ON THE PEDESTRIAN DRAG, KIRÁLY UTCA
An established settlement for nearly 2,000 years, Pécs (pronounced “paych”) is a historic, museum-packed, and oh-so-pretty city near Hungary’s southern frontier. Cheerful, inviting Pécs, with colorful buildings dripping with lavish Zsolnay porcelain decoration, feels unusually proud and prosperous. Of course, it’s a relative backwater, and compared to Budapest, its charms are modest...but they’re also delightfully accessible. Pécs offers an unusually satisfying day of sightseeing for a city its size. And you’ll hardly see another tourist, as this place is rarely visited by Americans.
Pécs’ position as the major city of southern Hungary often placed it at the crossroads of cultures. Owing to the city’s illustrious history, museum-going is fun and enlightening here. You’ll gradually peel back the many layers of Pécs’ past: Walk in the footsteps of Romans through ancient crypts, stroll the medieval trade-town street plan, explore some rare surviving artifacts of the Ottoman occupation, ogle colorful Baroque and Art Nouveau buildings...and enjoy the energetic bustle of one of Hungary’s leading cities. The city’s symbol—a mosque-turned-church—says it all.
The Mecsek Hills gently cradle the city, blocking out the colder weather from the north to give Pécs a mild Mediterranean climate closer to Croatia’s than to Budapest’s. It’s no surprise that this bright and invigorating city has earned a reputation as a leading art colony. Its streets are lined with museums devoted to local artists both obscure and well-known (including Vasarely and Csontváry, two great figures of Hungarian art). Students love it, too. Hungary’s first university was founded here in 1367, and today’s U. of Pécs rivals Budapest’s ELTE as the country’s biggest university. More than 30,000 students give Pécs a youthful buzz. After a successful stint as European Capital of Culture in 2010, the city is proud and gleaming—and there’s never been a better time to visit.
One full day is plenty to get your fill of Pécs. It’s barely doable as a long day trip from Budapest (three hours each way by train)—so it’s worth spending the night. With the better part of a day in Pécs, go for a walk through town following my self-guided commentary (under “Sights in Pécs”), dipping into the museums that appeal to you. Nearly everything is within a few minutes’ walk of the main square. The one exception—the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, a 15- to 20-minute walk east—is interesting but skippable, or can be squeezed into any remaining time you have on a busy day (or the next morning).
With about 170,000 people, Pécs is Hungary’s fifth-largest city. But it feels like a small town, right down to the convivial strolling atmosphere that combusts along its pedestrian zone. The Belváros, or Inner Town, is hemmed in by a ring road (the site of the former town wall, some of which still stands). You can walk from one end of this central tourist zone to the other in about 15 minutes. All roads lead to the main square, Széchenyi tér, marked by the palatial yellow Town Hall and giant mosque/church. Because Pécs is nestled up against a gentle hillside, you’ll go gradually uphill as you head north.
The main TI—Pécs Infopoint—is in the pedestrian zone just below the main square, facing the yellow Town Hall building (daily 9:00-20:00, Széchenyi tér 7, tel. 72/213-315, www.iranypecs.hu). A second, seasonal branch is in a kiosk just below the cathedral, where Dom tér meets István tér (daily June-mid-Oct 10:00-18:00, closed off-season).
By Train: The Pécs train station is three-quarters of a mile due south of the city center’s Széchenyi tér. Inside, the station is long but straightforward (with ATM, lockers, and all the usual amenities).
A taxi to any of my recommended hotels should cost no more than 1,000 Ft.
You can walk from the train station to the town center in about 15 minutes: Exit straight ahead from the station and walk up the tree-lined, slightly angled Jókai út, which funnels you directly to Széchenyi tér. It’s gently uphill the entire way.
Various bus lines (#4, #4Y, #38, #38A, #39, and #40) shave a few minutes off the walk downtown, taking you to the Árkád shopping center just south of the pedestrianized old center. As you exit the station, head down to the left end of the bus stops; you’ll find these buses at the second row of bus stops (out in the parking lot, marked VI; buy 360-Ft ticket from driver, ride two stops to Árkád). From the Árkád bus stop, it’s about a five-minute walk to the main square (backtrack a few steps up Rákóczi street, then angle diagonally through the long square called Kossuth tér and turn right up Irgalmasok utcája).
In compact Pécs, you could easily get by without using local buses—but they may come in handy for getting into the town center from the train station, reaching the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, or heading up into the hills. A single ticket is 280 Ft when purchased in advance at a kiosk, or 360 Ft when bought on the bus (www.tukebusz.hu). If you buy it on the bus, the driver will likely stamp it to validate it for you. Otherwise, you’ll need to validate it yourself: Stick the ticket in the slot, then pull the slot toward you.
Pécs Outdoor Theater Festival: Each July through mid-August, the city hosts a festival (Pécsi Szabadtéri Játékok) with lots of concerts at reasonable prices (www.pecsinyariszinhaz.hu). If visiting in the summer, ask about it. The kiosk at the National Theater sells tickets to all festival events.
Shopping: The big, American-style Árkád shopping mall—with a supermarket, food court, and lots more—is just a block beyond the synagogue and Kossuth tér, at the southern edge of the Inner Town (shops open Mon-Sat 9:00-20:00, Sun 10:00-18:00, Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca 11, www.arkadpecs.hu).
Tourist Train: A hokey tourist train does a 40-minute loop through the city center, and heads out to the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter (980 Ft one-way, 1,400 Ft round-trip, departs from in front of the mosque on Széchenyi tér, runs May-Sept, season extended in good weather, train cancelled in bad weather).
Sightseeing Pass: The 3,500-Ft day ticket (napijegy) saves you a little money if you’re seeing the three main museums downtown (Csontváry, Vasarely, and Zsolnay). Simply buy it at the first museum you visit. Note that it does not cover the mosque/church, cathedral, Roman crypts, synagogue, or Zsolnay Cultural Quarter.
Local Guide: Brigitta Gombos is a knowledgeable guide who leads good tours of her hometown (17,000 Ft/3 hours, mobile 0670-505-3531, gerluc@freemail.hu).
ZSOLNAY FOUNTAIN TO THE CATHEDRAL
▲Zsolnay Fountain (Zsolnay-kút)
▲The Walking Street: Király Utca
▲▲Gazi Kasim Pasha Mosque (Gázi Kászim Pasa Dzsámija)/Inner Town Parish Church
▲▲Csontváry Museum (Csontváry Múzeum)
▲Cella Septichora Visitor Center (Roman Crypts)
▲Viktor Vasarely Museum (Vasarely Múzeum)
▲Zsolnay Porcelain Museum (Zsolnay Múzeum)
ZSOLNAY CULTURAL QUARTER (ZSOLNAY KULTURÁLIS NEGYED)
▲Gyugyi Collection (Gyugyi-gyűjtemény)
Pink Zsolnay Exhibition (Rózsaszín Zsolnay Kiállítás)
Zsolnay Live Manufactory (Látványmanufaktúra)
Zsolnay Family and Factory History Exhibition (Család-és Gyártörténeti Kiállítás)
▲Zsolnay Mausoleum (Zsolnay Mauzóleum)
NEAR PÉCS: THE VILLÁNY WINE REGION
I’ve listed these sights roughly in the order of a handy self-guided orientation walk through town.
