

Anna u
However, only 450m of the caves can be

Dózsa György u
%72 / pop 700 visited. 8 Rákóczi tér
20
The most accessible of the Mecsek Hills re- There are some private rooms and pen-
Petªfi
sorts and the one with the most recreational sions along Kossuth Lajos utca, the main INFORMATION Sándor 11 19 14
Main Post Office..........................1 B2 tér
facilities is Orfű – a series of settlements street, or try Barlang Camping (%515 700; Gilic
eu
OTP Bank.....................................2 B2 Budai Nagy Antal u
on four artificial lakes, where you can camp sites per adult/child/tent 800/400/1000Ft, pension r Tourinform...................................3 B2
Ba
3 Train ros
swim, row, canoe and fish. There’s a riding 5400Ft, bungalows 6600Ft; p) on the town’s tiny SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Csík
Station sG
áb
or
school at the Tekeresi Lovaspanzió (Tekeres Horse lake. The camping ground is OK, but the Golden Lion Pharmacy.................4
Outdoor & Thermal Baths............5
B2
C3 Ka
Fer
enc
sétá
u
pos
Pension; %06 30 227 1401; Petőfi utca 3) at Tekeres pension rooms will only do at a pinch. Somogy County & Rippl-Rónai Riv
er
ny

Museums.................................6 B2
to the northwest. From Széchenyi tér you The last bus for Pécs leaves at 8.18pm Terrarium.....................................7 B2
Nyá
ru To Rippl-Rónai
Memorial 5
can walk south along tiny Lake Orfű to the daily from outside the caves. Museum (3km)
TRANSDANUBIA 304 S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • K a p o s v á r www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • S z i g e t v á r 305

