THE SOUTHERN GREAT PLAIN

THE SOUTHERN GREAT PLAIN

Think hungary, more Than expecTed

Watery experience

The Southern Great Plain » Where resting is an experience | hungarian Tourism Ltd. » gotohungary.com 1

Where reSTing iS an experience

SOUTHERN GREAT PLAIN

Winter is the time of regeneration when a fragrant, refreshing massage, a stress-re-lieving bath, or a sauna really do you good. The thermal waters of the Hungarian Plain (Puszta) can be found in spas in almost every town; the largest at Gyula, Orosháza, Szeged, Makó, Mórahalom, Kecskemét, Kiskunmajsa

and Tiszakécske. Pampering, romance, expe-rience and healing – everything you need for an unforgettable holiday.

Taking a tour in the spring you admire the budding trees, the first forest flowers emerg-ing, and the birds building their nests. Adven-turers can try extreme sports including water skiing, wake boarding, or off road quad driv-ing. No. 6 of the EuroVelo® international bi-cycle tour follows the Danube, while No. 11 follows the Tisza River when crossing the plain. A zoo with the largest area in the country welcomes animal lovers in Szeged with many rare animal species.

In summer you visit festivals and inhale culture in summer theatres in Szeged and Gyula. The background of the performances is the 600-year old fortress of Gyula and the monumental Dome of Szeged. The designs of Kalocsa have become popular all over the world. The designs painted and embroidered first onto walls, furniture and apparel in ear-lier times, can now be applied on anything e.g. on a belt, jewel, bag or even a vehicle and celebrities like Nicole Kidman and Emma Watson have even appeared in dresses with Kalocsa design. Among famous people born in the region, József Galamb from Makó, one of the creators of the Ford T model, is a lo-cal legend.

In the fall, culinary pleasures trigger serene moments as vintage and harvest time is the season of gastronomic festivals. The Southern Great Plain is a region of Hun-garicums: Pick grapes together with the vine growers and buy local products directly from the producers!

Episcopal Palace of Kalocsa

We invite you on an adventu ro us trip to the hungarian pusz ta, an experience for the whole year! We will guide you from season to season since the Southern great plain offers activities no matter what the weather. Spa lovers can enjoy thermal water and the family friendly water parks, gourmands can explore authentic hunga rian cuisine, party fans may visit festivals and backpackers can feel the touch of nature.

The Southern Great Plain » healthy indulgence| hungarian Tourism Ltd. » gotohungary.com 2

heaLThy induLgence

IN HARmONy wITH HEALTH

The medicinal effect of Szelidi Lake at Dunapataj was used for healing wounds in the middle ages, and today for neurological, hormonal and rheumatic disorders.

Árpád spa at Békéscsaba

The healing effect of “miracle waters” was mostly detected by local people through observation and experience, supported by scientific analysis today.

The wounds of animals healed much faster after bathing in the ponds at Gyo-páros, and analysis verified later that this water cured a variety of diseases. The lake is suitable for rowboats and pedaloes, while in the medicinal pools of the spa water of simi-lar composition relieve patients’ complaints. Orosháza-Gyopárosfürdő is a paradise of wellness experiences.

The inhabitants of Makó have often smeared their bodies with medicinal mud at

The Southern Great Plain » healthy indulgence | hungarian Tourism Ltd. » gotohungary.com 3

the banks of the Maros to relieve their rheu-matic complaints. In the Hagymaticum Spa, designed by the master of organic archi-tecture, Imre Makovec, the medicinal mud of the Maros River is used to heal chron-ic musculoskeletal disorders, gynecological inflammation, neurological disorders and skin diseases. Children are welcome in the Hagymaticum Spa with arts and crafts, kids’ beach, various workshops and other surpris-es. The fun section is a real dreamland with a Robin Hood theme. Older children can find interesting interactive games to promote their abilities, corresponding to their age.