• Begin in front of the little church next to the Town Hall, at the...
This fountain, an icon of Pécs, was a gift from the beloved local Zsolnay (ZHOL-nay) family. The family created an innovative material called pyrogranite that allowed colorful, delicate-seeming porcelain to be made frost-proof and hard as steel—ideal for external building decoration. The ox heads—modeled after an ancient drinking vessel found in Pécs—are specially glazed with another Zsolnay invention, eosin. Notice how the iridescent eosin glaze glimmers with a unique range of colors. (Since this glaze compromises the pyrogranite, the fountain must be covered in winter.) Above the oxen heads are traditional symbols of Pécs. One is the shield with five tall churches, dating from the Middle Ages. (Germans still call the town Fünfkirchen.) This seal was appropriated by the Zsolnay family as a symbol of their porcelain. The other seal is Pécs’ coat of arms: a walled city under vineyard-strewn hills.
This is the first of many gorgeous Zsolnay decorations we’ll see all over town. But Pécs is just the beginning. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Budapest and cities all over Europe covered their finest buildings with decorations from this city’s Zsolnay Porcelain Manufacture. (For more, see the “Zsolnay Porcelain” sidebar on here.)
• Across the pedestrian street from the fountain, and 20 yards uphill, is the entrance to an enjoyable zone called...
At the start of the street, notice the game boards on top of the little pillars. When this street was renovated in 2000—with funky benches and other playful elements—the designers wanted to remind locals to take time to relax.
On the right (a few doors down, at #2), notice the Zsolnay porcelain shop. Although the company was reduced to an industrial supplier under the communists, today Zsolnay is proudly reclaiming its role as a maker of fine art. Dipping into the shop, notice that some of the decorative items use the same distinctive eosin glaze as the fountain’s oxen heads...and are priced accordingly (Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00, Sat 9:00-13:00, closed Sun).
Continuing to the corner, you enter a fine little square with a kid-pleasing fountain. At the far end of the square, look left down the street called Ferencesek utcája. When Pécs was a walled market town, this street—and Király utca to the east, also now pedestrianized—made up the main east-west road. At the house on the uphill corner, notice the elephant. This used to be a grocery store, which likely imported exotic Eastern goods, symbolized by the then-mysterious pachyderm.
Hang a right around the elephant house, noticing the former tram tracks preserved in the street. The yellow bricks were pretty standard in 20th-century Hungary. Imagine how unappealing this drag was when it was choked with tram and car traffic. At the corner (on the left), look for the old-time Saracen Pharmacy (marked with the words Sipöcz István and an African prince over the door). Its interior features gorgeous woodwork, little porcelain medicine pots, and a Zsolnay fountain. Now it’s a tourist shop, selling wine, candy, soaps, and other local artisan products (Mon-Sat 8:00-15:00, closed Sun).
• Continuing up the street, you’ll emerge into the main square...
In the Middle Ages, Pécs was a major trading crossroads, located at the intersection of two Byzantine trade routes. Széchenyi tér was a natural meeting point and market zone. Today the market is gone, but this square remains the bustling city center, where both political demonstrations and the annual New Year’s Eve festivities percolate.
Let’s get oriented. Stand at the base of the square (across from the McDonald’s). Face the green-domed Gazi Kasim Pasha Mosque at the top of the square (described in detail later). On the right (housing the McDonald’s), the giant yellow-and-white building with the tower is the Town Hall (Városház, 1908), strategically located here since the olden days to watch over the market activities. The Town Hall’s tower plays laid-back organ ditties throughout the day. (The TI is directly across the pedestrian street from the Town Hall.) Across the square is the gorgeous, red-roofed County Hall (Megyháza, 1898), frosted like a wedding cake with sumptuous Zsolnay decorations. Because the building was originally a bank, it’s adorned with beehives (one at the very peak of the building, and two more between the top-floor windows). Industrious bees, who carefully collect and store away their golden deposits, are a common symbol for banking.
Farther up the square on the right is the pink Nádor Szálló. In the early 20th century, this hotel was a popular gathering place for artists and intellectuals; today, the gutted interior is an industrial-mod gallery space where the arts faculty of the local university showcases works by students and visiting artists. Peek inside to see what’s on during your visit.
The square has two monuments. On the right is an equestrian statue of János Hunyadi, the war hero who fended off the Ottoman invaders at the 1456 Battle of Belgrade (described on here). Later those Ottomans took Pécs and built the mosque at the top of the square. But Hunyadi gets the last laugh: If you position yourself just right, Hunyadi’s club smashes the crescent at the top of the mosque. (Try it.) This statue is a popular meeting point: Locals say, “I’ll meet you under the horse’s...tail.” With perhaps unintended irony, Hunyadi—who died of the plague soon after that battle—shares the square with the Holy Trinity Plague Column, which townspeople built to give thanks to God after surviving a nasty bout of the plague in the late 17th century. Around its base are three saints known for protecting against disease or injury: Sebastian, who was killed by arrows (on left); Rocco, with his trusty dog and trademark leg wound (on right); and Anthony of Padua, who offers help recovering that which is lost—including health (behind the pillar).
• We’ll visit the mosque/church soon. But first, head down the street branching off to the right, next to the Town Hall...
This vibrant Technicolor people zone—combined with Jókai tér and Ferencesek utcája, across the square—bisects the city center. Király utca (“Royal Street”) is a delight to stroll. Walk its entire length, simply enjoying street musicians and people-watching, and noting its personality-filled architecture.
This street is lined with plenty of (largely interchangeable) restaurants. The lineup shifts constantly, but I’ve mentioned a few specifics under “Eating in Pécs,” later. As you stroll, peruse the posted menus and scope out a place for a meal later.
About a block down (on the left, at #5), keep an eye out for the gorgeous, horseshoe-shaped Hotel Palatinus; step into its lobby for a taste of genteel Secession architecture. The hotel’s second wing is filled with a hoity-toity wine bar (Le Gourmet) in a nicely atmospheric, vintage setting. (One of Hungary’s top wine-growing regions, Villány, is about 40 minutes’ drive south of Pécs—and explained later in this chapter). While the prices in this wine bar are high, it’s a nice chance to peruse vintages produced by local wineries (as well as from other parts of Hungary).
Soon you’ll reach the square in front of the National Theater, built (along with most of the other houses on this square) for the Hungarian millennial celebrations of 1896 (see here). The decorations on the theater—including the stone-like statues—are all made of Zsolnay pyrogranite. This is a popular venue in this city of culture, and hosts the local philharmonic (their season runs Sept-May). Duck into the box office here (to the right of the big building) any time of year to see what’s on, either here or elsewhere in town.