TRANSDANUBIA
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SOUTHERN
swineherds of Somogy County excelled); ex- Sleeping good lunch meals. You’ll probably find the Getting Around
amples of famous kékfestő (indigo-dyed cot- Tourinform has information on private gravity pull too much to resist as well. Buses 8 and 18 terminate near the lake and
ton fabrics); an exhibition on the county’s rooms (from 3000Ft), but it won’t help Ham Piz (Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca 13; burgers & pizzas the campsite in Toponár. For the Rippl-
infamous outlaws (including the paprika- you with making bookings. from 350Ft) Next to the main post office, this Rónai Memorial Museum in Róma-hegy,
tempered ‘Horseshoe Steve’); and costumes Borostyán (% 512 475; Rákóczi tér 3; s/d from place attracts groups of gabbling students take bus 15.
of the Croatian minority, who dressed and 7900/8900Ft; p ) An upmarket six-room and those looking for a cheap bite to eat, Local taxis are available by calling
decorated their houses in white fabric dur- Art-Nouveau extravaganza, this is one of with quick service and filling fast food. %555 555.
ing mourning periods as the Chinese do. provincial Hungary’s most interesting cara- The fruit and vegetable market is east of
The top floor is full of paintings by Ödön vanserais. Rooms are more than spacious Rákóczi tér. SZIGETVÁR
Rippl-Rónai, the brother of Kaposvár’s most and tastefully decorated, and bathrooms %73 / pop 11,350
celebrated – and arguably Hungary’s best – come with tubs. Entertainment Szigetvár, a quiet town 33km west of Pécs
painter, József Rippl-Rónai (1861–1927). Pálma (%420 227; Széchenyi tér 6; r 6800Ft; p) Árpád Együd Cultural Centre (%512 228; Csokonai and 40km south of Kaposvár, is home to
József Rippl-Rónai was born at Fő 19, Considering its location so close to the utca 1) Has information on cultural events in the remains of one of Hungary’s most cel-
above the lovely Golden Lion Pharmacy (Aran- centre, Pálma is a surprisingly quiet and Kaposvár, as does the free biweekly maga- ebrated castles and a handful of Turkish-era
yoroszlán Patika; admission free; h7.30am-6pm Mon-Fri), peaceful pension, with big rooms filled with zine Kapo Est. monuments. Also close by is the Park of
built in 1774 and now a museum. Most of his comfy, if mismatched, furniture. Breakfast Gergely Csiky Theatre (%528 458; Rákóczi tér 2) Turkish–Hungarian Friendship, which has
work is exhibited in the Rippl-Rónai Memorial can be taken on the covered terrace towards At the forefront of Hungarian artistic in- helped to cement the friendly ties between
Museum (Rippl-Rónai Emlékmúzeum; %422 144; Róma- the rear. novation in the 1970s, the theatre is a mas- the two former enemies.
hegy 88; adult/child 400/200Ft; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun Apr- Kapos (%316 022; www.kaposhotel.hu; Kossuth tér; terpiece of Art-Nouveau (or Secessionist) The town began life as a Celtic settlement
Oct, 10am-4pm Nov-Mar), a graceful 19th-century s/d from 5900/8000Ft; pi) Kapos was once architecture and is now in need of repair. before the Romans moved in and renamed
villa about 3km southeast of the city centre. probably the town’s luxury establishment, Its plays have a great reputation around the it Limosa. After the Magyar conquest its
Built in 1911, the cream and lemon- but these days it’s a fairly unattractive block country. The booking office (%511 208; Fő utca 8; strategic importance was recognised and in
coloured Secessionist Gergely Csiky Theatre with little character. It is, however, very h8.30am-12.30pm & 1-5pm Mon-Fri, 8.30am-noon Sat) 1420 a fortress was built on a small island –
(Rákóczi tér 2), with its hundreds of arched win- central and the staff is happy to see you. is at Tourinform. Szigetvár means ‘island castle’ – in the
dows, is worth a look even if you are not Deseda Camping (%312 020; hmid-Jun–late Aug) Kaposvár is known for its choral groups, marshy areas of the Almás. But Szigetvár
attending a performance. Deseda is the closest campsite to the city. It’s and concerts are given in venues around would be indistinguishable today from
If you can handle it, step down into the located in Toponár and is very handy for the the city, including the Catholic church on other Southern Transdanubian towns had
Terrarium (%424 460; Fő utca 31; adult/child 600/400Ft; water pleasures of Deseda Lake. Note there Kossuth tér. the events of September 1566 not taken
h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-noon Sat, 2-5pm Sun) in a are no bungalows. Kaposvár has two clubs competing for place (see boxed text, p307).
humid cellar. Cobras, caymans, boas and a custom; at present, Arizona Disco (%411 443;
python as thick as a stevedore’s forearm are Eating Fő utca 14), in the heart of town, is pipping Orientation
all there to greet you. Chinatown (%424 828; Budai Nagy Antal utca 9; mains Bombardier Pub (%423 721; Honvéd utca 8) at the The bus and train stations are close to one
700-1200Ft, lunch menus 500-700Ft) Chinatown still popularity post. another, a short distance south of the town
Activities sports its 1998 ‘scroll of appreciation’ from centre at the end of Rákóczi utca. To reach
The Zselic region (Zselicség) south of Kap- the US Army Europe National Support Ele- Getting There & Away the centre follow this road north into lovely
osvár, some 9000 hectares of which is under ment Operation Joint Guard (a mouthful BUS Zrínyi tér. Vár utca on the northern side of
a nature-conservation order, is webbed in itself). The cuisine is arguably the most Twelve daily buses go to Pécs (786Ft, 1½ the square leads to the castle.
with trails for easy hikes through villages, authentic Chinese-American outside the hours, 65km). Other destinations include
forests and low hills. Get a copy of Car- capital and its lunch menu a bargain. Hévíz (1150Ft, 2¼ hours, 95km, two daily), Information
tographia’s 1:60,000 A Zselic map (No 17; Borostyán (%512 475; Rákóczi tér 3; mains 1000- Nagykanizsa (968Ft, 1¾ hours, 77km, two Main post office (József Attila utca 27-31)
800Ft) before you go. 1800Ft; huntil 11pm Mon-Sat) In the hotel of the daily), Szekszárd (1210Ft, 2½ hours, 99km, OTP bank (Vár utca 4) On the way to the castle, with
The artificial Deseda Lake at Toponár, same name, this colourful restaurant/café one daily), Szigetvár (544Ft, 1¼ hours, an ATM.
8km northeast of the city, offers cycling, swim- has art work gracing the walls, a quiet court- 40km, two daily), Szombathely (2300Ft, 3½ Tájoló Agency (%312 654; Zrínyi tér 3; h9am-4pm
ming, other water sports and tennis. Closer to yard and top-rate Hungarian cuisine. hours, 188km, three daily) and Zalaegerszeg Mon-Thu, 9am-3pm Fri) Can supply you with a small
the centre are the outdoor pools (%321 044; Gecco (%312 993; Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca 54; mains (1570Ft, 2½ hours, 128km, four daily). amount of information on the town.
Csík Ferenc sétány; admission 220Ft; h9am-7pm Tue-Sun 1500-200Ft) A Mexican eatery in provincial Vigadó (József Attila utca; per hr 200Ft; h9am-5pm
mid-May–Aug) and its accompanying thermal Hungary! Wonders will never cease. The TRAIN Mon, Tue & Fri, 9am-3pm Wed & Thu) Internet access is
baths (adult/child 300/170Ft Mon-Fri, 490/220Ft Sat & food may not satisfy a spice-lover’s palate, You can reach Kaposvár by train from both available here.
Sun; h9am-7pm Tue-Sun year-round). but you can’t expect too much so far from the eastern (Siófok) and western (Fonyód)
North America. ends of Lake Balaton’s southern shore. An- Zrínyi Castle
Festivals & Events Nagyi (%315 433; Fő utca 35; lunch meals 500Ft; other line links Kaposvár with Budapest Our hero Miklós Zrínyi would probably
Kaposvár’s big event is the Painters Mood h7am-8pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat) Nagyi is like a (2030Ft, 3½ hours, 195km; via Dombóvár) not recognise the four-cornered castle (Vár
Festival at the end of May, which features black hole for downtown workers; it seems to the northeast up to twice a day and, to utca; adult/child 400/250Ft; h9am-5pm Tue-Sun May-
plenty of artistic endeavours in the fields impossible for most to wander past with- the west, with Gyékényes (658Ft, 1½ hours, Sep, 9am-3pm Tue-Sun Apr & Oct) he so valiantly
of dance and music. out being sucked in by its cheap, quick and 70km, two daily). fought to save more than 400 years ago.
TRANSDANUBIA 306 S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • S z i g e t v á r www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • S z i g e t v á r 307

