Debrecen{Hungary}
Debrecen: famous for being one of the cultural and social centers of Hungary, home to some of the most renowned Hungarian scientists, artists, actors, singers, poets and politicians in the country. It is the second largest city in Hungary, after its capital, Budapest. It was first mentioned in 13th century written sources. Debrecen is mostly known for its Reformed University, where lots of today’s notable scientists and artists once earned their studies.
Debrecen is located in Eastern Europe in the Eastern side of the country, close to the border with Romania, at a distance of only 35 kilometers. It lies on the Great Hungarian Plain, at about 220 meters. Hungary is known for being a flat country-you won’t see any mountains there. But they turned it to their benefit, because they have an impressive number of vineyards and make exquisite wine.
Arriving to the city can be a tough job, especially if you’re not familiar with the available options. Luckily for you, I can be of service! What you basically have to know is, that Debrecen has its own international airport, with flights from Bulgaria, Turkey, Germany or Tunisia. So you can basically fly in directly from these countries, or if you’re not from the any of above, you can fly until these countries, and take another flight from there. If you like to travel by bus, you can take a bus until the capital city, Budapest, and from there you’ll just have to get in another bus that will take you all the way to Debrecen. There are some direct bus lines from Romania and Ukraine passing through the city, but if you’re not from these countries, you’ll have to travel to the capital and then to Debrecen. If you’re a more flexible person, then you’ll probably be travelling by car. You don’t have to worry about the roads, because if you’re going from Budapest or the Western part of the country, the M3 highway will lead your path, having roads with great quality, so you don’t have to worry about any bumps. The railway system is very developed, you can get from one city to another quite fast. Debrecen has its own station, so if you’d like to visit another city, or if you want to arrive by train, it is possible. You can reserve tickets or check the timetable online.
Getting around the city can also be challenging if you have no clue what means of transportation to take. First off, I’d like to say that the city’s not that big, so you can easily travel by foot anywhere you’d like. But for all you lazy ones, I assure you that by taking the tram or the bus you can expect to reach nearby places fast. The tram goes through the most visited places in the city. Tickets for the tram and bus cost about 240-250 Forint per fair, which means about 0,9 (almost 1) Euro, but beware- Budapest tickets are no good here!
If you’re looking for a nice little hotel to rest after a long day of sightseeing, there are plenty of options for you. And the good news is, accommodation in Debrecen isn’t expensive. You can find hotels from 30 to 100 Euros per night, hotels with a wide range of different services and possibilities, fit to everyone’s preferences and tastes. If you’d like to stay in a more snug environment, you should choose a Pension as your temporary home, because the families that own this type of housing are more than welcoming and kind to their guests. So if you want to stay close to home even for your holiday, the pension is the best choice for you!
Hungarian cuisine is known for it variety in spices, and is based on meat, vegetables (potato is a necessary element!), cheeses and fresh bread. The most renown dishes in Debrecen are probably the goulash, pot roast and stuffed cabbage (served specially in Christmas and Easter). Popular soups among others are: potato soup, bean soup and chicken soup. Famous main courses are: letcho, pörkölt (a kind of stew), potato and egg casserole, and between well-known meat products we can enumerate kolbász(sausage), bacon, and the delicious wiener schnitzel. As for desserts, number one is probably the palacsinta, a type of pancake filled with delicious fruit jam. Among others we can recite: Dobos cake (which recently “became” 150 years old), Eszterházy cake, somlói galuska (trifle), cream puffs, the popular beigli and the Rigó Jancsi. Trip advisor helped me once again to show you the best restaurants in Debrecen, a wide choice-range to pick from! Let’s not forget popular drinks, among which most famous are the wines from the Tokaj vineyard, pálinka (a fruit mix), and Unicum, a herbal bitter liquor. Dinner is often followed by partying, drinking with friends, letting yourself go and having a great time. There are plenty of bars, pubs, taverns and clubs to hang out in, which assure you the best of drinks and the best of times-that is, if you’ll remember.
If you’re wondering what to visit, let me help! First off, I’d advise you to take time to walk through the Market Street to admire the wonderful classicist buildings, which come in different shapes, sizes and colors. Other popular buildings are the Reformed Boarding School and the Debrecen College. Let’s not forget to mention the number of churches to be seen like: the Great Church, St.Anne’s Church, and the “Truncated” Church. In the Déri Museum you can find a lot of different exhibitions from birds and archeological relics through minerals and history to paintings (notably some of Munkácsy Mihály‘s works). For all of you animal-lovers I have some good news: Debrecen Zoo is open most of the year with an impressive collection of animals from all over the world, and on top of that, it even has an amusement park! As for all of you nature-freaks, Nagyerdő (Big Forest) awaits you all! It was the first nature reservation in Hungary and until today it has been one of the most popular jaunting places in Debrecen, perfect for walks and relaxation. In this enchanting environment, lies the Aquaticum Health and Spa Resort, with thermal baths, sauna, open air baths and even an aqua park. Last but not least, Hortobágy National Park is situated close to the city, another park with breathtaking sites and enchanting nature.
Debrecen hosts a number of events throughout the year. The most famous one is probably the Flower Carnival, held every year in August, with an impressive assembly of flower “sculptures”. Besides this, there are loads of expositions, fairs, festivals and concerts are being organised all year long, so you better keep yourself updated! And don’t forget to have fun!
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I love their drinks, especially the Palinka … head banger ! xD
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