Farther along, you’ll find a good ice-cream parlor (at #15, on the left); Oázis Keleti Étterem, a good spot for a quick gyro or falafel snack (at #17, on the left); a very cool ruin pub (the recommended Cooltour—the name is a wordplay on kultur or “culture”—with an inviting garden out back; at #26, on the right); and, finally, a contemporary Hungarian painting gallery (at #31, on the left).
While this part of Pécs appears wealthy and manicured, the region is struggling. In the early 1950s, Pécs had only about 50,000 residents. Coal and uranium mines kick-started the economy, causing the population to more than triple over the last 50 years. However, both mines are now closed, and while Pécs’ university and business center continue to thrive, outlying communities are grappling with 30 percent unemployment.
• Head back to Széchenyi tér to visit the...
It’s rare to find such a well-preserved Ottoman structure in Hungary. The Ottomans—who began their 150-year stay in Pécs in 1543—lived here in the Inner Town, while the dwindling Hungarian population moved to the outskirts. The Ottomans tore down the church that stood on this spot and used the stones to build the structure you see today. After the Ottomans were forced out, the Catholic Church reclaimed this building and turned it into a church—which is why it’s still intact today. Despite renovations over the years, it remains an offbeat hybrid of the Islamic and Christian faiths.
Cost and Hours: 1,000 Ft, Mon-Sat 9:00-17:00, Sun 13:00-17:00.
Self-Guided Tour: From the outside, notice the crescent moon of Islam capping the dome—but it’s topped by the victorious Christian cross. The only decorations on the austere facade are the striped ogee arches over the windows. Before entering, notice the fig trees; locals are proud that their mild climate can support these heat-seekers.
Go inside and let your eyes adjust to the low light. Are you in a church, or a mosque...or both? The striped arches over the windows are even more apparent inside. Notice the colorful Islamic-style stalactite decorations at the tops of the corners. The painting on the underside of the dome seems to combine Christian figures with the geometric designs of Islam. To the right of the main altar is a verse from the Quran translated into Hungarian and used for Christian worship (a reminder that Islam and Christianity are founded on many of the same principles).
Looking back to where you entered, scan the back wall for gray patches with faint Arabic script peeking through—most were whitewashed over during the church-ification. In the middle of the wall, next to the door, is a large prayer niche (mihrab). This niche, which faces Mecca (southeast from here), indicated to Muslim worshippers the direction they had to face to pray. The holy water basin in the niche and the crucifix suspended above it make it clear who’s in charge now.
Mentally erase these and other Christian elements, and imagine worshipping here during the Ottoman period. There were no pews, and carpets covered the floor. Worshippers—men in front, women segregated in back—stood and knelt as they prayed toward the mihrab. A step-stair pulpit, called a mimber, likely stood off to one side of the mihrab.
When the Christians reclaimed this building, they flipped it around, creating an entrance near the mihrab, and an altar at the former entrance. Much later, in 1940, they added the giant apse (semicircular area behind the altar). Explore this area, with its striking 1930s-style murals. The modern paintings depict Bible scenes and events in Hungary’s Christian history. And the giant organ is an Angster (made by a local Hungarian organ-maker). In the corners, you’ll see small stone basins. These once stood outside the building, where the Ottoman worshippers performed their ablution, or ritual washing before prayer.
Down in the crypt, you’ll find an exhibit with interactive touchscreens that explain the three phases of this building’s tumultuous history: church, mosque, church.
Exiting the building, head around back to find the latest addition to this constantly evolving structure: the modern bell tower and a concrete footprint that recalls the original church that preceded the mosque. The statue is St. Bartholomew, the patron of this church. Depicted (as he always is) with his skin peeling away, he steps on a serpent, representing victory over evil (Islam?). Every day at 12:00 and 19:00, the bell tower mechanically rises 40 feet into the air to play a tune. Viewing the church from back here, you can also appreciate how jarringly ugly the 1940 concrete addition is.
• While interesting, this is not Pécs’ main church. To see that (and a lot more), go down the street at the upper-left corner of the square...
About a block down this street, watch (on the right) for a railing that’s completely covered in padlocks. While this tradition has caught on in recent years along romantic bridges all over Europe, the people of Pécs are trendsetters—they’ve been doing it here since the 1980s. Some say it was a clever way for graduating students to get rid of the padlocks from their lockers. These days, the padlocks mostly belong to lovers who want to pledge themselves to each other. Many of the locks are marked (or even engraved) with couples’ names. Farther down the same block, the tradition continues at the padlock-covered gate. (Not missing a sales opportunity, guess what the nearby shop sells.)
• Continue along the street until you emerge into the little square. In the pretty, white building on the left (with the gray roof), you’ll find Pécs’ best art museum...
This small but delightful collection showcases the works of beloved Hungarian painter Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka. Csontváry produced only 100 paintings and 20 drawings, and about half are collected here. For a crash course in this enigmatic painter, read the sidebar before visiting; the paintings are described in English.
Cost and Hours: 1,200 Ft, covered by 3,500-Ft day ticket, open Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, borrow the English information sheet, Janus Pannonius utca 11, tel. 72/224-255.
Visiting the Museum: The museum is divided into five rooms. In Room 1 are Csontváry’s art-school sketches, which capture people at unguarded moments and show the work of a budding genius. Rooms 2, 3, and 4 are mostly dedicated to Csontváry’s many travel canvases. Room 2 has “postcards” from his trips to Sicily (Castellammare, Taormina) and Bosnia-Herzegovina (Mostar, Jajce), but the best canvas in here is from Hungary: Storm over the Great Hortobágy is a dynamic snapshot of life on the Great Hungarian Plain, where cowherds tend longhorn cattle. A storm brews on the horizon as a horseman races across the bridge. Notice the balance between movement and stillness, and between the yellow sky and the blue clouds. Room 3 covers Baalbek, the High Tatras (where Csontváry first had the epiphany that drove him to paint, and to madness), and a historical scene of Mary’s well in Nazareth. In Room 4 is Csontváry’s most acclaimed work, Solitary Cedar: a windblown tree on a ridge above the sea. The tree seems boldly independent even as it longs for companionship. The last room (5) displays Csontváry’s final major painting, Riders on the Seashore. This haunting valedictory canvas, with an equestrian party pausing by an eerily deep-blue cove, hints at the troubled depths of Csontváry’s own psyche. Other works in this room date from Csontváry’s final days, when—in his worsening mental state—he sketched large-scale, absurdist scenes.
• Leaving the museum, cross the street and continue left down the tree-lined, pedestrian-only path. Soon you’ll see a beautiful yellow kiosk (on the right)—an inviting place for a coffee break. A few steps beyond that, look for the modern entrance to the...
Adored by Hungarians, but virtually unknown outside his homeland, the artist Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka had a life as fascinating as his paintings. Because of the time in which he lived and his struggles with mental illness, Csontváry (CHONT-vah-ree) is often compared to Van Gogh. While that’s a bit of a stretch, viewing Csontváry’s works gives you a glimpse into the Hungarian psyche, and into his own fractured mind.
