Eger (EH-gehr) is a county-seat town in northern Hungary, with about 60,000 people and a thriving teacher-training college. While you’ve probably never heard of Eger, among Hungarians, the town has various claims to fame. Its powerful bishops have graced it with gorgeous churches. It has some of the best and most beloved spas in this hot-water-crazy country (including the excellent Salt Hill Thermal Spa in the nearby countryside). And, perhaps most of all, Eger makes Hungarians proud as the town that, against all odds, successfully held off the Ottoman advance into Europe in 1552. This stirring history makes Eger a field-trip mecca for Hungarian school kids. If the town is known internationally for anything, it’s for the surrounding wine region (its best-known red wine is Bull’s Blood, or Egri Bikavér).
And yet, refreshingly, enchanting Eger remains mostly off the tourist trail. Egerites go about their daily routines amidst lovely Baroque buildings, watched over by one of Hungary’s most important castles. Everything in Eger is painted with vibrant colors, and even the communist apartment blocks seem quaint. The sights are few but fun, the ambience is great, and strolling is a must. It all comes together to make Eger an ideal introduction to small-town Hungary.
Mellow Eger is a fine side-trip from Budapest. It’s a doable round-trip in a single day (about two hours by train or bus each way), but it’s much more satisfying and relaxing to spend the night.
A perfect day in Eger begins with a browse through the very local-feeling market and a low-key ramble on the castle ramparts. Then head to the college building called the Lyceum to visit the library and astronomy museum, and climb up to the thrillingly low-tech camera obscura. Take in the midday organ concert in the cathedral across the street from the Lyceum (mid-May-mid-Oct only). In the afternoon, unwind on the square or, better yet, at a thermal bath (in Eger, or at the Salt Hill Thermal Spa in nearby Egerszalók). If you need more to do, consider a drive into the countryside (including visits to local vintners—get details at TI). Round out your day with dinner on Little Dobó Square, or a visit to Eger’s touristy wine caves in the Sirens’ Valley.
In July and August (when Hungarians prefer to go to Lake Balaton—described in the previous chapter), Eger is busy with international visitors; in September and October, around the wine harvest, most of the tourists are Hungarians.
Eger Castle sits at the top of the town, hovering over Dobó Square (Dobó István tér). This main square is divided in half by Eger Creek, which bisects the town. Two blocks west of Dobó Square is the main pedestrian drag, Széchenyi utca, where you’ll find the Lyceum and the cathedral. A few blocks due south from the castle (along Eger Creek) is Eger’s thermal baths complex.
Eger’s TI (TourInform) offers a town map, as well as piles of brochures about the city and region. They can help you find a room and are eager to answer your questions (mid-June-Aug Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 9:00-13:00; Sept-mid-June Mon-Fri 8:00-16:00, closed Sat-Sun—except open Sat 8:00-16:00 in Sept-Oct; Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca 9, tel. 36/517-715, www.eger.hu).
By Train: Eger’s tiny train station is a 20-minute walk south of the center. The baggage-deposit desk is out along the platform by track 1, between the WCs (daily 7:00-19:00, attendant often waits in the adjacent büfe). For those in need of Hungarian cash, the closest ATM is at the Spar grocery store just up the street (turn left out of station, walk about 100 yards, and look for red-and-white supermarket on your right; the ATM is next to the main door, around front).
Taxis generally wait out front to take new arrivals into town (1,000-1,200 Ft). Even in little Eger, it’s always best to take a taxi marked with a company name and number.
To catch the bus toward the center, go a block straight out of the station. Buses #11, #12, and #14 cut about 10 minutes off the walk into town (tickets are 300 Ft from driver or 240 Ft at train station newsstand facing track 1—ask for helyijárat buszjegy). Get off the bus when you reach the big yellow cathedral.
To walk all the way, leave the station straight ahead, walk one block, take the hard right turn with the road, and then continue straight (on busy Deák Ferenc utca) about 10 minutes until you run into the cathedral. With your back to the cathedral entry, the main square is two blocks ahead of you, then a block to the left.
By Car: In this small town, most hotels will provide parking or help you find a lot. For a short visit, the most central lots are behind the department store on Dobó Square, or in the square surrounding the Lyceum.
By Plane: Low-impact Eger is a pleasant place to get over jet lag. For tips on getting to Eger from Budapest’s airport, see here.
Everything of interest in Eger is within walking distance. But a taxi can be helpful to reach outlying sights, including the Sirens’ Valley wine caves and the Salt Hill Thermal Spa in Egerszalók (taxi meter starts at 310 Ft, then around 250 Ft/km; try City Taxi, tel. 36/555-555, toll-free tel. 0680-622-622).
Blue Monday: Note that the castle museums and the Kepes Institute are closed on Mondays, and the Lyceum is open on Monday only from May to August. But even on Mondays you can visit the cathedral (and enjoy its organ concert), swim in the thermal bath, explore the market, see the castle grounds, and enjoy the local wine.
Organ Concert: Daily from mid-May to mid-October, Hungary’s second-biggest organ booms out a glorious 30-minute concert in the cathedral (800 Ft, Mon-Sat at 11:30, Sun at 12:30).
Local Guide: The TI can arrange a private guide to give you a tour of town (8,000 Ft/hour, tel. 36/517-715, eger@tourinform.hu).
Tourist Train: A variety of hokey little tourist trains leave the main square regularly (at least at the top of each hour, and often at other times when it’s busy). These trains do a circuit around town, then head out to the Sirens’ Valley wine caves (800 Ft, 50-minute trip).
▲▲Dobó Square (Dobó István Tér)
▲Kopcsik Marzipan Museum (Kopcsik Marcipánia)
▲Kepes Institute (Kepes Intézet)
Dobó Square is the heart of Eger. In most towns this striking, the main square is packed with postcard stalls and other tourist traps. Refreshingly, Eger’s square seems mostly packed with Egerites. Ringed by pretty Baroque buildings and watched over by Eger’s historic castle, this square is one of the most pleasant spots in Hungary.
