I arrived in Szeged on a hot, summer day in August. It was so hot when I was driving on the motorway to Szeged, that I had to stop because my GPS overheated and turned itself off. It took 15 minutes in the car’s cool box before it would turn back on, during which time I was baking outside. The air conditioning in the car had completely failed, so when I finally arrived at my hotel in Szeged, I turned the AC on and just stood in front of it for a good half an hour.
Szeged is a lovely city located in the south of Hungary, on the shores of the Tisza River, very close to the border with Romania. It is the third largest city in Hungary, but it doesn’t look like it. It has a compact old centre, with the touristic attractions very close to each other.
Besides being known as the home of paprika, Szeged is also famous for its thermal waters. Many people come here every year to enjoy the benefits of the hydrotherapy, as well as the massive water park, which is a blessing in the summertime when it’s very hot.
There are plenty of things to do in Szeged, whether you are here on a day trip from Budapest, or spending a week-long spa holiday here.
About Szeged
Szeged is known among the locals as the “City of Sunshine” because it receives over 2,100 hours of sunshine every year. Whilst it is a popular touristic destination among the Hungarians, it is still pretty unknown to foreign tourists, which makes it a perfect place to visit for people who are searching for authenticity. I visited Szeged in the middle of August and I encountered a city which was pretty much empty, no crowds and plenty of sunshine. Maybe a bit too much sunshine, but that’s what the water park is for.
I liked that the town centre was airy, with large boulevards, plenty of pedestrian areas and many parks and green areas where I could shelter from the heat. The Art Nouveau architecture makes the city look like a work of art. This is because Szeged is a brand-new city, rebuilt in the late 19th century after a massive flood which washed away most of the buildings.
How to Get to Szeged
It is very easy to reach Szeged from Budapest, whether you are driving like I did, or using public transport. The drive takes around 2 hours.
There are daily trains connecting Budapest with Szeged, taking approximately two and a half hours to reach the city. This makes it very easy to take a day trip to Szeged, should you not want to spend the night in the city. I highly recommend staying at least two days in Szeged in order to experience everything the town has to offer, at a slow pace.
Where to Stay in Szeged
I booked a room at Tisza Sport Hotel and I was happy with my choice. I paid £25 a night for a double room, which was basic but clean and comfortable, with breakfast included. I also had a small balcony with two chairs, and a view towards the river. The hotel is located on the other side of the river, only a few minutes’ walk from the town centre, and very close to the Aquapark. I chose it because it was affordable and had free parking. You can check the latest rates on Booking by clicking here.
For a more upscale option, check out the nearby Hotel Forras. My mother has been coming here for years for the spa and hydrotherapy services. If you stay here, you also get free access to the Aquapark, which is connected to the hotel. Forras is a four star hotel, with modern amenities. Prices starting at £70/night.
You can check the reviews on Tripadvisor by clicking here, or the latest rates on Booking by clicking here.
The Best Things to Do in Szeged
Visit Votive Church
Voltive Church dominates the skyline of the city. It was one of the first things I saw as I approached the centre of the city from the other side of the Tisza River. And no wonder, as its towers reach an impressive height of 91 meters.
Votive is the fourth largest church in Hungary, having a capacity to hold 5000 people. The church has five bells, the heaviest weighting over 8,000 kilograms. The construction of the church started in 1913, after a devastating flood destroyed the city. It wasn’t finished until 1930 though, because of the First World War.
The interior of the church is home to an impressive organ with 9740 pipes and 134 ranks, which makes it one of the largest in the whole of Europe.
Visiting the church doesn’t cost anything, but if you want to climb the tower, the ticket is 800 HUF (less than £2)
Climb the Dömötör Tower
Dömötör Tower is the oldest building in Szeged. Located in front of the Votive Church, the tower was built in the 11th century, and restored in different architectural styles during the 12th and 13th centuries.
The upper levels are covered in beautiful murals created by the Hungarian modern art painter Aba-Novák Vilmos.
There are guided tours of the tower available from the information centre. They run almost every hour until 5pm.
Spend Some Time in Dóm Square
Dóm Square is located just in front of Votive Church. It is a very large square, the same size as Piazza San Marco in Venice. It is often used for open air festivals, which was the case when I visited. The square is surrounded by beautiful buildings, decorated with interesting statues and portraits of different local personalities. Here you will also find some benches, where you can rest for a while in beautiful surroundings.
Make sure you spot the Musical Clock opposite the church, which every hour plays the song “Szeged is a famous city”.
Check Out the Móra Ferenc Museum
The Móra Ferenc Museum is the local museum which hosts a permanent collection of the history and traditions of Szeged, as well as different temporary exhibitions. When I was in town, the temporary exhibition was dedicated to the Austrian Empress Elisabeth, also known as Sissi.
In front of the museum is a beautiful park with landscaped flower beds and a lovely fountain, which was very popular among the local children during my visit. Walking through it was a perfect way to cool down.
Visit the New Synagogue
The New Synagogue in Szeged is considered to be one of the most beautiful in Europe. It is also the fourth largest in the world. There are many architectural styles inside the synagogue, as the architect has combined the Art Nouveau with different other styles from the past, such as Roman, Byzantine and even Moorish Revival and Gothic.
The synagogue features a glass dome supported by 24 columns, representing the number of hours in each day. The dome is decorated with gold, blue and white, to represent the infinity of the sky above.