TRANSDANUBIA
SOUTHERN

SOUTHERN
SZIGETVÁR 0
0
500 m
0.3 miles
embroidery and valuables from local which was designed – surprise, surprise –
churches, but it also displays a great collec- by maverick architect Imre Makovecz (us-
A B C D tion of 18th- and 19th-century shop signs ing his own ‘organic’ style).
INFORMATION
Main Post Office..........................1 C3
as well as locks and keys from the castle.
OTP Bank.....................................2 B2 The ogee (called ‘donkey’s back’ arches Activities
1
Tájoló Agency..............................3 B3
Vigadó.......................................(see 6)
in Hungarian) windows and hexagonal Szigetvár’s thermal spa (% 312 840; Tinódi
To Turbékpuszta (4km); roof of the baroque Catholic church (Zrínyi Sebestyén utca 23) was closed for renovation
Park of Turkish-Hungarian SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Friendship (4km); Baroque Tower............................4 A2
tér 9; admission free) are the only exterior signs at the time of research but expect it to be
Kaposvár (40km)
Castle Museum........................(see 11) that this was once the Pasha Ali Mosque, open between the hours of 9am and 5pm
Catholic Church (Former Mosque)..5 B3
8
City Cultural Centre......................6 B3 built in 1589. The altarpiece of the Cru- or 7pm daily.
11
Local History Collection................7 B3 cifixion and the ceiling frescoes depicting

nu
S t re a m
9 Sultan Suleiman Mosque..............8 A1
the deaths of Zrínyi and Suleiman were Sleeping