The statue in the middle is István Dobó (EESHT-vahn DOH-boh), the square’s namesake and Eger’s greatest hero, who defended the city—and all of Hungary—from an Ottoman invasion in 1552 (see his story in the sidebar). Next to Dobó is his co-commander, István Mekcsey. And right at their side is one of the brave women of Eger—depicted here throwing a pot down onto the attackers.
Dominating the square is the exquisitely photogenic Minorite Church—often said to be the most beautiful Baroque church in Hungary. The shabby interior is less interesting, but has some appealing details (free entry, daily 9:30-17:30). Notice that each of the hand-carved wooden pews has a different motif. Pay close attention to the side altars that flank the nave: The first set (left and right) are 3-D illustrations, painted to replicate the wood altars that burned in a fire; the next set are real. And looking up at the faded ceiling frescoes, you’ll see (in the second one from the entrance) the church’s patron: St. Anthony of Padua, who’s preaching God’s word to the fishes after the townspeople refused to hear him. The green, arcaded building to the right of the Minorite Church is the Town Hall, next to an old-fashioned pharmacy.
Use the square to orient yourself to the town. Behind the statue of Dobó is a bridge over the stream that bisects the city. Just before you reach that bridge, look to the left and you’ll see the northernmost Ottoman minaret in Europe—once part of a mosque, it’s now a tourist attraction. Across the bridge is the charming Little Dobó Square (Kis-Dobó tér), home to the town’s best hotels, its outdoor dining zone, and a handy and atmospheric opportunity to sample local wines at the Bikavér Borház wine shop (see here). Hovering above Little Dobó Square is Eger Castle; to get there, hang a right at the Senator Ház Hotel and go up Dobó utca. (All of these places are described later in more detail.)
Now face the opposite direction, with the castle at your back. On your right is a handy supermarket (with an ATM by the door). At the bottom end of this square, various pedestrian shopping lanes lead straight ahead two short blocks to Eger’s main “walking street,” Széchenyi utca (with the cathedral and the Lyceum at its left end).
In the 16th century, Ottoman invaders swept into Hungary. They easily defeated a Hungarian army—in just two hours—at the Battle of Mohács in 1526.
When Buda and Pest fell to the Ottomans in 1541, all of Europe looked to Eger as the last line of defense. István Dobó and his second-in-command, István Mekcsey, were put in charge of Eger’s forces. They prepared the castle (which still overlooks the square) for a siege and waited.
On September 11, 1552—after a summer spent conquering more than 30 other Hungarian fortresses on their march northward—40,000 Ottomans arrived in Eger. Only about 2,000 Egerites (soldiers, their wives, and their children) remained to protect their town. The Ottomans expected an easy victory, but the siege dragged on for 39 days. Eger’s soldiers fought valiantly, and the women of Eger also joined the fray, pouring hot tar down on the Ottomans...everyone pitched in. A Hungarian officer named Gergely Bornemissza, sent to reinforce the people of Eger, startled the Ottomans with all manner of clever and deadly explosives. One of his brilliant inventions was a “fire wheel”—a barrel of gunpowder studded with smaller jars of explosives, which they’d light and send rolling downhill to wreak havoc until the final, deadly explosion. Ultimately, the Ottomans left in shame, Eger was saved, and Dobó was a national hero.
The unfortunate epilogue: The Ottomans came back in 1596 and, this time, succeeded in conquering an Eger Castle guarded by unmotivated mercenaries. The Ottomans sacked the town and then controlled the region for close to a century.
In 1897, a castle archaeologist named Géza Gárdonyi moved from Budapest to Eger, where tales of the siege captured his imagination. Gárdonyi wrote a book about István Dobó and the 1552 Siege of Eger called Egri Csillagok (“Stars of Eger,” translated into English as Eclipse of the Crescent Moon, available at local bookstores and souvenir stands). The book—a favorite of many Hungarians—is taught in schools, keeping the legend of Eger’s heroes alive today.
This street, which leads from Little Dobó Square to the entrance of the castle, is lined with colorful shops and attractions. You’ll encounter these sights in the following order from the main square (begin by heading up the street to the right of Senator Ház Hotel):
The antique shop (Régiségbolt, at #24) is worth a peek. If musty old things from the communist era—a painting of Lenin or a classic old radio—are cluttering your attic, you can sell them here.
The wine-tasting courtyard (#18) features a different local winery each week from May through October. Pop into the brightly lit, vaulted tasting room in the back to try a glass (200-600 Ft/glass).
A few steps down Fazola Henrik (on the right), the Historical Exhibition of Weapons (Történi Tárház) features centuries of Eger armaments: clubs, rifles, and everything in between (400 Ft, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, 300-Ft English book gives a full weapon-by-weapon tour).
The Palóc Folklore Museum (#12) displays a handful of traditional tools, textiles, ceramics, costumes, and pieces of furniture (200 Ft; open sporadically—likely May-Sept Tue-Sun 10:15-16:15, closed Oct-April and Mon year-round; no English information).
The great St. István—Hungary’s first Christian king—founded a church on this hill a thousand years ago. The church was destroyed by Tatars in the 13th century, and this fortress was built to repel another attack. Most importantly, this castle is Hungary’s Alamo, where István Dobó defended Eger from the Ottomans in 1552—as depicted in the relief just outside the entry gate. These days, it’s usually crawling with field-tripping schoolchildren from all over the country. (Every Hungarian sixth grader reads Eclipse of the Crescent Moon, which thrillingly recounts the heroic siege of Eger.) For those of us who didn’t grow up hearing the legend of István Dobó, the complex is hard to appreciate, and English information is sparse. Most visitors find that the most rewarding plan is simply to stroll up, wander the grounds, play “king of the castle” along the ramparts, and enjoy the sweeping views over Eger’s rooftops.