At Dávod-Püspökpuszta, village people used the drinking water of the well flowing freely in all seasons, and hardly anyone had bad teeth. A spa has been constructed here where musculoskeletal, rheumatic disorders and wounds are treated or post-treated, and drinking cures relieve mouth and digestive disorders.

Orosháza-Gyopárosfürdő


The three-generation bath functions throughout the year near Kiskunmajsa where the whole family can find recreation in the surrounding park and sports fields, as well as in the in-door and outdoor medicinal, wave and adventure pools with slides. In the summer, aquapark objects floating on the pool make your water experience even more fun. The facilities in-clude medicinal and adventure pools, a slide park, saunas, re-

freshing and medicinal aroma massage, and a salt chamber. Child-friendly services welcome families with its kids’ pools, playhouse, play corner and playgrounds. Fans of moonlight bathing can have a moonlight dip at weekends.

The Anna medicinal water in Szeged is available to drink as a cure for stomach and intestinal problems and diseases of the mouth. Anyone can take the water of the thermal well, in the street adjacent to the Anna spa, to drink it at home and recover.

The pampering package of the water empire of Szeged is ideal for couples who can participate in a 120-minute Private Spa program. They can choose a 20-minute wellness bath and a 50-minute wellness massage as a pair then rest on a wa-ter bed for 50 minutes in the company of their loved one with a glass of champagne or red wine, and a plate of fresh fruit.

Relaxation for lovers,

young and ‘forever young’

people, and families alike.

Sweet growing beautiful


Besides the romantic option, families can also enjoy their wellness experience at Szeged in the new spa, which includes a four-level labyrinth playhouse, baby-and-mother world, ba-by swimming, kids’ corner, babysitting, baby pools and slides.

Besides two giant slides, children can challenge their skills in a multi-level adventure pool in Mórahalom, while babies and the little ones have a separate splashing pool.

The medicinal baths at Mórahalom specialise mainly in musculoskeletal disorders and is referred to as “a knee and shoulder joint centre” with 14 indoor and 7 outdoor pools, medicinal and wellness services, adventure pool for children and a sauna park - a real multi-generation facility. The spa at Kiskunmajsa also meets the demands of all groups where each member of the family can find recreation in the park environment with sports fields, outdoor and indoor medici-nal, wave and adventure pools with slides. Bathing has been made even more entertaining with aquapark objects on the artificial pond of the spa.

The spa at Tiszakécske has a real family-friendly recrea-tion resort with outdoor and indoor children’s pools, playing and resting premises and playgrounds. Adults can enjoy up-to-date wellness and medicinal services.

romance, recreation and experience at the spas of the Southern great plain.

Bathing with family

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You will be pampered in the Fortress Spa at Gyula with 40 types of heart-warming, fragrant massage including skin stretching, anti-cellulite and fat burning massage, and a “sum-mer refreshment” or “winter miracle” massage. During the four-hand massage, two masseurs treat guests simultaneously, or couples can enjoy a joint massage lying on two massage beds next to each other with the masseurs applying a refreshment massage on them at the same time for great shared experienced. Several days or hours spent in sweet harmony is a perfect thera-py program, since enjoying the pampering environment you can pay full attention to yourself and your partner.

In 2013 a new family spa has become available for guests. This means five new pools with slides, deep-water trampo-line, water bar, expanded sauna offer, mum-and-baby corner, kid’s club and babysitting service and a dry playground awaits younger children and teenagers.

Fish spa treatments are also available at Kecskemét where freshwater ‘doctor fish’ remove dead epithelial (skin) cells and

St. Elizabeth Spa Mórahalom


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Relaxation and treatments

after busy days relieve the

problems caused by stress.

The wellness services

of spas eliminate headache

and fatigue, and promote

your immune system.

Fortress Spa Gyula

eliminate calluses on the feet by working tenderly with their suction cup-shaped mouths.

In the spa of Kecskemét, the elements of a five-day “head-ache” package based on an individual treatment plan include several types of gymnastics, electro-magnetic therapy, massage, underwater jet massage or mud wrap, a swimming pool, spa and sauna, as well as a daily walk. Migraine patients are released with a home treatment plan in order to maintain the results.

