Hajduszoboszló-the Eastern European paradise

Hajduszoboszló lies in the North-Eastern part of Hungary (and the Hungarian Plain), in Hajdú-Bihar county. It isn’t a very big city (around 25 000) inhabitants, but is a very popular tourist resort for Eastern Europeans- especially in the summertime. It is merely 200 kms away from the Slovak, 150 kms away from the Ukrainian and at a 60 km distance from the Romanian border. The town’s major attraction lies in the fact that it houses Europe’s Largest Bath Complex. It is visited by hundreds and thousands of tourists every year, coming from all over the world, to cure themselves, to relax and to have fun. The town is basically built on tourism, most people live on running B&B’s and taking care of visitors.

Thanks to the great highways in Hungary, you can get to Hajduszoboszló pretty easily. You can either land in Debrecen Airport which is only 17 kilometers away, or in Budapest Airport, which is a bit further away (250 kms), but you can get there in 2 and a half hours via highway. There are also train routes which connect important cities, they are usually pretty good. I took one from Hajduszoboszlo to Budapest on my trip, and it was pretty okay. Prices aren’t high, and if you don’t want to rent a car, it might be the ideal choice.

Getting around is easy: by foot! You don’t need to bother with bus and cab rides, besides, it’s healthy! Not to be bossy or anything, but the town’s small, you can practically get from anywhere to everywhere in no time, and you can’t really get lost. So save yourself the money, and walk! There are some “specialized vehicles” for the tourists who don’t want to see the town the old pedestrian way. They’re called Bringo Bikes, a four(or more)-person vehicle, with which you can travel by pedaling it. It’s a fun experience to try, I’d especially propose it to families with young children.

As for accommodation, I’d say: Google It! There is a tremendous amount of offers for each and every one of you. Literally: they’ve thought of it all! From castle-shaped pensions to B&Bs with playgrounds for kids- the choice is yours! Like I said before, practically the whole town is in on hosting the big amount of tourists that come each year, so you’ll probably find some place you’ll love for your stay.

Eating shouldn’t be a problem either! The city is filled with restaurants. But, if you decide to stay in the Bath Complex for the day-even better! There are many-many terraces just waiting for the guests to come by, so they can invite them to a tasting of their own food.If you like it, try the menu! If not, then the other restaurants are waiting! You can find here Hungarian hospitality at it’s best, as they try to please the customer with not only their food, but with their smiles and efforts on saying some words in your own language, once they find out where you’re from. So it’s not only the food that’s great, but the atmosphere too!

About sights to see: you shouldn’t miss checking out the city center, because it’s beautiful both in the day-and in the night-time. There are some museums also, but the people mostly come here for the Hungarospa Bath Complex. The thermal section is open all-year round, offering tourists many treatment options they can choose. There are 13 open-air swimming pools, varying in depth, length, warmth and types of water, so everyone – from little kids to seniors- can make their own fancy. Also, for the young & young adults, there is an Aquapark waiting with 9 different types of slides, which can also be used by little kids too (there’s either an age or a height limit at these slides). And if that wasn’t enough, there are also many fitness and wellness programs anyone can join in on, so you can’t possibly get bored here!

Nightlife is also active, with concerts and shows coming to the bored visitor’s aid. There are also a few bars and nightclubs, with reasonable pricing, so if you’re a party-lover, then your place is there!

Stay tuned in the next few days for some photos of the time I’ve spent there (back in 2008). Until then, keep enjoying this heat wave while it still lasts! 🙂