Cost and Hours: While a 700-Ft “walking ticket” gets you into the castle grounds only, the 1,100-Ft ticket includes the big castle sights (history museum, art gallery, casements tour). The castle grounds are open daily (April-Aug 8:00-20:00, Sept until 19:00, March and Oct until 18:00, Nov-Feb until 17:00). The castle museums have shorter hours (April-Oct Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, Nov-March Tue-Sun 10:00-16:00, closed Mon year-round).
Casements Tours: The underground casements and Heroes’ Hall are only accessible by a one-hour tour in Hungarian (included in ticket price, tours depart frequently in summer, sporadically off-season).
Information: Tel. 36/312-744, www.egrivar.hu.
Getting There: To reach the castle from Dobó Square, cross the bridge toward Senator Ház Hotel, then jog right around the hotel, turning right onto Dobó utca (with its own set of attractions, described earlier). Take this street a few blocks until it swings down to the right; the ramp up to the castle is on your left.
Visiting the Castle: Buy your ticket at the lower gate, then hike up the entry ramp and through the inner gate into the main courtyard—with grassy fields, souvenir stands, and easy access to the ramparts. Straight ahead—through the corridor with the little information window—is a pink, Gothic-style courtyard, which contains two small museums. The history museum (in the top floor of the main building) is the best of its kind in town, with lots of artifacts and good English descriptions. The picture gallery (top floor of building to the left as you enter the courtyard) is worth a few minutes, with paintings giving you a look at traditional life in Hungary.
Exploring the grounds, you’ll see the remains of a once-grand cathedral and a smaller rotunda dating from the days of St. István (10th or 11th century; at the far-right corner as you enter). The underground casements (tunnels through the castle walls, which include the Heroes’ Hall with the symbolic grave of István Dobó) are accessible only by guided tour, but you can dip into the dungeon anytime with the museum ticket (to the left as you enter).
Other Castle Sights: The castle hosts a few privately run exhibits (with sporadic hours and prices).
The waxworks, or “Panoptikum” (500 Ft, daily April-Oct 9:00-17:00, shorter hours off-season; at far-left corner as you enter), while kind of silly, is fun for kids or those who never really grew up. Think of it as a very low-tech, walk-through Ottomans of the Caribbean. You’ll see a handful of eerily realistic heroes and villains from the siege of Eger (including István Dobó himself and the leader of the Ottomans sitting in his colorful tent). Notice the exaggerated Central Asian features of the Egerites—a reminder that the Magyars were more Asian than European. A visit to the waxworks lets you scramble through a segment of the tunnels that run inside the castle walls (a plus since it’s not really worth it to wait around through the similar, Hungarian-language casements tour).
The Eger 1552 3-D movie offers a fun little lesson in the town’s history. Appropriately low-budget for this small town, the film’s graphics are closer to a retro video game than a blockbuster, but it does a fine job of re-creating the medieval townscape. A second 3-D movie features a baby Tyrannosaurus rex (400 Ft for one movie, 600 Ft for both, 10 minutes each, English subtitles).
Additional sights include an archery exhibit (in summer, look for archers just to the right of the Gothic courtyard, and pay them for the chance to shoot old-fashioned bows and crossbows); and temporary exhibits in the ground floor of the Gothic courtyard. The castle also has a café and a 1552 Restaurant.
In the mid-18th century, Bishop Károly Eszterházy wanted a university in Eger, but Habsburg Emperor Josef II refused to allow it. Instead, Eszterházy built the most impressive teacher-training college on the planet, and stocked it with the best books and astronomical equipment that money could buy. The Lyceum still trains local teachers (enrollment: about 2,000). Tourists also roam the halls of the Lyceum; they come to visit its classic old library and its astronomy museum, which has a fascinating camera obscura. The library and museum are tucked away in the big, confusing building.
Cost and Hours: Library-800 Ft, museum-1,000 Ft; both open May-Aug daily 9:30-17:30; mid-March-April and Sept-Oct Tue-Sun 9:30-15:30, closed Mon; Nov-mid-March Tue-Sun 9:30-13:30, closed Mon; Eszterházy tér 1, at south end of Széchenyi utca at intersection with Kossuth utca, enter through main door across from cathedral and buy tickets just inside and to the left.
Visiting the Lyceum: First, visit the old-fashioned library one floor up (from the main entry hall, cut through the middle of the courtyard, go up the stairs to the next floor, and look for Room 223, marked Bibliothek—it’s on the right side of the complex as you face it from the entrance). This library houses 60,000 books (here and in the two adjoining rooms, with several stacked two deep). Dr. Erzsébet Löffler and her staff have spent the last decade cataloging these books. This is no easy task, since they’re in over 30 languages—from Thai to Tagalog—and are shelved according to size, rather than topic. Only one percent of the books are in Hungarian—but half of them are in Latin. The ticket-taker can give you an English information sheet highlighting the collection’s most prized pieces. The shelves are adorned with golden seals depicting some of the great minds of science, philosophy, and religion. Marvel at the gorgeous ceiling fresco, dating from 1778. To thank the patron of this museum, say köszönöm to the guy in the second row up, to the right of the podium (above the entry door, second from left, not wearing a hat)—that’s Bishop Károly Eszterházy.
Turn right as you leave the library to find the staircase that leads up the Astronomical Tower (Varázstorony, follow signs several flights up) to the Astronomical Museum. Some dusty old stargazing instruments occupy one room, as well as a meridian line in the floor (a dot of sunlight dances along this line each day around noon). Across the hall is a fun, interactive magic room, where you can try out scientific experiments—such as using air pressure to make a ball levitate or sending a mini “hot-air balloon” up to the ceiling.