The fish pedicure is applied in the beauty section of the Hagymaticum offering a tingling massage experience and a stress-relieving effect.

The baths in Csongrád were declared medicinal in 1956. Their carbonate waters can be found in the indoor pools. The baths in Szentes, just a few kilometres from Csongrád, recall the atmosphere of the Turkish baths. Many visitors also make their way to the baths in Kiskunfélegyháza, Kiskunhalas, Békéscsaba, Gyomaendrőd, situated under the shady trees of the Erzsébet Woods next to the River Körös.


The Southern Great Plain » exciting and eventful| hungarian Tourism Ltd. » gotohungary.com 8

exciTing and evenTfuL

AwAkENING fOR bOdy ANd SOUL

In a wonderful environment at the lower section of the Tisza River you can make water tours on a variety of routes com-bined with a tour on the Körös or Maros rivers.

Those who like competitions can participate in kayak-ing, canoeing or dragon boat races over various distances. One round of the National Tour Championship is organised at Szanazug near Gyula. In August, a 21-km long canoe mar-athon is held on the Kákafok backwater at Szarvas.

The National Olympic Centre for Kayak-Canoe and Row-ing is primarily used for kayak-canoe, rowing, triathlon, and pleasure sports. Besides Hungarian and international com-petitions, there are also training camps, sports and rod fish-ing camps.

an active lifestyle is essential for maintaining your health. you can combine recreational activities with your holiday, and even try out new sports.

The Danube flowing

majestically at the western

border of the region is

an international shipping

lane. On the romantic

branches of the river and

in the Gemenc forest two-

and four-day canoe trips

are made in August where

the beauty of nature

are at your fingertips.Water tour on the Tisza

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The region can be discovered by bicycle, as well. Among international tours, EuroVelo® No. 6 crosses the Southern Great Plain along the Danube while No. 11 follows the Tisza River. More and more bicycle paths are being constructed in-cluding a 20 km long section between Hódmezővásárhely and Mindszent and a 30 km section between Kiskunmajsa and Bugacpusztaháza.

The bicycle trail in Békés County starts out at Békés-szentandrás and goes to the Kétsoprony border at Kondoros, crossing the nature conservation reserve and culture-histo-rical territories, and with further development it is going to reach Békéscsaba in 2014.

In the holiday centre Békés-Dánfok, a bicycle point pro-viding complete services to cyclists will be available by the end of 2013. This will include a community space, barbe-

on horseback, bike, foot or by rowing the beauties of the region are at your fingertips.

Rod fishing by night

cue and bike repair services, and a new 1.8 km section is be-ing constructed along with the reconstruction of the 3.7 km long bike track. The season-opening “Sziki walks” of 7, 14 and 28 km start from Kiskundorozsma in early March. The Petőfi tour of 20 or 70 km in April starts from Kiskőrös, and the 40 km tour from Izsák. The “Three-town power tour” in May connects three towns of the Central Békés region: Békés, Békéscsaba and Gyula. The 15, 35 and 88 km long “Homokhát cycling tours” in June start from Maty stream Szeged and follow the most beautiful scenes of Homokhátság. The 10, 20, 30, and 50 km “Körös walking tours” are also held in June along with the

70 and 100 km long cycling tours from Mezőberény. “Mály-vád cycling tours” are organised at the end of August for walkers and cyclists. The half-marathon along the scenic Ma-ros River offers a special experience at Makó. The Cooking Competition of Popular Dishes at Körösladány is on Septem-ber 18, and 30 km as well as 28 and 70 km long “Sárrét walk-ing tours” are held.

Nordic walking


The plain terrain offers

tour stages also for beginners.

The Pannonnordic Nordic

Walking team member often

turn up at Szeged as they

happily cover long distances

along the river bank.

Cycling tour on the plain

The Békéscsaba–Arad–Békéscsaba International Super-marathon triggers a lot of interest each year among long-dis-tance runners, performed also by bike or inline skates.