Tivadar Kosztka was born to an upper-class family, seemingly bound for a humdrum life. He didn’t pick up a paintbrush until his 27th year. Idly sketching sleeping oxen while recovering from an illness, he had a revelation (or, perhaps, a psychotic episode): A voice told him that he was destined to become “the world’s greatest plein air painter.”
He adopted the pseudonym “Csontváry” and became driven by an almost pathological compulsion to prepare himself for his destiny. He worked as a pharmacist to finance his quest, and by age 41, he had saved enough to attend art school (in Munich and Paris). Seeking ideal subjects for his outdoor style, he traveled extensively in Europe and the Middle East: Italy, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Greece, Egypt, Lebanon, Jerusalem, and the Tatra Mountains. By the time he began painting in earnest, he had only six productive years (1903-1909).
Csontváry’s rough, self-taught style reveals his untrained origins, but contains a depth of meaning that exceeded his technical skill. While classified as a Post-Impressionist, Csontváry forged a style all his own. Like his contemporary Marc Chagall, he worked in almost childlike bright colors with big, bold themes. His most common subjects were the destinations to which he traveled.
After exhibitions in 1909 and 1910 failed to win him the praise he so desperately sought, he became consumed by schizophrenia and created only bizarre, surrealistic works. He died in obscurity in 1919.
After Csontváry’s death, his family nearly sold his works to wagon-makers, who wanted the valuable canvas (not the paintings themselves). Fortunately, a Budapest art collector bought them instead.
Csontváry remained largely unappreciated until the 1960s, when art lovers began to take notice. But one discerning eye for talent knew greatness when he saw it: Pablo Picasso reportedly discovered Csontváry’s canvases at a 1949 exhibition, and proceeded to lock himself in the room with them for an hour. Finally emerging, he told his friend Marc Chagall that Chagall could never produce a work half as good as Csontváry’s.
This unique, modern, well-presented museum allows visitors to take a peek inside some remarkably preserved Roman crypts. (Note: If you skip this museum, sneak a free look at the some of the ruins through the glass behind the yellow kiosk.)
Cost and Hours: 1,700 Ft; April-Oct Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Nov-March Tue-Sun 10:00-16:00, closed Mon year-round; Dóm tér, tel. 72/224-755, www.pecsorokseg.hu.
Discount with Zsolnay Cultural Quarter: If you’ll definitely be visiting some of the museums in the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, ask about combo-tickets that let you save more the more sights you visit (see museum descriptions on here).
Nearby: If you’re interested in these sorts of ruins, ask about the “medieval university” that was recently excavated and restored nearby (covered by 400-Ft ticket; visit possible only with guided tour).
Tours: While my self-guided tour—and good posted English descriptions—cover the basics, Roman history buffs may be able to request or join a guided English tour (for details, call 72/224-755 or email info@pecsorokseg.hu).
Background: There was a Roman settlement in today’s Pécs from the year A.D. 30, and by the second century it was a provincial capital called Sopinae. During that time, this part of town was a vast cemetery, which included the graves of early Christian martyrs. Later, after Christianity became the state religion in the early fourth century, these tombs attracted pilgrims from afar. Wealthy Christian families were now free to build a double-decker structure to hold the remains of their relatives: a sealed crypt below ground (painted with Bible scenes and floral motifs), with a chapel directly above for remembering and praying for the dead. About a century later, Rome fell. Nomadic invaders lived in the chapels and raided the crypts (then carefully re-covered them). Today the remains of some of these crypt-chapels have been discovered, excavated, and opened to visitors.
Self-Guided Tour: Buy your ticket, borrow the English map of the sprawling underground complex, and head into the first area (under the glass roof), the foundation of a giant chapel with seven apses. (The exhibit is named for this—Cella Septichora means “seven-apsed chapel.”) Experts believe that the crypt of a different martyr would have been placed in each apse, and pilgrims would come here to worship. However, the structure was never finished.
From here, follow signs (and your map) as you climb up and down through the subterranean exhibit to the highlights. Unlike Rome’s famous catacombs, these crypts were not originally connected underground; modern archaeologists built the tunnels you’ll pass through to allow visitors easier access to all the tombs.
Find the Wine Pitcher Burial Chamber. The model shows the two-tiered structure. Peer through the window to see the paintings that decorate the crypt. Its nickname comes from the wine jug and glass painted in the niche above the body. Romans used wine to toast to the memory of the departed (the Roman version of “pour one out for the homies who ain’t here”). Climb up the stairs to what was ground level, where you can view the foundation of the chapel and look down into the crypt. From here, you’ll see other paintings (representing paradise), as well as the drain at the bottom of the sarcophagus. The Romans, ever the clever engineers, provided drainage so that accumulating groundwater would not defile the body.
Retrace your steps back up the long hallway, then follow signs to the Peter and Paul crypt. Along the way, you’ll pass through an area with several smaller crypts. Notice that these didn’t have large chapels up top; rather, worshippers would kneel and look inside a small decorative chapel. In one, a hole in the floor of the chapel indicates where tomb raiders broke in to search for valuables. Turn right into the octagonal chapel, which—like the seven-apsed chapel—was likely designed to be a pilgrim church. Finally you’ll pass another small crypt that’s more intact, showing the barrel vaulting that once covered all of these.
Take the spiral stairs all the way down to the bottom to enter the Peter and Paul Burial Chamber. Standing under the painted tomb, you’ll see faded Sts. Peter and Paul flanking the Christogram (an ancient Christian symbol). The side walls are painted with biblical scenes, while the ceiling features another Christogram, four portraits (possibly the Four Evangelists), and more nature motifs—plants and birds. (An artist’s rendering of the original version is nearby.) Notice the little window above the body. Experts believe that a ribbon tied to the sarcophagus led through this window up into the chapel, so the faithful could have a tangible connection to the dead.
Retracing your steps on your way out, you’ll pass through even more crypts (they’ve unearthed more than 20), as well as some simple brick sarcophagi used by poorer families to bury their dead.
• Exiting the exhibit, turn right and continue down Janus Pannonius utca, which deposits you at...
These two squares—the lower István Square, which belonged to the people, and the upper Cathedral Square, which was the bishop’s—used to be separated by a wall and moat. But later, the enlightened Bishop Szepesy turned them into one big park. In the statue that dominates the square, the bishop is stepping down from the pulpit clutching a Bible—a reminder that he’s believed to have been the first priest to use Hungarian.
Walk up the stairs and into Cathedral Square. The brown, Neo-Renaissance building on the left is the Bishop’s Palace—recently restored and opened to the public. It’s possible to tour the interior, including the so-called “Texas passage” that leads to a hidden garden. But it’s pricey, and you can only visit the facility on a guided tour (2,700 Ft, tours depart 3/day, get details at visitors center inside).
At the corner of the Bishop’s Palace that faces the park, notice the engaging statue of Franz Liszt by popular 20th-century sculptor Imre Varga. Liszt was a friend of the bishop, and Liszt’s visit here in 1846 is still the stuff of legend.