A few more flights up is the Lyceum’s treasured camera obscura—one of just two originals surviving in Europe (the other is in Edinburgh). You’ll enter a dark room around a big, bowl-like canvas, and the guide will fly you around the streets of Eger (presentations about 2/hour, maybe more when busy). Fun as it is today, this camera must have astonished viewers when it was built in 1776—well before anyone had seen “moving pictures.” It’s a bit of a huff to get up here (nine flights of stairs, 302 steps)—but the camera obscura, and the actual view of Eger from the outdoor terrace just outside, are worth it.
Eger’s 19th-century bishops peppered the city with beautiful buildings, including the second-biggest church in Hungary (after Esztergom’s—see here). With a quirky, sumptuous, Baroque-feeling interior, Eger’s cathedral is well worth a visit.
Cost and Hours: 300-Ft donation requested (but you must buy ticket if visiting before an organ concert, 11:00-12:00), open Mon-Sat 8:30-18:00, Sun 13:00-18:00. The cathedral is the big, can’t-miss-it yellow building at Pyrker János tér 1, facing the start of Széchenyi utca.
Visiting the Cathedral: Eger Cathedral was built in the 1830s by an Austrian archbishop who had previously served in Venice, and who thought Eger could use a little more class. The colonnaded Neoclassical facade, painted a pretty Habsburg yellow, boasts some fine Italian sculpture. As you walk up the main stairs, you’ll pass saints István and László—Hungary’s first two Christian kings—and then the apostles Peter and Paul.
Enter the cathedral and walk to the first collection box, near the start of the nave. Then, turning back to face the door, look up at the ornate ceiling fresco: On the left, it shows Hungarians in traditional dress; and on the right, the country’s most important historical figures. At the bottom, you see this cathedral, celestially connected with St. Peter’s in Rome (opposite). This symbol of devotion to the Vatican was a brave statement when it was painted in 1950. The communists were closing churches in other small Hungarian towns, but the Eger archbishop had enough clout to keep this one open.
Continue to the transept, stopping directly underneath the main dome. The stained-glass windows decorating the north and south transepts were donated to the cathedral by a rich Austrian couple to commemorate the 1,000th anniversary of Hungary’s conversion to Christianity—notice the dates: 1000 (when St. István converted the Magyars to Christianity), and 2000.
As you leave, notice the enormous organ—Hungary’s second-largest—above the door. In the summer, try to catch one of the cathedral’s daily half-hour organ concerts (800 Ft, mid-May-mid-Oct Mon-Sat at 11:30, Sun at 12:30, no concerts off-season).
Near the back-right corner, look for the statue of Szent Rita, a local favorite; the votive plaques that say köszönöm and hálából are offering “thanks” and “gratitude” for prayers answered.
Nearby: If you walk up Széchenyi utca from here, you’ll see the fancy Archbishop’s Palace on your left—still home to Eger’s archbishop.
Just to the right of the steps leading up to the cathedral is the entrance to the Town Under the Town (Város a Város Alatt), a 45-minute guided tour of the archbishop’s former wine-cellar network (950 Ft, generally departs at the top of each hour—schedule posted at door, 5-person minimum, you’ll get a little English sprinkled in with the Hungarian, daily in summer 10:00-17:00, shorter hours off-season, last tour departs one hour before closing, tel. 20/961-4019, www.varosavarosalatt.hu).
Wandering Eger’s big indoor market will give you a taste of local life—and maybe some samples of local food, too. This ramshackle hall is a totally untouristy scene, with ugly plastic tubs piled high with an abundance of fresh local produce. Tomatoes and peppers of all colors and sizes are plentiful—magic ingredients that give Hungarian food its kick.
Hours: Opens daily at 6:00; while open weekday afternoons, it’s best in the mornings.
Once part of a mosque, this slender, 130-foot-tall minaret represents the century of Ottoman rule that left its mark on Eger and all of Hungary. The little cross at the top symbolizes the eventual Christian victory over Hungary’s Ottoman invaders. You can climb the minaret’s 97 steps for fine views of Eger, but it’s not for those scared of heights or enclosed spaces. Because the staircase was designed for one man to climb to call the community to prayer, it’s very tight. To avoid human traffic jams, they allow groups of visitors in about twice an hour.
Cost and Hours: 300 Ft, daily April-Sept 10:00-18:00, Oct 10:00-17:00, closed Nov-March; if it’s locked, ask around for the key.
Lajos Kopcsik is a master sculptor who has found his medium: marzipan. Kopcsik can make this delicate mixture of sugar dough, ground almonds, egg whites, and tempera paints take virtually any form. Pass through the entryway, filled with awards, to enter this surprisingly engaging little museum. You’ll see several remarkable, colorful examples of Kopcsik’s skill: sword, minaret, gigantic wine bottle, suitcase, Russian stacking dolls, old-timey phonograph, grandfather clock, giant bell...and paintings galore (including Van Gogh’s sunflowers and Picasso’s musicians). Who’d have thought you could do so much with candy? Don’t miss the “Baroque room”—furnished and decorated entirely in marzipan.
Cost and Hours: 800 Ft, no English information, daily 9:00-18:00, shorter hours off-season, Harangöntő utca 4, tel. 36/412-626, www.kopcsikmarcipania.hu.
This beautifully renovated, minimalist building—sitting proudly on Eger’s main walking street, Széchenyi utca—has a permanent collection of György Kepes’ works upstairs, and fills several other halls with good temporary exhibits of contemporary artwork. Hungarian-born György Kepes (1906-2001) later moved to the US, where he was a university professor in Chicago and at MIT in Boston. A painter and photographer, Kepes followed the very Hungarian, left-brained artistic tradition of Op Artist Viktor Vasarely, drawing inspiration from geometry—except that Kepes ventured deeper into abstraction (producing canvases reminiscent of fuzzy Abstract Expressionism). In typical left-brained Hungarian fashion, Kepes combined art with practical purpose as he helped design effective camouflage for the US military.
