Debrecen Travel Guide
From Wikitravel
Debrecen is the "Capital city of the Great Hungarian Plain", in the east of Hungary.
Contents |
Understand
They used to say "who in their sane mind would build a city in the middle of nowhere where there is no mountains, forests, water or roads?". Still, the answer is a mystery, but Debrecen is the second (or third, depends on the census) largest city of Hungary.
It used to be Europe's largest Calvinist city (was called "The Calvinist Rome"), and the Grand Church (Nagytemplom) is a reminder of the city's heritage.
Debrecen also has a university with all kind of science areas. It has about 25000 students. The main building at the Nagyerdő is beautiful.
Get in
By car
Follow the main road 4 from Budapest or anywhere except east (more than 3 hours travel from Budapest). Alternatively you should go towards Miskolc by using highway M3 and go to Debrecen where the signs tell you (at the end of the highway, at Polgár); this road is way faster (may be well below 2 hours from Budapest if you don't get caught).
By plane
There is an airport, but its traffic is not very high. There is already a cheap-flight company which flies to München, Germany, so via that Debrecen can be reached from all Europe. It is planned to extend the air traffic through involving more cheap-flight companies. Charter flights come regularly to the airport.
Get around
Driving
Roads are okay.
Public transportation
Public transport uses local tickets. Don't try to use Budapest tickets; they won't work.
The tram carries people to the most visited places. It starts from the Train station, goes along the main street, turns at the Grand Church a bit, goes to the Old Forest, the Zoo, Theme Park and Public Bath, then around to meet the Universities, then back.
Bus lines are fair. You may expect to be able to reach nearby places fast.
Walking
Many nice streets around. Many ugly ones. Test your luck.
Try Nagyerdő (the Old Forest): it is still beautiful.
See
- Déry Museum is a place to see, it's a national museum with all kinds of arts.
- Other museums are around, too.
- Theme Park (Vidámpark)
- The City Zoo (Állatkert)
- The Public Bath (Strand)
- The Old Forest (Nagyerdő): a huge and beautiful forest in the middle of the city with lakes, small and large walkways.
- The University
Do
- Flower Carnival (Virágkarnevál): 20th August, every year there's a whole day of celebrating the summer and national holidays, with moving pictures or statues mad of flowers, and lots of other mardi gras.
- Military Band Festival (Katonazenekari fesztivál) once a year
- Aquapark rather cold water, but plenty of attractions; very clean and organized; a bit expensive by Hungarian standards.
Buy
Exchanging money can be cheaper here than in Budapest.
Eat
Avoid everything in Kálvin tér (the square on the right of the Big Church, in the middle of the circle of houses), like Gara cukrászda (a bakery, probably the worst "Somloi Galuska" of the World) or Gilbert Pizzéria. They emphasize style over flavor.
Piac utca(in front of the Big yellow church) has some nice places, try Toro-Doro and Babaloo. This is not typical Hungarian food, but still very good.
Drink
Sleep
- 'Hotel Italia is actually kind of a youth hostel. Cheap, Filled up with students. 10 min walk from the station.
- 'Stop Pension [1] - situated in a calm and pleasant area in the centre of Debrecen.
Stay safe
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