In late June, the 2000 and 4000 m “Érj át!” (Reach it) long-distance swimming event challenges professional and hobby swimmers in the Olympic centre at Maty stream Sze-ged. In August, an interesting aspect of swimming across the Körös River at Szarvas is that the total distance of 16 km cov-ered is not widthwise but lengthwise. The Körös Valley Bor-derless Walk is organised in May, starting from the Island Mountain in Transylvania and following roughly the flow of

the Black Körös from Belényes in Romania to Békéscsaba in Hungary in five days. Touring programs are held in the forms of cycling, walking or water tours organised simultaneously with tour guides.

Disadvantaged children with mental disorders and learn-ing difficulties are supported at Békéscsaba by therapeutic horse riding, while rehabilitation riding takes place at Dé-



vaványa. A novelty of the equestrian club of Szentes is the dog and horse program. Ad-jacent to the National Historical Memorial Park Ópusztaszer an extraordinary ancient horse species, the ‘akhal’ can be admired and even ridden. The special yurt accommoda-tion recalls the lifestyle of Hungarians at the time of the conquest.

The smallest zoo in the country with many new developments can be found at Kecs kemét and the largest zoo in Hungary can be found at Szeged where you can en-counter giraffes, penguins and rare animal species. Animal fans can take a pleasant walk in the game park at Pusztaottlaka.

Magyarkert, the largest scale model in Europe can be found on the outskirts of Ja-kabszállás. There is a collection garden, an integrated adventure park, a meeting point for creative artists and a place for relaxation

for visitors who can gaze at the facility from the air taking a plane at the nearby airport.

Speed lovers – whether amateurs or professionals – may try their skills in the continuously renewed go-cart stadium in Kecskemét. Buggy, quad and cross fields con-structed for technical sports welcome fami-lies in Orosháza.

Skateboarding, roller skating or BMX biking are available throughout the year on two sites in Szentes, in an open air and cov-ered skate park.

There are exciting adventures for water sport fans at the wakeboard track. Even be-ginners can try this sport on the quarry pond between Szeged and Hódmezővásárhely, on the Domb Beach Kecskemét as well as in Ba-ja, all with a teaching service.

In Szanazug at the confluence of Black Körös and White Körös, bathing, rowing,

A stud farm in the Puszta


On the back of waves

cruising, kayak tours, rod fishing and water ski await water lovers. A really exciting ad-venture is guaranteed too for water lovers enjoying a trip on the Mocsárjáró (airboat).

Those who desire a real adrenalin activ-ity should try tandem jumping from a height of 3000 meters at Békés Airport between Békéscsaba and Gyula.

galloping on the puszta of the Southern great plain where both horse and rider can experience endless freedom. Tourists on horseback may participate in exciting adventure trips in floodplain forests.

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SOuTheRN GReAT PlAiNReGiONAl mAP

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Tisza

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Körös

Fehér-

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a-vö

lgyi-főc

s.

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Bugac

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Ópusztaszer Mindszent

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Algyő

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Ruzsa

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Méhkerék

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Elek

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Mezőkovácsháza

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Makó

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BUDAPEST

Tourinform Office

Spas and thermal baths

Border crossing

museumM

Open-water beach

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The Southern Great Plain » The treasury of heritage| hungarian Tourism Ltd. » gotohungary.com 16

The TreaSury of heriTage

CULTURAL bUzz

A ceramics centre on the Great Plain also famous for its folklore pottery is Hódmezővásárhely, where two pottery houses can be found: one in memory of old-time masters, while in the other you may try kneading, wheeling and painting. The rich motives of “hair embroidery”, the ver-satility of folklore pottery, and the works of wood carvers, rural furniture and leather goods is genuinely reflected the past of Vásárhely.

The spectacular manufacturers of the world-famous slip-pers of Szeged follow Turkish and Southern Slavic traditions and show you that this slipper is matchless in quality and design.