Cost and Hours: 1,200 Ft, Tue-Sat 10:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-16:00, closed Mon, Széchenyi utca 16, tel. 36/440-044, www.kepeskozpont.hu.
Eger has several other small museums that may be worthwhile for those with a special interest. Though Eger’s Jewish population was wiped out during the Holocaust, one of its synagogues has been converted into the Synagogue Gallery (Zsinagóga Galéria), allowing you to see the roughly restored interior and peruse temporary exhibits on various topics (exhibits are generally not Jewish-focused; entry price changes based on exhibit, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, two short blocks straight ahead from castle ramp at Kossuth Lajos utca 17). The TI can give you information about the Firefighters Museum (Egri Tűzoltó Múzeum, a long walk north of downtown on Széchenyi utca, www.tuzoltomuzeum.hu), the Sport Museum, and more.
Swimming and water sports are as important to Egerites as good wine. They’re proud that many of Hungary’s Olympic medalists in aquatic events have come from the surrounding county. The men’s water polo team took the gold for Hungary at three Olympiads in a row (2000-2008), and speed swimmer László Cseh might have been a multiple gold medal-winner at Beijing in 2008 if he hadn’t been swimming next to Michael Phelps. The town’s Bitskey Aladár swimming pool—arguably the most striking building in this part of Hungary—is practically a temple to water sports.
Eger also has several appealing thermal bath complexes: one right in town, and two more a few miles away (near the village of Egerszalók). Budapest offers classier bath experiences, but the Eger options are more modern and a bit more accessible, and allow you to save your Budapest time for big-city sights. Before you go, be sure to read the Thermal Baths chapter.
Note that you can’t rent a swimsuit or a towel at either of these places; bring both with you, along with shower sandals for the locker room (if you’ve got them).
This striking swimming pool was designed by Imre Makovecz, the father of Hungary’s Organic architectural style. Some Eger taxpayers resented the pool’s big price tag, but it left the city with a truly distinctive building befitting its love of water sports. You don’t need to be an architecture student to know that the pool is special. It’s worth the five-minute walk from Dobó Square just to take a look. Oh, and you can swim in it, too.
Cost and Hours: 1,050 Ft, Mon-Fri 6:00-21:30, Sat-Sun 7:30-18:00, follow Eger Creek south from Dobó Square to Frank Tivadar utca, tel. 36/511-810, www.egertermal.hu.
For a refreshing break from the sightseeing grind, consider a splash at the spa. This is a fine opportunity to try a Hungarian bath: relatively accessible (men and women are clothed and together most of the time), but frequented mostly by locals.
Cost and Hours: 1,900 Ft (cheaper Sun-Wed after 16:00), 1,300 Ft extra gives you access to sauna and Turkish bath for two hours; June-Aug Mon-Wed 8:30-19:00, Thu-Fri 8:30-21:00, Sat 8:00-21:00, Sun 8:00-19:00; May and Sept Sun-Wed 9:00-19:00, Thu-Sat 9:00-21:00; Oct-April daily 9:00-19:00; Petőfi tér 2, tel. 36/510-558, www.egertermal.hu.
Getting There: It’s easy to reach and within a 10-minute walk of most hotels. From Dobó Square, follow the stream four blocks south (look for signs for Strand), then into a park; halfway through the park, look for the bath’s entrance on your left, over a bridge.
Entry Procedure: After you pay, show your wristband to an attendant to get a key to a locker (1,000-Ft deposit per key; private changing cabins available in the locker room for no extra charge). Change, stow your stuff, and join the fun.
Taking the Waters: There’s a sprawling array of different pools, each one thoughtfully described in English and labeled with its depth and temperature. The best part is the green-domed, indoor-outdoor adventure bath, right at the side entrance. Its cascades, jets, bubbles, geysers, and powerful current pool will make you feel like a kid again. Exploring the complex, you’ll also find big and small warm pools, a very hot sulfur pool (where Egerites sit peacefully, ignore the slight stink, and supposedly feel their arthritis ebb away), a kids’ pool with splashy-slide fun, and a lap pool (some of these are closed off-season).
Turkish Bath: Eger’s recently refurbished Turkish-style bath is closer to the main entrance (to the left as you face the main gate; you can’t enter directly from the main part of the bath). It costs 1,300 Ft in combination with the main bath, or 2,200 Ft by itself (Mon-Tue 16:30-21:00, Wed-Thu 15:00-21:00, Fri 13:00-21:00, Sat-Sun 9:00-21:00).
Two more thermal baths—Salt Hill and Demjén—sit in the countryside outside of Eger, flanking a rocky hill between the villages of Egerszálok and Demjén. While these baths lack the old-fashioned class of the Budapest options, they more than compensate with soggy fun.
Getting There: Both baths are about a mile outside the village of Egerszalók, which is itself about three miles from Eger. You can take a public bus from Eger’s bus station to the baths (take bus going toward Demjén; for Salt Hill, get off at the Egerszalók Gyógyfürdő stop—tell the bus driver “EH-gehr-sah-lohk FEWR-dur”—just after leaving the town of Egerszalók; for the Demjén Baths, get off at the entrance to Demjén village and walk back to the baths; bus runs 9/day Mon-Sat, only 4/day Sun, 20-minute trip, 400 Ft). Check the return bus information carefully (especially on weekends, when frequency plummets). Or you can take a taxi from Eger (about 3,000 Ft; tel. 36/555-555 for a return taxi from Egerszalók). Here’s a fun and very hedonistic afternoon plan: Take the bus or taxi to the spa, taxi back to Eger’s Sirens’ Valley for some wine-cave hopping, then taxi back to your Eger hotel.