Thermal Spa................................. 9 C2

est
painted by István Dorffmeister in 1789. The Tájoló Agency may be able to help you

eb
4 Turkish House............................ 10 C4

iS
ás

Zrínyi Castle............................... 11 A2

ód
Not far from the bus station, the 16th- find a private room.
m

Al
2 Tin
12 SLEEPING
Kumilla.......................................12 B2
century Turkish House (Török-ház; Bástya utca 3; Kumilla (% 514 015; szik.kft@axelero.hu; Olay
Katona u
Lenzl’s Pension.......................... 13 D3 adult/child 200/100Ft; h10am-noon & 1-3pm Tue-Sun Lajos utca 6; s/d from 5200/7000Ft; p) Kumilla is
Oroszlán.....................................
Kórház u14 B3 Jun-Sep) was a caravanserai during the occu- starting to look a little run-down but with
Vár u

útja pation and contains an exhibit of Turkish its peaceful location backing onto a small
ság

Almás u
bad

miniatures. stream, views of the castle, welcoming staff


Olay Lajos

u
2
Mártírok
útja

Sza

The Catholic church at Turbékpuszta, and cosy rooms, it’s still the best option in

Miklós
Arany János u 13 16
7 Town
6 about 4km northeast of Szigetvár, was ori- Szigetvár.
u

Hall 1 19 József Attila u


14 József Attila u 15
ginally built as a tomb for Suleiman. But ac- Lenzl’s Pension (%413 045; lenzls@dravanet.hu;

Sánc u
To Pécs
Rókus kö

20 (33km)
Zrínyi
Széchenyi István
u
3 tér cording to local tradition, only the sultan’s József Attila utca 63; s/d from 4000/4500Ft; p) This
3
Almás Stream

5 heart lies within; his son and successor, very friendly pension has small but attrac-
z

Horváth
Deák Selim II, had the body exhumed and re- tive rooms (some of which come with a
Zárda u

Márk tér Kossuth EATING


tér
Flórián....................................... 15 D3
tér
turned to Turkey. balcony), free parking and a restaurant on
út

Kisváros..................................... 16 D3
Hoboli Földes

Kumilla’s..................................(see 12) Some 4km north of Szigetvár on Rte the ground floor.
Rákócz

Market....................................... 17 C4
Máté u Penny Supermarket....................18 B4
67 to Kaposvár, a Turkish-era battlefield Oroszlán (%310 116; mexbor@axelero.hu; Zrínyi
Szecsªdi
iu

Piac
tér
Venezia...................................... 19 C3 has been turned into the Park of Turkish– tér 2; s/d 7300/9600Ft; p) With its purely func-
10 Bástya u
17
DRINKING Hungarian Friendship (Török-Magyar barátság parkja; tional rooms and drab décor, Oroszlán is a
Dózsa György u
hdawn-dusk), with interesting stone memor- last resort if the above options are full.
Istvan

21 Bárka.........................................(see 7)
Black Bull...................................20 A3
ials in the shape of domes and turbans, and
ffy u

4 18
TRANSPORT
Bus Station.................................21 B4
statues commemorating both Suleiman and Eating & Drinking
Zrínyi. Flórián (%311 939; József Attila utca 58; mains 1000Ft)
You can’t miss the flamboyant City Cul- This simple restaurant has a rather appeal-
Train Station tural Centre (Városi Művelődési Ház; József Attila utca), ing garden at the rear, away from the busy