Gaze at the Art Nouveau Architecture of the City
One of the best ways to explore Szeged is to just get lost on its streets and let it surprise you with gorgeous buildings and palaces that are hiding in plain sight.
The first Art Nouveau building I stumbled upon was the Unger-Mayer House, in Dugonics Square. Its large dome is held by statues of ladies, holding hands looking as though they are dancing above the city.
Another fantastic building in Szeged is the Reök Palace designed by the architect Ede Magyar, also known as the Hungarian Gaudi. The building was designed in 1907 for Iván Reök, who was the chief water engineer of the city. Inspired by his profession, the architect themed the building’s design on water, creating a wavy pattern with intricate ironwork balcony rails that resemble algae, water lilies sculptures on the façade and a green-blue colour scheme.
Gróf Palota is another beautiful Art Nouveau Palace in Szeged. It has been designed in a triangular shape, with three facades and two towers decorated with peacock and traditional Hungarian art motifs.
Check Out the City Hall
The City Hall is located in Széchenyi Square, and it is a wonderful example of Neo-Baroque architecture with a beautiful façade decorated with statues. It has a very interesting clock tower just above the main building. It was inaugurated in 1883 by Emperor Franz Joseph, who had his own personal bridge to cross between the City Hall and the Town House. The bridge resembles the Bridge of Sighs, in Venice.
The square in front of the City Hall is home to a beautiful park and landscaped flower beds.
Find All the Statues in Szeged
I stumbled upon many statues during my trip to Szeged, some in the most peculiar places such as in between tower blocks, or in gardens of residential buildings. Most of them had no plaque to explain what their purpose was so it was left my imagination to wonder what they represented.
One of the most notable statues is the one in front of the University, of Albert Szent-Györgyi. He was awarded a Nobel prize for his scientist research into identifying Vitamin C from paprika, in 1932.
My favourite statue was the statue of a street violinist with a pack of pigeons at his feet, which situated at the end of Karász Utca.
Take a Ride on the Yellow Tram
It’s not just Lisbon that has cute, historical yellow trams. Szeged does too. The vintage trams are part of the heritage fleet of the city. There are only 4 vintage trams that are still in use in Szeged so, if you happen to see one, jump on, at least for one stop.
Spend a Fun Day at the Napfenyfurdo Aquapolis Waterpark
Aquapolis is one of the most fun water parks in Europe, with the continent’s longest indoor slide. The thermal waterpark makes a perfect day out for both parents and children, as besides the outdoor and indoor slides, it also has a quiet wellness area with treatments, water lounge, jacuzzi and bar.
Aquapolis also features Roman baths, an aromatherapy steam room and saunas. Visiting the Aquapolis is a must, and it is considered one of the best places to go in Szeged. The entrance fee to the water park is 5,700 HUF (approximately £13) for the entire day or 4,500 HUF (approximately £10) for three hours. For more prices (for parking, renting towels and robes, passes, etc), check out this link.
Sunbathe by The River
With so many sunny days a year, you would probably expect Szeged to have a beach at the Tisza River. Lapos beach is located just off Belvarosi bridge, offering sunbeds and umbrellas for hire, as well as a restaurant and a sandy volleyball court.
The beach also has a safe swimming area, delimited by water buoys.
Try the Local Food
Szeged is famous for two dishes that originated in the city: the Szeged goulash and the Szeged fish stew.
The Szegedin goulash is made with pork shoulder and sauerkraut, slow cooked in a hearty, paprika infused sauce, enhanced with sour cream. What makes is local to Szeged is the adding of sauerkraut and the sour cream to the sauce.
The Szeged fish is a soup made with carp, pike, catfish, and plenty of paprika. The base of the soup is made from the heads and tails of the fish, boiled for about an hour. Once the stock is ready, the bones are discarded and the liquid is passed through a sieve, before the rest of the fish is added. As well as the fish, the soup also has onions, tomatoes, and a couple of spicy Szeged cherry pepper. It is a spicy soup which can easily warm you up on a cold winter day.
Buy Some Paprika
I have to admit that I was really excited to visit the Pick Salami and Paprika Museum, but unfortunately it closed down before my visit to Szeged, moving online, to a VR experience.
Most of the red peppers used to make paprika in Hungary are grown in the south of the country, around Szeged. In Hungarian, paprika also refers to the red capsicum pepper used to make the red powder, as well as to the condiment itself. The most common types of paprika that you can buy in the market are hot or sweet. During my train journey from Monor to Budapest, a local told me that the type of paprika which is used most in the Hungarian cuisine is the sweet one, and that the local food is not spicy as all. Even the hot paprika is not as spicy as you would imagine.
The best place to buy paprika is the market, where the local producers sell it unlabelled, in half a kilo plastic bags.
Have a Drink at the Tram Café
One thing I wished I had done in Szeged was to have had a drink in this pretty refurbished vintage tram coffee shop. I only stumbled upon it during my last day in the city, and it was closed.
Enjoy Coffee and Cake
I loved starting my mornings in Szeged at A Cappella, a café selling delicious cakes in Klauzál Square, the heart of the city. As temperatures were already pretty high by 10am, I would order a cold frappe for breakfast, rather than a hot coffee. I would then just sit back and enjoy it, whilst watching people pass by.
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The Domotor tower is amazing – I would love to see that! I did not know that Szeged is where paprika comes from, either.
I never knew Paprika was from Hungary! Looks like there is loads of cool things to do here.