Nearby Wineries: The village of Egerszalók has several fine wineries, including the excellent St. Andrea—fun to combine with your bath visit. For details, see here.
For decades, Egerites would come to this “salt hill” (a natural terraced formation caused by mineral-rich spring water running down the hillside) in the middle of nowhere and cram together to baste in pools of hot water. Then the developers arrived. Today, a giant new hotel and spa complex has been built nearby. With 12 indoor pools and five outdoor ones—many cleverly overlapping one another on several levels—these cutting-edge baths are worth the trip outside of Eger. Take some time to explore the sprawling complex. Everything is labeled in English, and each pool is clearly marked with the depth and temperature. This complex uses the same system as at Eger’s thermal baths: Press your wristband against a computer screen to be assigned a locker, change in the private cabin, then have fun.
Cost and Hours: In Sept-June, 4,500 Ft for all day, 2,100 Ft for 3 hours or less, 1,500 Ft after 17:00; all prices 1,000 Ft more in July-Aug. You’ll pay 1,500 Ft extra to access “sauna world,” with five different saunas. Towel rental is 1,000 Ft; massages and other treatments also available. Open June-Aug daily 10:00-20:00, likely less off-season—call ahead to check; tel. 36/688-500, www.egerszalokfurdo.hu.
Just over the hill from Salt Hill Thermal Spa, Demjén Baths is a less glitzy complex of nicely rustic wooden buildings and pools that are similarly nestled in hills (minus the terrace formations). Thanks to its low prices and long hours, these baths attract more locals. It also offers fewer amusements: Jets, fountains, and other “adventure bath”-type features are rare, and the goal here is simply stewing in pools of warm water. (The aquapark section—open only in summer—does have waterslides and a diving pool, for an extra charge.) You’ll pay, change in a cabin in the shared locker rooms, ask the attendant to assign you a locker (she’ll tell you to remember your number, which you’ll need to tell her when you’re ready for her to unlock it for you), then go soak.
Cost and Hours: 1,400 Ft, plus 1,200 Ft for a “wellness” ticket that adds more saunas and spas, daily 9:00-24:00; aquapark costs 1,900 Ft extra and open summers only until 20:00; mobile 0630-853-7419, www.demjengyogytermal.hu.
Eger is at the heart of one of Hungary’s best-known wine regions, internationally famous for its Bull’s Blood (Egri Bikavér). You’ll likely hear various stories as to how Bull’s Blood got its name during the Ottoman siege of Eger. My favorite version: The Ottomans were amazed at the ferocity displayed by the Egerites, and wondered what they were drinking that boiled their blood and stained their beards so red...it must be potent stuff. Local merchants, knowing that the Ottomans were Muslim and couldn’t drink alcohol, told them it was bull’s blood. The merchants made a buck, and the name stuck.
Creative as these stories are, they’re all bunk—the term dates only from 1851. Egri Bikavér is a blend (everyone has their own recipe), so you generally won’t find it at small producers. Cabernet sauvignon, merlot, kékfránkos, and kékoportó are the most commonly used grapes.
But Bull’s Blood is just the beginning of what the Eger wine region offers. Although Eger is better known for its reds, 42 of the 62 regional varieties are white. (For details, see “Hungarian Wines” on here.)
Tasting Local Wine: While it would be enjoyable to drive around the Hungarian countryside visiting wineries (and I’ve recommended one great choice, St. Andrea, later), the most accessible way to get a quick taste of local wine is at a wine shop in town. I like the Kenyeres family’s Bikavér Borház, right on Little Dobó Square (across from Senator Ház Hotel). In addition to a well-stocked (if slightly overpriced) wine shop, they have a wine bar with indoor and outdoor seating (six tastings and two cheeses for less than 2,000 Ft, wine also sold by the glass, some English spoken, menu lists basic English description for each wine, daily 10:00-22:00, possibly later in busy times, Kis-Dobó tér 10, tel. 36/413-262).
When the Ottoman invaders first occupied Eger, residents moved into the valley next door, living in caves dug into the hillside. Eventually the Ottomans were driven out, the Egerites moved back to town, and the caves became wine cellars. (Most Eger families who can afford it have at least a modest vineyard in the countryside.) There are more than 300 such caves in the valley to the southwest of Eger, several of which are open for visitors.
The best selection of these caves (about 50) is in the Sirens’ Valley (sometimes also translated as “Valley of the Beautiful Women”—or, on local directional signs, the less poetic “Nice Woman Valley”). While the valley can feel vacant and dead (even sometimes in the summer), if you visit when it’s busy it can be a fun scene—locals showing off their latest vintage, with picnic tables and tipsy tourists spilling out into the street. At some places, you’ll be offered free samples; others have a menu for tastes or glasses of wine. While you’re not expected to buy a bottle, it’s a nice gesture to buy one if you’ve spent a while at one cave (and it’s usually very cheap). Most caves offer something light to eat with the wine, and you’ll also see lots of non-cave, full-service restaurants. Some of the caves are fancy and finished, staffed by multilingual waiters in period costume. Others feel like a dank basement, with grandpa leaning on his moped out front and a monolingual granny pouring the wine inside. (The really local places—where the decor is cement, bottles don’t have labels, and food consists of potato chips and buttered Wonder bread—can be the most fun.)
This experience is a strange mix of touristy and local, but not entirely accessible to non-Hungarian-speakers—it works best with a bunch of friends and an easygoing, sociable attitude. Hopping from cave to musky cave can make for an enjoyable evening, but be sure to wander around a bit to see the options before you dive in (cellars generally open 10:00-21:00 in summer, best June-Aug in the late afternoon and early evening, plus good-weather weekends in the shoulder season; it’s sleepy and not worth a visit off-season, when only a handful of cellars remain open for shorter hours).
