Travel Tip: Eger, Hungary

Last Monday I came back from a long weekend spent at my family´s hometown in Hungary, Eger and I couldn´t help but writing something about this wonderful small town.

You probably haven’t heard of it; but you are most likely to have had at least heard of Budapest, the capital city of Hungary. Well, Eger lies 120Km north east of Budapest, and is connected to the capital through a direct motorway.

Allow yourself to get lost while taking a walk through the picturesque historic buildings, the wine yards and the narrow alleys in the old town.

Smell the calm fresh air of this beautiful city as you try one of the renowned red wines of the region, and believe me, you will get lost in history. As you look around you will feel surrounded by all the generals, captains, and bishops who have taken over and ruled the city since its foundation in the 10^th century.

Dobó Square

The 91 years long Turkish occupation around the 17^th century shaped a part of the culture, but it was not enough to overrule it, mainly a Christian (mostly Catholic) town, Eger´s traditional values are reflected by the many Churches spread around the city. Nevertheless the occupation left its traces in what is still to see in the city today. For instance you can see a fully preserved minaret, and the Turkish bath, a touristic highlight in the region. 

You will not fail to notice the castle of Eger, seized throughout the centuries by Turkish armies bishops, kings and aristocrats.. 

By paying a very low entrance fee you will be able to admire a place where the medieval times remained still, and where you can almost smell the passion and love the residents had for this castle at the time. 

Historic Centre

As you walk through the historic centre you can also note all the Baroque and Neoclassical buildings, a style I personally really like.

I am the kind of person who tries her best to enjoy life, I allow myself the time to drink good wine, eat good food, and take long walks whenever possible. Eger is the perfect getaway to combine all of this.

The city is very well known in the country for its extensive vineyards. Due to the relatively mild temperature, various types of grapes grow in this region, making it possible to bottle very high quality wines.

Wine Shop

I am very big fan of wines in general, but I think to describe the wines of Eger, I will need a whole new post J

Macok Restaurant at the Castle

Tip: to fully enjoy Eger you will need at least 2 nights/3 days

Budapest: The Gem of the Danube

When travelling to Europe, most people think to first visit London, Rome, Paris and Berlin. 

What they don't know is what they could be missing out on.

Situated on the banks of the river Danube, Budapest is a major European "must see". 

Blending Gothic, Neo Renaissance and Modern, Budapest offers an architectural and cultural journey only a few cities around the world have. 

I lived in Budapest for about 3 years, and go back a few times a year - it keeps calling! 

There I learnt what it means to be independant, how to manage my money (hum, yeah whatever, I will never learn that!) and there I found out what it really means to live! Trust me once you get a taste of this city, you won't be able to get enough!

Budapest is divided into two parts by the danube, namely Buda and Pest, connected by 8 bridges - each showing a different style. 

The two mostly predominant sights one has of the city are the Buda Castle (on the Buda side, of course!) and the parliament's building (on the Pest Side).

Worthy of visiting are Hero's square, the St. Stephans Basilica, the Aquincum area (the remains of the ones Roman Budapest), the Opera House, the Fishermen's Bastion, the many Baths (e.g.: the Szécsényi or the Gellért Bath), and.and..and..well there's so much to see! 

Budapest is not only home to many historical sites, it is also the home of the wild! It houses some of the best party places of the continent, and it represents the experience of a lifetime for many exchange students! There is something going on for all musical tastes, for all drinking tastes, and for all "wallet" tastes. Regardless of the day of the week, or time of the day, Budapest has always something going on, open air events are the hit of the summer, while the Ruinpubs are the everyday all year long must stop personal tipps: Szimpla Kert, Instant, Kőleves (in summer), and Ötkert (in summer) !

Some highlights you shoudln't miss are the Wine Festival every year in September (although not widely exportet, Hungary produces some of the most amazing wines you could drink, offering a great variety of Reds, for instance from Villány and Eger, and Whites from the Tokaj region), the Sziget Fesztival every Summer and the yearly Palinka Festival! 

Note: Palinka is a national drink, a fruit brandy which taste might take sometime to get used to - as it is really strong!

There is just so much more I could write about this city, but sooner or later I have to go to sleep, work is waiting for me tomorrow, or rather, it won't wait for me!

So all I have been trying to say is, next time you plan your city trip, keep in mind this gem on the Danube in Central Europe! And once you opt for Budapest make sure to "live the vibe" of the city and not just to visit it!

Good night !!

xx

Photo: The Parliament captured with my iPhone from the Buda Castle on April 20th 2014, a slighly rainy day. 

Ps: Below are a few links to motivate and help you:

http://www.budapest.com/

http://www.ucityguides.com/budapest/sights-attractions-tours.html

http://ruinpubs.com/index.php?id=ilbud

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buda_Castle