Traditions and rural trades constitute the subject and the program of several festivals. The Hungaricum Festival in Sze-ged aiming at promoting Hungarian products, traditions and culture is outstanding among them.

nowadays practitioners of rural trades show the tricks of their trade in their own workshops or in creative houses preserving and disseminating their knowledge.

The world-famous mo-

tifs of Kalocsa decorate

almost everything. They

were once painted on fur-

niture and wall, or embroi-

dered on costumes. Today

they may be applied to

almost everything includ-

ing belts, jewelry, bags or

even vehicles. You will find

amazing paintings in the

country house of Kalocsa

and in the railway station.Wall painting in the country house

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The Szeged Open-Air Festival of European fame is one of the largest outdoor stages of the country, the imposing site of which is on Dom Square. With a history of several decades, the Fortress Theatre of Gyula also deserved deserved a pres-tigious place. There are performances on the lake stage adja-cent to the fortress, in the fortress yard, and in several sites around the town. Theatre, music and dance performances with the involvement of popular excellent performers pro-vide the entertainment for young people but the Open-Air Summer Theatre of Szentes in the County Hall is also gain-ing more and more popularity.

The Enchanting Baja Festival series offers nearly two hun-dred events for visitors, including the traditional Let-Go-John, the Water parade, the motor boat European and world champi-onships, gastronomic events, summer theatre and exhibitions.

a series of events welcome guests each week. These patches of colourful culture are traditionpreserving events, music festivals and summer theatres.

Szeged Open-Air Festival


Besides theatre performances, concerts and night shows, the Water Theatre in Szarvas provides cultural relaxation programme nightly in this town on the Körös shore with the title “Poem above water”.

The downtown of Kecskemét is a musical jewelry box with the chime of bells of the city hall playing Kodály melo-dies, and the churches of the main square rining their bells.

The Picture Gallery of Kecskemét has been accommodated in the Cifra (Ornamental) Palace. At the Hungarian Photo-graphic Museum there are images covering one and a half centuries of photographic history. Several of the 2500 pieces of the Leskowsky Collection of musical instruments can be tried in the course of a musical guided tour.

The Memory Point museum in Hódmezővásárhely presents the period between 1945 and 1990. A Holocaust Memorial Cen-tre functions adjacent to the Synagogue of the town. The muse-um in the cultural quarter of János Tornyai has been re-opened in the basement with a unique spectacle store. The most re-nowned archeological findings, the altar of Kökénydomb and the Venuses can be seen again in a permanent exhibition. The artists’ colony has organised a yearly Autumn Show since 1953 in the Alföld Gallery to display the works of local painters.

The license plate collection

proud of its Guinness World

Record is a curiosity even

among the unique collections

of Kecskemét

License plate collection


The only printing museum of the country is in Gyomaendrőd and introduces the Kner printing dynasty and their life’s work.

The Public Road Technical Collection in Kiskörös has the most prestigious roll collection in Central Europe, including the legendary vehicle of the movie “The road roller rumbles”, still ready for operation.

In the sculpture park near the birthplace of the ardent poet Sándor Petőfi, statues had been erected for the trans-lators who made his poems known in different languages.

On the course of a musical guided tour in the memorial house of Ferenc Erkel in Gyula you can follow the evolution of his excellent talent. The legend says that he composed the opera Bánk bán under the “Erkel tree” on the area of the cur-rent Fortress Spa.

One of the outstanding representatives of Hungarian li-terature, Ferenc Móra, was born in Kiskunfélegyháza, then after his studies he worked in Szeged until his death. His birthplace in Kiskunfélegyháza has been transformed into a memorial place. The interactive exhibition of the Ferenc Móra Museum displaying old trades of Szeged provides use-ful entertainment for children, as well. Besides permanent

many of our excellent compatriots were born in the Southern great plain region.

Ferenc Móra Museum

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exhibitions, works of world-famous artists can be seen perio-dically in the Reök Palace.