Getting to the Sirens’ Valley: The valley is on the southwest outskirts of Eger. Figure no more than 1,000 Ft for a taxi between your hotel and the caves. During the summer, you can take an 800-Ft tourist train from Eger’s main square to the caves (see “Helpful Hints” on here), then catch a later one back.
You can walk there in about 25 minutes: Leave the pedestrian zone on the street next to the cathedral (Törvényház utca), with the cathedral on your right-hand side. Take the first left just after the back end of the cathedral (onto Trinitárius utca), go one long block, then take the first right (onto Király utca). At the fork, bear to the left. You’ll stay straight on this road—crossing busy Koháry István utca—for several blocks, passing through some nondescript residential areas (on Szépasszony-völgy utca). When you crest the hill and emerge from the houses, you’ll see the caves (and tour buses) below you on the left—go left (downhill) at the fork to get there. First you’ll come to a stretch of touristy non-cave restaurants; keep going past these, and eventually you’ll see a big loop of caves on your left.
The village of Egerszalók, near the Salt Hill and Demjén thermal baths (described earlier), has a variety of fun wineries. The most interesting, and well worth a visit for wine lovers, is St. Andrea. This slick, modern, Napa Valley-esque facility offers cellar tours and tastings of their excellent wines, which show up on fine restaurant menus across Hungary. They’re evangelical both about their spirituality (hence the name) and their wine, and enjoy explaining everything in English. They make generous use of pinot noir grapes, and produce some good, pungent whites with volcanic qualities. While it may be possible to simply drop in for a tasting, it’s better to call ahead and let them know you’re coming (3,500 Ft/person, bottles for 2,500-5,500 Ft, Mon-Sat 10:00-18:00, closed Sun, Ady Endre út 88 in Egerszalók, mobile 0630-692-5860, www.standrea.hu). It’s most practical with a car (or by taxi), but you can also walk there from the bus stop in Egerszalók’s town center (about a half-mile; head down Ady Endre út, toward the baths).
Things quiet down pretty early in this sedate town. Youthful student bars and hangouts cluster along the main “walking street,” Széchenyi utca (especially Fri and Sat nights). Older travelers feel more at home on Little Dobó Square, with schmaltzy live music until 21:00 or 22:00 in summer; the Bikavér Borház wine bar (described earlier) is the lively hub of activity here, and stays open later.
Eger is a good overnight stop, and a couple of quaint, well-located hotels in particular—Senator Ház and Offi Ház—are well worth booking in advance. The TI can help you find a room; if you’re stumped, the area behind the castle has a sprinkling of cheap guesthouses (vendégház). Elevators are rare—expect to climb one or two flights of stairs to reach your room. A tax of 400 Ft per person will be added to your bill (not included in the prices listed here). Most of these hotels are in pedestrian zones, so get detailed driving and parking instructions from your hotel; many offer free or cheap parking, but it’s often a block or two away.
$$$ Imola Udvarház rents six spacious apartments—with kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bathroom—all decorated in modern Ikea style. They’re pricey for this small town, but roomy and well-maintained, with a great location near the castle entrance. Their free on-site parking garage makes this a good choice for drivers (Sb-19,000 Ft, Db-23,000 Ft, 1,000 Ft more July-Aug, 3,000 Ft less in winter, extra person-3,000 Ft, air-con, Wi-Fi, Tírodi Sebestyén tér 4, tel. 36/516-180, www.imolaudvarhaz.hu, info@imolaudvarhaz.hu).
$$ Senator Ház Hotel is one of my favorite small, family-run hotels in Eastern Europe. Though the 11 rooms are a bit worn, this place is cozy and well-run by András Cseh and his right-hand man, Viktor. With oodles of character, all the right quirks, and a picture-perfect location just under the castle on Little Dobó Square, it’s a winner (Sb-13,200 Ft, Db-18,000 Ft, extra bed-6,000 Ft, 1,000 Ft more in July-Aug, less in winter, András offers 10 percent cash discount for Rick Steves readers who book direct and mention this book, air-con, Wi-Fi, Dobó István tér 11, tel. 36/411-711, www.senatorhaz.hu, info@senatorhaz.hu). The Cseh family also runs Pátria Vendégház—with two doubles (same prices as main hotel) and four luxurious apartments (Db-20,000 Ft, Tb-27,000 Ft).
$$ Offi Ház Hotel shares Little Dobó Square with Senator Ház. Its five rooms are classy and romantic, but a bit tight, with slanted ceilings. Communication can be tricky (German helps), but the location is worth the hassle (Sb-14,000 Ft, Db-17,500 Ft, Db suite-19,500 Ft, Tb suite-23,000 Ft, extra bed-5,000 Ft, 15 percent cheaper Nov-March, non-smoking, air-con, Wi-Fi, Dobó István tér 5, tel. 36/518-210, www.offihaz.hu, offihaz@t-online.hu, Offenbächer family).
$$ Szent János Hotel, less charming and more businesslike than the Senator Ház and Offi Ház, offers a good but less atmospheric location, 13 straitlaced rooms, and a pleasant winter garden to relax in. Choose between the newly renovated rooms, which face a busy pedestrian street and can be noisy on weekend nights, or the still-good older rooms, which face the quieter back side—both for the same price (Sb-15,000 Ft, Db-18,000 Ft, extra bed-6,000 Ft, cheaper Nov-April, non-smoking, air-con, Wi-Fi, a long block off Dobó Square at Szent János utca 3, tel. 36/510-350, www.hotelszentjanos.hu, hotelszentjanos@hotelszentjanos.hu).