• Now turn your attention to the massive, four-towered...
With an imposing exterior and an elaborately decorated interior, Pécs’ cathedral merits a close look. St. István established a bishopric in Pécs in the year 1009, and this church building grew in fits and starts from then on. By the 14th century, it had roughly the same floor plan as today, and gradually morphed with the styles of the day: Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance. The Ottomans preserved the building, using it first as a mosque and later as a stable, a grain store, and a library. Later, when it became the cathedral again, it got a Baroque makeover. Finally, in the 1880s, a bishop (likely hoping to be remembered as a visionary) grew tired of the architectural hodgepodge, gutted the place, and turned it into the Neo-Romanesque fortress of God you see today. The 12 apostles stand along the roofline, and the four distinctive corner towers anchor and fortify the massive structure. Meanwhile, the interior is a riot of finely executed and pristinely preserved golden decorations.
Cost and Hours: 1,200 Ft, Mon-Sat 9:00-17:00, Sun 13:00-17:00, can close for weddings Sat afternoons—especially in summer, tel. 72/513-057, www.pecsibazilika.hu.
Visiting the Cathedral: Outside, study the symbolic bronze gate from 2000. The vines, grapes, and branches are all connected, symbolizing our connection to God. If you look closely, you’ll find animals representing good (birds) and evil (snake, scorpion, frog). On the left, St. István gives Pécs to the first bishop; on the right, Jesus offers his hand to St. Peter.
Stepping inside, you’re struck by the rich Neo-Romanesque, 19th-century decor. It’s clear that the renovating bishop did not subscribe to the “less is more” school of church decoration. Like the Matthias Church in Budapest (see here)—renovated at about the same time—every square inch is covered by a thick and colorful layer of paint. Along the nave are paintings depicting the lives of the church’s patrons, Sts. Peter and Paul. Above the arches are biblical scenes. The coffered ceiling of the nave depicts the 12 apostles and (near the organ) John the Baptist.
The altar, with its highly decorated canopy, is a replica of the 13th-century original. The mosaic on the apse dome (behind the altar, not entirely visible from here) features Jesus flanked by Peter and Paul (on the right) and, on the left, Mary and István (the patron saint of Hungary).
Back in the main church, to the right of the altar are the stairs down to the crypt. This 11th-century forest of columns (redecorated like the rest of the church) is part of the original church building on this site. The bust at the front depicts the bishop who decided to renovate the church.
Your ticket also includes access to one of the cathedral’s four towers, with sweeping views over Pécs.
Nearby: In addition to the Bishop’s Palace (described earlier), the cathedral office also runs two more sights nearby: a lapidarium (collection of old stone sculptures and fragments) and a treasury. Both are skippable and covered by their own, separate 1,800-Ft ticket.
• From in front of the cathedral, if you want to take a look at part of the old city wall, go down the stairs and turn right at the wide path, which will take you to a barbican (round tower) that helped fortify the walls. (For more on these walls, see here.) If you decide to visit the wall, on your way there—but just before the barbican and busy street—watch on the left for the gateway at #5 (marked Eoz!n Grillterasz Kultúrpark), which leads to a pleasant series of sleepy parks along the inside of the town wall, some modest views of the four cathedral steeples, and a near-“ruin pub” terrace serving drinks and grilled foods with views over the suburbs.
Otherwise, after you exit the cathedral, walk about halfway down the square, turn left before the steps, pass through the archway, walk over the glassed-in Roman ruins (noticing the entrance to the cathedral lapidarium just uphill), and head down...
A cluster of museums line tranquil Káptalan utca (“Chapterhouse Street,” where priests once lived). A few of the smaller museums are skippable, but the Zsolnay and Vasarely museums are worthwhile (www.jpm.hu). Remember, these are covered by the same 3,500-Ft day ticket (see here). Nearby are museums that showcase the work of yet two more local artists—Ferenc Martyn and Endre Nemes—and the Modern Hungarian Art Museum.
You might not know Viktor Vasarely (1908-1997), but you know his work. Think optical illusions, and the dizzying Op Art that inspired the psychedelic 1960s. Here in his hometown, you can see a museum of Vasarely’s eye-popping creations. Inspired by nature, Vasarely discovered that the repetition and slight variation of lines and forms can play with the viewer’s brain to create illusions of depth and movement. In other words, black-and-white lines undulating across a canvas are trippy, baby. It’s easy to get lost in Vasarely’s mind-bending designs—such as, in the first room, a pair of carpets with zebras—which make you go cross-eyed before you stumble up the stairs to see him add more color to the mix.
Thanks to the pioneering Zsolnay (ZHOL-nay) family of Pécs, buildings all over Hungary are slathered with gorgeously colorful porcelain.
Miklós Zsolnay (1800-1880) opened a porcelain factory in Pécs in 1853. But the real breakthrough came at the hands of his innovative son, Vilmos Zsolnay (1828-1900), who experimented with glazes and additives, and revolutionized the use of porcelain in building materials. He invented pyrogranite—a type of weatherproof ceramic as resilient as steel, but which could be delicately sculpted and painted any color of the rainbow. Zsolnay pyrogranite made a splash at Vienna’s 1873 World Exhibition, winning an avalanche of orders from all over Europe. The twists and curves that Zsolnay porcelain allowed were a perfect fit for the Art Nouveau style of the day. Exhibits at further world fairs added to the Zsolnay family’s renown and wealth.
In 1893, Vilmos Zsolnay unveiled his latest innovation: eosin, a shimmering, almost metallic iridescent glaze that has the effect of light striking a precious gemstone or the glistening surface of a soap bubble. This eosin technique is exemplified by Pécs’ Zsolnay Fountain (described on 387).
Boom time for the Zsolnays coincided with the 1896 millennial celebrations in Budapest (see here). The city’s architects, who had ample resources and imagination, were striving to create a unique Hungarian national style, and many adopted colorful pyrogranite tiles and other decorations as an integral part of that style. In Budapest alone, the Great Market Hall, Matthias Church and National Archives on Castle Hill, and Ödön Lechner’s Postal Savings Bank and Museum of Applied Arts are roofed with Zsolnay pyrogranite tiles. Zsolnay decorative elements also adorn the Hungarian Parliament and Gellért Baths, among other buildings. To this day, Zsolnay tiles are synonymous with Budapest (and Hungarian) architecture.
All of that porcelain generated a lot of work for the Pécs factory. By the time World War I broke out, the Zsolnay family business was the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s biggest company. But the stripped-down modern styles that emerged in the 20th century had little use for the fanciful Zsolnay decorations. The factory was nationalized by the communists, the Zsolnay name was abandoned, and quality plummeted.
In the 1990s, private investors took over and have made great strides toward rehabilitating the Zsolnay name. All over Hungary, you’ll see shops selling beautiful, innovative Zsolnay tableware. To keep up with our modern economy, Zsolnay also creates everyday items. In fact, they recently signed a big deal to make dishes for Ikea.