The Turks strengthened the bastions and attack Szigetvár; and miniatures of Hun- BIG SALLY OF SZIGETVÁR
added buildings; the Hungarians rebuilt garian soldiers being captured, chopped For more than a month at Szigetvár in late 1566, Captain Miklós Zrínyi and the 2500 Hungar-
much of the castle again in the 18th cen- up and burned are still quite horrifying. ian and Croatian soldiers under his command held out against Turkish forces numbering up to
tury. Today there are only a few elements Sebestyén Tinódi, the beloved 16th-century 80,000. The leader of the Turks was Sultan Suleiman I, who was making his seventh attempt to
of historical interest left: walls from 3m to poet and wandering minstrel who was born march on Vienna and was determined to take what he derisively called ‘this molehill’. When
6m thick linked by the four bastions; the in Szigetvár, also rates an altar of worship. the defenders’ water and food supplies were exhausted – and reinforcements from Győr under
Baroque Tower crowning the southern wall; The mosque next door, completed in the Habsburg Emperor Maximilian II were refused – Zrínyi could see no other solution but a suicidal
the 16th-century Sultan Suleiman Mosque year of the siege, contains an art gallery; sally. As the moated castle went up in flames, the opponents fought hand to hand, and most
(Szulejmán pasa dzsámija), with its trun- the arches, prayer niches and Arabic in- of the soldiers on the Hungarian side, including Zrínyi himself, were killed. An estimated one-
cated minaret; and a summer mansion built scriptions on the walls are worth a look. quarter of the Turkish forces died in the siege; Suleiman died of a heart attack and his corpse
by Count Andrássy in 1930, which now There’s also a small büfé (snack bar) north was propped up on a chair during the fighting to inspire his troops and avoid a power struggle
houses the Castle Museum. of the mosque. until his son could take command.
Naturally, the museum’s exhibits focus More than any other heroes in Hungarian history, Zrínyi and his soldiers are remembered for
on the siege and its key players: Zrínyi’s OTHER SIGHTS their self-sacrifice in the cause of the nation and for saving Vienna – and thereby Europe – from
praises are sung throughout; there’s a de- The tiny Local History Collection (Helytö-rténeti Turkish domination. Peril at Sziget, a 17th-century epic poem by Zrínyi’s great-grandson and
tailed account of how Suleiman built a Gyűjtemény; Vár utca 1; adult/child 200/100Ft; h9am- namesake, Miklós Zrínyi (1620–64), immortalises the siege and is still widely read in Hungary.
bridge over the Dráva River in 16 days to 4pm Tue-Sat) is a hotchpotch of folk carvings,
TRANSDANUBIA 308 S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • N a g y k a n i z s a www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • N a g y k a n i z s a 309

TRANSDANUBIA
SOUTHERN

SOUTHERN
main road, and has made room for a few furniture, and brewing beer. But if you NAGYKANIZSA 0
0
500 m
0.3 miles
vegetarian dishes on its meat-heavy menu. think of it as a convenient stepping stone,
Kumilla’s (%514 015; Olay Lajos utca 6; mains 800- you’ll (quite literally) be on the right track. A B C D

Sugár út
1500Ft) In the hotel of the same name, this From Nagykanizsa you can easily reach INFORMATION

Ma
Main Post Office..........................1 C2
quiet and pleasant restaurant serves solid Western Transdanubia, both the northern

gya
OTP Bank....................................2 C2

ru
Hungarian fare and a large terrace. and southern shores of Lake Balaton, Italy, 1 OTP Bank....................................3 C2
Tourinform..................................4 C2
Venezia (József Attila utca 41; pizzas from 500Ft) Slovenia, Croatia and the beaches of the Rozgonyi u To Zalakaros (18km);
Venezia’s outdoor tables may face busy Adriatic. SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES 19
Zalaegerszeg (50km)
György Thury Museum................5 C2
József Attila utca but it’s still the best spot Lower Town Church.....................6 B2 Erzsébet tér
12
in town for pizzas. Orientation Pools............................................7 C3 Town
17
Múzeum tér

Sugár út
Hall
Kisváros (%312 514; József Attila utca 81; mains The train station (Ady Endre utca) is south 11
8 út
800Ft) Directly opposite Flórián, this basic of the city centre. To reach the centre walk 10 5
2 16 13 Fª

restaurant serving Hungarian food is quite north along this road for about 1200m, and 9 Király u
14 15
Fª út
Deák
Te
lek
iu