One of the specialties of the new scientific and cultur-al centre of Szeged, the Albert Szent-Györgyi Agora, is an exhibition of IT history featuring the only complete 35 me-tre long Razdam3 computer in the world, manufactured in 1967, and the floppy cassette invented by Marcell Jánosi can be admired here.

In the Lace House of Kiskunhalas you can observe wom-en sewing lace, while among the wonderful laces of the ex-hibition – each gram of which is worth as much as gold – the

traditional stitches can also be recognised. The lace of Halas has won prizes at several world exhibitions, and has become a worthy competitor of the laces of Brussels and Venice.

In Békéscsaba so called “podstiena” houses can be seen as typical Slovakian dwelling houses with front porches. A fairytale house functions in the building ensemble of the Community Houses on Békési road where artisan work-

Traditional gingerbread


21

Settlement images still

reflect the traditions

of ethnic groups.

Through the living culture

and the everyday items

displayed in the country

houses you gain insight

in the daily life of former

inhabitants.

Fisherman’s house in Csongrád

shops can be ordered. The name of the town is also known by Munkácsy fans since the world-famous painter was raised here as an orphan, and his works can be admired in the Munkácsy Memorial House and the Mihály Munkácsy Mu-seum. The painting titled Tóth Matild can be seen in the lat-ter, it came to the museum from a family estate in 2012.

From time to time spectacular milling shows are present-ed in the dry mill built in 1836 and still functioning in Szarvas.

The Sunshine-Decorated Country House is one of the oldest houses in the Alsóváros district of Szeged. The exhibi-tion here as well as the educational programs and museum

activities bound to festivities present rural culture, charac-teristic of the first half of the 20th century.

Several settlements along the Danube, like Harta have preserved German traditions. The memorable sight of the famous painted furniture of Harta welcomes visitors in the country house. The open “smoky kitchen” has pre-served its original form. The local folklore costume is also

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Calvary in Kecskemét

Ópusztaszer is the cradle of hungary,

place of the first parliament of conquering

hungarians. At the time of Anonymus,

the richest and largest three-nave basilica

of the Great Plain was here. Around

the Árpád memorial erected near the

ruins of the former church parish feasts

with holy mass are celebrated, and cars

full of pilgrims come to the event in

September even today.


special and unique, including the “haupt”, a headdress with pearls.Harta has a rich col-lection of these.

The old part of Csongrád, the Inner Town comprising fishermen’s houses is the only ensemble of popular architecture on the Great Plain where the foundations and walls of 35 houses under special protection have been estimated at 200 to 300 years of age.

The Star Path labyrinth has been con-structed adjacent to the National Histori-cal Memory Park of Ópusztaszer, where the answers to questions about culture, wildlife and other peculiarities of the region can be found.

A village in the city is Alsóváros, an an-cient part of Szeged. The five hundred year old Lady of Snow church and the Franciscan monastery constitute the second largest en-semble of ecclesiastical buildings from the middle ages. In the interactive visitor centre the traditional life of monks and the bases of

the Franciscan spirit are presented. A pearl of Art Nouveau architecture is the monu-mental New Synagogue in Szeged, recognied among the largest and most beautiful Jewish temples of the world.

As archbishop center, Kalocsa has pre-served priceless values in the Cathedral Li-

brary including codices, ancient prints, and antiquities. Ecclesiastical relics can be seen in the Archbishop’s Treasury.

The largest Virgin Mary sculpture can be seen at the Vodica-Maria shrine in Herceg-szántó, where holy mass is celebrated on the day of the appearance of Virgin Mary at Fa-tima i.e. on the 13th of each month between the 13th of May and the 13th of October.

The great church in Békéscsaba is the largest Lutheran sanctuary in Central Eu-rope. One of the largest Lutheran organs of Hungary can be found here. Classical and modern music concerts are held regularly in the church because of its excellent acoustics.