$ Dobó Vendégház, run by warm Marianna Kleszo, has seven basic but colorful rooms just off Dobó Square. Marianna speaks nothing but Hungarian, but gets simple reservation emails translated by a friend (Sb-10,500 Ft, Db-15,900 Ft, extra bed-4,500 Ft, cash only, air-con in some upstairs rooms, Wi-Fi, Dobó utca 19, tel. 36/421-407, www.dobovendeghaz.hu, info@dobovendeghaz.hu).
$ Imola Hostel, a big, modern, and comfy hostel, is basically a college dormitory that welcomes travelers of any age into its dorm rooms in summer (July-Aug only). As there are 400 beds, finding a place should be easy (bunk in 2-3-bed room-3,300 Ft, includes sheets but no breakfast; a short hike up behind the castle or a 5-minute walk from the Old Town at Leányka utca 2; tel. 36/520-430, www.imolanet.hu/imolahostel, hostel@imolanet.hu).
(See "Eger" map, here.)
HBH Restaurant (named for the Hofbräuhaus beer on tap) is doing its best to be classy in this small town. They offer traditional Hungarian dishes (including chalkboard specials) in an upscale environment (2,000-3,100-Ft main dishes, good wine list, daily 11:30-23:00, outdoor tables in summer, right at the bottom of Dobó Square at Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca 19, tel. 36/515-516).
Palacsintavár (“Pancake Castle”), near the ramp leading up to the castle, isn’t your hometown IHOP. This cellar bar (which also has pleasant sidewalk seating) serves up inventive, artfully presented crêpe-wrapped main courses to a mostly student clientele. It’s decorated with old cigarette boxes, and cutting-edge rock music plays on the soundtrack (meal-sized 2,000-2,500-Ft pancake dishes, daily 12:00-23:00, Dobó utca 9, tel. 36/413-980).
Restaurant Senator Ház, on Little Dobó Square, offers the best setting for al fresco dining in town, with good Hungarian and international food (1,200-1,800-Ft light meals, 1,700-3,200-Ft main dishes). Sure, you’re paying a bit extra for the setting—but it’s worth it for the postcard-perfect outdoor seating, from which you can survey the Little Dobó Square action (open daily 10:00-22:00, cheesy live music on summer evenings). Neighboring restaurants (such as Offi Ház) offer the same ambience.
Szantofer Vendéglő serves traditional Hungarian food at local prices to both Egerites and tourists. The good, unpretentious, fill-the-tank grub is designed for the neighborhood gang (1,800-2,500 Ft main dishes, daily 11:30-22:00, Bródy Sándor utca 3, tel. 36/517-298).
Elefanto, above the market hall, has a pleasant tree-house ambience. As it’s outside of the cute zone, it attracts more locals than tourists. Sit indoors or enjoy covered terrace seating that’s delightful in warm weather. The menu is mostly Italian, with pastas (1,300-1,600 Ft), pizzas (2,500 Ft), and main dishes (2,000-3,300 Ft), plus a few Hungarian standbys thrown in (daily 12:00-22:00, Katona István tér 2, tel. 36/412-452).
Dessert: Cukrászda (pastry shops) line the streets of Eger. For deluxe, super-decadent pastries of every kind imaginable, drop by Dobós Cukrászda (Mon-Sat 9:30-20:00, Sun 9:00-19:00, point to what you want inside and they’ll bring it out to your table, Széchenyi utca 6, tel. 36/413-335). For a more local scene, find the tiny Sárvári Cukrászda, a block behind the Lyceum. Their pastries are good, but Egerites line up here for homemade gelato (Mon-Fri 7:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00, Kossuth utca 1, between Jókai utca and Fellner utca). You’ll spot several ice-cream parlors in this town, where every other pedestrian seems to be licking a cone. Another good option is the kürtőskalács window on Szent János utca, where you can step up and grab a piping-hot “pastry horn” that’s slow-cooked on a rotisserie, then rolled in toppings (daily 9:00-19:30, Szent János utca 10).
The only major destination you’ll get to directly from Eger’s train station is Budapest (every 2 hours direct to Budapest’s Keleti/Eastern Station, 2 hours; more frequent and faster with a change in Füzesabony—see next). For other destinations, you’ll connect through Füzesabony or Budapest.
Eger is connected to the nearby junction town of Füzesabony (FOO-zesh-ah-boyn) by frequent trains (13/day, 17 minutes). The very rustic Füzesabony station does not have lockers or an ATM; to find an ATM, exit straight from the station, walk about two blocks, and you’ll find one on your right (just past the Napcentrum).
In Füzesabony, you can transfer to Budapest on either a slower milk-run train or a speedier InterCity train (a little pricier, as it requires an extra supplement, but gets you to Budapest in just under 2 hours total).
Eger’s bus station (unlike its train station) is right in town, a five-minute uphill walk behind Eger’s cathedral and the Archbishop’s Palace: Go behind the cathedral and through the park, and look for the modern, green, circular building. Blue electronic boards in the center of the station show upcoming departures.
From Eger to Budapest: The direct Eger-Budapest bus service is about the same price as the train, and can be a bit faster (3,000 Ft, 2/hour, tickets generally available just before departure). Express buses depart Eger at :15 after each hour and make the trip in one hour and 50 minutes; slower regular buses leave at :45 after each hour and take 20 minutes longer. While Eger’s bus station is closer to the town center than its train station, this bus takes you to a less central point in Budapest (near Budapest’s Stadionok bus station, on the M2/red Metró line).
To the Thermal Baths near Egerszalók: Buses from the same station also connect Eger to the thermal baths near Egerszalók (Salt Hill and Demjén; see “Getting There” on here). However, buses marked for Egerszalók do not actually go to the spa; instead, you need a bus going beyond Egerszalók, marked for Demjén.