Ady Endre u
dingy indoors; its outdoor seating area out you’ll be on Fő út, the main street. The Ferenc tér Széchenyi tér

the back is a far better option. bus station is in the centre to the west of 2 Zríny
i Mik 3 4 18
lós u
Szigetvár’s market, near the bus and train Erzsébet tér. 1 To Lower Town Forest (6km);

áthy u
Kaposvár (74km)
stations, is the usual motley assortment of 6 Szent Imre u

Nagyv
Szent Imre
tacky goods, food stalls and fresh fruit and Information u

vegetables. Main post office (Ady Endre utca 10)


SLEEPING DRINKING
Szigetvár is not known for its nightlife, OTP bank (15 Deák Ferenc tér) Centrál.........................................8 C2 Blue Café...................................16 C2

Csengery út

Batthyány u
but there are a couple of places for a quiet OTP bank (6 Ady Endre utca) Hugi.............................................9 B2 Erzsébet.....................................17 C2
Király..........................................10 B2
drink during the evening. Black Bull (Széchenyi Tourinform (%313 285; nagykanizsa@tourinform.hu; ENTERTAINMENT
utca 2) serves average pizza but it’s a popular Csengery út 1-3; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat) EATING Sándor Hevesi Cultural Centre...18 D2
3 Kiskakas.....................................11 C2
place for a beer, while Bárka (Vár utca 1), a Is helpful, well-informed and has Internet access free of Pizza Kert...................................12 C1 TRANSPORT
small coffee shop/bar in the Local History charge. Robinson....................................13 C2 Bus Station..................................19 B1
Süni............................................14 B2
Collection, is a more sedate option. Vasember..................................15 C2
Sights To Train
Station (1.2km) 7
Getting There & Away The György Thury Museum (%317 233; Fő út 5)
BUS was in the process of refurbishment when
Nine daily buses depart for Pécs (423Ft, we called, but expect to find exhibitions on spring, which gushes out of the ground at an Kiskakas (%321 600; Múzeum tér 6; mains 1000-
50 minutes, 35km), and two run to Kapos- folk art from the area and displays on the incredible 92°C, was discovered by workers 2000Ft) Tucked away in a quiet courtyard/
vár (544Ft, 1¼ hours, 40km). There are also daily life of peasant workers during the first drilling for oil in the early 1960s. parking lot is Kiskakas, an upmarket spot
buses to Hévíz (1930Ft, 3½ hours, 154km, decades of last century. Check with Tourin- with a Hungarian menu and covered out-
one daily), Nagykanizsa (1330Ft, 2½ hours, form for prices and opening times. Sleeping door seating area.
107km, four daily), Sellye (423Ft, 50 min- The Franciscan Lower Town Church (Alsóvárosi Hugi (%336 100; Király utca 7; s/d 5000/7500Ft; p) Süni (Erzsébet tér 2; ice cream from 90Ft) Süni is one
utes, 31km, one daily) and Siklós (907Ft, templom; cnr Szent Imre utca & Nagyváthy utca; admission Within walking distance of the centre is this of the better ice cream shops in the centre,
two hours, 72km, three daily). free), begun in 1702 but not completed for solid pension, with secure parking, large with an extensive array of the creamy stuff.
100 years, has ornate stucco work and a ro- rooms and surprisingly little road noise Robinson (Deák Ferenc tér 9; pizzas from 800Ft) A
TRAIN coco pulpit. You can’t miss the holy-water considering its location. rather dark but fashionable pizzeria popu-
Szigetvár is on the train line linking Pécs font, carved from the burial stone of the Király (%325 480; Király utca 29; s/d 5400/8200Ft) lar with Nagykanizsa’s young bloods and
(346Ft, 45 minutes, 34km) and Nagykan- Turkish general Pasha Mustafa. This is a pleasant pension on the 1st floor of open till late.
izsa (1212Ft, two hours, 114km). The 84km a small shopping and office complex, with Pizza Kert (Sugár út 5; pizzas 800Ft) With its large
stretch from Barcs to Nagykanizsa follows Activities nine large, bright modern rooms. terrace facing a peaceful park, Pizza Kert
the course of the Dráva River and is very sce- The so-called Lower Town Forest (Al- Centrál (%314 000; hotelcentral@chello.hu; Erzsébet serves big pizzas in a relaxed atmosphere.
nic, especially around Vízvár and Bélavár. If sóvárosi erdő), 6km east of the town centre, tér 23; s/d 11,000/13,000Ft; p) Central, a hotel The local Kanizsai beer flows as freely
you’re trying to leave Hungary from here, has a large rowing lake with boats available built in 1912, tries to corner the business throughout the year as it does at the Kan-
get off at Murakeresztúr (two stops before in summer. market, making it overpriced for what is on izsai Days Festival at the beginning of Oc-
Nagykanizsa), through which trains pass en There are outdoor pools (adult/child 340/170Ft; offer. The rooms, however, are modern and tober, and there are a lot of decent pubs
route to Zagreb and Ljubljana. h9.30am-6.30pm mid-Jun–early-Sep) and an indoor quite comfortable. and bars, including Blue Café (Deák Ferenc tér 13;
pool (adult/child 340/170Ft; h11am-7pm Mon, 6am-8pm h11am-10pm Sun-Thu, 11-2am Fri & Sat), with its
NAGYKANIZSA Tue-Thu, 6am-7pm Fri, 9am-6pm Sat & Sun year-round) at Eating & Drinking retro glass-brick bar and neon lighting; and
%93 / pop 52,100 Csengery út 49. But if you want to take the Vasember (%314 555; Erzsébet tér 1; mains 1000Ft) Erzsébet (Erzsébet tér 21; h9am-midnight Mon-Sun), a
Nagykanizsa is not especially noted for its (thermal) waters, you’ll have to go to the spa With consistently good Hungarian cui- more refined café/bar, with street-side seat-
sights; the town is almost totally focused at Zalakaros, 18km to the northeast near the sine, this cellar restaurant in the ‘Iron Man ing suitable for coffee during the day and
on drilling for oil, making light bulbs and Little Balaton (Kis-Balaton). The Zalakaros House’ is the town’s best restaurant. drinks at night.
© Lonely Planet Publications
TRANSDANUBIA 310 S O U T H E R N T R A N S D A N U B I A • • N a g y k a n i z s a www.lonelyplanet.com
SOUTHERN