Cost: 1,200 Ft, covered by 3,500-Ft day ticket, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, Káptalan utca 3, mobile 0630-539-8069.
This museum, situated in the former mansion of the Zsolnay family, is as much a shrine to the family as a showcase of their work. (For more on the family and their legacy, see the “Zsolnay Porcelain” sidebar.) The collection is divided into two parts: architectural elements and decorative ware. Each room is well-described in English. In the architectural elements section (on the ground floor), you’ll see impressively detailed and colorful decorations for the many buildings the Zsolnays were involved in renovating (including Budapest’s Matthias Church and Parliament). You’ll also see a playful duck fountain, with its colorful eosin glaze, and some beautiful pieces of the destroyed István Stove that once warmed Budapest’s Royal Palace. Upstairs, the decorative-ware collection displays vases, sculptures, and other objects that demonstrate the evolution of porcelain style. Notice how trends came and went over time. A spinning table allows you to easily inspect each place setting of Zsolnay dinnerware. The “memorial room” is furnished as it would have been during the Zsolnays’ day.
Cost: 1,200 Ft, covered by 3,500-Ft day ticket, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, Káptalan utca 4, tel. 72/514-045.
• From Káptalan utca, you’re just a block above the main square and our starting point. If you have more time, consider some of these sights...
Several segments of the city walls around the northern part of Pécs are still standing; a path leads around the outside of the wall that still hems in the top of town. Built after the Tatar invasions of the 13th century, and beefed up in the 15th century, the walls were no match for the Ottoman invaders who took the town in 1543. Still standing just west of the cathedral area is the round, stout barbican defensive gate, which you can actually climb.
Just south of the old center, overlooking the modern, beautifully renovated Kossuth tér, is Pécs’ colorful synagogue. Dating from the 1860s but recently restored, this building is a powerful reminder of Pécs’ Jewish heritage. The city had a thriving population of 4,000 Jews; only a few hundred survived the Holocaust.
Cost and Hours: 500 Ft, April-Oct Sun-Fri 10:00-17:00, Nov-March Sun-Fri 10:30-12:30, closed Sat year-round, Kossuth tér, tel. 72/315-881.
Visiting the Synagogue: The building feels like a humbler little sibling to Budapest’s Great Synagogue, with wood-carved pews and a double-decker arcade (where women worshipped, while the men gathered on the main floor). Its finest feature is the delicate ceiling decoration. The congregation here was Neolog (similar to today’s “reformed”); the organ at the front of the building is a clear sign that this was not an Orthodox house of worship.
Like other Hungarian synagogues of this era, this building seems to be trying hard to feel like a church—at a time when local Jews were eager to feel integrated into the larger community. You can head upstairs, into the galleries (enter from outside—it’s the door to the left of the main entrance) to find an exhibit about the history of local Jews, with good English descriptions and several actual artifacts (scrolls, postcards, personal effects) that characterize Pécs’ Jewish community.
Pécs is picturesquely nestled in the Mecsek (MEH-chek) Hills, a popular place to go for a hike. To get an aerial view of Pécs, ride bus #35Y about 30 minutes up to the Misinatető stop, near the TV tower that overlooks the city (catch this bus at the train station, or at the northern entrance to the city center). Ascend the 580-foot-tall TV tower for views over the town and surrounding region (950 Ft, daily 9:00-20:00).
The first and last name in Pécs industry, the Zsolnay porcelain-making family operated their major factory on the eastern edge of town. Tucked in the middle of the sprawling brick industrial center were some fine villas and houses and a leafy park. Now this facility has been thoroughly restored and converted into a community cultural center with indoor and outdoor events venues, cafés, restaurants, children’s play zones, and—of course—a collection of small museums celebrating the Zsolnay clan and their works. While it’s out on the edge of things—a dull 20-minute walk or quick bus ride from downtown—the center is worth the trip if you’ve exhausted your in-town sightseeing interests and are curious to see another side of Pécs. And those taken with Zsolnay tiles may enjoy a pilgrimage to where they were created. (For more on the family and their legacy, see the “Zsolnay Porcelain” sidebar, earlier.)
Cost: It’s free to enter the complex and explore the grounds. Each museum has its own admission price (listed later). It’s worth buying all of your tickets at one ticket desk, as the more sights you visit, the bigger discount you get. Note that the excellent Cella Septichora Visitor Center participates in this discount deal (see here).
Hours: While the grounds are open daily 9:00-24:00, the individual sights are open substantially shorter hours: April-Oct Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Nov-March Tue-Sun 10:00-16:00, some sights stay open an hour later Fri-Sat, all closed Mon year-round. A few exceptions are noted in the individual listings.
Information: Tel. 72/500-350, www.zsn.hu.
Getting There: It’s due east of the town center. You can walk there in about 20 minutes: Follow Király utca (the main walking street) to its end, then continue straight (as the road becomes Felsővámház utca) through residential neighborhoods about 10 minutes farther to the complex. Just head for the many tall smokestacks.
Multiple buses run to the complex. From in front of Árkád shopping center, catch bus #4, #20, #20A, #21, #27, #31, or #31A, and get off at the Zsolnay Negyed stop. From Búza tér, at the end of the traffic-free section of Király utca, catch bus #27 or #40 for the short trip to the Bóbita Bábszínház stop near the complex (though this saves you only an easy 10-minute walk). From the train station, take bus #4, #31, or #31A to Zsolnay Negyed; or bus #40 to Bóbita Bábszínház.
You could also hop on the tourist train from Széchenyi tér, but it’s pricey (see “Helpful Hints,” earlier). A taxi costs about 1,500 Ft.
Orientation: There are two main gates to the complex: the lower gate (just up from Zsolnay Vilmos út) and the upper gate (on Felsővámház utca). Once inside, you’ll find a lower complex of buildings surrounding a small park with a short, colorful chimney. The modern building just uphill houses the Visitors Center (with ticket office, open daily April-Oct 9:00-19:00, Nov-March 9:00-17:00), a planetarium, a kids’ play zone with hands-on scientific exhibits, and (downstairs) a funky café and the Pécsi Galéria (contemporary art installations). At the lower end of the park are the E78 Pyrogranite Courtyard (a modern indoor theater and outdoor live music venue, plus a tall smokestack with colorful Zsolnay tiles embedded in the base). Nearby is the Sikorski Villa, which houses the Gyugyi Collection.
More sights cluster up the small hill, in a long, sprawling mansion—here you’ll find (in the right half of the building) the Pink Zsolnay Exhibition and the Zsolnay Live Manufactory, and (in the left half) the Zsolnay Family and Factory History Exhibition. The building also contains various eateries and, tucked back in a little courtyard (follow the signs), the American Corner—a service of the US Embassy that strives to educate Hungarians about American culture with an English lending library, special events on American holidays, English conversation clubs, and other resources.