The only intact rural Gothic brick for-tress on the plains of Central Europe can be found in Gyula, entering between its walls you may feel you have stepped back in time. For important events the oven will be fired in the fortress, delicious breads are baked, a blacksmith’s fire f lares up, and the pot-

tery wheel is spun. The medieval romantic atmosphere can be made even more special with a wedding held in the fortress chapel. The famous pilgrimage place of the town is the “Nádi” (reedy) Blessed Virgin church with a monumental secco of Mihály Patay on its ceiling.

The ethnic groups settling here brought with them their religious and cultural traditions, including complete religious diversity that has succeeded for many generations.Árpád memorial Ópusztaszer

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a region of hungaricumS

CHEERy TAbLE dELIGHTS

The paprika of Szeged and Kalocsa are basic spices of Hungar-ian cuisine.The red onion of Makó is excellent quality due to the high number of hours of sunshine and the rich soil. The sausages of Csaba and Gyula are abundantly seasoned with paprika, and the salami of Szeged, are under the protection of the EU. Chamomile flower and grey cattle in the Southern Great Plain are also included in the list of cherished treasures.

Hungaricums are special, unique and typical only to Hungary. They golden-and-white vine cultivar, the basis of the excellent blanc sec sparkling wines typical to the South-ern Great Plain region (Izsák and its vicinity).

among traditional products under origin protection in the eu, there are twelve hungarian product identifications, with seven connected to the Southern great plain, and two typical of the whole of the hungarian plain.

Strudel-making has a long

tradition in the region and

people recall how women

used to walk around

the table, stretching the

dough. These memories

are re-lived at the Strudel

Festival in mórahalom

where you should not only

eat but try to bake as well.

Stretched strudel

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Due to climatic and natural factors, as well tender and expert hands, the brandy (pálinka) made of apricot around Kecskemét and plum in Békés, have become recognised Hun-garicums. On his journey in 1936, Edward, Prince of Wales tasted apricot brandy and said with appreciation: “This is better with soda than whisky, and better in tea than rum.” To date, if a member of the British royal family visits Hunga-ry, he/she gets a giant bottle of apricot brandy as souvenir. In brandy tasting stations along the Békés Plum Brandy Trail it will be explained to you how this noble drink is made. In the Pálinka Centre located between the walls of the former syn-agogue in Békés you may try making the the brandy, as well as distilling your own drink online from a distance. You will also see during the Plum Day in Szarvas, how many products can be made from plums.

Southern great plain, the home of excellent food, good wine and fruit brandy.

Sausage sellers

The Hajós-Baja wine district is covered with orderly vineyards. At Hajós you find can find the ‘cellar village’, a peculiarity in Eu-rope, comprising 21 streets and 1200 press houses. The renowned cabernet, blue franc, and zweigelt made from aromatic grapes of Hajós, age in the labyrinth of cellars.

The sunshine of the Csongrád wine re-gion and the sand warmed up by the sun re-sult in good ripening and sugar formation. Light, pleasant, fruity wines for everyday con-sumption are produced in this wine region.

In the Kunság wine district, the origin-protected gold-and-white grape of Izsák is a cultivar indigenous here. Its light and elegant wine is especially popular with young peo-ple. The Muscat champagne of Izsák won a silver medal in 2010 while in 2011 it became world leader at the Effervescents du Monde organised in France.

A region of wines

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Along the rivers rich in fish, fish soup is a common dish, but is made differently in each place: for instance in Szeged it is made with a thick broth and in Baja it is cooked with match shaped noodles. Both can be tasted in June at the Fish Cooking Festival Baja and at the Tisza Fish Festival in Szeged.

The famous meat pudding (hurka) of Bácska uses typical flavours of the Balkan, while Slovakians in Békés County make spe-cial “cigánka”. Sausages can be roasted im-mediately after filling or consumed later in their smoked version. All kinds of fresh pork delicacies can be tasted at the Bácska Hurka, at the Sausage Festival in February and at the Csaba Sausage Festival in October.