Entertainment 102km) and one heads south to Zagreb.


Sándor Hevesi Cultural Centre (%311 468; Széchenyi Trains run direct to Déli, Kelenföld and Ke-
tér 5-9) The centre can tell you what’s on in leti stations in Budapest (2360Ft, four hours,
Nagykanizsa; information on the town is 221Ft) and the southern shore resorts, but if
also listed in the free biweekly Zalai Est. you’re headed for the western or northern
sides (such as Keszthely or Balatonfüred),
Getting There & Away you must change at Balatonszentgyörgy.
There’s a bus running every 30 minutes to
the Zalakaros spa (241Ft, 25 minutes, 18km) Getting Around
and also hourly ones to Zalaegerszeg (665Ft, Nagykanizsa is an easy city to get around
1¼ hours, 51km). Other services include on foot, but you may prefer to wait
Keszthely (725Ft, 1½ hours, 59km, six daily), and ride. From the train station, bus 18
Kaposvár (1330Ft, 2½ hours, 107km, four goes to the bus station and city centre.
daily), Pécs (1820Ft, three hours, 142km, Bus 17/b terminates its service close to
five daily) and Szombathely (1330Ft, 2½ the rowing lake in the Lower Town For-
hours, 107km, six daily). est, or you can take the Budapest-bound
From Nagykanizsa, up to eight daily trains local train and get off at the first stop
go north to Szombathely (1212Ft, 2¼ hours, (Nagyrécse).

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