Finally, up a few more steps to the top of the hill is another ticket office and the “street of shops”—basically a row of candy, chocolate, wine, and handicraft shops (generally open Tue-Sun 10:00-12:30 & 13:00-18:00, closed Mon). Leaving the gate by the ticket office, you’ll turn right on Felsővámház utca and walk 200 yards to find the long staircase up to the Zsolnay Mausoleum. If you turn left on Felsővámház utca, you’ll find the Bóbita Puppet Theater (Bóbita Bábszínház), which offers periodic performances for kids.
And, of course, the grounds are studded with pretty Zsolnay decorations—fountains, pillars, and statues. Posted maps and directional signs help you find your way.
Planning Your Time: While it sounds like a lot—and Zsolnay enthusiasts could spend hours here—for the casual visitor, it’s enough to simply stroll the colorful grounds; the only sights I’d pay to enter are the Gyugyi Collection (if you didn’t get your fill at the Zsolnay Museum downtown) and the mausoleum. Below are brief descriptions of each sight to help you decide.
Dr. László Gyugyi fled Hungary after the 1956 Uprising and settled in the US, where he gradually amassed a breathtaking collection of sumptuous decorative Zsolnay objects. Now he has donated them to their hometown of Pécs, where they are displayed in a fine old villa at the heart of the complex. With a remarkable collection of Historicist and Art Nouveau items, beautifully displayed and well-described in English on two floors, this is a better collection of decorative works than the Zsolnay Museum downtown—though unless you’re a connoisseur, it may feel like a rerun, and it lacks the Zsolnay Museum’s impressive collection of architectural features.
Cost and Hours: 1,400 Ft, see hours earlier.
Early on, the Zsolnay factory focused on producing everyday items in the then-in-vogue hue of pink. This modest collection shows off more pink porcelain in one place than you’ll see anywhere else. Unlike the finely detailed showpieces of the Gyugyi Collection, these are practical, unglamorous objects that were handmade, making them a bit rougher and with subtle imperfections. If it’s fancy vases and plates you’re hoping to see, skip it.
Cost and Hours: 1,000 Ft, see hours earlier.
This lets you peer through windows at Zsolnay potters hard at work. Posted English information briefly outlines the manufacture process, but it’s tricky to appreciate since there’s no practical English tour option.
Cost and Hours: 500 Ft, admission charged until 16:00—free after that because you won’t see craftspeople at work; closed Sun.
Displayed on two floors (factory downstairs, family upstairs), this exhibit traces—with dry English descriptions—the history of this complex and the people who built it. The museum doesn’t add much to your visit here, and the few pieces on display are less striking than those in the Gyugyi Collection or the Zsolnay Museum downtown. For me, the offbeat highlight was the Zsolnay porcelain bust of Lenin dating from just after the factory was nationalized by the communists.
Cost and Hours: 1,200 Ft, see hours earlier.
A short walk from the rest of the complex, this hilltop perch is the final resting place of Vilmos Zsolnay, who founded the factory and enjoyed sitting on this hill to survey the family business. After his death in 1900, Vilmos’ son Miklós commissioned this fine mausoleum (Miklós and his mother Terézia are also buried here)—entirely decorated in Zsolnay tiles, of course. Everything is now carefully restored and gleaming. From the road, you’ll climb a staircase lined with 42 resting lions to reach the mausoleum itself. The entry doors (with eosin-glazed plaques depicting the 12 apostles) lead into a structure beautiful in its simplicity: a cylinder turned on end. Inside are an eosin altar and chandelier above an opening in the floor where you can peer down at Vilmos’ monumental tomb. Back outside, you can circle around back to find stairs down for a better look (through a grate).
Cost and Hours: 1,000 Ft, see hours earlier, but open until 19:00 in summer, possibly closed in bad weather.
The golden hillsides south of Pécs, draped with cornfields and vineyards, produce some of Hungary’s best-regarded wines. Most of the production is centered near the village called Villány (VEE-layn), which sits just below the neatly cone-shaped Mount Szársomlyó. The area produces a variety of reds, whites, and rosés, using a range of grapes: merlot, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, Riesling, and kékfrankos (“blue Frankish”). For more on Hungarian wines, see here.
Drivers find Villány and the surrounding countryside easy to visit from Pécs—it’s just a 40-minute drive south. (But remember that Hungary has a zero blood-alcohol level, so you’re not supposed to drive even if you’ve had just a few tastes. Bring a designated driver.) You can also take a train from Pécs to Villány, then explore on foot from there (every 2 hours, 45 minutes).
In Villány and surrounding villages, cute little wine cellars line the main road, with picnic tables out front trying to lure in passersby for a taste. (Pince means “wine cellar.”) This is a touristy scene, where the emphasis is not on top-quality wine but on the fun, folksy experience. Many of these places are endearingly humble, family-run affairs; they may offer you a few small tastes, hoping you’ll buy a bottle, or give you a sample of their wine jelly—a tasty (and lightly alcoholic) addition to your cheese tray.
If you’re more serious about wine, seek out one of the larger, more prestigious producers (Bock is perhaps the best-regarded, but also look for Gere, Sauska, Vylyan, Wunderlich, and Tiffán); some of these have tasting rooms in town, while others have big factories on the outskirts of town. For more information on Villány wines and wineries, see www.villanyiborvidek.hu.
The road leading from Villány west to Siklós is a popular wine road, which runs along the base of Mount Szársomlyó. You’ll enjoy views of vines scampering up the hills, and pass a few vineyards where you can pull over for a taste.
Just past Siklós, where the wine road ends, is the larger town of Harkány—famous for its huge outdoor thermal spa (www.harkanyfurdo.hu). From here, highway 58 zips right back up to Pécs.
Most of Pécs’ city-center accommodations are affordable pensions with simple but sleepable rooms. Elevators are rare.
$$$ Hotel Arkadia is a minimalist, concrete place with 25 tight, modern rooms—the most stylish I’ve seen in Pécs—wonderfully located just a few steps above the mosque/church on the main square (Sb-16,500 Ft, Db-19,900 Ft, cheaper for stays more than 1 night and in mid-Oct-mid-April, air-con, elevator, guest computer, Wi-Fi, Hunyadi út 1, tel. 72/512-550, www.hotelarkadiapecs.hu, info@hotelarkadiapecs.hu).
$$$ Hotel Palatinus is your impersonal big-hotel option, with 94 rooms perfectly located right on the main walking street. You’ll rarely find a more impressive facade, lobby, and breakfast room; the showpiece 1915 building (although not all of its bedrooms) has been painstakingly restored to its turn-of-the-20th-century glory. Though it’s overpriced and less than charming (it’s run by a big company), the location and public areas help compensate. Choose among the three room types: small, simple, communist-vintage “economy” (Db-18,500 Ft); lightly renovated “standard” with balconies on the walking street (Db-21,500 Ft); and nicely renovated and air-conditioned, but still not quite luxurious, “superior” (24,500 Ft; prices can vary with demand, elevator, Wi-Fi in lobby, free sauna, on-site underground parking-3,200 Ft/day, Király utca 5, tel. 72/889-400, www.danubiushotels.com/palatinus, palatinus.reservation@danubiushotels.com).