On the Paprika Days held at Alsóváros Szeged and in Ópusztaszer you may string, crush and mill the herb recalling the tradi-tions of former paprika producers and mer-

chants. A paprika feast accompanied by a folklore program is celebrated in Kalocsa. During a cooking competition of paprika dishes, mouth-watering delicacies are made both in traditional and modern styles.

Onion festivals are held in Makó where onions are used in everything. You can taste various dishes, bakery products and even cakes made with onions. And if you wish to buy a typical present, you can select from lo-cal products at the festival market.

Ground paprika

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The highstandard white and red wines, champagnes, spicy wines and brandies are excellent accompaniments to local dishes.

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Tourinform officeS in The SouThern greaT pLainTourinform BaJa »6500 Baja, Szentháromság tér 11.Tel./Fax: +36 79/[email protected]

Tourinform BÉkÉScSaBa »5600 Békéscsaba, Széchenyi u. 4.Tel./fax: +36 66/[email protected]

Tourinform BÉkÉS megye »5600 Békéscsaba, Kiss Ernő u. 3.Tel./fax: +36 66/[email protected]

Tourinform cSongrÁd »6640 Csongrád, Szentháromság tér 8.Tel./fax: +36 63/[email protected]

Tourinform gyomaendrŐd »5500 Gyomaendrőd, Kossuth u. 9.Tel./fax: +36 66/[email protected]

Tourinform gyuLa »5700 Gyula, Kossuth u. 7.Tel./fax: +36 66/561-680Tel.: +36 66/[email protected] [email protected]

Tourinform hÓd me ZŐ vÁ SÁr heLy »6800 Hódmezővásárhely, Zrínyi u. 2.Tel.: +36 62/249-350Fax: +36 62/[email protected]

Tourinform kecSkemÉT »6000 Kecskemét, Kossuth tér 1.Tel./fax: +36 76/[email protected]

Tourinform kiSkŐrÖS »6200 Kiskőrös, Petőfi tér 4/aTel.: +36 78/514-850Fax: +36 78/[email protected]

Tourinform kiSkunmaJSa »6120 Kiskunmajsa, Zárda u. 2.Tel./fax: +36 77/[email protected]

Tourinform kÖrÖS–SÁrrÉT »5520 Szeghalom, Szabadság tér 4–8.Tel./fax: +36 66/[email protected]

Tourinform kunSZenTmikLÓS »6090 Kunszentmiklós, Kossuth Lajos u. 1/aTel./fax: +36 76/[email protected]

Sunshine bath

Tourinform makÓ »6900 Makó, Makovecz tér 6.Tel.: +36 20/254-2051Tel./fax: +36 62/[email protected]

Tourinform maroShÁT » 5820 Mezőhegyes, Béke park 1. Tel./fax: +36 68/[email protected]

Tourinform mÓrahaLom »6782 Mórahalom, Röszkei u. 1.Tel./Fax: +36 62/[email protected]

Tourinform oroShÁZa »5904 Orosháza, Fasor u. 2/aTel./fax: +36 68/[email protected]

Tourinform kiSkunfÉLegyhÁZa6100 Kiskunfélegyháza, Petőfi tér 1.Tel.: +36 76/562-039Fax: +36 76/[email protected]

Tourinform ÓpuSZTaSZer »6767 Ópusztaszer, Szoborkert 68.Tel.: +36 62/275-133/121Fax: +36 62/[email protected]

Tourinform SZarvaS »5540 Szarvas, Kossuth tér 3.Tel./fax: +36 66/[email protected]

Tourinform SZeged »6720 Szeged, Dugonics tér 2.Tel.: +36 62/488-699Tel./fax: +36 62/[email protected]

Published by Hungarian Tourism Ltd., Regional Marketing Directorate of The Southern Great Plain » Creative design: WOW Stúdió Kft. » Printed by CREW Nyomdaipari és Szolgáltató Kft. » Map: Freytag-Berndt » Photos: Photoarchivum of Hungarian Tourism Ltd. » Free copy

relaxation, romance, traditions, gastronomy and culture: the region awaits you with open doors!

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THE SOUTHERN GREAT PLAIN

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