$$ Diána Hotel has 22 simple but comfortable-enough rooms on a side street facing the synagogue, between the town center and the Árkád shopping mall (Sb-11,000 Ft, Db-15,000 Ft, rates about 1,000 Ft cheaper if you pay cash, air-con-1,500 Ft, some street noise, guest computer, Wi-Fi, limited free parking or pay 2,000 Ft/24 hours at nearby garage, Tímár utca 4a, tel. 72/328-594, www.hoteldiana.hu, info@hoteldiana.hu).
$$ Szinbád Panzió is on a busy street in a dull urban area just outside the city wall. Though it has a labyrinthine floor plan, it feels more hotelesque than the other mid-range options in town: Its public areas are classy, the 26 rooms are nice and woody, and it’s a short walk from the cathedral area (Sb-10,900 Ft, Db-13,900 Ft, Tb-16,900 Ft, extra bed-3,000 Ft up to 6 people, request quieter courtyard room, air-con, guest computer, Wi-Fi, free parking, Klimó György utca 9, tel. 72/221-110, www.szinbadpanzio.hu, info@szinbadpanzio.hu).
$$ Aranyhajó Fogadó (“Golden Ship Inn”), a lesser value, is ideally situated at the start of the Király utca pedestrian zone. In operation since the 18th century, the hotel’s 18 rooms are old and a bit musty, with once-classy furniture. The front “standard” rooms are a bit bigger, noisier, and more expensive (Sb-11,000, Db-16,000); I’d request a quieter back “economy” room (Sb-9,000 Ft, Db-13,000 Ft; Wi-Fi, Király utca 3, tel. 72/210-685, www.aranyhajo.hu, hotel@aranyhajo.hu).
$$ Hotel Főnix has 13 dated rooms in a boldly artistic 1980s-vintage building that’s ideally located just beyond the mosque/church at the top of the main square (Sb-8,000 Ft, Db-13,000 Ft, Tb-17,000 Ft, reception open 8:00-20:00, only 2 rooms with air-con, Wi-Fi, no parking, Hunyadi János út 2, tel. 72/311-680, www.fonixhotel.com, sales@fonixhotel.com).
$ Náp Hostel (“Sun”) is colorful and well-run by Tamás. Hiding upstairs in an apartment building on the main walking street, its four bedrooms share three WCs and two showers. Enter through the Nappali bar on the main street and head up through the graffiti-slathered atrium (D-13,500 Ft, bunk in 8-bed dorm-3,000 Ft, in 6-bed dorm-4,000 Ft, in 6-bed dorm with balcony-4,600 Ft, no breakfast, Wi-Fi, kitchen, laundry service, Király utca 23-25, mobile 0630-277-0733, tel. 72/950-684, www.naphostel.com).
(SEE "PÉCS" MAP, here.)
The walking streets branching off from the main square are lined with restaurants and cafés that feature outdoor tables with ideal people-watching. Király utca (described earlier, under “Sights in Pécs”) is Pécs’ “restaurant row,” with a fine variety of eating options. This is an ever-changing scene, with lots of turnover; it’s a good strip to simply stroll and comparison-shop, noticing which places are popular right now. Here are a few worth tuning into (listed in the order you’ll pass them):
Enoteca Corso, serving modern international (mostly French) cuisine, considers itself the finest dining establishment in town. Its upstairs dining room defines Hungarian pretense, with shag carpet, trendy music, a flatscreen monitor showing the chefs hard at work in the kitchen, an adult-contemporary vibe, and fine views on the National Theater. The main floor is more casual, with the same menu (2,500-4,500-Ft main dishes, daily 11:00-23:00 except Oct-April closed Sun dinner and all day Mon, Király utca 14, mobile 0670-222-2404).
Oázis is the place for a simple, cheap, fast, and good gyro or falafel. Grab one to go, or enjoy it at their outdoor tables on this main street (600-Ft sandwiches, daily 10:00-23:00, Fri-Sat until late, Király utca 17).
Cooltour Café is a ruin pub with a bohemian vibe and rickety tables strewn around its hidden garden, draped with twinkling Christmas lights. It’s a fine place for a toasted sandwich, pastry, coffee, or drink (Király utca 26). Consider dropping by after dinner for a cocktail or beer (nightly until wee hours).
Nappali Bar, on the ground floor of a gorgeously restored townhouse, is a mecca for Pécs’ hipsters and hipster tourists. While they serve only light food (basic sandwiches), this is a fine place for a pre- or after-dinner drink; they host live bands or DJs two nights a week in their bohemian interior (which displays works by local artists), and their outdoor seating is delightful (daily 9:00-late, Király utca 23-25, mobile 0630-277-0733).
(SEE "PÉCS" MAP, here.)
The pedestrian strip on the opposite side of the main square has a few more good options. These are slightly less crowded and touristy than the zone listed above.
Egylet is a fun, casual, youthful hangout that combines two things and does them both well: a long list of Hungarian microbrews on tap; and a short but enticing menu of Balkan dishes (think grilled meats, like čevapi—little minced-meat sausages, grilled on an open fire). Ramshackle tables decorated with old Yugoslav comic strips fill the cozy interior and the long, sunny alleyway, which has a tranquil Ottoman teahouse vibe. Order your beer (at the bar in front) and your food (at the bar in back), then find a seat (900-1,500-Ft dishes, daily 11:30-24:00, Ferencesek utcája 32, mobile 0620-350-8919).
Jókai Bisztró is working hard to bring some foodie sophistication to Pécs’ culinary scene. The seasonally changing menu is an intriguing fusion of updated Hungarian and international cuisine, and most ingredients come from their own farm. While the results can be hit-or-miss, it’s always inventive and reasonably priced. They also have a long wine list—including many by the glass—that focuses on local vineyards. The nondescript interior is fine but forgettable; it’s especially pleasant to sit out on the delightful shopping square (1,600-3,200-Ft main dishes, daily 10:00-24:00, Jókai tér 6, tel. 72/213-915). Across the square, the same people run Jókai Cukrászda, a dessert and ice cream shop with a similar creative flair and modern setting (daily 10:00-21:00, Ferencesek utcája 6).
Elefántos Ház (“House at the Elephant”), next door to Jókai Bisztró, features decent, if overpriced, Italian fare, including pizzas from a wood-fired oven. The terrace tables are more inviting than the white-arched interior (1,600-2,800-Ft pizzas and pastas, 3,000-5,200-Ft meat dishes, daily 11:30-23:30, Jókai tér 6, tel. 72/216-055).
From Pécs by Train: For destinations in this book (including Eger, Sopron, and Bratislava), you’ll generally change trains in Budapest. Direct trains connect Pécs and Budapest (every 2 hours direct, 3 hours; a few additional connections are possible with a transfer at the suburban Budapest-Kelenföld station). One handy train each afternoon (departing at 14:15) follows a different route, near the Croatian border, connecting Pécs directly to Sopron (5.5 hours).
